by C. R. Moss
“You haven’t changed a bit, have you, Ivy?” he inquired with a tinge of humor. “You were a spitfire back in high school and continue to be one in the present, don’t you?”
Ivy stared at him, and then covered her mouth with her hand. “Zach. It is you. But then, if my cousin’s right, and you are a cop, how can you be Enzo?”
His head swiveled, and his gaze darted around before landing on Ivy’s again. “Please, keep your voice down. I really shouldn’t say anything, but since I’m about to close the case, I’m going to trust you. Neither of you can breathe a word to anyone. I’m undercover. Travis believes I’m a bouncer and loyal to him. But as Seana knows, and has apparently told you, I’m with Metro. I’ve been working on getting Travis and his gang behind bars for a while now. He’s supposed to show up soon and make a move on one of the event attendees. I’m confiding all this because the best thing you two can do is go behind closed doors or stay within the crowd. Either way, when the bust goes down, I want you both to be safe.”
“Good. It’s about time someone got that weasel off the street. Seana and I will stay in the ballroom, won’t we?”
Suffering a bit of shock at the events unfolding around her, all she could do was bob her head in agreement.
Ivy continued, “Travis probably won’t do anything to us with a lot of people around.”
“Right.” Zach kissed Seana’s cheek. “I’ll be back soon. Keep with Ivy okay?”
“Will do.” She pursed her lips as Zach dashed off toward the lobby. The hairs on the back of her neck rose like soldiers at attention. Seana tugged on her cousin’s dress. “He’s talking about Travis being here for Kiran, isn’t he?”
Ivy nodded. “Let’s go in and find the guys, okay? Then maybe Robert will take us all up to his penthouse, and we can hang out there until the cops apprehend Travis and the whole mess blows over.”
“I think I want to sit here for a few more minutes. My new shoes are just eating my feet tonight. Besides, and I hate to say this, but won’t the cops need to catch Travis in the act with Kiran to be able to arrest him? If we go upstairs, that might blow their whole operation.”
“Damn it, you’re right. Okay. If you promise to stay right here, in sight of the volunteer table, I’ll go check on the men and come back. Sound good?”
Seana nodded again. She didn’t plan to move until her feet stopped throbbing.
“Cool. I’ll be right back.” Ivy scurried toward the ballroom.
Somehow Seana would have to get Ivy to see Zach in the same light she did now. But if her cousin’s attitude was a sign of things to come, her task wouldn’t be easy. Bending over, she rubbed one foot then the other. Motions and shadows in her peripheral vision distracted her. She glanced down the hall.
Kiran. He closed a door behind him and stretched.
Guess Ivy hasn’t found him yet.
A sleazy man approached her cousin’s roommate. Kiran glared at him. The guy with the slicked-back black hair waved a hand in the air as they exchanged words.
She cocked her head. He must be Travis. The guy Ivy told me about.
Zach, was nowhere to be seen, so she picked up her shoes and hurried down the hall toward the pair. Maybe I can hear what they’re saying. Assist Kiran if he needs it.
“Travis…. Um…. I….” Kiran swayed from left to right and back.
Poor Kiran. He has a bad case of nerves. His lack of confidence won’t help him any.
Travis reached back, lifted his jacket, and pulled out a pistol.
What can I do? She scanned the area. The footwear shifted against her fingers, giving her an idea. She held her shoes so the pointy ends faced forward and lifted them over her head, clasping them with both hands. She’d paid a lot for the torturous stilettos, but they were her only weapon.
Kiran’s eyes widened. His attention fixated on her. “No!”
Seana stopped in her tracks at Kiran’s shout. She furrowed her brow and mouthed, “What?” Why didn’t Kiran want her help? She kept the tips of the heels aimed at the man’s head. Maybe the guy wouldn’t have been seriously injured, but her attack could have given Kiran a chance to escape. Reluctantly, she lowered her arm.
“No? You owe me my money. All of it plus int—” Travis stopped talking, whirled and, in a fluid move, smacked her face with his fist.
When Travis’s knuckles impacted, her cheek flopped around as if it had turned to rubber. Pain exploded in her head. Stars filled her vision. She spun from the force of the hit. A wave of dizziness overcame her. She tripped over her feet and fell. Arms flailing, she searched for purchase on something…anything…yet she couldn’t stop her descent. Seana struck her head on the marble floor.
Darkness engulfed her.
Chapter Six
Current time…
Beeping machines filled the quiet space. The IV and adhesive continued to annoy the back of her hand. Over the hallway loudspeaker, a woman called for a doctor.
Seana shrugged. “And that’s it. I gather an ambulance was called, and I was brought here.”
