THAT MAN Trilogy

by L'Amour, Nelle

  Should I tell her now? Fuck. I had to. Before she heard it from that sick bitch, who I knew would twist the story and make me look like a total shit.

  At the first red light on Wilshire Boulevard, I reached into my pants pocket for my cell phone. Balls. It wasn’t there. It must have fallen out in the dressing room at Saks. I made a sharp U-turn and headed straight back to the store. My heart was racing. I’d given Kat plenty of lead time.

  Foregoing the slow elevator, I bounded up the emergency stairs to the third floor, taking two steps at a time. Working out weekly at the steep Santa Monica Stairs had its benefits.

  “Looking for this?” my personal dresser Daniel asked as I exited the stairwell. My phone was in his hand.

  I was breathing hard, not because I was winded, but because I was stressing.

  I huffed a loud breath of relief as he handed me the phone. “Thanks, man,” I said and then hurried to the elevator. Before I could speed-dial Jen’s number, the phone rang. I glanced down at the caller ID screen and hit answer. It was Mrs. Cho.

  “Mr. Burns, Jennifer call me. She say to tell you she going home.”

  “What do you mean?” My heart was hammering.

  “She cry on phone. She say something bad happen.”

  God damn it. I was too late. Kat had gotten to her.

  I repeatedly pounded the down button but with no results. Fucking worthless piece of shit. Impatient, I flew back down the emergency stairs.

  Fifteen minutes later, I pulled up to my condo building, relieved I hadn’t gotten a speeding ticket. Leaving my car with the valet, I raced up to my apartment.

  Silence.

  “Jen! Jen? Are you here?” Frantically, I dashed from room to room, calling out her name. Fuck. Where was she?

  I phoned her again. Her cell went straight to voicemail. I left her an urgent message, telling her to call me back right away. A chill skittered down my spine. Maybe, she’d never want to talk to or see me again. Once again, I’d deceived her.

  Impulsively, I called my sister at her office. Perhaps, she knew something.

  “Hi, Blake. What’s up?” Her voice sounded unusually warm and friendly.

  “Marcy, while she was there, did Jennifer get a call or text that upset her?”

  “No. We had a lovely lunch, and then I believe she was heading back to her office. What’s going on?”

  Rushing my words, I told her what I believed had happened. My sister was one of the few people who knew what had gone down between Kat and me. Kat’s file was sealed in her office.

  “Jeez, Blake. Why didn’t you tell Jen?”

  “I don’t know. I should have. But I didn’t.” Stupid me.

  “Blake, it wasn’t all your fault.” Marcy’s voice was softer and compassionate.

  “I know. But I’m sure crazy Kat twisted things. With all her trust issues, Jen probably believed her. She didn’t go back to the office.”

  “Shit. Blake, you’ve got to find her and explain what happened before everything blows up again.”

  Pacing my bedroom, I blew out a heavy breath of air. “My secretary said she was going home, but she’s not here.” My heart beat into a frenzy. Maybe the news had upset her so much she got into a car accident. She was after all Calamity Jen. But then I calmed down. For sure, I’d know that by now. “Marcy, what should I do?”

  “Try calling her again, and then try one of her friends. Maybe they know something.”

  Marcy was always the smart one. Made sense. After trying Jen one more time, I’d try Libby.

  I thanked my sister and told her not to say anything to our parents…at least not yet.

  She assured me she wouldn’t. “Good luck, Blake. And call me the minute you hear from her.” She paused. “Love you, lil’ bro.”

  Her unexpected affectionate words touched me, and I thanked her again. I quickly ended the call and speed-dialed Jen one more time. Shit. Nada. Wasting no time, I scrolled through my contacts and hit Libby’s name. Fortunately, Jennifer had given me her number in case of an emergency. This was an emergency. Jen was leaving me.

  Libby’s phone, like Jen’s, went straight to voicemail. Damn it. She was probably in a focus group or traveling. In a state of panic, I redialed Mrs. Cho. Perhaps she knew more. And had heard from Jen.

  “Mrs. Cho, you said Jennifer went home, but she’s not at my condo.”

  “No, no, Mr. Burns. She go home to her mother. She say big emergency.”

  Jesus. It was worse than I thought. Yup. A big emergency. I’d broken her heart.

