Velvet, Leather & Lace: A Man's Gotta DoCalling the ShotsBaring It All

by Suzanne Forster

  And over.

  He fell with her, her name on his lips.

  WHEN SHE WOKE UP, dawn was peeking in Jake’s windows.

  Show day.

  Her heart kicked, not just because of the monumental career day it would be, but because she was wrapped in the arms of a man hard asleep against her.

  For a moment, she froze. She always woke alone, but this was…incredibly good. Incredibly right. And she snuggled in closer to Jake, thinking she could get used to this.

  Very used to it.

  It wasn’t just how amazing he looked, sprawled in his bed, tanned and tough, body defined in the way of a man who spent most of his waking hours in hard physical labor. She knew his eyes, if they were to open right now, would smile from just seeing her and his lips would curve to match. He had a way of looking at her, as if she just might be his whole world. The knowledge of that had changed her forever, had made her feel both strong and weak, and…wanted.

  Loved.

  A miracle. He was her miracle. God, he felt so solid, so warm, and she ran her hands up his sleek smooth back, loving how the muscles flexed as he stretched.

  “Mmm,” rumbled from his chest as he stirred and cracked open a beautiful sea-green eye. He saw her watching him, and just as she’d imagined, he smiled. “Hey,” he said. “Whatcha doing?”

  “Looking at you. You’re so beautiful, Jake.”

  “Yeah?” The next thing she knew she was flat on her back, his legs spreading hers, his silky hot erection nudging against her. “Like you.” He dropped his mouth to hers for a kiss. “This I could get used to, waking with you smiling at me.” He kissed her again, and it was no simple kiss but a raw statement of need as he slid inside her.

  She sighed and held on as he began to move within her. He fulfilled her like no one else, which was her last thought for a good long time.

  IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN two minutes or an eternity later, Mia felt Jake’s mouth brush her temple. “I love you,” he whispered on a thread of a breath when his body finally relaxed.

  “I think I’m finally getting that,” she said, and stroked her hands down his damp back. “And something else, too. I love you back, Jake.”

  He went utterly still. Then, still breathing unevenly, he lifted his head. “Say that again?”

  She smiled. “Did I ask you to repeat it when you said it to me?”

  His eyes narrowed. “Humor me.”

  “I love you.” She bit her lower lip. “In fact, I think it’s possible I’ve always loved you. I don’t know why I resisted facing the truth for so long.”

  “Because you’re stubborn as hell?”

  “Hey.”

  “And smart.” He kissed her chin. “And sexy.” He kissed her nose. “And beautiful.” He surged up to his knees and pulled her up to face him. “You know what this means, right?”

  “Um…that you have to sleep in the wet spot?”

  He grinned. “That you’ll have to face yet another truth. We belong together.”

  She felt her eyes widen as her heart kicked. “So that means…”

  “You’ll have to date me for more than the food I bring you. Maybe you’d even consent to some sort of exclusivity.”

  “You mean…”

  “Maybe we’ll even work our way up to cohabitation.”

  “Oh my God.”

  “Is that ‘oh my God’ he’s lost his mind, or ‘oh my God’ he’s onto something?”

  He looked touchingly unsure, and she leaned into him, everything suddenly so right for the first time…ever. “Definitely onto something. Now, how about getting back ‘into’ something.” She grinned. “Like me.”

  He reached for her with a matching grin, his eyes bright with emotion. “Oh, yeah.”

  With a joyous laugh, she tumbled him back down to the sheets. “Are you going to talk a lot this time, too?”

  “Maybe.” His hands came up to hold her hips as she straddled him, and when she wrapped her fingers around him to guide him home, he groaned. “God, I love you, Mia.”

  She closed her eyes as he entered her, then opened them again, feeling so complete, she could hardly believe it. “Now that you can keep on saying.”

  “Deal.” Then he rolled her over the bed, stretching his body out over hers, looking into her face as he took them both to the beginning of their forevers.

