The Seductive Truth

by Elizabeth Lennox

  The Seductive Truth

  By Elizabeth Lennox

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  Copyright 2017

  ISBN13: 9781944078652

  All rights reserved

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Any duplication of this material, either electronic or any other format, either currently in use or a future invention, is strictly prohibited unless you have the direct consent of the author.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Tallia and Stephen’s Wedding

  Tofu Mousse Recipe

  Excerpt from “Doing The Right Thing”

  So much more!

  Chapter 1

  Tallia stared at the beautiful, empty suite. The elegant gold and white décor mocked her. She wanted to throw some red, pink, or green against the stark white of the bed just for some variation in the color scheme. Wasn’t New Orleans supposed to be extravagantly colorful?

  Not this room, she thought with a groan.

  With a sigh, she stepped deeper into the room, trying to ignore the lack of color. She didn’t need color, she needed her friends to be safe and…well, not die! After Jane’s brush with death this morning while on a coffee run, Tallia had come to the startling realization that she wasn’t fully living her life. In fact, she was bored. Bored with her life, bored with her boyfriend back in Santa Fe, and definitely bored with her job.

  Life was too short to be bored with every aspect of one’s life!

  The better question was – how had she allowed her world to come to this?

  Perhaps being here with her college friends was just bringing it all back to her. Lifting the cocktail dress she planned to wear to tonight’s event, she thought about her dreams and hopes. The four of them, herself, Becca, Lillian, and Jane had spent so many nights during their college years eating pizza, drinking really horrible wine or cheap beer, and talking about their plans for the future. So far, Jane was the only one who had followed through on her dream to become a high school teacher. And from what Tallia could see, Jane was truly happy. She was still too prim and proper, but that was to be expected. Jane was just…Jane. She loved teaching, loved seeing the thrill of understanding on her students’ faces, loved her co-workers, she even loved her boss.

  Becca seemed to be happy as well. Her dream had always been to find a job in New York City and conquer the world. Now she had a fabulous job as a financial analyst and loved going out on the town, being the big city girl. Although, thinking about Becca…there was a sadness in her friend’s eyes…something wasn’t quite right on that front. But Becca would figure it out. That woman was strong and competent. When Becca saw something she wanted, she went after it with gusto! Becca was more determined than any of them to live out her dream.

  Lillian was a concern. The look in her eyes when she’d spoken about her fiancé, Phillip, wasn’t quite right. Tallia worried about her, but maybe it was just pre-wedding jitters. Lillian’s wedding was next Saturday. But…what was it that bothered her about Lillian’s engagement to Phillip? Perhaps it was just that Lillian had always said she and Phillip were good friends. They’d grown up together, had funny stories of spying on their parents’ parties together and their families had occasionally vacationed together. One thing Lillian had never said was that she loved Phillip, which was strange, Tallia thought.

  With a glance to her right, she peered into the huge closet, just to make sure that the bridesmaid dress was still there. Why Lillian had chosen such an odd choice for the bridesmaids to wear was a mystery, but Tallia wasn’t going to argue. The four of them had been friends for so long that if Lillian wanted them to wear the pink frou dresses, they would all wear the pink dresses and smile.

  Still…she couldn’t shake the feeling that something strange was going on. There were tensions among her friends. Jane’s tensions were understandable, since she’d almost been killed this morning. When she’d walked into the coffee shop, no one had expected that Mafia guy, or whoever he was, to walk in and shoot somebody. Fortunately, the guy who had been shot had fired back, just at the moment when the Mafia guy had been aiming his gun at Jane. The other guy shot the gun out of Mafia guy’s hand, saving Jane.

  Unfortunately, Jane was now a witness. But the detective who was investigating the shooting was…well, hot! Tallia suspected that Jane was fully aware of the detective’s scruffy good looks and his amazing physique, but Tallia also knew that Jane wouldn’t do anything about her attraction to the man. Jane was too sedate, too prim to step out and have a wild fling with some good-looking, gruff guy that she’d just met.

  Too bad. A wild, crazy affair while here in the sultry city of New Orleans might be just the thing for Jane.

  Which brought her right back to her original dilemma. What was it that Tallia needed? What would be just the thing for her? Definitely not a man. She already had a boyfriend and…well, they actually hadn’t seen each other or spoken, not even a text, in over a week. Or had it been two weeks? She wasn’t sure, but the fact that she couldn’t remember the last time she’d spoken to her boyfriend made her wonder if they’d broken up. It would make sense.

  So, why didn’t that bother her in any way?

  Because she’d been with him for six months, had barely kissed the guy and knew that she’d never love him. In fact, Garret was more of a convenience. He was a guy she went out to dinner with or caught a movie with as opposed to a guy she was romantically involved with. There were no emotions tied up in her relationship with him.

  With a sigh, she stepped into the shower, dismissing all of her questions for the moment. She had to get ready for a party at Lillian’s parent’s house. Couldn’t be late for that event, she thought. Although, maybe the four of them could slip out with a bottle of…whatever was being served…and have their ladies’ powwow in the darkness, just like old times.