  “Cancel all my meetings and get Travel to book me on the next available flight to Boise.”

  Quickly, I changed from my suit into a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and my leather bomber jacket. I retrieved my overnight bag from my closet and hastily threw in a hodgepodge of cool-weather clothes and bare necessities.

  One hour later, I was on Delta Flight 4820, heading non-stop to Boise. I was comfortably seated in first class. But my heart was painfully seated in my throat.

  Hope I got you excited!!! Trust me, there’s never a dull moment when it comes to Blake Burns. The Wedding Story will make you want to scream and throw your Kindle at a wall… and hug this loveable bad boy at the end.

  And if you still can’t get enough of scorchin’ hot Blake Burns, definitely check out my bestselling UNFORGETTABLE series. In addition to Blake, all the THAT MAN characters are featured, including Blake’s over-sexed Grandma and Katrina (“Kat”), who is more evil than ever.

  CLICK ON THE COVERS!

  FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED!

  FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE BESTSELLING THAT MAN SERIES, A NEW STEAMY COMEDY ROMANCE THAT WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH, CRY, AND SWOON!

  Brandon: I’ve just woken up from a life or death coma. And learned that not only am I Hollywood’s number one heartthrob, but I’m also engaged to America’s It Girl, Katrina Moore. She may be a blond goddess, but my mind can’t remember shit. And my cock doesn’t give a shit. Because my heart started beating for another the minute she came through the door.

  Zoey: Screw Brandon Taylor. Recovering from his hit and run accident, my demanding, egotistical boss is more of a jerk than ever. And with those violet eyes, more ridiculously panty-melting beautiful. As his personal assistant, I have to attend to his every whim and need as well as contend with his stuck-up fiancée. Life isn’t easy for me. Despite my visible size, I’ve always been invisible. Maybe, the amnesiac is beginning to remember. A girl can dream. No man is more unforgettable…in every way.

  Join Brandon and Zoey as their unlikely Hollywood fairy tale unfolds in three full-length books releasing a month apart. From Los Angeles to the South of France, their love story has it all—romance, passion, steamy hot sex, glitz and glamour, plus an adorable little dog and a murder that could unravel everything.

  Excerpt:

  Zoey

  “Take your shoes off.”

  Kicking off my platforms, I’m having second thoughts. Anxiety is pulsing through my bloodstream and my stomach is twisting. But before I can change my mind, Brandon takes me by my hand and leads me into the shower stall. The water pounds on us, soaking us quickly. In a couple breaths, we’re as wet as two drowned rats.

  “This is kind of fun,” he laughs, shaking his dripping wet mop of ebony hair out of his eyes.

  “Yeah,” I laugh back, drinking in the contours of his rippled muscles that strain against his drenched tee. I gleefully tilt back my head and rake my fingers through my hair. Droplets of water catch on my tongue. I’m reminded of being a little kid and running through the sprinklers with my clothes on. It was something naughty and fun.

  “Okay, now let’s get serious. Do you remember your lines?”

  I meet his glistening eyes. “Of course.”

  “Good,” he says with a sexy lopsided smile. Without fair warning, he flips me around. His powerful arms circle my waist and draw me close to him. His hard body presses tight against mine. I can feel the rise and fall of his chest. My heart pitter-patters, an
d I’m glad for the forceful spray that washes out the sound.

  “Now, remember. I’m Kurt Kussler and you’re my beloved wife Alisha. We’re insanely in love. Two kindred souls united by body and mind.”

  I nod like a bobble-head doll. Words are stuck behind a big lump in my throat. I just hope I can say my lines.

  “Ready? Here goes.”

  I nod again. I’m wired up. Every nerve in my body is buzzing.

  “Baby, did I ever tell you how sexy you are?” Brandon, I mean Kurt, breathes into my ear.

  “No.” Butterflies flutter in my stomach, and I try to remember this is just make-believe.

  “Well, I’m telling it to you now, Mrs. Kussler.” He parts my wet hair and, then wrapping his arms around me again, he nuzzles my neck. I flinch in his brawny arms at the feeling of his soft lips touching down on my flesh. Tingles swarm me.

