by Gray, Beth
Modern Cougar
Cougar Hunting
Cougar Hunting is a sexy contemporary romance set in Atlanta, Georgia and South Beach, Florida. When Terri Eisenman, a successful thirty-nine-year-old widow, first spots Chad Edwards during one of her nights out with her pack of cougar friends, she crumbles to her desires to have him. However, Chad, a young and successful businessman in his own right, presents much more of a challenge than she assumes. His group of friends also hunts for and plays with older women.
Complications ensue when Terri and Chad find themselves in a business relationship. Both share one belief: business and personal relationships don’t mix. Controlling a boiling passion and coping with fears of commitment mount as they work for a solution. The only way to save both their business and personal lives is admitting their unique qualities, which complement each, and form a new partnership.
Genre: Contemporary, May-December
Length: 49,591 words
COUGAR HUNTING
Modern Cougar
Beth Gray
EROTIC ROMANCE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance
COUGAR HUNTING
Copyright © 2011 by Beth Gray
E-book ISBN: 1-61034-904-0
First E-book Publication: October 2011
Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
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DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to the excellent staff at Siren who I have fallen in love with. Without their help and encouragement this work would not be possible.
COUGAR HUNTING
Modern Cougar 1
BETH GRAY
Copyright © 2011
Chapter 1
Terri Eisenman scrutinized the men venturing into the ultramodern enclave of Ramano’s Martini Bar sitting high on top of one of Atlanta’s trendy north-side buildings for signs of fresh, tasty meat. Yes, she hoped to discover a new delicacy thicker than the one from the previous night out. Penny Singleton and Jessica Hillman, two associates at the advertising firm Terri owned, or, as they jokingly referred to their group after hours, the cougar pack, perched on elevated barstools, allowing them to view their marks for the night.
Terri appreciated the breeze from the overhead fan cooling her bare shoulders as she analyzed the cut in her little black dress strategically designed low enough to expose everything but her nipples. She knew the various cutouts on the side expanded the length of the short dress with specific placements to suggest she wore nothing underneath. As usual, she rechecked her stylish jewelry, a mixture of gold and diamonds intended to deliver the final pizzazz.
A movement on the far side of the bar captured her interest. Three young men claimed a table and leaned in close enough to share a laugh audible above the buzz of the after-five crowd. Three on three always presented great odds. To enter, they would have to be at least twenty-one—perfect. From her vantage point they looked ripped, maybe even bodybuilders.
Terri sniffed the air, enjoying the combinations of delicate perfumes and colognes. The upscale clientele included many gold diggers after the young men tasting their first signs of success. However, money wasn’t a concern for Terri, as she reflected on her deceased husband, who left her well taken care of. All she wanted was her youth back, a life and a look she worked hard on perfecting.
A waitress scurried over to the stud table and wrapped an arm around the one on the right side, indicating they must be regulars. He wore dress jeans and a deep blue shirt. From her intent observation, she knew his body bulged under his clothes, providing all of the qualities she yearned for. But, perhaps he would be better for Penny. The one on the far left looked much more slender and thus perfect for Jessica, the only petite cougar in the group.
The guy dead center answered his phone. She imagined him to be the leader, the alpha male of the group. He wore dress pants and a white silk-looking shirt with large cutaway collars. His jewelry sparkled, obviously gold. However, his hair, a bright blond falling almost in his eyes before being brushed slightly to one side, dominated her interest.
Terri motioned to the waitress who had stopped to talk to the group of guys. She appeared to be in her early twenties and one of those Barbie dolls that Terri and her friends competed with for their boyfriends. “Hi, I saw you talking to those guys a few minutes ago.”
“Oh yes, they come here from time to time.” She smiled, showing off overly bleached teeth. “Chad just ordered champagne for everyone. I’m sure he’ll offer you some soon. He’s very generous.”
“Humm, it sounds like he must have a very rich dad supporting his evil ways.”
The waitress leaned in closer and surprised Terri with her knowledge. “They closed a major deal today. And…his dad works for him. You, like, don’t know who he is, do you?”
“No…but perhaps I should.”
