“On it,” Marley said through a speaker somewhere in the room.
The only one from his team… Which meant she couldn’t even ask for someone else. It was Cade Blackwell or no one.
Jake looked toward Avery again. “Kristin Pearson does alteration work for us. She’ll take care of anything you need.”
Cade huffed. “It’s gonna take a lot more than a little alteration to tramp this one up.”
“I’m sure you’ll find a way to make it work. Besides, she’s an actress. She should be able to pull this off, probably more convincingly than you, Blackwell.” To Avery, Jake said, “Do you have any questions, Ms. Scott?”
Avery had a million, like how the hell Cade had ended up working undercover for the FBI. The last time she’d seen him, he’d been leaving her and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in the dust to join the military, but the hard look in his eyes said not to get into that one in front of his boss.
She glanced between the two men, from Cade’s rigid jaw to Ryder’s waiting expression, and in the silence realized…either Ryder didn’t know that she and Cade knew each other, or he just didn’t care.
Neither of those options sat well with her. But a bigger, more important question swirled louder in her brain. Namely, why wasn’t she protesting this?
Because if you do, you’ll never see him again…
Heat spread all along her skin and ignited a rush of awareness that exploded through her belly and hips. A weekend alone with Cade Blackwell. A weekend with the only man she’d ever truly loved and the one who’d broken her in more ways than she could count. She should say no. She should run from this room. But one thought kept her rooted firmly in place.
More than one counselor had told her the reason she couldn’t seem to find happiness with her success was because she’d never had closure. No end to the relationship that had changed every one of her hopes and dreams. And here, unexpectedly, was her chance. Not just to find her friend, but to finally put the past behind her.
Melody hadn’t planned this, but if she knew Avery was standing face-to-face with Cade Blackwell, she’d tell Avery to suck it up and go with it. God knew they’d talked about this moment far too many times late at night over a bottle of wine.
Her stomach flipped at what she was about to do, but she squared her shoulders, pulled up every bit of confidence she had as an actress, and said, “When do we get started?”
“Eager,” Blackwell muttered under his breath, looking back toward Jake. “That’ll change as soon as she gets there. Guaranteed.”
Jake shot him a look.
The door pushed open, and the blonde—Marley—stuck her head into the room. “Kristin Pearson can see her now. I’ve got a car waiting downstairs as soon as you’re through here.”
“Well,” Jake said, moving away from the desk. “Looks like you’re all set.” He reached for her hand. “Good luck, Ms. Scott. Don’t worry, you’re in the best of hands.”
Avery glanced toward Cade, but he wasn’t looking at her anymore. He was already heading for the door, leaving Avery with the view of him walking away. A familiar view. One she knew was at the root of every one of her personal hang-ups. But that was going to change. Whatever happened, when this weekend was over, she’d be the one walking away. Hopefully with her best friend.
“We’ll see.”
Purchase FIRST EXPOSURE in the WICKED FIRSTS Anthology.
RECKLESS
If you love sexy, steamy romance, try Sky Jordan’s
RECKLESS
Book 1 in her hot new Renegades Series
A couture wedding dress designer to the rich and famous, Lexi LaCroix's image means everything. Raised on the wrong side of the tracks, her years of polish and hard work are finally about to pay off. But crossing paths with a sexier-than-sin, bad-boy biker who makes her realize how much living she's sacrificed for her success, one touch is all it takes to threaten her carefully choreographed life.
Jax Chamberlin has been screwed over by gorgeous gold-diggers one too many times. Though he runs his own stunt company, all of America knows his Hollywood face even years after he's given up acting. Finding a woman who doesn't plan to use him as a stepping stone to success is virtually impossible, so when the charming and mysterious Lexi offers him a chance at a totally anonymous hook-up during an out of town trip, Jax accepts. Only Lexi is more sextacular than charming, and Jax wants more. Lots more.
But Lexi's got a major hang-up over his renegade lifestyle. And if she finds out his connections could catapult her to the top of her career, he's afraid the fantasy woman he's falling for might just end up like all the rest.
RECKLESS EXCERPT
“Now there are a couple of fine examples of men who could get your creativity flowing.”
Rubi’s voice pulled Lexi’s attention from the glass doors leading into the terminal. She followed Rubi’s gaze to the truck stopped in front of the Ferrari—big, dark gray, and dirty. Lexi’s blood stirred without even looking at the men. She knew exactly what kind of guys drove those trucks.
Then her gaze traveled over the two fine male specimens on opposite sides of the truck, talking over the bed. Both built as rugged and sexy as that vehicle. The one on the driver’s side was in his mid-twenties. Golden, sloppy hair sticking out from under a baseball cap. Unshaven. Tank top and cargo shorts showing off tanned muscles covered in tattoos. Just about six foot.
It was the other man who set Lexi’s body all out of balance. The one on the passenger’s side, who looked about Lexi’s age. His hair almost black and too long. His face dirtied with a couple of days’ worth of scruff. His tattered duffle sat in the truck bed near his hand, and his long legs filled out torn black jeans ending in scuffed black boots. The finishing touch—lighter fluid on a struck match—his muscled torso was covered in the sexiest black leather motorcycle racing jacket she’d ever seen.