  And then he gropes my big tits, circling my nipples with his thumbs. My buds instantly harden under my clingy wet tank and another rush of tingly sparks descends to my sex. It’s as if my tits and my pussy are connected by a power cord. Holy shit! He’s turned up the steam.

  As called for by the script, I moan. But to be honest, I can’t help it. As he continues to nibble my neck and tweak my tits, my knees go weak. To my relief, an arm curls around my waist and holds me up. A trail of kisses travels down my spine, sending a shiver up it despite the heat. He lifts his other hand off my tit and cups the ample cheeks of my ass in his palm. He squeezes and caresses them.

  “I love every part of you,” he breathes against my neck.

  I’m so caught up in the scene I almost forget my line. “You’re everything to me, Kurt.”

  He draws me closer to him, and to my shock, he slips the hand holding me up under the waistband of my skirt. His fingers slide down my abdomen until they’re cupped over the crotch of my drenched cotton undies, covering my pulsing pussy like a glove. Hissing, he leaves his hand there for a few heated breaths, and then begins to rub my clit until the sensitive bundle of nerves is a bubbling nub.

  “Do you like this?”

  Oh my God. Was this in the script? Am I supposed to say something? I’ll just ad lib. “Oh yes. Please don’t stop.” My voice is a breathy, desperate plea.

  “Don’t worry, that’s not happening.” For real? He continues to rub my clit vigorously. “You’re so hot for me, baby.”

  I’m on fire. And if he only knew how really wet I am. Soaked with lust and desire. My breathing grows harsh. I may either jump out of my skin or faint. My burning need to come is consuming me. Taking over every ounce of my being. To make matters worse, the hardness between his legs grazes my backside. Holy cow! He’s as aroused as I am! Are we acting or is this for real? The line is blurred in the haze of steam.

  “I love you, Bra… um, uh Kurt.” Fuck. I almost flubbed my line.

  “The same, baby. I can’t get enough of you.”

  He flips me around so I’m facing him. His biceps flex as his deft hands grip my bare upper arms. I soak in his impassioned face, dripping with lust, his thick lashed hooded eyes smoldering with desire. I brush away a wisp of his slick hair that’s fallen into his eye. I think the script called for that.

  Cupping my face with his hands, he tilts it up, his eyes never losing contact with mine. His head moves forward. Holy smoke! He’s going to kiss me! Maybe I missed that part in the script. My whole body quivers as his lips touch down on mine. Oh my God! It’s a veritable movie star kiss—deep, passionate, all-consuming. A kiss like none other. Thinking I may swoon, I moan again into his mouth and dig my fingernails into his hard biceps. He bites down on my lower lip, and then his tongue darts inside my parted mouth. It finds mine and we tango like we’ve danced this way forever. Whirling and swirling, my tongue follows his lead. I moan again—I’m not sure if that’s scripted—but I just can’t help it. Every muscle in my body is trembling with anticipation and desire. Without breaking the kiss, he draws me closer to him and starts grinding against me.

  “Alisha, my love, let’s make a baby.”

  The baby they will never see. Alisha, of course, doesn’t know this yet, and the thought of the tragedy that awaits her brings tears to my eyes. They mingle with the stinging needles of water, cascading over us while my character’s cherished husband and lover grinds harder and faster with urgency and zeal, rubbing against my aching clit. It’s all pretend, yet it feels so real. I can feel his swelling erection, straining against his soaked jeans and pulsating against me. It’s so hard, so hot, so ready to come. Clutching his shoulders, I fight the urge to slide a hand down to his fly and touch his extraordinary length. A bizarre thought crosses my mind—dry humping someone has never been this wet. I’m soaked through and through, so close to the edge. There’s a hot ball of fire between my legs the water can’t quench, and on his next thrust, I combust with a deafening scream of his name. I’m so enraptured, I don’t know if I’ve shouted out Kurt or Brandon, but who cares when his face contorts with pure ecstasy and he roars out, “Oh, baby.”

  Fade to black. I free myself from him and lean against the all-glass shower. Barely able to stand on my trembling legs, I collapse into a squat. My pussy’s throbbing, my mind’s murky, and my heart’s working hard. Brandon joins me and wraps his arm around my shoulder. Like mine, his breathing is shallow. He looks as shell-shocked as I feel. In a cloud of steam, we sit silently side by side, our bent legs touching, until our breaths and heartbeats calm down. The shower’s still on, the forceful spray still grazing us. The sound of the pounding water replaces the drum of my pulse in my ears. Brandon finally breaks our long, stunned silence.

