WE MET

IN ARGENTINA

INTERNATIONAL ALPHAS BOOK 6

ALEXIS GOLD

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Summary

African-American Jenna Lockley was a private

investigator who was one of the best in her field.

And it was because of this, that billionaire Lance

Pierce hired her to help find his missing sister.

The two of them met in Buenos Aires, Argentina to

trace his sister's last movements.

And as Jenna worked hard on investigating the case

she soon found she was more than distracted by

how handsome Lance was.

Those hands. Those eyes. Those lips.

Could Jenna find the missing girl and also find love

at the same time?

Warning: This is not your average Billionaire

Romance. Expect mystery, suspense, intrigue and

hot sex in a book that will keep you reading till the

very end. A MUST READ!

Copyright Notice

We Met In Argentina © 2018, Alexis Gold

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

This book contains material protected under International and

Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized

reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this

book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any

means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system

without express written permission from the author / publisher.

Contents

Chapter1
Chapter2
Chapter3
Chapter4
Chapter5
Chapter6
Chapter7

chapter 8
chapter 9

chapter 10

chapter 11

chapter 12
chapter 13
chapter 14

Chapter1

Jenna sat at the long mahogany bar, her legs
crossed elegantly so that her short black skirt
teased at her sculpted, athletic build. She scanned
the room slowly and took it all in, the colorful lights
and bottles reflected against her large, dark brown
eyes. A tight spiral of black hair fell into her view,
and she brushed it away with a graceful hand. Her
warm, brown skin was a beautiful contrast to the
cool shades of blue, green, and teal that made up
the bar decor.

Jenna sighed softly to herself and glanced at the
bartender, as she raised her hand for another tequila
on the rocks.

“What the hell have I gotten myself into?” she
whispered to no one in particular.

Her phone vibrated loudly on the bartop and
startled her with the sudden burst of energy. The
photo that popped up on her phone was of herself
and a petite Asian woman, both laughing as a whirl
of excitement at a concert went on behind them.
Jenna grabbed the phone and answered.

“Danielle, I told you I’m fine.” Jenna rolled her

eyes at her worried friend.

“Yeah, you said that, but a kidnapper could easily
force you to unlock your phone and send a text
saying you’re fine. I just wanted to be sure.”

Jenna sipped her tequila. “You do remember I was
a cop for six years, right? In New York City, on
third shift? You really think I couldn’t handle
myself in a new city?”

Danielle laughed. “Well, I tend to forget that. All
you mentioned about this case was that a girl
disappeared, so I can’t help that my anxiety leads
me to jump to conclusions and decide that no
matter where you are, you are in danger.”

“You’ve been listening to too many serial killer
podcasts. Take it easy, and I’ll call you tomorrow.
Bye, Danielle.”

“Fine. Later, Jenna.”

Jenna hung up the phone and shook her head,
smiling a little as she took another sip of her tequila
and thought of her friend. Danielle was the
sweetest, best friend she had, but she was a worrier,
and considering Jenna’s line of business, she had a
lot of opportunities to worry.

She reached into her leather bag and pulled out a
small tablet. She turned it on and brought up her
most recent case file. As a private investigator,
she’d finally gotten the big case she had always
wanted. She was working for a big time client, the
Pierce family of the precious metal company by the
same name. The father had contacted her when his
daughter had gone missing while visiting Buenos
Aires. He’d heard about her knack for working on
missing persons cases at the NYPD, and her recent
success as a PI.

Jenna thought back to the meeting they’d had. He’d
called her into his mansion office, the ceilings
towering over her so much she felt like she was in a
dollhouse. The place was like a museum; paintings
and artifacts were precisely hung or placed, and
every nook and cranny was dusted and sparkling.
She couldn’t imagine how many people it took to
keep the place clean.

He had given her everything that she needed:
family enemies, family members, rivals who might
be after them, and where his daughter had last been
seen last in Argentina. She was given access to
Lia’s bank account and phone, but everything had
stopped. No money was coming out, and that was a
big red flag.

“Lia isn’t like this. She keeps in touch, and she’s
always posting photos to social media. It’s like she
just… disappeared.” Mr. Pierce had broken down
at the words. He was a wreck and was genuinely
worried about his daughter.

His cries echoed in Jenna’s ears as she stared at the
picture of the young woman on her screen. Jenna
had a petite face with long blonde hair and green
eyes, with a smile so perfect she would melt your
heart. She had been going to school for business at
Harvard and planned on taking over the company
with her brother Lachlann in a few years.

Jenna folded the cover over her tablet and returned
it to her bag. She had landed just a few short hours
ago, and the long day of travel and stress that hung
over this case was wearing her down. She took
another sip of her tequila, letting it warm her throat
and cool her nerves.

She heard the footsteps of a large man behind her,
and from the loud cracks they made on the glossed
wood floor, it sounded like he was wearing cowboy
boots. She tensed ever so slightly as they drew
closer. She was accustomed to strange men
approaching her at bars, but it felt different in an
unfamiliar city. She looked to the ground and hoped

the cue would work, but instead she saw smooth
black, buffed cowboy boots stop beside her.

Her eyes trailed up the boots, the tops covered by
dark jeans that tightened as they went up the
seemingly endless, muscular legs. She could tell the
gentleman was packing well under those jeans, as
she traced along his belt to the clean flannel shirt
neatly tucked in against a trim waist. His chest and
shoulders broadened, and arms that looked fit for
action were crossed against his barrel of a chest. He
smirked as she looked up to his face, displaying a
dimple crinkled on his left cheek through sandy
blonde stubble. His jaw was strong, and his high
cheek bones almost hid his bright green eyes. Dark
blonde hair fell over his eyes, and he reached up a
hand and pushed it back so he could see her.

“Evening, ma’am,” he said with a faux accent.

Jenna paused and gave a small, “You know, I don’t
think I’ve actually ever met a cowboy, and it
appears I still haven’t.”

He gave a small frown that she realized resembled
more of a pout. “Are you saying I’m not a real
cowboy? I have the boots, the flannel, the jeans. I
know, no hat, but it just didn’t fit me right.” That
same irresistible smirk came over his lips.

She gave a light laugh. “No, it’s just that everything
is new. If you were a real cowboy, your clothes and
boots would be dusty, dirty, worn, or scuffed.
You’re not tricking anyone, sir.”

Jenna took a sip of her tequila, her eyes holding his
gaze as he studied her.

“You’ve got me, ma’am. Can I buy you a drink as a
prize?” He pulled out a chair and sat down next to
her.

She looked at him as he adjusted himself at the bar.
He must have been in his early thirties like her. He
was ridiculously handsome, and his eyes seemed so
familiar and so kind. Jenna had learned throughout
the years to trust her gut instinct with people; she
could usually sniff out a bad character when she
crossed paths with one. This man didn’t seem like
one. His presence was electric, yet comforting.

“I’m no ma’am; that’s my mother. I’m Jenna. And
a tequila on the rocks please.” She held out a hand,
and he turned to face her. He reached out and his
large, warm hand devoured hers in a shake.

“Lance. It’s nice to meet you, Jenna. So you’re
from the States too? I just got here yesterday and

haven’t run into too many other tourists. It seems to
be the off-season.” He raised a hand at the
bartender and signaled for two drinks.

“I am. I just arrived today and you are the first
person I have spoken to in English. So, you’re like
my own private greeter, like one of the people who
holds the sign at the airport with a name.”

He chuckled at the thought, “I like that; I always
thought that job looked fun. Even better if it’s for
you.” He glanced at her with playful eyes, and she
smiled back mischievously.

“I don’t think I’d mind.” Jenna felt her cheeks
grow warm. While she was flirtatious, she usually
wasn’t this bold. But something about this guy
intrigued her. She wanted to talk to him, place her
hand on one of his thighs, and feel his warmth
beneath her hand.

“So, Jenna, what brings you to the beautiful city of
Buenos Aires? Business or pleasure?” He sipped his
own drink as he waited for her reply.

“Business; I’m meeting up with a colleague to go
over some work.” Jenna felt a twinge of guilt. Even
though she would never discuss a client case with a
complete stranger, she felt bad not being truthful

with this man she had just met. She tried to brush
the thought away, confused at her own mind
playing tricks on her.

“I see. Well, will you have some time to hang out a
bit? Maybe some surfing, relaxing beachside, or
horseback riding through the ranches? You know,
some time for pleasure?” His brow raised in
curiosity, and he had lingered on the word pleasure.

His fingers traced the rim of his glass, his lips
curling in that mischievous smirk again. Jenna felt
herself melt and her knees grow weak just looking
at his dimple, messy hair, and perfectly cut stubble.
She felt a warm sensation in her middle, her desire
growing as he seemed to cast some sort of spell on
her.

“Oh, I think I can manage. Say, what are you up to
tonight?” Jenna shocked even herself at this
statement, as she very rarely made the first move,
let alone with a stranger, in a new city after hardly
getting to know the man.

He quirked a brow in surprise. “I just so happen to
be free tonight. And, I have a very nice beach
house that, to be honest, has been quite lonely since
I arrived. Big ole’ house with no one to share it
with.” He sighed with feigned sadness.

“Lance, I should have you know that I am a top-
notch cabin company provider. I can take any
lonely beach house and make it the most fun,
amazing beach house you have ever stayed in.
That’s my guarantee.” Jenna met his eyes and
sipped her tequila, then set down the glass and
reached out to lay her hand over his own on the
bar. He relaxed under her touch and gave a nod.

“Well, then. It’s settled. We really need to head
back to my place and make it way less lonely.
Sound like a deal?”

“Deal!”

The two picked up their glasses, cheered, and
knocked the rest back.

*

As soon as they walked through the door, Jenna
pushed Lance against the wall, wrapped her hands
around the back of his neck and pulled him in for a
passionate, deep kiss. He grabbed her hips and
hoisted them up around his waist, her legs wrapping
tightly around him. She couldn’t get close enough
to him, couldn’t wait to feel his skin beneath her
fingertips.

He pulled away briefly. “Jenna, you were correct.
You are very good at making a lonely house much
more exciting.”

She laughed and pulled him close again, lips
exploring his jawline and neck as he carried her
through the huge house, boot steps echoing against
deep, dark wooden floors. She laughed as his
stubble tickled her, when he nipped gently at her
collar bone and traced up her neck.

He gently placed her on the king sized bed, and she
immediately sank into the down feather comforter
and lay back to watch him pull off his flannel shirt
and tight white shirt beneath it. The white walls
climbed high, and giant windows with clean, thin
curtains let silvery moonlight in that caught his face
in the most beautiful way. The smell of the ocean
and sound of the waves came through the open
glass as he undid his belt and removed his pants.

Jenna felt herself grow wet; she was warm and her
clit pulsed in excitement. She felt her heart racing
as he lowered himself onto the bed, hovering over
her, and she could feel the heat radiating from him.
The bulge in his briefs grew even more as he
grabbed her shirt and yanked it off, his eyes hungry
for her.

Jenna reached down and pulled off her skirt,
revealing her white laced thong that traced the
curves of her body perfectly. Lance moaned with
excitement; then he leaned down and began to
gently kiss her thighs. Jenna let out a moan of her
own. His hands on her felt so good, and his lips
were working their way toward her pulsing clit. She
slowly let her legs open, and as she did so, he
reached up and pulled down her thong, slid it over
her legs, and tossed it back.

His lips moved further in; his tongue delicately
flicked her clit, and she gasped as sparks exploded
behind her eyes. He took the cue and slowly began
to circle her throbbing clit, hands gently massaging
her legs and hips as he did so. She rolled with the
motion, letting her gasps and moans escape her as
she lost herself in the waves of pleasure.

He teased her a bit. His lips traced their way up to
her belly button and nipples, and he playfully licked
and gently bit each one until she moaned with more
intense pleasure, until she begged for more.

“Please, I want more,” she whispered, her dark
eyes glassy and dilated with a flood of pleasure.

“Mmmm, you want more, do you?” he teased from

below her belly, face peeking from between her
legs.

“Yes, please,” she whispered desperately. She
needed more.

“Ok, only because you said please.” His lips were
already working back toward her aching clit.

As his tongue swirled harder and harder, she
grabbed that thick, sandy blonde hair and pulled
gently as the pleasure pulsated through every inch
of her body. She rocked with motion as his hands
guided her hips to pull her pussy in closer to his
lips, and he licked harder and harder with each gasp
of pleasure.

She heard the waves outside as they crashed to the
shore, the white noise perfect to lull her into a deep
trance of pure bodily pleasure, until she could no
longer contain herself. Her pussy was slick with her
own wetness, her clit swollen and sensitive from
the stimulation, and she felt the buildup of pressure
within her middle.

“I need you inside me.” She could hardly get the
words past her lips.

Without moving, he took one gentle hand and

slowly worked inside of her. His thumb rested just
below her clit, his tongue still circling in a rhythmic
motion, but the added pressure put her over the top.
As she felt his finger reach inside her and hit her
just right, she exploded in an orgasm.

She screamed as muscles spasmed in euphoric
unison, and her hips thrusted in primal motions, but
he didn’t move his lips or his hands, so as not to
disturb her full body experience. She felt the throbs
subside, but the warmth spread from her middle to
her limbs, to every inch of her body, and then the
most relaxed sensation spread throughout.

She looked up with eyes half closed in pleasure.
Then she smiled at him and murmured, “Thank
you. Your turn?”

He smiled back, his cock still throbbing in his
briefs. “Tonight, it’s all about you. We’ll have time
to get to me later.”

“But—”

“The only but I want is your butt.” She grinned as
he cuddled up beside her, turned her over, and
smacked her ass.

“Well, thank you,” she said simply, somewhat

surprised by the turn of events.

He leaned in close, his eyes staring into hers with a
connection that seemed to feel all too familiar to
Jenna; she couldn’t place it, but it was like she had
found an old friend. She leaned in and kissed him
deeply, softer this time with more tenderness. He
cradled her in his arms as they locked lips and
pulled her close to his warm, large chest until she
was atop him. When they drew apart, he rested his
chin on her head and gently rubbed her back. Jenna
felt more relaxed than she ever thought possible
and quickly drifted into a deep sleep.

*

When Jenna awoke the next morning, it was in
Lance’s very large arms. She was wedged closely to
his chest and barricaded by biceps. She chuckled
to herself. This wasn’t exactly what she had
planned for her first morning in Buenos Aires, but
she would certainly take it. His soft snores greeted
her ears, mingled with the ocean waves and cries of
the seagulls outside.

Jenna pushed his arms aside and rolled out of the
bed, needing to get cleaned up and started on her
case. A pang of guilt hit her stomach; while she was
off having fun with a new man she had just met, a

young woman could be tied up somewhere, or even
worse.

Jenna shook her head and tried to brush the
thoughts away. Her eyes looked to the bed and then
to the floor as she tried to find her clothes. She
crouched down and plucked her thong from the pile
of clothes, then pulled her shirt off his crumpled
jeans. Her shirt caught his wallet, which had fallen
out of his back pocket. The soft, Italian leather
opened up and revealed his State of New York ID.
Jenna smiled, realizing that they were both from
New York. Instinctively, she picked the wallet up to
see if he was from the city too. Then her eyes grew
large and she gasped as she read the name.

At the top of the ID it read, “PIERCE,
LACHLANN M.”
Jenna felt her breath escape her. She stood up and
looked over at Lance as he slept. In the photo she
was holding, Lance had long hair and a full beard.
Now he sported a sauve, faded cut with a swept top
and stubble; he looked like a completely different
person.

“Shit!” She had just slept with Lia Pierce’s brother.

Chapter2

Jenna sat at the end of the bed as she listened to
Lance’s soft snores. She had put his license and
wallet back, then folded his jeans, briefs, and shirt
and placed them on the dresser. She wasn’t sure if
she should tell him she was hired to find his sister,
or if she should just slip out and continue the case
on her own. No matter how badly her intuition told
her it wasn’t true, she knew there was a possibility
he was involved; in most cases involving
disappearance and murder, the suspects tended to
be close family or friends. Jenna sighed softly and
looked down at her hands. She hadn’t even been on
the case twenty four hours and here she was
screwing it up.

Lance rolled over in his sleep, and Jenna tensed.
She was ready to take off without another word,
just get to work on the case, and leave him out of
all this. But it felt wrong, not to talk to this man
about his missing sister. Jenna’s gut twisted in
anxiety. He hadn’t seemed concerned, but what
person would tell someone they just met in a
foreign city that they had a missing sister?

And what if he happened to not even know that she
was missing? According to Lance’s father, Lance

had been away the past few years on traveling
expeditions with friends. There was a chance he
had been so out of touch, he didn’t know and just
happened to be visiting Buenos Aires, although
Jenna doubted that was the case.

Lance gave a moan, and Jenna felt something
gently bump her thigh. Startled she jumped up and
looked over to see that Lance had woken up and
had pushed her lightly with his foot. He gave her a
sleepy lopsided grin with eyes half closed and hair a
mess atop his head, and Jenna couldn’t believe how
much he melted her heart in a matter of moments.

“Morning, beautiful,” Lance said with a yawn.

Jenna could feel herself blush, and she gave a small
chuckle.

“Morning.”

Jenna knew she couldn’t bolt at this point. The
voice in the back of her head gnawed at her to just
be honest with him; maybe he was here to find his
sister and knew something she didn’t.

“What’s wrong?” Lance’s lips pursed, his brow knit
in concern.

“I’m sorry, just… a lot on my mind.” Jenna began
to pace, a nervous habit she had when she didn’t
know what to do.

“Just a piece of advice, don’t play poker for
money… ever.” Lance sat up then stood, and the
blanket fell away revealing that Greek god build
Jenna thought she may have imagined after the few
drinks. Incredibly, he looked even more stunning in
the morning light, as it filtered through the shades,
with his chiseled ab muscles, those sculpted
shoulders, and that tight juicy ass. Jenna just
couldn’t stop staring at it.

She shook her head and ran her hands over her
face, then collapsed with a moan on the bed. Lance
tugged on a fresh pair of briefs as he gave her
another concerned look.

“Now you’re just scaring me. Everything OK?” He
pulled his tight jeans on and began to buckle his
belt.

Jenna took a deep breath. “When I went to get up
this morning, your wallet was on the floor and I
picked it up to put it away and saw your full name.
You’re Lachlann Pierce, part of the Pierce Metal
Empire?”

Lance held his hand up. “Guilty as charged. How
do you know the family?”

“I… I was hired to find your sister, Lia.” Jenna
looked up at him, her eyes meeting his as they went
from lighthearted to concern in a blink.

“Lance, is that why you’re here? Did you know she
was missing or are you just passing through?”

Lance sat down next to Jenna and put his hand on
her knee. He leaned into her, and Jenna wanted to
wrap her arms around him and pull him close; it
was like she could feel the pain radiating from him.

“I got here the day before yesterday to try and find
her. I was at the cantina where you were at to look
for her. I just started going to all the bars in the city,
because she’s a party girl. But… I got distracted.”
He nudged her with his knee.

“Lance, don’t take this the wrong way but.... don’t
become a private investigator, ever.” Jenna met his
eyes with a playful smirk.

His eyes widened in surprise, and he gave her a big
grin, “You’re the one who slept with the missing
person’s brother, while on the case. You didn't even
know AND you’re the P.I?!”

He gave her a shove back as she laughed and
covered her face with her hands.

“I know! Not my best work, but I’m going to blame
this on the jet lag.”

“Mhmmm.” He rolled his eyes at her.

“Ok, so what do you know? I’d like to get started
on the case this morning, so if I can get your report,
I can start the investigation and keep you posted on
what I find.” Jenna stood up and went to find her
purse so she could grab her hand held recorder.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Jenna, we’re going to work
on this together. There isn’t any just you working
on this case. She’s my sister. That's why I’m here.”
Lance stood up and stepped in front of Jenna.

“Lance, please don’t take this the wrong way, but
you have no idea what you’re doing here. I can’t
risk you getting hurt and your family potentially
losing two members. You’re better off enjoying the
beach, and I can meet you for updates.” Jenna put
her hands on her hips and cocked her eyebrow at
him—she didn’t play well with others.

“Jenna, with or without you, I’m going to find my

sister. You can join me, or we can go our separate
ways.” Lance crossed his arms and quirked his
brow at her.

The two stared each other down for a moment,
until Jenna sighed and dropped her arms to her
sides. He was like a puppy; she couldn’t say no to
that face.

“Fine, but you let me do the talking. You’re there to
look intimidating, got it, cowboy?” Jenna smiled.
He stepped closer to her, his big arms wrapping her
in a hug, and she felt her heart flutter at his warmth
and scent.

“See, I knew that cowboy outfit would come in
handy for something.”

*

Jenna sat at the kitchen island, her mug of coffee
steaming heavily in the rays of light that streamed
through the giant windows, revealing the beach
down below. She stared at the laptop screen. Her
fingers tapped away at the keys, but she didn’t look
up as she rattled off what she knew so far.

“So, we know that Lia hasn’t had any financial
activity. The last thing she bought was a roundtrip

ticket here, but she missed her return flight, and no
replacement was booked. She was staying with a
friend, left for the airport, and wasn’t seen again.
The camera footage leaving the place she stayed at
showed a license plate to a taxi service; before I
left the States, I spoke with them and got the
driver’s route for the day. He said he dropped her
off at a bar instead. I have the address, but it’s
doesn’t fit her M.O. one bit. We need to find out
why she went there.”

Lance listened as he finished cooking the over-easy
eggs, plucked the bread from the toaster, and
placed the plate of food in front of Jenna. He
grabbed some orange juice from the fridge and sat
beside her to review the bar she had pulled up on
the screen.

“Hmmm, shabby bar in the bad part of town. No,
it’s not her typical scene… but I wouldn’t be
surprised if she stopped for other reasons.” Lance
sighed and took a forkful of eggs.

“What do you mean?” Jenna asked as she took her
own bite of breakfast.

Lance swallowed, “Lia likes to party and not just
drink. She’s been into the drug scene recently. Last
time I saw her we had a fight about it. She had been

going to raves all over the place and trying all kinds
of stuff. I’m not a super stiff guy, but her friend told
me she had passed out for hours at one rave. I was
afraid she was going to get herself killed.”

Jenna paused; she pushed her egg around with her
fork for a minute, the yellow yoke seeping out
slowly from beneath the piercing metal.

“So, she could have stopped there to buy drugs, but
things didn’t go as planned, and they took her
hostage. But if that’s the case, why not contact
your family with a ransom? I mean, with your
money, that’s what they would go for.” Jenna took
another bite.

Lance leaned back and took a swig of his orange
juice, “Lia kept a fake ID on her, not for drinking,
but because she never wanted people to know who
she was. It was too much of a risk for her, to be out
partying with all those people and having them
know who she actually was. She wasn’t stupid, she
knew they would try and use her for money. My
guess is, if someone kidnapped her, they have no
idea who she is, and she hasn’t told them.”

Jenna looked at him with a concerned face,
“You’re telling me she wouldn’t spill the family
name, even tied up and with a gun to her head?”

Lance chuckled, “The Pierce family prepares for
anything. No, Lia had her own emergency stash
account. What they would want would be pocket
change to that account. So, if she got herself in a
trap, she would likely try to negotiate with them
using her own funds. But last I checked, which was
yesterday, the account hadn’t been touched.”

Jenna dipped her toast in the liquidy yolk. “Ok, so
she hasn’t touched her own funds, her phone has
dropped off the map, and no one has seen her…”
Jenna trailed off. Her background at the NYPD told
her this probably wasn’t going to end well.

Lance felt the shift and set his fork down. He wiped
his face and looked at Jenna.

“Look, I know it sounds really bad, even to a PI
like you. But, I myself have been in that same
position. And I know Lia. One, she can definitely
defend herself, and two, she might be a party girl
and might have screwed things up, but she’s
ridiculously smart. My gut tells me she’s out there;
she just got mixed up with the wrong people.”

Jenna nodded, “Ok. I know we’ll find her, but I
also know that no one can ever really be prepared
for anything. We need to keep our heads level and

follow the trail here. Our best bet is to start at this
bar.”

Lance stood up and grabbed the empty plates, “We
better get moving, then.”

*

Jenna and Lance stood outside the bar in the early
afternoon light. The sun was already scorching hot
and the humidity made their shirts cling without
mercy to their damp skin. Jenna surveyed the spot.
The road it was on was off the beaten path, with a
shantytown just down the alley revealing multicolor
tin roofs and dirt walkways. Locals bustled their
way down the streets; they shouted at one another,
laughed, and smoked as they socialized. The smell
of smoke from a BBQ lingered in the air, mixed
with the faint scents of sewer and ocean.

The bar itself was a tiny old stone building. The
roof was coming off in spots, while old, shredded
umbrellas acted as a patio out front. The doorway
was propped open, and an older local man sat in a
faded plastic chair as he smoked a hand rolled
cigarette. He gazed up at Jenna and nodded. His
glossy, yellowed eyes looked tired and his leathered
face told her why. Jenna had seen and been through
a lot herself. She approached the door and nodded

back. Then she and Lance silently slipped inside.

The interior was dark; the only light came from the
small windows that adorned the stone walls. The
decor was a mix of old, faded traditional
Argentinian costumes, exotic feathers, and animal
hides. The bar itself was a natural wood, the gloss
finish long gone leaving only a soft, worn, deep red
wood. Stains and scratches were all over the top;
the rings from glasses left a permanent mark, and
Jenna couldn’t tell where the natural wood grain
began and the stains ended.

Only a few bottles of liquor were behind the bar,
but some ancient mini fridges and ice bins held beer
and wine coolers. The bartender was a woman who
looked about the same age as the man outside, and
Jenna guessed they were the couple who owned the
place. She looked to Lance and nodded her head
toward a table in the back. The wall would be to
their backs and they could see everyone who
entered the bar.

Lance followed and they sat next to one another,
the woman trailing them to the makeshift bar booth.
She looked at both of them with an unmoving face,
her eyes hard.

“Beber?”

Jenna realized she didn’t appear to speak English,
only Spanish.

“Por favor, cerveza,” Jenna asked for a beer, and
Lance nodded in agreement.

The woman left and returned just a moment later
with their beers. She cracked them open and
nodded, gone as quickly as she had come.

Lance looked around and took a swig of his beer.
“Seems homey.”

Jenna chuckled. “Just the place I’d want to stay.”

“So, now we just watch and wait?” Lance asked,
his fingers gently tapping the tabletop.

“Yep, we sure do.” Jenna raised her eyebrow at
him. This tended to be the slower part of the job.

“I see. What are we looking for?” Lance asked in a
more hushed tone. He leaned into Jenna, and she so
badly wanted to run her hand along his inner thigh
and pull him closer.

“Well, we’re going to see what the normal flow is
here, see who comes in and what they talk about.

We’re going to see if anyone exchanges cash or
packages. Just do a lot of listening and watching.”
Jenna shrugged as Lance stared at her with a bored
look on his face.

“Just a warning, sitting still and doing nothing isn’t
one of my specialties.” Lance took another sip of
his golden, bubbling beverage.

“Well, it’s going to have to be today, and possibly
tomorrow. If nothing comes up today, we’ll stake it
out again tomorrow.”

“Oh, goodie.” Lance began to pick the label off his
beer.

“We can chat a bit now, since there’s no one here
yet.” Jenna gave him a nudge. “Considering I still
hardly know you, I’d enjoy hearing a bit about
you.” Jenna took a swig of her own beer.

Lance smiled and looked at her with those
gorgeous, green eyes. “I’m a man of mystery,
right?” He bumped her with his elbow playfully.

Jenna rolled her eyes. “Oh, you wish.”

Lance chuckled. “Alright, challenge accepted,
detective. Who am I?”

Jenna’s brow rose in surprise. She paused and then
clicked the neck of her bottle to his and their eyes
met.

“Well, on paper you grew up in New York,
attended an elite private school, and went to a
private college, graduating with a degree in
Business. You tried your hand at a few start-up
projects but didn’t have any luck, so you took a
five year hiatus traveling the world and getting
away from the family. Am I on the right track?”
Jenna asked.

Lance nodded with a small smile. “You are, go on.”

Jenna took another sip, “My guess about you
personally… you don’t give a shit about the family
business. You’re not a partier like your sister;
instead, you fly solo most of the time. You’re a
thrill-seeker, always after the next big adventure.
Right now you’re working on finding a way to mix
that passion with something that will generate
income, because my guess from your dad’s office is
he’s a pretty tough guy. He’s probably not exactly
happy with what you’ve been doing, but you really
do want to make him proud. Am I warm?”

Lance’s face had become more serious, and his

eyes had trailed over toward the open door.

“Well, you’re not wrong.” His voice had lowered.
She seemed to have hit a nerve.

Jenna felt bad. She had always been overly honest
with people and tended to not know the line of
when and when not to reveal what she saw. She
rested her hand on his and squeezed. He turned to
look at her, and his face lightened as he met her
eyes.

“Hey, I’m sorry if I offended you… I might be
better at poker than you thought.” She smiled and
he gave a laugh.

“You haven’t offended me one bit; you just hit
close to home on something I’m not exactly proud
of.” Lance took another sip of his drink, and his
eyes returned to the door.

“I see. Well, I’ve been there too, but I can’t
imagine the pressure from a father who runs an
empire.”

Lance nodded and looked back at her. “I’m
assuming it’s different, but it’s all I’ve known.
Enough about me, what about you?”

Jenna sat back and briefly bit her lip. “Me? Not
much to it.”

Lance narrowed his brow. “Well, I don’t believe
that for a second. How did a gorgeous young
woman like you become a private investigator?”

“Originally I worked for the NYPD. I went to
school for criminal justice and was an absolute nerd
about it. I knew there were easier paths I could
take, but getting involved in the day to day and
working with the people firsthand really appealed
to me. But, when you get out there, things change
your perspective pretty quickly.” Jenna took a sip
of her drink, and her eyes cast down as the years
she had spent on the force came back to her.

Lance nudged her with his knee. “You don’t have
to tell me about that stuff. What made you decide
to go with the investigating work?”

“I always liked puzzles, and on the force, I had a
knack for connecting dots that others didn’t see.
So, in order to have more control over the cases
and get away from the shit I really didn’t want to
see every day, I went out on my own. I’m happy I
did it. I’ve already been able to help people, not
always in the way I want, but closure is important.”

Lance nodded. “I get that.”

Jenna was silent for a moment. She was about to
continue when two gentlemen entered the bar. She
gently laid her hand on Lance’s knee; he looked at
her with curiosity, and she signaled toward the
gentlemen. He nodded, they both looked down at
their drinks, and then their eyes looked up to watch
the men carefully from the corner.

The men were locals. Their skin was a deep tan,
and their faces were weathered from years outside.
The one on the right was shorter; his chest and
shoulders were strong and broad, but a beer belly
protruded from his shirt. He had round cheeks, eyes
that squinted as he spoke, a pencil thin mustache
that sat awkwardly above his lips, and a smile that
revealed a few teeth were missing.

The other man was taller, although not a tall man
by any means. He was lean and stringy, with a long,
scraggly beard that moved as he spoke. His face
was longer, more weathered, and his hair had
started to gray. She noticed as he clasped the other
gentleman on the shoulder that his hands were
beginning to gnarl with age and years of manual
labor. Both wore old, torn up, and faded jeans, and
their shirts were stained with grease, oil, and who
knew what else. The scent of gasoline and fish

came in with them as they entered the place. Jenna
guessed they had to work at the beach nearby,
either servicing engines or working the fishing
boats.

The two men laughed as they took seats at the bar.
They were speaking in Spanish, and Jenna perked
her ears to listen more carefully. She heard one
mention the boss, causing the other to fall
momentarily silent. When he replied, he spoke in a
hushed tone, and though Jenna leaned a bit closer,
it didn’t do any good. She couldn’t hear what he
said.

The bartender approached at that moment with two
shots in hand, so it appeared they were regulars.
The men looked up and greeted her with smiles and
laughs. They thanked her and told her that soon
they would buy the bar from her, have a retirement
fund for her.

Lance’s surprised eyes met Jenna’s, confirming in
that moment that he could understand them as well.
Both turned their attention back to the gentlemen
as the two finished their shots and continued their
conversation.

Jenna couldn't quite hear the next sentence, but
then she heard the name Pierce, and she felt Lance

hit her under the table. She grabbed his knee, and
together they listened. The taller gentleman nodded
and leaned in close to his comrade; he whispered
but Jenna still heard the words “lots of money”.
The shorter man laughed. A broad smile spread
over his face, his voice rising to a near shout as he
declared, “We’ll be filthy rich!”

Lance and Jenna looked at one another. She could
feel the anger rolling off Lance with the heat from
his body, and she held her index finger to her lips to
tell him not to speak. She needed to talk to this
gentleman. She watched as the taller man stood up
and bid the other man goodbye. He walked out
another door toward the back of the bar, she
assumed into the alley beyond.

“You stay here and watch him. I’m going to go talk
to this guy,” Jenna whispered as she stood up.
Lance’s eyes flashed angrily, but she was gone
before he could respond.

Jenna pushed open the heavy wooden door, and the
afternoon sun nearly blinded her. The town seemed
to simmer in the hot, tropical heat, and the smell of
the alley hit her nostrils. She felt her heart quicken
in anticipation; the man was only a few steps in
front of her.

“Discúlpeme señor?” Excuse me sir, she asked as
she reached in her pocket for her phone.

He turned around and said nothing; he only studied
her for a moment.

“Has visto a esta chica?”

She asked the gentleman if he had seen this girl,
using her phone to show him a recent photo of Lia.
His brow furrowed, and he looked up at her with
stone cold eyes.

“No, señora.” He turned back around and started to
walk again, this time at a quicker pace.

“Señor—” Before Jenna could finish, she saw a
flash of a man out of the corner of her eye. Lance
lunged at the man and tackled him to the ground,
straddling him and pinning his hands while the
restrained man yelled nonsense.

“Donde esta ella?!” Where is she?! Lance
demanded. The man rolled around in the dirt below
him, squirming and kicking to no avail as Lance
outsized him by a foot and close to eighty pounds.

“Lance! That’s not how we do this!” Jenna yelled,
her own fury seared in her mind as she watched

him hold down the man.

“That is how I do this. He knows something,”
Lance growled as he held the man steady.

The man looked at Lance, spat at him, and told him
in Spanish, “I saw her here once. She was headed
to Franco. That's all I know.”

“Quien es Franco?” Jenna asked who he was
referring to.

The man laughed loudly, the noise echoing against
the alley walls. The sound chilled Jenna to the
bone.

“Right-hand man of the boss,” he replied simply in
Spanish. He stilled under Lance, and Jenna looked
at him with confusion.

“Quién es el jefe?” She asked who the boss was,
afraid the answer wasn’t going to be anything she
wanted to hear. The man smiled, a gold-capped
tooth sparkling in the sun. His face was damp with
sweat, and his black hair was plastered to his
forehead in a sticky mess.

“A man who can do much worse than you could
ever imagine,” he said slowly, his eyes looking at

Lance and then Jenna. “You can find Franco
Garcia at Marina Amanecer. Maybe he can help
you find your friend.”

Lance stood up and reached out his hand; the man
sneered at him and didn’t take it as he rose and
walked away. Lance watched him go and looked to
Jenna.

“He’s lying.”

Jenna sighed and rolled her eyes at him. “I know,
but you sure as hell didn’t help get any of the truth
out. We don’t pummel people, unless they pummel
us first!” Jenna was angry. This case wouldn’t go
over well if Lance continued this behavior. She
spun around and headed toward the main road. She
needed to research this marina before she went in
blind.

“Wait, where are you going?” Lance trotted behind
her.

“Lance, you can’t pull this shit! Your recklessness
could blow the whole case, and we could lose Lia.
Do you understand me?! This isn’t a game. You
don’t just get to go around guns blazing. This is
about putting the damn pieces together, not
breaking everything and making more.” Jenna’s

eyes burned into his.

Lance relaxed his stance and looked away briefly,
then back to Jenna. “I’m sorry, you’re right. I lost
my head back there, made a rookie move. Let’s just
head back to the house, clean up, and see what else
we can find about Marina Amanecer and this
Franco Garcia guy. I’ll make it up to you with some
lunch,” Lance added lightly as he tried to turn the
mood.

Jenna glared at him with crossed arms. She sighed
heavily as she shook her head, turned, and began
walking back toward the road.

She shouted back over her shoulder, “I want real
empanadas.”

Chapter3

Jenna decided to swing by her hotel and grab a few
things, because the two of them were going to
spend the rest of the afternoon looking into the
Marina Amanecer history, any recent crimes there,
and Franco Garcia. She needed fresh clothes and
her other supplies. She hadn’t even spent a day in
the room but wasn’t sad that her accommodations
had been unintentionally upgraded by meeting
Lance.

She smiled to herself as she thought of his
handsome face and deep laugh. She hadn’t
expected to come to Argentina and fall head over
heels for her client’s son, but there was something
there, something she couldn’t describe. She moved
quickly as she packed up her canvas bag. She was
eager to return to the beach house and be back in
his presence.

Jenna sighed and shook her head. She felt more
alive than ever before, but she also felt tense and
conflicted, that right in the middle of their growing
feelings was his missing sister. She felt so
unfocused, so off course, and she couldn’t bear the
thought of another woman suffering at the hands of
some truly evil people because of that.

She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders
as she looked out the small hotel window to see the
bustling cityscape that shone in the bright sunlight.
Somewhere, out there, was Lia, and Jenna knew in
that moment, dead or alive, she was going to find
her.

*

Jenna returned to the beach house to find a brown
paper bag of fresh empanadas on the kitchen table
and the sound of the shower going. She smirked as
an idea crossed her mind; she had the perfect
opportunity to repay Lance for his hospitality from
the night before.

She headed down the long hall toward the back
bedroom. Steam poured out of the private
bathroom, and she heard the echoes of Lance
singing something incoherent as he bathed. She
laughed lightly to herself at his exaggerated tones
and pitches; he seemed to thoroughly be enjoying
himself in there, but Jenna realized she could
improve the experience a bit more.

She stripped off her clothes and threw them in the
laundry basket. Her lean figure and warm, brown
skin were slicked with sweat from the heat and

humidity outside. She pulled the hair tie out of her
ponytail and thick, black curls bounced around her
face. She grabbed the doorknob and paused for a
moment, biting her lip, asking herself one last time
if this was a good idea. She nodded and cocked her
eyebrow. Oh yeah, this was a great idea.

As Jenna opened the door, the thick clouds of white
steam poured out of the bright white and sky blue
bathroom. The mirrors were completely fogged, the
creamy floor and wall tiles covered in
condensation. The echoes of Lance’s singing were
loud now; he hadn’t skipped a beat at the soft
sound of the door opening. The curtain waved
gently in the draft, the blue linen hiding his naked
body from Jenna’s view.

She crept forward slowly. Her light steps didn’t
make a sound on the white, cushy, soft bathroom
rug. Jenna reached out and pulled the curtain back,
a sexy smile on her face as Lance turned around.
His eyes went wide in surprise as the last bit of
bubbly soap rinsed away from his hair.

“Well, hello there. I wasn’t expecting company.”
Lance grinned. His soft cock was already growing a
bit harder at the sight of her naked figure.

Jenna faux pouted, “Should I go?”

Lance stepped closer to her. A drop of water
splashed off his broad, well-muscled chest and onto
Jenna’s cheeks, the warm water inviting her to join
him.

“I would prefer you stay. I think it would make one
of my favorite things in life that much better.”

Jenna cocked an eyebrow. “Showers are one of
your favorite things in life?”

Lance stepped forward and looked up innocently,
then looked back down at Jenna with eyes that
twinkled playfully. “I mean, they’re nice and warm,
wet, and feel ohhhhh so good.”

Jenna bit her lip. “Oh, that does sound nice. I think
I’ll join you.”

She stepped into the shower and felt the rush of
warm water. Her muscles relaxed, and she felt the
grime of the day began to rinse away. Lance
stepped back. The shower was much larger than
any other she had ever been in; it matched the
luxurious size of the house. There was plenty of
room for them to enjoy.

Jenna reached her hands around Lance’s neck and

felt his wet hair beneath her fingertips as she pulled
him closer. Her lips trailed his seductively, and she
felt him stiffen against her. His hands wrapped
around her lower back, slid down to her full, tight
ass and squeezed gently; his cock pulsed in
pleasure as he did so.

Jenna pulled back and looked up at him with lustful
eyes “You like that ass, don’t you?”

Lance groaned and squeezed again. “I do. I
couldn’t help but watch you from behind all
morning. I wanted to take your pants off right
there.”

Jenna stood on her tiptoes and began to nibble and
kiss his neck and chest, her body pressed closely to
his wet skin. Drops of water cascaded down their
bodies, and the steam rolled around them in puffy
clouds as his hands slowly slid up her sides and
caressed her full breasts. Reaching back down, he
kissed his way from her cheek to her earlobe. She
moaned, her body writhing beneath his touch.

Lance gingerly turned Jenna around, his hands
traveling down every inch of her body until he
came to her ass. He smacked it hard in the falling
water, and it echoed loudly. Jenna bit her lip and let
out a small hiss at the sting.

“Mmm, that feels good. Do it again.”

She leaned forward a bit, her round ass primed for
his next smack. He gave her a small smirk and
smacked again, this time harder and louder.

She hissed again and bit her lip harder, her eyes
glazed in sexual ecstasy. His cock was now rock
hard, and his lips were pulled back in a hungry
sneer; he wanted more. He pressed himself against
her and gasped at the sensation of her ass pressed
against his sensitive head. She flattened her back
and rubbed herself slowly up and down his shaft, as
his eyes rolled back in pleasure and he gripped her
hips in desire.

Jenna lowered herself and pivoted around so her
face was right in front of his throbbing dick. Lance
looked down at her in confusion, but she slid her
hands up, one gripping his member and the other
his tight balls beneath his wet pubic hair. He tossed
his head back with a grunt of satisfaction.

Slowly she began to rub up and down; he felt so big
and thick under her delicate hands. She leaned in
and sucked lightly on his sack. Her tongue explored
the round shape and flicked to test his pleasure
spots. He moaned and she sucked hard and popped

one in her mouth.

“Fuck.” He grunted as he fell back against the
shower wall, the pang of gratification rippling from
his middle to the rest of his body.

She sucked harder, and her hand moved quicker as
he responded to her touch. She released the one,
and her tongue prodded until she found the outline
of the other. She rolled her tongue over it and
swirled, his noises of bliss guiding her movements.

Jenna released it, and her tongue trailed the seam of
his sack up to his penis, all the way to the head. He
grabbed her hair and pulled her back to look her in
the eyes. His own eyes dilated in euphoria, and he
bit his lip irresistibly.

“Do that again,” he demanded and relaxed his
fingers. She smiled and reached back down.

Her tongue traced down and then up again. This
time when she reached the top, she swirled around
the tip and teased him with flicks and lips that
barely went over the head. Her hands caressed his
balls; they gently massaged as she toyed with his
dick.

“Please… go deeper.” He begged now, desperate to

feel her take him in further.

Jenna obliged, and this time she slid her lips over
his head and down his shaft; his cock twitched at
the relief of being teased. He moaned, his fingers
curling against the tile wall as she inched further
down until she reached the base.

“Damn it, you feel so good,” he whispered, the roar
of water almost drowning him out.

“Mhmmmm.” She hummed, and the sensation sent
pleasurable vibrations through his member.

“Fuck, yes.”

She moved her head up and down. Her tongue
pressed against the rim of his head; she flicked and
twirled around it as she moved up and down. Her
movements developed a rhythm. Her lips slid up
and down, while her tongue worked his entire
package and responded to his every moan and
thrust.

Jenna felt her own excitement simmer deep within
her. The slick wetness and throbbing clit demanded
him, but she pushed it away. He had done her a
favor last night. Today it was his turn. She picked
up the pace and the rhythm. His sack tightened, and

she felt him twitch in anticipation; he was ready.

“Mhmmm.” She moaned and gave a small nod.

“Yeah?” he gasped.

She pressed deeper. His shaft slid over her tongue,
and his head hit the back of her throat. He gently
thrust, so not to cause her discomfort, and felt the
sensation of her wet, warm tongue and lips stroke
him just right. He hissed, and his breath hitched as
he felt the moment surge and swell, until he
couldn’t stand it. With a deep groan, he released
himself. His member shuddered, and he slumped in
bliss as she slowly slid her lips off and spat in the
drain as it swirled the water down the tub.

She stood up and smiled at him. “Have fun?”

He was leaning against the shower wall, panting in
sexual exhaustion, but he nodded and beamed at
her with an exhilarated grin.

Jenna nodded and gave a small smile back as she
stepped out of the shower. “Good.”