“That’s a Brutale jacket,” Ruby murmured, referencing the Italian motorcycle company. She grinned at Lexi. “There’s a conversation starter for you.”
“Talk about a fashion statement.” She and Lexi had modeled in Venice for a short time, which was where Lexi had been introduced to the fine leather sport jacket. Sleek. Fitted. Sexy as hell. Expensive. Kinda out of place with the ratty duffle and torn jeans…
“Maybe he won it,” Rubi said as if her thoughts were along the same lines. “You know, in a race. Or maybe he’s a model for the company. Maybe—”
“Maybe you should stop guessing.” The boots were for motorcycle riding too. She knew all about the habits and hobbies of boys from the dark side. Lexi lifted her brows and released a long, slow sigh without taking her eyes off Biker Boy. “He’s just…” She couldn’t find words in the lust heating her blood, the desire zapping new connections between cells all over her body. “Jeez.”
Rubi’s laugh drew the men’s gazes. Their heads turned lazily, mirroring each other’s movement in a way that reminded Lexi of the way she and Rubi sometimes mirrored each other. But they were completely opposite, again like Lexi and Rubi. Golden Boy all light and smiles. Biker Boy all shadows and intensity.
Golden boy grinned at Rubi. “Looks like someone’s got too much money to play with.”
“I’ll share,” Rubi called back, raising her voice to be heard over the traffic and noise around them. “As soon as she gets out, I’ll have a spare seat. Wanna ride?”
He laughed, the sound low and husky. “Sorry, sweetheart, I’m taken.”
“All the good ones are.”
Lexi only heard the exchange but saw none of it. Biker Boy had locked on to her with an awareness that made all the hustle of the airport fade. He didn’t smile. Didn’t blink. Didn’t…anything. He just gazed at her with the kind of stare that heated her insides until she wanted to start shedding clothing and made her envision the crazy, sexual things she’d witnessed earlier at Stilettos.
She couldn’t see the color of his eyes, only that they were lined in lashes as dark as his hair. His face was just…gorgeous, with
hard lines and perfect angles. But he wasn’t pretty. Definitely rugged.
Her gaze roamed and roamed, trying to memorize him. Words like intense, deep, and complicated came to mind—not descriptive at all—but all ways she would have described him.
“Looks like someone’s zeroed in on you,” Rubi said quietly beside her. “Get your ass out of this car, girl. He’s hotter than nuclear fusion. What’s wrong with you?”
“I…can’t breathe,” she said without breaking eye contact with Biker Boy.
Rubi laughed again, making Lexi smile. The man’s lids grew heavy. His tongue slid over his bottom lip, and Lexi’s lungs seized to hold back a moan.
Oh, yeah. It had definitely been too long.
“Dude,” Golden Boy called across the truck to his friend. “Hel-lo, dude. Did I just waste my breath?”
Biker Boy’s long lashes fluttered like he’d come out of a trance. He turned away from Lexi, focusing on the other man, who said something else Lexi couldn’t hear and shook his head.
Biker Boy swung that horrible duffle over his shoulder, turned away from both the truck and the Ferrari, and walked into the terminal without looking back. His jacket had a white strip of leather high across the back and the letters of the motorcycle company, Brutale, in red block letters from shoulder to shoulder.
That was the most gorgeous jacket…
On the most gorgeous man…
And he was walking away.
To read more, purchase RECKLESS here
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bestselling Author Elisabeth Naughton writes full time from her home in western Oregon where she lives with her husband and three children. Her books have appeared on every major bestsellers list, including the New York Times, the USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Digital Book World and IndieReader, and have been nominated for numerous awards such as the prestigious RITA® awards by Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, The Golden Leaf and the Golden Heart. When not writing, Elisabeth can be found running, hanging out at the ballpark or dreaming up new and exciting adventures. Visit her website at www.ElisabethNaughton.com to learn more about her books.
BOOKS BY ELISABETH NAUGHTON
Stolen Series
(Romantic Suspense)
STOLEN SEDUCTION
STOLEN HEAT
STOLEN FURY
STOLEN SERIES BOXED SET
Aegis Security Series
(Romantic Suspense)
FIRST EXPOSURE
Eternal Guardians Series
(Paranormal romance)
BOUND
ENSLAVED
ENRAPTURED
TEMPTED
ENTWINED
MARKED
Firebrand Series
(Paranormal romance)
POSSESSED BY DESIRE
SLAVE TO PASSION
BOUND TO SEDUCTION
FIREBRAND BOX SET
Single Titles
WAIT FOR ME
(Contemporary Romance)
Anthologies
WICKED FIRSTS
(with Cynthia Eden, Alexandra Ivy, Joan Swan, Laura Wright and Katie Reus)
DARK NIGHTS DANGEROUS MEN
(with Cynthia Eden, Alexandra Ivy, Joan Swan, Laura Wright and Katie Reus)
BODYGUARDS IN BED
(with Lucy Monroe and Jamie Denton)
Copyright 2013 by Elisabeth Naughton
Cover art and design by Patricia Schmitt/Pickyme
Copy editing by Linda Ingmanson
This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locations are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used fictitiously. All other characters, and all incidents and dialogue, are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in encouraging piracy of copyrighted materials in violation with the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
Elisabeth Naughton, Stolen [4] Stolen Chances
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