  EPILOGUE

  Sizzling Nights, global fashion show

  MIA STOOD BACKSTAGE at the famed Greek Theater, holding hands with Jamie and Samantha as the models lined up, ready to strut their stuff. Above them the night was glorious, the dark velvety sky littered with stars. The theater itself was filled with fashion royalty and peasants alike, hushed in anticipation as the lighting changed, signifying the beginning of the show.

  In tune with the rocking music, the first model brushed past the three partners, moving through the archway of the hanging gardens, appearing to the audience for the first time. Beneath the ancient wonder, the tall, leggy blonde began to walk forward, wearing no other than Jamie’s own lingerie design, a silky black teddy designed to steal one’s breath.

  At the sight, the audience went crazy and Jamie sucked in his own breath, making Mia hug him hard. “We did it.” She grinned and hugged Samantha, too. “Can you believe it?”

  “There was never any doubt in my mind,” Jamie said, making the three of them laugh giddily as he grabbed one of the bottles of champagne lined up for after the show. He popped the cork while Samantha reached for three flutes.

  They each took a glass, holding it up to each other in a toast. “To a great year ahead of us,” Jamie said. “And a great big fat checkbook for Velvet, Leather & Lace.”

  “To the two years of backbreaking work behind us,” Samantha toasted. “And all we’ve been through together.”

  “And to the here and now,” Mia said. “And how the three of us have become six.”

  They all drank to their good fortune, both in business and in love, and grinned dizzily as the audience continued to go wild.

  “I think this means we can charge more,” Jamie said thoughtfully.

  “And work less,” voted Samantha.

  “And finally really live our lives.” Mia nodded her head to the front row, where Marsh, Lorna and Jake sat, cheering them on. It was amazing that love, once such a terrifying unknown for each of the independent workaholics, had finally brought it all together. “Nowhere to go but up,” Mia said, and lifted her glass.

  Everything you love about romance… and more!

  Please turn the page for Signature Select™ Bonus Features.

  Bonus Features:

  Travel Tale

  A day in L.A. with Suzanne Forster

  Tips & Tricks

  The Art of Seduction

  A Day in the Life

  of Jill Shalvis

  Sneak Peek

  Saving Allegheny Green by Lori Wilde

  BONUS FEATURES

  Velvet, Leather & Lace

  When I think of the City of Angels, which is what many natives call Los Angeles, the first words that come to mind are not angelic. They are big, adventurous and dangerous. Just the way we like our men, right, ladies? Of course, that’s only one aspect of the city, but it is very apt.

  Los Angeles is about an hour north of my home in Newport Beach, which can easily turn into two hours on a heavy traffic day, so just getting there can be an adventure. And if you’ve ever visited Southern California, you’ve probably witnessed one of our car chases. It’s not unusual to turn on the TV and get a helicopter’s view of a perpetrator trying to outrun several police cars on one of L.A.’s famous freeways. You could easily think you were watching a Jerry Bruckheimer movie, except that it’s really happening.

  But L.A. also has a kinder, gentler side. Really, it does. And I like that in a man, too. Is there a better combo than tough and tender? For me, the gentler, more inviting side of L.A. has mainly to do with its great variety of restaurants and its wonderful food. The city is famous for its deliciou
s fresh fruit and produce, and my idea of the perfect way to start a day in L.A. would be breakfast at Marmalade Café in Farmer’s Market on 3rd Street.

  One of my favorite menu items is a frittata that features some of the market’s freshest produce—steamed carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, rutabagas, mushrooms and caramelized onions, gently nestled in a jacket of fluffy whipped eggs, and oozing rivulets of Swiss and cheddar cheese. Their pumpernickel raisin toast is scrumptious with either whipped creamery butter or cream cheese. Did I mention that everything is calorie free?

  * * *

  But L.A. also has a kinder, gentler side.