*

Jenna sat at the large, dark, almost black dining

room table, the deep, rich color a contrast to the
tall, white walls and ceiling. She looked around as
she ate her empanadas; the place really was
spectacular. Cool, sleek colors and contemporary
furniture made the tone and felt relaxed,
complimented by the constant soft sound of the
ocean and seagulls just outside the back door. The
windows were tall and wide, letting in copious
amounts of light, the light blocking curtains tied
back to allow in the warm sun spots.

Lance came out of the bedroom fully dressed.
Jenna looked him up and down and felt herself
tingle down below. He was such a gorgeous man,
with that thick dandy blonde hair, those broad
shoulders, and perfect physique. He was a sight to
behold. You could swap him out for a historical
statue of a god and you couldn’t tell the difference.

Jenna had been with other attractive men, but none
of them compared to Lance. She also couldn’t
shake this feeling that there was more going on than
just sex; the back and forth and the ease she had
talking to him was unlike any other relationship
she’d had.

Lance sat beside her, nudged her with his elbow,
and flashed her a grin. “Thanks for the steamy
shower session.”

Jenna rolled her eyes. “You’ve got jokes. I’ll give
you that.”

Lance chuckled. “I’m hilarious.”

Jenna shook her head. “Mhmm. So our marina, we
need to find out what the scoop is on this place.
And I know just who to call.”

Lance’s face furrowed and a small smirk formed.
“Ghos—”

Jenna silenced him with a look, and he closed his
mouth and flashed an innocent smile. “Who, my
dear?”

Jenna picked up her phone, pulled up Danielle’s
number, and hit call. She picked up with a gasp.

“Did you find her?!” Danielle asked excitedly.

Jenna stood up and began pacing the room out of
habit.

“Not yet, need your help.”

Jenna heard Danielle shuffle and the sound of her
laptop turn on. Danielle worked in tech for the FBI;

while her job was supposed to be beginner stuff,
Danielle was advanced and was Jenna’s right-hand
woman when it came to being able to find out ANY
information. The woman could track anyone, find
any location. Anything that could be done on a
computer, Danielle could do it. It wasn’t technically
legal, but Danielle didn’t seem to care when it came
to helping find missing persons.

“Roger that, what do you need?”

“Marina Amanecer and a man named Franco
Garcia. I can give you a description.” Jenna had
written down his details and held the small note in
her hand.

Danielle clicked away at the keys and could be
heard reaching into a bag of popcorn and munching
loudly.

“Ouch. If it’s the same guy, you found a real
catch.”

Jenna felt herself tense up. “Only one on the search
show up?”

“For your location, yeah. He’s a local baddie. I’m
emailing you the picture and profile now. Dude has
been caught in a couple drug rings, always seems to

squirm his way out of much prison time. Affiliated
with some gangs in the past, his history is all over
the place. I’ll let you sift through that info. Now
Marina Amanecer….”

Danielle clicked away again and let out a hiss. “You
are not on a leisurely vacation, are you?”

Jenna let out a small laugh. “Not exactly.”

Danielle took a sip of a drink. “Ok, this place has a
bloody past. It's been a constant stop over for drug
trafficking. The FBI watched it for, no joke, twenty
years until they were certain it had returned to a
tourist spot. I’m sure they still have feelers over
there, but it hasn’t been flagged in a few years. I’m
guessing that has changed?”

Jenna looked to Lance, and he watched her with
those intense green eyes. “I’m thinking so. We have
some people that are tied to that location who
might be tied to our missing woman.”

Danielle paused before asking, “Should I send
backup to check that marina?”

Jenna shook her head. “No, not yet. I definitely
don’t want them onto us anytime soon. After we
finish up there and I have more information, I’ll let

you know.”

“Sounds good, I’m sending you over all the files on
the marina. You need anything else for now? Oh!
Find any cute dudes for me?”

Jenna chuckled. “Well, I found one, but he’s not for
you.”

Danielle gasped again. “Jenna! You fox! What did
you do? Are you with him now? Tell me the deets!”
She heard her best friend scramble in her wheely
office chair.

“Tell ya later. Bye, sweetheart. Thanks, Danielle.
Love ya.” Jenna hung up and turned back to Lance.

“I’ve got some info coming over. Background on
the place sounds like what we expected, tied to
drugs and connected to a local drug cartel.”

Lance nodded and sighed, his shoulders slouching a
bit. “I really wish Lia would have stayed out of
something like this.”

Jenna stepped up behind Lance, placed her delicate
hands on his shoulders, and rubbed them gently. He
let out a breath he was holding and relaxed under
her touch.

“We’ll find her, Lance. If she’s as good as you say
she is, she might have already slipped out of their
grasp and is just laying low. We’ll just keep digging
until we find her.”

Lance nodded and placed his hand on one of hers.
Then he turned around and looked her in the eyes.
“Thank you, Jenna. Really.”

He took her hand and kissed it gently; she felt
herself blush at the sensation.

“Hey, it’s my job, and I’m pretty damn good at it,
so we’ve got this.”

Lance nodded. “Sounds good, let's start digging
through those documents.”

Jenna opened up her laptop, opened the files, and
connected to the printer. She began printing page
after page of meticulously filed information on the
marina and Franco. She handed the pile on the
marina to Lance; she took the stack on Franco, and
they both got to work.

*

Hours later, the two had made progress in piecing

together one small part of a much larger puzzle.

“Okay, so our best idea is that Franco is running
another cartel through the marina, disguised as
another business. So, we need to go down there and
find him and see what he’s fronting this as. My bet
is, he has a sales front and a warehouse front; if we
can find those two, we’ll be able to start snooping
around for Lia.” Jenna set down her pile of papers
and looked up at Lance.

He gave a nod. “I’m trying not to worry that they
whisked her away somewhere else, or worse…”

Jenna swallowed. “I know it’s tough, but usually in
these cases, with someone like your sister, they
want to keep her alive and use her for money. They
probably have no idea quite how much she has, but
she may have made a large purchase and they
figured she had something they could use. My
guess is she still hasn’t budged, so they’re currently
trying to figure out how to…” Jenna paused and
Lance met her eyes with concern, “break her.”

“Ahhh,” Lance replied, his fists clenched in anger.

“I know it’s not a ton to go on, and we still have a
lot of dots to connect, but my instinct tells me
we’re on the right track.”

Lance stood up and stepped behind her, then bent
down and kissed her lightly on the forehead. She
grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze; he
squeezed back, and they held hands for a moment,
until he released their grip and stepped away. He
headed to the bedroom and returned with a
backpack he had slid on his back.

“If that’s the case, we have a marina to visit.”

Chapter4

Lance and Jenna stood on the edge of the marina,
the smell of gasoline, dead fish, and the salty ocean
air making it hard to breathe. Jenna felt her nostrils
sting at the mixed smells, as her eyes slowly
scanned her surroundings and got the lay of the
land.

The place was abuzz with people coming and going
off boats in the warm early evening. Many walked
down the long concrete stretch where a pop-up
market had settled to catch tourists as they came
and went. Fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, and meat
were being flailed around by locals as they shouted
over one another. Old warehouse structures sat
behind them, and further down the way, they
turned to shops and restaurants.

The marina itself consisted of a few fueling
stations, a couple docks for repairs, and long
stretches of anchor space. Empty boats floated
softly on the waves, bobbing effortlessly in the
evening breeze. A few men stood in a small station
that had windows on all sides, a spot where boats
could pull up and request fuel, get directions, or ask
about repairs. The men laughed and sipped sodas as
the day of work seemed to be coming to an end.

Lance nudged Jenna with his elbow and nodded
down the strip. In the distance, there was an
abandoned warehouse that overlooked the entire
marina and market. Lance looked up at an opening
on the fourth story.

“Lookout point?” she asked with a quirked
eyebrow.

“We’ll be able to see everyone. Right now we’re
limited.”

“Yeah, but what about—”

“I have supplies. Trust me on this one.”

Jenna gestured for him to lead, and she quickly
followed. The two rushed through the bustling
market and toward the warehouse, the exterior of
which was covered in graffiti, new and old. The
large front doors that butted up to the marina were
barred closed; Lance swept past them and to the
alley between this warehouse and the next. He
trotted down the deserted way, Jenna scurrying to
keep up. His eye caught sight of a pull down ladder,
so he came to stop and pointed up.

“That’s our in.”

Jenna stared up at the ladder on the second story.

“How the hell are we going to get that? Why don’t
we just—”

Before Jenna could finish, Lance had reached into
his book bag and pulled out a rope. He tied it in a
lasso and threw it up to the ladder. The rope
snagged the hook, and as Lance gave it a powerful
pull, the metal screeched and groaned as it
unfolded in front of them.

Jenna gave Lance a stunned look, and he grinned
back.

“The cowboy part was a little bit true.”

Lance grabbed the cool, rusted metal and hoisted
himself up. Jenna quickly followed. When the two
of them hopped up on the small metal escape pad
outside the large glass window, Lance reached into
his bag and pulled out a small crowbar and rag. He
covered the crowbar with the rag and quietly
smashed in the window.

“Have you just done a lot of snooping or watched a
lot of crime movies?” Jenna asked with arms
crossed.

Lance thought for a moment, ducked in the
window, and held out a hand to help her in.

“A bit of both.”

Jenna took his hand. “Fair enough.”

Lance packed away his rope and crowbar, then
pulled out a flashlight. As he swept the light around
the room, long shadows from the sunset cast a cold
darkness about the abandoned building. Dust,
cobwebs, and grime covered every inch of the
place. Papers and furniture were scattered
everywhere, old graffiti tags covered the walls, and
a busted door hung open.

Lance stepped forward and headed toward the
door, Jenna following carefully as her eyes scanned
the place for any potential danger. The two found
the stairwell and headed up to the third floor, Lance
tracking their progress in his mind as he led them
down a long, dark hall with the burning glow of the
orange sun at the end. As he and Jenna came to the
large window they had seen from outside, the sun
was still an hour from setting, but the streetlight
below had come on. The faces of the people below
were well lit as they came and went from the main
street.

Lance leaned back against the wall and put his
flashlight away, then reached in and pulled out two
high powered binoculars. Jenna’s eyes widened in
shock. These military grade tools weren’t just
everyday binoculars; each one ran for about twenty
thousand dollars.
“Where did you get those?” she asked in awe, as
she took one and looked out, the scene below
crystal clear.

“I’ve got some friends,” he replied simply, as he
watched from behind his own set.

“I’d say,” Jenna grumbled. She was slightly jealous
of his high tech tools, but couldn’t be more
appreciative of them.

The two watched for the next hour as people came
and went and the sun sank behind the ocean. The
binoculars were set with night vision, and they had
no issue keeping track of people as the darkness of
night crept in. Jenna caught a familiar face come
off a boat that had just parked for the night, and her
heart leaped in her throat.

“I’ve got Franco in sight.”

“Where?”

“Two o’clock.”

Lance shifted his sight and locked in on the
suspect. Jenna took out her notepad and quickly
jotted down the boat license plate, then returned to
Franco. The two watched as he approached another
man with a smile; he shook his hand and pulled him
in a hug, and the two stood for a moment and
spoke. When Franco laughed, he would throw his
head back and grab the man’s shoulder. The two
stood there talking for the next few minutes, then
began to walk down the long stretch towards other
empty boats and away from the crowd.

Franco looked around once he reached the end of
the marina, as if to make sure he wasn’t being
watched. He ducked into another abandoned boat,
and the other man waited patiently. Jenna quickly
scribbled the number of that boat as well on her
notepad. A moment later, Franco emerged with a
small cooler. He smiled at the other man and patted
the top of the cooler.

“What are we thinking?” Lance asked tensely.
Jenna could feel the excitement rolling off him. If
not for the case, she would grab him right there and
press herself tight to his lips, feel his hard cock, and
let him fuck her right there in the dirty, messy
abandoned warehouse.

She shook the thought away, her eyebrows raised in
shock at her own sudden urge.

The two men separated and started to go their
separate ways down the main street. Jenna lowered
her binoculars and handed them to Lance.

“You follow the guy with the cooler. I’m going to
go talk to Franco.”

Lance tensed again, and his eyes shifted.

“I don’t like that plan. What if he attacks you?”

Jenna rolled her eyes. “Lance, I can handle myself.
You need to find out what’s in that cooler. Just,
don’t beat him up. I can't have you blow getting
information from this guy. Follow him and see if
you can get a glance without him knowing you’re
watching, got it?”

Lance sighed and nodded as he grabbed his
flashlight, and the two started down the hall at a
jog. They quickly traced their tracks back to the
escape ladder and were in the alley in moments.
They headed toward the main street at a jog, and
once they hit the end where the main stretch of
marina was, they gave each other a nod and headed

separate ways.

*

Jenna quickly walked down the concrete shore. The
little market was beginning to tear down for the
day, and the people were packing up the goods that
remained. The shouts had ceased, and the bustle
had died down to only a few people meandering
around. Jenna’s eyes locked on a taller man with a
long coat that guarded him from the surprisingly
cool night air. Jenna could tell by his silhouette that
it was Franco; he stood taller than most locals, his
hair swept back in a neat ponytail. He was in his
mid-forties, and his mug shot had revealed a scar
that ran down his right cheek.

Jenna had spent hours talking to suspects during her
time as a cop; it was one of her favorite aspects of
the job. Adrenaline pumped through her veins;
every sense was on fire, and she felt the details of
her surroundings converted to her in rapid sessions.
Her shoes were silent as she hurried to close in on
Franco. She wanted to follow him for a bit and see
if he spoke to anyone else or stopped at any other
spots to drop off or pick up any packages.

The marina’s long stretch of concrete turned into a
main street where tall buildings hid the ocean and

tourists gathered for fine dining, dancing, gambling
and entertainment of all sorts. Franco began
whistling to himself as he turned left and headed
down the sidewalk of the main street. All the shops
had their lights turned on, and those who had spent
their days at the beach drinking were now laughing
and stumbling their way down the walkway from
bar to bar.

Jenna remained a few steps behind Franco as she
weaved in and out of people, trying to remain just
another person in the background. Franco paused
for a moment at a newspaper stand, and Jenna hid
behind a rack of magazines and watched with a side
eye as he purchased the last copy of the daily
paper. He nodded to the owner and continued on
his way. Jenna waited a moment and then
continued to follow him.

Franco paused outside a small bar that wasn’t
dazzled with lights but instead was low lit with
candles and ambient lighting. The spot could be
missed entirely if not for the door that was propped
open to let the cool air in to bring relief to the
stuffy hot room that had seared in the sun all day.
He stepped in, and Jenna hung back to see if he
turned around. After he didn’t return, Jenna took a
deep breath and entered the bar. She felt for her
pistol in the back of her shirt for good measure and

squared her shoulders as she entered.

Franco had taken a large booth for himself in the
corner. The newspaper was opened in front of him;
the inside spread showed bold Spanish print that
reported a local drug deal gone bad where twenty
people had been killed.

Jenna approached silently and slid into the booth
across from him. He looked up with a smooth gaze,
not a hint of surprise in his eyes.

“How may I help you, Señora?” He flipped the
page lazily.

Jenna looked him in the eye and studied him
quickly, her gut twisting nervously. She could sense
he was one of those men who was more snake than
human: calm, cool, and collected, but ready to
strike at any moment. Jenna knew she had to tread
carefully. She felt instinct take over, and she
relaxed back in the seat.

“Detective Jenna Lockley. I’m looking for a
missing woman, heard you might have some info,”
she replied as she flagged down the waitress for a
drink.

The young woman stopped over, her eyes watching

Franco nervously as they shifted between Jenna
and Franco.

“House Tequila, por favor.” Jenna requested. The
young woman scurried off, and Franco watched
with a small twinkle in his eyes.

He slowly turned his gaze back to Jenna. “I know a
lot of things about a lot of people, and not a lot of
time. What are you really looking for, Señora?”

Jenna pulled out her phone and showed him a
picture of Lia. He took it in his hands and held it a
bit further to get a good look at it. He frowned and
his brow furrowed.

“Sure, this girl came to my boat with my son a few
days ago. He had met her at one of the bars and
thought he would court her with a nice boat ride.
But that was the last I saw of her. She returned to
the marina and went off with my son. I’d be happy
to supply you with his contact info, if you’d like.”
Franco sipped his own drink, almost bored at the
response.

Jenna could see through his response. She knew
this was a lie, but she needed him to believe that
she bought into it.

“That would be great, Mr. Garcia.” Jenna passed
her notebook over, sure to slip her pages with his
boat numbers in her pocket.

He began to jot down the information, and the
waitress returned with Jenna’s drink.

“Gracias,” Jenna replied, and the girl scampered off
again.

“I also heard that this girl may have been caught up
with your boss. You know anything about that?”
Jenna asked as she sipped her own drink; the warm
burn fueled her adrenaline, while her senses were
engulfed in his every movement.

Franco paused, his dark eyes looking up at Jenna.

“Now, who are you referring to? I fly solo, Señora.”
He reached and grabbed his drink, his eyes locked
onto hers.

Jenna gave a shrug. “You tell me, Mr. Garcia. I was
just told you were his right-hand man.”

Franco chuckled and returned to jotting down his
notes. “That’s funny.”

Jenna paused. “What would be funny, Señor?”

Franco pushed the notepad back and looked up at
Jenna with a smile. “That anyone would spread
rumors that I was working for the boss man. I’m
sorry, Señora, but this is all I can provide you with.
My son works at the fish market over on Marea
Baja. Feel free to go talk to him tomorrow morning
about if he is still in contact with this girl, but I
believe she was supposed to return home a couple
days ago… I’m guessing that wasn’t the case,
Señora?”

Jenna nodded and knocked back the rest of her
tequila. “That’s correct, Señor. Thank you for your
time.” Jenna stood up and placed a bill on the table
for her drink, but Franco held out a hand in protest.

“Please, Señora. It’s on me, and I didn't catch your
first name?” Franco reached out a hand, gnarled
from years spent with ropes at sea, from setting
men straight with fists and strength, and Jenna
could only imagine what else.

Jenna reached out her hand and shook his, which
was rough and calloused and brushed against her
soft skin. “I’m Jenna. Why don’t you give me a call
if you hear anything else, Mr. Garcia?”

Jenna reached into her pocket and pulled out a card

with her special number on it, a number to a phone
that, thanks to Danielle, couldn’t be traced.

Franco took the card and read it slowly, then
looked back at Jenna. “Will do, detective. You have
a good rest of your evening.”

Jenna nodded. “Thank you, Señor. You too.”

She walked out of the bar, the chilly night air hitting
her, and she felt the adrenaline begin to wane. Now
she just had to find Lance and see what information
he had. She pulled out her phone and pulled up her
tracking app. They had synced up their devices
before they left the house, just in case they got
separated. Jenna gave a sigh of relief as she saw his
green dot quickly moving just a few blocks away.
With a hurried step, Jenna began to head towards
him.

*

Lance trailed the man they had seen take the
package from Franco. He hung back a bit, watching
as he made his way down the marina and back
toward a side street. He hummed cheerily to
himself as he walked, the cooler clutched tightly in
his hands.

Lance had no idea where this man was going as his
steps led him further from the bustling downtown
and closer to the shanty towns on the outskirts of
the city. Lance hung back further and further as the
streets became more desolate, his cover more easily
revealed in the street lights as the people
disappeared.

The man finally stopped in front of a stoop and sat
down. He was a short man with a chubby build. He
wiped the sweat from his brow and leaned back
against the step. Lance looked around from the bus
stop. He hid behind a few people who waited for a
late ride. The man appeared to be waiting for
someone, or something.

A few minutes passed. The man reached in his
pocket and pulled out his phone. He smiled at the
screen as he entertained himself with something
amusing that Lance couldn’t see. He was growing
impatient and felt that familiar fire at the base of
his skull that he got sometimes. While usually cool
and collected, his impatience and quick temper
could get the best of him at times.

He thought of Jenna and immediately relaxed. He
knew she wouldn’t want him to jump this guy with
guns blazing; he needed to wait and see what
happened. It was better to observe than disturb the

natural events. Lance took slow, purposeful breaths
and felt the rage subside, replaced with a calm, cool
feeling.

Jenna did that to him. He smiled softly at the
thought of her. Lance was certain he had never met
a woman like her before. He had met many women,
many of them incredible in every way, but he had
never felt the connection that he did with Jenna. It
was like he had found an old friend, someone who
could almost read his mind and knew his every
thought. And besides that, she was drop dead
gorgeous. He felt his cock prick in his pants as the
image of her naked body went through his mind.

Her lean figure, her body shaped and toned from
years of training, complemented perfectly with her
round, juicy ass and full breasts. Those curls swept
around that sweet smile, her eyes always so
expressive as they watched him with curiosity and
a spark that Lance had never seen before.

He sighed and blinked. He needed to focus on the
task at hand. The man was still sitting on the stoop
as the bus rolled up, a few men stepped off, and the
people who were sitting at the stop rose and filed
in. With a loud roar, the bus carried on its way into
the night, and three men approached the short man
on the stoop.

Lance watched curiously as he felt his muscles coil
in anticipation. The short man on the stoop smiled
and laughed at the other men. They were all
younger than he was, but he seemed familiar with
them. They all spoke in Spanish as they caught up
on their day, each telling a quick story. Lance
shifted from foot to foot. He was still behind the
bus stop sign, but he didn’t know when to make his
move. He wished Jenna was there to give some
direction. He took a breath and decided to just wait
and see if they opened the cooler; that was better
than disrupting things for nothing.

The men spoke some more and then finally a young
man stepped forward and patted the cooler. The old
man nodded with a smile, said Franco’s name, and
patted the cooler himself. Then he stood up, and he
and the rest of the men began to walk down the
street.

Lance panicked. While he knew it was a terrible
idea, he had to know at this point what was in the
damn cooler. He thought for a moment, a sudden
stillness taking over him as he closed his eyes.

“This might be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done,”
he whispered to himself.

Lance popped out from behind the bus stop and
began to wave his arms, making as big of a scene as
possible.

“Señors! Where are you going?! Didn’t you hear
that package was for me?!” Lance shouted in
Spanish.

The four men turned around quickly, faces
scrunched in anger, frustration, and confusion.
They looked at each other then back at Lance, and
they began to move toward him as he stood under
the streetlight by the bus stop.

“Yeah, that's for me. I know Franco gave it to you
and everything, but that’s actually mine. And I’m
going to have to take it,” Lance said casually as he
crossed his arms.

The four men approached; two took out knives,
which glinted in the yellowed light. Lance watched
them carefully as the men circled him like a pack of
thieves.

“Now guys, you must have heard this cliché a
hundred times by now. We can do this the easy
way…”

Lance sidestepped as one man lunged at him; he

grabbed him quickly, spun the young man around
and put him in a sleeper choke hold. His strong
arms rendered the man unconscious in moments,
and he held him there for a second.

“... or the hard way.”

The remaining three men looked at Lance in
surprise. They paused for a moment as their friend
slipped to the asphalt, unconscious. They looked at
one another again and then, with furious yells, all
rushed Lance at once.

Lance had spent years training with a Jiu-Jitsu
master. While taking on four guys alone would be a
terrible idea to most people, Lance had been
trained, just like his sister, to take on multiple
attackers at once. His father wasn’t a stupid man;
he knew with their money, they would have targets
on their heads more than once, and it would better
if they were ready to defend themselves.

The world slowed and Lance watched in what
seemed to be slow motion as each attacker came at
him. The first was the short, chubby man with no
weapon; he was simply running at Lance with fists
ready. He felt bad for the man, really. As he neared,
Lance grabbed him by the arm, swung him around,
and slammed him into the streetlight pole. His nose

began to gush with blood, and the clang of metal
against his skull sent him sprawling to the ground,
unconscious.

The second man who approached had a knife
aimed right for Lance’s side. Lance stepped back
and the man slashed at him furiously, but Lance
launched into a backflip and dislodged the knife
from the man’s swiping hand as he did so. He
landed in a crouch and sprung at the man in a
roundhouse kick, his toe connecting with the man’s
temple. The man collapsed to the ground next to his
fellow comrades.

The third man was the other knife holder. He was
closer to Lance’s height and stature and seemed to
know what he was doing with his weapon and body.
He squared up with Lance and the two began to
circle, locking eyes. The man watched Lance with a
sneer and came at him with an uppercut. Lance
dodged but was caught off guard when he threw a
right hook with the other fist and sent Lance
spinning. He went with the momentum, which
carried him into another roundhouse kick, but the
man stepped back on light toes and dodged the
attack.

Lance scanned his surroundings and watched his
opponent carefully, and an idea formed in his mind.

The man came at him again with a jab. Lance
danced away and back toward the bus stop,
bouncing on quick feet as the other man threw
another powerful punch. Lance sidestepped again.
The man now had his back to the bus stop seat, the
glass wall behind it.

Lance waited for the opening, and as the man went
to punch again, Lance grabbed the bus stop pole
and swung himself into a powerful kick, booted feet
landing squarely on the man’s chest. The force sent
him flying back into the glass wall behind him. The
window shattered loudly as the man crashed
through it, and blood splashed the signage as it tore
out of its place and wrapped around the man.

Lance sighed and walked coolly around to the other
side of the bus stop. The man was lying in a pile of
blood and glass, unconscious. He looked around at
the four men who were scattered across the street,
all unmoving.

“Sorry.” Lance shrugged and moved toward the
cooler, where he saw Jenna standing with a look of
shock on her face.

He looked around and gave her an innocent look as
he scratched his head.

“They were going to take the cooler.”

Jenna looked around at the scene. Her mouth
opened and then closed as words escaped her.

“I really wanted to know what was in it,” he stated,
as he stepped in front of her and reached down to
grab it.

She crossed her arms. “And knocking them all
unconscious was your first instinct.”

Lance paused. “I mean, it wasn’t my first instinct,
but it was my best one.”

Jenna shook her head and motioned toward the
cooler.

“Well, open your present, killer.”

Lance opened the cooler and the stench of fish
reached his nostrils. He scrunched his nose and
reached inside, picking up a slimy fish and sneering.

“Really, dude just gave him some fish?”

Jenna rolled her eyes and took the fish from Lance.
She studied it briefly, then reached in her pocket for
a small knife.

“Now, now is the time for fish fillets?” Lance
deadpanned as he watched her kneel down, set the
fish on the ground, and slice it open.

Neat little baggies fell out with fish guts, along with
tightly wound rolls of money in plastic.

“Winner, winner, fish dinner.” Lance kneeled
beside Jenna and picked up one of the baggies
containing a fine white powder.

Jenna bit her lip. “So, Franco hasn’t changed a bit.
Looks like he’s back in the drug ring.”

Lance paused. “Jenna, I’m not doubting your
instinct, but what does this have to do with Lia?”

Jenna looked up at him and then glanced around
the abandoned street. “I’ve got some info, but let’s
head back to the house where we can talk in
private.” Her senses tingled, and she suddenly felt
like they were being watched.

Lance began to gather up the cooler, but Jenna
shook her head, “Rookie move, leave it. We have
what we need.”

Lance nodded and stood up beside her, and the two

walked down the street until they were able to
wave down a taxi and head back to the beach
house.

Chapter5

Jenna laid in the king sized bed—the plushy bed
and silky soft comforter a godsend to her tired
muscles. Her shower had rinsed away the smell of
the fish, the oil, and the ocean and replaced it with
fresh water and bubbles of lavender. She felt
herself relax as she listened to Lance step out of the
shower and begin to towel off.

Her laptop was propped on her knees as she wrote
a coded message to Danielle; not only did they
speak their own friendship level, but the two had
developed a way to communicate about cases that
only they could decipher. She let her friend know
what they had discovered, and she asked her to
trace the boat numbers. She sent the name of the
son and the fish market name as well, asking her to
look into it and let her know about any potential
hazards.

Jenna closed her laptop as Lance entered the room.
He was naked and stood with a half hard cock as he
studied her bare breasts.

She gave him a coy smile. “Can I help you?” She
set her laptop on the large nightstand and patted the
spot next to her.

Lance slowly crawled into the bed, then reached up
and pulled the blanket away from her to reveal the
curves of her body. He bent down with tender lips
and began to peck at her stomach before working
his way up her chest and neck.

She laughed as his touch tickled her. “You know,
you were pretty impressive out there.”

Lance looked up at her and grinned. “My fighting
skills turn you on?”

Jenna grabbed his face in her hands and gave it a
gentle, playful shake.

“Maybe a little.” She grinned mischievously.

Lance continued to kiss her gently, and the
humorous mood shifted as Jenna felt herself grow
warm and wet at his touch. His hands slowly
explored her body, their rough calluses a sensual
contrast to her soft warm flesh.

He lingered over her; those broad arms and that big
chest encompassed her as he pressed himself close
to her. She felt his member grow hard and brush
against her, and the thought of him hitting deep
inside her made her shiver in excitement. He

nibbled at her earlobe, and she moaned in pleasure,
her own hands beginning to explore his body.

He felt amazing beneath her palms and fingertips as
she traced the outlines of his biceps and triceps.
Her hands trailed down his chest to his pecs and
abs, to find the curve of his V was carved like a
masterpiece. She followed it down to his shaft, as
he waited eagerly for her touch. He gave a hiss of
pleasure as she grabbed it, fingertips tracing its
length and girth.

She reached up to his neck and began to kiss him as
she continued to rub him down. Her hands teased
him as they went from his balls to his abs, to his
chest and shoulders, and back down again. He
slowly rolled in motion, his own lips and fingers
exploring every curve of her body.

The two were enveloped in one another’s touch.
The feeling of the other in their hands and beneath
their lips made their appetite for each other grow
with each nip and flick of the tongue. Lance lay
down beside her and began to stroke himself with
one hand. His other hand took her hard nipples
between careful fingertips and played with them
gently. She hissed at the sensation as it sent waves
of pleasure to her throbbing clit down below.

“Harder.”

He happily obliged. The pinch grew tighter, and he
watched with glazed eyes as she moved her body in
reaction to the pleasurable touch. She took her
hand and slid it down her breast, over her midriff
then slipped a finger past her lips and began to
slowly twirl around her clit; the mix of sensations
made her pussy slick and wet. She lingered there,
but her motions became quicker as he massaged her
breasts. He played with each nipple, and then he
reached over and sucked them; his tongue stroked
and circled each one.

Jenna groaned as she matched the twirls, swirls,
and motions of his mouth on her breasts to that of
her fingers delicately moving around her clit. The
synchronized sensations were more than she could
stand. She looked in his eyes as she felt herself hit
another level of pleasure.

“I want to ride your cock.”

Lance quirked an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

She nodded and bit her lower lip with a pout.
“Yeah, I really do.”

Lance paused and pretended to think about it. “If

you ride my cock, are you going to come so hard
for me?”

Jenna nodded again and began to sit up. “So
fucking hard.” Her eyes burned into his with desire.

He grabbed her hips with a low growl, and she
straddled him. Her middle was burning with need.
She felt his head at her lips, and she gently slid
herself atop him. Her thighs tightened as she felt his
shaft hit her nice and deep, and the sensation sent
waves of pleasure throughout her body.

“Fuck.” She gasped, glad she straddled him, else
her knees would have buckled beneath the feeling
of pleasure.

He smiled up at her. The view made him grow
harder, and his body rocked at the sensation of
finally being inside of her.

“That feel good, beautiful?” he asked as she began
to rock gently atop him. She rolled a bit until his
head was hitting her g-spot perfectly.

She grinned down at him. “You have no idea.”

He gasped a bit as she rocked harder. “Oh, I think I
do.”

Her hands reached down and grabbed rock hard
abs, holding them as she rocked. He hit her
perfectly, and she felt the warm waves turn to
powerful pangs of pleasure. She watched him, and
every movement of his body made her more turned
on. Those bright green eyes searing into her made
her feel like she was going to explode.

He held her hips and moved with her. As the
pleasure began to build in his shaft and balls, his
movements became harder. She moaned in pleasure
as he pulled her hips closer with each deep, warm
thrust.

Jenna felt the swell of pleasure in her middle, and
she knew she was so close to an orgasm. She
looked him in the eyes as she rode his dick, and her
breasts bounced as her pussy rocked hard on his
cock. He gave her a smile, and she felt herself no
longer able to hold it back. With an explosion of
pleasure, she felt the deep, gratifying sensation of
an itch only he could scratch.

She bucked hard, her moans turning to loud
screams as she came, her pleasure like a
rollercoaster that she held onto tightly. Wave after
wave of explosive, sensual thrills rippled through
her entire being, and she felt like she could go

forever. Her screams of pure sexual bliss echoed
through the house, vigorously matching the sounds
of the waves crashing on the beach outside.

She felt the caressing sensation of the orgasm
finish, and her middle hummed and vibrated with
the satisfaction of sexual gratification. She had
never had an orgasm like that, and she breathlessly
collapsed onto his chest. He was breathing hard, his
hard cock still throbbing inside her.

She looked up at him with eyes that were glazed
over in sexual ecstasy.

“Your turn.”

He nodded quickly; then with a swift movement, he
gently pulled out of her and laid her down on the
bed. He grabbed her legs, wrapped them around his
neck, then grabbed her hips and pulled her back
onto his pulsing dick.

He began to thrust quickly, absorbed in the
sensation of her warmth and the feeling of friction
against his member, while her tits bounced and that
beautiful face watched him with shimmering eyes.
He felt himself tighten, and he clenched his teeth.
Then his eyes rolled back in enjoyment as he rode
his own swells and surges of pleasure.

He moaned deeply, and with a sudden thrust, he
could no longer just ride the pleasure. He felt
himself rocked by his own orgasm. She whispered
softly to him, her legs tightened around his neck,
and she pulled him close. She reveled in the feeling
of him as he rippled beneath her legs, and the
thought of how much pleasure she had just brought
him made her feel a deep satisfaction.

He collapsed beside her and snuggled up to her
chest. She wrapped an arm around him, and her
hand began to stroke his hair as they worked to
catch their breath. Both lay there for a moment and
soaked in the purely physical satisfaction they had
just experienced. The post sex relaxation made
their eyes heavy and their limbs too weighty to
move.

Lance looked up at Jenna and gave her a tender
kiss on the cheek. His eyes met hers with a softness
she hadn’t seen before.

“Thank you for that, beautiful.”

“Jenna nodded. “And thank you, handsome.”

Lance snuggled up next to her, wrapping his arms
around her and pulling her body close to his.

“I could get used to this.”

Jenna felt her heart flutter at the statement, but
then her own sleepiness pulled at her heavy eyelids,
and she felt herself fade into a peaceful, deep sleep.

*

Jenna awoke in Lance’s arms once again. She could
get used to this, she thought. Rays of sunshine
snuck through the shades, and the orange, pinkish
glow told her it was still early.

She lay there for a moment, taking in the smell of
his cologne that reminded her of where coastal
forests met sandy beaches. She felt the heat of his
skin against her, the soft rise and fall of his chest,
his every inch pressed against hers. Jenna realized
this felt like home.

The thought didn’t startle her this time. She and
Lance had rapidly fallen for each other; she sensed
the feeling was the same for him. While other
women might be plagued with maybe it’s not the
same, Jenna had learned to trust her intuition long
ago, her secret weapon as an investigator. The
content, stillness in her mind told her this was a
very real, mutual feeling.

Lance moved in his sleep; then she felt him give
her a gentle squeeze as he woke. He nuzzled the
back of her neck and hair with his nose, trailing
tender kisses that tickled her skin. She laughed
softly at his antics, his arms pulling her closer as he
yawned loudly.

“Morning.”

“Good morning.” She rolled over to face him.

His eyes remained closed as she watched him. His
face was relaxed, and she noticed all the little
details that were lost to movements and
expressions: a slight scar over his right eyebrow, the
curve of his high cheekbones, his thick eyelashes,
and perfect, soft lips. She reached a hand up and
caressed his cheek. His eyes slowly opened and
watched her with a small smile.

She reached up and placed a kiss on his forehead,
holding it for a moment before she returned her
gaze to his eyes.

“I think I’m falling for you,” she whispered, her
eyes locked into his.

He didn’t look away but stared right back into her.

“I think I’m falling for you, too.”

He reached his own hand up and caressed her
cheek. Their foreheads leaned against each other as
they closed their eyes and soaked in the moment.
The affection, the pureness, poured from one to the
other in such a satisfying nature that finally
quenched what seemed like an unquenchable thirst
for them both.

The sudden buzz of a phone made both of them
jump. Jenna rolled her eyes and reached onto her
nightstand to grab her phone. Danielle’s picture
showed, and she answered the call.

“Hey, Danielle. What do you got for us?”

“Good morning to you too. You know I stayed up
all night working on this, right?”

Jenna sighed. “Well, I figured that, and I appreciate
it. I owe you a bagel and a coffee when I get back.”

Danielle sighed back. “More like a fancy dinner.
I’ve got a few things for you. I just sent everything
over. Did you get it?”

Jenna reached over and grabbed her computer as
Lance stood up and stretched. He headed to the

shower and got a start on his morning routine while
she opened her laptop and her email. Her screen
showed a few messages from Danielle with
attachments.

“Ok, so the boats you sent me are both tied to a
few fish markets, which makes sense with the info
you sent me on Franco’s son. The guy isn’t in the
database, so whether Franco has kept him out of
trouble or is sending you into a trap with one of his
trained guys is difficult to discern.” Danielle
paused, seemingly waiting for Jenna’s surprise.

“Well, either way we’re prepared.”

Danielle paused again. “We?”

“Yes. We.” Jenna smiled a bit to herself.

Danielle squealed. “Girl! I can hear the cheeky grin
in your voice. Is he around? Can you finally tell me
the deets?”

Jenna sighed. She was cornered.

“Ok, it’s my client’s son, the missing woman’s
brother!” Jenna whispered in an excited tone as she
held her hand on her forehead at her own words.

“Jenna! What the actual hell?!”

“I know! I know! But there’s… there’s just this
connection. I don’t know, Danielle, I can’t describe
it.”

“Oh, I’m sure you could describe such a
connection,” Danielle deadpanned.

Jenna chuckled and climbed out of bed. She paced
the room and peeked out the shades at the beach
beyond.

“So now we’re working on the case together.”

“Yeah, working on the case together. Mhmmmm.”
Jenna heard Danielle take a long sip of her coffee.

“Oh, you hush! I appreciate you sending over the
info. Anything else I should know?”

She heard papers being moved in the background as
Danielle tried to find a spot on her messy desk to
set the coffee.

“Yes, actually. A big break. I initially couldn’t find
what these boats were packing, but after a little
digging, I found the main warehouse. So my bet is
that warehouse is where they’re packaging drugs

for transport within the fish they’re selling to
knowing dealers. Also might be where they’re
keeping your missing woman; if not, you can at
least start to track members.”

Jenna nodded and sighed in relief. “Danielle,
you’re a lifesaver.”

Danielle took a bite of something and talked
through a mouthful of food, “Yeah, I know.”

“I’ll keep you posted. Later, girl.”

“Bye, Jenna. Stay safe!”

Jenna hung up the phone and stepped into the
bathroom where Lance had a towel tied around his
waist, brushing his teeth. He looked at her with a
quirked brow.

“What did you get?”

Jenna leaned against the frame of the door. “Today,
we head to the fish market.”

Chapter6

Jenna and Lance made their way to the fish market
in the early morning light. The gentle breeze filtered
down the coastal roads, picked up leaves and sand,
and gently swirled them through the streets and
curbs. The morning was already warm, and the air
was becoming heavy with humidity, yet the markets
along the walkways were bustling as locals tried to
stay ahead of the heat while stocking their food
trucks, restaurants, and businesses for the day
ahead.

The two smelled the fish market before they saw it.
The heavy wafts of fresh-caught fish, the salt of the
ocean, and the smoke from barbecue pits made
their way down the streets of the exotic city. Older
buildings of carved stone towered above the
markets, the weathered tops seeming to peer down
at the streets below. Jenna watched the skies with
curious eyes. She truly hoped after all of this was
over, she could explore the beautiful, coastal city.

Jenna and Lance brushed past the produce section
of the market and into the seafood, where the aisles
were piled high with ice and dead fish. Some were
intact, some were cut down, and other areas held
pink, white, and bloody slabs of fresh fish. Jenna
braced against the strong scent; seafood had never

been her favorite.

She glanced up and saw a purple banner with white,
cursive lettering that read “Franco’s Pescadería”.
Jenna looked to the young man behind the counter.
He was tall and lean with a suave haircut, a gold
earring, and a big smile. He bid a customer goodbye
with a laugh and then turned to Lance and Jenna to
help them.

“What can I get you?” he asked, his Spanish accent
softer than the other local natives.

“Detective Jenna Lockley. Can I speak you to a bit
more privately, Mr. Garcia?” She flashed her badge
and nodded to the end of the counter. The boy
nodded and followed her and Lance toward the
end.

“My father said you would stop by. You’re looking
for Lia, right?”

Jenna nodded again. “We are. Can you tell us when
you last saw Lia, Mr. Garcia?”

The young man was taller than his father. He was in
his early twenties and seemed to be bursting with
an excited personality. He moved quickly, and his
eyes looked around often. Jenna sensed he had

partied with Lia, probably also taking whatever her
choice was to party with.

“Yeah, of course. After the boat ride, we went to a
club downtown. We were there most of the night,
and I dropped her off at her hotel the next morning.
Her flight was later that day. That was the last I saw
of her.”

“What was the name of the club?” Jenna held her
notepad and jotted down the details.

“Club De Fuego y Hielo.”

“When did you meet Lia?” Jenna asked. Lance
shifted nervously beside her, and she gave him a
glance to quiet his nerves.

“I met her last week at another club. We hit it off
and spent some time together with a couple of other
people from the area. I work during the mornings,
but I’d meet her in the afternoons and we’d spend
the evenings out on the town.” He paused and
looked back and forth between the two.

“I really like Lia. My father said she’s missing. Do
you have any leads on where she might be?”

“That’s why we’re talking to you,” Jenna replied.

“Look, Jenna, she got drugs from me; I know
you’re wondering. She never had to go to anyone
else, so if someone kidnapped her it wasn’t because
it was a drug deal gone bad.”

Jenna studied the man’s face and posture. Although
she didn’t doubt he was telling the truth, she also
sensed that wasn’t the whole story. Something else
was going on beneath the surface.

“Do you know why she went to the bar instead of
the airport after you dropped her off at her hotel?”
Jenna watched as the man reacted.

“I didn’t know she went to the bar. She said she
would hit me up next time she was in town and that
was that. She didn’t say anything about a change of
plans.” His face contorted in confusion, and he held
his hands out in an open gesture.

“I see. What about while you two were together.
Did you see or talk to anyone suspicious? Notice
anyone following you?”

He paused and thought, “You know, there was this
other guy about my age we kept seeing at each club
and bar. We figured he was into the same scene, but
now that I think about it, my friends and I didn’t

recognize him. He was a bit shorter than me,
thicker build, had both ears pierced and a big tribal
tattoo on his shoulder.” He nodded, his confidence
building as he spoke.

Jenna wrote down the description. “Happen to
catch a name, nickname, or any other conversation
take place?”

The man shook his head. “No, just kept catching
sight of him.”

Jenna nodded. “Thank you for your time today, Mr.
Garcia. We’ll be in touch if we need any further
information.”

He stuck out his hand, and Jenna shook it firmly.
He met her eyes and looked into them. “Please, it’s
Gavin. Pleasure to meet you, Detective. Please
keep me posted. I’m very worried about Lia.”

With that, he sighed and turned around to return to
work. Lance looked to Jenna with curiosity, but she
held her finger to her lips to tell him to stay quiet
for now. She’d have to fill him in on her hunch
later.

Jenna began to walk around the market, her eyes
watching carefully as each face passed. Each

person who would usually blend with the crowd
stuck out for just a moment as she studied face
after face. She didn’t know exactly what she was
looking for, but her instinct told her to just watch.

The two of them spent the next hour meandering
around the marketplace, past the fish, the baskets,
the trinkets, the meats, and the live animals. Jenna
paused at each stand and observed. Lance had
relaxed and seemed to naturally fall next to her. His
own eyes watched carefully, and he didn't question
her. He kept the conversation light, and both
listened as people spoke jovially with one another,
hoping to catch a name, or a mention of Lia.

Jenna sighed. She was just about to call it when she
saw the short, stocky man from the bar the first
morning they had been out. She grabbed Lance’s
hand and squeezed it. He looked to her with
surprise, but she gave a small nod in the man’s
direction. Lance’s gaze traveled and saw what she
had discovered; he looked back at her and she gave
a nod that yes, they were going to follow him.

The two headed toward the man as he loaded up a
box of goods and started toward the back of the
market, to the tiny alley behind the stands where
the marketers kept their products and supplies.
Jenna glanced over and saw that the alley ran

parallel to the back of another marina, and she
watched as he made his way down and turned into
the entrance of it.

