Twenty Times Tempted: A Sexy Contemporary Romance Collection

by Petrova, Em

  Her daughter was in the living room playing Go Fish with her new best friend, Jacinta. She was glad her little girl had settled into her new preschool and had made some new friends. It made being in a new city that much easier for the both of them.

  Prue had just put dinner in the oven when the doorbell rang. She took off her apron and made a beeline for the entry hall. Nikki and Jacinta jumped up off the floor and ran to open the door before Prue could ask them to wait until she checked to see who was outside. When the girls swung the door back, Jacinta’s mom was in the hall. The little girl wrapped her arms around her mother’s hips and bear-hugged her. “I love you, Momma.”

  “I love you too, sweetheart,” her mom said, leaning down to pull her daughter into her arms.

  Prue smiled. “Got time for coffee?”

  Yolanda picked up her baby girl. “Wish I could but I gotta work tonight.”

  “Ok. Next time?”

  “Absolutely.” She kissed her daughter’s cheek. “Say goodnight to Nikki, honey. We have to go.”

  Jacinta waved. “See ya tomorrow.”

  Nikki waved back. “See ya.”

  After dinner, Prue got her daughter ready for bed, tucked her in, then snuggled under a bright pink throw rug on the sofa and turned on the television. She flicked through a dozen channels before stopping at the day’s rerun of the Ellen DeGeneres Show. She loved watching it but didn’t get the chance very often because it aired during the day, so this was a treat. She loved the style of the show. It was relaxed and quirky, which made it fun and entertaining. Rachelle’s show, on the other hand, was more analytical to Prue’s mind. It had great guests and offered an informative view but didn’t have the same entertainment factor.

  Prue dashed into the kitchen to make a cup of hot chocolate during the last couple of minutes before the ad break and when she returned to her seat she was surprised to hear that Nicholas Colton was up next. Couldn’t she escape the man even in her own home?

  She was about to flick to another channel when the TV host gave a brief intro of his latest release, One Night of Passion. Prue’s stomach shrank. He writes thrillers, doesn’t he? What is this book about? She sat the remote on the coffee table and settled back on the sofa to watch the segment. Could he have written about their night together?

  When Nicholas walked on stage, waving to the excited audience, who gave him a standing ovation, the heater under Prue’s window clattered and the ceiling light flickered. She heard an electrical buzz and the room went dark.

  “No! No, no, no.” Prue felt around the coffee table for her iPhone and snatched it up. She pressed the button and swiped the face. “Why now? I wanted to watch that.”

  She jumped off the sofa and used the flashlight app to make her way down the short hallway to her daughter’s bedroom. She opened the door and peered inside. Nikki was sound asleep. Good.

  Prue headed to the front door, unlocked the deadlock, removed the chain, and opened it. Other tenants were outside their apartments with their cell phones in hand complaining to each other about the outage. Duane, Yolanda’s husband, came along the hall and handed her a battery operated lantern. “Here, this might be useful for a while. The manager doesn’t know how long it’ll take to get the power back on. Is Nikki ok?”

  “Yes, she’s sleeping like a baby, thank goodness.”

  Duane nodded. “That’s good. Mine too.” He turned to walk away.

  “Thanks for this,” she said, holding up the lantern. “I appreciate it.”

  He waved it off. “No problem. Better get back to Jazz and Sammy. Catch you later.”

  Prue locked her door. She was grateful for neighbors like Yolanda and Duane. They were good people.

  She wondered how long it would take for the power to come back on. She wanted to find out what Nicholas’ book was about. She followed the bright light of her phone back into the living room and plonked herself down on the sofa with a huff. Why did the power have to go out now? Could the author have written a novel about their liaison? It made her insides quiver.

  By the time the power was restored, the talk show host was thanking her guests and gave a special mention about One Night of Passion being available at Barnes and Noble and other leading bookstores. Prue made a mental note to pick up a copy. She needed to know what was in that novel.