Zach sat forward, putting his elbows on his knees. “Yep. For recovering from a good knock to the head, you’ve remembered it very well.”
“What about Kiran and Travis?”
“Your cousin and friend are fine. They’re safe and with Robert. The two of them did spend a good part of the night here waiting to see if you’d wake up, but the nurses eventually shooed them out. Travis and his buddies are behind bars.”
Relieved, she let out a long breath. “Zach?”
“Yes?”
“I owe you an apology.”
His brow furrowed. “Why?”
“I was mean to you when we met in the bar. I’m sorry.”
He leaned toward her, patted her arm then rested his hand there. “No worries. I pretty much deserved it. I should be the one saying I’m sorry to you. Are you sure you’re not distraught over what Heather did? She’s going to hate me for telling you.”
“No. I’m not upset with her. She means well, and I’m actually happy she tracked you down.” She loved being touched by him, feeling his skin on hers. And boy did we have a good time last night. Too bad I’m all jacked up right now. I’d love to have another go at him. Seana smiled. “As for apologizing, I think you did already. A few times, if I recall, and quite well.”
“You weren’t so bad yourself.” He rose then brushed his lips over hers.
The nurse in the bear outfit and a doctor in scrubs rounded the bed. The woman checked the monitor. “The neurologist needs to examine her now. You’ll need to leave.”
Seana reached out and grabbed his hand. “Please don’t leave. I don’t want you to go.”
Zach cast his gaze at the nurse. Seana looked at the woman, too, hoping her eyes conveyed her plea for him to remain.
The nurse sighed. “You can wait outside the door until we’re done.”
“Thanks,” he replied. He winked at Seana. “I’ll stay close by. I didn’t want to leave anyway.”
“Really?” Hope filled her. Could her wish really be coming true?
He bobbed his head. “Really. We have a lot of catching up to do, and once you’re better, we have plans to make.”
“Plans?” He’s happy to stick around? Awesome! She tried to calm her breathing so she wouldn’t appear too eager.
“Yeah, deciding where to go on dates, where to have our wedding, how many kids we’ll have.”
“A wedding and children? My, you move fast.” Though she hoped she sounded composed, the machine turned traitor and gave away her racing heartbeat.
“Sure do. A wise woman once said, ‘I want you. You obviously want me. Why not submit to our desires?’ I like your philosophy. Since you’re back in my life, I don’t ever want you to go. I want us to pursue what we started last night. I want us to explore and see if we can create a life together.” Zach rounded the bed as if heading for the door but didn’t leave. He clasped her hand, smiled and indicated the quickly bleeping vitals-monitoring u
nit. “I’m excited, too. So? What do you think?”
A bottomless sense of joy occupied her. “I think I’m the luckiest girl in the world and would love to see what we can accomplish together.”
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~
An eccentric and eclectic writer, C.R. Moss pens stories for the mainstream and erotic romance markets, giving readers Worlds of Possibilities. With stories from the light and sweet to the dark and deadly and varying degrees of sexual heat, writing as C.R. Moss gives her and her muses the freedom to explore worlds of possibilities when it comes to love.
For more about the woman behind the keyboard, visit: http://crmoss.com
Sunset Desires
A blind date. A hot tropical evening. She’ll be someone he can’t forget. He’ll fulfill her ultimate fantasy.
Gwendolyn Tramonto is stunned to learn her cousin set her up with sex on the beach and it’s not the drink. But after a several year dry spell of no relationships, no dates…no sex, Gwen decides to take her cousin up on her offer and go out on the blind date. For once, she’d like to indulge in a fantasy, be wined and dined instead of the other way around, and if she and the man ended up in bed together, that would be a nice bonus.
Evan Cadell is looking forward to the date his uncle arranged for him through an exclusive matchmaking service and taking a one night break from work, life and all its demands. From Gwen’s profile, Evan knows what her fantasy is and believes he’s the man who can make it come true. But will one night in paradise be enough to satisfy their desires?
Sunset Seduction
One evening. One date. Easy, right?
Heather Tramonto, a business woman with only her career and a quickie on her mind, is all set for her 1NS date and a bit of adult fun—no conditions, no commitment—when a surprise shows up at her door.
Lane Stanwyck is entering the dating world after years of an estranged marriage and the passing of his hostile wife. When Madame Eve schedules an anonymous tryst for him—no conditions, no commitment—he believes it to be the perfect arrangement for his first time out in the dating field in ages. That is until he sees the woman of his dreams.
One night. No strings. That might be a problem for this pair.
Contents
Title page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~
Table of Contents
Title page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~