Lance and Jenna followed cautiously, the flow of
traffic so heavy they blended with the passing
people as they made their way down the walkway,
past the rows and rows of docks that were filled
with rocking boats. The man whistled to himself as
he walked with a slow saunter, the sun on his face.
He gave a smile and a wave to other locals as he
passed.

He turned down a row, and they paused to watch as
he stepped onto a large boat, different from the
other two they had seen. Unable to follow him, the
two sidestepped behind another boat and watched
as he made his way around the deck. A few other
men came up from below; they smiled and
welcomed him. Lance immediately recognized
some of them from their bruised faces as the men
he had beat up yesterday.

Jenna glanced around and saw the other man from
the bar. The only two who weren’t here were the
Garcias. She watched as they made their way
around the boat, talking and laughing as they did
so. With the sound of the waves, the seagulls, and
the ocean wind, Jenna could only catch some of

what they had to say.

The conversation was about the next load and the
big payoff. Each man was going around saying
what he was going to do with the money. Jenna
knew at this point it wasn’t about fish. The men
suddenly fell silent, and Jenna glanced to the end of
the dock. The Garcia men were making their way
down towards the boat. Jenna and Lance watched,
hidden from the two as they climbed aboard the
boat.

Franco gave the men a stern look, while his son
stood eerily still with his hands clasped together in
front of him and his eyes cast down. The mood
went from lighthearted to tense in a flash, and
Jenna wanted to know why. Franco spoke up, and
she and Lance leaned in just a bit to listen.

“You boys want your pay out, you need to learn
how to do you jobs first,” he sneered, and as his
dark glance cast over each one, their eyes fell.

“You have all seen a detective recently, haven’t
you? Or the lumbering idiot who’s been with her?”

Lance’s eyes shot wide in surprise, and he huffed.
Jenna stifled a laugh but placed her hand on his
chest to hold him back.

“Well, thanks to you boys, she’s now on our trail.
And I can tell you right now, the boss isn’t happy
about it.” He smirked at the men, his eyes glistening
with something sinister.

The men exchanged hushed and worried mumbles
in response. Franco then took his son by the
shoulder and guided him down to the captain’s
quarters. Jenna and Lance watched for a few more
moments as the men hurriedly lifted the anchor and
untied the boat. The machine suddenly roared to
life, and they were on their way out to sea.

As the boat sped off into the ocean, the afternoon
sun shimmered brightly on the water. Jenna held up
a hand to block out the sun and watched it until it
was only a tiny dot. Lance looked at her with a
serious look she hadn’t witnessed before; he was
both pissed and concerned.

“I’m guessing these guys have Lia?” Lance almost
growled.

Jenna nodded. “That’s my hunch. Gavin was the
only one who really tried to throw us off the trail,
with the bogus story about another guy following
them. She’s connected to this group somehow.”
Jenna bit her lip nervously. While the pieces were

slowly coming together, something didn’t feel quite
right about this whole thing.

“What is it?” Lance asked, as he shifted in front of
her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He
could sense her concern.

“I’m not sure, and I don’t think I’ll know until we
find the missing piece.”

Lance nodded. He leaned into her and gave her a
kiss on the forehead.

“Thank you.”

She looked up with a small smile, her eyes warm.

“For what?”

Lance shrugged and gave her a smirk back. “Being
the badass you are.”

Jenna felt herself blush, but reached up and pecked
him on the cheek.

“No problem, handsome. Now, we have a
warehouse to go investigate, but there’s one thing
you need to do for us. We need a boat to get there.”
Jenna began walking down the pier toward the

market.

“Why’s that?”

It’s on a tiny speck on land right off the coast, only
accessible by air or water.” Jenna pulled up her
phone to check the coordinates Danielle had sent.

She looked to Lance, and he gave her a grin, “Air,
you say?”

*

Jenna discovered the beach house had an entire
garage attached and, within it, was just one of the
many custom-built cars Lance had worked on. This
one was a deep blue ‘68 Mustang that Jenna
couldn’t help but stare at; she never cared that
much about cars, but this thing was a piece of art.

“Hop in, beautiful, and let’s get going.” Lance
flashed her a big grin as he slid in and roared the
beast to life.

Jenna buckled up, and Lance began the journey out
of town to the family’s private airport, equipped
with a private jet and helicopter.

“So, if you guys have private jets, why didn’t Lia

take one of those?” Jenna asked as she realized that
with their lifestyle, Lia had made a deliberate
choice to take a commercial flight.

“We have two. I was using one and dad was using
the other when she wanted to leave. Lia has always
done things on her own time, so she wasn’t about to
wait for us to get back.”

Jenna nodded as she gently touched the soft white
leather of the car. “Got it. So when did you bring
this bad boy here?”

“It’s actually been here since I rebuilt it a few years
ago. This is my first time driving it here, though.”

Jenna shot him a surprised look. “You’re just
driving it here now?”

Lance shrugged. “I rebuild cars and either sell them
or send them to places we have established so I can
drive them there. I have quite a few world-wide I
haven’t driven yet.”

Jenna whistled and turned to watch the scenery go
by as they drove. They fell into a relaxed silence as
the whirl of the engine soothed their nerves. The
tight city roads gave way to freeway, and the city
dissipated to rural farms and coastal towns. Jenna

watched as the smog seemed to lift and the tropical
paradise began to shine. Lance took a small road
off the highway; it was a bit bumpy and cut through
a pasture of grazing cattle.

Black iron gates rose in the distance, a giant “P”
welded onto the top of them. The gates expanded
on both sides, the entire place surrounded by
looming, black metal bars to keep intruders out.
Lance pulled up next to a keypad, punched in a
code, and the gates creaked open as he pulled in.
There were two giant, gleaming white buildings on
the grounds. One housed the jet, which was in the
hanger, as Lance had taken it down for his trip. The
other sported two helicopters. One was already
parked outside for them. Jenna stared at the vast
airport. There wasn’t another soul around for miles.
The whole experience seemed surreal to her, and
she looked over to Lance, who seemed incredibly
excited to be here.

He looked to her and gave her a nudge. “My
favorite thing in the world right here, flying. I’ve
been piloting since I was a teenager. It’s what I do
to really feel alive.”

Jenna looked at him, then back at the helicopter.
“Well, then I trust you’ll take good care of me?”

Lance laughed and placed his hand on her shoulder.
“You have nothing to worry about, beautiful.”

Lance had a skip in his step as they got out of his
car. He hurried toward the chopper, and Jenna
quickened her pace to keep up.

“I’m now realizing we haven’t had any time to
really talk about you and your…” Jenna trailed off.
She didn’t want to sound rude, but she kept
forgetting he was a billionaire.

“My lifestyle?” Lance asked with a grin, as his
quick steps carried him toward the chopper pad
where the bright red and white helicopter awaited.

“Yeah, I guess I would call it that.” Jenna stared at
the giant gleaming machine. It was a contrast to the
forest green and blue sky of the afternoon.

“Jenna, I will admit that I have taken full advantage
of the opportunities, fun toys, and adventures I’ve
had access to both growing up and now. I’m sure
there is a lot about this world I have no idea about,
simply because I haven’t experienced another
lifestyle. But, I’ve worked really hard to try and
understand. I know this…”

He waved at the surroundings of the pristine private

airport.

“This can be intimidating, but you’ve had the
chance to get to know me a bit. Do I seem so far
away and out of touch with the common people?”
He gave her a playful nudge with his elbow, and she
nudged back.

“No, it’s just a lot to take in sometimes. The beach
house is one thing, but I forget you have places like
that literally all over the world. And places like this,
and probably so much else! It’s overwhelming. I
mean, not that I may have to worry about this after
the trip…” She began stumbling on her words,
suddenly anxious as she realized she had known
this man less than a few days and was talking like
they might be heading into a relationship.

Lance chuckled as he climbed into the cockpit,
reaching out a hand to help her.

“Jenna, relax. I like you, and after we get all this
shit sorted out, we can talk dates.” He kissed her
gently as she stepped in, and she felt her heart
flutter.

“Ok.” She was left somewhat speechless by his
actions.

“Alright, let's get this show on the road.”

Jenna watched as his experienced hands navigated
the controls. He quickly flicked switches, turned
knobs, and pressed buttons. Jenna had no idea what
each did, but the way he fluently handled the
controls and brought the machine to life fascinated
her.

“Man, I am lucky enough if I can parallel park,”
she shouted over the roar of the engine.

He handed her a headset, and she strapped it on
quickly. He put on his sunglasses, gave her a smirk,
and then grabbed the joystick. With a soft lurch,
they were suddenly hovering above the ground.
Jenna felt her gut twist in excitement, the same
feeling she got when she peeked over the top of a
tall roller coaster.

“Damn, this is going to be a hell of a time,” she said
into the headset, and Lance just laughed.

Jenna watched as the ground suddenly rushed
away. The black asphalt pad with bright yellow
caution lines began to shrink and turn into a small
speck amongst the rolling green grass and tropical
tree line. Her eyes were wide as she watched the
mountains appear in the distance and saw the city

bedded against the coast and wood. The cityscape
reached for the deep blue sky, and the shining
ocean was now just a gleaming blue. Jenna couldn’t
help but smile as the scenery rushed by in a surreal
way.

Lance glanced over at her, and she heard him
crackle over the headset, “Pretty spectacular,
huh?”

Jenna could only nod, her eyes shining at the bright
tropical colors as she suddenly realized the paradise
she hadn’t had the time to see from the concrete
streets. Her heart pumped loudly in her chest, as
the exhilaration of the ride and the all-
encompassing landscape had adrenaline pumping
through her veins.

Jenna wished for a moment that the two of them
could stop and enjoy all of this but felt a twinge of
guilt at the thought. She squared her shoulders and
looked back at Lance. They would find his sister,
and then they would explore this spark between
them; she knew that much.

He turned the chopper toward the ocean, and they
began their journey toward the private warehouse.
Jenna watched as Lance looked to the screen with
the coordinates, his hands steadily guiding the giant

over the foamy, rolling waves below. The helicopter
seemed to wave to and fro, over land and sea, until
she saw a small spit of land with a large building
appear in the distance.

Lance nodded. “That’s the place.”

He carefully eased the chopper toward the giant
building that loomed in the distance. The roof was
white with rusted sheet metal; a few skylights
opened up and let in light. The cement structure
was a blend of black and chalky white from the
salty wind and air of the ocean. Jenna could feel
the cold radiating from the place, even in the
warmth of the afternoon sun.

“Looks cozy, doesn't it?” she asked.

Lance nodded and threw his thumb back. “Grab
the binoculars and take a look. I don’t want to get
too close and spook ‘em.”

They were still too far to see much, but Jenna could
make out that the boat they had seen Franco and
his men load into this afternoon was at the dock,
along with two other smaller boats. Jenna reached
into the bag that Lance had brought and grabbed
the binoculars, raising them to her eyes and
scanning the building.

A few people were leaving the building, each one
with different shaped packages or boxes in their
arms. Her eyes scanned up to the skylights, but
they were still too far away for her to see inside.

“We need to get closer. I can’t see inside the
place.”

Lance nodded and nudged the helicopter closer.
Jenna felt the sway of the hovering machine and
gripped her seat. This would still take some getting
used to, she thought. Lance chuckled and with his
free hand reached over and squeezed her knee.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

If she weren’t in the air staking out a warehouse via
chopper, she would have felt herself blush and
leaned over to kiss him. But just handling the flight
was enough for now.

She watched the building grow larger as they
approached. The ominous feeling only grew
stronger as she noticed there wasn’t much
vegetation on the land, mainly just dark rocks and
sand. The wind rushed as the updraft off the ocean
pushed against the chopper, and she felt the
anxious twist in her gut that something wasn’t right.

She held the binoculars with white knuckles and
kept them fixed on the skylights as Lance took a
chance and went over them. Jenna looked down
below and saw a large group of people gathered in
the center. The place was packed with pallet upon
pallet of packages, and the small aisles that were
left were just enough for people to walk to and
from the loading and unloading docks. She looked
at the group of people and tried to pinpoint where
their attention was turned; none of them moved and
all appeared to be fixed on… a blonde woman in
the center?

Jenna squinted and zoomed the binoculars in closer.
It was a blonde woman, but before she could look
up, Lance had passed the chopper over.

“Did they see us?” he asked nervously.

Jenna shook her head, “No, nobody looked up. But
I think we should make another pass over. I think I
have an eye on our main suspect.”

Lance nodded and swooped the helicopter back
around. Jenna clutched the binoculars again and
fixed her sights where the group had been inside
the giant building. Her eyes scanned the skylights
and down to the sea of bodies and faces. There she

was again, the woman in the center with blonde
hair. Franco appeared to be standing next to her.
Maybe it was his wife?

Suddenly the woman looked up, and Jenna gasped
as she saw the familiar face through the binoculars,
almost as clear as day: those piercing green eyes,
the familiar-shaped features, and soft, blonde
waves of hair. It was Lia, Lance’s sister.

“What? Jenna, what do you see?” Lance asked in a
worried tone.

“... It’s, it’s Lia,” Jenna said softly as she tried to
process what was before her.

“Is she OK? What’s going on? Should we land?”
Lance began to press the chopper back.

“No! Yes, she’s okay! She’s in there, not harmed.
But, I’m not sure what’s going on.”

“Jenna, that’s not very helpful!” Lance said with a
hint of frustration in his voice.

“She’s talking to all of them, Lance. She isn’t being
held against her will. The question is why?”

Lance paused and steered the helicopter back away

from the warehouse. His eyes met Jenna with a
serious stare. She couldn’t tell if he was pissed,
worried, confused, or all of the above.

“Jenna, what do you want me to do?” Lance placed
his hand back on her knee.

Jenna took a deep breath. “We can’t burst in right
now; she might have negotiated herself some sort
of deal and we could blow the whole thing. Let’s
come back in the middle of the night tonight. I’m
assuming you have a boat as well?”

He nodded. “I do. Are you sure she’s safe?”

Jenna looked back into those bright, green eyes.

“Yes, she is safe for now. We’ll come back on a
rescue mission tonight.”

Chapter7

Jenna and Lance returned to the beach house in the
evening, just as the warm, tangerine glow of the sun
had begun to set over the churning, deep turquoise
waters and foaming waves. Lance had been
chatting the entire way back, speculating at what
Lia could have been doing, but Jenna had remained
quiet most of the ride.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you have any theories on
this?” Lance asked, his eyes wide and his actions
anxious. He wanted to get his sister out of there but
was still worried about her safety and what was
going on inside that warehouse.

Jenna paused as she set her purse down on the
counter. She bit her lip and looked at Lance with
concerned eyes.

“I do, but I need to process them. It’s just how I
work, but let’s eat something and try to clear our
minds a bit.”

Lance nodded and came up behind Jenna; his
strong hands slid onto her shoulders and gently
started to squeeze. He leaned his weight into her,
and Jenna felt his strong body pressed against her
back. She smiled and turned around as he leaned in

and pressed his lips against hers. She kissed him
back and felt him reach around her waist and pull
her close.

“Are you OK? You seem rattled?”

Jenna looked away and stepped back, glancing at
Lance as she sat down.

“I’m okay. I just have a theory as to what’s going
on there… And I don’t think you’re going to like
it.”

Lance cocked his head and quirked a brow at her.
He slowly took a seat across from Jenna and looked
into her eyes.

“Ok, well why don’t you tell me, and I’ll let you
know what I think.” Lance said in a low tone. She
could tell he didn’t appreciate playing the guessing
game or like the idea that Jenna was hiding
something from him.

“I think Lia is running the place.” Her eyes
watched Lance carefully as she delivered her
theory.

He sat for a moment, brows knit in concern, then
broke out in a smile until he started laughing. His

laugh grew louder until the echoes filled the room.

Jenna felt her eyes roll. It was one thing to get
upset by her theory; it was another to laugh at it.

“Ya know what, Lance. Don’t worry about joining
tonight. I’ll handle it myself.” Jenna stood up
abruptly. She could feel the heat of anger begin to
simmer at the base of her skull and her face burn in
emotion.

Lance stopped suddenly and jumped up. He
grabbed her hand and spun her around.

“Excuse me, Jenna, for finding the fact that you are
accusing my sister of running a drug ring to be a bit
ridiculous. How the hell did you come to that
conclusion?”

Jenna’s glare seared into him. “Because I saw her,
Lance. She was conducting the operation, Franco
right next to her as she spoke. And she saw our
helicopter, so now our cover is blown, and I will
need to bring the Feds in on this.”

Lance stood in front of Jenna to block her path.
“Jenna, we’re not calling the Feds. This is a rescue
mission: We get in, we get Lia, and we get out.”

Jenna let out an exasperated sigh. “Lance, I lied to
you about the rescue mission to keep your head in
the game. There is no way in hell I am going into a
building that is swarming with people, who are
likely toting weapons, to rescue your sister, who
wasn’t even being held captive. I’m handing this
one over to the Feds.”

Lance crossed his arms and stepped back. “So, do
you always just hand your work off as soon as it
gets tough?”

Jenna sent him a fiery glare and threw her hands
up. “I’m done. I’m not putting up with this shit.”

Lance stepped in front of her again. “You’re not
putting up with this shit? You’re the one who
accused my sister of being a drug lord! My sister,
remember, the woman who got kidnapped?!”

“She disappeared, Lance! No one saw her get
taken. She missed her own flight. I know what I
saw; she was talking to all of them, and she didn’t
look like a victim to me. Trust me, I’ve seen quite a
few!” Jenna yelled at him, her throat tightening
against the emotions.

“Oh! So now you get to pick and choose who’s the
victim here! You catch a quick glance of her, and

since she’s not tied up or dead you just assume
she’s taken charge. Yeah, real great detective
work.” Lance seethed. His eyes had turned angry
and sharp, and Jenna felt the tears sting in her eyes.

Jenna whirled around to get away from him; her
anger boiled now and she needed the space. She
felt Lance grab her arm, and she pulled it away. He
raised his hands and stepped back.

“Jenna, look… I just don’t understand what’s going
on and why the hell my sister is wrapped up in all
of this, okay? Can we just take a minute?”

Jenna paused and wiped her eyes. She gave a small
nod through her tears, and Lance slowly sat down
and gestured for her to sit as well.

“I’m sorry, Jenna. What I said was out of anger. I
didn’t mean to snap like that,” Lance spoke softly,
his eyes not meeting hers at first.

Jenna sighed. “I’m sorry too, Lance. I’m just going
on my instincts here, but we need to figure out
what we’re going to do. I say we call in the Feds to
be safe, so they can keep Lia safe and we don’t end
up in the crosshairs.”

Lance nodded. “Okay, I understand.”

He ran his hands over his face and head in a
stressed manner. This time Jenna walked up behind
him and laid her small hands on his big shoulders,
her fingers kneading the tight muscles underneath
his skin. She felt him relax and continued to rub,
the feeling of him relaxing under her touch bringing
her a sense of calm as well.

He looked up and met her eyes. His hand reached
around her neck and brought her face close to his;
their lips touched and Jenna felt that familiar
electric sensation. She reached in for another kiss,
greedy for that feeling. He pressed her close. They
needed to feel each other, needed to be skin to skin
again.

Lance released his kiss then stood, turned around,
and swooped her up, their lips meeting again. This
time their tongues intertwined playfully. She felt
that sensation sweep through her again; every
muscle, every inch of flesh, and her middle began
to warm to his touch. She needed more of him,
needed his shirt off and his hard cock pressed
against her.

He obliged with a swift haul to the bedroom. He
held her tightly and easily in his big arms, and his
body felt so good beneath hers. His hands tore at

her shirt and pulled it off, while her hands worked
furiously to undo his belt and pull at the rough
fabric of his jeans. He nuzzled her neck with kisses,
lingering on her earlobe to nibble at her gently until
she giggled. She nipped at his jawline, his stubble
tickling her cheeks as she did so, and made her way
down to his collarbone and chest.

Jenna ran her hands along the outline of his
shoulder blades and down his back. His hand traced
the outline of her bra and went to remove the first
strap, but Jenna lifted her hand and caught his wrist
with a coy smile.

“As much as I want this right now, we need to
figure out what to do about Lia.” Jenna looked at
him with eyes wide and a small smirk.

Lance huffed with a pout and stood up. He gave
her a kiss as he did so and reached down for his
jeans.

“Fine, but after this is over, you’re mine.” Lance
cocked a brow at her, and she returned it with a
peck on the cheek.

“Deal.”

Jenna pulled her shirt back on, and as Lance tugged

his jeans on and buckled his belt, her thoughts
returned to Lia and the situation at hand. She pulled
out her laptop and began going through Danielle’s
email again.

“What are you thinking?” Lance asked as he ran a
hand through his hair. His eyes watched her as she
typed away.

“I’m thinking you either go pick us up some dinner
or make me something delicious and tasty.” Jenna
looked up at him, bit her lip, and did her best to
give a sexy, give me food face. He bought it.

“Fine, I’m going to run to the store and when I get
back, I’ll make dinner. You’re going to devise a
plan, oh wise P.I?” he asked as he reached down
and gently kissed her along the neckline. She could
feel his hard cock pressed against her back.

“No teasing! Go get dinner!” Jenna giggled as his
lips tickled the back of her neck.

He gave her a final squeeze, turned around, and
headed for the door. She heard it close behind him
and returned to her screen to try and connect all the
dots. Nothing about this case was making sense to
her.

If Lia was going to come down here and start a
drug ring, why not leave less of a trail? She had
enough money to do whatever she wanted; she
could easily sneak away from family and friends.
Maybe she was going to disappear, but her father
called a P.I. in before she could do the actual
disappearing part?

Jenna leaned back and rested her hands atop her
head as she thought through this whole tangled
mess. Franco and his boys had been involved with
this for a long time; once they had been caught,
they probably only stopped for a short while.
According to their files, they ran a global multi-
million dollar drug cartel.

At some point, before all of this, Franco and Lia
had to have met Jenna thought, as she read through
his file, the black and white mug shot of the lean
man with the scar staring back at her. They either
had a connection through money, or drugs.

With quick fingers, Jenna pulled up the database
that Danielle had sent her and began going through
the files. Franco had been in and out of the States
during his day, but according to the Feds, he had
only been to New York a few times. She opened
another tab and pulled up Lia’s social media
accounts; she looked through the albums and found

one from Buenos Aires just last summer. Jenna felt
her heart leap as she clicked it open.

She began to go through photos. The lean young
woman was often seen smiling with her friends on
the beach, at the bar, or in the club dancing. Jenna
studied each photo; her eyes scanned for the
familiar faces she had come to know in the last few
days. As she scrolled down, she caught a glance of
a young man: Gavin Garcia. Jenna clicked the
photo and enlarged it. The two stood outside a bar
at night with big smiles. Lia appeared to be
laughing. She wore a tiny white dress and held a
drink high in one hand. Gavin was more poised, but
his eyes were wide in excitement and the
exhilaration of the evening.

Jenna stared at the photo as she drew on her
thoughts. This looked like a typical scene of Lia
partying with some locals and making friends.
Nothing seemed suspicious here, but what if Lia
and Gavin had started talking about their ideas?
Maybe Gavin had expressed interest, Lia said she
could invest, and then they brought Franco in?

Jenna’s eyes were beginning to strain from the light.
She hadn’t drunk nearly enough water that day and
felt a headache beginning to claw at her temples.
She rubbed her eyes and stood up with a stretch.

The sun had gone down, and the darkness of the
night had surrounded the beach house. She needed
some fresh air to clear her mind, so she grabbed her
knit sweater and pushed open the back screen door.
She felt the whoosh of the salty breeze and felt the
chill of the evening on her warm skin.

Jenna hadn’t been back here much, but the view
was gorgeous. A giant patio area and bar opened up
to overlook a small cliff that overhung a private
beach. They had miles to themselves; tourists and
locals were kept away by a large, wooden fence.
Jenna walked down the stairs and strolled toward
the cliff. The roar of the waves and wind grew
stronger as she approached. The lights from the
house were dim, but the bright orb of the pale moon
guided her. A trail was worn within the grass and
sands, and her bare feet felt the earth move softly
beneath her with every step.

Jenna got to the edge and looked down at the
waters that crashed below; the foam seemed to
glow a cerulean blue in the moonlight. The sandy
dunes ran gently along the coast, softening the
craggy outline of the rocky cliffs. Jenna stared for a
few moments at the moon. She let her mind relax to
the sound of the waves and her breath settle with
each gentle inhalation of the scent of the sea.

Jenna felt the hair on the back of her neck suddenly
stand up and a pucker go through her gut;
something wasn’t right. Suddenly unsettled, Jenna
turned around and began walking back toward the
house, her eyes cautiously scanning the shadowy
night. She saw something dart to her right, and she
picked up the pace. The silhouette of a man dashed
to her left, and she felt her heart explode in
adrenaline as everything screamed at her to run.
She blasted off, her bare feet spraying sand as she
locked onto the house with her eyes and pushed
herself as hard as she could.

She heard the sound of footsteps behind her, but
she didn't dare look back and risk tripping. Her eyes
were on the back door; it was a distance from
where she was, but she was getting closer. She
heard two men breathing as they ran after her.
Their footsteps were heavier, and she could tell the
incline had already begun to wind them. Jenna ran.
She routinely exercised and pushed herself during
training to prepare for moments like this.

She was almost to the patio, the door was in site; it
was just a tiny bit further. She dug deeper and
heard her heart pounding as she raced faster toward
the lights of the house. A foot landed on the first
step of the patio, and she launched herself up
multiple stairs at once. She smiled. She had this; she

was almost to that door. She hit the top, and two
arms suddenly snatched her out of midair. A cloth
was over her mouth before she could react.

“No! No! No!” She yelled and tried to hold her
breath, but she was panting from the run and had
taken in a big breath. She knew it was chloroform
as she felt herself slip away, and then darkness
surrounded her.

*

Lance unlocked the door and walked into the foyer
of the beach house. He went into the kitchen and
set down the bags of groceries on the counter. He
looked around, expecting to see Jenna walk through
the hall door from the bedroom. He could see the
bedside lamp on, but he didn’t see Jenna lying on
the bed, as he had hoped.

His brow furrowed in worry, and a concerned
frown began to curl on his lips. He surveyed the
room and strode over to the bathroom. He hit the
light switch but didn’t see Jenna waiting in the
shower or by the sink. He turned the light off, went
back to the bedroom, and glanced around. He
didn’t see her phone on the table, only her laptop
and purse.

He turned in the hallway and headed back toward
their patio. Jenna had been out there a few times.
Maybe she had gone out there to take a break, he
thought, a nervous chill beginning to gnaw at him.
He felt the twist of concern in his stomach, and his
heart rate increased, as he suddenly felt on edge
about the situation.

When he opened the large glass door, the automatic
lights switched on and lit the glass bar. The
reflection lit the rest of the deck, shadows from
chairs and tables being thrown in every direction.
He looked around. His eyes adjusted to the
darkness as he tried to find a shadow of a human,
as he searched for some clue as to where Jenna had
suddenly disappeared to. He swallowed hard and
stepped forward. The sound of the waves in the
distance was the only thing he could hear besides
his pounding heart.

“Jenna!” he called out, clenching and unclenching
his fists uneasily.

Lance turned around to make sure she hadn’t heard
him and been hiding in some other area of the
house. But she wasn’t in the doorway; only the
white curtain swayed gently in the breeze. His eyes
grew wider as he tried desperately to sort through
the darkness, his heart now racing as he realized

that she was gone.

“Jenna!” he yelled again, this time louder so it
echoed back alongside the sound of the waves.

A buzz made Lance jump, his nerves on fire as
adrenaline coursed through his body. He looked
down the stairs to where the buzz had come from,
and between the steps on the sandy ground, he saw
Jenna’s phone light up with the picture of herself
and a petite Asian woman at a concert. The name
read “Danielle”.

Lance reached down and quickly snatched up the
phone. His finger swiped across the screen, and he
brought the phone to his ear.

“Hello, Danielle?” Lance spoke loudly over the
sound of the waves.

“Oh, you’re not Jenna? Who’s this?” Danielle
immediately sounded worried, and slightly pissed.

“Danielle, this is Lance. I’m the brother of the
woman she’s looking for down here. Do you know
where she is?” Lance asked, hoping that maybe
Danielle had been in contact with her recently and
knew something he didn’t that would send Jenna
off and away from the house.

“Wait, Jenna’s gone? From where? What’s going
on?” Lance heard her jump up from a chair she was
sitting in, her voice now laced with worry.

“I went to the grocery store and when I got back to
the house, Jenna was gone. Her phone was out
behind the house. I have no idea where she went.”
Lance began to pace the deck and ran a hand
nervously through his hair.

“Shit, that’s not her style. Jenna would have let you
know where she went,” Danielle replied.

“Do you think, do you think it was Franco?” Lance
felt his mouth go dry.

Danielle paused. “Well, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“Fuck, I need to find her!” Lance was about to
hang up the phone when Danielle yelled at him.

“Lance! I have a tracking device, per her request,
on her belt. I can tell you her exact coordinates.
But you wait for the Feds. I told Jenna I’d have my
guy on speed dial if shit went down.” Danielle
quickly clicked away at a keyboard as she spoke.

“Ok, fine, just tell me where she is.” Lance ran

inside the house and grabbed a pen and paper,
ready to get the address from Danielle as soon as
she pulled it up.

“Ok, this looks familiar…” Danielle trailed off, and
Lance heard her click again.

“Yeah, it’s our guy. They took her back to the
warehouse I sent you two coordinates for. Did you
check it out already?”

Lance rubbed a hand over his face and then
punched the wall with his fist.

“Yes. They must have seen us in the chopper and
traced it back to the family and our house. Shit!”
Lance felt the anger swell within him.

“Calm down, man. Jenna can handle herself. You
meet the feds at the dock on the main land; they’ll
be there as soon as they can.”

“Sure, thanks, Danielle.”

“Wait, you can’t go in alone—”

Lance ended the call before Danielle could tell him
not to go. No way in hell was he going to stand
around and wait for them to show up while Lia and

Jenna were in there.

Lance turned down the hall and stopped at a closet,
opening the door and moving the jackets away from
the wall. A keypad was hidden along the panel. He
typed in the code and the back slid up, revealing a
room hidden from the rest of the house. He stepped
in and the room lit up; white walls and tile floor
brightly glowed, revealing rows and rows of
weapons, gadgets, and gear.

Lance grabbed a duffel bag and began stuffing it
full of materials: ropes, gloves, knives, his
crossbow, night vision goggles, and other items he
saw fit for the venture. He grabbed his climbing
harness and slipped it on, tightened the buckle, and
closed it with a loud snap. He walked over to the
safe and unlocked it; the large container opened
and revealed an entire selection of handguns and
rifles. He grabbed a small pistol that fit his hand
perfectly, his custom made handgun that he had
trained with for hours. He slid it in the back of his
pants and pulled down his shirt.

He zipped the bag and quickly walked out of the
room, sealing it once again behind him. He
slammed the closet door, went out onto the patio,
and began to run down the stairs. His legs swiftly
carried him across the back to the cliff that

overlooked the beach. He swung around a curve in
the path and came to the stairs that went down to
the boat house. His boots slammed against old
wooden steps as he made his way down in the dark
of night, the pale blue moonlight guiding him as he
rushed toward the ocean.

The waves grew to a roar as he came to the boat
house door. The building was a large white
structure that was half on land, half in the water.
He typed in his code yet again and heard the door
unlock. Without hesitation, he opened the door,
turned on the overhead light, and headed toward
where the boats were kept.

The room was large, and the echo of water that
gently lapped at the metal walls sounded around
him. A large red and white speedboat gently
bobbed. He hit the door opener and with a groan
the machine kicked on, lifting the large garage-like
door that led to the ocean. The waves picked up,
and the boat bobbed a bit more as Lance threw his
duffel bag in and hopped in the boat.

He pulled up the anchor, untied the lines, and fired
up the engine. With smooth hands, he guided her
out of the boat house and onto the dark, churning
waters. He turned on the lights, hit the gear, and
sped off into the night towards the warehouse.

*

Jenna woke slowly. The cold sensation in her hands
and the tingling of numbed limbs pricked at her
fingers and wrists; the pain brought her to her
senses and slowly back into consciousness. Her
vision was blurred, and as she blinked slowly to
clear the fuzz, the dark corners began to recede and
the room came into focus. She was propped in a
metal chair, with her hands cuffed behind her back
and her legs strapped down to the legs.

The place had once been painted white, but years
of abuse from the salt waters around the place had
rusted the metal frames, curled the white paint
along the concrete walls, and had begun to rot the
wooden beams overhead. The scent of salt, rot, and
mold hung heavily in the damp room, and Jenna felt
the moisture in the air cling to her skin and hair.

Her mouth was dry, and her throat was sore. She
tried to swallow, but she didn't have any saliva to
dampen her parched mouth. She looked around
slowly, her senses working again as she tried to put
the pieces of her mystery room together. Her mind
went back to the beach house. She had been
researching Lia, and Lance had gone to get
groceries.

She felt her stomach churn at the thought of Lance.
What if they had him too? He would have walked
into the trap like she did. He would never have seen
it coming. Jenna cursed at herself as she recalled
her attack. While hand to hand combat she could
have handled, she had been blindsided like prey.
The other two men who chased her down were
simply there for that reason, to chase her straight
into the arms of the hunter who had been waiting at
the door.

Jenna tugged at the cuffs a bit, but her mind and
body were still having a hard time connecting, so
the effort was weak and the discomfort made her
hiss in pain. She surveyed the room again,
everything now in focus. She saw it was bare, with
only another chair, a worn-down wooden table, and
a few old, half-deflated life preservers hung on the
walls. She sighed and let the breath out slowly. This
wasn't exactly how she had pictured the night
going.

She had a feeling she was in the warehouse, and
lucky for her, she had worn the belt that Danielle
had put together for her with a tracking device.
With how often she found herself in tight spots, she
and her best friend had decided it was better to play
it safe than dead. She leaned forward as far as she

could and brought her leg up and pressed it against
her arm as she tried to feel in her pocket for her
phone. Nothing slid out of her pocket, nor did she
feel the device tucked away inside her jeans. She
realized it had either fallen out at the house, or they
had taken it out of her pockets when she was
unconscious.

“Let’s hope for the prior…” she mumbled to
herself as she leaned back and began to ever so
slightly wiggle her hands so she could begin to work
at the ropes.

Jenna slowly worked at the cuffs for the next hour.
She felt the time slowly pass, but her confines
didn’t loosen. The sudden click of the lock made
her freeze, and she turned toward the door to watch
who came through it. Her back straightened as she
felt the hair on her neck stand on end, her heartbeat
echoing loudly in her ears. The large, looming metal
door creaked open and a tall, lean blonde woman
stood in the frame as her green eyes met Jenna’s.
Lia.

“Jenna, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” she said as
she leaned in close to Jenna and smiled, her perfect
teeth gleaming in the fluorescent lights.

“Oh, that’s right, you can’t really shake my hand

with your’s all tied up, huh?” Lia clicked and
waved a finger. She stood up straight, grabbed the
other chair, set it with the back facing Jenna, and
sat down to address her guest.

Lia wore tall black heels on her long, lean, and fit
legs, which she wrapped around the legs of the
chair. Her skin-tight skinny jeans showed every
curve of her body, and a dressy top accented her
fine features. Her lean fingers were garnished with
rings, her neck bore a large jeweled necklace, her
hoop earrings intertwined with her loose blonde
curls, and her eye makeup was fresh. Jenna studied
her and realized she had dressed up for this
interrogation.

“Pleasure is all mine,” Jenna sneered right back at
Lia. She knew from the moment she saw her from
the helicopter that this woman was bad news bears.

Lia gave a small laugh and looked at Jenna with her
head cocked, her eyes narrowed.

“So, my father hired you, huh?” Lia’s tongue ran
over her canines like a cat that had devoured its
prey.

“Sounds like you know the answer to that.” Jenna
gave a fake smile.

Lia slapped her across the face. Jenna didn’t make
a sound as Lia laughed, and then stared her down
again.

“Don’t get smart with me, or it will be more than
my hand next time.”

Jenna was mentally reeling from the slap and the
fact that Lia, the missing woman she had been sent
to find, was apparently an insane drug cartel leader.

“Why did you and Lance hookup to find me? Did
my father send him with you?”

Jenna said nothing, her eyes burning into Lia’s as
the two squared off.

Lia slapped her again. This time Jenna felt her lip
bust and blood begin to seep onto her tongue; the
metallic taste and pain from the smack made her
gut twist, but she chased it away. She needed to
hold strong until she figured a way out, if Danielle
hadn’t sent the feds.

“Jenna, this isn’t worth the pain. You just tell me
what I need to know, and you don’t get hurt. Simple
as that,” Lia told her as she stood. She wrung her
hands and began to pace the room.

“What does it matter?” Jenna asked. She hoped
maybe she could distract Lia from her line of
questioning.

“It matters, because I need to know who knows
about what I’m doing here.”

“What, selling drugs? Hate to break it to you
sweetheart, but you picked a hell of a sloppy team
to do your bidding.” This time Jenna laughed.

Lia turned around and glared at her. She stepped
closer, and Jenna prepared for another slap.

“You don’t know the first part of it. Hell of a job
not even putting together the story as a P.I.,” Lia
taunted as she sat back in the chair.

“Enlighten me then,” Jenna replied simply, ready to
let Lia talk and not ask questions.

Lia looked at her then to the door. “Well, I suppose
we have the time, and we’re just going to kill you
anyway.”

Jenna’s heart jumped at the statement. She was
going to need to stall her for a while.

“Gavin and I are going to be the biggest cartel in
the world. We are going to OWN the largest empire
you have ever seen.” Lia’s eyes glowed as she
spoke of Gavin. The dreams of the two of them
together and ruling the world made her smile.

Jenna watched and realized this woman had sadly
been swindled and driven out of her mind by love.
The pieces were coming together now.

“When I met Gavin last summer, he changed my
life. He became my everything. When we were at
the clubs, we danced all night, in a way that made
me realize we had been brought together by
something MORE.” Lia’s hands expanded out as
she spoke, as if to show the vastness of some
supernatural being.

“We started talking, and he told me about how his
dad was once a big cartel guy, but after a bust by
the Feds, he was financially cleaned out. And as
you can imagine, that’s where I offered to come
in.” Lia smiled broadly as she stood again and
paced. Her heels clicked loudly and echoed in the
room.

“Ok, but if you and your honey wanted to run away
together, then why did you make it so suspicious
that your father would send me?” Jenna spoke a bit

louder, as she began to ever so slightly move her
fingers to work at the cuffs.

“Well, I didn’t expect him to send YOU; I thought
he was just going to send Lance.” Lia rolled her
eyes, like Jenna should have known that piece of
information.

“Why’s that?”

“Because, Lance had all that training as a teenager
and in his twenties, like survival shit and military
stuff. But no, as USUAL, he didn’t trust my brother
and hired someone else.” Lia flipped her hair and
looked at Jenna with crossed arms.

“Ok, but why did you want Lance here?” Jenna
realized at that moment, as a big Cheshire cat grin
crossed Lia’s face that she really didn’t want to
know the answer.

“While my yearly investment allowance is great,
imagine the money I could play with if I didn’t
have a brother?”

Jenna felt herself go cold. The blood drained from
her face, and she felt that terrible sensation of
dread in her gut. Lance had always known his sister
as a family member he loved and who loved him.

He had never even realized the woman, who
pretended to care about him, was actually plotting
his death. She felt her stomach grow sick at the
thought of Lia luring Lance in here and then killing
him.

“But, since he sent you, we now have too many
players in the game. So, I’m going to use you to bait
Lance into coming here so I can kill him; then I’ll
finish you off and get rid of both of you. When they
send someone to find you guys, my guys and I will
have already set it up so it looks like you were
taken by a rival. Two birds…”

Lia reached down and picked up a pebble. She
stared at it for a moment with that chilling grin then
looked back at Jenna.

“One stone.”

Jenna stared at the woman before her, baffled and
amazed that one person could have so much greed,
hate, and absolute disregard for human life. She
was one of the sickos Jenna was usually chasing.

Jenna looked up at Lia, and as she did, she felt her
hand ever so slightly begin to slide through the cuff.

Her eyes blazed into Lia’s. “I guess we’ll have to

wait and see.”

Chapter8

Lance made his way across the dark waves in
silence, his night vision goggles strapped on so that
he could see into the night without having to use his
headlight as he grew closer to the warehouse. The
coordinates showed it was about an hour and a half
away, and Lance only hoped the night stayed as
clear as it was. The change of a tide could slow him
down and keep him from Jenna that much longer.

He saw the large building in the distance. From
where he was, it was just a shadow in the
moonlight. The roar of the engine kept his mind
quiet; years practicing behind the wheel of a boat
made the drive natural to him. He gave a small sigh
as he thought of all those years in training. He had
always wondered when or how those skills would
come in handy, as he never did pursue the search
and rescue career he had dreamed of. His family
had diminished that dream years ago. But now, here
he was, a skilled and well-trained man of survival,
of search and rescue, on his way to find Jenna.

His heart seemed to skip a beat as he thought of
her, as he recalled those warm eyes, that perfect
face, her rich brown skin and tight black curls, her
smile as she threw her head back with a laugh at

one of his bad jokes. He wanted nothing more than
to hold her right then, in that moment with the
waves, in the moonlight with her away from danger
and in his arms.

Lance pressed the lever harder, and the boat roared
louder as it sped faster towards the warehouse. He
felt the cool, wet air dampen his face. It should
have chilled him, but adrenaline was pumping
through his veins, making his blood and skin hot
against the frigid night.

As he drew closer to the ominous building, he
realized how large and imposing it was compared to
the tiny island. Trees had been cut away and sand
had been stirred to make room for a giant loading
dock, and the building itself was eating away what
seemed like football fields of land. Lance thought
about how in debt this operation must be, to harbor
such a large space, in such a strange place. He was
even more curious about how Lia was tangled in
this entire mess.

He felt himself stiffen as he thought of the
argument between Jenna and him, how he had
laughed at the idea of Lia being a criminal. Sure,
she was wild, high-maintenance, and demanding.
Yes, she loved to talk about herself. But Lance had
always thought that deep down she cared, that she

loved her family. Why would she do something like
this?

The wind picked up ever so slightly behind him and
seemed to push him that much faster towards his
destination. He continued to rack his brain as the
waves lapped at the side of his boat. Lia had been
different since she had returned from traveling
South America last year. Although she and Lance
hadn’t been close over the last decade, he thought
she seemed more aloof, less connected since her
return. He had brushed it off thinking that she was
simply trying to pursue her career in fashion, and
that that road hadn’t been kind to her, had made
her pull away from the ones she loved.

Lance shook his head. Now wasn’t the time to
ponder these things. Right now, amidst all this
chaos, he needed to find his way in. He needed to
take out each obstacle one at a time, like he had
been trained to do during those years at college,
when he was under the guise of a man studying
business. He smiled as he thought of his own joke:
He was a man of RISKY business. He frowned and
wished Jenna was beside him now so she could
share his horrible pun.

Lance released the gas a bit. He was quickly
approaching the docks, but he knew he couldn’t

park there. He’d have to go around to the stretch of
land that was away from the warehouse, a small
beach probably a mile behind it. It would be more
time-consuming, but pulling up at the dock would
risk him being seen by the entire crew, and he
couldn’t have that. He needed his element of
surprise.

He cruised along the beach until he saw a small
inlet where the waves didn’t lap and the water was
shallow and still, the perfect spot to anchor his
boat. He pulled in with ease, quickly killed the
engine, and stood in silence for a moment, listening
carefully to the wind as the waves rolled around
him.

The only faint sound he heard in the distance was
another boat that must have been miles out,
possibly Franco coming to pick up a load, or
possibly the Feds showing up to stop this operation.

Lance grabbed his duffel bag, swung it around, and
strapped his gear to his back. He began to walk
along the beach, noting that he could cut over a
small patch of tropical forest ahead, and that would
put him directly behind the building. When he had
been flying earlier that afternoon, he had seen a
ladder drop from the roof to a door in the back. He
planned to go use that, look in the skylights, and

survey the place. Once he had a visual, he could
form a plan.

He began to trek across the sand, his long, muscular
legs carrying him at an easy, quick pace. He
approached the greenery, with tropical leaves as
large as he, flapping in the breeze. Bright orchids
and wildflowers popped up from the fertile soil, and
vines hung down in twisted shadows. His goggles
tinged everything a staticky green, grey, and white,
but the beauty was visible nonetheless. He carefully
made his way to the forest, the tall, wavering palm
trees swaying ever so slightly against the push of
the wind.

