FollowtheSigns

Mystical Signs, Sagittarius

FOLLOW THE SIGNS

MICHELE IMIOLA

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

FOLLOW THE SIGNS

ISBN: 1-59836-415-4

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www.VenusPress.com

Dedication:

For Jon who made me laugh and Serissa for all the stories--you two made the time go by quickly.

Prologue

Mike Sutherland slid his cock in deep, the tight rim squeezing around him like a vice. He groaned as his eyes shut, a feeling of satisfaction overwhelming him. There wasn’t a better place to be than inside a woman. This one’s ass was extremely tight and even though well lubricated, he still had to push with some force each time he moved. The brunette lying beneath him moaned as he pulled back, her hands now fists as she grabbed and pulled on the cotton sheets. Her ass followed his cock backwards, beckoning him on.

This had been her idea. He was all for a quick suck and then maybe a long fuck but when she suggested he take his ‘hunk of meat’, and put it in her ass, he wasn’t about to turn her down. Shit, he’d never turned down any woman for that matter. A second later, she held out a bottle of lube to him and he found himself quickly squirting a healthy amount of liquid over his cock and fingers and then applied some in her ass. He heard another groan and it didn’t sound good.

“Hey…” he paused, suddenly unable to remember her name. How in the hell could he forget her name? His dick was in her ass, for God’s sake. He knew her name before at the rehearsal dinner. He’d said it several times, keeping it on the tip of his tongue because he planned on putting his tongue into her before the night was through. Now, with his cock bedded in deep, he couldn’t recall what she went by. “Are you okay?”

“Don’t stop,” she giggled and Mike was caught short by her girlish behavior. He hadn’t been with a woman who giggled quite like that. He wondered if she was drunk. They’d had a lot to drink and she’d kept up with him.

He paused again, wondering if she was over eighteen. She had a set of breasts that certainly made her look older and she obviously had done this kind of thing before…but still? He stopped altogether, wracking his brain to come up with a name. He thought it started with a ‘C’ but for all he knew it could have been a ‘K’. He began to think all the women’s names he knew that began with ‘C’ but none of them seemed right for the giggling nymph under him.

“Get going back there,” she prompted him. He looked down at the creamy curves of her cheeks and his cock nestled tightly between. Her skin was smooth and his grabbed hold of her hips as he pushed in again.

“Hey, umm,” he paused again. He hated asking the woman’s name in the middle of the act, not that he’d had this problem before. He didn’t want her to think that he was only interested in fucking her. But in this case, it happened to be true. His only interest was fucking to get his mind off of other things, like the wedding he had to attend tomorrow. He’d been positive that fucking this nameless woman or any woman for that matter would make him forget everything…for about an hour. After that, he’d start drinking again and could really forget every problem he had in the world, at least until the hangover in the morning.

“I’m Christine,” she giggled. He didn’t mind laughter during sex but he preferred the husky sound of a woman who acted a little older. The way Christine laughed, she sounded way too young with too much to drink. They’d had wine with dinner and even hit the bar afterwards, using cocktails as foreplay. Mike had a bottle of champagne sent up to her hotel room and that disappeared quickly. He’d only had a glass. Maybe she was drunk and didn’t know he was fucking her ass. Hell, was she old enough to drink?

“Christine,” he said quickly, as if he hadn’t forgotten but was caught up in the moment. “How old are you?” he blurted out. He winced at his directness. Smooth, Mike. Real smooth.

“Old enough to know I like what you’re doing, so get going,” she giggled again. When he didn’t move, she added without a giggle, “I told you everything at dinner.” Mike couldn’t seem to recall much about dinner other than wondering when they were going to go to bed.

“I’m twenty-four. I’ve just graduated with my MBA and I’m Mia’s cousin from Kansas City. Now do you think you could get moving back there?” Mike needed little prompting as he pushed and pulled back, his erection feeling every tight inch of muscle that surrounded it. He could feel her pelvis clenching, squeezing tightly and then release.

It felt great but he knew he needed to get out of there. Hell, he hadn’t even been able to remember her name. He needed to stop screwing everything that moved and breathed. He had to get over his infatuation with his best friends fiancée and he needed to get a life. But first, he was going to fuck Christine and then maybe do it again and after that, maybe he’d focus on his real problem.

Mike leaned forward, running his hands down the soft skin of her back, wishing it was Mia lying face down on the bed. Christ, there he goes again, thinking about Mia Maxwell—who—starting tomorrow would be Mrs. Mia Kingsley, the wife of his best friend, Jason. He needed to just stop thinking about her but he couldn’t seem to help himself.

Eight months ago he’d met Mia, and unfortunately, so had Jason. They were at Hannigan’s having a scavenger hunt and the items being hunted were women of the sun signs. The object of the hunt was to find a woman with the sign you picked out of a hat and convince her to sleep with you. Jason had been lucky, meeting Mia who happened to be the sign he needed to find. Jason’s luck doubled when Mia didn’t slap him as he told her the requirement to win the hunt was a videotaped fuck-session. Mia not only didn’t slap Jason, she slept with him, filmed it and let the rest of the men of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity watch it as proof. Mike fell in immediate lust for her and after eight months, it hadn’t abated. Now tomorrow the woman of his dreams was going to walk down the aisle with his best friend.

“Fuck,” he said loudly.

“Yes!” Christine said breathlessly. “Fuck me harder, Mike.”

The fact that she’d remembered his name made him want to laugh. Maybe he was the one who was drunk. He just needed to finish this and get the hell out of here. He wasn’t really interested in Christine or any other woman for that matter. He wanted the red-headed vixen that flirted with him, teased him to no end but always went home with another man. He wanted to fuck her so badly he couldn’t think straight; obviously not if he was in Christine’s ass in the first place.

But that wasn’t ever going to happen. Mia was in love with Jason and as much as Mike hated the fact, he was happy for them. Jason was a good man and a great friend. He couldn’t help that he wanted his best friend’s woman. He wished he’d met her first. He loved her no-bullshit attitude and the raw sexuality that just seemed to pour out of her. Most of the women he met were like Christine, not that there was anything wrong with her, but there wasn’t any connection other than sex. For once in his life, he wanted something more.

“Would you get moving?” Christine asked as she wiggled her hips, getting his attention again. She had a nice looking ass but after tonight, he no longer wanted to see it or her. Mike began thrusting, willing his cock to just explode so he could get to that bottle of Jack he had in his hotel room. He could spend the rest of the night getting drunk and trying to remember what he was supposed to do as the best man.

He pushed forward, grabbing her hips again and just moved mechanically. It’s just fucking. Just do it.

“I want you to meet my parents tomorrow,” Christine said and Mike stopped cold as his erection began to shrink. One thing he didn’t do was meet parents and having her parents at the wedding didn’t bode well for avoiding the situation.

Mike pushed again, trying to build up the hardness he’d lost, demanding his cock not fail him now. He really wanted to pull out and leave her and her undeniably fuckable ass. But if he did that, he knew he’d be the topic of conversation amongst the bridesmaids and he couldn’t have that. He had a reputation to protect. He wrapped his hand around Christine’s hips and felt between her legs. She was wet and he rubbed her clit while he rocked his hips. He didn’t think he could come but he’d be damned if she didn’t. His reputation would be more than damaged; it would be irreparable.

He worked his fingers quickly, making Christine squirm, which helped his flaccid state some. Her clit was hardening and he heard her breathing become a little ragged. She was squeezing him again, her pelvis twitching as tiny little waves of shocks jolted through her. He could feel it in her ass. That brought his cock up to full staff and he took the advantage, pushing again as his fingers strummed her body into a climax.