The waitress glanced around again as they continued to laugh. “His name is Chad Edwards. The two bookends are his best friends, Charlie Moran and Bobby Price. I
f you’re planning on going after them, then you’re braver than I am. They have a reputation of breaking hearts, especially of older women.”
“Thank you for the information…and the advice. I think you just made our night.” In the three years since her husband died, she discovered what she had been missing. While he loved her, a fact she never doubted, he was much older than her. Money paid for many luxuries, but left her wanting sexually. She knew her upcoming birthday, number forty, would change her attitude soon. But for tonight, she felt like she could still handle a young stud, especially with one presenting her a challenge.
“I don’t know anything about them—but I’m in.” With a show of competitiveness, Jessica tossed her hair, allowing the long blonde curls to catch the sparkling highlights of the bar.
The waitress rushed past them, followed by two men from the back carrying several boxes of champagne. They stopped next to the studs and prepared an adjoining table to accommodate champagne glasses. Several bottles at a time dropped into the iceboxes.
“Wow, now that is a way to celebrate. It must have been one hell of a sale they closed today.” Terri forced herself to forget the major account she lost today.
The band setting up on the back wall started playing, and a few couples walked to a small dance floor. The girls nodded at each other—showtime. Terri walked in Chad’s direction with her friends in close pursuit. Her career in the advertising business taught her to never be shy, especially when she had the backing of her top supporters.
The two friends on the end glanced up and smiled, eager to make new acquaintances. The guy in the center, Chad, focused on his phone call. His boyish charm radiated around him. Terri waited patiently as her friends pulled their targets to the dance floor. Chad cupped a hand over his phone as he continued to talk. For any other man, she would have walked off.
Several minutes later, Chad clicked the phone off and searched the room for his friends before locating them on the dance floor. Several younger girls rushed to his side, giving him hugs. “Hey, I’m glad you all made it.” He waved over at the champagne.
Terri felt like a fish out of water as she stood in front of him, wondering if he was going to pay her any attention or not. She filled her lungs, prepared to shout if she had to in order to be heard, as another wave of girls moved in on Chad. Okay, she knew when it was time to leave. She turned to find her friends on the floor. They appeared to be enjoying themselves as she contemplated her next move. Another drink would be good. She turned to face the champagne table again as a waitress placed a glass of champagne in her hand. She refocused on the group at the table and watched Chad raise a glass in her direction.
Terri lifted her glass, glad to be noticed finally. The glare from the female sharks encircling Chad intensified as she contemplated her next move. Terri welcomed the competition. The thoughts of winning against such odds made her move decisively in Chad’s direction. The crowd parted in front of her as she stalked in for the kill. She stopped in striking distance, allowing her smile to build as she reached out her glass to tap his. “I heard congratulations are in order.”
Chad turned first one way, then the other, as if to showcase the girls around him. “Yes, it has been a great day.” He reached out and touched her glass again.
Terri turned to point to her two friends on the dance floor. “I see my friends like your friends. Do you dance?”
“I can. But not tonight.”
Okay, she met someone that wanted to play hard to get. Terri knew how to deal with this, and such a test of her abilities sparked new desires to meet the challenge. “I see. The music is a little provocative and perhaps not completely your style.” She winked once and turned to sway closer to her two friends, allowing him to consider what he might be missing.
Terri never looked back as she entered the edge of the dance floor. Was he behind her?
Terri studied Penny who was wrapped in close to her target, whispering in his ear or perhaps nipping at it. She never had problems moving fast. She straddled his leg and moved in a slow Texas-two-step-type movement. Way to go, Penny. At least her chances looked good for the night. Lucky for her, she might have acquired the best-built guy in the group. Penny moved sideways to rest her head on his shoulder as she offered an inquisitive stare at Terri.
Terri wanted to turn around to see what Chad was doing, but resisted. The champagne tasted good and would have a way of turning the cards in her favor soon. She controlled two aces as she watched her friends work on their marks. Watching Penny on the floor caressing the chest of her partner excited Terri. Perhaps she should have chosen him and not the harder target behind her. But the night was still young.