He moved through the woods quickly, and the soft
soil covered the sound of his footsteps. He crossed
a small stream that ran through the island and
caught glimpses of small tropical fish dashing to
and fro beneath the gurgling surface. He
desperately wished this wasn’t a rescue mission for
whom he thought could be the woman of his life;
he wished it were day, and they were exploring this
exotic island together. But that thought pushed him
forward even more quickly. He was going to make
sure they explored these lands together; he was
going to make sure she was safe.

The forest began to clear, opening up to the back of

the warehouse. It stood two stories tall, and the
white metal walls screeched against the night, their
rust and corrosion looking like a cancerous growth
on the otherwise pristine island. Lance sneered as
he stared at this building that had become his
opponent; it held people who needed him. He knew
if he could overcome this, strategize and take it
piece by piece, he would have them out.

He looked around the back, finding that a single
light lit the area. He didn’t see any fencing, and his
eyes scanned the ground for a possible trip wire. He
kept low in the shadows, every step carefully
placed as he scanned his surroundings again and
again. The brush was high; it came up to about his
waist and went all the way to the back wall. He
looked through the brush, saw a small path just
ahead of him, and stopped to study it.

The path seemed to loop around the building,
following closely along the wall. This, he thought,
could be the path a guard traveled to keep watch.
He crouched, knowing it would better to wait and
surprise someone than rush and be surprised. He
reached back into his bag, pulling out a handheld
Taser he had neatly tucked into the side pocket; he
turned it on and allowed it to charge up.

Only a few minutes passed before Lance heard the

brush switching beneath footsteps. He sank lower
to be sure that he was completely hidden in the tall
grass that swayed in the breeze. He held his breath,
his blood rushing in his ears, feeling the energy coil
in each muscle as he readied himself for the
pounce.

The man came up only mere feet away, and as he
went to take another step, Lance launched at him
with the Taser in one hand. His other hand reached
up and grabbed the man’s mouth to keep him silent
as Lance blasted him with enough force to render
him unconscious. He dropped the unconscious man,
his gaze traveling around to make sure another
guard hadn’t followed or seen him. But the place
was eerily silent and empty.

Lance proceeded forward. He saw the ladder up
ahead and moved quickly toward it. As he neared
the building, he heard another set of footsteps. He
quickly dodged down into the grass and heard the
person now running toward him; he had been
spotted.

The man yelled and a light flashed up, missing
Lance by only a few feet. He stayed in the
crouched position, once again waiting for his
opponent to come to him. The man yelled again, his
cry echoing loudly against the metal and washing

away with the waves. He came up beside Lance,
turned around, and scanned his flash light, trying to
find the shadow he had seen only moments ago. As
his light landed on his fallen comrade nearby,
Lance took the moment of distraction and in two
smooth strides was behind the man, Taser in hand.
He laid into him, and the man dropped down with a
twitch and a yelp.

Lance gazed around once again, and with more
urgency, he ran toward the ladder. He feared the
man had been heard and more would be on their
way. Hoisting himself up onto the ladder, he began
his climb toward the roof. The cold textured steel
left rusty residue on his hands as he climbed two
bars at a time. He felt the wind grow stronger as he
reached the second floor, and the ladder wobbled
precariously beneath his weight. He felt the sway
and noted that this wasn’t an ideal escape route.
There was the risk of it collapsing beneath the
weight of more than just him.

He reached the roof and, with an effortless swing of
his legs, landed gently atop the building. He pulled
off his goggles and tucked them back in his bag.
Light poured out of the windows, and a greenish,
brown hue from the paint and packages inside
leaked out into the night. He had to tread lightly, as
his footsteps would be heard on the incredibly

noisy, metal roof.

Each step was amplified, and he slowly and
carefully began moving toward the first skylight.
He swallowed nervously as he reached it and
peered over; he did not want to be seen by some
passerby who chose to look up at that very
moment.

Lance studied the scene below. The entire building
was packed full of large pallets. Each one was
stacked two stories high, and he realized just the
sheer volume of this ring as it played out below
him. About thirty or so men and women were
moving smaller bags into boxes and then packing
the boxes onto pallets. He knew he couldn’t take
out all of them, and doing so was not necessary.
What was necessary was finding Jenna and Lia and
figuring out how to get to them using a path of least
resistance.

He looked past where all of the workers were and
saw a wall to what appeared to be an office. The
wall went all the way up, and he realized that part
of the building had to contain a second floor. A
skylight was above the office side, and he slowly
began to creep toward it. Each step was met with
creaking metal, and he worried that the sound was
echoing through the building below. He passed a

second skylight and peeked in, but it appeared that
no one was suspicious or looking up at the roof.
Relieved, he picked up his gait and moved toward
the third opening on the rooftop.

He got to his destination and peered down; sure
enough, this skylight overlooked a second floor,
and the room was much closer to him. Inside was
just an office: a dark desk covered in messy papers
and a laptop that was propped open. Two old, worn
leather chairs sat across from the desk and a couple
of old paintings hung crookedly on the wall. He saw
a door to another office, looked up, and located
another skylight further down, seemingly above
that room.

Lance crept yet again, feeling beads of sweat
against his forehead. The slick, salty substance
cooled the metal pistol tucked against his lower
back, and the bag he carried now seemed heavier,
as he tensed every muscle to quiet his movements.
Like a panther stalking his prey, he eyed the
skylight and moved steadily towards it, not making
a sound. He gazed down once again, but this time,
he felt his heart drop in his chest.

Jenna sat in the middle of the room, cuffed and tied
to a chair. He looked around, but no one else was in
the room with her.

He studied the skylight, and the drop down to the
room was well over twenty feet. While he could
break the glass and drop a rope down to get to her,
climbing back up with both of them would be
incredibly tough. And he still needed to find Lia
and get her out as well. He knew he could pick any
locked cuffs and cut the ropes that bound Jenna
and possibly Lia, but he needed a way in and a way
out.

Lance bit his lip nervously as he considered his
options. He looked up and saw that four more
skylights went down the line, which meant there
were probably four more rooms. A hallway had to
connect them. If he could get inside any of those
rooms, he could at least get to Jenna, and he
guessed that one had to be hiding Lia.

He made his way to the next skylight and peeked
down into that room. Two men stood guarding the
door with guns in hand. Lance looked around the
room and saw a desk to the right; he noted the
position and continued to the next skylight.

Franco sat at a large desk, more papers and
packages laid out on the table, his laptop open as he
typed away. Lance felt fiery rage burn in his skull
and knew he would take great pleasure in rendering

this man unconscious. He moved very quietly down
to the next skylight; Gavin and a few other men his
age were in the room packaging what looked like a
large amount of cocaine. The room was filled with
boxes that stood taller than Lance. He mapped their
locations in his mind and moved on to the final
skylight.

Down below wasn’t a room, but the stairwell that
led to the offices. Two guards stood at the top,
watching the steps, but a wall on the other side had
a workspace. He saw a window at the top of the
stairwell and, though the guards were only mere
feet from it, Lance believed this would still be his
best bet at getting inside. While it meant fighting
off these guards and all the others, the last office
that held no one, also had no way in, and he risked
being seen by the workers by going in the front
door of that room.

He took a deep breath and made his decision. He
would need to get through this, these eight
obstacles, and he was there. Once he had Jenna, the
two of them could find Lia and all of them could
head back to the boat, back to the beach house,
back to safety and normality.

He reached back into his bag and grabbed his rope,
tying it to the frame of the skylight; the steel jutted

out and allowed him to knot the rope securely so he
could climb down the wall and position himself
next to the window. He also reached in and grabbed
his other Taser gun, a distance weapon, which
would allow him to take out the first guard easily.

He grabbed the rope, gave it a strong tug, and tied it
to his harness. Then he stepped back off the roof
and inched down the wall, his strong arms holding
him securely as he reached the side of the window.
He was careful as he looked in. Neither guard
seemed to notice him, as their eyes looked down
toward the stairs. With a quick motion, he lifted his
boot and kicked the window full force. The glass
broke the silence of the night as it shattered
beneath the force. If they hadn’t noticed him
before, they did now.

Chapter9

Jenna heard the smash of a window, and her eyes
went wide as she realized either the Feds had
shown up, or Lance was here. She had diligently
been working at her cuffs; her hands were bleeding,
but she had them half off. An extra kick of
adrenaline hit her, and growling in frustration, she
pulled at her cuffs with a heave and finally
managed to slip her hands free.

With hurried, shaking hands she reached down and
untied the ropes as glass smashed and gunshots
rang out a few rooms over. Her heart dropped. She
knew there was a real chance that Lance was just a
few feet away, fighting off these guys.

The door behind her suddenly slammed open, and
Jenna whirled around to see Lia barge in, her hair
wild and her eyes blazing in anger.

“Sounds like big brother’s here.” Lia grinned and
reached behind her, pulling out a pistol and cocking
it.

Before she could even aim it at Jenna, the detective
swooped down and knocked the blonde off her
heels. It felt so good that Jenna smiled as soon as

her foot made contact with the woman’s lean legs.
She seized her moment and leaped at Lia. With her
hand pulled back, she delivered an uppercut and
then swung around and made contact with her jaw
as she swung her leg in a roundhouse kick.

Lia fell back. She grabbed at her bleeding lips and
sneered at Jenna.

“You little bitch,” she hissed as she pushed herself
up. Her hands clenched into fists, she squared off
with her opponent.

“That’s what happens when you slap other people
around, Lia. You should really work on your
manners.” Jenna mocked, as she wiped the blood
from her own lip. She danced around with Lia,
bouncing on the balls of her bare feet as she did so.
She had been waiting for this fight since Lia had
walked into the room and revealed her dark secrets
and nefarious plans to her. She wasn’t going to let
this bitch kill Lance, or get anyone else killed for
her own selfish greed.

Lia swung her own punch at Jenna. She swerved
and it missed, but Lia was ready and waiting with
the other fist, catching Jenna on the chin and
sending her spiraling backwards. Jenna caught
herself, but before she could re-engage, Lia gave a

strong kick up. As Jenna tried to gain her balance,
Lia’s sharp-toed heel caught her in the ribs and
forced the air out of her lungs.

She collected herself quickly and stepped back,
dodging the next punch Lia aimed at her. The
momentum carried Lia towards her. Jenna used this
to her advantage and spun another kick of her own
at her opponent's chest, sending her reeling. Lia
tripped on her heels and landed hard on her ass.

Jenna stepped forward. The commotion from
several rooms over had moved closer, and she
heard the sound of Franco shouting, followed by
more gunshots. A pained yell ripped through the air,
and Jenna’s eyes went wide.

“Lance!” she screamed.

But Lia was back on her feet, lunging for her throat
and grasping Jenna’s neck in her hands. They
tumbled to the floor, landing on their sides, and Lia
began to squeeze as hard as she could. Jenna
clawed at Lia’s arms, but the woman’s grasp was
like a vice. Jenna reached back, clenched a fist, and
swung with all her might. She made contact just as
the door burst open, and Lance soared through the
air, then landed unconscious with a thud beside her.

Jenna screamed, but then her world suddenly went
black.

*

Lance leaned in the window before the guards
could get there bearings, lifted the Taser, lined it up
with the man closest to him, and pulled the trigger.
The wire whistled through the air and shot right into
the man's shoulder; the current swept through him
with a jolt, and he fell unconscious to the ground.

Lance swung in just as the second guard raised his
gun and pointed it at the window. He swept his boot
up and kicked the guard square in the chest. The
impact sent him reeling back, and his shot went
wild. Lance landed with a loud clunk on the metal
stairs, then ran forward toward the guard and used
his momentum to blast through the next door.

He grabbed the guard by the shoulders as they
broke through the door and slammed him into a
man who had been standing with his back to the
entrance. The two went tumbling and Lance
pivoted as the commotion caught Gavin and his
fellow workers’ attention. He hid behind some
boxes as the room burst into loud yells and shots.

Lance reached back and grabbed the bat he had

strapped to the outside of the bag. He heard
footsteps thud beside him and he whirled around,
the bat making contact with the man’s chest; the
force snapped ribs and the man cried out in agony.

Gavin rounded the corner, and his two goons
stepped behind Lance. His eyes quickly surveyed
the three. All were still for a moment when
suddenly Lance made the first move. He swiped a
powerful kick at Gavin, his foot meeting the man’s
abdomen and sending him flying back. The other
two moved quickly though, and one stepped
forward and caught Lance’s foot on the way down,
pulling it suddenly out from beneath him. He let out
an “oof!” as he landed flat on his back.

The other man leaped on top of him, but Lance’s
strong legs coiled back toward his chest, and he
launched a powerful kick with both his legs right at
the man’s groin. The man screamed in wrenching
pain as he was thrown in the air, grasping his balls
that were already swelling from the impact.

Gavin had gotten up and stood with the other man,
and they circled Lance more carefully as they tried
to plot their next move.

“Come on, boys. This is all you’ve got?” Lance
gave them a cocky smile as he bounced on the balls

of his feet. A slash had been made across his face
during the impact, and blood dripped down his
chin.

He saw the other man’s eyes twitch toward the
table in the room and noted a pistol sitting there.

“Sorry, can’t let ya have that,” Lance said, stepping
between the men and the weapon.

Gavin let out a war cry and came at his opponent
with a right hook, but Lance dodged and fired his
own punch at Gavin’s temple. The young man dove
down and grabbed Lance by the waist, knocking
him back into the pile of boxes. The two went
rolling, knocking everything down and giving the
other man an opportunity to go for the gun. Lance
scrambled to get to cover, and a shot rang out just
as he dove behind the pallets.

“So, you guys ready to play on the big league?
Let’s go.”

Lance reached into his waistband and pulled out his
own gun. He quickly looked out from his cover and
saw the two were trying to sneak around both sides
and trap him. He ducked back as a shot fired and
whizzed past him into the wall with a loud bang.

Lance stepped out and aimed low. He fired
precisely, and the man screamed in horror as the
bullet landed right in his thigh. Blood began
spewing and Gavin yelled, lifting the gun he had
retrieved and firing at Lance, who dodged again
behind the pallets.

“Give it up, Gavin!” Lance yelled as he listened to
the young man’s footsteps.

“Fuck you!” he yelled as he stepped around the
corner of pallets and aimed at Lance.

Lance was ready for him though. He grabbed his
arm as Gavin aimed the gun and pulled it down
over his thigh; the sickening snap of bone was
accompanied by a high-pitched scream.

“Sorry man, gave ya a chance,” he said. He was
breathing hard now and wiped his sweaty brow
with the back of his hand.

He walked over to the man with the leg wound,
who was crying and clutching the bleeding hole in
his leg. Lance kneeled down, pulled a rope from his
bag, tied off the injured leg for the man, and
handed him a bandana.

“Apply pressure and keep it elevated, you’ll

survive.”

Without another word, Lance approached the next
door, but he knew Franco had heard the commotion
and awaited him on the other side. Cautiously,
Lance stood back, reached as far as he could,
grabbed the handle, and quickly stepped back as
bullets whistled past his head. He waited a moment
as Franco shot another bullet, clearly hoping to
rattle Lance.

“Come out and play, lover boy!” Franco shouted
through the door, the gun held in front of his face.

Lance plastered himself to the wall. This was going
to be a standoff if he didn’t act fast. He surveyed
the room again, and an idea sparked in his mind as
he saw the empty scale. With a deep breath, he
gathered himself and quickly rolled into a
somersault across the doorway. Franco shot a
moment too late and Lance ended on the other side
of the doorway, where a pile of packages had
spilled to the ground. He grabbed one of the soft
bags and threw it past the doorway; Franco
instinctively shot, thinking it was the movement of
a person.

In rapid succession, Lance threw packages at
Franco, using the instinct to shoot to his advantage,

and a smile spread across his face as he heard the
gun click to an empty cartridge. He used the brief
moment to swing around the corner of the door and
launch a full tackle at his opponent’s waist. He used
his larger build and strength in an attempt to knock
the gun from Franco’s hand and reached out his
arms to grab at Franco’s s middle. Franco lost the
gun, but he stepped back just as Lance’s arms
reached out and grabbed thin air. With a thud,
Lance fell to the cold, hard ground.

Embracing the advantage, Franco swung a quick
kick at Lance’s head, but he rolled out of reach.
Lance pushed himself up to his feet and squared off
with the lean man, whose scarred face twisted in a
smile against tan, leathered skin.

“Lia was right about you, just a big clumsy idiot,”
Franco taunted.

Lance wavered as the man spoke of his sister like
this. How could it be true? His sister… involved in
this mess? With these people? This violence and
death… For what? Money she already had?

Lance roared angrily and lunged at him, but his
emotions had got the best of him, and he misjudged
the aim. Franco sidestepped and grabbed Lance by
the shoulders. He heaved him into the door behind

him. Lance’s head made contact as the door burst
open. For a brief moment he saw Jenna’s beautiful
face, and then everything went dark.

*

Jenna awoke to the buzz of a motor and the wind
fiercely whipping her hair around. The whoosh of
air was so loud she could barely hear herself think.
The salt licked at her wounded lips, her throat and
neck seared in pain, and she felt like her head was
about to explode. She tried to get her bearings in
the chaos, and her eyes squinted through the dark
to make out the scene before her.

She was tied once again, this time to the railing of a
boat. She looked around and saw that Lia and
Franco were at the front of the small speed boat,
only ten or so feet from the cushioned bench she
had been tethered to. She could hardly hear them
over the engine, the violent wind, and the waves
that crashed thunderously on the side on the boat.

They were screaming at one another, their angry
contorted faces lit by the dash of the small boat.
Franco sneered as his hands wildly pointed at Lia,
and she threw hers in the air as she screamed back
at him. Jenna closed her eyes and tried to drown
out the surrounding noise. Her fuzzy concentration

slowly focused on their voices.

“We can’t leave Gavin, you stupid, ignorant,
heartless bastard! He is your son! The LOVE of my
life!” Lia screamed right in his face.

Her makeup ran down her face in dark black, blue,
and gold streaks, and her lipstick was now smeared.
Jenna couldn’t help but give a smile at her despair.

“If you want to make it out alive, Señorita, you
forget about him! He is my son, but I’d rather have
him in jail than me!” Franco jabbed a thumb at his
chest. The selfish father’s eyes bulged in anger and
fear.

Jenna looked out over the ocean. The warehouse
had faded to a tiny speck, but in front of it, she saw
a light. It was but a fleck in the darkness, its yellow
bobbing like a firefly weaving in the tall grass on a
summer night.

Her heart jumped in her throat. Could it be Lance?
The Feds? Someone else? It was hard to tell in the
inky darkness of the night, but the moonlight
showed a silhouette of something heading directly
toward them.

Before Jenna could form another thought, the

warehouse erupted in flames in a huge, thunderous
boom. The explosion rocked the boat even harder,
and the two arguing culprits almost fell to their
knees.

“You… you blew it up?! You fucking sicko! How
could you?! Gavin was in there!” Lia began crying
profusely, and she pounded on Franco’s chest with
clenched fists.

“It wasn’t me! It wasn’t me!” Franco raised his
arms to defend himself.

Jenna continued to survey the situation. They were
distracted by the explosion, but the light grew
closer and once again Jenna worked at her confines
and regarded her little beam of hope.

Chapter10

Lance awoke to the chaos of people yelling and
screaming. His head pounded painfully, and his
body was stiff from the fight. He looked up and
blinked away blood. He didn’t see Franco, Lia, or
Jenna. With a deep grunt, he hauled himself up
onto his hands and knees, and with the crack of his
neck, he sneered and pushed himself to his feet.

He grabbed his duffel bag from the ground and
forced his legs to work as he tried desperately to
gain his ground. Adrenaline pumped through his
veins as he quickly searched around for a trace of
them, but the yelling from the warehouse told him
to move on. He pressed against the door to the next
office; everything had been left where it was. He
ran to the final door and popped out onto the
balcony that overlooked the warehouse.

There, running through the center, was Franco with
Jenna draped over his shoulder and Lia right beside
him. He screamed at everyone to get out and fired
his guns wildly as he did so.

Lance hurried down the stairs, his legs still wobbly
as he desperately tried to catch up, but they were
already at the door. He pushed himself harder, but

the workers got in his way; he tried to push, shove,
and brush them aside, but they were frantically
trying to escape the building.

He looked up and saw Gavin atop the other stairs,
his broken arm dangling at his side. He had a bag in
the other hand, and Lance gulped as he had a
feeling there was a surprise in that bag, one that
would make a very loud boom. Gavin set the bag
down on the balcony, ran over to the fire alarm, and
pulled it. The sirens wailed, and he shouted for
everyone to get out. Then he went back to the bag,
dug into it, and pulled out a mess of tubes and
wires. Lance tore his eyes away and headed toward
the door. He needed to get to catch up with Jenna,
Franco, and Lia and get away from this place as
quickly as possible.

He burst through the door with a group of workers
and began to sprint toward the back where his boat
was parked. He cursed himself now for not parking
closer and pumped his legs harder to get him across
the distance faster. The cool, damp air felt good on
his hot skin as he ran down the beach, his boots
spraying sand with each swift step. He dashed
through the small wood, the giant tropical leaves
pulling at him as he rushed by. He looked out at the
darkness of the ocean and spotted a small speed
boat as it raced along the water.

He was breathing hard as his boat came into sight.
His lungs and legs burned, but he ignored the pain
and pushed through it until he finally came to the
bobbing machine. He leaped up and over the rail,
threw his duffel bag aside, and turned the key. The
engine fired up, and Lance began to maneuver the
vessel out on the water. Once he was lined up, he
pushed the throttle as far as it would go and lay on
the gas.

He sped his vessel toward the distant boat; it
rocked heavily as the water began to churn. Lance
felt his stomach knot as he watched the other craft
head toward the dark skies to the east; a storm was
brewing and the waves were beginning to pick up
and splash over the rail. Lance focused in on the
tiny shadow of the boat. He needed to get out there
and pull Jenna from their grasp. He needed to feel
her in his arms and hold her tight.

Lance felt the thrashing wind push at him as he
headed deeper into the storm and grew closer to the
others. A sudden boom, a violent shake, and the
feeling of heat against his back made him whip
around and watch as the warehouse burst into
flames that licked toward the sky without mercy.
Gavin had finished his task, destroyed all the
evidence and then some.

Lance returned his gaze to the horizon. Behind the
storm, a deep green and dark blue early sunrise
attempted to make it past the clouds. Long dark
shadows were now cast, but a faint hue of orange
began to glow against the water. Lance watched as
lighting danced in the clouds, and a deep rumble of
thunder echoed across the vast waters.

He pressed the gas and continued to gain on the
smaller boat; his engine surpassed its power, but the
distance they had gained made it a challenge for
Lance to catch them. He watched them closely as
they approached the storm. They would hit it a few
moments before him, and that could give him just
the time he needed to close the gap.

“Come on, you son of a bitch,” he growled to
himself and the boat; the speeds had been topped
out, and all he could do now was stay the course.

He watched as they hit the stronger waves and felt
himself hold his breath as he worried that a crash
could be fatal for all of them; yet it might be the
only way to stop them. Their smaller ship began to
rock and sway harshly on the growing swells, and
he felt his own boat battle the rough seas. He was
closer now. The three of them were finally visible in
the growing light. His stomach lurched as he saw

Jenna tied to the rail, her hands clutched to the
steel for dear life as the vessel was jolted to and fro.

As he gained on them, he watched as Jenna looked
up, pain and fear in her eyes, before a sudden smile
broke on her bruised and battered face as she
caught his eyes. His heart leapt, and he felt the final
push of the engine propel him closer. He watched
as Lia and Franco turned and saw him for the first
time, their faces contorted in shock. He kept on the
gas and angled his boat right for their haul. With a
swift turn of the wheel, he skidded into them hard
enough to send Lia and Franco tumbling to the
ground and hard enough to stall their boat’s engine.

Lance acted fast. He had his hooked lasso ready,
and with an effortless toss of his hand, he had
hooked the other’s rail and quickly tied it to his
boat. The two boats now tied together, the metal
and fiberglass clanked loudly as the waves tossed
and rocked them like toys in the bathtub. Lance
grabbed his pistol and spun around just as Lia and
Franco rose to their shaky feet.

Franco lifted his gun, but Lance was ready with his
own; in a flash, he raised his pistol and clipped
Franco in the shoulder. The man yelled as the bullet
pierced his flesh, and the flash of pain made him
drop his weapon. He collapsed to the floor and held

his shoulder, while the arm hung limp and blood
gushed from the large wound.

Lia spun around, her hair a mess from the wind and
the storm. Her makeup smeared down her face, and
her mouth pulled back in a vicious sneer.

“Lance, nice of you to finally show up!” she yelled
over the wind that howled and waves that crashed
around them.

“Lia, what the hell is going on?! Why are you doing
this?!” Lance held up his hands and stepped closer
to their boat as he tried to talk to his sister.

“Why?! Why, Lance? Because I can!” Her laughter
was accompanied by a crack of thunder that
seemed to shatter the air around them.

The sun had peaked over the horizon, but the storm
still brewed above. And all the while, the moon
watched as it set over the waters. If not for the
circumstances, Jenna would have loved to enjoy
this absolutely stunning moment. Glimpses of
rainbows shimmered against the water as warm,
orange light danced through the rain. The sudden
stream of rain allowed Jenna to work her wrists
more easily, and suddenly she slipped free of the
ropes.

Lia stood between Lance and Jenna, and her body
shook in rage, exhaustion, and cold as she raised a
gun up at Lance. For Jenna, the next few moments
seemed to occur in slow motion. She saw Lia reach
behind her and pull the gun from her waistband.
Lance stood a few feet away on his boat with his
hands in the air. Jenna stood on jello legs but
squared her shoulders and moved with her instinct
as she watched Lia begin to raise the gun.

“Sorry, Lance.” Lia said simply and pulled the
trigger.

Before the bullet left the chamber, Jenna had
swooped in and pushed her aim away from Lance.
The shot trailed off into the ocean instead. Lia
whirled around angrily, but Jenna was prepared and
pushed her arms out as hard as she could into Lia’s
shoulders; the force sent her flailing overboard and
into the waters with a loud splash.

Lance hopped off his boat and onto theirs. He
began to walk toward Jenna, and a big smile spread
across his bloodied and bruised face. The wind
howled around them, blowing his hair every which
way, and his soaked shirt and wet, tight jeans clung
to every inch of his beautiful body. Jenna could
almost feel his skin against hers. She knew it was

just a matter of time before his arms would wrap
around her and she’d feel at home in his warmth.

A flash surprised Jenna, and she screamed as she
saw Franco dive at Lance. He had a knife and
slashed right for his throat. Lance grabbed his arm
and flipped Franco overboard, but the man held on
and dragged Lance right down in the dark, churning
waters with him. The storm raged on, and she only
saw the two bob above surface before the waves
began to carry them away from the boats.

“Lance! No!” Jenna yelled, her voice hoarse and
barely discernible over the clashes of thunder and
treacherous rush of waves.

Jenna didn’t have time to think. A hand grabbed
her ankle and pulled her to the soaked, slippery
floor of the boat. She whirled around and saw Lia
hoisting herself back up into the boat, her hair
drenched and her skin white as a ghost from the
frigid water. She breathed heavily, her lips pulled
back in a snarl as she shook with racking shivers of
cold and rage.

“I’m going to kill you, you little bitch.” Lia growled
and, with shaky legs, lunged at Jenna.
Lia hit Jenna’s chin with an uppercut and sent her
reeling back into the railing and into a sitting

position. Lia went for another punch, but Jenna
pivoted off the bench and away from her opponent.
The other woman tried to send a kick at her, but
she dodged it and hopped back further and onto the
control deck.

The rain poured down, the streams of water almost
blinding Jenna at times, but she kept her wits and
carefully navigated the slippery vessel. Lia hopped
up with her onto the deck and gave her a menacing
grin. Her appearance was almost supernatural with
her soaking wet hair and running makeup, the storm
thrashing around them and lighting her face in
drastic, sharp shadows.

The two circled the small boat, and Lia stalked
Jenna’s every step as she danced around it. Jenna’s
eyes scanned the tiny area and quickly formulated
an idea. She put her back to the railing and waved
Lia to come at her.

“Come on, rich girl. Show me what ya got.”

Lia laughed madly and lunged full force at her.
Jenna was ready this time, and as her opponent
hurled toward her, she sidestepped and grabbed the
woman’s arm. She used the momentum and sent
Lia right into the railing. She flipped onto the seat
on her back, the wind knocked out of her.

Jenna then jumped on Lia and grabbed the rope she
had just been tied with. Lia was screaming at her
and thrashing around, but Jenna had the upper
hand. She wrapped the rough material around her
hands and knotted it again and again before tying
her tightly to the steel rail and then using the
remainder to tie her legs.

“Do you have any idea who I am?! I will have you
killed for this, you stupid, dumb little shit!” Lia
screamed and thrashed, but Jenna ignored her and
looked out into the waves.

“Lance! Lance!” She cupped her mouth and called
as loudly as she possibly could.

The waves were beginning to settle. The storm had
started to die and the light from the east had lit the
waters and chased away the eerie darkness that had
encompassed them throughout the night. The dark
greens and blues of the stormy sky had turned to
the pinks, fuschias, oranges, and yellows of a
tropical sunrise. Jenna’s eyes quickly scanned the
waves, but she couldn’t see a head bobbing or a
figure anywhere.

“Laaaaaaaaaance!” she screamed, tears beginning
to well in her eyes.

“He’s dead. You know it. He drowned out there.
His body belongs to the sharks,” Lia spat, her
words like poison to Jenna’s aching heart.

Jenna couldn’t hold it together any longer. Her
despair hit her hard, and she felt her knees give out
from under her. Her head was pounding, her body
was exhausted, and she desperately wanted to find
Lance.

“Yeah, cry like the helpless, weak woman you are.”
Lia smiled at Jenna as she sat and watched her cry.

Jenna suddenly felt all of the pain disappear,
replaced by boiling rage for the woman in front of
her who had ruined so many lives. She wiped away
her tears and slowly stood up. Her body was stiff
and painful, but she ignored the sensation as she
rose and squared her shoulders. She stepped up
beside Lia and looked down at her.

“Shut up, bitch.” Jenna backhanded Lia as hard as
she could. The power of her rage and anger sent the
woman’s head back to hit the railing, the force
rendering her unconscious.

“That’s better, didn’t want to listen to you
anymore,” Jenna growled, as she looked out over

the waters and searched for any sign of life.

She saw something in the distance, the splashing of
a figure in the water. He heart raced. She squinted,
and as the skies began to lighten even more, she
could make out the strokes of a man as he swam
toward her boat.

“Lance!” she exclaimed, and a huge smile broke on
her face as he came into sight.

He swam up next to the boat and reached a hand
up; Jenna grabbed it and hauled him up onto the
boat with her. He was shivering from the cold
waters, but wrapped his arms around her and pulled
her close.

“You’re freezing! We need to get you somewhere
warm.” She stepped back and brought her hand to
his face, which had drained of color.

“I’ll be fine. You’re freezing too,” he said through
chattering teeth.

“Where’s Franco?” Jenna asked, her eyes looking
to the surrounding waters.

Lance shook his head. “I’m not sure. I tried to keep
beside him but the waves drove us apart.”

Jenna shook her head. “I’m really glad to see you,
handsome.”

He smiled back and wrapped his arms around her.
He pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers. She
felt like her heart was going to burst with joy; the
man she thought to be dead was here with her, alive
and well and embracing her.

She laughed with relief. “What a hell of a night.”

“Meh, wasn’t too crazy.” Lance smirked at her, and
she laughed and gave him a playful punch.

“Maybe for you. Apparently your family does all
sorts of crazy shit.” Jenna gave him a side eye and
then looked to Lia.

Lance frowned and approached his unconscious
sister. He touched her face and looked at her
cautiously. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand what
happened here. But let’s hope we can get her some
much needed help.”

Jenna nodded and stepped up behind him. She
wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed.
“We’ll make sure she gets it. I’m just glad we’re all
OK”

He nodded and turned around to face her. Then he
took her face in his hands and kissed her once
again. The sunrise was now in full bloom, the warm
light began to dry their skin, and the breeze had
died down. The warm air began to simmer and off
in the distance they heard the whirling blades of a
helicopter.

She held a hand to shield her eyes from the light
that was growing brighter on the horizon and saw
the shining silhouettes of choppers headed toward
the warehouse that billowed putrid, thick black
smoke.

Her brow popped up as she gave a snort. “NOW
they show up. Danielle and I are going to have to
have a talk about their lack of urgency.”

Lance chuckled and squeezed her tighter. “Yeah,
they’re timing could use some work. Do you think
they have a suggestion box?”

She gave him a sarcastic look. “I hope so, cause I
have some suggestions.”

They smiled and watched as choppers hovered
around the warehouse, and two others began to
head toward their boats. Jenna looked at Lia and

then up at Lance.

“You know they’re going to take her into custody,
right?”

He nodded and spoke solemnly, “I know. It’s where
she needs to be right now.”

A chopper zipped toward them until it hovered
above. The wind pushed at the waters and the two
of them had to shield their faces from the force. A
man in full SWAT gear was lowered down onto the
boat. He was clad in black and wore sunglasses,
and his tall, lean figure stood equal to Lance. His
feet planted on the deck, and he reached out a hand
to shake theirs.

“Jenna Lockley and Lance Pierce?” he asked as he
shook each of their hands.

“That’d be us,” Jenna replied.

“I’m Sergeant Whitley, special task force. I got the
message from a friend we have in common.”

He smirked at Jenna as they both thought of
Danielle.

“I appreciate you coming. I owe both of you a

drink back in New York.”

The man laughed and smiled back. He lifted his
sunglasses to reveal bright blue eyes that met theirs
curiously.

“You were investigating the disappearance of Lia
Pierce, correct?” He unhooked the rope from his
harness and the chopper backed off from over the
boat.

Jenna looked to the unconscious woman. “We
found her, but it’s a long story.”

He looked at Lia and then to the fiery ball in the
distance, and his face twisted in surprise.

“I’m guessing it had something to do with that?” He
pointed over at what remained of the warehouse.

“You’d be correct,” Lance replied.

“Looks like we might have a real mess to sort out.”
Whitley looked at the surrounding area and back to
the chopper, which had flown a distance away and
was hovering with a rescuer being lowered down.

“Ahh, looks like they found Franco.” Lance
grinned. He really wanted to see that guy put in

cuffs.

“Yeah, we heard he was tied to all this as well.
Hopefully we got a few things that will stick this
time and put him away for a while.”

They all nodded and watched as Franco was pulled
up from the waters, disgruntled and soaking wet.
He reminded Jenna of a wet rat being pulled from a
trash bin.

“Serves him right.”

Whitley waved the chopper away as it flew back
toward him, and in the distance, a few boats could
be seen heading their way.

“I’m going to take Miss Pierce into custody. We
will need to get your witness accounts, but I
understand you’re both probably exhausted from
the last twenty-four hours. Do you need a ride back
to where you’re staying? Or any medical attention?
You two look beat to shit.”

He gave them a smile and the two laughed back.
Lance wrapped his arm around Jenna’s shoulder
and pulled her close.

“If it’s OK with you Sergeant, I think both of us

would like to head back home and sleep for the
next couple days,” Lance said as he held her.

He nodded and reached out to shake their hands
again. “We’ll be in touch about the accounts. You
two have a safe trip back home.”

The other boats came up next to theirs. A few more
officers stepped on board and began to help
Whitley untangle Lia and put her in new restraints
while Jenna and Lance worked to untie the boats.
Then Lance helped her onto his, turned the key,
and they gave a wave to the men as they began
their journey home.

Jenna didn’t let go of Lance’s waist the entire ride
home. She relished in his warmth, his smell, and his
body. She had never been so happy to be with
someone in her life, and she never wanted to let
him go again.

He gently guided the boat into the boathouse, killed
the engine, and tied it up. Jenna waited patiently on
the beach, her eyes looking up to the beach house
that had become her current home. He closed the
door behind him and locked it, then grabbed her
hand and lifted it to his lips.

“Are you ready, beautiful?” Those bright, green

eyes shone in the morning light as he smiled down
at her.

She reached up and wrapped her arms around his
neck. “Handsome, I am so ready for a shower,
food, a massage, and sleep.”

He chuckled. “I think I can make all of those
happen.”

Jenna clasped his hand, and the two began to climb
the stairs toward the house.

Chapter11

Jenna stood under the hot water as it poured down
her skin. It soothed her sore muscles and joints and
brought a deep sense of relaxation to her aching
head. She took a deep breath of the sweet steam,
rolling her shoulders and letting the streams of hot
liquid roll over her. Lance had finished his shower
and had order takeout; she knew it would be there
any moment but right now she couldn’t step out of
this delightful shower. He was right, showers really
were one of the best parts of life.

She heard him whistle as he dressed in the
bedroom, his cheer not at all diminished by the long
night of events or the fact that his sister had just
been arrested for extensive work with a cartel.
Jenna thought of Lia and sighed. It was sad to see
things end like this, but at least she was safe. She
realized that he would digest all of the past twenty
four hours in his own way, but right now both were
glad the entire ordeal was over and they were back
at home, safe and sound.

Jenna heard the ring of the doorbell and Lance
leaving the bedroom to go grab the food. She
turned the water off, sad to have it end what
seemed like too soon. She reached up and grabbed

the extra fluffy white towel he had hung for her
next to the shower. She smiled and sighed as she
buried her face in it. The simple pleasure was more
than she ever thought she’d see again just a few
hours ago. She stepped up to the mirror and wiped
away the steam; the person who stared back
startled her.

While Jenna had seen her rough days on the force,
she didn’t think she had ever seen herself in quite
this bad of shape. Her lip was swollen and sliced,
and though the bleeding had stopped, it puckered
painfully. She had a black eye, a slice across her
forehead, and the dark imprint of hands on her
neck. She swallowed hard; being choked until she
was unconscious was something she never, ever
wanted to experience again.

She turned around and studied her naked figure.
Her skin was bruised everywhere. Dark patches
brushed her flesh like she had been sent through a
tumble cycle. She chuckled. She pretty much had
been now that she thought back.

She heard a light knock at the door and heard it
creak open. When she looked that way, Lance
smiled back at her, with his own black eye and a
gash that went across his temple from when he had
been knocked out.

“I have food and ibuprofen. You ready?” He
opened the door and stepped in next to her, his bare
chest covered in his own set of bruises and scrapes.

Jenna put her hands on her hips and looked back
and forth between the two of them. “We look like
Fight Club dropouts.”

He smiled, stepped in front of her, reached around,
and grabbed her naked ass.

“Best lookin’ flunkies I’ve ever seen.”

She smiled in return and reached up for a kiss. His
lips parted and he happily obliged. She felt him
stiffen ever so slightly under his loose shorts, and
she reached down and stroked his cock a bit. He
moaned with pleasure and grew harder. She threw
her head back and laughed.

“After all of that, you’re still ready to go?!” She
was genuinely shocked.

His eyes gleamed. “Always for you, beautiful.”

She kissed him for that and squeezed his hand as
she brushed past him.

“Breakfast first and then it’s a maybe after a nap.”
She winked at him, and he smiled as he followed
her to the kitchen to get the table ready.

Jenna slid on only a silk kimono that was hung on
the bedpost for her. She never thought a simple
fabric would feel so good. Her head still hurt, but
the pounding pressure had turned to a dull throb.
She rubbed her temples for a moment, then opened
her eyes and looked out the bedroom window. He
had opened the curtains, revealing the beautiful day
outside. She smiled as she looked out at the cliffs
and beach beyond. The afternoon sun was bright
and flaunted splashes of greenery, blue skies and
water, and pink, orange, and red wildflowers. She
sighed. Life was good.

She turned around and headed down the hall.
Lance sat at the table with plates full of delicious
empanadas, rice bowls, tiny cakes, and fresh
squeezed juice. He beamed up at her, proudly
offering his loot, and she grinned back.

“Now, this is exactly what I was talking about when
you asked what would be good for lunch and I said
everything.” Jenna sat down at the table and
pecked him on the cheek with a grateful kiss.

“I thought you might like this arrangement.”

“You were correct, sir,” Jenna replied as she lifted a
hot, fresh empanada to her mouth.

The two ate in blissful silence. The fresh, local food
was bursting with flavor and provided a simple
relief to their aching heads and bodies. Jenna didn’t
know if it was the night’s events or the lack of food
and water over the past twenty-four hours, but she
swore this was the best meal she had ever had.

Lance leaned back and patted his stomach, as he let
out an exhausted sigh and looked at her.

“Sleep now?” His face had softened with the onset
of exhaustion and a food coma, and his eyes
drooped ever so slightly.

Jenna set down her own fork and nodded. “Yeah,
if you can get me out of this chair.”

The two chuckled and sat for a moment. Lance
reached his hand over and took hers. He held it
there for a moment as he leaned back and closed
his eyes, perfectly content in the moment.

“So, who’s going to break the bad news to your
dad?” Jenna broke the silence with a small smile.

Lance glared at her playfully. “Way to ruin the
moment.”

He stood slowly and stretched, then headed over
and grabbed his phone.

“I guess I’ll take care of it now.” Lance unlocked
the screen, grabbed another cake, and headed
toward the back patio.

Jenna watched as he sat down under the umbrella,
propped his legs up, and held the phone to his ear.
That was going to be one hell of a conversation.

Jenna stood as well, stretched her tired bones, and
got to work cleaning up the leftovers. She moved
slowly as she put things away, wiped down the
table, and then took one more glance outside.
Lance was still on the phone, and she felt the
exhaustion pull heavily on her eyelids. She headed
back down the hall, where the bed was made and
the comfy, fluffy comforter called her name.

She collapsed on the bed, closed her eyes, and
smiled as she breathed in the fresh linen and curled
up in the puffy blankets and squishy pillows.

“Why did I ever leave you?” she asked the bed.

Without another word, she felt the wonderful
sensation of sleep begin to tug at her. She let herself
succumb to its power, drifting away with a smile on
her lips.

*

Jenna slowly awoke, the weight and warmth of big
arms around her making her smile. Lance snored
softly beside her, and she felt his big body pressed
pleasantly against hers. Jenna reached her hand up
to his forearms and pulled him closer as she
snuggled herself as much as she could to be near
him. This was exactly where she wanted to be.

Jenna laid there for a few hours. She fell in and out
of sleep, periodically waking to strange dreams or
startling with flashes of the journey from hours
previous. Lance moved in his sleep, but his arms
continued to hold her and pull her close to his chest
as he turned onto his back. The two were
intertwined, legs wrapped around one another and
skin pressed tight, never wanting to let go.

She heard him yawn and looked up. He lifted a
hand to his face and lightly ran his fingertips over
it, before testing the lump on his head and letting
out a small hiss.

She frowned and reached up to pull his hand away.

He dropped his hand and looked at her with sleepy
eyes.

“Still there?”

She nodded, leaned in and kissed him, then gently
pulled back and looked back in his eyes.
“Anything I can do to make you feel better?”

He grinned and pulled the blankets away, his hands
sliding on the waistband of his shorts to tug them
down and reveal his half hard cock.

“I could think of one thing.” He looked at her with
a playful smile.

“Hmmm, I think I can work with that,” Jenna
murmured as she reached down to stroke his shaft.

He responded with hips that rolled in pleasure. His
member grew harder at the sensation of her soft
hands gently rubbing it up and down, going all the
way down to his balls and giving each a delicate
squeeze. As her fingers worked their magic, she
began to kiss his chest. Her tongue flicked his
nipples, and she bit at the muscular outlines as she
made her way down his abs and V line.

His dick was now rock hard and throbbing for her.

His eyes were open, and he looked at her with a
deep burning desire. She looked up at him coyly,
then teased him with kisses, licks, and nips all
around his groin. Her hands massaged his inner
thighs and balls, and he so badly wanted to feel her
lips and tongue on his dick.

She watched him as she played with him. Quick
licks and kisses along his member made him growl
in enjoyment, but he wanted more. He stroked her
face and ran a hand through her hair, but she
wanted to toy with him just a bit longer.

She sat up and straddled his legs, his package right
in front of her own naked groin. She felt her clit
begin to pulse in pleasure, felt herself grow wet at
the feeling of his skin, the image of his perfect body
and face. He smiled up at her as he watched her
naked body, the sight itself giving him immense
pleasure.

He suddenly reached around the bedside drawer,
one hand on her hip to keep her steady as she
straddled him. He pulled out a bottle of lube,
snapped it open, and poured some on himself. She
smiled, her hand working at his head and shaft, and
he hissed louder in pure sexual ecstasy. She
continued to work on him as he squirmed in delight
under her, his smoldering eyes watching her as she

delicately played with his cock.