Holding on to her hips, Mike began to thrust hard, his balls slapping skin as he moved faster. He blocked his mind of every thought and just fucked. Soon he was coming, knowing it didn’t matter who was before him except that it was warm, tight and he couldn’t stop coming if he tried.

“That was great,” Christine said breathlessly as she fell onto the bed, taking Mike’s cock with her. Her brown hair was a tangled mess, covering her face as she lay there limp. He untangled his limbs and his dick from her body feeling as if he wasn’t actually there. He just fucked some woman whose name he couldn’t even be bothered to remember. The woman he wanted to fuck was marrying his best friend and he was the best man at their wedding.

Yeah, life was great. He needed to stop messing around and find a woman who rocked his world and just not in bed. He had to quit acting like a whore, sleeping with every female who even remotely looked at him. He should stop thinking with his dick and worrying about Ms. ‘Right Now’ and go after Ms. ‘Forever and Ever’. He had to figure out what he wanted out of life, something more than just fucking nameless women wishing they were someone else.

He wanted what Jason and Mia had; something that was cosmic, ethereal, something that only the stars could grant. It was a tall order but he could do it. He glanced at Christine. She moved the hair off her face and he saw her lips. They had been great to kiss…maybe he’d have another go with her.

Yeah, life was just fucking great. He’d need more than a fuck and a bottle of Jack to get it figured out.

Chapter One

Paige Remington glanced at the checklist and then moved behind the bar. It was over thirty feet long and covered a good portion of the back patio of the Kingsley estate. She glanced at the bottles of alcohol lined up in a row, inspecting the labels and making sure everything was in place.

This was the largest watering hole for the wedding reception and needed to provide a lot of liquor. There were two other stations set up on either side of the dance floor, close to the seating arrangements but this bar would be the center of attention. She glanced at her watch, noting the time. The wedding should be over by now and the guests on their way. Despite spending the past twenty-four hours getting the groom’s father’s estate ready for the reception, her job was just beginning and she loved it.

Weddings were special times and Jason and Mia were the perfect couple to cater for. They were easy going, letting Paige do her job. After selecting the menu and showing Paige where they planned to have their reception, the rest had been Paige’s baby and she loved to put on a show. She liked to see the look of contentment and excitement when everything went according to plan. It gave Paige a sense of fulfillment and meeting her customer’s needs was part of that.

Paige checked the cooler, knowing champagne would move fast. She had extra cases on hand because she knew from past experiences that champagne went down easy, and she never wanted to hear they’d run out. A pouting bride and a pissed-off groom where not a good combination so she always over-planned every occasion. She tried to make sure nothing was overlooked and hoped she hadn’t forgotten anything.

Noticing there was room for a few more bottles so she opened another case, easily slipping the tall green bottles towards the back. She grabbed a bag of ice and ripped it open, pouring the chips over the warm bottles, urging them to chill quickly.

She turned back to the bar, giving the area one final look. She noticed a man leaning against the bar, his two arms holding his body in place. His head was bent forward and his blond bangs shadowed his face. She glanced around, looking for Marlene. She should be here already. Her break should have been over fifteen minutes ago. She should be standing at attention, awaiting the first order, which by the looks of it, was this man.

Paige moved down the bar, placing her clipboard onto the counter rather loudly. The blond lifted his head and Paige paused, catching a glimpse of gorgeous blue eyes. Her body tightened with instant heat and then she paused. He looked familiar.

“What can I get you?” Paige asked quickly. He had a beautiful face with full lips but he was still a customer and she still had a job, even if she just out right wanted to kiss those lips, no questions asked.

“Jack, on the rock,” he responded, watching her. Paige moved efficiently, having spent a lot of years doing just this task. She grabbed a glass, filled it with ice, poured two fingers worth of whiskey and turned back to her customer, forgetting for a moment he was gorgeous. That stopped her short. Customer, drink, deliver…she told herself but for some reason, his eyes held her like a deer in headlights. She just couldn’t move as she felt every part of her body react. Where had she seen his face before?

As he grinned, a dimple showed at the center of his left cheek and Paige felt a warm heat rush through her as if she’d swallowed the drink herself. She placed the glass down, rather clumsily and moved back.

“Wedding over?” she asked quickly. Shut up, Paige. Obviously it was over. He wore a tux, had the cummerbund in the color of the wedding party and he was asking for alcohol…or he could have skipped the wedding, which many guests did and went straight to the reception…or he could be someone no one knew, a wedding crasher here for the food, women and of course, free booze.

“Yep,” he said, watching her over his glass as he took a big swallow. He shook the glass, mixing the dark liquor with the ice and then finished off the drink. “Can I get another?” Paige noticed his eyes looked slightly blood shot already and thought maybe she should offer a Bloody Mary instead. But she grabbed the glass and poured him another Jack. He took another healthy swig and put the glass on the counter, letting out a big sigh as the alcohol settled. She wasn’t sure if it was good or bad.

“Everything okay?” she asked curiously. She didn’t want to be nosey but this was a wedding and the man seemed less than enthused to be here. He had to know the wedding party—unless he was just there to get drunk.

“Great,” he muttered and lifted his eyes at her. “Just fucking great.” That wasn’t the response she’d been hoping for. As a bartender, she’d learned firsthand to ask few questions and listen a whole lot. Most people drank to forget, to get drunk or to get laid. She thought this guy was probably going for all three.

“There was a wedding?” Paige asked, suddenly panicked. She hoped to God there had been a wedding. She had food prepared for over three-hundred guests and no, it could not be returned.

“Oh, there was a wedding all right,” he said, putting his elbows back on the bar. Paige noticed his height then, taller than her five-foot ten inch frame barefoot but as he leaned forward, he was closer to eye level with her and she had her flats on.

“Tell me,” she said, wanting to add ‘before I go into a fit of panic’. He raised a brow at her and hoped he didn’t think she was one of those women who got all giddy over weddings. She thought they were beautiful, plain and simple. Maybe she’d do it herself one day, if the stars were aligned properly.

“Well,” he said as he gave a quick roll of his eyes, “I guess you would call it beautiful, a memorable event and now it’s done.” Paige stood perfectly still. She hadn’t expected that kind of answer and then she realized she didn’t know what she expected. Maybe this guy was anti-weddings.

“You’re in the wedding party?” she asked, curious who this strange and too sexy man was. It was driving her nuts that she couldn’t remember where she’d seen him before.

“Best Man,” he said, tipping his glass to her in salute. He drank the rest and then laid the glass down close to her, obviously asking for a refill. She leaned and grabbed the bottle, pouring more than two fingers worth and looked up at the Best Man. His eyes were a fascinating blue and they were glued to her chest.

Paige looked down quickly, praying the stupid button that kept popping open on her shirt hadn’t popped out, leaving a wide gapping slit down the front of her blouse. She could feel her nipples puckering against the black vest she wore over her blouse. Smart move as her nipples hardened even tighter.

“So, the Best Man is here,” she prodded, trying to get those blue eyes off her breasts which seemed to be getting fuller the longer he stared at them. “Where’s the rest of the wedding party and guests?” The Best Man didn’t move; only lifted his eyes to hers and she felt blood rush to her cheeks. His eyes squinted slightly, little creases filling in the edges and Paige wondered if he’d seen her nipples.

He laughed quickly and leaned closer to her and her swollen breasts.

“Believe it or not, they’re on a scavenger hunt.” With that, he took another drink, this time taking it slow. Paige bet the alcohol was hitting him already because she felt drunk just having him in front of her. In fact, she felt a lot of things she hadn’t felt in a long time, most significantly an undeniable attraction which couldn’t have come at the worse time.