  * * *

  After that it’s fun to stroll through the market, checking out the shops, the displays of fresh flowers and the artisans’ booths, where unique and original handmade treasures can be found. It’s the perfect place to find one-of-a-kind gifts. Luckily the market is just large enough that a stroll restores your appetite, and at the east end, you’ll find the Gumbo Pot, a fast-food restaurant that offers New Orleans’ beignets, so decadently delicious they really should be illegal. These come warm from the oven, filled to the brim with chocolate and liberally dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Be sure and tuck your napkin under your chin!

  For a late lunch, it’s a short drive (or a long walk) down Fairfax to Canter’s, which has my vote as one of the West Coast’s great delicatessens. Lunch is a steaming bowl of matzo ball soup and a sandwich so thickly layered with either roast beef, corn beef or pastrami, that I can’t begin to get my mouth open wide enough. These are sandwiches you have to sneak attack, working your way around the edges until you nibble them down to size, and my personal favorite is the corned beef on marbled rye, slathered with yellow mustard. None of that fancy, spicy stuff for me. My husband, Allan, is a pastrami fan, and for side dishes, we both love the potato salad and poppy seed coleslaw.

  A great place to spend the afternoon is the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, which is several blocks of open-air shopping and restaurants. You can easily while away a whole afternoon there, and you’re only a couple blocks away from the ocean, if you want to walk barefoot in the sand and get your feet wet in the surf.

  Dinner is a chance to experience yet another side of L.A., the fun, sexy, seductive side. One lively place is a restaurant called Samba, where shimmying samba dancers, decked out in beads, ostrich feathers and little else, dance in the aisles while the waiters serve luscious drinks and skewers of Brazilian steak, dripping with savory juices. When we were there, the dancers were limber and lovely, but strictly female. As we left, I gently suggested to the management that they think about equal opportunity when hiring future dancers.

  And before I forget, there’s the city’s renowned garment district, which is the backdrop for my story, “A Man’s Gotta Do.” I won’t recommend any restaurants because you’ll be too busy shopping for designer duds at fabulous discount prices to think about food. But just imagine the appetite you’ll have when you’re done. Bon appétit! I do hope you’ll get a chance to visit some of my favorite haunts on a future trip to the City of Angels, and meanwhile, please enjoy “A Man’s Gotta Do”!

  THE ART OF SEDUCTION

  Unleash your inner seductress and hold him captive with these enticing lovemaking tips. by Claire Sibonney

  Sumptuous foods, candlelight, massage…even exercise can help you set the mood for passionate lovemaking. No matter what your love style, unleashing your personal power of seduction is easy with this sensual essentials guide.

  Are you a temptress or a tease? Brazen or bashful? No matter what your love style, unleashing your own personal power of seduction can be easy to do. But if you’re feeling lovelier than ever, and not getting any love, you may be going about it the wrong way. Your solution could lie in something as simple as a well-laid-out plan.

  Snow Raven Starborn, a San Diego–based author, covers all the essentials in Seduction. A culmination of Starborn’s sensual secrets, it presents twenty-three different scenarios for you to practice with your lover. Choose from a variety of fun-filled activities, including menu suggestions, color-scheme offerings and aromatherapy—all designed to stimulate his senses.

  Feeling Sexy:

  No matter how carefully you orchestrate your seduction, feeling sexy is the first step in getting your lover to give you what you want. Start with a trip to the hairdresser, a little makeup and some naughty lingerie, but if you’re still not happy with what you see, you may have to increase your romantic investment.

  Going to the gym may not always be as fun as getting a manicure, but you’ll feel better for it. Follow these sexy exercise essentials and unleash your inner seductress: hip and inner-thigh stretches (for flexibility), squats (for lower-body strength), dips (for upper-body tone) and buttock crunches (for a well-defined backside).

  But it’s not all about the physical you—the emotional art of seduction is often just as arousing. Practice feeling comfortable in your own skin, says Starborn. Take some time every day to reinforce all the qualities you love about yourself and the ones he should love, too. Think about these positive traits while you’re serenading your imaginary lover in the shower or jogging in the park. Better yet, take a yoga or dance class to practice your self-confidence in front of others.