With an effortless motion, he scooped her up and
laid her on her back. She watched him with warm
eyes as he stared back at her, then leaned in, and
kissed her tenderly. Their tongues met, and the
sensation sent fireworks off in their bodies. Their
movements became more intense, as each became
more desperate to feel the other pressed against
them.

Her hands traced his chest and squeezed him, the
feeling of his body so good under hers. He nibbled
at her earlobe, her soft laugh like a wind chime on a
summer breeze. He nibbled his way down her neck,
softly kissing and nipping at delicate skin and the
curves of her body. He made his way down her
chest, kissed his way up her full breasts, and slowly
swirled his tongue around her hard nipple. She
moaned in pleasure at the sensation. Her wetness
grew at the very touch.

His hands traced down her hips and thighs to her
bodily lips, and he carefully found her swollen clit
as he continued to play and nibble at her nipples.
She bucked as soon as he hit it, the double
sensation of such bliss almost too much for her to
handle. She looked at him with lustful eyes and bit
her lip with desire.

His finger delicately traced her clit. The two began
a rhythm as their bodies begged for more, but the
sensation of drawing this out was just too good. He
used her own slick wetness, his finger dancing back
and forth between her folds to drive her mad. Her
hips pressed harder as she so badly wanted to beg
him to thrust himself deep inside her. He smiled as
he watched her rock back and forth with
uncontrolled ferocity.

Her eyes opened, looking deeply into his, and the
two felt the electric current in the air. The
sensations were now almost too much for either to
handle.

“I need you inside of me.” Her eyes left no room
for questions.

Lance obliged. He swiftly flipped himself onto his
back and eagerly helped her straddle him. Her slick,
warm softness encompassed him, and both groaned
in absolute satisfaction. He began to slowly rock his
hips. She mimicked his rhythm until she felt him hit
that spot, the scratch only he could itch, and she
smiled as she felt the delicious, warm sensation
begin to build in her middle.

She reached down and traced every inch of his

body with her fingertips, the sensation like
quenching her thirst after a long journey in the
desert. His hands reached back and squeezed her
ass. The feeling of her riding him and that perfect,
round ass in his hands drove him crazy with delight.
He smiled up at her and she bit her lip with a
burning stare as the two relished in the pure,
glorious feeling, each delighted with the other’s
body.

Jenna began to thrust harder. The build-up of her
orgasm burrowed deep within her, and she felt like
she was going up a rollercoaster. She could already
tell this explosion of euphoria was going to feel so
fucking good. She looked him in the eyes, her teeth
exposed in a primalistic manner as she rode him
harder and harder. He thrust right back in perfect
sync, feeling his balls tighten in anticipation of his
own orgasm. The feeling of her pussy on his dick
was too good; he felt like he would explode at any
moment.

Jenna felt herself hit the top of the rollercoaster;
the cart teetered right on the edge, and her lips
curled in a big smile as she looked him in the eyes.
He knew and thrust harder. The sensation sent an
explosion of exhilaration coursing through her
body. She screamed with delight. The need to let
out all of these pent up feelings of exuberance as

the spasm of the orgasm rocked through her middle
was too much for her to hold back. Each yell of
“YES!” was accompanied with waves of physical
bliss that jolted her muscles, her flesh, and her
being and made her feel more alive than she ever
thought possible.

As he watched her come—the image of her on top
of him, a goddess with her tits bouncing perfectly
and her head thrown back in joy—he could no
longer contain his own orgasm. He felt his member
twitch, and the release made him roar in deep,
instinctual glee. He bounced her up and down, the
slick, friction making him throb in jolts of
unrestrained elation.

The two screamed and yelled as they rode their ride
of sexual euphoria, their bodies perfectly in sync as
they moved, rolled, and quivered in response to the
other. They breathed heavily and finally felt the
sensation begin to lessen, as the warmth of the
post-orgasm began to settle in their middles, and his
cock gave a final twitch of satisfaction deep within
her.

She collapsed on his chest, out of breath, a sheen of
sweat glistening against her skin. He rubbed her
back, and his own chest rose and fell with heavy
breaths as she lay on him. Neither said a word for a

few minutes while they tried to absorb the
experience they had just shared, though smiles
were plastered to their faces. Jenna slowly propped
herself up on him, and her hand stroked his cheek
then went back through his hair as she looked into
his eyes.

“I’m not exaggerating when I say… BEST I’ve
ever had.”

He grinned. “Same here, beautiful.”

She collapsed on his chest again and laughed. The
entire last week was almost more than she ever
thought she would go through in her lifetime. And
now she lay here in bed, with a man who was only
a stranger a few days ago but who now felt like her
best friend.

He continued to rub her back and closed his eyes,
the beckoning of sleep calling to him once again.
Jenna couldn’t help but chuckle as the rubs slowed
and she heard him pick up his snores. Leave it to a
man to fall asleep right after sex. She wasn’t upset
though. She knew the appreciation was
reciprocated and couldn’t blame him for the
fatigue. Although the sex had woken her up, she
still felt exhaustion tug at her body.

Jenna rolled out of the bed and headed to the
shower. After the last few days she’d had, she had
no guilt about a second shower today. She turned
on the water, and it poured over her yet again. This
time she stood in it for a half hour as she let the
feeling relax and settle her.

Once she had dried off, she grabbed her phone
from the bedside stand and looked at the time. Her
eyes went wide in surprise.

“Damn, we slept the last twenty hours.” She
chuckled to herself, not that she could blame them.

She wrapped the kimono around her and headed
toward the back patio with her phone in hand. The
late morning sun was already warm, so she popped
open the umbrella and let the shade fall over her
body. She reclined in the chair, set her phone beside
her, put a cushion behind her head, and took it all
in.

The sounds of the waves and seagulls lulled her into
another nap, and the lazy dreams that passed
behind her eyes were of Lance, Danielle, and good
food. She smiled in her sleep, until the buzz of her
phone beckoned her back into consciousness. Her
eyes fluttered open, and she reached over, grabbed
the device, and saw Danielle was calling. She slid

the screen open and answered the call.

“Hey, thanks.” Jenna smiled.

Danielle squealed on the other line, “YOU
ALMOST DIED!”

She rolled her eyes at her best friend. “Did not.”

“She kidnapped you!”

She paused. “How do you know that?”

She heard Danielle roll her chair back. “Talked to
my guy, and he said they had Lia in custody. I put
two and two together. How do you think I make
such a great wingman?”

Jenna shrugged. “Well you’re not wrong.”

“Jenna, I told you not to get kidnapped,” Danielle
deadpanned.

She laughed in response. “I mean, it wasn’t like I
was trying. Add a little chloroform to the mix and
suddenly you have yourself quite the party.”

Her friend gasped in response. “The bitch
chloroformed you?!”

Jenna snorted. “She did a lot more than that, and a
bitch is an understatement.”

Danielle sighed. “How’s Lance taking all of it?”

Jenna peaked back in the bedroom window where
she saw him sleeping lazily.

“Surprisingly well.”

“Well, that’s good. When are you two coming
home?”

Jenna leaned back and sighed. “Whenever he
wants to fly me there. But hey, I’ll take the
vacation.”

Danielle chuckled. “Wish that was the case, babe,
but the Feds want you both up here to give your
witness testimonies ASAP. And I mean that.”

“What’s the hurry?”

“Well, it turns out there was a scheme within the
scheme. Lia had secretly embezzled millions from
the family without anyone noticing.”

Jenna rolled her eyes. “I’m not surprised. And how

the hell do you not notice millions missing?”

She smiled as she thought of how Lance would jab
her for picking fun at his family like that, but she
really couldn’t even fathom such a thing.

“Afraid I can’t, and probably won’t ever be able to
answer that one for ya, babe. But I’m glad to hear
your voice, even if it is a bit hoarse.”

“Hey, I’m glad that’s all that’s wrong with me after
this last adventure.”

“You two will have to tell me all about it when you
get home. Until then, rest up and feel better, girl.”
Danielle took a sip of something Jenna imagined to
be a big Slurpee or other ridiculous beverage she
always got at the convenience store.

“Will do. You take care, sweetheart. Bye!”

“Later!”

Jenna hung up the phone and stretched with a
groan. She stood up, letting the sun warm her skin
and a breeze caress her body. She lazily made her
way back inside, her bare feet hardly making a
sound as she crept back in the bedroom, pulled the
covers back, then carefully cuddled up next to

Lance. She snuggled him close, and he moaned in
sleepiness, as even in his daze he pulled her closer.

The two lay intertwined in each other arms, bodies
pressing close together and fitting like perfect
puzzle pieces. Sleep came and went for a few more
hours, but finally hunger called once again and both
felt the beckoning of their stomachs awaken them.
Lance rolled over lazily and kissed Jenna with soft,
wet smooches, her giggles only making him do it
more.

“Stop! I’m huuuuungry!” She grabbed his face and
gave him her own kisses.

“Mmm, me too. Bring me leftovers.”

She rolled over, looked into his eyes, and felt the
feeling bubble in her heart that only he gave her.
Her eyes welled up with tears as she looked at his
smiling face.

“What is it?” He asked and placed a hand on her
shoulder.

“I almost lost you,” she whispered, as small tears
quietly streamed down her cheeks.

He placed his hand behind her head, pulled

her close, and kissed her forehead softly. He held
her there for a moment before he rested his
forehead against hers and spoke softly. “But you

didn’t.”

Then he kissed her lips gently and looked

into her eyes.

Chapter12

Jenna and Lance awoke early the next morning and
began to pack their things. Lance’s father had
scheduled a ride back to New York on the family
jet, which awaited them at their leisure. Jenna
packed her bag and smiled as she stuffed in a
perfume she had picked up at the local shop,
realizing she didn’t have to go through airport
security now.

“It’s so cool that we just have a jet waiting for us,
no lines or TSA. Private jets have their perks.”
Jenna smiled at Lance as he stuffed his briefs into
his bag.

“Yes, that is one of the pretty great things about it.
Also the ‘fly wherever you want, whenever you
want part’…. that’s a good end of the deal as well.”
He smirked back at her as her eyes widened in
surprise.

“I actually completely forgot about that… another
noted reason to own a private jet.”

The two finished gathering clothes, laptops, and
notes. They were headed right to the FBI office as
soon as they hit the ground in the States. After

that, they could head to their homes and continue
on with their lives. The impending return to reality
made Jenna frown. What in the world was going to
become of this thing between her and Lance?

The drive to the airport seemed to fly by: rural
fields, tropical woods, and coastal scenes now
familiar to Jenna’s eyes. She got lost in her
thoughts. Lance had turned on classical music and
seemed to be deeply embedded in his own
thoughts.

They pulled up the long driveway, and the tall gates
seemed to stare down at them as Lance punched in
his code. Jenna wondered how many places and
how many times he had been to different private
airports around the world, punching in that same
code.

This entire week, she hadn’t really considered
Lance’s life as the son of a billionaire. The
distraction of Lia, Gavin, and Franco had pushed it
to the back of her mind. But as the car rolled up
toward the small jet, captain waiting at the end of
the stairs, it suddenly struck her with a powerful
punch to the gut.

Lance parked the car, unbuckled, and stepped out
to retrieve their bags as Jenna grabbed her purse

and nervously watched him. What if he didn’t want
a woman like her? What if this was just how she
felt and he was along for the ride?

They boarded the plane, and Jenna tried to push the
negative thoughts away. She hadn’t felt that once
this week. She had only felt genuine compassion
and empathy for the man before her and felt it was
completely reciprocated. But she couldn’t help the
nagging worry that she had only known him for the
one week so far and yet had somehow managed to
form such an incredible bond with him. She began
to question her feelings. Everything had moved so
fast and suddenly she wasn’t so sure.

The two made it up to the main cabin, and Jenna
couldn’t help but let her jaw drop; the place was
unbelievable. The cabin contained a U-shaped
couch finished with soft, white leather. The carpet
was a silky red, and there was a small oak bar at
one end. There was also a flat screen TV,
accompanied by large speakers and an entire shelf
of movies and records.

Jenna sat on the couch while Lance went over to
the rack of records and pulled out a newer looking
vinyl, popped it on the turntable, and put on the
needle. Soft, melodic music began to play, different
than anything Jenna had heard before.

“Who’s this?” Jenna asked curiously. She enjoyed
the immediate sense of relaxation it brought her.

“Bon Iver. He’s one of my favorites.” Lance smiled
as he sat down next to her and placed a hand on her
knee.

Jenna smiled. “I’ve never heard him before, but I
like him.”

He rubbed her leg gently and looked her in the eyes
with his soft, pools of green iris.

“I thought you might.”

Both paused for a moment and Jenna felt the
gnawing at her gut once again. She felt so strongly
for him, and she felt that if she didn’t say
something now, she would regret it.

“Lance, I want to ask you about our relationship.”
She took a deep breath, her eyes nervously meeting
his.

He didn’t flinch; his eyes didn’t dodge and he
didn’t grow tense. Instead, he leaned into her gently
and kissed her forehead.

“Ask away, beautiful.”

Jenna felt herself soften at his words, at the
endearment he had given her that just sounded
better than any other name out there.

“I’m concerned because we have only known each
other a week, and, well, at least for me the feelings
are very, very strong. I need to know if they’re
strong on your end too, or if I’m just imagining
this… connection.”

She squared her shoulders nervously. He took his
hand and laid it on her shoulder to quell her nerves
as he gave her a warm smile and looked into her
eyes.

“Jenna, I’ve never felt anything more real in my
life. I’m not sure what this is, but I know that I
really, really want to find out. And do you know
what that means?” He quirked an eyebrow at her.

She shook her head. “No, what does it mean?”

He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers while
they took each other in for a moment, and Jenna
felt that familiar warmth in her middle. Then he
leaned back, rested his hand across her shoulders,
and pulled her close.

“That I want to spend as much time as possible, as
much as you will allow me, by your side—learning
more about you every day, and more about who
you are.”

She smiled as he held her. The genuine response he
had given her immediately silenced her fears and
anxieties. Relieved, she listened to the music and
the sound of his heart near her chest. Then she felt
the plane roll and take off into the sky and heard
the white noise behind the album as they flew
through the clouds.

At some point, Jenna had nodded off. She awoke to
Lance rubbing her back as the jet made its descent
toward the New York skyline. She sat up. He had
tucked a pillow under her head, elevated her legs,
and covered her with a blanket. She smiled at how
comfortable this was compared to other plane rides.

“Morning, sunshine.” He smirked at her, and she
gave him a playful shove.

“How long was I out?” She yawned and stretched.

“About ten hours.” He raised an eyebrow at her.

She shrugged in return. “I was tired.”

“Well, sleepy head, we’ll be landing shortly. You
ready to be back home?”

Jenna thought for a moment. “I would have
enjoyed more of a vacation than an ass kicking.”

Lance chuckled. “I would agree with that
statement.”

The plane landed without a hitch, and the two
grabbed their belongings and headed out the doors
into the night. The private airport was quiet, but
two cars sat waiting in the driveway. Jenna saw Mr.
Pierce and two drivers.

Lance turned to her and embraced her in a hug.
“Breakfast date tomorrow?”

She squeezed him, not wanting to let go. “You got
it, handsome.”

*

The next morning Jenna awoke extra early to do a
little work before their breakfast date. She ran
through emails, checked up with potential clients,
and touched base with her leads at the department.
It felt good to be back on a routine. She had missed

her favorite coffee shop; they had the best
croissants and the best cup of joe in New York City.

After she had caught up, she decided to take a run
around her block. She was fond of her
neighborhood: block after block of apartments,
restaurants, little hidden bookstores, toy shops,
delis, and yoga studios. She had lived here for years
and could tell you the best spot for Thai food, or
the best shop to go grab a gift for Mom.

She got back and took a shower, the smell of the
water familiar, not like the earth scent of that at the
beach house in Buenos Aires. She sighed at the
thought of it; only a day later and it already felt like
a dream, so long ago. She thought of Lance and
smiled. He would be here in just a few minutes.

She pulled on her jeans, her floral-patterned dress
top, and her gold hoop earrings. Then she slipped
on her red flats. She was ready for her breakfast
date.

The doorbell rang and Lance stood in the frame. He
held his hand out, and she accepted it with a smile.

“Heard you know a pretty good breakfast joint
around here?” he asked as they stepped out onto
the sidewalk.

“I do. Best omelets in New York.”

The two strolled down the lane at an easy pace,
chatting away about the local events and shows
they wanted to see. Jenna stopped at the entrance
to a tiny place and held out her hand.

“Here’s our stop.”

Lance opened the door. “Ladies first.”

She walked in and looked up to see Danielle
waving furiously at her from the corner table.

“Jenna! Over here!” She patted the seat next to her.

She chuckled as she sat next to her friend and gave
her a hug. Lance sat down and, after they broke
away with a giggle, reached a hand over the table.

“Danielle, pleasure to finally meet you.” He smiled
as she excitedly grasped his hand.

“It’s great to meet you, mystery man!” Danielle
gave Jenna a mischievous glance, and Lance could
see her grow embarrassed.

“No longer a mystery! So, who wants omelets?”

The three chatted over the next few hours. Jenna
and Lance told Danielle the entire story, and for the
first time, the other was actually finding out what
had gone down during those hours they were
separated.

“Wait, you have a secret stuff room in the beach
house?!” Jenna said in an excited whisper, her eyes
looking around to see if anyone was watching them.

Lance chuckled. “Quite often, I actually forget it’s
there; we stock all the homes with them.”

Danielle’s eyes were wide in astonishment behind
her glasses. “That is the coolest fucking thing I
have ever heard.”

“So, what happened next?!” Jenna asked as eagerly
as Danielle.

“Got the boat out, headed over to the warehouse
and up to the rooftop. I was kicking myself for
parking so far later on, but it worked out to my
advantage in the beginning. I snuck out the back
and up, then used the skylights to figure out how I
was going to get to you.”

Jenna nodded. “He almost had me until Franco

used his face to open the door.”

Lance shrugged. “My face is really good for
opening doors.”

“So, how did you find her when you woke up?
You’re so lucky you got up before that bomb went
off!” Danielle threw her hands out to mimic the
explosion.

“I watched them leave and kept my eyes on the
boat. It took me a bit to catch up but my machine
was better and they hit the storm before me.”

“I can’t believe you guys battled people on boats in
a storm. That sounds horrible.” Danielle took a sip
of her cola.

Lance reached up and touched his temple, the spot
still tender. “Yeah, it kinda was.”

Danielle looked at her phone and frowned.

“Sorry to cut it short guys, but I have a late
afternoon meeting. Let’s do this again soon, though.
I need to hear more of these stories!” She stood up
and waved a goodbye, then hugged Jenna and
leaned in as she did so.

“He’s cute. You get it, girl.”

Jenna laughed as her friend left and then returned
her attention to Lance.

“So what do you have going on the rest of the day,
handsome?” She reached across the table and took
his hand; he squeezed back with a look of concern
on his face.

“Unfortunately, dad and I have to go to the facility
where they’re holding Lia. It’s down in Florida so
I’m going to be gone the next couple days.”

Jenna slumped a bit and pouted at him, “Not the
answer I wanted.”

He squeezed her hand again. “No. But would you
like to go on a date with me when I return home on
Saturday?”

She perked up. “A date?”

“Yeah, where instead of getting beat to hell, we eat,
drink, and be merry.”

She laughed. “I like the sound of that. What time
can I expect you on Saturday?”

“How does five sound?”

“Works for me.”

The two finished their coffees and headed out the
door. They strolled home in the summer afternoon,
Jenna listening to Lance as he talked about some of
the other places he had been. He asked her about
her time on the force, curious how she had become
such a good detective.

Before they knew it, they were at her door. Lance
looked up at the door then wrapped his arms
around Jenna and playfully pretended to pull her
away.

She laughed and pulled him close for a hug. “I’m
looking forward to Saturday, handsome.”

He kissed her forehead and squeezed her

back. “Me too, beautiful.”

The Final Chapter

The

next few days dragged

slowly by. Jenna met up

with clients, began research on a new case about

a stolen family heirloom, and ran her daily

errands. Grocery shopping, yoga class, a night at

the bar with friends, and still Saturday night

hadn’t come. Jenna shook her head at her own

thoughts; she was head over heels for Lance.

Saturday she spent the entire afternoon getting
ready, something she rarely did because she was
always in a hurry and likely to get dirty with the
places she had to go. But tonight was different.
Tonight she was meeting the man with whom she
had found such a deep connection, and it was for a
date, of all things. She smiled at the thought.

Finally ready, she checked herself in the full length
mirror one more time. Her dress flowed beautifully
to her knees, and the high waist emphasized her
curved, athletic build. The folds of fabric receded
around her chest, the neck low. To further
accentuate her curves, she wore a gold necklace
with a large, intricate design. Her hoop earrings
shone in the light, and her bright red lipstick
matched her dress perfectly. She’d even had her
nails done, and her hair was styled with perfect

curls.

She heard the knock on the door and ran to open it.
Lance stood there dressed in a suit and tie, a rose in
his hand. His eyes went wide when he saw her and
he beamed with a big smile.

“You’re stunning.”

Jenna smiled. “Look pretty good yourself.”

He handed her the rose. She took it with a smile,
walked over to her kitchen, and filled a vase with
water.

“So, where are we going?”

“Oh, a place on the outskirts of town I think you
might like.” Lance looked at the photos of Jenna
and her family that were hung on the walls.

She set the rose in the vase and put it on the table.

“Element of surprise?” She went to pull on her
coat, and he assisted her.

“My favorite kind.”

Lance was driving his 1968 Corvette, and the

glistening black car did not go unnoticed as people
passed by. Jenna watched people giving a look as
they drove through town, and she turned to look at
him.

“I think you like the attention the cars bring you.”
She gave him a soft shove.

He chuckled. “I think so, but I always thought the
souped-up new cars looked lame. So, if I was going
to get noticed in a car, it was going to be for
something classic.”

Jenna nodded her head. “I can get behind that.”
After a moment, she let out a sigh and her face
grew solemn. “How did it go with Lia?”

He swallowed, and his eyes saddened. “Not great,”

She sat up and put her hand on his knee. “What
happened?”

He paused and took a breath to say something, then
paused again and knit his brow as he tried to find
the words. “The only way I can describe it, is that it
is like she joined a cult. She doesn’t care about me
or my father anymore and only goes on about the
people she met down there. Her love for Gavin…
it’s like she has been completely brainwashed.”

“Do you think they did something to her?”

He shrugged with a sigh. “I really have no idea. She
could have her strange days, but I never imagined
anything like this. For now, the case will proceed
but either way, dad has signed her into a psych
ward for now.”

She lowered her head at the news. Although Lia
had gone mad on her, she didn’t think a human
being suffering was ever a thing to be joyful about.
Lance grabbed her hand and squeezed it. His eyes
met hers, and he nodded.

“It will take time, but hopefully one day we can get
back the sister I know.”

The two pulled up to the parking lot of a small
Italian restaurant. Jenna was surprised it wasn’t an
extra fancy joint downtown. She looked at Lance
questioningly as he killed the engine.

He grinned. “Well, I mean, sometimes I gotta mesh
with the common folk.”

He winked at her, and she slapped him on the
shoulder. “Mhmm, alright ‘Mr. I Have a Private Jet’
.”

The two stepped out of the car and headed toward
the red brick building. She could hear live music
from inside and smell the scent of cooking tomato
sauce, sausage, and wine. Jenna felt her stomach
rumble at the delicious smells. She had been too
excited to eat earlier and now felt like she hadn’t
had anything in days.

As Lance led her through the wooden door, the
music grew louder and the smells became even
more mouthwatering. The place was dimly lit, with
candles and roses on the tables, each adorned with
a white tablecloth, beautiful silverware, and crystal
wine glasses. Half of the restaurant held the space
for the live band; some string and air instruments
played Italian music, and a few couples slow-
danced to it.

A waiter approached them. He smiled and laughed
as he approached Lance and wrapped him in a hug.

“Lance! Good to see you again, how’s it going?”

“Doing well, Dillian. I’d like you to meet my date,
Miss. Jenna. We have a reservation.”

“Of course, of course! Follow me.”

They were led to a table in the back corner where
they had the view of the entire place. Jenna sat and
Lance ordered them a bottle of wine. The warm
candlelight danced on their faces as they silently
observed the place and waited for the music to
hush so they could talk. Once the band quieted and
dispersed to mingle with the people who had
attended, Lance looked to Jenna.

“The shrimp scampi here is to die for. Also, the
cheese ravioli is absolutely the tastiest thing you
will put in your mouth.”

“Hmm, that all sounds delicious, but what about the
veal?

“They get the most tender cuts in the tri-state area;
the things cut like butter.”

Dillian returned with the bottle of wine, reached
down and grabbed Jenna’s glass, and poured the
deep, bold red liquid into the sparkling glass. He did
the same with Lance’s and then paused to look at
both of them

“Shall we start with any appetizers?”

Lance nodded. “Calamari would be great, let's start
with that.”

Dillian smiled and nodded. Then he was off to put
in their order.

Jenna turned her attention back to Lance. “So, I
need to know something. Where did you learn all
those crazy military grade combat skills? I thought
you went to school for business?”

“Well, I did go to school for business and got a
degree in it, but I also secretly studied combative
search and rescue, meaning I could do regular
search and rescue, but also go into war zones for
search and rescue.”

Lance sipped his wine, and she swirled hers in her
glass, giving him a surprised look.

“What made you decide to pursue that career
choice?”

He paused. “I guess I always wanted to help
people. When we were kids, my parents tried to
keep us grounded by going into impoverished
countries and staying there for a few months to
help with the aid work. It really was an eye-opening
experience, to see all the horrible things in the
world at a young age, but it made me want to help
others.”

Jenna sat back. “Damn, I had no idea.”

He smiled. “No one really does. As we grew older,
I showed interest in it. I also realized that the
family still very much wanted kids who would keep
the profits growing. And, well, as you can imagine,
volunteer work doesn’t exactly bring in the big
money.”

“I see, so you gained all these great skills and then
had to…?” She trailed off.

“Had to start following my dad around to learn
what I would be taking over.”

“Ok, so are you doing that now? I thought you took
a five year hiatus to travel the world?”

“I’ve done both, I’ve worked under my dad on and
off the last six years, taking my vacations here and
there to go help out where I can. I traveled all of
college and had a pretty good idea of the places I
wanted to go and do volunteer work for, but I never
got to do any search and rescue. My family deemed
it too dangerous and too much of a risk for the
family.”

She nodded. “Yeah, I guess I can see that.”

He folded his hands under his chin and gave her a
small smirk. “What about you, Jenna? You went for
criminal justice and ended up at NYPD. Tell me
more.”

She sipped her wine and watched the people pass
by for a moment, then returned her attention to
Lance.

“My father was a cop in a small town in Ohio. I
always wanted to grow up and be like him. But, as I
grew older I found that small town life just wasn’t
for me. So, I moved to the big city and decided to
get into criminal justice. There was something
about trying to bring calm to this chaos that I
absolutely loved.”

“I’m sure there was a lot of chaos that needed your
work on the force.”

She nodded in agreement. “Oh yeah, that’s one
way to put it.”

“Why’d you decide to leave and go private?”

She paused and her face grew heavy. “It was a lot,
ya know? I’ve seen things that people should never
see. I’ve had to arrest people who did things that

weren’t even human. I knew if I went private I
could pick and choose my cases, and I still wanted
to help people, was still okay with seeing terrible
things if it meant bringing closure, but I needed
more control than the force could offer.”

He nodded. “I get that.”

Dillian returned with the calamari. He set it down
and removed the lid. The golden, fried dish steamed
in the candle light.

“Perfect, thank you, Dillian. I believe we will go
ahead and order as well. I’ll take the cheese
ravioli.”

“And I’ll take the veal,” Jenna said as she grabbed
a hot piece of the appetizer.

“Very well, those will be out soon for you two.
Enjoy!”

He disappeared again, and Jenna surveyed the
restaurant. The band was still out mingling; some
had gone to the bar to grab a glass of wine and
others were snacking on food the restaurant had
provided for them.

The two conversed until dinner arrived. They

chatted about childhood memories and friends,
Jenna’s time growing up next to a horse farm, and
Lance’s teenage adventures at sea on a sailboat
with his father. Their meals arrived, and Jenna’s
eyes grew wide as the platter was set before her.
The steam and exquisite smell rolled off and into
her nose, and she couldn’t get enough of the it.

“Oh, man. This smells like heaven.” She picked up
her fork and gave a small dance of joy at her food.

Lance had already dived into his and spoke through
a mouthful of food. “Wait till you try it.”

The two dug in. They sipped wine and continued to
talk as they indulged in their meals. The band
resumed playing and they had to speak up, but as
they shouted and laughed, they didn’t mind the
music one bit. Lance couldn’t help but order the
cassata cake for dessert, claiming that Italy didn’t
have better cake. The two split the fluffy white and
smooth red cake, their eyes meeting as Lance’s foot
stroked her leg beneath the table.

The time seemed to pass much too quickly, and
before they had realized it, the band made the call
for one last song. At that, Lance stood and reached
out a hand.

“A dance, beautiful?”

She smiled and took his hand, as they walked
across the restaurant to the dance area. He grabbed
her waist with those giant, gentle hands, and she
wrapped her arms around his neck and held him
close.

“I could get used to this,” Jenna said with a smile.

Lance nodded in agreement. “Me too.”

The two danced to the soft music, the strings and
horns working perfectly to bring the warm
atmosphere together. They held each other close,
while she took in his deep scent and he relished in
the warmth of her body pressed against him. The
song ended much too soon and the two parted.
Their eyes held their gaze as he held her hand.

“Let me pay the bill and let’s head back to my
place. I would like to show you around.”

Without another word, he was off. Jenna waited for
him as he shook Dillian’s hand and handed him the
cash. By the big smile on his face, Jenna could tell
that Lance had done him a nice favor with the tip.

They returned to the car. He brought the engine to

life with the turn of his key, and they began the
journey toward his house.

“So, are you downtown?”

He snorted. “Opposite, we have a bit of a drive. My
place, the one I want to show you, isn’t an
apartment in the city, but it’s about an hour drive. I
hope you don’t mind?” He looked at her with a
flash of concern.

She rested her hand on his leg. “Not at all.”

The drive wound through forest, fields, and hills,
but at last they arrived at a large cabin tucked on a
private hillside, overlooking a lake.

She looked out with a shocked face. It may have
been dark, but the moon stretched across the lake
and the leaves fluttered in the summer night’s
breeze. The cabin glowed warmly in the dark of the
forest. It seemed to invite her in as the large
windows that wrapped around the entire porch
peered down with a soft glow from the faux candle
lights.

“Lance, this is gorgeous.”

“What can I say, I’m drawn to beauty.” He stepped

behind her now and pressed himself against the
curves of her body.

She smiled and felt her heart melt at the statement,
for as corny and cheesy he could be, he could
switch to the most affectionate of words.

“Come on, let me show you around the place.”

He took her hand and guided her up the stairs, the
entire place a deep, dark rich stain on wood. The
porch glowed and rocking chairs were set up beside
coffee tables that were finely crafted and fit
perfectly. There was a bar that ran along the
windows that opened into the living room. The
openness and height of the place made anyone
seem small and gave the impression of being
surrounded by a wooden palace.

He opened the door, and Jenna’s eyes widened at
the sight. The entire downstairs consisted of
windows; the panoramic view of the hillside and
lake was dark, but the blue moonlight cascaded
around the dips and tree lines. She felt that she had
fallen into a tranquil sea of nature, and her heart
leapt at the thought of seeing this beautiful place in
the daytime.

The inside was minimalist. The wood was dark and

smooth, the furniture steel and black leather. The
lights lit the place so that one's eyes never felt
strained. Jenna felt herself take a deep breath and
relax under the warmth of it. An open staircase
spiraled up toward the loft, and the dark wood
wrapped around it and hid the contents of the
rooms up there. A giant skylight opened up above
the bedroom, and Jenna could imagine Lance
falling asleep naked beneath the pale moonlight,
like some kind of mystical god.

“Lance, this is… this is absolutely breathtaking.”

He stepped up behind her and squeezed her around
the waist.

“I’m glad you like it.”

She was left speechless, but he grabbed her hand
and pulled her through the living room and kitchen
to where the porch wrapped around in the back. A
bar was on this side as well. The patio sprawled out
and dropped down to cobblestone paths that wound
through the artistically sculpted backyard. The
path, flower beds, rock formations, unique trees,
and fencing went all the way until they reached the
lake. There Lance had setup an array of
waterslides, another small cabin, and what looked
to be a tiny coliseum around a giant fire pit.

They paused to grab some drinks and then he led
her down the path, the wood creaking under their
footsteps as they slowly made their way down.
Both drank in the awe of the night as an owl hooted
off in the distance and a coyote called back.

“This is unreal.” She sighed as her eyes looked up
at the star-filled sky.

He didn't say anything but wrapped his arms around
her waist and pulled her close. They approached
the fire pit, and she realized it was set up as a stage,
the coliseum-like appearance given by the slabs of
marble that were curved and placed in the gentle
hillside. It was a natural stage of sorts. She had seen
them at a few parks but never in someone’s
backyard.

“I like to host musicians; some friends are in
theatre and will do private shows here. Designing it
was an absolute dream for me.”

She gasped. “You designed all this?” Her hand
swept out over the land.

He gave a bit of an embarrassed laugh. “I did.”

She reached up and kissed him. “I have never seen

anything quite like this. It’s amazing, Lance.”

He leaned in and kissed her, then wrapped his arms
around her and rubbed to try and warm her skin,
which had begun to cool in the night air.

“Thank you, I appreciate that. Would you like to
warm up by a fire?”

She nodded and followed him over to the fire pit. A
loveseat had been brought close to the pit. He
walked over to a shed and brought over a
wheelbarrow full of kindling and firewood. He
grabbed the kindling and used a kit to light the dry
and brittle wood. A flame licked hungrily at the
fuel, and he methodically added twigs and other
small pieces. He used his breath to clear the smoke
and help it grow, and a short time later, the fire
crackled peacefully. They sat next to it in the love
seat, curled beneath a blanket he had brought.

“Is this your only place?”Jenna asked curiously.

He shook his head. “No, I have three others that I
designed.”

Her mouth gaped open. “I don’t think I’ll ever get
used to this.”

He gave her a smile. “I hope you don’t. I’m a big
believer in staying humble.”

Jenna looked at him. “You’ve done a good job at it,
I must say.”

“Thank you, but you have to work for it, or you
end up like Lia… ” he trailed off and Jenna leaned
into him.

“Hey, you can’t beat yourself up about that.” She
looked up at him.

“I know. It’s just a lot to take in. She’s my sister. I
didn’t think she was going to end up getting
brainwashed and becoming some radical crime lord
one day.” He shook his head and took a sip of his
whiskey.

“Do you think she ended up in that position
because she didn’t work to stay humble with your
family’s lifestyle?”

“No, she didn’t. She constantly asked for more. She
was always the life of the party and knew how to
have fun, but she’s selfish. She fell for the shit
down there because she saw herself being more
powerful and having more money.”

Jenna sipped her wine. “It’s unfortunate.”

“It is.”

The two fell silent for a moment, and Jenna turned
to her own thoughts. This was all so much, but it
brought the fear and anxiety back to her. She
nervously ran her finger along the edge of her wine
glass and shifted a bit away from Lance. He gave
her a concerned look.

“What’s wrong?”

She swallowed. “Just, worried I guess.”

“About what?” He laid his hand on her leg.

“That one day you’re going to realize I’m just a
boring girl from Ohio and you’re tired of hanging
out with me, and just… not want to be with me
anymore.” She sighed.

He shifted and sat up straighter, his eyes cast down.

“Well, I’m sorry if I’ve given you the impression I
am easily bored with others and throw them away
like waste.” His tone was hurt.

Jenna felt a punch to her heart; her own selfish

fears had indirectly pushed at him, and she felt the
pain go through her.

“Lance, no, I’m sorry. That wasn’t about you. That
came out wrong. I’m talking about my fear, of… of
not being good enough.” She grabbed his hand and
squeezed. Her eyes looked up at his, and he met
them.

“What could possibly make you not good enough?
The fact that you don’t have billions of dollars?”

She sighed. “More like the lack of life experiences
that come with it, I guess.”

He took her hand in his once more. “Jenna, I don’t
care. I am telling you, this is about you and me and
what we feel. All the other shit, it’s just that, shit.
This...” he held her hand tighter, “this is all about
you and me.”

Jenna felt the tears well in her eyes. “Ok, thank
you.”

“I promise, beautiful. I know that it’s a leap of faith
considering the short amount of time we’ve known
each other, but I feel it too. You’re not alone.
There’s something here.”

She paused. “I agree handsome, and I’m looking
forward to spending the future by your side.

He nodded and kissed her forehead. A moment of
silence fell over them, and Jenna let her thoughts
wander to the deep feeling that she knew him, like
a long-lost friend.

“Why do you think we feel this way with some
people and not others? I mean, what is this
connection?”

He chuckled. “That’s quite the philosophical
question.”

“Just curious, I guess.”

“Hmmm, my guess? It’s just how the pieces of life
sometimes fall perfectly together. Like the natural
design of things, the leaves, the roots, chemical
reactions, stars exploding. All of it happens because
all these little dominos fall and create this beautiful
big picture. I think when certain people meet, it’s
those pieces coming together in a perfect way.”

Jenna smiled. “I like that theory.”

“What do you think?” he asked inquisitively.

“I haven’t thought about it too much, I suppose
because I’ve never felt something quite like this
until now. But, I feel in life we find different people
who just… make us whole. Not just in these
relationships, but our friendships, our families.”

Lance nodded. “And it’s important we have those
connections.”

“Agreed,” she replied.

He paused. “I like Danielle. She seems like a down-
to-earth friend.”

Jenna laughed. “She’s a sweetheart. Crazy and
unapologetically real sometimes, but I love her.”

Lance smiled. “That’s cool. You two act like you
could be sisters.”

“Yeah, we fight like it sometimes. Trust me.” She
snuggled closer to him.

“That’s one thing I’ve never found in the entire
world.” He sipped his drink, and she looked up at
him in confusion.

“A best friend?”

He nodded. “I’m not saying that to bring in the pity
party, but when your family either owns the land
you stand on, or you’re just passing through, it
keeps people… at a distance. I’ve made many
acquaintances and I have others I enjoy certain
activities with, but no one who feels like a sibling.”

Jenna thought for a moment. “I bet Danielle could
fill that spot for ya.”

He laughed and nodded. “We can share her.”

Jenna burst out laughing at that and held her hand
out to shake on it. “Oh! Deal! For sure!”

They both smiled and wrapped their arms around
each other. He held her tight, burying his face in
her curls, and she buried hers in his broad chest.
The two of them sat beside the fire for a while, but
once the flames began to quiet, Lance rubbed her
back and looked at her.

“Would you like to head in and have another
drink?”

She nodded and followed him back up to the house.
He slid the glass door open, went behind the bar in
the living room, and took out two wine glasses. He
uncorked a bottle and poured. The dark liquid was

almost black and was velvety soft against Jenna’s
lips as she sipped.

“Mmm, that’s wonderful.” The silky flavor sat on
her tongue a moment after she swallowed.

He nodded. “A rare one, but one of my favorites.”

They sat at the bar on the large stools; soft black
leather encompassed Jenna and she slowly spun
around to take in the view of the room.

“How often are you here?”

He thought for a few moments. “Probably only a
couple months every year, but it’s one of my
favorites.”

“I can see why.”

The two of them drank their wine in silence, each
soaked in the experience of being in the moment
with the other. After a while, Lance reached over
and placed a big hand on her knee. He squeezed,
and when she looked over to him, he had his head
leaned back, his eyes closed with a small smile on
his face.

Even though he couldn’t see her, she smiled back.

She got it; it was a perfect night.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. “Would you
like to see the skylight?”

“Of course.”

The two stood and took the final sips of their wine.
Then Lance grabbed her hand again and led her up
the spiral stairs. Jenna looked on in awe at all the
fine details. The railing was handcrafted black steel
with fine little geometric designs. The swirl of the
curved stairs left her dizzy, but she felt the
sensation that they encompassed the open room
and brought it together. They reached the top, and
he gestured a hand invitingly at the giant king-sized
bed, which was washed in chalky, pale blue
moonlight.

She took off her shoes and reached behind to take
off her necklace, but Lance stepped up and
grabbed the clasp for her.

“Actually, let me grab you something more
comfortable.” Lance stepped over to the walk-in
closet, switched the light on, and stood in front of
rows upon rows of clothes. He reached in and
grabbed a black kimono.

“A bit big for you, but I don’t think you’ll mind too
much.” He handed her the silky piece of fabric and
she nodded.

“What about you?”

“Oh, don’t you worry about me.”

He gave her a coy smile and began to unbutton his
shirt.

She smiled. “Good, just want to make sure you’re
comfortable.”

At that, Jenna reached back, unzipped her dress,
and let it fall to the ground. Next, she pulled down
the straps of her bra, unsnapped it, and let it tumble
alongside of her dress. Finally, reaching down, her
fingertips ran along her thong, and she looked up to
see Lance was drinking in the sight with smoldering
eyes.

She smirked, but acted like she didn’t see him and
slowed down her actions to play with her panties.
As she did so, he stepped up next to her, slowly
taking off his shirt and letting it fall away. Yet he
didn’t come close enough for her to run her hands
along his body. He smiled mischievously; two could
play the teasing game.

Eventually, she pulled off her panties but was sure
to bend over and pick up the kimono from the
banister so he had a full view of her ass. She pulled
it over her shoulders and tightened the belt around
her waist.

“So, you said something about a skylight?” she
asked with a cocked eyebrow.

At that, he leapt onto the bed like a kid on
Christmas morning and waved for her to join him.
She jumped on the fluffy comforters and crawled
up next to him as he leaned back, looking up at the
stars that shone directly down on them. Jenna
stared up as well. The view was unbelievable.

“Wow.”

“Right?”

“This is… otherworldly.”

The splash of the Milky Way galaxy was as clear as
could be. The entire sky was dusted with sparkling
stars, like crushed diamonds against silky, dark blue
ribbon. Jenna had seen some beautiful skies, but
this one took the cake.

Jenna reached her hand up, and Lance laughed as
he returned the high five.

“You nailed this one, for real.”

He smiled and took her hand in his. “Thank you.”

Jenna felt the warmth of the wine and the comfort
of his company surround her. She twirled her
fingers around his, feeling the growing warmth of
her middle. She snuggled closer and began to kiss at
his jaw line, her hand lifting and beginning to stroke
his chest.

“Mmmmm,” he replied at the feeling of her
fingertips against his skin.

She worked her kisses up to his earlobe. Her tongue
delicately played with it, her teeth brushed it ever
so gently, and her lips sucked on it until he moaned
with increased pleasure. Her hand continued to
stroke his chest, venturing further down to his abs
and v line. He groaned as she did so. Her lips
continued to explore his neck, the veins and stubble
that were uniquely his, while his hand lifted up,
reached inside her robe, and began to gently
squeeze her breast. The pressure slid down when he
ever so slightly pinched her nipples.

“Ahhhhh.” She hissed at the sensation and looked
at him with desire.

They each quickly went for the other’s mouth, their
lips and tongues more desperate now. She lifted her
hand and ran it through his hair to the back of the
head, felt that thick hair, and gave it an instinctual
pull. He reached back and pressed her closer to
him. She rolled on top of him and reveled in the
feeling of his big, strong body beneath her. She took
both hands and ran them down his pecs, then back
up behind his neck and head, as she pressed her lips
to his once again.

His hands reached around and traced her shoulder
blades, whispering down her spine until he reached
the curve of her ass. He took it firmly in his grasp
and pinched, the feeling so deep Jenna bucked at it,
making her grow even more wet. He kissed her
fiercely now, his body beginning to rock with desire
and his dick growing hard under his pants. Jenna
reached down and clawed at his belt; her finger
snared and pulled until the thing was discarded, and
then she ripped the dress pants down along with his
briefs and revealed his throbbing shaft.

She lowered herself down to his groin and began to
tease him with kisses all along his member. She
paused at the head to lick it and take him in just a

bit. The little flicks of her tongue and brush of her
lips were driving him crazy. His eyes were wild and
his teeth bared as he watched the raw possession of
her mouth on his cock.

She looked up at him and held his eyes as she took
him in her mouth, then slowly lowered herself
down all the way to his base. He groaned loudly in
pleasure, and his hips bucked under her. She loved
being able to make him feel this way. As she
watched him squirm with delight, she felt her clit
swell and throb for him to pleasure her, for her to
feel him deep inside her again.