“A scavenger hunt?” Paige asked curiously. She hadn’t been told that was on the agenda. She assumed once the wedding was over, the guests would arrive quickly and she could get her part of the happy occasion started.

“Yeah, isn’t that a fucking riot?” he said. “Jason and Mia met when our fraternity had a little scavenger hunt so they decided to commemorate their wedding with one.” He sounded a bit pissed about the whole thing.

“Why aren’t you out there, doing this ‘scavenger hunt’ with them?” Paige asked. She knew she should just be quiet and let him talk but she wanted more information from him, most importantly, when in the hell were the guests going to show up.

“I’ve had my fill of scavenger hunts,” he said sarcastically. She wondered what he had against them. They were supposed to be fun. She always thought they were. The way he said the word, it sounded like a bitter pill.

“Scavenger hunts are fun,” she said innocently, immediately thinking she should be quiet and go find Marlene and tell her to get her sorry ass behind the bar. Paige decided to stay put. She was sure the moment she left the bar, the Best Man would have the bottle of Jack in his possession and she knew the Best Man needed to be sober, at least until the first toasts. After that, she didn’t care what state he was in.

“Oh, you’d love the one that brought these two together,” he laughed.

“Tell me,” she said, wondering how Jason and Mia met.

She loved to hear how clients met, curious about what drew people together and made them decide to get married. When she’d met Jason and Mia, there was something so raw, so sexual, she’d forgotten to ask. She’d been struck by the aura of them, that what they had was true love that couldn’t be denied. Currently unattached, Paige wasn’t sure how she would meet the man of her dreams, except the Best Man had come closer than anyone in a long time and that was only on his looks alone.

He drank some more and she wondered if it was for courage, which she doubted he needed or possibly to darken his already somber mood. She should slow him down but she was mesmerized the way his Adam’s apple bobbed as the alcohol slid down his throat.

“Jason and I are members of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity…ex-members,” he added as he looked her over. His eyes kept dropping to her breasts. She wished he’d step back from the bar so she could check out him out fully. She checked her shirt again. Nope; it was still buttoned. “The objective was to find women of the sun signs and Mia happened to be the sign that Jason was looking for.” He paused and something stirred in Paige. She nodded, wanting him to continue because there was something vaguely familiar about sun signs and scavenger hunts.

“The objective wasn’t to just find the woman with your sun sign,” he said slowly. “You also had to take her to bed.” Paige felt her stomach do a back flip in excitement. “And there’s more.” He drank the rest down quicker than the previous two glasses of whiskey, if that’s possible and continued. “You had to provide video proof that you slept with your sun sign.”

Paige felt as if she’d been kicked as the memory of one night months ago reappeared. She moved a little and felt wetness on her panties.

“So, they met and today they got married,” he said quickly as he slid the glass across the counter. Paige stood still, remembering a night that seemed like ages ago.

“We’ve met,” she said as each detail from that one night came into focus. She’d just landed a big account and was well into her third beer when he’d stopped in front of her and Marlene. How could she have forgotten this man or the question he asked?

“Trust me, if we’d of met, I would remember,” he said as he lifted his glasses, tilting it to get her attention.

“I highly doubt that. You seemed pretty drunk.” At the time, it had been a passing thing, some guy acting crazy in a bar. She had laughed it off along with Marlene, thinking he was just another guy who’d had too much to drink. “You asked me if I was a Scorpio.”

He winced, his eyes shutting as if he could pretend it never happened.

“Are you?” he asked shaking the glass again.

Paige grabbed it and refilled, placing it right in front of him again. She looked into his eyes, wishing she had been a Scorpio.

“No. I’m a Sagittarius.”

She recalled seeing him, quickly moving down the bar. She’d watched him as he spoke with women at random and had been surprised when he stopped in front of her. She had thought he was a good-looking man. She must have been very drunk not to notice the blue of his eyes or the dimple that appeared when he grinned. Those two things would have had her lying through her teeth.

“I’m Mike,” he said his voice a little husky. He watched her, his eyes moving over her face and then lifting to take in her reddish-brown hair that was pulled tightly into a bun. “I wish you had been a Scorpio.”

Paige felt an instant flush of excitement heat her skin. His statement was bold and she felt a bit intoxicated. Her cheeks had to be turning a nice shade of red. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She was supposed to be working and she wasn’t a Scorpio. She was a Sagittarian on a mission and men like Mike were not on the schedule.

“Sorry,” she said as she quickly grabbed a cloth to wipe the already clean counter. “Sagittarian through and through.” Paige focused on wiping, not wanting to see the look on his face. She wasn’t sure how to read it but it looked seductive and raw. She liked the look but now wasn’t the time.

“Excuse me?” another voice said and Paige looked over. She had another customer. Where the hell was Marlene?

“Excuse me,” she told Mike as she moved toward the elderly gentleman.

“Hurry back,” Mike said and Paige looked at him over her shoulder.

The smoldering look in his eyes made her want to give up her sun sign and her plans, even if it was just for an hour with him.

Chapter Two

Mike watched Paige as she took the man’s order and moved to mix his drink. He made a promise after he drank half a bottle of Jack last night that he would not fuck everything he fancied. He vowed he would get his priorities straight and try to find a woman who could rock his world for more than an hour or two. He wanted a woman who would be there at the end of the day. He should be choosey and selective on finding such a woman instead of treating relationships like trips to the ATMs.

He’d promised himself after he finished fucking Christine for the third time that he was done with the game.

However, Paige—a name he knew he could never forget, especially since it was on the nameplate she wore over a set of breasts he wanted to see—had him rethinking everything. He wanted to do an ‘in and out’ with her right now.

He didn’t know a thing about her except that she was hot. Her hair was the same colors as Mia’s, a fiery red that made his blood boil. Her green eyes had a hint of gold in them and they lit up as she spoke. Her body was all curves and he couldn’t stop looking at her breasts. He wanted to unbutton the vest she wore, hoping she was braless underneath. The sheer white material would glaze over her nipples and he bet they were hard. He wanted them in his mouth.

Mike couldn’t recall their first meeting. He must have been very drunk to pass her by. But then again, he was on a scavenger hunt and when on the hunt, he let no man or woman get in his way. The shitty part was that they had met before and he had missed an opportunity. He had been more interested in beating Jason, no matter what it took. He’d hunted high and low for Scorpios and when he found them, they didn’t act anywhere near like what their sun sign alluded to. They all turned him down.

He knew he was good-looking but he didn’t think he was vain. He just wanted to have sex with a Scorpio, videotape it and win the prize. He wasn’t asking for marriage. Scorpio’s were supposed to be the most sexual of the sun signs but he thought that the ones he’d met were a bunch of prudes. That night, there wasn’t an adventurous one in of the lot. Jason won with Mia and Mike’s life went to shit and he was trying to get it back on track.

He knew he had some choices to make. He could come right out and ask Paige to meet him after the reception and maybe they’d end up at his place. That thought made his cock stir. He could ask her to go into the pantry in kitchen right now and get it on. His cock was tightening in his underwear. Or he could go slow, ask her out on a date and see where it took them. His cock saw no immediate relief in that option.

All he knew was that he was attracted to Paige and this time, he wouldn’t rush by, looking for the next best thing. This time he would do what Jason did and stay focused on the target. This time…

“Do you need anything else?” Paige asked when she returned. She held a clipboard and Mike thought she suddenly looked serious.