  Sounds like a good plan, she thought with relish, and turned on the shower.

  Chapter 2

  So much for the four of them grabbing a bottle of champagne, Tallia thought, as she sipped the bubbly liquid from a crystal glass. Normally, she hated the stuff. But perhaps spending a thousand dollars on a single bottle versus the ten bucks she usually spent at the grocery store was the difference in quality. Go figure, she thought sarcastically.

  “You look bored out of your mind,” observed a deep voice behind her.

  Tallia spun around, almost spilling the champagne as she tried to find the source of that incredible voice.

  When she spotted the man in the alcove behind her, she glared up at him. “Lurk much?” she asked, and then wanted to bite her tongue. “Sorry, that came out sounding snippy.” She bowed her head slightly, feeling ashamed. “I don’t usually come across as so irritable.”

  He chuckled and pushed away from the wall, his glass of something-more-interesting-than-champagne in his hand. “Sorry for startling you like that.”

  Tallia took in the man’s sandy blond hair and almost-gold eyes. He wasn’t quite rugged, but nor could she call him handsome. He was somewhere in between, but the voice…goodness, his voice was amazing! It was like melted chocolate with a touch of satin to really make it smooth. And so deep that it cause
d her to shiver as awareness raced through her whole body. Even her toes were tingling as he moved closer.

  Tilting her head back, she held her breath as he stood nearly toe to toe with her. Something about the man seemed familiar, but she couldn’t quite place where she might have run into this man.

  “Do I know you?” she asked.

  “Stephen Markum,” he introduced, extending his free hand. “Friend of Phillip and groomsmen for the week. And you are…?”

  She took his hand warily, still thinking that he was…

  When it came to her, it was too late to pull her hand back. With a hiss, she tried to pull away, but he was too quick for her. “You’re that reporter-turned-commentator Stephen Markum that spouts the conservative republican drivel on the radio once a week!”

  He chuckled, not releasing her hand. “And you must be one of the annoying, bleeding heart liberals that call in to challenge me on a regular basis.”

  She laughed, impressed with his quick wit despite her dislike of his political views. “Bullseye.” She tilted her head slightly as she looked up at him. “I thought all of you guys had horns.”

  His smile was quick and easy, relaxed even. “I fluffed my hair to hide them tonight. Where’s your tambourine with all of the ribbons hanging down to the ground?”

  She grinned up at him. “In my closet, back home. I thought the sweet sounds of my tambourine would clash with the quartet at Lillian’s wedding.”

  His soft laughter, combined with the interesting crinkles around his eyes, captured her attention and she pulled her eyes away, shocked at the way her body tingled just from the sound of his laughter.

  “So, you’re one of the groomsmen. How do you know Phillip?”

  “College,” he replied.

  “Same with me and Lillian,” she replied and the two of them turned to look out at the crowd of mingling guests. “So you went to Tulane with Phillip?” she asked, wanting to hear his voice again.

  “Yes, and ran track with him. He’s also the one who suckered me into several political classes.”

  She turned and looked at him, startled. “So, you weren’t an evil Republican from the beginning?” she teased.

  He laughed right back. “Shocking, I know. I was actually pretty apolitical until I started hearing the tambourines.”

  “And by tambourines, you mean…”

  “The dreamy political ramblings of naïve college students who think they can change the world.”

  She laughed, shaking her head. “As opposed to the republicans who just want to pave over everything, right?”

  “Exactly!” he returned, smiling and Tallia had to turn away because those fascinating crinkles around his eyes really were making her heart thud too loudly.

  She was just about to ask him about something non-political, had just opened her mouth, when she was interrupted by a shrill voice to her right. “Tallia, dear,” Janice Sousier, Lillian’s mother, called from the living room as she made her way towards the two of them, “we need both you and Stephen for pictures, please.”

  Tallia plastered a smile onto her face for Janice’s benefit. “This should be fun,” she commented through gritted teeth.

  He laughed again and she realized she was going to have to tell him to stop doing that. “Remember the penguins,” he said and she felt his warm hand between her shoulder blades. Oddly, that warm hand sent lust shooting throughout her body and she could barely walk, much less understand what he was talking about. Penguins? What penguins?

  His thumb rubbed against her back and he lowered his head as they moved through the crowd. “Just smile and nod, boys,” he quoted and she understood. The movie. She couldn’t remember the name of the movie, but she knew it had something to do with a zebra and a lion trying to be friends. And a giraffe? Yeah, the giraffe had tissue boxes on his feet for some reason.

  She hadn’t seen the whole movie, but she’d watched clips of it as it played at other people’s houses. “Am I the lion or the zebra?” she asked.

  That thumb moved again and he chuckled. “I’m definitely the lion. I’m guessing you’re the penguin trying to escape the zoo.”