Jessica had her back toward Terri as she talked to her partner, keeping him more at bay. Perhaps she found him interesting in more ways than normal. She was usually the one that kept her mind on sex and nothing more. They moved well together and offered a unique, immediate bond, amusing Terri with an intimacy uncommon in their nights out. Good for her.
The rustic smell of a masculine cologne alerted her to the nearby presence of a man. She could not hear him or see him, but knew he was behind her. She waited for him to come closer.
His touch felt like a bolt of lightning racing along her nerves as his presence translated into reality. She forced herself to turn slowly. His solemn face waited on her to recognize him.
“I see you decided to dance.” Terri allowed her eyes to flutter, offering a tease to the chase.
“I have many people here that came to my party tonight. I thought my friends might need my help.” He shifted his eyes to his two friends on the dance floor.
“I think they’re being well attended to.”
“Oh, I’m sure they are. Another night, another time, they will love it, I’m sure.” He moved in closer to her. “Okay, let’s see what kind of dancer you are.”
Terri watched the swirls of light salsa around the floor and wondered how well he danced. He reached for her hand and pulled her behind him. In the middle of the floor, he turned to face her and presented a frame for her to accept. A gentleman she didn’t expect as she flowed into his arms. The first twirl changed her mind as he pulled her in close to him and she rested inches from his lips. His hand slipped lower, and thoughts entered the back of her mind of how far would he go. The dance floor remained open, and others could be watching.
With a quick move of the samba, he repositioned her in his arms. The rhythm in his hips churned as his eyes froze, deadly focused on her as if attempting to dig deep inside her mind. She maintained his eye contact, knowing any retreat would signify a weakness. His hand slipped lower, firmly placed on the top of her ass. His leg slipped between her thighs, and he pulled her closer. A wave of heat flashed through her entire body.
She didn’t remember closing her eyes but opened them as she tilted her head backward. Would he take the bait and kiss her neck? She focused on Jessica behind Chad. Her partner had her ass tightly squeezed also. Her dress hiked high enough to show a cheek. She concentrated on her own dress, realizing it was being pulled higher also. This would be better for later. She pulled his hand up and allowed her dress to drop enough to cover her ass.
The music allowed her to drift as if in a cloud. Tonight would be good—very good. He smelled good and danced well. The dreamlike setting vanished as the music changed to an explosive Latino rhythm blast from the band.
Terri parted and looked around behind her. They had attracted a crowd of onlookers, mostly from the crowd attending Chad’s party. She saw the giggles, the outright laughs coming from the other girls. It took a second as she realized all three guys had worked their dresses higher for the benefit of the crowd. Very funny!
Terri motioned to Jessica and Penny to follow her but stopped short as Chad and his two friends decided to demonstrate a new professional-type dance consisting of what you might find in a Broadway performance. Are they professional dancers also?
Chad’s well-toned body demonstrated much more skill than hi
s friends’. But, it was amazing to watch his friends keep up with him. The dance excited the younger girls behind them. To Terri it represented a direct challenge to their age difference. She stepped forward and mimicked Chad step for step. He smiled for the first time and increased the intensity of his dance. Terri stayed with him and added additional moves, kicking up the pace.
Terri heard her friends yell in support of her dance. Surprisingly, many of the younger girls joined in the celebration. Chad’s friends stood to one side and allowed him to have more floor room. He used every inch of it, moving in rapid, intricate patterns. The girls behind him screamed as he finished.
Terri considered matching him again, but stopped. There would be another day, as she studied the short dress she wore. She motioned for her friends to follow her back to their table.
Jessica allowed her long blonde hair to flow behind her back. “That was definitely interesting. I hope the room enjoyed the show. If I didn’t know better, I would think they had it planned from the start to get our dresses up for their friends.”
Terri motioned toward the waitress. “Well, she did try to warn us. I’ll give her that.” Terri studied the guys moving back into their party, slapping each other on the back. With a quick salute, they downed another glass of champagne. Chad turned to focus on Terri as he reached over and retrieved four new glasses from the table and walked in their direction.
Penny tapped the top of the table and brushed the hair out of her eyes. “I think the game is still on.”