“What time do you get off?” he asked before he could think of anything else.

“Late,” she replied, looking around the back lawn of the estate. He glanced around as guests had begun to arrive.

“I thought,” he started to say and then realized he wasn’t thinking. He was going after what he wanted. “I thought we could get together.” Paige didn’t return his smile and he wondered what happened from the time she went to serve the other man to now.

“I can’t,” she replied.

“Can I get your number?” he asked, trying a bit harder to lock her in.

Paige’s eyes narrowed a bit and she put her clipboard down. “Look, Mike, you seem like a nice guy…” Mike felt as if he’d been slapped. He’d heard this speech before. It always started with ‘you seem like a nice guy but…’ and usually ended with ‘go fuck yourself’.

“But I think you drink too much,” she told him outright and Mike instantly pushed his drink away.

“I don’t really care for weddings,” he said casually, knowing full well it was a lie. He just didn’t know how to handle the fact that the woman he’d been lusting after had just married his best friend.

“Yeah, for some guys, I’m sure this is very daunting but you’re the Best Man and you’ve got a job to do and if you’re drunk, you’re going to ruin Mia and Jason’s day and I can’t let that happen.” Mike nodded. He figured if he got drunk, he could forget this day ever happened. However, things were changing before his eyes and being drunk would mean missing out on Paige, again.

“So, lay off the booze and eat something. You can drink later, after they’ve left.”

“I want to see you later,” he said, finding his opening because when Mia and Jason left, his job was done.

“I’ve got work to do,” Paige replied. “You see all those waiters lined up?” Mike looked at the twenty-some men and women in white shirts and ties, waiting to begin delivering hors d’oeuvres. “They work for me and until the last guest is gone, I’m working.”

“What about after that?” he asked, ever hopeful.

“Then I’m going to bed.”

“Sounds good to me,” he said quickly, grinning as his brow lifted.

“Alone.” Paige smiled slightly but didn’t take the bait.

“So,” Mike said slowly, wanting to make sure he got it right. “I stop drinking, start eating, do my job as Best Man well and you still won’t see me afterwards.”

Paige shook her head and laughed. “I’ve got a long night of head of me and I don’t know when I’ll be done.”

“But we could still meet. If not tonight, some other night then?” He had to pin her down to something. He was starting to feel desperate and he didn’t like the feeling.

“No,” she replied.

Mike let out the breath he was holding. He kept his eyes on Paige, not understanding her reluctance to at least see him. He was trying to go about the whole thing casually except he wasn’t. He was being pushy as usual.

“Is it me? Because I feel like there’s something here. I don’t know what it is but I want to explore it.”

Paige blushed and he saw a smile creep to her cheeks.

“No it’s not you. There’s something here all right but it’s not going anywhere.”

“Why?”

“It’s not you. It’s me.” Mike stared at her, not following and not liking the statement. He’d used it plenty of times on women he dated and now he realized how painful it was to hear those words. “You aren’t in my cards, Mike. At least not for another six months.”

“Hey,” a woman’s voice interrupted as she came traipsing forward wearing a similar outfit to Paige. She looked at Paige and smiled. Paige gave her a strained smile and told her she was late.

“Sorry, this morning sickness is killing me.”

“Marlene, it’s four-thirty in the afternoon,” Paige replied.

“I know,” she said as she smiled. “It’s kind of an all day thing.” She looked at Mike and then asked him what she could get him to drink.

“Nothing,” Paige said and Mike almost laughed at her quick response. “Mike has already had his fill for a while.” Mike covered his glass, liking the way Paige took charge of his alcohol intake.

“All right,” Marlene said slowly, looking at Paige then back to Mike. “I got it, Paige.” Paige nodded and grabbed her clipboard and turned to go.

“Paige, wait,” Mike said. “What did you mean I’m not in the cards?”

Paige stopped, giving Marlene a glance which sent her scurrying off to the other end of the bar.

“I said I was a Sagittarius, right? I had my chart done and I can’t even begin to think of a relationship until sometime next year.” Mike was dumbfounded. Next year was like three-hundred and sixty days away. He couldn’t wait that long.

“Why would you follow some chart that said you can’t date or anything for like a year?” he asked dumbfounded.

“Because so far, that chart has given me everything I want.”

* * * *

“What in the hell are you doing?” Marlene asked Paige. Paige lifted her head and noticed Marlene’s pouching belly, her hands on her hips. She put the finishing touches on a tray and nodded to the waiter standing by to take it out to the party.

“This is called working, something you should be doing. Don’t you have a bar to attend to?” Paige asked sarcastically. She loved Marlene but tonight she wasn’t in the mood for one of her speeches.

“Never mind the bar,” Marlene replied, crossing her hands over her chest, cocking a stance that said she wasn’t moving until she got some answers.

“It’s my job to mind everything.” Paige knew her reply came off kind of snotty but this job would hopefully bring in more work and more work meant money, prestige and everything else she ever wanted.

“Why did you just blow that hunk off?” Marlene asked.

“What hunk?” Paige asked knowing full well who she was talking about.

“That stud at the bar. He is Grade-A Prime male perfection and you gave him some bullshit about your sign…”

“It’s not bullshit,” Paige said defensively. After having her reading done, she’d followed the path her astrologist had given her and things fell into place. She landed her first big account, business picked up, her name had been mentioned in the newspapers and it was all because she stuck to the plan. “Does your husband know you’re eye-balling other men?”

“It’s called window shopping and what Robert doesn’t know won’t hurt him. And yes it is ‘bullshit’ and you know it. Nowhere on your chart does it say you can’t have a relationship.”

Paige said nothing, knowing it was true. There were peaks and valleys in the reading about relationships. Some months were better for starting a relationship. It all depended on her planet, Jupiter, but it never stated she couldn’t have a relationship.

“You’re just afraid.”

“No, I’m not,” she said, sounding kind of whiney. Really, she wasn’t.

“So when he asked you if you were a Scorpio, why didn’t you jump at the chance?” Paige was surprised. She thought Marlene had been drunker than she was.

“You remember him?”

“Remember him? Hell, when he asked for a Scorpio, I said I was one.”

“That’s because you are,” Paige stated the obvious.

“Yes, but he wasn’t interested in me. In fact, if I recall correctly, he didn’t even ask me. He asked you.”

“But I’m not a Scorpio…and you’re married.”

“For being one of the smartest women I know, Paige, sometimes you are so dense. He’s interested in you.”

“And I’ve got a business to run.”

“Which you do extremely well but there are tons of women who run their own businesses and make time to have relationships with men. It’s not unheard of, you know.”

“Yes, I do know but this is really important to me and I want to make sure I meet all the objectives I set out for this company and I…”

“You’ve met the objectives and then some, Paige. We’ve got engagements for the next eight months. We are booked solid.”

“And what about the eight months after that?”

“We keep on adding them. It’s called business, Paige. It is not your life. This is something you do. Relationships are what you have for the rest of the time.”

“Don’t you have a bar to run?”

“I do it so well I’m not needed.” Paige wondered which new hire she shanghaied to run the bar in her absence. “Just like you’re not needed to do the clean-up. That’s why you hired Greg and his crew. They do the set up and the clean up. You just get in the way. You could be alone with Mr. Tall, Blond and Handsome, burning up the sheets instead of watching Greg and his crew work.”

“I don’t have time right now for a relationship. I need to stay focused on business, which is what you should be doing instead of worrying about my love life. The added stress can’t be good for the baby. Why don’t you go back to work and calm down some,” Paige replied

“I am calm and the baby’s doing fine. You, on the other hand, are the one who needs to let go a little and start living.”