Lance lowered himself and she released him, her
tongue still playing with the tip. But he reached
down, scooped her up, and flipped her on her back
in one smooth motion. He buried his face in her
breasts and made her giggle with sexual ecstasy. He
quickly kissed his way up and down her, his tongue
exploring her nipples and the curve of her waist,
before he nipped gently at the rise of her hips and
licked at the fall of her groin. He made his way to
her clit, used his tongue to feel for the little hidden
gem, and began to twirl around it with tedious
detail.

She leaned her head back and moaned in pleasure.
Her fingers pulled at his hair once again, the

reaction of a hiss and strong exhalation
accompanied with the pull on his scalp. He didn’t
seem to mind though.

She felt the pressure begin to build against her clit,
his tongue building the feeling with every swipe.

He looked up at her, and she bit her lip as she
stared back down.

“Harder,” she whispered.

He quickly obliged and pressed his tongue harder
against her, the sensation now so strong it made her
jolt in pleasure, and her hips began to move in slow
thrusts. She rocked back and forth. The momentum
built, but he kept pace with her and didn’t release
her hips. His fingers dug into her flesh as he pulled
her closer, the desire to make her orgasm as strong
as his own to release himself inside of her.

She grabbed his face and pulled him up. “I need
you.”

He grunted in agreement and pushed himself over
her, but paused with a smile.

“I like it best when you’re on top.”

She smirked. “Me too.”

As they switched places, he smacked her ass then
grinned up at her as she climbed on his cock. The
overwhelming relief of feeling the other so
intimately made them recognize the pressure of
their impending release. She began to rock, her
motion slow at first as she searched for the perfect
spot that he hit just right. When she felt him press
against it, she smiled and began to fuck him harder.
He watched her face twist in pleasure. She breathed
heavily as the feeling built. The base of his cock
was pressed tightly against her clit, and the dual
sensation was driving her crazy.

She felt it there, that edge of the rollercoaster she
loved to ride so much. She looked down at him with
a smile and gave a hard thrust down. The explosion
was sudden, and she screamed in delight. The
unexpected orgasm made her rock harder and
harder, each wave more wonderful and full of
frenzied bliss then the last. She screamed and
laughed as the orgasm grew stronger, the feeling so
strong she had to close her eyes as every fiber in
her being felt pure, absolute sexual euphoria.

She collapsed on his chest, panting heavily. Her
body was exhausted from the burst of almost
supernatural energy. She looked up at him, her

pupils dilated in pleasure, her lids heavy. The
consumption of all her energy had been spent on
the orgasm.

“Your turn.” She sighed with a warm smile.

He nodded and flipped her around again. This time
he held himself over her, slipped inside of her, and
growled as he felt her warmth against his cock. He
throbbed for her. Every thrust felt so fucking good
and as he watched her, their eyes not looking away
from each other, he felt himself tighten in
anticipation. He quickened his pace. He feasted on
the sight of her bouncing breasts and grew even
harder at the sound of her moans.

With a sudden tightening of his member, he yelled
in utter rapture as he felt himself explode. He
flinched as he felt wave after wave of his own
orgasmic mirth. His movements slowed until he felt
himself give a final twitch, then he rolled over in
the bed next to her, smiled, and kissed her on the
forehead.

The two were silent for a moment as they stared at
the stars in a blissful daze. The night sky seemed to
have grown more dazzling, and Jenna couldn’t
believe what her life had become over the past
couple of weeks. She reached over and grabbed his

hand, her eyes not moving from the galaxy above.

“That was great.”

“Mhmm.”

“Again?”

He chuckled and squeezed her shoulder.

“Maybe in five.”

She smiled. “Fine, but what about dessert?”

He laughed louder at that. “A girl after my own
heart.”

She sat up. “So you do have something?”

He looked up innocently. “Maybe.”

She poked his abs. “Come on, you have to share!”

He playfully batted her hand away. “Fine, fine. I
have ice cream. Would you like to join me for
some?”

She nodded enthusiastically and they hopped out of
bed.

“Give me a minute. I’ll meet you down there.”

Jenna headed into the bathroom and hit the light.
The skylight continued overhead, and she saw the
moon look down at her. She got herself cleaned up
and took a look in the mirror. Her makeup was a bit
smudged and her hair was a mess from the sex, but
she smiled at the woman staring back. She couldn’t
have been happier in that moment and proceeded
to skip her way down the spiral staircase.

Lance stood by the freezer as he scooped chocolate
ice cream into two small bowls. He grabbed a can
of whipped cream and topped the bowls, then
reached into a jar with a spoon and added a splash
of sprinkles.

“Ohhh, sprinkles. Very fancy.”

“The fanciest,” he replied as he slid the ice cream
over.

Jenna took a mouthful and moaned. “Mmmm,
nothing beats some chocolate ice cream after sex.”
He chuckled. “Agreed.”

They ate in silence and smiled at each other as they
slurped up the last of the creamy, sweet treat.

When they had finished, Lance reached out, and
Jenna handed him her bowl. He rinsed them and
placed them in the dishwasher, then filled a glass
with water and handed it to her.

She let out a big yawn. “Time for bed?”

He looked at the clock that read past two in the
morning and nodded.

“I’d say. I’m pretty beat myself.”

She came up to his chest and leaned into him, her
eyes looking up at his as she wrapped her arms
around him.

“Pretty beat, huh?”

“Mhmmm.”

“What do you say we go back up to that bed, get
all cuddled up, and not set an alarm?

His brow rose in shock. “No alarm, you say?”

She nodded. “Oh yeah, the very best way to enjoy
a Sunday morning.”

“I would have to agree.”

She reached up and kissed him, then pulled back
and grabbed his hand as she headed back up toward
the bedroom. The spiral stairs seemed so tall and
the bedroom so far away, she paused and looked
back at him.

“Carry me?”

She’d meant it as a joke, but in a quick scoop he
had her off her feet and was hauling her up the
steps.

She laughed. “Lance! I was kidding!”

“Nope. Ask and you shall receive.”
He carried her up the last step, laid her on the bed
again, and hopped in beside her. He crawled under
the covers and she joined him, lying on her side. He
spooned her like a puzzle piece, and their curves
came together perfectly. He wrapped his big arms
around her and pulled her closer, while her hand
held onto his wrists. They both smiled then drifted
into a deep sleep beneath the pale moonlight.

*

Jenna awoke the next morning to sunlight pouring
in through the skylight and Lance’s arms still
wrapping around her in a snug cuddle. She tried to

look around but was confined as he held her down
and snored behind her ear. Reaching around, she
gave him a squeeze.

“Rise and shine, sleepy head,” she whispered, and
he stirred ever so slightly.

“Few more minutes,” he said groggily.

Jenna chuckled and pushed his arm aside. She went
to the bathroom, removed her robe, turned on the
hot water, and stepped into the shower. The water
ran down her face, chest, arms and legs, wrapping
around her skin like a liquid blanket. Steam filled
the room, and she felt herself smile at the essence
of this place. It was so much like Lance, so full of
his character and mannerisms.

She finished rinsing off and grabbed a green, plush
towel from the stack. After drying herself off and
grabbing her kimono, she tied it tightly around her
waist and searched behind the mirror for an extra
toothbrush and toothpaste.

“Ah-ha!” she exclaimed as she pulled out a fresh
pack, took a pink one for herself, and applied the
toothpaste. She brushed her teeth, tasting the mint
on her tongue as she spit the foamy remains into
the sink.

She heard Lance stir in the other room, looked out,
and found he was sitting up and staring at the
skylight.

“So, does it always have that, or can you close it?”
Jenna asked curiously as the sunlight had grown
brighter and warmer.

In answer to her question, he pointed a small
remote up to it and a black shade slowly slid over,
dimming the room and cooling it immediately.

“Ahhh, nice feature.”
Lance nodded as he stood up and stretched. A
yawn overcame him, and he shook his head in an
effort to chase the grogginess away.

“Would you mind making coffee while I hop in the
shower?”

Jenna shook her head. “Don’t mind one bit. I’ll see
you down there.”

Lance headed toward the bathroom, and Jenna
moved toward the kitchen. He closed the door
behind him and looked at himself in the mirror. His
bruises had shrunk and his wounds had healed. He
looked at the man before him and smiled. Jenna,

she was different. He had felt it from the start, but
last night as she lay in his arms, he knew it; he
knew he loved her.

Jenna made her way down the stairs and into the
kitchen. She spent a few minutes searching through
tall cabinets, even having to stand on a stool—as
the house was made for incredibly tall people—and
digging past a lot of baking ingredients, only to sigh
with defeat when she looked across the counter and
saw the coffee beans propped up by themselves,
waiting for her.

“Of course it would be there, of course,” she
mumbled to herself.

She ground the beans and poured them into the
French press, then filled the bright red stainless
steel kettle and put it on the gas stove where the
flame glowed and licked at the bottom. While she
waited for it to boil, she sat down at the kitchen
table and looked out the window for the first time
that day.

“Damn.”

It was perfect. The sunshine danced on the deep
blue lake, and the flowers and landscaping made it
appear to be a paradise. The hills that rose around

them gave the image of being perfectly nestled in a
bed of green and blue. Wild birds flew here and
there—red cardinals, big blue jays, and bright
yellow finches chirped loudly.

Jenna watched, and her thoughts turned to Lance.
Her heart fluttered, and she thought of last night.
She felt her breath catch as she realized: he was the
one. He was it; that was just that. She knew it deep
within herself that she loved him.

The whistle of the kettle interrupted her thoughts,
and she swiveled around to pull it off the burner.
The steam puffed out quickly, and she looked up to
see Lance, freshly showered and in his own robe,
as he made his way down the stairs. He smiled at
her, those bright eyes glistening and the curve of his
mouth beckoning her to kiss him. She smiled back
as she poured the hot water in the press and let it
steep.

“Jenna, I need to tell you something.”

She looked at him with concern but he smiled back.
“No, it’s a good thing.”

“Oh, what’s that?”

Lance stepped up to Jenna and looked down at her

with that all too familiar smirk. He wrapped his big
arms around her again and leaned down to kiss her.
He held it there for an extra moment, and she felt
the electricity all the way to her toes.

“Jenna… I love you.”

She looked up at him with shining eyes and
laughed. Her smile grew bigger, and she reached up
and held him tight. He buried his face in her hair
and rubbed her softly. She squeezed his neck and
pulled back to look in his eyes. She reached in for
another kiss and sensed the passion tingle within
both of them. She pulled back to look at him once
again.

“I love you too, Lance.”

They both just stood there for a moment, lost within
the other as they felt a chapter in their lives both
close and open. Jenna knew from then on things
would be different, and Lance knew his life was
about to become more fulfilling than he ever
thought possible.

She held his hand and squeezed it. While they had
much ahead, they had a unique history that had
formed a bond closer than anything either ever
thought possible. While they had only known each

other for a short while, to them it felt like eternity,
with an eternity to go.

“Coffee?” Jenna offered playfully.

He smirked back, “Please.”

She poured the hot black beverage into two cups
and they each took one. The deep aroma filled their
nostrils and the steam rolled off in inviting waves.
She held her mug up, and he held his up with her.
He gave her a quizzical look, but she cocked a
brow at him and grinned. He reached his arm
around and pulled her close, a laugh escaping his
lips. He realized that he had felt more alive in these
recent weeks than ever before. He kissed her gently
on the forehead and pressed his cheek to hers as
their glasses clinked.

“To love.”

THANKS FOR

READING!

THANKS FOR

READING!

Authors Personal Message:

Hey beautiful!

I really hope you enjoyed my novel

and I would really love if you could

give me a rating on the store!

Thanks in advance and check

the next page for a SPECIAL bonus

book I included for you!

HER WEDDING

ESCORT

ALEXIS GOLD

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people,

places or events are entirely coincidental.

Copyright 2015 ALEXIS GOLD

Written by Alexis Gold. All Rights Reserved To

Alexis Gold

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Julia Robinson was a strong,

independent African-American

businesswoman who had never had

time to find love.

And she still does not have the time.

But now with her last remaining single

sister about to get married she knows

the pressure on her to find a man is

going to be higher then ever. As she

prepares to go to the wedding alone

she is dreading the questions and

judgment she is going to face.

So she does the only thing she can

think of...

She hires a male escort to pose as her

fiance for the wedding so she can

enjoy the ceremony without the added

lectures and headaches.

But little did she know that when she

met her wedding escort Derek she was

going to be surprised in more ways

than just one...

Chapter One

The San Francisco sun shone brightly on the city
and a cool bay breeze drifted in through the
window, billowing the sheer white curtains in the
bedroom of her old Victorian house.

Julia stood in front of a full-length mirror holding
up two dresses, looking at them with a critical eye
as she studied her reflection in the mirror and tried
to decide what looked best on her. Behind her on
her bed was a pile of clothes that had gone through
the same critique and had been mostly tossed into a
“hell no” pile. A few assorted pieces were carefully
laid in the “maybe” pile and only two dresses had
been set into the “yes I have to take this to my
sister’s wedding” pile.

She bit her lip and tilted her head. The light
lavender dress she was holding up at that moment
fit her very well, hugging the generous curves of
her breasts and her narrower waist while giving
some room to flare out at her rounded hips. It fell
just above the knees of her long and muscular legs,
and showed off enough of them to be flirtatious
without offering too much.

Her skin glowed a warm, honey, chocolate brown
and her black hair, subtly tinted with red all through
it, hung in soft curls to her shoulders. Her big

brown eyes narrowed and she turned left and right
as she held the dress up in her examination. It
passed, and she put it in the yes pile.

The yellow dress in her other hand, which was
much more form fitting and narrow with a pencil
skirt and a button up blouse top also made it into
the yes pile, and she sighed as she turned to look at
her bed, which was then covered in clothes.

Julia was the oldest of four daughters. The next two
youngest of the siblings were twins, Maddie and
Maggie, and both of them were married, one of
them with a little boy and the other with two girls.
The youngest of the sisters, and Julia’s favorite
sister, Samantha, was getting married and Julia was
to be her maid of honor. The family had planned a
big wedding at a fancy resort hotel on the beach in
Los Angeles, from Friday night through Sunday
morning, and everyone was coming for it.

Julia’s mother and father had insisted that she bring
her boyfriend of two years, Theo Evans with her so
they could finally meet him. It was astounding to all
of them that they hadn’t met him in the past, but
she had been very good about keeping her life her
own and very private up in San Francisco; just far
enough away from her family that she had some
peace. She loved them dearly, but she thought that
they were much too invasive, and it was all she
could do to keep them at bay.

Her mother hounded her constantly about getting
married and starting a family, and told her
frequently how wrong it was that she and Theo
hadn’t gotten engaged yet, when both of the twins
were married with children and now Samantha was
getting married, and Julia was the oldest and there
was not a ring or a church in sight for her.

Julia and Theo had never even talked about
marriage; he was much more interested in talking
about when they would be in her bedroom next or
what she was able to do for him. And though her
family only knew a little about her tumultuous
relationship with him, she had waded through on
and off again relations with him, letting him back in
every time he wanted to come back to her, until the
last time.

Two days before she stood in front of her mirror
gazing at outfits, she had walked in on Theo and the
girl from the coffee shop where they liked to go in
the morning. The coffee shop girl had been riding
Theo like a bucking bronco. That was the end of
her relationship with him, and she told him so as
she stormed out of his apartment and told him what
he could do with the rest of his life.

She had thanked the heavens countless times since
that moment that she and Theo had never actually
gotten serious with each other, and that it had all
been shallow and meaningless; though she hated

that she had given him two good years of her life.
She hadn’t even cried really, just a few tears of
anger and frustration that she had spent so much
time with such a loser, but then a streak of
independence had soared through her and she had
decided that she was glad he was gone and that she
was much freer in her life.

Julia could do and be anything she wanted to do or
be, and there would be no man in the way to slow
her down or stop her. It was much less complicated
that way, and that was how she liked it.

She picked up each article of clothing she had
tossed on the bed and put it back in her closet,
reassuring herself that she had in fact chosen all the
right outfits for such a big weekend. She and Theo
had planned on going together, and everyone was
so excited to meet him finally, though they had
known that she and Theo were having problems.
Her plan was to arrive and tell them that he
couldn’t make it, then she could enjoy the weekend
without him and they wouldn’t bother her about
why she hadn’t gotten married yet.

The phone rang as she was sliding silk tops back
onto hangers and she looked at the caller. It was her
mother, Evelyn. She sighed and answered the
phone with a smile. She loved her mother, but her
mother loved to talk and to be nosy about what was
going on in her life, trying to give her advice for

any and every little thing, and it was something she
was grateful to have: a woman she respected and
loved who cared for her and wanted the best for
her, but it was also something that drove her a little
crazy more often than not... listening endlessly as
the woman took as much control over her life as
she would let her have.

“Hi Mom,” she said with a smile.

“Hi baby! I’m just calling to check in and make
sure that things are going well for you. I can’t wait
to see you and hug you so tight! And I’m looking
forward to meeting this Theo of yours. It’s been far
too long that you’ve dated him and we’ve never
met him. You should have had him down here ages
ago!” her mother chastised her just a little bit as she
talked happily.

Julia nodded and rolled her eyes. She knew it was
coming. She let it roll off of her. “I know, Mom, but
he’s got a busy schedule and so do I.” She picked
up a green dress that hadn’t made the weekend cut
and reached for another hanger in her closet to put
the substandard outfit back into the dark.
“Actually, Mom, I have some bad news. Theo got
called in to work this weekend, so he’s not going to
be able to make it with me to the wedding.”

The last thing she needed to hear was a lecture on
what in the world she was doing with a man who
would cheat on her, and she was sure that the best

way to handle it would be to just tell them he
couldn’t come and then let them know much later
in the future that she and Theo had ended things.

Evelyn gasped. “He can’t come? This is your
sister’s wedding! What do you mean he can’t
come? What kind of a boyfriend is he? You know
what kind of boyfriend he is to put work before
family? He’s a bad boyfriend. He’s one who
doesn’t care about you now and he’s not going to
start caring about you. You need a man who is
going to put you first and make you his number one
priority, and it’s not Theo,” she huffed and Julia
thought to herself that her mother was pretty spot
on about that assessment.

“When I met your father and I saw what a good
man he was, why, I didn’t let him out of my sight
until he walked down the aisle with me, and now
we’ve been happy together for almost fifty years.
You know, you’re much older now than I was when
I got married. Shoot, by your age I was already
walking around with three babies! I don’t know
what in the world you’re waiting so long for. Your
body wasn’t meant to wait, young lady. You need to
get your priorities together and get started on
making a family! Time is flying right past you and
you don’t even know it!”

Evelyn was on the rampage, and Julia knew that if
she didn’t stop her mother soon, she would go on a

lecture bender and it would be three hours of
discussion and speeches before her mother let her
off of the phone.

“I know Mom, you’re right about that, but you
know I need to find the right guy before I agree to
settle down with anyone. I’m not sure that Theo is
the right guy for me. I mean, we’ve been together a
while, but if he pulled out a ring right now, I’m not
sure I’d say yes,” she told her mother, prepping her
for what would be the “we broke up permanently”
phone call that she would make to her mother well
after the wedding.

Evelyn was way ahead of her. “Honey, I’m not
trying to interfere, but I don’t think he’s a good
man for you. I think you need a real good man in
your life; one who puts you first, puts your family
first, and who will always be there for you. I have
just the thing, the perfect solution for your problem.
Now, you’re going to have to trust me on this one,
but I’ve got a lot more experience than you at this,
and I know exactly who you should be with, and
he’s going to be at the wedding, so it works out that
Theo isn’t coming.”

Julia could hear the thrill of a setup in her mother’s
voice. “Mom...what are you doing? What are you
talking about?” she asked in concern.

Her mother continued. “Well, you know that young
man that you used to go to school with? Ronald

Williams? Well, we invited him to the wedding, and
he’s coming to see your sister get hitched, but he’s
also coming to see you, too. Do you remember how
much he used to like you? He would come around
the house all of the time and try to see you when
you were home. You were always out with other
people, but he has always set his heart on you. You
remember him, honey?”

Julia did remember him. He was the president of
the chess club in high school, as well as the debate
team, he had run for every class office there was,
and he never, ever stopped going after something
when he wanted it. Everyone they had gone to
school with knew that he was the original over-
achiever and if anyone in their class actually had a
real shot at being a successful politician or a
millionaire, it was going to be him. He had
developed a crush on Julia in middle school, and it
had not gone away. She had never liked him, she
had never wanted to date him, and he had been
pushy and insistent all the way through school. He
never gave up chasing her until they graduated and
she disappeared. Now her mother had invited him
to her sister’s wedding. How nostalgic, she thought.

“Yes, Mom, I remember him,” she said with less
than no enthusiasm.

Her mother bubbled on as if it was the greatest
thing in the world. “Isn’t it wonderful! I bet it’s

been forever since you saw him, and I know he’s
going to be so excited to see you. Did I tell you I
was talking to his mother Maryanne the other day,
and Maryanne told me about all the work he’s
doing in the tech industry. The man is going to be a
millionaire someday baby, and all he can think
about is seeing you. Now, I know you like Theo and
you’ve been with him a while now, but you two
always have your ups and downs and I think you
need to give this Ronald a chance, baby. You need
to try and find some love with a man who is
successful!” her mother sounded extremely excited.

“Mom, I thought you just said that I need to find a
man who is going to treat me well and take care of
me and love me all of my life; a good man. Now
you’re telling me I need to date a successful man?”
she said, trying not to groan.

“Well, I think you need both, and I think he’s both.
In fact, I’m sure of it. So since Theo isn’t coming,
I’m going to make sure that you are seated beside
Ronald and we’ll get you set up with him by your
side all weekend!” she could practically see her
mother glowing.

She sighed. “Mom, please don’t.”

“Oh honey, don’t you worry about it. You know
I’m taking good care of you. I just bet that you two
hit it right off and he’ll wind up proposing to you in
no time, and then you can catch up with your

sisters. You’re falling behind baby, and that’s not
okay. You’re going to miss the best years of your
life just playing cat and mouse with that fool Theo.
Now here’s a good man who is doing well for
himself, and who has loved you almost all of his
young life. Now you get down here to Los Angeles
and you give him a chance. Do you hear me?” her
mother told her without really asking.

“Mom, actually, Theo said that if he can get the
time off of work, he might go with me, so I don’t
think it’s fair to get Ronald’s hopes up or make him
think that he might be with me this—” her mother
cut her off.

“Honey, now don’t you worry about it. You just get
down here and I’ll take care of the rest.” Her
mother giggled a little bit. “Love you honey, bye
now.”

Her mother hung up and Julia looked at her phone
in sagging disappointment. She knew she wasn’t
going to wiggle out of it. The only person in Julia’s
life more persistent and stubborn than Ronald was
her mother, and she knew that between the two of
them, she was probably going to be married before
the end of the weekend.

Julia set her phone down and continued to hang up
clothes with a deep frown on her beautiful face.
She moved back and forth between her bed and her
closet, hanging up all of the rejected clothes she

loved when her looks weren’t crucial.

As she worked, her mind went over and over the
conversation and she tried to think of any kind of a
possible solution that might help her evade her
mother’s good intentions. As she was hanging up
the last of the outcasts, her mind clicked on
something and she grew hopeful and excited all at
once.

Julia raced to her computer and typed in few words
into her favorite search engine, and a short while
later she was perusing men on an escort website.
One of her friends had once told her that whenever
she had to go to company parties and she didn’t
want her colleagues to know who she was dating,
she would hire a man from an escort service to go
with her so that she had someone who dated
professionally as her companion; someone who
knew how to handle curious friends and associates,
and dissuade them from getting any nosier and
finding out the truth about what her life was really
like.

Julia had thought of her friend and had made it a
point to go to the website that she knew her friend
used. She had a terrible, great, awful, wonderful
idea in mind: she was going to hire a male escort for
the weekend to be her date. She’d tell her family
that he was Theo, and that he had gotten out of
working at the last minute and was able to make it

down to the wedding with Julia. That way, her
family would think she was in a serious relationship
and not try to hook her up with anyone, especially
Ronald, and Ronald would get the hint that she
wasn’t as available as her mother liked to tell
people that she was.

She looked at several men, clicking on their profiles
and reading through a litany of descriptions and
bios, each of them making the men sound more and
more like gods than men, but finally she happened
on a nice looking man. Owen Jacobsen. He was
well-built, not bad looking, and black. He was what
Theo could be if Theo ever got his life together and
quit chasing women.

Julia clicked on his link and read everything about
him. He seemed perfect. She only needed him for
the weekend, after all. She clicked on the
reservation line and soon she had him booked for
three days of paid work in Los Angeles.

Satisfied with her handiwork, she left her computer
and finished putting clothes away. Ten minutes after
she had sent the request to him, he accepted it and
sealed their deal, making plans to meet her at a
coffee shop around the corner from her house. She
said she would be there in the morning and he said
that would work well for him.

Her heart floated at the thought that she was going
to keep her freedom a while longer, and while she

felt bad for lying to her family, she knew that this
was the best and right thing to do to avoid being
stuck with Ronald or anyone else that happened to
come to the wedding looking for a date.

She finished packing for her long weekend and took
a hot bath, hoping to relax some before her drive
down the coast and the time she was going to spend
with her family. She loved them dearly, but she
preferred to love them from a distance. She did
wish that Samantha lived in San Francisco; she
would really love to be able to see her sister more
often and spend much more time with her, but
Samantha was busy with college in Los Angeles,
and then she met Kevin Daniels at school, and now
Kevin and Samantha were getting married. There
was no time for the two of them to be around each
other as they had been when they were growing up.

Julia was working as the director of marketing at a
major tech company that had been a startup and
had grown into a multimillion dollar company. She
worked hard for them and had plans to stay with
them as long as possible. They were her career and
she loved everything about it.

Climbing out of her bath, she dried off and slipped
into her pajamas, heading to bed with her nerves
already tingling about the weekend. She had a ball
of nerves in the pit of her stomach that kept tugging
at her about taking a fake boyfriend with her to her

own sister’s wedding just to trick her parents and
Ronald into thinking that she was happily involved
so that they would leave her alone.

There was the tiniest bit of guilt on her conscious,
but nothing that was big enough to make her
change her mind about her plan and tell anyone
anything to do with the real truth about what was
going on in her life. She fell asleep wondering how
it would all go, and it seemed like seconds later that
her alarm went off and she looked at it with panic,
knowing that her adventure was about to begin. She
dressed quickly and tied her hair up in a pretty clip
so that it spilled over the top, sending her red-
brown curls down in an array around her long
slender dark neck, and she slipped dangling earrings
into her ears and put red lipstick on her full,
luscious lips. She always felt that her lips and her
eyes were some of her best features.

Julia rubbed lotion on her dark skin, giving it a
healthy glow and slipped her sandals on, pairing
them with cute shorts that showed off her long legs
and a short sleeved shirt that would keep her cool
on the long drive. She grabbed an iced coffee,
packed her car, and climbed in to head to the
coffee shop where she was picking up her pseudo-
boyfriend.

She still couldn’t believe her audacity in hiring a
man to pose as Theo for her, but she would much

rather do that for a quick weekend than face the
alternative of Ronald chasing her all over her
sister’s wedding and her mother pushing her toward
him. This was by far the best option. Plus, she
thought to herself, she was aiding the San Francisco
economy, giving work to someone who probably
needed it, and offering them a free vacation
weekend in Los Angeles. It was a good thing for
everyone involved.

Julia pulled up to the coffee shop and went in to
look for the man she had hired online the night
before. There was no one in the coffee shop except
for her, two older white ladies who were so deeply
involved in their shocking gossip that they hadn’t
even looked up when she walked in, and one other
man who was standing near the door with a suitcase
on the floor.

She looked around and frowned. She was in a hurry
and in her request, she had made it very clear that
time was of the absolute essence. She had to leave
by eight in the morning. There was no wiggle room
for lateness. Looking at her watch and then gazing
around her again, she sighed and the man with the
suitcase by the door walked up to her and smiled.
He was easily over six feet tall with golden blonde
hair and sea blue eyes. He had a strong jaw line and
high cheek bones. He looked like Robert Redford.
His body was lean and muscular, and his smile was

warm and sunny, just like a California man’s smile
should be.

“Julia Robinson?” he asked with a kind voice.

She turned on the spot and looked up at him. She
blinked. “...Yes?” she asked in confusion. She knew
she would have remembered meeting the Greek
god standing before her. “Do I know you?” she
asked, absolutely positive that she didn’t.

He shook his head and held out his hand. “Not yet
you don’t. I’m Derek Carter. I’m from the escort
service.” He smiled at her again and his blue eyes
twinkled.

She blinked again and tilted her head. “Well, has
something gone wrong? Where’s Owen? I’m
supposed to be meeting Owen here and leaving...
um... right now,” she said, glancing at her watch
with another frown. She looked back up into his
pleasant face.“Did you come to give me a message
or something? Shouldn’t the site have emailed me if
he’s going to be late or something? That’s not very
good customer service.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I agree, but I guess that
your reservation was really short notice, so they
didn’t have time to let you know that he wasn’t
going to make it. They sent me as a replacement.”
He looked as if it wasn’t a big deal.

Her jaw fell wide open and she stared at him in

shock. “A replacement?! You can’t be a
replacement! I specifically requested a black man!
No offense or anything, but you’re about as white
as a white man could be! I can’t take you with me
this weekend! My family would never ever
understand!”

Derek’s smile faltered and he slipped his hands into
the pockets of his jeans. “I’m sorry about the mix
up. No one mentioned anything about you having a
black man, it was just that you needed a man for
the weekend and I was the only one who didn’t
already have anything going on.”

She gasped and covered her mouth and then slid
her hands up over her eyes in disbelief. “This can’t
be happening. It can’t. How in the world am I ever
going to convince...” she began to mumble to
herself as she sighed and rubbed her face in
anguish.

Derek held his hand out and touched her shoulder.
“Look, I’d like to help you. I’m free to come with
you this weekend, and I’m packed and ready to go.
There’s no one else who can do it. I’m sorry I’m
not quite what you had in mind, but I can try to do
whatever it is that you need done, and I can
promise you that I will do my best, whatever it is.”

She turned and shot him a narrow look. “What it is
this weekend,” she began with a little bit of an
attitude, “is my baby sister’s wedding and my

whole family is going to be there, and all of them
have been waiting to meet my boyfriend for two
years, but he’s busy screwing some barista in his
apartment this weekend, so he can’t come and I
needed a replacement so my family won’t try to set
me up with someone else this weekend while I’m at
the wedding! They’re never going to believe that
you’re Theo!”

He paused a moment and a thoughtful look came
over his face. “Wait a minute... did you say they’ve
never met him?”

Julia sighed and nodded, rubbing her fingers over
her forehead. “Yes,” she muttered.

Derek tilted his head and a small smile came over
his face. “Have they ever seen a photo of him or
anything like that?”

She shook her head and clamped her hands down
on her hips, looking at the floor. “No. They’ve
never seen him at all.”

He smiled slyly at her. “Then... maybe I’m missing
something, but how do they know he hasn’t been
white all this time?”

Her head shot up and she had an irritated look on
her face as she jutted her chin out at him and began
to snap at him. “Well of course they’d know... that
he’s not...” and then she stopped and stared at
Derek.

Her mind rolled slowly back over the last two
years. Her family had never seen a photo of Theo.
Her family had never met Theo. Theo could be a
green alien from outer space and they’d have no
way of knowing it. The man standing in front of her
had an excellent point. Her mouth fell open again,
but this time in thought as the wheels of her mind
began to spin and her eyes opened wide.

She held both of her hands out to him and began to
shake her head slowly. “I am so sorry that I was
so... um... abrupt and...um...” she paused.

“Worried?” he offered kindly to her.

“Rude,” she corrected him shamefully. “I hadn’t
even thought about it before because no one in my
family would date or marry anyone that isn’t black,
but it’s just for that reason that Theo’s race has
never come up. It would make sense that if he was
white I might have kept him from them all this
time!”

She began to smile and laugh lightly as the lights
came on over her head and the answer to her
problem looked down at her with shining blue eyes.
He held out his hands and took hers in them. They
were soft and warm and gentle.

“So, will it work for you to bring me with you? Can
I help you this weekend?” he asked with a lopsided
grin.

She laughed out loud at him. “Yes! Yes... it’s going
to blow everyone away and probably cause enough
mayhem and gossip to last a decade, but yes. You’ll
do fine for the weekend.”

Then she looked up at him and her full lips curled
into a big, sweet smile. “Thank you so much. I’m
sorry about before, I was just...”

“Worried?” he offered again.

“Freaking out,” she counter-offered.

He nodded and smiled, picking up his suitcase and
holding the door open for her. “I totally understand.
Let’s see if we can make this work for you. I
promise to do my best.”

“Thanks, Derek,” she said with a grin and led him
to her car.

Chapter 2

She pulled the car onto the highway and headed out
toward the ocean. He looked around and asked,
“So, are you taking highway five down to L.A. or
are we going down the coast?”

“We’re going down the coast. If I have to do this
drive to go see my family, I want to make the most
of it and have a beautiful scenic drive along the
way, not hectic traffic in the hills.” She put the top
down on her convertible car and the wind began to
blow through her curls and over her face, making
her smile and relax.

He leaned back in his seat and got comfortable for
the long road ahead. “So, I picked up a little bit
about what’s going on during our conversation at
the coffee shop, but I’m still kind of confused,
could you please explain to me what it is that we’re
doing and why you needed me to come along for
the weekend?”

She laughed a little. “Well... it’s not that
complicated. See, I was dating this guy.”

“Theo... right?” he asked with a smile as he pushed
his sunglasses on and leaned his arm on the window
ledge of the door.

Julia nodded and continued. “Yes, Theo.” Then she
turned her head slightly toward him and said,
“You’ll have to go by Theo this weekend. That’s

who everyone will need to believe you are.”

He nodded. “I’m Theo. Got it.”

“So anyway, I was dating Theo and we’ve been
going out together on and off for a couple of years
now. Things are good and then he screws up and
things are bad, and then he talks me back into
dating him again and like an idiot I go back to him
every single time. Well, this last time I went over to
his apartment and he wasn’t expecting me and I
walked in on him and a girl from the coffee shop
around the corner from his place. They were right
in the middle of a wild fling and I walked in at the
worst possible moment. It was horrible. I yelled at
them both; mostly at him though, and then I told
him I never wanted to see him again. That was
three days ago. We had been planning on coming to
my sister’s wedding for a few months, and I should
have known better when he kept backing out of it
and then committing to it again, and then backing
out of it again... on and off, just like he is with me.”
She shook her head and frowned.

“So I was going to go alone and just tell my family
that he was working and couldn’t come, but then
my mom called me and told me that she invited
Ronald Williams to the wedding and I had to figure
out a quick fix for myself.” She sighed and shook
her head.

Derek frowned and looked at her sympathetically.

“I’m really sorry that things didn’t work out for you
and Theo. It sounds like maybe he didn’t know
what he had with you. You don’t look too broken
up about it though. Are you?” he asked curiously,
looking sidelong at her.

She laughed ironically. “No, I’m not too broken up
about it at all. Actually, it’s like a weight has been
lifted from me. A heavy one. Like an anchor,” she
said, waving her hand toward the Pacific Ocean
rolling in to them on the passenger’s side of her car.

“I was heartbroken the first time it happened. I
cried; I was devastated. Then each time we broke
up for whatever reason, it hurt less and less, and
after a while it didn’t affect me hardly at all. The
most dominant emotion this time was anger and
frustration. The bastard was screwing another girl.
I’ll just say this: I’m glad I always made him wear a
condom when—” she stopped suddenly and looked
at him with an awkward smile. “Sorry,” she said
with a little regret. “Too much information.”

Derek laughed and nodded. “It’s all right. It just
means you’re a smart lady.” He looked out to sea
for a minute and then looked back at her. “So who
is this guy... did you say Ronald?” he asked, double
checking the name.

She nodded. “Yes. Ronald Williams. Ronald isn’t a
bad guy, actually, he’s about the furthest thing from
a bad guy. Don’t you dare tell my mother this, but

she’s right, he would be a great catch for me, but
he’s been chasing me since puberty and I just have
no interest in the man at all. I never have and I can
guarantee you that I never will. It’s just not there
for me.” She sighed and shook her head, shrugging
her shoulders.

Derek looked over his sunglasses at her. “It’s there
for him, though, right? He still wants you?”

She groaned and shook her head. “Yeah, he still
wants me. I don’t know why. He’s stubborn too,
one of those people who set their mind on
something and then never let it go. I guess that’s
good for some things, but not for me because I just
don’t want him back, and I’m never going to. I wish
he had given up on me a decade ago when I told
him to. Now my mother has gone and invited him
to the wedding in hopes of setting me up with him.”

She looked over at Derek for a moment. “So, you
see why I couldn’t go alone. My mother and
Ronald would both be coming after me all
weekend, and it would wreck my experience there.
This is my baby sister’s wedding! I’m the maid of
honor! I should be happy all weekend and focusing
on her and on helping her do whatever she needs
me to do. Now I can do that because you’ll be there
to deflect both my mother and Ronald!” she
grinned at him.

He nodded and stuck his chin out a little bit. “Like

a shield! I guess that’s sort of like being a knight in
shining armor. I’d be a shield in a suit. I can work
with that!”

Julia raised her eyebrows. “You brought a suit?”

Derek nodded and grinned. “It’s a wedding, right? I
brought a suit.” He looked at the ocean again and
then looked back at her and raised one eyebrow as
he leaned over to her a bit and said in a
conspiratorial manner, “I’ll have you know, too, I
look really good in it.”

Julia laughed. “I just bet you do.” She sighed
happily and smiled at him. “Thank you so much for
coming with me. You’re really saving me. I’m sorry
I was so awful at the beginning. I was just so
stressed out over it.”

Derek waved his hands dismissively in the air. “No
big deal at all. I totally understand. We’re going to
have a great weekend and make the most of a
weird situation.”

She laughed at him again.

“So, if we’ve been dating for two years and you
plan on selling that to your family, I probably need
to know all about you.” He looked over the top of
his sunglasses at her again, his blue eyes dancing
with light and matching the sparkling ocean behind
him. “So tell me everything.”

Julia laughed a little and then realized that he was

right. They had a lot to cover in a short amount of
time. “Wow... everything. I don’t know where to
begin.” She lifted both of her eyebrows in
confusion. It was an intimidating thing to try to
come up with it all at once. “Well, I grew up in Los
Angles and my family stayed there and I moved to
San Francisco about thirty seconds after I got out of
high school. I wanted to go to college there and get
away from my family.” She started out with what
she thought would be most helpful. Profile
information. Simple things. Facts and basics.

He frowned slightly. “You keep saying that you
wanted to get away and be away from your family.
Are they that bad?” he asked with a quieter voice.

She pursed her lips and shook her head slowly.
“No, not really bad, they just see things really
differently than I do. It’s hard to be around them
and get along, so I just keep my distance so thing
stay smooth between all of us. I’m more liberal and
they’re more conservative.” She waved her hand in
the air between them. “It’s like the dating thing;
see, they would never ever date or marry anyone
who wasn’t black like us, and that’s why the first
thing I thought when I saw you was ‘no way,’ I
can’t go down there with a white boyfriend. They’d
never understand, but then when I thought about it
for a moment, I realized that I’m totally fine with
interracial relationships for other people, and I’m

supportive of that for others, so there’s no reason in
the world why it shouldn’t be fine for me, too.

“My family is going to lose it when they meet you,
but that’s just like all of the other differences
between them and me, and this is actually really
indicative of who I am and who they are, and that’s
why I keep my distance. I love them so much that I
accept who they are but I don’t want to be around
it because it’s important to me to keep the peace.
Does that make sense?” she asked, tilting her head
and looking at him.

He nodded shortly. “Yeah, I guess that makes some
sense. So, what are the basics? Favorite
everything?” he asked with a smile, turning to
watch her.

She laughed. “This is the fastest speed dating ever,
isn’t it?”

Derek laughed with her and pointed his finger
toward the sky, “But we already know that it’s
going to work! We just have to get through the
information age!”

Julia’s belly laugh made him smile and grin at her.
He looked at her thoughtfully and saw what a good
and genuine person she was. Even though the
premise he was working for her on this weekend
was an untruth, he knew that deep down she was a
good woman, and he understood her reasoning. He

was glad that he had decided to see it through and
go with her. She was beautiful and good, with just a
bit of anxiety mixed in, but on her sister’s wedding
weekend, that was to be expected.

“Well, my favorites... let’s see. I love cream in my
coffee, dark chocolate and green tea. I love to
laugh – comedies and romantic comedies are my
favorite kind of movies, but a good drama now and
then is always a good idea. I love San Francisco. I
wouldn’t choose to live anywhere else,” she began.

“Why do you love San Francisco?” he asked with a
smile.

She raised one hand in the air. “Who knows?
There’s so much to love about it! I love the
sourdough bread, the salty air, the cold thick fog
that creeps in. I love the painted lady houses, the
huge hills, and Chinatown. I love Golden Gate Park
and the music that is created here. I love the
entrepreneurial spirit of the startup businesses that
have made so much success here. I love the ocean
and the Golden Gate Bridge. I love the boats that
are always out on the bay. I love the redwood forest
just over the hill. I love the diversity and the
wildness, the vibe of acceptance for so many
different varieties of people. I love the seafood.
There are a million things to love about that city,
and it’s why I can’t ever leave.”

She glanced at him and grinned for a moment, then

looked back at the road.

“I like the trolley cars,” he told her. “And
everything else you said.”

She laughed and nodded. “You’re a man of good
taste then!”

He nodded. “I am indeed. So what else?”

She bit her lower lip in thought. “I love good books,
especially ones that keep you up until the sunrise
reading them because you can’t put them down.
Those are the best! I love libraries and museums,
and I love art, history, ballet, the symphony, the
opera, and football. I like baseball too, once in a
while.”

He laughed out loud at her. “You are a renaissance
woman if I ever met one!”

She nodded. “I guess I must be.”

“Okay... how about your bucket list? What do you
want to do while you have the chance to do it?” he
asked curiously.

She threw one hand up in the air. “Everything!” she
shouted, feeling free and happy and excited as she
drove down the highway beside the ocean with a
new friend in the car.

He rubbed his chin with his finger. “That’s a lot.
How about the top things on the list?”

Her head tilted back as she laughed at him and his

eyes followed her full red lips down her neck to her
chest, and then he looked away from her, feeling a
little guilty for the way he had let himself take her
in. He had to remind himself that he was hired to be
her date, and that he wasn’t there because it was a
real date.

“Let’s see. I want to go climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. I
want to go up in a hot air balloon. I want to tour the
Napa Valley vineyards and taste all the good wine
they make there. I want to go out on a whale
watching cruise and see them out in the ocean
where they belong. I’d love to go diving in the
Caribbean. I want to go to Europe for a long trip. I
would love to learn to fly an airplane. How’s that?”
she asked with a grin.

“That’s a good list!” he told her. “I hope that you
get to do all of those things.”

She nodded. “Me too!”

She glanced at him for a moment and then said,
“Okay, my turn... why are you working at an escort
service? You seem like a good man. You’re smart
and handsome... why the escort service?”

He shrugged. “Well, I’ll be honest, I’m a starving
artist, really. I paint and I sculpt, and so far my
work has been as yet unloved by the masses of art
lovers out there, so to keep the wolf from the door,
I date women who pay me to date them, or escort

them, as the case may be.”

Julia smiled in an understanding way. “I get it. You
do what you have to do to make it all work!” She
reached over and patted his shoulder. “I’m really
grateful that you’re doing it for me, though,
because you’re really saving me this weekend.”

He smiled back at her. “Well, I’m glad to be saving
you. So, tell me what Theo is like, so I will know
what they expect me to be.”

She pursed her lips in thought and shook her head
slowly. “You know what, you have the part of a
lifetime here, because they’ve never met him and I
almost never talk about him. They know almost
nothing about him. You can make Theo anything
you want him to be. All that they know is that he
and I get into arguments from time to time and
we’ve broken up and gone back out again
afterward. They don’t really know why, they just
know that things have been bumpy for us from time
to time.”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “So, really, I
could be anyone at all! That’s fantastic! Do you
want me to be someone that you would keep
around or someone that you might break it off with
sometime soon?”

Julia immediately shook her head. “We want to
look like we are deeply in love and things are going

beyond amazing for us, because if my mother
thinks for one second that she can get me hooked
up with Ronald, she’s going to do it. She already
knows that things have been hard for us, so she’s
not going to be on your side, and you’re white, so
that’s not going to help our case at all, but we’ve
got to show her and Ronald that we are solidly
together and there is absolutely no possibility that
either one of them could come between us. We
have to show them that no one has ever loved each
other as much as we love each other, or they’re
going to try to make me go to the dark side and
marry Ronald.”

She shuddered at the thought and he laughed at her.

“So... that means we’re going to be affectionate
with each other all weekend?” he asked with a little
trepidation.