  Chapter Five

  When Prue arrived at work the next morning, Rachelle rushed up to her in the corridor all smiles. With the holiday season almost upon them she’d had an epiphany. She asked Prue if she could get someone to babysit Nikki from Friday night to Sunday so they could have a girls’ weekend Christmas shopping in Los Angeles. It had been a few years since she’d been there and it would be a great break.

  Prue ran the idea around her mind. It would be a wonderful break, and she hadn’t been to LA before. Would her neighbor mind her daughter? “I’ll have to ask Yolanda if she wouldn’t mind having Nikki for a couple of days before I can say yes. But I’d love to come, if I can.”

  “Great. You organize that and I’ll do the rest.” Rachelle rushed off down the corridor to her office. She was a woman on a mission. The weekend was shaping up to be a lot of fun.

  Gabe came up to Prue with the morning’s schedule and handed her the clipboard. “Why does Rachelle look like the cat that swallowed the canary?”

  Prue frowned at him. “Gabe! That’s not nice.”

  “Well she does.” He folded his arms. “What’s she up to anyway?”

  “She’s planning a Christmas shopping weekend for the two of us, that’s all.” She ran her eyes over the sheet of paper on the clipboard. “Why are you so suspicious?”

  He pressed his hand to his chest and gave her a look of indignation. “Moi? Suspicious? How can you think such a thing? I thought we were best buds.”

  “We’re not best buds, we’re co-conspirators.” She giggled.

  Gabe chuckled. “You’re right about that one, sweetie.” He started to walk away, then turned around. “Please be careful. Rachelle’s plans have been known to backfire with serious consequences. That’s all I’m saying.” He continued down the corridor.

  Prue’s eyes followed him. What did he mean by that? Was he being facetious? What could possibly go wrong on a shopping weekend?

  ***

  Later in the morning, Prue gave Yolanda a quick call. Her neighbor was more than happy to have Nikki sleep over for the weekend. She even suggested that she drop the girls at preschool on Monday so Prue could prepare for work without having to rush to organize things for the beginning of the school week. Prue thanked her and, once off the phone, decided she would have to do something nice for Yolanda. Maybe they could see a movie together or have lunch some time, or both.

  After the call, Prue went to tell the TV host that she could make the trip. When she reached Rachelle’s office her friend was on the phone. Prue waited outside the glass wall until Rachelle finished the call and waved her in. “So how did it go? Are we off to LA?”

  Prue sat down in the chair in front of Rachelle’s desk. “All arranged. I can’t wait.”

  “I knew you’d manage it so I booked our flights.” She spun her laptop around. “We’re leaving at 3.31 p.m. Friday afternoon on Virgin Atlantic. And don’t worry I’ve already cleared it with management so we can leave early.”

  Prue shook her head. “How do you do it?”

  Rachelle smiled. “I do have some influence around here. At least some of the time.” She winked.

  “You amaze me.”

  “Thanks. I amaze me too.” Rachelle’s smile widened. She came around the desk and hugged her friend. “We’re going to have a ball!”

  “I haven’t had a vacation in,” she thought about it, “a really long time. I’m so looking forward to it.”

  “I got us a suite at Hilton Checkers, in the downtown Financial District, so we’re right in the thick of it. LA Live, the fashion district, great restaurants and tourist attractions. It’s going to be amazing.”

  Prue sigh
ed with happiness. “Sounds wonderful.”

  Gabe poked his head around the door. “Ladies, please, let’s hustle. We’ve got a show to do.”

  Rachelle waved him off. “Shoo. We’ll be there in five.”

  He gave her an annoyed frown and strutted off down the corridor, saying “Diva” under his breath.

  “Before we go, I wanted to give you this.” Rachelle walked around her desk, opened the top drawer and took out a copy of Nicholas’ novel. “Thought you’d want to read it.”

  Prue took the book and gazed at the cover and the title, One Night of Passion. Yes, she did want to read it. She needed to know if he remembered their night together and if that’s what he’d written about, or was she looking for something that wasn’t there?

  She turned the book over and stared at his handsome face. “I planned to pick up a copy from Barnes and Noble on the weekend as I didn’t get one when he dropped them off. Thank you for saving this for me.”