“Marlene…”

“Don’t ‘Marlene’ me, Paige. You’ve taken this sun sign crap too far.” With that she walked away.

Paige didn’t bother to tell her she also had a daily calendar for Sagittarius’ and today’s message had been—Beware of strangers. They aren’t what they appear.

Chapter Three

“And so, I’d like to propose a toast…to the bride and groom,” Mike said, concluding his speech. Looking around at the guests, he hoped to catch Paige in the wings. He’d done as she’d asked; the glass of champagne was his first hit of alcohol in hours but she was nowhere in sight.

Mike turned to his best friend and lifted his glass. Jason did a mock salute with his own, arm around Mia. Mike looked at her and smiled, thinking her wedding dress had to be the sexiest he’d ever seen. They looked happy and he knew he needed to just let his dreams of Mia go. She was his friend’s wife now and he needed to find Paige. “Happy wishes to you both.” Mike lifted his glass again. Jason grinned and kissed Mia on the cheek who mouthed ‘thanks’ to Mike.

“And now,” Mike said turning back to the guests. He caught Paige who was standing by one of the side bars, watching him. He raised his glass to her and she smiled, shaking her head. “I believe it’s time for the first dance.”

And time for Mike to hunt down an elusive woman. He moved away from the head table quickly, keeping his eyes on Paige. The small orchestra started to play and Mike knew Jason would be leading his wife to the dance floor. Music floated through the air as he moved towards Paige.

“Well?” he asked as he finally stood in front of her.

“I’m impressed. Not only did you pull it off, you said some nice things and not once did you act drunk.”

“That’s because I’m not drunk,” Mike added. “I barely touched the champagne.”

“Good for you,” she said laughing. “Now that your duties are over, you can get rip-roaring drunk and have a good time.”

“I’d rather not,” he said taking in the way the evening light softened her face even more. He thought she was prettier than Mia, even sexier, if that was possible. “I’d much rather take you away from this place and get to know you better.”

“Do we have to go through this again?” Paige asked quickly.

“No we don’t. Just say yes. I promise to be a perfect gentleman the entire time…until you tell me not to be.” He couldn’t take his eyes off her. He wanted her and not just for an hour. He saw her thinking and that was a good sign. She wasn’t outright telling him no.

“Mike…” Paige started, as one of the bridesmaids rushed up and grabbed Mike’s arm, wrapping her other arm around him.

“There you are,” the woman said quickly and Mike jumped at the sudden impact. He looked down and there was…shit…what was her name? “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Mike knew she had been; he’d just made himself scarce, keeping an eye and a lot of distance on his previous evening’s sex partner.

“Hey,” Mike said totally uncomfortable. He could see Paige’s face and she didn’t look happy. “Paige, this is…” Shit, he’d done it again. He wished he was drunk.

“I’m Christine,” she said, smiling at Paige.

Mike watched Paige force a smile. He could tell she was uncomfortable—hell so was he—especially when Christine hugged him. He’d been in a lot of situations but one that was never quite this embarrassing. This wasn’t supposed to happen. “We’re needed on the dance floor and you promised to meet my parents.” Dancing with the bridesmaids was news to him and he never promised to meet anyone’s parents…or had he?

“I’ll be there in a moment,” Mike said as he untangled himself from Christine. He just needed her to leave quickly so he could finish his pursuit of Paige.

“You said last night…when we…you know…” Christine said smiling sweetly as she stared at Mike and he knew he was turning all shades of red. He hoped Paige couldn’t see his face in the light.

“I better get back to work,” Paige said and Mike knew she was trying to find a way out. Hell, he was trying to find a way out but little, Miss fuck-my-ass wanted his attention and now.

“Wait,” Mike said, grabbing Paige’s arm and turning to Christine. “I’ll be there in five minutes, okay?” His voice was hard but he wasn’t going to let some three-hour fuck session interrupt something that could possibly be more.

Christine looked as if she’d been slapped. She let go of his arm and slowly walked away. He let out a breath and turned to Paige, still holding her hand which she pulled free.

“That wasn’t very nice,” Paige said as she watched Christine walk away.

“Look,” Mike said, “I don’t like to be accosted when I’m talking to someone.”

“Me either but you could have been a little kinder.” He probably could have been kinder but right now, all he wanted was some time with Paige.

“I never promised her anything last night,” Mike said honestly. Paige stared at him and then a look came over her face. He recognized that look anywhere—realization.

“You slept with her,” Paige said. For once Mike was speechless. “You slept with her and made promises to her and now she expects you to deliver and you don’t want to have anything to do with her.”

“I never promised her a thing, Paige.”

“But the rest is true, isn’t it?”

Mike wondered why it mattered. “So, I slept with her,” he said casually. “It’s you I’m trying to get a date with now.”

“So you can fuck me and walk away just as easily?” she asked sarcastically.

“No,” he said forcefully. “I really want to get to know you, Paige.”

“Look, Mike, I can’t. I’ve got a job and you’re here for a reception. Have fun, go meet the parents and do whatever else you promised Christine, but leave me alone.”

Paige turned towards the house and Mike wanted to follow. He wanted her to understand that this woman meant nothing to him.

Realization dawned on him, stopping him in his tracks.

Paige already knew it and that was the problem.

* * * *

“So, I saw you and stud-muffin chatting,” Marlene said as she walked into the kitchen, eyebrows dancing, her face lit up in a smile. Paige was in no mood for Marlene.

“The parties not over and I saw a line waiting at the bar.”

“Jeffrey’s got it covered,” Marlene said nonchalantly. “So tell me that you and the Best Man are going to get freaky later.”

“No,” Paige said, clearing away dishes and whatever else she could find to keep busy.

“Why not? For the love of God, Paige, what’s it going to take to get you to follow your heart and not some list a person wrote for you?”

“I’d follow my heart but that stud as you call him is really the wedding slut.”

Marlene’s mouth opened and closed, then opened again. They’d done a few weddings since opening the business and they found there was always one person in the wedding party—male or female, it didn’t matter—who slept through the rest of the party.

“You’re telling me he’s the one who’s bonking all the bridesmaids?” she asked surprised.

“I don’t know about all but I do know about one and it wasn’t pretty the way he treated her.”

Marlene stared for a moment and then looked at Paige. “Well, I guess that’s that.”

“You got that right.”

“But I still think you should have fucked him, just because,” she said looking at Paige who couldn’t believe her friends response. “You need to stop following that stupid list.”

“It’s not stupid, Marlene. It’s gotten me…”

“I know, ‘this far’. But it hasn’t given you a life and don’t tell me your job is your life. It will make me feel sorrier for you than I already do.”

“You only feel sorry for me because you’ve got a man who loves you waiting at home and I don’t.” Actually, at times like these, Paige felt sorry for herself but this was the life she made and had no one to blame but herself.

“You could, if you quit playing this silly little game.”

“It’s not silly,” Paige answered, tired of defending the plan which was making her business grow by leaps and bounds.

“It is and I’m going back to work. But I’m going to say one thing.” Paige knew Marlene always had to have the last word. “Get a life, Paige.”

Chapter Four

Mike cursed as his phone vibrated in the pockets of his khaki’s for the fifth time.

If whoever was calling kept it up, he’d come where he stood. It was bad enough that his cock was hard and he only had an electronic gizmo to thank. What was worse, he was staring at practically naked men, sporting a hard-on.

Christ, life was fucked up.

He pulled the phone out as he watched the swim team of USC get ready for the five-hundred meter medley. He glanced at the call log of his phone and saw a number he knew by heart.