  “Wow. You’re a really good actress.”

  “Thanks.” I don’t tell him I’ve had to be.

  “Did you ever consider becoming one?”

  I tell him I did and even took a few acting lessons. “But the truth is, there aren’t enough parts around for a girl like me so I decided to become a full-time masseuse.” I also don’t tell him that I took his assistant position with the remote hope of breaking into the biz.

  Twisting, he sweeps away a wet wisp of hair that’s fallen into my eyes. “Well, I think you missed your calling.”

  “Thanks.” My voice is a soft whisper.

  “No, thank you. You really helped me. I’ve got the scene down now.”

  “No prob. That’s part of my job.” I pause. “You were amazing.” Oh was he! My head is already set on instant replay.

  He smiles. “I may need your help again. It’s been rough getting back into the swing of things.”

  “Sure. Anytime.” I’m in love with Kurt Kussler, but I’m not supposed to fall for Brandon Taylor. That wasn’t in my job description. And besides, he can never be mine. He was just acting. Nothing was real. My heart grows heavy, soaked with reality.

  If you loved THAT MAN, you may also want to read my Gloria’s Secret Trilogy. This is the steamy and suspenseful New York Times bestselling story of Gloria and Jaime Zander.

  You can purchase the boxed set or buy the books individually. Gloria’s Secret (Book 1) is FREE at ALL retailers!

  CLICK ON THE COVERS!

  Gloria Long is the beautiful, self-made CEO of Gloria’s Secret, the world’s largest retailer of lingerie. While her global emporium is famed for selling erotic fantasies, Gloria’s emotional scars inhibit her own sexual desires. Her powerful defenses melt when she meets Jaime Zander, the devastatingly gorgeous advertising guru, who is determined to win not only her account but also her heart by awakening her sexuality both in the boardroom and bedroom.

  A man who has never heard the word “no,” Jaime takes his creativity to the limit to make Gloria fall apart and fall for him. But major obstacles stand in the way—Gloria’s Secret’s ruthless Chairman, who covets Gloria and is out to destroy Jaime, as well as his manipulative sexpot daughter, who wants both Gloria’s job and her hot, new love. Complicating matters further, Gloria harbors a dark, horrific secret, that when exposed, will shatter both her empire and her
life. Will she be able to have it all or will the walls come tumbling down?

  Excerpt:

  I was off to a strong start. Just focus on the race. I forced myself not to take any breaths—a means of keeping Jaime out of my field of vision and not letting him distract me. Kicking and stroking at torpedo speed, I flipped around at the other end of the pool and finally came up for a much-needed gulp of air. To my horror, there he was…several lengths ahead of me. Calling upon every muscle in my body, I caught up to him only for him to swim ahead of me one more time. He shot me a cocky smile on a breath as he passed me by. Damn him! I couldn’t let him win! Furiously, I propelled myself forward, stroking and kicking harder than I’d ever had. We were neck to neck. Breath to breath. Splash to splash. Every muscle in my body stung as I took my last stroke. My head shot out of the water. Clinging to the edge of the pool, I was panting like a dog. I couldn’t catch my breath. My waterlogged eyes fluttered. He was in my face. At the finish before me.

  “Get over here, you,” he rasped. Breathing heavy, he took me in his powerful arms and drew me against him. I was too exhausted to resist. My heart pounded against his; I hadn’t been this close to someone else’s heartbeat in years. Before I could say a word, he tilted back my head by the tail of my braid and crushed his mouth upon mine. The warmth of his breath heated mine. His kiss was passionate and fierce. I was panting into his mouth. Once again, I was losing control to this outrageous man. I don’t know why but I just let him do it. Even deepen the kiss as his tongue parted my lips. Inside my mouth, it did a synchronized swim with mine. Swirling and twirling. It was as if we had practiced these moves for years. He broke away, leaving me breathless for more.

  “Wrap your legs and arms around me and just relax.”

  Without questioning myself, I complied, folding my limbs around his broad shoulders and bum of steel. The buoyancy of the water helped hold me up.