  “It’s the least I could do for my bestie?” She gave her an uncertain smile. “Do you think it is about you?”

  “I won’t know until I read it. Maybe.” She popped the book into her purse and headed for the door. “Coming? We have to hustle, remember?”

  Rachelle waved the comment off. “Oh, Gabe is such a girl. We’ve got heaps of time.” She looped her arm through Prue’s and they stepped out into the corridor and headed for the studio. “We are going to have so much fun in LA. I can’t wait to show you around.”

  Chapter Six

  At 3 p.m. Friday afternoon, Prue and Rachelle were waiting at JFK Airport’s Terminal 4 to board their flight. Both women were excited about their weekend shopping expedition and couldn’t wait to be on the plane and in air. Prue had packed light, thinking she might pick up a few new things for herself and Nikki in the fashion district. Rachelle had over packed and Prue wondered where her friend planned to put all the shopping she was going to do.

  The call to board their flight to Los Angeles was announced over the PA system and the pair popped out of their seats, gathered their belongings and joined the queue. At last they were on their way.

  Once on board, Prue by the window, they made themselves comfortable for the five and a half hour flight. Rachelle had picked up some magazines while they were waiting and both women flipped through the glossy pages until the announcement was made to put everything away ready for takeoff.

  It was going to be a late night. By the time they landed, got through security, and found a taxi it would be after 11 p.m., but they didn’t care, the weekend was going to be so much fun. They planned an early start on Saturday so they could take in some sights as well as go shopping.

  When the taxi pulled up outside their hotel both women were ready to fall into bed. The driver had been very helpful with information about where to shop and eat and how to stay safe in the city. He helped them with their luggage and Rachelle gave him a large tip.

  The hotel lobby was opulent, and Prue gazed around at her elegant surroundings. Double red wood and ivory marble-topped reception desk to the left, curtained bar and lounge to the right. Polished, cream and black tile floors and gold framed mirrors adorned the walls. It took her breath away.

  The night manager said he had all the information he needed and handed them their swipe keys. He directed them to the elevators and hoped they enjoyed their stay in Los Angeles.

  Inside their hotel suite, Prue and Rachelle readied themselves for bed. It had been a long flight and getting through security had taken longer than expected. After a good night’s sleep they’d be ready to put in a full day of shopping and fun.

  The next morning, Prue woke early. She wanted to give Nikki a call before she and Rachelle headed downstairs for breakfast. She grabbed her cell phone from her purse and snuck into the living room so she wouldn’t wake her friend. Yolanda answered her cell phone half asleep. “Hi. It’s 4 a.m. here,” she whispered. “I guess you forgot about the three hour time difference, huh?” Prue apologized profusely for waking her up.

  When Nikki came to the phone she was sleepy but happy to hear her mom’s voice and asked if she was having fun. Prue told her they hadn’t left the hotel yet, but when they did she would take some photos and message them to Yolanda for her.

  Nikki told her mom she loved her. Prue gave her daughter a kiss through the phone, said “I love you,” ended the call and returned to the bedroom.

  Rachelle was still sound asleep with a pink satin and black lace mask covering her eyes. Prue wasn’t sure if she should wake her up, but if she didn’t they’d be late going down for breakfast and getting the early start they wanted.

  She wandered over to Rachelle’s bed and wriggled her foot. “Rachelle,” she whispered, “you awake?”

  Her friend stirred and gave a soft snort but didn’t answer.

  Prue bit her bottom lip. Should she try again?

  She gave Rachelle’s foot a firm tug. “Rachelle? We wanted to get an early start, remember?”

  Rachelle flopped onto her back and lifted one corner of the eye mask. “What time is it?” she asked through a sleepy sigh.

  Prue checked the clock radio. “A little after seven.”

  “Seven?!” Rachelle threw back the covers and scrambled out of bed. “Give me ten minutes and I’ll be ready to go.” She unzipped her suitcase, found what she planned to wear and headed to the bathroom.