Shit, Jason knew better than to call him while he was working. He didn’t take phone calls during practice. Just then, the phone began to vibrate in his hand and Mike was glad he was holding it versus letting it jingle against his cock. He hadn’t slept with a woman in weeks and he felt a few more jolts of Ma-Bell and he’d be shooting his load.

“Yeah?” Mike asked as he moved away from the side of the pool, taking a seat on the bench as the first lap of the relay was underway. He kept his eyes on the swimmers, watching their strokes, looking for anything that could help or hinder their chances against Berkeley next week.

“Where in the fuck are you?” Jason asked. Mike put a finger over his other ear to listen. The noise in the pool area vibrated off the walls and wherever Jason was calling from was just as loud.

“Working…I thought you were on your honeymoon?” Mike asked. He never expected Jason to be calling him so soon after getting married. In fact, he’d seen very little of Jason since he started dating Mia and the few times he did, Mia was always there.

“We got back last week,” Jason said. “Listen, man, I need your help.”

Mike heard the words and they replayed back in his head as if Jason had said, ‘I need you to come over and satisfy my wife for me.’ His cock was practically standing in his lap.

“Sure, what?” he said as the second set of swimmers took the block, ready to dive in.

“You need to get to Hannigan’s quick, man.” Mike hadn’t been to Hannigan’s in ages. There was a time when he practically lived there. Now, it was a place he’d visit every third moon.

“Why?” he asked. He was in no mood to go out drinking. All he could think about was getting his hand on his cock since he couldn’t have Paige and relieving the tension his damn phone had built up for the past half hour.

“There is this woman here that I want you to meet.” Normally Mike would have jumped at the chance but lately, his hand had been the only visitor his cock saw.

“Nah,” he said as the second group dived, almost one after another. He mentally rearranged the orders of the swimmers, thinking if Tom went before John, they might pick up a few more seconds.

“Come on, Mike. I need help.” Jason very rarely asked for help so his pleading made Mike think something was up.

“What’s going on there?”

“Mia’s work is having a going-away party for her,” he said, yelling into the phone. Mike tried hard to listen but all he heard was party. “Her boss, Veronica…man, she won’t leave me alone.”

Mike watched the swimmers and listened to the garbled words.

“Just get down here,” Jason said. Mike said nothing as the third group of men took the block and dove in over the heads of their teammates. He checked the time. Yeah, he should move John. He could get at least a tenth of a second if John ran the second heat of the relay.

“Are you listening?” Jason asked. “I’m desperate. I don’t need this shit. I just had a fantastic honeymoon with the woman of my dreams and now this. You need to get your ass over here now!”

Mike laughed. He’d never heard Jason begging. It was kind of fun.

“I’m at practice.” Mike said. He had fifteen more minutes and then his hand was getting busy.

“Then get here right after. I need you man. Delta Tau Delta.”

Mike heard that loud and clear. That wasn’t good. Anytime a member of their fraternity mentioned that sign, they knew the other person was in trouble.

“Okay. I’ll be there shortly,” and he hung up the phone, holding onto it instead of putting it back into his pocket.

The way his luck had been running lately, he’d go off half-cocked in front of a bunch of scantily clad male college students and life as he knew it would be over.

* * * *

Mike walked into Hannigan’s, and as usual, it was packed.

There was nothing special about Hannigan’s except it was a good place to drink and meet people who drank. They didn’t serve food or run a whole lot of specials except for happy hour from four to seven each night. It attracted people from all walks of life and tonight wasn’t any different. The place was filled with just about an equal amount of women as men and as usual, it was a happy hunting ground. He looked over the tops of everyone’s head. At six-four, he was usually the tallest guy around and he used that to his advantage trying to find Jason who was a couple of inches shorter.

Glancing towards the back room, a room he was more than familiar with after holding too many fraternity scavenger hunts there, he saw Jason with a woman who wasn’t Mia. Maybe Jason did need Mike’s help to satisfy his wife. Mike watched as the woman put her hand on Jason’s chest and lean in close, saying things only his best friend could hear. She was looking very friendly and Mike watched in amusement. Jason looked up, catching Mike’s eye and he noticed Jason wasn’t smiling. He grabbed the woman’s hand and pulled it off his chest, saying something as he moved toward Mike.

“Man,” Jason said when they stood in front of each other. “You just saved my ass.”

“Who was that?” Mike asked. She was nice-looking with curves in all the right places and her long brown hair was shiny.

“That is trouble and I need you to keep it away from me.” Mike laughed. Not too long ago, Jason would have taken Miss Trouble up on her offer.

“What do you want me to do?” Since the night Paige turned him down, Mike had lost his appetite for chasing women and having anonymous sex. Or maybe it was the fit Christine threw later on when he said he was going home, to bed, alone.

“Talk to her, keep her busy,” Jason said quickly. “I don’t care if you fuck her on top of the bar or in the bathroom but you’ve got to keep that woman away from me.”

“Who is she?”

“That is Mia’s boss, Veronica.” Jason acted like that knowledge should give Mike enough information to fuck her.

“And?” Mike asked.

“And she hates Mia and is trying to make a play for me and I’m this close to grabbing Mia and leaving. But I can’t. This night is for her and she’s having a good time while I’m getting felt up by the bitch from hell.”

Mike remembered when Jason would have given as good as he got when it came to women. Times had certainly changed.

“So you want me to what? Amuse her?” After Christine’s fit, Mike no longer wanted to be near anyone of the female persuasion.

“I don’t care what you do with her. Just keep her the hell away from me until I can get Mia out of here. I’m so glad she’s quitting her job and writing full time. I can’t take anymore social functions where I’ve got to protect the family jewels every time I move.”

Mike laughed at Jason’s serious face, not feeling sorry for him. After years of watching and participating with Jason on picking up women, it was funny to see the man so desperate to be away from them. Jason frowned hard and Mike laughed even more. It was funny but Mike could see that Jason was really uncomfortable. In the past, Jason was like a tiger, going after his prey quickly and mercilessly until he had his conquest. Now, he had eyes only for Mia and Mike realized he was going to have to take one for the team.

“All right,” Mike said. “Introduce us.” Jason looked at him like he was insane. “It’ll make it easier if she knows you know me. I won’t have to work as hard.” To be honest, Mike didn’t want to work at it at all. Right now his could be fisting himself big-time, coming like Niagara Falls. Instead, he was going to jump in front of a bullet so his friend could keep his cock in his pants.

“Fine but after that, she’s yours,” Jason said turning. They moved around groups of people until they made it to the entrance of the back room were Veronica stood.

“Veronica, I’d like you to meet Mike,” Jason said and looked at Mike with raised brows. Mike smiled slightly, seeing Jason’s cheeks color some as he quickly moved away.

“Mike,” Veronica said as she turned her body towards him, moving closer. Mike caught a hint of her perfume and it did nothing for him except make him think how much he disliked that particular scent. It was overpowering on the senses and he wanted to take a step back but he didn’t.

“Veronica,” Mike said, letting her name roll off his tongue clumsily. Normally he was smooth, especially if he remembered the woman’s name but right now he felt like he was acting.

“How do you know Jason?” she asked quickly. Mike wondered if they were going to spend the whole night talking about his friend. It would be better than having to fuck her. Not that there was anything wrong with her. He just wasn’t interested and that thought alone surprised him. In fact, not sleeping with any women for weeks surprised him. Maybe he was sick.

“College,” Mike said hoping he wasn’t going to have to talk about what a great guy Jason was.

“Ohhh, tell me,” Veronica purred. Mike wanted to roll his eyes.