  Setting the Scene:

  After you’ve made yourself irresistible, it’s time to focus your attention on developing an enticing, warm and sensual lovemaking environment. Set an intimate table for two with rose petals scattered about it. Light dozens of votive candles in every corner and select your favorite sensual and erotic music to complement your romantic meal. Draw a warm bath and add drops of your favorite scent or drape a canopy over your bed. Think of the entire picture you’re painting for your seduction: “Men don’t really notice the atmosphere in little bits,” says Starborn. “They notice the environment in its entirety. They think of it as a place that’s ‘oh, so comfortable.’”

  Making Memories:

  Regardless of where you are in your relationship, there are an infinite number of activities to include in your seduction. They can be as innocent as a walk on the beach or as daring as a game of naked Twister. In Seduction, Starborn tailors each activity to the mood you’re trying to achieve.

  In “The Welcoming Seduction,” intended for first-time intimacy, Starborn suggests candlelight portraits. Reminiscent of another famous artistic love scene—in Ghost—replace clay with fine paper and warm-colored charcoal, and unleash your inner artist. Sketch the profile of his face or the contour of his buttocks—it’s completely up to you. For more intimately acquainted lovers, Starborn describes “The Confident Seduction.” The activity includes a hot-oil sensual massage, with tantalizing instructions on relaxing and warming up your lover. (By end of the massage—if you’re lucky—the roles get reversed and you’re the one getting pampered.)

  Pleasing His Palate

  Most women have already figured out this shortcut to a man’s heart, but in seduction, it is to be taken all the more seriously. Choose exotic foods that are as sensual to the palate as they are playful to eat. Oysters, sushi, fruits, cheese, strawberries and chocolate make excellent fare.

  As Starborn illustrates, it’s very important to coordinate your meal with the activity you have planned. If you’re performing a striptease, your meal should be extralight. “If you feel bloated and self-conscious, you’re not going to feel like getting naked,” says Starborn. However, if you’re planning an afternoon seduction that doesn’t involve taking off your clothes, feel free to indulge your appetite: a picnic in the park with the works. Finally, one of the most often ignored details of seduction is the morning-after. As with the main meal, Starborn offers both homemade recipes and eat-out varieties, depending on your mood. Whether you decide on a cheese omelet with orange juice and champagne or crepes at a French bakery, the most important rule is to end your seduction as pleasurably as it began.

  More Tips and Tricks:

  Color Scheme: When planning your pers
onal seduction, choose a color scheme to complement the emotions you’re trying to stir. If you’re introducing a passionate activity, you may want to keep him in check emotionally, says Starborn. In that case, stick to cool colors such as purples, blues and greens. If the aim is to keep him warm and comforted, choose rich colors such as oranges, reds and browns. You can apply these colors to all aspects of your seduction—from the color of your outfit to the cocktails you serve.

  Pulse point Oils: Aromatherapy, or “aromasexuality,” as Starborn calls it, can produce an amazing effect on your lover. “Women don’t usually realize that men respond so well to scent,” says Starborn. “They pick it up and it becomes part of the atmosphere.” The options are so diverse, you could pick a new aroma for every type of seduction. Depending on the scent, you could dab it directly on yourself or in the environment: in a candle, a bath or on your pillow. If you’re not yet familiar with aromatherapy, but have your own signature scent, you could try mixing an undernote of something new with an overnote of your usual fragrance.

  *Originally published online at eHarlequin.com.

  We asked Jill to give us a glimpse of what a typical day looks like for a busy writer. She recorded an actual day while writing her story!

  The alarm goes off at 5:50 in the morning. That can’t be right because I’m in Hawaii, alone on a beach with nothing but the waves and a cute cabana boy offering me a mai tai…

  Oh, wait. That’s a dream.

  My reality… I’ve got a dog on my feet (they’re numb), a husband still dead asleep and an eight-year-old with her nose right next to mine, her eyes wide-open. “Mommy, I spilled the milk all over the floor. And I sorta spilled the cereal, too.”