She realized then what he was saying. “Oh...” she
bit her lower lip and it made him smile. “Uh... yes. I
guess I didn’t think about that.”

He laughed. “Yeah, it wasn’t in the job description
that I’d be holding your hand, or hugging you, or
kissing you in front of your whole family.”

Her eyes got big and she drew in her breath as she
realized that he was right. They would have to do
all of those things for anyone to believe it. “I am so
sorry,” she said with a grimace.

He chuckled at her. “I’m not. You’re a beautiful
woman and a good lady. I think I can suffer through
some romantic acting with you. I just hope it’s all
right with you.”

She nodded her head. “It’s going to have to be.
We’ve got to make everyone believe it!”

Derek looked at her with a cocked eyebrow and
asked her a question that had been burning the edge
of his mind ever since she had brought it up. “So
you haven’t ever actually really dated a white man
before, have you?”

Julia looked around at him slowly and shook her
head almost imperceptibly. “No, I haven’t. This is a
first for me.”

He smiled a little. “Well, it’s a first for me, too. I
think we can make it work, though.”

She tilted her head and gave him a grin. “Do you
think so? Do you think you can fool my family into
believing that we’ve been deeply in love for two
years?”

Derek grinned. “I’m going to give it my best shot.”

They drove on over hills and down them, around
sharp corners and through small seaside towns, and
made their way down the beautiful California
coastline, talking and getting to know one another
as they went. The further they went, the more they
both felt like old friends who hadn’t seen each

other in a long while, and the more comfortable it
made them.

Derek’s easy going manner and attitude made the
partnership more comfortable for Julia, and the
prospect of selling him to her family and Ronald as
her long term boyfriend much easier.

“So,” she said, looking over at him for a moment,
“do you have a girlfriend or do you just date the
women who pay you and call that good for a
romantic life?”

His smile slipped away a little bit and she knew
then that she had touched a sore spot in his heart.

“Well, the truth is that the paid dating is actually a
pretty lonely thing. I don’t have a girlfriend. I do
just date the women who pay me, but it’s lonely
because they want me with them on their arm as
someone to adore them, or keep them company, or
for show. They aren’t with me because they are
interested in me as a person, and at first I was okay
with that, but then it really begins to feel like a job
because none of them are with me for myself. I’m
being paid, they are putting me on display, and it’s
all very... cold and calculating. Some of them want
more than just the public show and I don’t ever do
that. I’m not a prostitute. I’m just escorting to pay
the bills. It’s not a career for me, but it takes up a
lot of my nights so I don’t really have time to date,
and I wind up feeling alone a lot of the time

because of it. It’s a weird situation.” He sighed and
shrugged his shoulders.

Then he looked at her and realized that she felt
badly for him. “Oh! I’ve made you uncomfortable.
I’m sorry. Too much information?” he asked.

She laughed at him and the difficult moment
dissolved. “It was your turn for a TMI moment.”
She was quiet a minute and then she added, “You
know, it’s not my business at all, but I feel sorry for
you. I wouldn’t have imagined that it could be a
lonely lifestyle, but now that you have explained it
like that, I can see why it would be. I hope that
you’re able to make something of your artwork
soon so that you don’t have to keep dating for
money.”

He nodded adamantly. “Me too!”

They stopped at little cafe on the beach for lunch
and ate fish and chips and drinking lemonade.
When they finished he looked at her and asked,
“Would you like to walk on the beach for a few
minutes and stretch your legs? We’ve been going a
while.”

She nodded and smiled at him. “That sounds
good!”

They left the little cafe and began to walk through
the sand to the water. He looked around them and
whistled. “Boy, this is beautiful, isn’t it?”

Julia sighed and agreed with him. “It is. I never can
get enough of the ocean. There’s just something
that draws me to it.”

Derek grinned and reached for her hand, holding it
in his and drawing her near to him. “Me, too,” he
said softly.

She felt her nerves begin to dance all through her
body as he pulled her close to him and lifted his
hand gently to her face. “I hope you don’t mind,
but I thought maybe we’d have our first kiss here,
so that we have that out of the way before we see
your family. It might be awkward if we try to kiss
for the first time in front of them. I don’t want to
blow my cover right away!”

She hadn’t thought about a first kiss with him, and
the idea of it made her heart began to beat swiftly.
“Right... of course. We’d want to already have that
figure out,” she agreed quietly.

He slid his hands around her cheeks and tilted her
face up to his. “Just close your eyes and pretend
it’s someone you’re really in love with,” he told her
quietly. Then he touched his lips to hers softly,
brushing them over hers with the barest caress, and
it felt like her entire world twisted upside down.
She drew in her breath and her hands closed over
the muscles on his arms, holding him tightly as he
leaned in closer and opened her mouth with his,
running his tongue over the inside edge of her lips.

Her heart pounded in her and she closed her eyes
and lost herself in the taste and feel of him, as his
arms closed firmly around her and he held her
close, his tongue moving over and around hers, as
his hands slid from her face into her red curls. He
held her that way, kissing her deeply for a long
moment and then he let her go and there was
something strange and electric in his eyes that
hadn’t been there before. She felt that same
electricity in her body, and all she could do was try
to catch her breath and stand up straight.

She held to him for a moment and his serious
expression gave way slowly to a smile. “Wow,” he
said softly.

She raised her eyebrows. “Wow indeed,” she
repeated.

“So, that wasn’t so bad,” he told her quietly, his
hands moving slowly from her curls over the sides
of her neck and just barely touching her collar bone
before they dropped away from her, sending waves
of heat through her as his touch drifted over her
skin.

“No...” she sighed. “That wasn’t bad at all.”

He tilted his head slightly and turned away for a
moment and then looked back at her. “I’d believe
it, if I saw us kissing like that.”

She laughed a little. “Me, too,” she told him and

then she turned in the sand and tipped her head at
the car. “We’d better go. We have to get there in
time to check in and get ready to have dinner with
everyone.”

He nodded. “Dinner with the family. Okay, let’s do
it.”

Chapter Three

They walked back to the car and got in, both of
them unsure of how to go back to the easy
friendship that had begun between them, now that
they had tasted a wild electricity with one another.

Julia turned the radio on and for a little while, the
miles spun away from them with the music, but
then some of their favorite songs came on and they
began singing along with the radio a little, and then
singing along with the radio full blast, with
shameless abandon, and the easiness they had
found in the beginning returned to them.

They drove on without stopping for much more
than gas and snacks, and occasionally a photograph
along the beautiful coastal highway, and by six that
night they had pulled into the hotel parking lot.
They were both impressed with it. It was a huge
glistening resort on the beach, with every nuance
and amenity that could possibly be desired. The
valet took her car and as they were walking toward
the front desk, Derek pulled Julia aside and looked
into her big brown eyes.

“I didn’t ask before, but I’ll need to know before
we get to the front desk. Are we staying in the same
room? It seems like if we’ve been together for two
years that we would be.” His earnest eyes searched

hers, making sure everything would be all right with
her if he did stay with her. He didn’t really see that
they had a choice, and he was worried that it might
be awkward for her.

She drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “We
are going to have to be in the same room together
for this to be believable. Are you all right with
that?”

He nodded and gave her a half smile. “We’ve got to
make it believable. We can do it.”

They turned together and headed toward the desk,
hand in hand.

“Hello!” greeted the bubbly clerk at the check in
counter. “Do you have a reservation with us?” she
asked with a megawatt grin.

“Yes, here’s my ID,” Julia said, handing her
driver’s license over to the girl.

The girl looked it up in the computer and her
eyebrows shot up, “Oh! You’re with the bridal
party this weekend! Lovely! Well, the bride has
your room booked for you. You’re in a suite
overlooking the ocean and the beach. It’s one of
our best rooms. Now, it connects to the other suite
next door to yours where some of your family is
staying.”

Julia raised one eyebrow in concern. “My room
connects to another room that my family is staying

in?”

The clerk bobbed her head with a friendly grin.
“That’s right!”

“Who’s staying in there?” she asked in trepidation.

The girl looked back at her computer and checked.
“Evelyn and George Robinson,” she told them.

Julia turned to glance at Derek. “My parents...
well... that’s... nice.” she said with a fake smile
plastered on her face.

The girl at the counter missed her reaction, as she
was busy gathering the room key and hotel
information for them. “Here’s everything you’ll
need. Please let us know if there is anything we can
do to make your stay more comfortable!” she
beamed at them both.

They thanked her and walked away and Julia
muttered under her breath, “You could put my
parents on another floor of the hotel. That would
make my stay more comfortable.”

Derek laughed a little and placed his hand on her
back, walking down the hall with her to their room.
It was an enormous place: they had their own
kitchen, sitting room, a bathroom with a jacuzzi tub,
and a large bedroom with a king sized bed in it and
a balcony going off of it through glass doors that
led to a private beach for them, surrounded by lush
vegetation for privacy.

There was a door in the sitting room that Julia
looked at suspiciously. She was sure that her
parents must be staying in the room beyond it. She
took her bags into the bedroom and set them on the
bed, looking around at the bedroom. It was a truly
beautiful room. Derek set his bag on the couch.

Julia walked back into the sitting room and saw him
there and said, “I think that the couch folds out into
a bed. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize they had already
booked a room like this. I was going to get us a
room with double beds so you’d have somewhere
comfortable to sleep.”

He shrugged. “I’ll be fine. It won’t be the first time
I’ve slept on—”

Derek was interrupted by a knock on the door in
the sitting room, which opened up immediately
after the knock, and in through the door walked an
older woman and man who looked at them both
with wide eyes.

Julia’s jaw dropped slightly and she stared in
surprise. “Mom! Dad! Uh... hi!” she went to them
and hugged them tightly, and they hugged her back,
holding her for a long while.

“I have missed my baby so much!” her mother said,
holding her greedily before releasing her to her
father so he could hug her as well.

They let her go and then all three of them turned

and looked at Derek.

“This must be Theo, right?” her dad asked with a
smile as he reached his hand forward. “I’m glad to
meet you, son. I wish we’d met before now. I’m
George, and this is Evelyn.”

Derek reached out for his hand and shook it, feeling
the man’s strength and gentleness in his grip. He
smiled at her parents and her parents both smiled
back warmly at him.

“I didn’t know if I was ever going to meet you!”
Evelyn told him with a smile. “I’m so glad you
were able to make it. This is a nice surprise.” She
looked at Julia and winked. “I guess Ronald will be
disappointed.”

Derek looked from Evelyn to Julia and then he
wrapped his arm around Julia’s shoulder and leaned
close to her, kissing her cheek and making her eyes
fly wide open in surprise. “I’m not letting anyone
else get near my girl. I love her too much to let her
be stolen away by another man. I’m sure he’s a
great guy, but she’s spoken for.” He kissed her
cheek again and held his arm around her shoulders
snugly. Her face flooded with warmth and her
breath caught in her chest.

Evelyn smiled at them both and nodded, and then
she looked down at his bag on the couch. “Aren’t
you going to take that in your room and unpack?”

Derek glanced down at his bag and raised his
eyebrows. “Oh! Oh yes... I just set it there for a
moment while we were looking at the place. It’s
nice isn’t it? Huge. I didn’t expect it to be so big. I
might need a guide and a map just to get around in
here! Did you two get a good room as well?” he
asked with a smile.

George nodded. “We did. It’s a well-appointed
suite. I’m pleased with it.” He smiled at Derek.
Evelyn nodded.

“I like it really well. Especially since it connects to
your room! I can spend a little more time with both
of you. I don’t get to see my girl very often, and I
am interested in getting to know you, Theo.”

Derek nodded. “I’m really looking forward to
getting to know you both as well. We’ve been
putting this off for far too long.”

George smiled at them. “Well, we’re meeting up for
dinner at seven, so we better let you kids get
unpacked. We’ll see you in the banquet room.” He
nodded to them and walked back into his room, and
Evelyn hugged her daughter once more and smiled
thinly at Derek and then followed her husband,
closing the door behind her.

Julia looked around the handle and tried to flip the
lock but it wouldn’t budge.

“The lock doesn’t work!” she whispered frantically.

“The lock doesn’t work!”

Derek tried to move it and he couldn’t get it to
budge either. He sighed and looked at her. “I’m
sorry, but I think you’re right. They could walk in
here at any point.”

She covered her face with her hands and then
looked up at him with wide eyes. “That means
you’ll have to sleep in my bed with me,” she
whispered to him.

He nodded. “I thought as much. I’ll put my bag in
there.” Then he wrapped his arms around her and
hugged her. “It’ll be okay. The hardest part is over.
I met your parents and they took it well, much
better than you thought they were going to, so let’s
count that as a win and move forward. Okay?”

She nodded and laughed lightly, amazed at the fact
that her parents hadn’t lost it like she thought they
would when they met her white boyfriend. “I guess
I was wrong about that. I thought it would be
awful.”

Derek shrugged. “Well, they surprised you in a
good way, and that’s really nice.”

He set his bag in the bedroom and looked at the bed
and then raised his eyes to meet hers. “I promise
not to kick you in my sleep,” he told her with a
straight face.

She laughed a little, and her tension began to ease

up. “I don’t promise that I won’t talk in my sleep,”
she told him honestly.

“Well, if you do, I promise to keep all of your
secrets.” He winked at her.

She took a deep breath and it came out as a laugh,
diluting her nervousness and easing her worries
somewhat.

“Well, we’d better get ready for dinner. We don’t
have much time.” She opened her bag and pulled
out the yellow dress, and Derek’s hand went to his
mouth in realization.

“Why don’t you go ahead and take the bathroom,
and I’ll get ready out here, all right?” he offered
with a smile.

Julia smiled back gratefully. “That’s generous of
you,” she told him, taking her bags into the
bathroom to ready for the rehearsal dinner.

She came out a short while later, her hair pulled
back up at the top of her head and her curls
cascading down the back a short way. She had
refreshed her makeup and her dress hugged every
one of her curves like a lover, moving with her as
she walked, and making her look like a summer
afternoon dream.

Derek stared at her when she came out, his eyes
drifting over all of her as his breath escaped him.
“You look amazing...” he breathed.

She couldn’t help the grin that took over her face as
she nodded in thanks and then looked at him. He
was wearing navy pants and cobalt blue silk shirt
with a navy tie. His shirt brought out all the bright
blue of his eyes and made them stand out even
more than they already did.

“You look really good too!” she told him with a
grin. “Thank you for doing this,” she said gratefully.

“Hey, I’m glad to help you.” He smiled at her,
letting his eyes move over the fine features of her
beautiful face and linger for just a moment, taking
her in and memorizing every detail of her.

He looked away from her and she took a deep
breath, reminding herself that she hired him to be
her pseudo-boyfriend.

They walked down the hall together toward the
banquet room and as they entered, he placed his
hand on the small of her back and followed her into
the room. One by one, people in the room began to
turn and look at them, and several of their eyes
widened in surprise, but they stood and greeted
Julia and shook Derek’s hand as they met him.

“Theo! It’s so good to finally meet you!” Samantha
said as she hugged him and smiled up at him. “I
didn’t think we were ever going to meet you!
Thank you for coming for this special weekend. It
means a lot to us that Julia is here, and that you’re

here with her!”

Julia looked as if her smile might crack in half at
any moment, she was so tense, but Derek just
wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her
close. “Oh, I couldn’t miss it. I had already asked
for the time off ages ago but we have a new
manager who didn’t realize it and I was scheduled
to work by mistake. They fixed it for me pretty
quickly, but it took a few days and poor Julia here
was so worried I couldn’t come. Luckily it all
worked out at the last minute. She’s been so
excited! This is all she has talked about since she
found out about it! I’m just so glad to have this
chance to meet all of you and share what is
undoubtedly going to be one of the most special
days of your whole life. I am truly, deeply humbled
and honored to be a guest here for this wonderful
occasion,” he said to Samantha and her fiancé.

He reached his hand forward to them and the man
with his arm around Samantha took it. “I’m Kevin.
It’s nice to meet you. Thanks for coming!” he said
with a wide smile. Samantha nodded at his side, her
eyes shining happily.

Derek met the rest of them: Kevin’s best man Eli,
and both of the other bridesmaids, Bea and Shelly,
who both gushed over him, grinning and giggling.
Then he noticed another man of medium height and
a slight build, standing just off to the edge of the

group, his eyes locked on Julia. Derek felt her tense
and saw her looking everywhere but at the man
who was staring at her and he knew. He led Julia to
him, though he could feel her not wanting to go, but
his strong arm around the back of her waist gave
him no choice and she plastered a smile on her face
as they approached the man.

Derek held out his hand and finally the man took
his steady gaze from Julia and lifted his eyes to
Derek’s. “I’m Theo. You must be Ronald Williams.
I’ve heard so many good things about you.”

Ronald didn’t take his hand immediately, but rather
looked at him intently and then shifted his gaze
back to Julia for a moment and staring into her
before looking back at Derek. “I’m Ronald,” he
said quietly.

He shook Derek’s hand and Derek gave him a firm
and friendly squeeze, though Ronald did not return
it. Then Ronald moved toward Julia and gave her a
half hug, kissing her cheek softly.

“It’s so wonderful to see you, Julia. I’ve missed you
so much. I couldn’t wait for this day. It’s been a
long time since we were around each other. Your
mother told me that you were probably going to
come alone.” His eyes flicked back to Derek for a
split second, and then they returned to Julia’s face.
“You look so beautiful. Even more beautiful than I
remembered,” he told her quietly.

She looked supremely uncomfortable. She smiled
and nodded. “Thanks, Ronald. It has been a long
time. I hope you have fun at the wedding.” She
couldn’t think of anything else to say to him. She
refused to lie to him and tell him that it was good to
see him; it wasn’t good, it was awkward and she
didn’t want to see him.

Derek knew she had hit her limit with Ronald and
he reached his hand to the smaller man and clapped
him lightly on the shoulder. “Well, we’ve got to get
over to our seats for dinner. I’m glad I got to meet
you.”

With that, Derek turned Julia on the spot and led
her closed in his one arm embrace over to where
their seats were beside Samantha and Kevin.
Ronald, not being part of the wedding party, made a
quiet exit and gave Julia a long lingering gaze from
the doorway before he left. She glanced at him and
gave him a half-smile, but then turned her attention
toward her sister. It was Derek who saw Ronald’s
look.

Dinner was served immediately and the room grew
a little more quiet as they ate. Julia had ordered the
chicken and Derek had gotten the salmon. He
smiled at her and offered her a bite of it, and as she
turned to him, he lifted his fork filled with fish to
her mouth and let her taste it. It was an intimate
gesture that she wasn’t prepared for, and she tried

not to look surprised at him.

“Do you like it?” he asked her with a smile.

Maggie, one of the twin sisters, looked at Julia over
the table and made a face. “She doesn’t like fish,”
she said matter-of-factly. “She never has.”

Julia’s eyes caught her sister’s as she swallowed the
bite and looked back at Derek.

Derek grinned at Maggie. “Don’t you let her fool
you, this lady of mine loves fish.” He winked at her
sister in a friendly teasing way and Maggie stared at
Julia as Julia smiled.

“It’s delicious,” she said to Derek and he nodded at
Maggie.

“She’s just pulling the wool over your eyes.” Then
he looked back at Julia and winked slowly, leaning
in to kiss her cheek and then smiling at her. “Aren’t
you!” he said with a knowing gaze.

Julia kicked his foot beneath the table. “Oh, my
tastes have just changed over time, that’s all,” she
said quietly.

Maddie, the other twin raised her eyebrows and
laughed. “Yeah, we all guessed that right away,”
she said with a glance at Derek.

Derek just smiled and her and then kissed Julia just
beneath her ear on her neck, making all of her
nerves jump and her breath catch. She fluttered her

eyes and looked at Derek with a soft smile. “How
sweet of you to be so affectionate.” It was her way
of asking him to slow down a little, but he just
grinned at her.

“It’s a wedding, weddings are romantic, aren’t
they?” He looked at the others sitting around their
table and raised his eyebrows in question. “Don’t
you think so? Don’t you think weddings really bring
out the romantic in all of us? I just can’t help it. We
have a handsome groom, a beautiful bride, her
lovely bridesmaids and proud parents, and all of the
family and friends gathered to celebrate one of the
most precious moments a man and woman can
share. There’s nothing more romantic in the world,
is there? Nothing that makes you believe in love
more than a wedding.”

Everyone around them smiled and nodded in
agreement, saying sweet things to each other and
looking at one another, and then back at Derek.

“It makes me think of all the romantic times we’ve
had,” he said wistfully. “Like the picnics we have
on the beach, the walks through the redwood
forest, the trolley rides we take to go get an ice
cream... even going for tea in Chinatown. There are
so many romantic times we’ve shared, even when
it’s nothing special at all.”

Julia tried not to stare at him as she watched him
spin her family tightly around his pinky finger.

“There was one time we were coming out of a
ballet, she just loves the ballet, and it was a busy
one. It was the Nutcracker at Christmas. Anyway,
all these people were pouring out of the War
Memorial Opera House and it was just pouring rain,
the fog was coming in and all the cabs were full, so
we were stuck there waiting for a free cab to come,
and I took her over to the sheltered part of the
building, where the overhang is, and I held her
close to me to keep her warm. What did she do?
She snuggled in to me like a little kitten trying to
keep dry in the storm, and I just couldn’t help
kissing her, and we kissed so long and so sweetly
that we forgot about everything around us, and by
the time we looked up, everyone from the theatre
was gone. There wasn’t a soul on the street and all
the cabs had vanished. We were standing alone it
the rain. It was so romantic.... and silly, I know...
but it is one of my favorite memories of us, and I’m
always going to love that moment when we were
the only two people in the whole wide world,
kissing in the rain.” He looked at her as if they were
the only two people in the whole wide world just
then, and everyone at the table stared and smiled at
them with romance in their eyes.

Samantha sniffed and grinned, wiping her eyes.
“That’s the sweetest story ever! Julia, you are so
lucky! You never told me about that!” Then she
looked at Derek, “Theo, that’s not a silly moment

at all, it’s beautiful! Cherish it!”

Julia stared at Derek, mesmerized by his tale and
shook her head. “You amaze me sometimes, do you
know that?”

He leaned over and kissed her full on the mouth,
softly and sweetly, touching her cheek lightly as he
did so. “You amaze me too. Every day. I never
want to know a day without you,” he said to her
softly, but within earshot of everyone around them.

Their table cooed at them with sighs of happiness,
and Julia got lost in his blue eyes for a moment as
he kissed her once more, her stomach erupting in
heat, nerves, and waves of pleasure as his lips left
hers and he smiled at her.

George coughed a little and Derek looked at him.
“How was the trip down today?” he asked lightly,
shifting the focus of the table, but Derek drew it all
right back to him and to Julia.

“It was incredible. I’ve never seen so much natural
beauty in all my life. We live in such a stunning
state. If you haven’t been for a drive along the
coast, I highly recommend it. This lovely lady and I
got out at lunch and playing on the beach,” he
laughed and looked down in mock embarrassment,
“I did what I always do... I drew a heart in the sand
and wrote our names in it, and added the word
‘forever’ to it. I guess I’m just a sentimental fool,

but I love her, and I always enjoy showing her just
how much. I know the waves will come and wash it
away, but I just go along the next time we’re at the
beach and write it again. No matter how many
times the sea takes it off of the sand like a kept
secret, as long as I live I will keep going back to
write it again. Maybe the ocean is keeping all of
those hearts somewhere in the deep, saving them
like we save sea shells, and holding on to them for
their beauty and special meaning.” Derek lifted
Julia’s hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers
softly, letting his lips linger on them and staring into
her eyes.

She felt her stomach flip upside down and her heart
began to pound and she had to remind herself that
she was paying him to be that way with her. She
told herself to stop being a silly romantic fool and
focus on the wedding and on her sister.

“Well, I’m a believer, Theo. You said weddings are
the most romantic things and there’s been nothing
but romance since the two of you walked in the
door!” Shelly said as she gazed at Derek with a
wide grin on her face. “I wish I could meet a guy
like you!”

“Me, too,” Bea said, grinning at Derek as well.

Julia smiled and leaned in to him, resting her head
on his chest for a moment. She was glad that she
had made the split second decision to bring him

along for the trip. If she hadn’t, there was every
probability that she would have been sitting beside
Ronald at that moment, trying desperately to avoid
his attentions and his steady stare. As it was, she
was trying to keep her emotions, her hormones, and
her thoughts in check.

Dinner passed by with good conversation and there
was no moment when Derek wasn’t complimenting
Julia, paying attention to her, listening to her,
touching her or kissing her, or making her feel as if
there was no one in the room half as important to
him as she was, and her family noticed it. She
couldn’t help but be moved by it. When dinner was
over, they went to the space outside where the
wedding was going to be held. The staff played the
music that would be played during the wedding and
everyone took their places and ran through it twice.
During the entire rehearsal, Derek watched Julia
and when she was done, he took her in his arms and
kissed her deeply, as he had on the beach, tasting
her as he held her close to him, feeling her heart
pound against his chest in front and his hands on
her back.

When he let her go, her family was still around
them, and though no one said anything, everyone
had seen it. The music still played softly in the air
near them and since she was still in his arms, he
took her hand in his and let his hand fall to her

lower back, and he led her in a slow dance, turning
her and holding her close to him, as if they were a
pair of music box dancers twirling in time to their
own personal dance.

Julia wasn’t sure what to do at first, other than to
dance with him, but as he held her and turned her,
kissing her cheek, kissing her neck behind and
beneath her ear, moving his lips over her skin, she
let herself get lost in the romance of the moment,
and she closed her eyes and swayed with him,
letting him lead her anywhere he wanted to, letting
him hold her close and brush his lips over the skin
on her neck, sending shivers of arousal through her
body. She laid her head on his chest and listened to
his heart as it beat swiftly, and she closed her eyes
and let herself go in the dream of it all.

George and Evelyn watched and smiled, looking at
each other in surprise and nodding. The others of
the wedding party did the same, and then each of
them took up a partner, and as the song came to an
end and Julia lifted her cheek from Derek’s chest
and looked around, she saw that her parents were
dancing, Samantha and Kevin were dancing, Eli
and Shelly were dancing, and even Bea and Maddie
were swaying to the music from the edge of the
group.

The romance of it touched them all.

After a long moment bidding each other all a good

night, Derek and Julia headed back to their room
hand-in-hand, and it wasn’t until they closed the
door to their room that he let go of her and gave her
a little space. He walked quietly over to the bar and
poured them both a glass of champagne, and then
he nodded to her and tipped his head toward the
balcony that led out to the beach.

“Join me?” he asked softly.

She drew a deep shaky breath, not at all sure that
she wanted to, and definitely sure that she didn’t
want to miss a single moment with the incredible
man who was asking her to share champagne on a
moonlit beach with him. Julia breathed out and
shook her head whispering, “Why not?” and she
followed him outside.

They walked barefoot through the fine sand, closer
to the edge of the water shining white in the
moonlight and he handed her one of the champagne
flutes.

He held his aloft in a toast and smiled. “To a
successful first half of the weekend. You have your
whole family convinced that we are lovers and
have been together for at least two years.”

She shook her head slowly, “No, Derek, you have
them convinced,” and then she smiled weakly and
laughed a little, “and you almost have me
convinced, too. You were amazing tonight.” They

sipped their bubbles and she looked up at him.
“Where did you get ideas for all of those stories
you told everyone all night? All of your romantic
memories with me?”

He shrugged and looked into her eyes. “Oh, well
you told me what all of your favorites are, and I
just embellished after that. That’s all. It was one of
the easiest things I’ve ever done. I just... imagined
what it would be like to be doing those things with
you,” he said quietly, his eyes locked on hers as the
space between them narrowed and warmed
significantly.

Her heart skipped several beats and she tried to
remember to breathe as she lost herself in the blue
of his eyes and the sensual curve of his lips. “You
almost had me believing every word you said,” she
told him softly.

He just smiled at her. “Then I’m sure your family
believed it, too.”

She swallowed the rest of her champagne and then
without thinking, and without any pretense, she
lifted herself up on her toes, slid her arms around
his neck and kissed him softly, closing her eyes and
parting her lips, letting her tongue reach for him
and taste him.

He didn’t hesitate at all. He returned her kiss,
pulling her against him and drinking her in, his

mouth moving more fervently as hers grew
hungrier, and rivulets of desire streaked through
them both. A soft moan escaped her and the sound
seemed to wake them both from their passionate
embrace.

Derek took a deep breath and stared down at her,
not willing to let her go right away, and she blinked
and looked up at him, suddenly remembering that
he was being paid to be there with her.

“Just... just for practice,” she whispered softly and
he nodded and let her go, though their bodies were
both feeling fully alive with electric need.

He let his arms fall away from her and stepped
back from her, lifting his flute to his lips and
draining it in one drink. Then he gave her a half
smile and nodded. “I think we’ve got it down.” he
said softly, and then turned and went into their
room. He took a shower and when he emerged, she
was in her pajamas in bed, with the bedside lamp
on and a book in her hands. He raked his fingers
through his hair and smiled lightly at her. She tried
not to stare at his thick muscles and bare chest. He
was wearing pajama bottoms that fit him well and
made her body ache for what lay beneath them.

Derek crawled into the bed with her and fluffed his
pillow a bit, looking over at her and smiling softly.

“Good night, Julia. I’ll see you in the morning.

Have sweet dreams.”

She nodded. “Sweet dreams to you, too,” she said
with a smile. Then she turned out the light and they
turned their backs to each other, though neither one
of them fell asleep for a long time.

Chapter Four

The morning of the wedding dawned and they rose
from bed. She showered first and came out in a
thick, terry cloth robe. He kept his eyes averted
from her on purpose and took the second shower
while she got dressed and began to do her hair and
makeup.

When he stepped out from the shower, he was
wearing a towel around his waist and it was all she
could do not to look at his gorgeous body. She
couldn’t get her zipper up in the back of her dress
and she turned her head to speak to him over
shoulder. “Could you please help me with the
zipper on this dress? I can’t seem to reach it.”

He looked up at her and nodded. “Of course. I’d be
glad to.” He walked over to her and stood behind
her, his eyes moving over the dark skin on her
shoulders, tracing her curves with his eyes down
her bare back to where the dress fell just above her
hips.

The zipper went from her hip to just beneath her
arm behind her breast. His hands moved over the
thin lavender satin and grasped the little pull on the
zip, and she closed her eyes and breathed in as his
hand moved slowly up her body. His fingers traced
a long slow line from the back of her hip up her
torso to the side of her breast, and there his fingers

stayed for just a moment, at the edge of the curve
of her breast as his body drew near to the back of
her and his breath was a warm caress on her bare
shoulder.

“Does that feel all right?” he asked her almost in a
whisper, his fingers warm through the material as
they touched her.

Her heart beat wildly in her and she tried to draw a
breath as his hand flattened against the side of her
body, his fingertips against the side curve of her
breast, and he moved his hand down to her waist,
still standing almost against her he was so close to
her. She nodded and wished that she could lean
back and lay against him, wished that he would
move his hands around the front of her body and
touch her. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe,
but his breath on the back of her neck almost
paralyzed her with desire.

“You look so beautiful,” he told her in the softest
whisper, and she was suddenly acutely aware of his
bare chest just a breath away from her back.

His hand rested on her hip and he wanted to curl
his fingers around it and pull her body back to him,
lean her against him and kiss her shoulder and her
neck, but he remembered that he was there as her
employee, and after a tense moment, and some
colossal will power, he let his hand slide slowly
over the thin fabric of her dress and let go of her.

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

“Sure,” he replied. “Anything you need.”

He walked away and headed to the bathroom with
his clothes, shutting the door behind him. She
leaned over to the bed and held on to the frame,
gripping it as she took a deep breath and steadied
herself, willing the fires in her to cool and
evaporate. She did not need a situation with a man
in her life, particularly one who was being paid to
pretend that he loved her. He was only acting, she
told herself.

But then... there was no one in the room for him to
act in front of. It was just the two of them alone
together. She couldn’t deny that she felt something
powerful when he was around; she felt something
magnetic about him that drew her to him and would
not let her go, but she knew that no matter what she
felt, she had to respect his distance and his position
as her employee.

They went to the wedding breakfast with the rest of
the wedding party, and from the moment they left
the room, he was by her side, paying attention to
her again, listening intently to her, watching her,
and he was almost always touching her in some
way. His hand held hers, or his fingers were resting
on the small of her back, or his hand would travel
up her bare skin on her arm or on her back, or his
hand would be held firmly around her waist.

Wherever he touched her he drew heat and
warmth, and it made her temperature rise and made
her ache for him until she was almost completely
distracted with everything he did around her. For
Derek it was the same, he seemed to be drawn to
her in such a powerful way that he could not leave
her side, and he could not hold back from reaching
for her at every chance he had.

He eased some of his desire for her in the kisses he
gave to her all throughout the morning and the day,
leaning over to kiss her cheek or her neck, lifting
her fingers to his mouth, or now and then pulling
her close to him and kissing her lips, making the
fires ignite and burn brightly between the two of
them.

It was evident to everyone how much they were in
love, and several people commented on it, but one
did not. One man watched Julia all throughout the
day, staring at her and wishing for her, but she
turned her gaze from him and kept it on Derek.

“He’s watching me again,” she whispered at one
point during the morning. “I know he doesn’t mean
anything by it, he’s just so stubborn. He just doesn’t
want to give up on me.”

A strange look came over Derek’s face; a serious
look, and his blue eyes were set on Julia’s brown
ones. “Well, he can’t have you. You’re mine this
weekend.” And with that, he pulled her into his

arms snugly and kissed her with all of the pent up
passion inside of him, parting her lips and twisting
his tongue around hers, making her melt into him,
and moan with need.

Her moan only made him more hungry for her, and
his arms closed tighter around her and he kissed her
more deeply. When he finally let her go, they could
hardly focus on anything around them but each
other. She took a deep breath and stepped away
from him to go to her sister and help her in her final
preparations for the wedding.

Ronald avoided Derek’s looks and he steered clear
of whatever group Derek was standing in during the
day, preferring either to speak to Julia’s family or to
keep his own company. Derek became more aware
of him as the day progressed and they were seated
near one another in the chairs as the wedding
progressed. Both of them watched Julia as she
walked down the aisle, her body moving beneath
the thin lavender satin that covered it. There were
white flowers in her hair and diamonds around her
neck and in her ears, and Derek was certain that he
had never seen a more beautiful woman in his life.

Her eyes sought him out for a moment as she
passed him and they shared a smile before she
looked back to the altar in front of her. When the
vows had been spoken and the ceremony
completed, the guests and wedding party made

their way to the reception in the grand ballroom of
the hotel, partially inside and partially outside.

A live chamber orchestra played serene music as
the guests ate and talked with one another, and
Derek and Julia were able to sit together.

“How was it?” she asked, looking at him with a
glowing smile.

“The ceremony was one of the most beautiful
things I’ve ever seen, but nothing stole my attention
more than you. I just couldn’t take my eyes off of
you. I’ve never seen anyone who captured me the
way you did today,” he smiled at her.

She listened to him with rapt attention as she spoke,
and she soaked up his words and his steady gaze,
until she looked around her and realized something.

“Oh, Derek. You don’t have to say things like that
when no one else is around. It’s all right.” She
smiled lightly and he placed his finger beneath her
chin and turned her face to him.

“I didn’t say that for anyone else. I said it for you,
for your ears only, because I want you to know it.”
His voice was soft but intense.

She blinked at him. “I... I don’t know what to say,”
she whispered, her eyes locked on his.

He shook his head slowly. “Don’t say anything,” he
breathed as he leaned close to her and kissed her

again. His lips moved over hers and everything in
her ached for him. Her hands moved to his face,
holding him as she kissed him back, giving him in
return all the passion that he was giving her, and
knowing without a doubt that there was nothing at
all fake about it.

They let each other go, and neither of them spoke a
word to the other for a long moment. That was
when Ronald walked up to them and stopped,
facing Julia.

“May I have this dance, please?” he asked politely.

Derek and she both looked up and Derek stood up
before Ronald, his eyes holding him with a serious
expression. “I’m sorry, Ronald, but this lady will be
busy with me for the rest of the weekend. We wish
you a pleasant evening.” And with that, he took
Julia’s hand and lifted her from her seat, walking
out onto the dance floor with her and wrapping his
arms tightly around her, holding her close to him in
such a way that nothing and no one could have
gotten to her, except the bride and groom who
came to tell her goodnight before they left for their
honeymoon.

Derek and she both hugged them goodbye, and she
kissed their cheeks and waved as they disappeared
in the crowd of family and off into their new lives
as a married couple.

Julia turned to Derek and smiled at him and he
smiled back down at her and sighed. “Well, it’s
almost over,” he said quietly.

A frown pulled her full lips down and she looked up
at him. “I wish it wasn’t,” she said softly, looking at
him as they held each other close and danced.

He raised an eyebrow. “No? Why is that?”

She laughed a little and raised the corner of her
mouth a bit. “This feels like a fairytale dream and I
don’t want to wake up. I want to hold on to it for as
long as I can. I want...” she paused, her eyes on his,
and then she stopped speaking and looked down,
only to have him slip his finger beneath her chin
and lift it so that she was looking at him.

“What do you want?” he asked. “I can try to give
you whatever you want.”

She shook her head. “We can’t,” she whispered.

He smiled and looked around them. “Of course we
can. We can do anything. We’re here, and while we
are here, anything is possible. What do you want,
Julia?” he asked again, his eyes looking straight into
her with a hunger that made her focus on nothing
but him.

She leaned close to him and whispered against his
lips. “I want you,” she said aloud, not believing she
had spoken the words to him, and not entirely sure
that they wouldn’t break the magical spell around

them that made if feel as if the whole weekend had
been real.

She had barely said the words when he gasped
almost inaudibly and in the next breath, his lips
were on hers and he was pulling her firmly against
him. He kissed her long and passionately, and then
let her go and he looked at her.

“I am yours whenever you want me,” he said
quietly, and without a word, she turned and took
him by the hand, leading him back to their room.
She didn’t stop to say anything to her family or
their friends. She just walked straight to their room
with him and locked the main door behind her.

Hand in hand they went, until the bed was beside
them, and then she turned and looked at him and
the words finally came to her.

“I don’t know what it is about you. I don’t know
what happened between us here, or what will
happen when we leave and go back to San
Francisco. All I know is that I feel something for
you; I feel... such a pull to you. I want you. You
have made me want you so much that I can’t
pretend anymore that we are just acting this out for
my family. I want it to be real with you. Even if it’s
just for one night. Even if it’s just for a few hours,
and when we leave tomorrow you go back to your
life and I go back to mine, I don’t want to lose this
time or this chance with you. I have to ask you. I

want to have you in my bed with me tonight, in my
arms. Will you?” she asked, looking up at him in
hopeful need.

He couldn’t respond to her. There were no words.
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her more
passionately than he had kissed her that whole
weekend. He kissed her as if she was the air he
needed to breath and to live, and then he looked at
her and smiled and said quietly,

“Then I will make love with you, and the light of
tomorrow will bring to us whatever it will bring to
us. Is that what you want?” he asked, his eyes
questioning her.

She smiled back with excitement in her eyes, and
utter happiness. “You are what I want.”

He kissed her again and his hands which had
moved over her hips and back and arms all night,
finally touched her where she had wished for him
to touch her. His fingers reached up her torso to
cup her breasts, touching them through the fabric of
her dress, running his fingertips over the hard
nipples that grew toward him, straining for him. His
mouth covered hers and overtook it, making her
moan deeply with need, and slowly, tantalizingly
slowly, he unzipped the dress she wore, sliding it off
of her body as she peeled his clothes from him and
bared him.

“I can’t believe how much I want you,” she told
him. “I’ve never... I’ve never wanted anyone like
this.” She gasped as his lips moved down her neck
and he pulled her down into the bed with him. They
turned and twisted around each other until they
were a tangle of arms and legs and lips and tongues,
and their bodies burned with a white hot heat for
each other.

Derek slid his hands over every part of her body,
feeling all of her dark satiny skin and canvassing it
with his fingertips, his tongue and his embrace. As
they kissed and touched and teased, her fingers
massaging his thick and solid arousal, the tip of his
tongue tracing circles around her hard nipples, they
grew to a fevered pitch and he slid his fingers
between her thighs, touching her gently at first,
rubbing and massaging her, making her sigh and
gasp with need as he began to slide his fingers in
and out of her, making her cry out with pleasure
until she arced her back and sighed loudly as she
came and his mouth lifted from her breast to her
lips to taste the sound of her orgasm against his
tongue.

In moments, he had spread her thighs apart and
thrust himself inside of her, sliding in and out of her
as they clung to one another, wrestling in passion
and fire, moving against each other until the heat
and friction overcame them and their orgasms made

them solid as one, the bodies locked together in
release and overwhelming bliss.

They wilted beside each other, holding one another
gently as their passion subsided and they found
comfort and peace in each other’s arms, and not
long after that, sleep overtook them.

***

When the morning light was early, he awoke, and
seeing her laying beside him, her body pressed
against him, he grew hard with need for her again,
and he woke her with his heated touch and kisses,
moistening her and making her need him so much
that she swung her legs over him and buried him in
the depths of her, moving over him with such fervor
that their need was satisfied quickly, and they
kissed softly in the early morning hours. They
showered together and made love once more, losing
themselves in heat of the steam and of each other
until he flooded her with his orgasm and she clung
to him with the intense power of her own pleasure,
and when it was time to go, neither one of them
wanted to leave.

They drove slowly back up the coast, stopping
along the way to kiss and touch and hold each other
outside of the car, and when they were getting close
to San Francisco, he watched her from his seat as
she drove and he shook his head.

“Julia, I can’t let this be over. It’s not because I’m
lonely and it’s been ages since I was in a
relationship. It’s not because I was paid for this
time with you. I can’t let this be over because I
want you more than anyone I’ve ever wanted, or
needed, for that matter. You have shown me a
passion and a love that I never could have guessed
even existed, and I can’t lose you. I know you just
ended a bad relationship, but I want to ask you... to
beg you, to give me a chance to show you that love
can be good. My love for you could be amazing;
just let me try it with you. Please... give both of us
that chance. Be with me. Be mine,” he asked with
hope in his blue eyes.

She grinned widely and shook her head in disbelief.
“How did this even happen between us? I can’t
even begin to tell you how much this weekend
meant to me. You were just supposed to be this
stand in, this fake... but everything with you has
been more real than anything real I’ve had in my
life. It’s like I was being duped all along until now
with you, and you are the most real thing I think
I’ve ever had. How did something so good and so
true come out of what was basically a lie to my
family?” She shook her head again and then
reached for his hand and brought it to her lips.
“Derek, I am yours. As much as you want me, any
way that you want me, for as long as you want
me.” And she kissed his fingers again.

He laughed out loud and whooped for joy, and the
two of them were positive that nothing could ever
be better than what they had together right then.

She took him to her house, and getting their
suitcases to her bedroom was as far as they got
before they stripped one another of their clothes
and she took him to her bed. They spent hours upon
hours loving and touching, tasting, squeezing, and
teasing. He laid her back and brought his tongue to
her core, giving her pleasure that she had never
known before, making her cry out and beg for
more, making her call his name as she melted
beneath him and he tasted the orgasm he had given
her.

He buried himself in her depths, filling her, rocking
her, moving in her so deeply that the two of them
were one, and when they had given each other all
of themselves time and again, they fell back into
her bed and slept beside one another, making their
dreams almost as sweet as their realities.

***

In the days that followed, they knew nothing but
bliss, and they shared their time between his home
and hers, almost all of it answering their need for
each other in one another’s arms. She saw his
studio and was incredulous of his artwork; his
sculptures and paintings, and he pleaded with her
for her to let him paint her nude. He did, and slowly

he began to fill up part of his studio apartment with
paintings of her in detail and sometimes in full
frame. He sculpted her in clay and created more
versions of her than she could ever had imagined
that she had.

As the days passed, one thing came between them
that marred their happy passions. Derek was still
working as an escort because he was not making
enough money with his artwork and it was an
awkward conversation for them to have with one
another, but it had to happen.

He sat her down one day and looked into her sweet
brown eyes. “I have to talk to you,” he said with a
somber expression.

She looked at him in concern and asked quietly,
“What is it? What’s bothering you?”

Derek sighed. “I have to work. I have to escort.
There’s a lady who keeps asking for me, and she
wants me to go out with her tonight.”

Julia sighed in frustration and nodded. “I
understand. I don’t like it but I understand.”

He took her hands in his. “It’s some kind of art
gala. She just needs someone there with her. It’s not
a romantic date, so I don’t want you to worry about
that, okay?”

She sighed and nodded, looking away from him.