“We met on the soccer team, joined the same fraternity and have been friends ever since.” It was a shorter version to a long history but she didn’t need to know that.

“Fraternity?” she said almost breathless. “I just love fraternities.” Mike bet she did. She seemed like the type that would sample them all.

“Yeah, we had some good times,” Mike admitted.

“Tell me about them,” she answered as she moved forward again. Mike thought she might have been bumped forward but he noticed that everyone had given them a wide berth. He glanced around, wondering who all these people were and if they worked with Mia, why were they all avoiding Veronica?

“Let’s not,” Mike said, trying to squash anymore talk about Jason. He caught Jason standing next to Mia, his arm around her and Mike wanted to smile. For the first time in a long time, he wasn’t practically salivating in her presence, which was good. Maybe his lust for her really was dying. “Why don’t you tell me what you do?”

“Let me run to the ladies,” she said as she tipped back the wine glass she was holding and finished off more than half a glass in one gulp. “Why don’t you get us a drink and we can get to know each other better?” He saw her perfect white teeth smile at him and he felt like a piece of meat. Jason was going to owe him big time for this.

“Sure, I’ll meet you at the bar,” he said as he took her glass, hoping she’d get lost on her way back. Mike watched her walk away. Her backside was nice. The short skirt hugged her hips well but he didn’t feel any connection with to her. It was going to be a long night.

Mike moved towards the bar, looking for an open spot and found one towards the end. He raised his hand, hoping to get the attention of one of the bartenders while he looked around to see if Jason and Mia had left. He planned to follow them out. When Mike turned back to the bar, he saw Paige standing in front of him, a little grin on her face.

“What are you doing here?” Mike asked as he smiled quickly. He thought he’d never see her again.

“Working. What about you?” Paige asked. Mike thought and then said, ‘working’ because trying to keep Veronica occupied was going to feel like a bad day at the office.

Paige nodded and asked what she could get him.

“I’ll take what’s ever on tap and,” he looked at the wine glass, “some white wine.” Paige also looked at the glass and Mike noticed the lipstick covering the rim. He almost screamed. Why couldn’t he just meet Paige when he wasn’t fucking or babysitting a woman?

She grabbed the glass and moved it aside, taking a new one and pouring the house white. She placed it on the bar in front of him, glancing up quickly and then moved off to get his beer. He watched her move, liking the way her hair bounced in a pony tail as she worked. He noticed the red highlights and the length, wondering what those silky tresses would feel like running down his body.

Paige delivered his beer and Mike went to pay her.

“No charge. The company Mia works for is footing the bill.” she said

“What are you doing here? I thought you ran a catering service,” he asked. To be honest, besides never thinking he’d seen her again, he never expected her to be working a bar.

“I do. The foods behind you, catered by my company,” Paige said, as she lifted her chin to direct his eyes. Mike didn’t turn, finding just watching her more exciting. “As for me bartending, Harry Hannigan’s short two bartenders tonight, so he asked if we’d fill in.”

Mike knew Harry. They’d shared a beer or two in the wee hours on those rare occasions when Mike had struck out.

“So, you cater weddings, run a bar and serve great food,” He remembered the delicious filet mignon he’d had at the wedding. The woman could cook. “What don’t you do?”

Paige smiled and took another order, coming back to stand in front of him as she poured a beer.

“Are you hitting on me?” she asked with a smile.

“If I say yes, are you going to cut me at the knees again?” he asked with a grin.

“Play your cards right, you never know.” she said, delivering the beer to its owner.

“What time do you get done here?” he asked. Forget following Jason and Mia when they left. He had other plans.

“This goes until seven-thirty.”

“Do you have to do clean up?” he asked. She smiled and said no. “Care to have a drink with me…?” As he heard the words coming from his mouth, Mike felt hands on his back that slowly wrapped around him. He stood straight up as the hands roamed over his chest and then down to his stomach. He turned quickly and realized Veronica was moving fast, in more ways than one.

“There you are,” she cooed at him as if they’d been lovers for months versus just meeting five minutes before. “I couldn’t find you.” Mike wished she’d never found him.

He turned back to the bar, knowing he’d need some excuse to give Paige but she was no longer there. He looked down the bar, hoping she was helping another customer but she wasn’t anywhere behind the bar.

Damn.

* * * *

Paige leaned against the van, taking in a big gulp of air. Could the day just get any worse? It seemed like nothing was going to go right. She’d managed to work through the issue of the food arriving late by getting the drinks going quickly, after she supplied the bartenders. As soon as it arrived, instead of them laying it out in the rear and bringing it forward, she had her crew move it to the floor quickly. That problem was solved and then Marlene said she felt sick. With her being pregnant, Paige didn’t want to take any chances so she told her to leave immediately.

The last person she’d expected to see was Mike, though she realized now that she should have thought of it, since he was friends with Mia.

Since the wedding, she’d thought of him often, wondering what would have happened if she’d said she was a Scorpio those months ago. And then she’d wonder what would have happened if she’d said yes to see him that night. But she remembered her plan and that would squelch any thoughts. She had to stay focused.

But it had been a nice surprise, almost like destiny that they’d meet again and there he was, looking very sexy in a dark blue polo shirt, the emblem of USC embroidered over his left breast. He looked handsome, somewhat official and she wondered if he worked there. She supposed she could call Mia and get the low-down on Mike but what was the point? She wasn’t going to do anything about him.

Except today she had thought of him often because her horoscope said—Love is in the air. Take a chance.

Those few words spoke loud and clear and seeing him there, leaning against her bar out of all the joints in the world, it had to be a sign.

And it was a sign…that he was a womanizing bastard. When those hands came up around him, Paige thought she was seeing things, like he’d grown an extra set of arms, albeit, female arms and when he’d turned and seen the sex kitten attached to him like glue, Paige just wanted to scream. It was a sign all right. A sign for her to stay away from him—men in general—and just follow her plan. And that is what she was going to do.

“Why aren’t you serving drinks to your stud-muffin?” Marlene asked as she hopped out from the front seat of the van.

Paige jumped back, holding her chest as she stared in surprised. “I thought you went home.”

“Nah. I saw him walk in and thought I’d help you out,” Marlene said as she rubbed her belly. At five months, she was really showing and constantly rubbed her swollen belly as if she was soothing herself.

“I am going to put a world of hurt on you,” Paige said, shaking her head slowly as she watched Marlene’s hand move.

“You’d never hit a pregnant woman,” Marlene said as she laughed. She was right but it didn’t mean she couldn’t think about it. “So, I take it you saw him.”

Paige nodded.

“And can you tell me why you are out here hiding, when the man you want is inside, at the bar?”

“Because he happens to be with another woman, Marlene,” she said angrily. “I can’t believe you faked an illness to get me in front of him.”

“Paige, if I didn’t do something, you never would. You’d let an opportunity pass you by while you rake in the dough and got your name in lights if it wasn’t for me.”

“Well, I have you to thank for humiliating me in front of him,” Paige said. She felt so stupid. She’d thought a lot about her daily horoscope and wished Mike was there and then he was, with female tentacles attached.

“So who was the woman?” Marlene asked. “It’s a party. Did he come with her? Did he pick her up here? Is she from Mia’s work? Did he bring her?” A lot of questions coming from such a small woman, with a big belly, Paige thought.

“It doesn’t matter,” Paige said leaning against the side of the van. “I don’t want Mike, so forget it.”

Marlene watched her silently and then walked, leaning against the van beside her. “You know,” Marlene said as she leaned forward to look up into Paige’s face, “you haven’t changed one bit.” Paige looked at her with squinted eyes. She’d known Marlene since high school and they’d been friends for over ten years but some days she wished she’d never met her meddlesome friend.