  While Rachelle was closeted in the bathroom, which could take longer than ten minutes, Prue changed into the outfit she’d chosen to wear and applied some makeup. She didn’t want to overdo it she wanted to keep her look fresh and light.

  Rachelle emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later wearing a brunette wig and looking ready and raring to go. Prue was surprised by the new look. “Best I go incognito. Don’t want to be stopped by fans every five minutes. After breakfast, I think we’ll head to Macy’s. They have a sale on and we’re sure to find some bargains there. Did Nikki put in her Christmas order yet?”

  “Yes, she did. She’d love a Discovery Kids Laptop Computer. She said she wants to be like me. Oh, and a minion from the movie Despicable Me.” She giggled.

  Rachelle smiled. “That’s so sweet.” She grabbed a jacket from her case and picked up her purse. “Well, let’s eat so we can get going.”

  “Great idea. I’m starved.”

  ***

  The doorman opened the door for the ladies, tipped his hat and said good morning. He also informed them that their rental car was out front and handed Rachelle the remote key. When she pressed it, he walked over and opened the door closest to the sidewalk. He recognized the TV host even in her hairpiece and mentioned that his wife loved her show and it was such a treat to meet her. Rachelle told him to please say hello for her and that she was so happy to meet the husband of a fan. He said he would definitely do that and told them to have a nice day in LA.

  “When did you arrange this?” Prue asked, climbing into the plush passenger seat and fastening her seatbelt.

  “I organized it when I made the hotel reservation. I didn’t think we’d want to traipse around in a taxi all day. At least this way we can go wherever we want without having to wait.” Rachelle fastened her seatbelt and started the engine. “Macy’s here we come!” She eased the classic white Audi A3 into the traffic and headed for the department store which was only a few minutes away.

  Once they found a spot in the parking garage, they made their way into the complex.

  The Bloc, once Macy’s Plaza, looked so different now that the renovations were almost complete. Some stores and a couple of cafés were located in an outdoor courtyard, giving the center an al fresco feel. Prue wanted to go straight to Macy’s toy department to buy Nikki’s Christmas gifts first. She didn’t want to miss out on getting exactly what her little girl had asked for. After all, Santa didn’t make that kind of mistake. When they were done, the pair headed to the women’s fashion section to see what was on sale.

  They gathered up the clothes they’d chosen an
d took them to the fitting room. Prue hadn’t done anything like this in a long time and was having so much fun. Each one tried on an outfit then came out to show the other. If something looked off they’d both giggle like school girls.

  After trying on a few outfits, Rachelle appeared in her own clothes. “Sorry, hon, I have to pee. Must’ve been all those cups of coffee at breakfast. Will you be ok till I get back?”

  Prue bundled up the clothes she wanted to buy. “Of course. You go. I’ll meet you at the men’s cologne counter. I want to pick up something for my dad and my brother.”

  “Ok.” Rachelle rushed off to find the restroom.

  While her friend was gone, Prue paid for the clothing, then wandered through the store to the men’s aftershave. The aroma of cologne lingered in the air around her as customers sprayed sample bottles to see if they liked the smell. One heady fragrance prodded her nostrils and took her mind back to that night with Nicholas. He had smelled so good.

  She made her way to an empty section of the counter and perused the assortment of testers. What would her dad like? And what about her brother, Toby? She selected a bottle of Hugo Boss, sprayed a small amount onto a card, then sniffed. Neither her brother nor her dad would wear that one.

  Prue ran her eyes over the bottles again and chose Burberry Touch. She loved the intimacy the name evoked. Not bad, but still not quite right for the rugged men in the Granger family. She sprayed a couple of Gucci fragrances and thought they were nice, but wasn’t sure if her dad or her brother would feel the same. She sighed. It was harder than she thought it would be.

  A male voice beside her said, “Difficult to find just the right one, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, it is.” Prue returned the bottle to its place and turned her head.

  “It’s you!” The expression on Nicholas’ face was one of pleasant surprise.

  Prue felt her heart drop into her stomach. How could this happen? Her cheeks flushed. “Hello. I didn’t expect to see you here.” What am I saying?