  She frowned up at him, her eyebrows coming together low over her eyes. “Why can’t I be the lion? Why do you get to be the lion?”

  They walked over to the fireplace where the mother of the bride was directing the wedding party to stand. “Because I’m the man. I get to be the lion.” She was just about to argue with him when that damn thumb silenced her again, but he couldn’t know that. “Besides, you’re too sweet to be a lion. Lions have to be fierce.”

  The photographer lifted his hand at that precise moment, but she was too invested in the argument. “Wait a minute!” she growled and turned around. “I’m fierce!” she argued.

  The camera flashed and the photographer stood up. “Ma’am, I need you to face forward,” he said to Tallia.

  She realized that she’d just messed up the picture and turned away from the obnoxious man. “I’d be a good lion,” she grumbled. Tallia realized that she should have kept her mouth shut because he moved his thumb again. She couldn’t control the shiver when he did that! She was going to have to tell him to keep his hands to himself.

  Then he moved his hand higher, that damn thumb touching the bare skin above the fabric of her dress. Trying to control her reaction, she held her breath and tried hard not to move. But the photographer was attempting to set up a new picture, shifting the engaged couple and she thought she might just pass out. She had to tell him to move his thumb…but…

  “Breathe,” the voice whispered in her ear, close enough that only she could hear him.

  Tallia gasped, then coughed when her lungs protested. Again, he shifted that thumb against her skin and she worried that her knees just might give out on her. Darn it, she hadn’t ever known that her back was that sensitive! Maybe because no man had ever bothered to touch her there. Most men were too quick to just get to the main event and ignored…well, all foreplay. Men really didn’t understand the need for it. And this guy…well, he probably had no idea what he was doing to her.

  Yeah, he was tall and handsome in a strange, non-classical kind of way. And yeah, he had the sexiest voice she’d ever heard. But…

  He moved his thumb again and she couldn’t take it any longer. Spinning around, she grabbed his wrist and glared up at him. “Stop that!” she ordered under her breath so that only he could hear.

  “Ma’am?” the photographer called out. Tallia spun around and she heard the controlled impatience in his voice. “If you could just work with me for a few more minutes, this will all be over.”

  Tallia realized that everyone else was looking over at her and the color stole up into her cheeks once more.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled and sighed. If she ever got out of this stupid photo session, she was going to break the man’s thumbs. And that was a dire threat coming from someone who didn’t believe in violence!

  The photographer took the picture, then rearranged everyone one more time. That stupid thumb was touching her stupid back again! He knew! Darn it, the man knew what he was doing to her! How dare he use her body against her! And to what purpose?

  “Can I get pictures of each of the sets of bridesmaids and groomsmen?” the photographer called out.

  Tallia mentally groaned, but when she heard the man’s soft chuckle behind her, she realized that she’d actually made the sound out loud.

  “Don’t worry, Tallia. I’ll be gentle.”

  She turned around, tilting her head up to glare at him. “I won’t,” she snapped.

  Once again, he leaned in close. So close, their noses almost touched. “That’s what I’m hoping,” he teased.

  She gasped at the sexual innuendo and pulled back, but not far enough, because the man anticipated her move and already had her hands in his. “Shall we go first?” he asked.

  Without waiting for a response, he moved to the center now that everyone else had dispersed.

  “Can you pull
in closer?” the photographer asked.

  Tallia groaned when the man wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. “How’s this?”

  The photographer grinned. “Perfect!” he enthused.

  “Let me go!” she growled.

  “Smile!” the photographer called out.

  She pasted a smile on her face, still trying to shift away from the man holding her against his impressively muscular chest. In response, he took both of her hands in his, crossed them over her stomach and pulled her back against him. “Relax,” he growled low, his lips actually touching her ear this time. “You look beautiful.”

  “You’re the enemy,” she replied, reminding herself that he was a republican and she was a die-hard democrat. No matter how handsome or muscular he was, and despite his sexy voice, there was absolutely no reason to continue a conversation with him.

  “Why? Because I believe in fiscal responsibility?”

  She jerked her hands, but his were holding her wrists securely. “I believe in fiscal responsibility. I just think that more dollars should be spent on social reforms instead of spending twenty million dollars on a plane that will take fifty years to produce and get flying.”

  “And yet, that plane, which generally takes ten years to build from inception to flight, by the way, is much more complex and creates leaps in technology and ideas, most of which hadn’t even been conceived of when the contract was written, just a general hope and a concept. Technology which is far more advanced and able to protect the country than anything any other government has.”

  “Ah, but if we could spend that twenty million dollars to bring more teachers into the education system, a work force who’s salary has never kept up with the cost of living, then our students today might become the next generation of flight designers and could bring that plane to flight in less time and with less money, because they had a superior education.”

  The photographer sighed with resignation. “I think I have all I need,” he told both of them. “Thank you for your time.” He looked over at the others who were standing on the sidelines. “Next?” he asked, eager to get rid of them.