He frowned and pulled her close to him. “There’s
no one for me but you. You must know that’s true,
and you can’t worry about it. I won’t do anything
to lose you. I promise. I know you went through
this with Theo, but that’s not who I am and she is
not what I want, and nor is any other woman.”

Julia sighed again. “I know. It’s just the thought of
it that’s so hard for me. I know you’re going to
work. I can deal with it.”

She meant it, but as she watched him shower and
perfect his hair, iron his clothes and splash on
cologne, she couldn’t help but feel a little jealous
that he was preparing to look so good for a date
with another woman.

Julia kissed him goodbye as he walked out of the
door and she sat on the sofa and watched
television, telling herself that it was going to be fine
and that she trusted him and knew that he wasn’t
out with anyone doing anything that would hurt her.

She watched the clock out of the corner of her eye
as it ticked by, getting later and later, and she knew
that he was out with someone else.

Chapter Five

The limousine pulled up outside of the coffee shop
where he asked her to pick him up, and he walked
toward the door, his hair perfect, his suit perfect,
his look elegant, but his blue eyes empty and
disinterested, not quite reaching his small smile.
The chauffeur helped her from the back of her car
and she stepped out to greet him. She was wearing
a tiny black dress that barely covered her medically
enhanced-breasts and her long bare legs that
stretched out from the hem to her black stiletto
heels.

“Derek!” she grinned at him and embraced him
closely, rubbing her body against his lightly. “It’s
been so long that I was beginning to think that you
had forgotten about me! Now, you would never do
that... would you?” she asked as she embraced him
and kissed his cheek, leaving fire engine red lipstick
on it, and then she leaned forward and kissed his
mouth. He did not kiss her back.

“Oh! What’s the matter? You used to give me such
good kisses. Come on now, be a good boy and kiss
me like you want to find out just how far I’ll go
with you in the back seat of my car.” She grinned
up at him and he sighed.

“I’m glad to see you, Felicia, I’m just a little

preoccupied tonight. That’s all.” He told her the
half-truth. He was preoccupied, he was thinking
about the look on Julia’s face when he told her he
was going out on a date with another woman.

She waved her hand in the air lightly. “Oh darling,
don’t worry about it, just come in here and have
some fun with me.” She took him to her car and the
chauffeur helped them both into the back seat.

Derek knew he had better play the part, even if his
heart wasn’t in it at all. “Felicia, you look so hot. Is
that a new dress? Did you wear it just for me?” he
asked in a sexy voice as he raised one eyebrow and
smiled a little at her.

She grinned and moved to sit next to him. “Of
course I did... I wore the dress for you and I wore
nothing under it for us.” She leaned over and took
his hand, sliding it up her inner thigh just a short
ways before she his hand go and grinned at him.
“Well, come on now baby, you know where that
hand should go. Why don’t you remind me how
much you’ve missed me? Come on...” she teased
him.

He pulled his hand from beneath her skirt and she
pouted.

“What’s the matter baby, don’t you want me
anymore?” She reached up to the soft bun behind
her head and pulled the pin out of her hair, letting it

cascade all down around her shoulders in golden
blonde waves. Then she climbed on his lap and slid
down to his groin where she began to rub herself
against him as she slid the straps of her dress off of
her shoulders and she bared her big hard breasts to
him as she grinned and leaned in to kiss him.

He looked away from her body, not wanting to see
it, and he looked instead up into her eyes.

“Felicia, this isn’t what my job is about and you
know it,” he sighed. “We’ve been over this, and I
keep telling you no. This isn’t what I do. I’ve kissed
you before, but that’s it, and that was because I
knew you were sad and you need a little TLC.”

She grinned at him. “Sad? Can’t you see that I’m
devastated right now? Come on... kiss me,” she
said, leaning close to him and pressing her lips to
his and her breasts just beneath his chin.

Her mouth was hard on his, biting and pulling on
his lips as she kissed him roughly and he reached
for her hips to hold her back from his groin. He was
disgusted with his body, which ignored his mind and
his heart completely, as an erection grew hard
between his legs and she felt it.

Felicia slid her hand down and began to rub it and
stroke it over the cover of his pants.

“Now that’s more like it, baby,” she moaned softly.
“Give it to me... please... I want you, Derek. I have

wanted you in me for so long. Let’s give it a shot.
We will have so much fun. I promise I’ll be the best
lay that you ever have. Come on, baby,” she cooed
to him and he moved out from underneath her.

“Felicia, I’m going to tell you again, that’s not what
I’m here for. Please stop. I’ll be happy to escort
you to your party, and I will be attentive and caring
and spoil you. I’ll take care of you and cater to
your every reasonable whim, but I don’t want you
like that and I’m not going to want you like that, so
let’s make sure that we keep this as a business
arrangement. All right?”

He hoped like crazy that he could get her to listen
to him. Last time she had tried to seduce him, he’d
nearly insulted her and gotten in trouble at work
doing it. He looked at her kindly now and shook his
head.

“Come on now, Felicia, you deserve someone who
really wants you. Someone who can’t wait to make
love with you anytime you need it. I’m not that
person. I’m just here to stand in at your elbow
when you need someone,” he told her earnestly.

She rolled her eyes and winked at him. “Oh come
on. You could always use a little playtime. I’d
rather have someone to stand in between my legs,
not at my elbow.” She teased him back and he
knew that he was getting through to her at least a
little bit.

The car pulled up to an enormous gallery and they
stepped out from her car.

“This is fantastic!” he said as he gazed up at it.

She slid her arm through his and snuggled up close
to him. “It’s mine. I own this gallery and four more
just like it. This is the largest one, though, but not
by much. Isn’t it great?”

He nodded in agreement. “It is, Felicia, it’s really
great.”

They walked in and she steered him around the
floor introducing him as her date for the evening
and telling everyone that she saw him sometimes.
He nodded and smiled, oozed charm and kissed
hands and cheeks everywhere he went. One woman
who was watching him with keen interest asked
him, in front of Felicia, what he did for work and he
didn’t hesitate a moment.

“Oh, I’m an artist,” he told her.

She looked surprised. “Well that’s wonderful! What
kind of art do you do?”

“I paint and sculpt,” he answered her with a smile,
tickled that anyone would take an interest in what
he was doing.

Felicia turned and stared at him. When they walked
away she stopped him and spoke to him privately in
between greeting her guests. “Derek! Why didn’t

you ever tell me you were an artist! All this time I
just believed that you were an escort! I can’t
believe you’ve never said anything to me about it!
Now, I want you to take me to your art studio this
week and show me what you’ve done. If you’re
good, I want to support you! God baby, I have four
galleries. The least I could do is put some of your
best pieces up!”

He grinned in surprise and nodded enthusiastically
to her. “Of course! I would be glad to show you my
art, Felicia, no problem.” He thought carefully
about when he could show her his studio. It had to
be when Julia wouldn’t be there. It was hard
enough going on dates with her at home worrying
without her having to meet one of them in person.
Also, he didn’t know how much support he would
get if Felicia knew he had a girlfriend.

“How about Thursday just after lunch?” he asked
hopefully. “Maybe one in the afternoon. Would that
work?”

She nodded and grinned. “Just give me the address
and I’m there baby!” she told him, leaning in to kiss
his lips and squeeze him tightly.

They spent the remainder of the evening walking
among her buyers and clients, and she began to
introduce him as her artist boyfriend, piquing a
great deal of curiosity among her patrons.

The night ended late, and it ended with her trying
desperately to kiss him again, and him sliding out
from beneath her once more and washing his mouth
of her lipstick before he let himself into Julia’s
house. He crawled into bed and all he could think
of was how much he wanted her and how much she
meant to him, and as he woke her with kisses and
she smiled at him, he was able to show her just how
much.

***

Thursday came and so did Felicia, walking right
into Derek’s studio apartment, which doubled as his
art studio. It was the first and only time she ever
acted professionally with him. She walked among
his pieces of artwork as if she were carefully
critiquing each one, weighing its value in her mind
and determining if it was a piece that she could turn
a profit on. She may be a fool for a good looking
man, but she was an astute business woman and it
showed in every moment she examined each piece
he had created.

At long last she turned to him and smiled. “You
have enough here for an art gallery showing. I want
you to let me host an opening for you at my main
gallery. Let’s set it for two weeks. We’ll put every
one of these pieces up and we’ll even add a corner
for whatever you’re working on currently. People
go crazy for things they can’t have quite yet.” She

winked at him. “What do you say? Can we do a
gallery show for you?” she asked with genuine
interest.

He nodded in disbelief. No one had shown the least
amount of interest in his art and now he knew why.
He’d been showing it to the wrong people. “Yes!”
he exclaimed to her. “Yes! I would be so glad to do
a gallery show with you. Let’s do it!”

“Okay.” She grinned at him. “Two weeks and the
gallery will be yours.”

Then she walked over to him and slid her hands
around his waist, looking up at him and holding him
close to her.

“There’s just one thing, baby,” she purred to him,
looking at him through narrowed eyes.

He had been afraid that there might very well be
that one more thing. “What’s that?” he asked in
hesitation.

She leaned her mouth up to him and rubbed the end
of her nose against his. “You have to be my date. I
mean, my date. I’m going to tell everyone that the
gorgeous young man that did all the work is my
guy.”

Warning bells went off in his head and he sighed
and said, “Felicia, I can be your date for that one
night, but not as your man, not as your guy or you
property; just as your date. Will that work for

you?” he asked, looking at her in concern.

She leaned up and pressed her lips to his, kissing
him slowly and hungrily, and he did not kiss her
back. She slid her hands around his back and down
over his ass, giving it a hard squeeze and pulling
him to her hips.

Then she let him go and nodded. “Yes baby, that’ll
work for me. Maybe you’ll consider this show as a
way for me to show you just how interested I am in
you, and just how much I want....” she paused and
ran her hand slowly over his crotch, “...everything
about you.”

She kissed him long and slow again and he stood
there, not kissing her back, not wanting to
encourage her, and not wanting to make her upset
so she would change her mind about the show she
was now planning on hosting for him.

“Come on baby, let’s have some fun before I have
to go, okay?” she said as she pulled at the button on
his jeans and slid the zipper down, sliding her hand
beneath the material. “Give me what I want!” she
smiled and winked at him.

He shook his head and pulled away from her,
fastening his pants back up. “Felicia, I’m going to
remind you again that things aren’t like that
between us. You have to respect that. I will date
you as your employee, but that’s it. Okay? Please

understand that,” he told her seriously.

She pouted and smacked him on the ass. “Oh all
right. I am still going to try to change your mind,
and you are still going to be my date for you gala
opening show, okay?” She came close and ran her
hands over his chest. “Do you promise me?” she
asked, her blue eyes looking up through her fake
lashes at his eyes.

He nodded. “I promise.”

She grinned and turned to leave his studio
apartment, blowing him a kiss on the way out.

When she left, he buried his face in his hands. He
was going to have to be her date for the gallery
opening night. He had no idea how he was going to
try to explain that to Julia and get any kind of a
positive response. Most of the recent paintings and
sculptures were of her, and he knew she would
want to be there to support him and encourage him
as she always did, telling him how proud she was of
him and making a show of her love for him.

He couldn’t begin to imagine the blow that it was
going to give her to know that he was going to
actually, finally, be having his own gallery show,
and in a Weston Gallery of all places, where he was
sure to make some sales and get his name out into
the art community in the Bay Area in even as far
south as Silicon Valley. She would either have to

miss the show altogether or show up and pretend
not to be his girlfriend while he walked around with
Felicia on his arm telling everyone that he was her
date.

The idea sickened him and he had no idea what he
was going to do. What was worse was that he had
almost no time at all to prepare for it. Two weeks
was going to fly right by them.

***

He spent the next week working hard in his studio
with every bit of spare time he had, creating new
paintings and sculptures, forming all kinds of new
art pieces in preparation for the show. He would go
to Julia’s place covered in art mediums, worn out
and tired, and she would shower with him, washing
him carefully and lovingly, taking him to bed and
rubbing him down, and then making love with him
before they fell asleep. He still had not told her
what it was that he was working so hard toward and
what he was preparing for.

When there was only four more days before the
show, he felt like he was watching sand spin around
the bottom of the top half of an hourglass, just
about to fall through it. He knew time was short,
and he was working extra hard, and hoping that
everything he was working toward was making a
difference for him, either then or the foreseeable
future.

Three days before, he knew he had to tell her, so he
took her out for an ice cream and a walk and she
was glad to get the extra time with him.

“You’ve been so busy lately!” She told him, “I was
beginning to wonder if we were going to go on any
of our romantic dates anytime soon again.” She
smiled at him and he nodded quietly.

“I know. I’m so sorry I’ve been so busy. This has
really been a crazy couple of weeks for me,” he
said, not meaning to have given her the exact time
frame like he had. She stopped walking and looked
up at him.

“What do you mean? What crazy couple of weeks?
What’s going on?” she asked curiously.

He sighed. “Well, one of the women that I... that
hires me through the escort service, is a gallery
owner. She has four galleries, and they are all really
big, really successful galleries between San
Francisco and San Jose.”

Julia’s brow lowered and she watched Derek
closely, looking for some sort of clue about what he
was going to tell her.

“Well, she saw my work and she loved it and
wanted to sponsor a gallery show for me to help me
sell some of it. I took her up on it,” he said quietly.

Julia grinned in excitement. “That’s some of the
best news that I think I’ve ever heard!” she

exclaimed.

He stopped and turned to look at her. “Well, there
is a catch,” he told her quietly.

She frowned slightly. “Is there? And what catch is
that?” she asked in confusion.

Derek took her hands in his and looked into her
brown eyes. “She is one of my clients through the
escort service and so because it’s her gallery that’s
showing my work and she’s done all of the
publicity and preparation for it, she asked if I would
be her escort there for the night of the show.”

He told her. He had finally told her and it felt both
wonderful and horrible to say it out loud. It was off
of his chest and he no longer carried the weight of
the secret, but the pain that the secret had caused
Julia was written all over her face.

She shook her head. “You can’t be serious. You’re
going to go to your first gallery show as her date
because she owns the gallery?”

Julia wanted to scream out to him, “What about
me? Don’t I count? I’m only your girlfriend! Why
should I come first? Oh... no... wait,” she thought.
“I’m not coming first. One of your other
girlfriends is higher up on your list of priorities
than I am.” She didn’t say any of those thoughts
though, she let them go and she just smiled at him
with her mouth in a thin line as she bit her lower

lip. “I guess... congratulations and... uh... would
you like me to be there are your show for you? I
could go as a friend, I guess.”

Derek saw the pain in her eyes and on her face and
it made him feel horrible. He didn’t want to be
Felicia’s date. He wanted to celebrate such a
special first night with her, but it just wasn’t going
to work out that way because that wasn’t what
Felicia wanted.

“Please come,” he told her honestly. “I really want
you there.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Sure. As a friend.”
And with that, she turned and walked away from
him, heading toward home so she could have
herself a good cry and get it all out of her system.
She didn’t take his calls on any of the days leading
up to his show. She didn’t try to talk to him and he
gave her the space that she so obviously needed
and he stayed away from her and from her house,
missing it every single moment.

It was as if he had lost his home and he felt lost and
alone, more alone than he had felt before they had
decided to become a couple together.

Chapter Six

The night of the show, he left a message for her on
her voicemail telling her that he hoped he would
see her there, that he missed her, and that he loved
her. It had barely been a few days since she had
needed the space and he felt completely lost
without her. He wasn’t surprised that he hadn’t
heard from her. He knew that she was hurt and it
hurt him to know it. He had caused her that pain
and that made it almost insufferable to him.

Felicia, on the other hand, was ecstatic. She kept
calling him and texting him, going over every single
little detail, until he was sure that there was nothing
he had missed. He took his artwork over to her
gallery and together they got it all set up.

There was a light food buffet arranged, there was
an open bar for the guests, and before he knew it,
there were guests, walking around and looking at
his art, praising him and shaking his hand, telling
him how incredibly lucky he was and how it was so
wonderful to find a talent like his where he had
been found.

Partway through the night, Julia walked through the
door of the gallery and he knew that nothing was
ever going to be the same for him. It was like light
and life had begun to shine on him again after a
long period in the dark.

He went to her and was about to hug her and thank
her gladly for coming to the show, but she held out
her hand to him and the gesture stopped him in his
tracks.

“Congratulations,” she told him. “The pieces are
exquisite.” She recalled posing for several of them.
Her heart ached horribly as she saw a tall slender
woman with enormous breasts and long lean legs
walking toward them. She smiled lightly at Julia and
slid her arm through Derek’s arm. Derek looked
down at his feet, shame coloring his face
somewhat.

“Well hello!” she greeted Julia. “Welcome to the
opening of Derek’s show! I hope you have a lovely
time here tonight. Have you had a chance to see
many of his works?”

Julia nodded in a seemingly frozen state. “Yes, I
have seen a good deal of his work. It’s brilliant. I’m
glad to know it’s finally being show in galleries.”

Felicia simply glowed with pride. “He’s so good. I
couldn’t do anything but share his incredible work
with as many people as possible.”

With that, she leaned over and held her hand to his
cheek, turning his face toward her. Then she leaned
over and kissed him, pressing her lips to his
sensually, as a soft sigh sounded from her, and then
she released him and looked back at Julia.

“He’s more than just an artist I represent, he’s a
great lover as well.” She grinned at him and his
gaze shot up to her as Julia’s mouth fell open and
she stared at them both.

“I am not your lover!” he snapped at her and she
blinked for a moment and then grinned at him.

“Well, maybe not yet, but at the rate you and I are
going, you probably will be by tonight!” she said,
sliding her arms around him and holding him in a
hug, and leaning up to kiss his cheek. She slipped
her hand down to give his ass a hard squeeze and
he pulled away from her and looked desperately at
Julia, but Julia’s eyes were filled with tears and she
turned to walk out of the door.

“Best of luck with all of your endeavors, Derek,”
she called back over her shoulder as she walked out
of the door.

He pulled free of Felicia and went after Julia,
catching up with her in the parking lot.

“Stop! Please! Stop, Julia!” He shouted after her
and he ran to her and almost pinned her against her
car. She turned to him and tears rolled down her
cheeks.

“How could you do that?” she demanded of him.

He was hurt and scared, and he spoke the first thing
that came into his mind, regretting it immediately.
“How could I do what? Sell myself and pretend to

be something I’m not to others for show? Just like I
did for you and your family?”

She covered her face in anguish and sobbed for a
moment, and then tried to collect herself and turn
away from him but he grabbed her shoulders and
made her face him.

“Julia! No! Listen to me! I love you, Julia, and I
don’t want anyone but you!”

He leaned toward her and tried to kiss her, but she
turned her face away from him.

“Stop! Don’t do that!” she insisted, making a face
and then looking up at him. “You have her lipstick
on your mouth. Don’t kiss me with her lipstick on
your mouth.”

He blinked and released her then, and she pulled
away from him as his hand went to his lips and he
wiped at them hard.

“I’m sorry.... I didn’t realize.” he said quietly.

“Listen,” she told him, “I understand why you did
it; you wanted to get your artwork out there so
people could buy it and you could make some
money off of it, but this just isn’t going to work for
me. You sold yourself to her so you could sell your
artwork to her. The problem is that you sold me,
too, right along with your deal. I had to come along
for this ride. There was no option for me. You made
me fall in love with you, and you kept your job as

an escort and then you chose your artwork and
your escort job over me.”

She grew sad and wiped her tears away again. “I
fully understand the irony that you and I wound up
together because I tried to sell you to my family,
but it’s different for me now because I’m in love
with you and I’m not willing to share you with
anyone else. I can’t live like this and do this. We
can’t stay together. You chose your escort job, you
chose your artwork, and you chose her over me.
You stood right in there and let her say those things
like she owns you, and then she kissed you right in
front of me! Of me! And you let her!” She wiped
her tears away and closed her eyes for a moment
and then looked at Derek again.

“I can’t stay in a relationship like this one. I’m
sorry, Derek, but we’re done. I can’t live like this
with you dating other women and getting paid for
it. I sure as hell wouldn’t be okay with you doing it
and not getting paid for it. I wish it was different for
you, but it isn’t. You made your choices and now
I’m making mine. I’m sorry. I love you, but we’re
finished.” And with that, she turned to get into her
car and leave.

Derek reached for her but he knew it was in vain
and he had to step back and watch her leave. She
was right about everything that she had said, and it
cut him right to his very soul.

She drove away and he watched her disappear,
knowing that everything important in his life had
just vanished. He felt a hand touch his arm and he
turned to see a short man with a lime green silk
shirt on and white pants with a black belt and black
and white checkered shoes.

Derek’s mind was yanked back to the present and
the fact that he was still at his gallery show.

The man looked over his thickly framed glasses and
smiled at him. “Are you Derek Carter?” he asked
with a pseudo-British accent.

Derek nodded. “Yes... I—” He glanced in the
direction that Julia had driven off in and he saw
that her car was gone. He looked back at the
flamboyant man in front of him. “I am Derek.”

The man smiled and clapped his hands together in
delight. “Well that’s spectacular! I’m Sheldon.” He
gave a little bow from the waist and then grinned at
Derek. “I own a couple of galleries here in the city,
as well as one in Seattle and four in Los Angeles. I
want to talk with you about displaying some of
your art in my galleries. All of my galleries, because
my dear, your work is absolutely sublime!”

Derek stared at him and stood as still as a statue for
a long moment before a smile broke out over his
face and he laughed.

“Really?” he said in surprise.

Sheldon nodded slowly, not taking his eyes off of
him. “Really. Also, I have two friends inside who
also own some galleries, and don’t you dare tell
them but theirs are just as nice as mine are.
Anyway, they want to talk to you about showing
your work, but I have first choice of your pieces
because I’m the one who came out to get you.
Agreed?”

Sheldon looked very serious and Derek grinned and
nodded. “No problem! You got it. First choice.”

Sheldon grinned broadly and then slipped his arm
through Derek’s and walked back in to the show
with him. “Now, let’s go introduce you to the heavy
hitters, and Derek, you want to watch out for
Felicia; she’s great with art and terrible with
people. She’ll leave you for dead,” he warned
Derek in a conspiratorial tone.

Derek nodded. He knew that firsthand. He glanced
over his shoulder once at the empty parking space
where Julia had been, and then he turned to walk
into the gallery.

Sheldon introduced him to Maude who was all in
black and had bright red lipstick on, and Percy who
was an elegant-looking black man in a silver
tailored suit. Maude and Percy were kind and
interested without gushing, and Sheldon gloated
that he had the best of Derek’s work coming to
him, although Maude and Percy were both glad to

have any of it coming to them.

By the time the night was done, he had finalized
agreements to show his work in their galleries
which canvassed not only San Francisco, Los
Angeles, and Seattle, but also New York and
Austin, Texas. Percy told him that he had friends in
London and Paris who would be clamoring after
him to get his work shown internationally. Maude
said she owned a gallery in Australia where she
would like to show his work as well, and Derek
walked away at the end of the night in a daze; his
heart ripped in half between the work he had put so
much of himself into becoming so successful so
quickly, and losing the love of his life.

Felicia walked up to him with a sultry smile as they
headed toward the door at the end of the evening
and she slid her arms around his waist and pressed
her body firmly to his.

“Let’s get out of here and go have a really good
time, shall we?” she said, sliding her hands over his
ass and squeezing it hard.

He pushed her from him gently. “Felicia, I
appreciate everything that you’ve done for me, but
I have a girlfriend and I love her. I lost her tonight
because of you, and I’m going to do everything I
can to get her back. You and I can keep a business
relationship going if you want to, but I’m leaving
the escort industry, I’m going to focus on my work

and I’m going to focus on my girl, and there is no
room for you in my life in any aspect other than
business. If you can live with that, we can go
forward, but if you want anything more from me
than a business relationship, then this is where we
are going to part ways.”

Felicia pouted fiercely for a moment and leaned up
closed to him and kissed him softly on the mouth.

“Well, I’d rather have you underneath me in my
sheets, but if you want to just keep it as business,
then I guess that’s what we’ll do.” She looked at
him seriously. “You made a fortune in sales tonight,
Derek, and you became the hottest new artist to
grace this city in a long time. I spoke to some of the
critics who were at the show tonight, and in the
morning when the papers hit the stands, your name
and face is going to be all over them. I’m not
foolish enough to lose your partnership with my
gallery just because you don’t want to get tangled
up in my bed with me. Although, if you ever
change your mind, that option is always open to
you. I don’t care if either one of us is dating
anyone, my bed is always open to you. Apart from
that, I think we had better keep our business
relationship strong; it would be best for both of us.”

She pouted again and reached up to slide her finger
under his chin with one last lascivious look at him.

“Too bad. Such a pretty boy.” Then she turned and

headed for her limousine, waiting at the sidewalk.
“Well, have a good night my dear. We’ll email
soon.”

He watched her go and tried to make some sense of
the supernatural high he was feeling and the
profound pain that had engulfed him in the loss of
his love.

The Final Chapter

Julia went home and wept for hours, feeling her
heart breaking as it never had before. Theo had not
caused her even a shadow of the pain that she felt
in her heart ache for Derek.

She picked up her phone and called her mother.
Evelyn answered on the first ring. “Hello baby!”
she called out in a sing-song voice. “How’s my girl
today?” she asked happily.

Julia muffled her cries and decided to go with the
truth. “Mom, I have to tell you something. Derek
and I broke up.”

Her mother was quiet a moment. “Who is Derek? I
thought you were dating Theo.”

Julia took a deep breath and explained. “Mom, you
met Derek at Samantha’s wedding. You didn’t meet
Theo. Theo is a two-timing jerk who I caught
sleeping with another woman three days before
Samantha’s wedding. Derek is a...” she hesitated.
Even in confession she felt that there were things
she could not say to her mother about who he really
was and what he really did.

“Derek is a friend of mine who stepped in to save
me going to Sam’s wedding alone. He just
pretended to be Theo to keep you and dad from
asking me when I was going to get married and to

keep Ronald at bay so he wouldn’t keep trying to
hit on me and follow me around like a little lost
puppy.”

Her mother followed everything she said and was
enormously sad about it. “I’m so sorry to hear it,
baby. We really liked Theo, or Derek. I wish you
had stayed with him.”

Julia nodded in agreement. “I do too, Mom,” she
said with disappointment ringing in her voice.
“Derek is an incredible man, and I love him and I
know he loves me, but there are some problems
that we just can’t seem to get past and we had to
break up.”

Evelyn sighed sadly. “We all adored him. You two
are so perfect together honey. I wish I knew what
to tell you. I don’t know what problems you are
both having, but I will say that you two should talk
it over and try to make it work somehow. Don’t let
it go so easily. Your dad and I didn’t always get
along, but we stuck it out and worked through each
and every one of our problems. If you really want
the love to work, you have to work hard for it. You
can’t just assume that it’s going to work and happen
and that everything will be good without you two
having to put some effort forth into it.”

“I know Mom,” Julia said sadly. “Your words are
ringing true, but I just can’t get through this one.
This one is too tough.”

Her mom scoffed. “That’s ridiculous. There isn’t
anything that the two of you can’t get through if
you don’t work hard and try for it. Now, answer me
one question. Why in the name of God did you
decide to lie to your father and me, and to our
whole family? What on earth would you do that
for?” she asked in sadness.

Julia sighed deeply. “Mom, I’m so sorry. I should
never have done it. I just wanted to come to Sam’s
wedding and have a nice time. I wanted to enjoy
myself without hearing you and Dad try to tell me
that it’s long past time since I should have married,
and that as the first born I should have been the
first married. I didn’t want to be pushed toward
Ronald Williams. I don’t even like him. I’m never
going to want him. He should be with someone who
will love him.”

Her mother smiled through the phone to her. “Just
like you should be loved by someone who cares for
you, right?”

Julia nodded. “Yeah, that’s right.” She loved it
when her mother made sense of her life. It
happened every time she asked her mother for
advice and she listened to the woman. “I just wish
there was a way around this problem with Derek.
He means so much to me and I love him, but this
one isn’t going to work, Mom,” she insisted again.

Her mother sighed. “Well, baby, what I can tell you

is that nothing is going to work unless you to. If you
want it bad enough, you will work for it and it will
happen.”

Julia didn’t think her mother knew quite what she
was talking about in this case, and she didn’t want
to tell her all of the truth, that Derek was an escort
and she had hired him to come to the wedding with
her, and that they had fallen in love while he was
supposed to be lying to her family.

She changed the subject with her mother and they
talked about other things, but her mother’s voice
and tone were comforting, and when she was off of
the phone with her, she felt enormously better.
Things were looking lonely, but they were at least
looking up.

She focused on turning back to the single life and
letting love go.

***

Two days felt like two years, or even longer than
that, as she walked out of her office at the
beginning of the week after the gallery show. She
had never focused so hard on her work and it was
wearing on her. She felt tired and sad and nothing
she seemed to do could quite take her mind off of
losing Derek. It felt like he was all around her,
seeped into the fringes of her every thought as she
made her way through the day, and not only did it

distract her from giving her full attention to
everything she did, it also made her miss him
tremendously.

He was an echo in her mind and heart that
ricocheted back and forth and would not be
silenced or stopped. She reached her car and
frowned when she saw an envelope tucked into the
window. She pulled the envelope from where it was
wedged and opened it up.

Inside was a thick sheet of paper folded in half and
on it was a message written in scripted lettering.

The battery from your car has been removed

and it will not take you anywhere, but
don’t worry that you’re stuck, because your knight
in a suit is here to save the day!

She sighed and looked around, expecting to see
Derek, but he was nowhere in sight. A taxi cab
pulled up behind her car and the driver stepped out
and waved at her.

“Are you Julia?” he asked with a smile.

She nodded. “I am.”

He waved his hand at her. “Come on, I’m supposed
to give you a ride.”

Julia raised one eyebrow doubtfully. “Um... I’m not
sure that—”

He shook his head. “Come on, lady! I got a job to

get back to! Let’s go!”

Feeling obligated and realizing that she was in fact
stuck, she sighed and walked over to his cab,
getting into the back seat as he held the door open
for her. Irritation began to gnaw at her and her
mood grew steadily worse as the cabbie pulled out
from the parking lot and turned in the opposite
direction of her home.

“I don’t live that way!” she told him plaintively. “I
live... wait, where are you taking me?” she asked as
panic began to mingle with her ire.

He shrugged. “I can’t tell you that, lady. Sorry. I’m
just supposed to pick you up and deliver you.
That’s all I know, and that’s all I can tell you.”

She glared out of the cab window as he turned and
twisted up and down the roads of the city. Finally
he came to a wide open area at a beach and
stopped the car.

“Where are we? How am I supposed to get home
from here?” she demanded angrily.

He chuckled to himself and got out of the car,
opening the door and letting her out. “I don’t know,
lady. All I know is that I’m done. Best of luck to
you.” He got back in his car and drove off and as
he did she turned around and her mouth fell open
as she took in the view towards the beach.

There on the sand was an enormous hot air balloon,

filled and hovering slightly above the ground.

“It’s something else, isn’t it?” he asked with a
smile.

Julia closed her eyes for a moment, trying to tell
herself that it wasn’t him. It wasn’t real. He wasn’t
doing this. He laid his hands gently on her shoulders
and turned her to face him.

Derek stood there dressed in a new suit that fit him
like a glove. He looked incredible. She tried to
focus on the fact that they were over and he was
her ex.

“What are you doing? What’s all this? And what
the hell did you do to my car?” she snapped at him.

He smiled at her. “Your car is fine. Listen, I really
screwed up with you and I want to make it right. I
have to make it right with you; I can’t lose you. I
love you.”

Tears stung her eyes and she closed them to hold
the traitor tears in. She shook her head and drew a
deep breath. “Derek, we’re done! This is it! You
can’t—” she began, but she was silenced by his
mouth on hers, kissing her softly.

She felt her heart expanding like the balloon behind
her, heating and pounding hard, like there was
suddenly life being breathed back into it and though
she tried to remain steadfast, she found herself
melting into his embrace and then she could not

help herself, she kissed him back, her lips parting as
he insisted on kissing her deeply and she could not
deny him or ignore her love for him.

When he finally let her go, they were both
breathless and she felt as if she was about to fall to
her knees with weakness and surrender.

“I owe you an enormous apology, and this is me
making that up to you. I can’t tell you how sorry I
am that things went the way that they did and that
you had to go through such a hard time at the
gallery opening. I’m sorry that things were strained
between us while I was working, but I want you to
know that the escort job was in fact just a job to
me, and that you are the only thing besides my art
that means anything to me. I had to tell you that.
You are everything to me. I quit my job at the
escort service. I’m never going to date another
woman besides you for the rest of my life. You are
all I want. I love you.” He smiled at her and held
her hands in his. “So forgive me, Julia, take me
back and let’s work at this relationship and make it
successful. It isn’t going to happen all on its own;
we have to put some effort into it. Help me do that,
so that we can share our lives together, please. We
are worth it,” he told her earnestly.

She sighed and looked down. He sounded like her
mother, and she knew that her mother was right.

Looking back up at him she sniffed and nodded.

“Okay. We’ll give it another try. We’ll work
together to make it happen.” She smiled at him and
he pulled her to him and kissed her softly.

“I’m so sorry,” he told her. “I love you. I can’t ever
let you go.”

“I love you, too,” she sighed and kissed him again.
“Now... what’s with the balloon?” She turned
around and looked up at the massive thing floating
in the air behind her.

He grinned. “That’s one of the things on your
bucket list that we are checking off today!” he told
her in excitement.

Julia blinked in surprise and her mouth turned up in
a huge grin. “Really? That’s for us? We’re going up
in that?”

He nodded and took her hand. “We are indeed.
Don’t think I’m going to apologize this big every
time I screw up, but this time it was important to
me to make it up to you and win you back. Besides,
I have another surprise for you,” he said with a
wink.

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Another one? What
are you up to?”

Derek took her by the hand and walked with her to
the balloon where the balloon operator helped them
both into the basket. Her heart raced wildly as she
held onto the edge of it and looked over, delirious

with anticipation and excitement. The balloon lifted
off and began to sail along the coast, sometimes out
over the water, sometimes over the shore. Derek
held her, his arms around her from the back as they
watched the world fall away beneath them while
they drifted into the heavens.

After they had become comfortable, Derek let her
go and bent to a basket that was sitting in the
corner, opening it and getting into it. He stood up a
moment later and handed Julia a glass of
champagne.

She took it with a wide grin and laughed happily at
him. “How in the world did you ever come up with
an idea like this?” she asked, shaking her head.

He shrugged. “It was your idea, remember? Your
bucket list.” He kissed her and lifted his glass in a
toast. “To the love of my life, all of my life. It is my
deepest hope and fondest wish that you will
promise to love me in return, all of my days.” He
lowered himself carefully to one knee and pulled a
box from his pocket, lifting it up to her. “Marry me,
Julia, please. Be the love of my life all of my life.”

She looked at him there before her with his heart in
his hand and her future in the little box held snugly
in his fingers. Inside it was a beautiful diamond
ring. She pressed her fingers to her lips, trying to
hold in the emotion she felt. She knew that this was
the moment that would define the rest of her life,

and she knew that there was no other choice than
to say yes to him.

“I will. I have to. I love you so much, Derek. I want
to be with you for the rest of my life.” She took the
ring and he stood up and slipped it on her finger,
and then pulled her close into his strong embrace,
kissing her softly as they floated over the world.

Epilogue

Evelyn waited at the first chair in the front row,
twisting her handkerchief in her hands and grinning
widely as she looked around her at the guests
gathered in the vineyard garden. There was a wide
canopy of sheer material that was draped over all
of them, letting some sunlight filter in, but keeping
the afternoon heat off of them.

Her daughters began to walk down the aisle toward
her as music drifted through the garden and seemed
to hang gently in the air beneath the trees that
towered over them and made a natural canopy. One
by one they came, each of the twins, and then
Samantha, and when Samantha reached the end of
the aisle, she and Evelyn and all of the guests
turned to look back where the ladies had emerged
from.

Derek’s heart pounded in his chest and his body felt
warm as he waited, his breath caught in him
somewhere, not quite able to escape. Then he
caught sight of her, and everything around him
disappeared, everything fell away except Julia, who
was walking toward him on her father’s arm in a
gossamer gown that flowed and drifted around her
like air as she moved.

Though he had become internationally renowned
and had become immeasurably blessed in his work

as one of the most popular artists in several
countries, he knew without a doubt that the woman
he was looking at was his greatest gift. Her smile
shone in the autumn glow around them, and her
eyes sparkled with happiness. When she reached
him, George placed her hand in Derek’s gently and
then looked at him seriously and said in a quiet
tone, “I’m giving you one of the most precious
people in my life. Take good care of her.”

“I will,” Derek promised him. “Always.”

As the sun began to sink behind them, setting the
sky on fire in oranges and pinks, they made vows to
each other that they would keep all of their days,
and their close friends and family celebrated with
great joy as they sealed their promises with a tender
kiss.

They walked through the vineyard to the reception
in the great tasting hall, and as they danced, Julia
held him close and turned her face up to him.
“Weddings are the most romantic thing in the
world, aren’t they?”

Derek thought for a moment and then tilted his
head and smiled. “This one is, but it’s only the first
day of the rest of our lives together, and I think
there will be many, many more romantic moments
to come. Who can say which would be the most
romantic?” He shrugged. “As long as I’m with you,
I know that the romance will grow and last longer

than we will. It will be in our children, in our
grandchildren, and it will be timeless as love should
be.”

Julia grinned at him, leaned up on her toes and
kissed him. “You are the most romantic, and that’s
all there is to it.”

He shrugged and grinned. “Well, I do try.” He
winked at her.

Evelyn came to her daughter and hugged her
tightly. “I’m so glad that you and Derek are
together, and that you got past your problems. I
want you always to remember that things can be
worked through if you just try. I was beginning to
think that this day would never come, but now I’m
so glad that it has. You’ve got the best man that you
could have, and I know you’re going to share a
beautiful lifetime with him.”

“Thank you Mom,” Julia said happily. “I want our
marriage to be as wonderful as yours and dad’s is.”

Her mother nodded and grinned. “It will be if you
both work hard to make it that way, and I think he’s
going to do just that for you.”

The night was filled with dancing, with happiness,
with laughter and most of all with tremendous joy.
When they had kissed their friends and family
goodbye, they climbed into a limousine and were
whisked away to the airport.

She kissed him sweetly as they left their wedding,
and then took his hands in hers. “Where are we
going?” she asked excitedly.

Derek shook his head. “You’ll find out when we get
to the airport. For now, just let it be a surprise and
enjoy yourself.”

She squealed in anticipation. “Part of me wants to
wait, and part of me wants to know right now.”

He laughed at her. “Well, not to worry, because all
of you will know soon enough.”

A short while later, they were standing at the ticket
desk and the ticket agent handed Julia two tickets.
The first one was to London, and the second was to
Paris.

She turned and looked at her new husband with
wide happy eyes. “Really? We’re going to London
and Paris for our honeymoon? That’s the best gift
you ever could have given me!” she exclaimed
happily, throwing her arms around his neck.

He kissed her cheek, and then he kissed her mouth
softly. “I’m working my way down your bucket list
bit by bit. I had considered Kilimanjaro, but then
we would be spending a lot of energy climbing and
just because this is our honeymoon and I want to
spend our energy doing other extra-curricular
activities, I thought I’d start with Europe.

She laughed at him and nodded. “That’s perfect,”

she told him with a smile. “I’m so excited to be
going there, especially with you, but the best part of
being there is just spending time with you. Nothing
else would make me happier.”

They arrived in London and checked into their
hotel, and the clerk smiled happily at them. “Our
honeymoon suite! Congratulations!” she said as she
gave them the key.

The long travel time pulled at them, making them
tired, and they went to sleep, but when they woke
up, they were well-rested, and Derek was more
than ready to begin their marriage as it should
begin.

Julia’s eyes were still closed, though she was
stirring awake, and it took only a moment for her to
realize what it was that was lifting her from her
sweet dreams. She smiled, her eyes shut, and she
reached her arms around Derek’s shoulders as he
kissed her neck and held her close to him.

“This is a nice way to wake up,” she whispered,
and he brought his lips to hers to kiss her gently.

“I think we should try to start every morning like
this,” he said softly as his hands moved slowly and
deliberately over her body. She felt the electricity
coming from his fingers, moving through her swiftly
as it woke her up and began to stoke the fires of
need and passion in her.

His lips moved gently and purposefully over hers,
kissing her and teasing her just enough that she
grew more anxious for him as they loved. He
smiled at her, looking at her eyes now and then as
his kisses drifted over her dark skin to the round
swells of her breasts, his hands and fingers
caressing and massaging them, making her moan
softly as she slid her legs around his and began to
pull him to her.

He caught her firm nipple in his lips and sucked at
it, as his fingers made their way down between her
thighs, stroking her and massaging her until she was
warm and moist, and needed him desperately.

“Derek...” she whispered his name and twisted her
fingers in his hair, “Derek... please!”

He grinned at her and moved to hover above her,
looking in her eyes and then kissing her softly.
“Yes?” he asked innocently.

“Make love with me! I need you!” she insisted with
an impatient grin.

Derek kissed her passionately then and paused a
moment to look into her eyes. “Do you know what
this moment is?” he asked with a wide smile.

She tilted her head and smiled back. “What is it?”

“It’s the first time we will ever make love as
husband and wife. The first of countless times that
we will be together like this in love over all of our

lifetimes. It’s one of the most special times we will
ever have together as a couple.” He gave her a
tender kiss and she closed her hands snugly around
his shoulders.

“Then let’s have it!” She grinned and he laughed at
her for a moment, but the next moment, he was
kissing her lips again as he pushed himself inside of
her and began to move with her in love.

Julia gasped as he filled her body, holding her
tighter and beginning to move with more urgency as
the flames of their passion grew ever hotter,
consuming them and compounding their need. They
moved as one, their rhythm building and waning
until their bodies had built to a fevered pitch, and it
was then that she cried out in pleasure, coming hard
on him, and he, in response to her powerful release,
did the same, letting himself reach his climax and
flooding her with his orgasm.

When they had caught their breath and they lay
together immersed in their bliss, she looked at him
and touched his cheek gently.

“I love you so much, Derek, and being married to
you is the best thing that could ever happen to me,”
she whispered.

He smiled and winked at her. “Well, my love, it’s
the best thing that could ever happen to you so far.”
He reached his hand to her belly and rubbed it

gently, as his light eyes twinkled.

***

Julia stood in the kitchen, carefully placing little
packets of snacks into the colorful square box
before her on the counter. She felt a tug at her skirt
and she turned to look down at the little boy whose
small hand was holding fast to the material he had
tugged on.

“Is it ready? Can we go now?” he asked in
excitement, his blue eyes wide and his grin spread
fully over his little face.

She smiled at him and set her hand on the side of
his head, running her fingers through the soft curls
that she loved to touch.

“Yes, it’s ready Nathaniel. Now, would you please
go get your daddy and see if he’s got your sisters
ready to go, too?”

The boy went rushing off into the other room
calling loudly for his father, who was making his
way into the kitchen. Derek walked through the
doorway and had a small girl toddling along beside
him holding one of his hands, while he carried a car
seat in which another little girl slept peacefully.

He walked up to Julia and grinned at her, leaning
over to her and kissing her long and lovingly.

“We’re all ready to go. We’ll drop off the kids and

then head over to the gallery to see what they’ve
done for my new show. I have a feeling that this
will be one of my best yet.” He grinned and winked
happily at Julia.

“I’m sure it will be! Every time slot for reservations
has been taken for the entire run of your exhibition.
You’ve hit an all time high with your work!” She
lifted her chin proudly and grinned at him.

He looked down and smiled, humbled by her praise,
and then he looked back up at her earnestly and
said, “All of you are my best work. The art is an
expression of who I am, but I am nothing without
all of you.”

Then he looked down at his son. “Well, Nathaniel,
are you ready for your first day of preschool?”

The boy nodded enthusiastically and clapped his
hands together. “I’m ready!” he cried out joyfully.

“Then let’s go!” Derek said a he led them all out to
the car and got each of the children situated in it.
“Off to the preschool and then to Grandma
Evelyn’s house!”

He looked carefully at Julia as she was climbing in
to their car and he raised his eyebrows, reaching
out to her and taking her hand in his. “This is one
of those days again, isn’t it?” he asked knowingly.

She grinned and wiped a tear from one eye. “All of
the days are special with you,” she told him. “The

big ones, the small ones, and all the ones in
between, and I’m cherishing every one of them,
and you.”

“I love you,” he said, leaning over to her and
kissing her.

“And I will always love you.”

THE END

Message From The Author:

Hiii

If you want to check out any of my

other books including my popular

“designer love” series then just

check

out my Amazon page here!

Alexis x x

**

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