“You have the same look you had when we were in high school.” Paige frowned. “I remember how angry you were when Davis Cooper asked Kerri Donovan to the prom. You pretended like it didn’t bother you but I knew it did. Just like I know seeing Mike with another woman bothers you.” Paige said nothing because Marlene, although meddlesome, always spoke the truth--except when she was scheming to get Paige in front of Mike.

“But hey, can you blame him?” Marlene went on. “I mean, you did tell him he wasn’t in the stars and he should go look elsewhere.” That stung. “So, why should it bother you that he’s with another woman?”

Paige said nothing as she let out a breath. She’d had her opportunity and blew it. But she still had her business plan and that was going well, wasn’t it? Even if her sex-life was non-existent and she hadn’t had a relationship in years.

“He obviously wants a relationship, even if it’s for the moment,” Marlene said.

“When I saw him, I thought…” Paige said and then stopped. Marlene would think she was stupid, having told her more times than she could count that all this horoscope stuff was a bunch of crap.

“You thought what?” Paige figured why not tell her. Marlene couldn’t think any worse of her than she already did.

“I thought maybe he might be the one for this,” Paige replied as she handed over the slip of paper she’d ripped off the daily Sagittarius horoscope.

“Love is in the air. Take a chance,” Marlene said and then kept reading the note. She looked up at Paige and smiled. “This is good. Real good.” Paige was surprised Marlene wasn’t laughing in her face.

“This is a good sign. Seeing him tonight is a good sign and what you need to do is go back in there and talk to him.” Paige knew she was behaving childishly but she didn’t want to watch some woman feel Mike up in front of her.

In fact, she wanted to be the only woman who put her hands on Mike. Since when did Sagittarius’ become so possessive? She thought that was reserved for the Scorpio crowd, like Marlene.

Paige nodded and they walked inside and moved behind the bar. Paige knew she’d be able to see Mike by his height. She scanned around, looking towards the food. Her eyes moved towards the opening to the back room and then she followed the wall around the room, expecting his height and blond hair to give him away.

She looked at Marlene, her heart tight. He’d left and she bet he took the woman with the tentacle arms with him.

Chapter Five

Mike looked around the atrium, pretending he was checking on the layout for the universities’ annual dinner. Having been put on the committee, he was supposed to be part of a group of faculty and staff that actually cared how these functions went.

Mike couldn’t care less. It had taken the committee two months to put this thing together. He figured with the time spent, they could have planned an invasion of a small country and gotten more done.

The only reason he didn’t bitch and complain about having better things to do than sit in planning meetings was the fact that he suggested they cater the function versus having the usual grub from the university dining facility. When his motion was seconded followed by a third, he just happened to have the name of a catering company in mind. It became the soul reason to stay focused on the event.

Since he wasn’t the one responsible for the food, he kept tabs on Maryann, making sure she didn’t change caterers or pull some other crazy stunt, like using the dining facility because they were cheaper. He’d eaten at the dining facility his first year as a student and felt lucky he hadn’t caught some wasting disease. Plus, Paige cooked a mean steak and he wanted that—and her—on the menu.

His task had been to find the location on campus for the shindig and the atrium was available. Hell, they could have held it poolside for all he cared. He just wanted to see Paige again. After she disappeared from the bar a couple of months ago, he’d hung around for a bit, trying to keep Veronica’s hands from becoming too familiar with his cock. He kept an eye on Jason and Mia as well, and when they’d made a break for the door, Mike was right behind them.

As much as he wanted to talk to Paige to explain, getting away from Veronica was more important and definitely critical. His cock was hard and not because of Veronica. He’d never met a woman quite like her and he hoped to never meet one again. The only woman he was interested was a woman who couldn’t find him in her stars.

That had to be the dumbest thing he’d heard of. He knew people who would read their horoscope when making a major decision but he never met anyone who never made a move until their horoscope said to. Every once in a blue moon he’d read his as he cruised through the newspaper. But for the most part, he lived his life clueless of what the stars had in mind when it came to his day and his life. He followed his gut and his gut told him he wanted Paige.

Eating out with Jason and Mia after his escape from Veronica, he found that he was still attracted to Mia but no longer with an overwhelming attraction. She was Jason’s wife. She was funny and he enjoyed himself immensely, though for a moment he wondered if maybe they might have had a chance. And then he’d look at the two of them and saw how perfect they were together, he finally realized that Mia wasn’t in his stars but maybe Paige could be.

Tonight he hoped, finally, for her to see him for who he was—single, attractive with a great paying job that he loved and that maybe after some time she would forget their two previous meetings. The first time he met her, he had Christine attached to his hip, which had been a mistake and the second time with Veronica wasn’t his fault.

This time, he had everything running like clock work. He just needed her to show.

* * * *

Paige stood outside, watching Greg’s crew move the silver trays of food into the atrium. Guests were due in thirty minutes so they needed to hustle getting in and out. Paige liked it when guests arrived and her people were in position and not running around with last minute details. It showed the professionalism that she wanted her company noted for. She needed to find Maryann, her contact with the university and make sure there weren’t any last minute details she needed to know about.

The university had been lucky. This was one of the few free nights her company had open. Since Maryann had been willing to move the annual dinner one day, both sides were happy. Paige would have been happier if she’d asked the question that kept slinking around her brain every time she talked to Maryann—if Mike worked at the university. She could imagine Maryann saying, ‘Mike who?’ and Paige wouldn’t be able to tell her. She’d never gotten his last name. She did recall that he wore a shirt the last time she saw him with the initials ‘USC’ on it but he could have picked that up anywhere. Or maybe he used it to pick up women with.

And that thought kept creeping back into her brain, seeing him with that woman at the bar and then she’d start thinking about him at the wedding which would make her even angrier. She knew she didn’t have any right to be angry but just seeing him hit on her while he had another woman around made her wonder what kind of man he was. He was gorgeous; there was no denying that. But she wanted to know ‘who’ he was. What he liked and didn’t like and why did he have trails of women following him around?

She’d cursed herself ten ways to Sunday for walking out of Hannigan’s that night months ago. She’d been stupid but more than anything, she’d felt humiliated. He was already there with some woman. Marlene tried convincing her that Mike hadn’t left with the woman but it wasn’t until Paige actually saw the same woman attached to some other guy later on that she believed it. Later, when she thought to ask Mia about Mike, she found out that Mia had left earlier and Paige just got caught up in work again.

Her business was booming at such a rate, she was sure she’d need to hire more people. With Marlene as far along in her pregnancy as she was, she’d need another bartender and almost another crew to cover the functions they had scheduled. As much as she didn’t want to admit, Marlene had been right. Every function led to another event being scheduled. And as much as that pleased Paige, her non-work life was suffering. Scratch that. She didn’t have a love life or a life for that matter. She had work.

Paige loved her job and her company. In the past three years, she has tripled her customers and she’d met all her business objectives. She thought to go have another reading with her astrologist but she kept putting it off. She didn’t want to hear that she needed to keep her nose to the grindstone. Not that her astrologist told her not to date. That had been her own mantra because she was determined to stay focused. Now she was ready for something more

Maybe that something might be the man walking up to her.

“Paige,” Mike said. He’d forgotten how beautiful she was. Her hair was down, cascading around her shoulders. She wore a short sleeve blouse, the white of the material almost looking see-through. Mike checked it and her out.

“You work here?” she asked as she got a good look at his black suit and tie. He was even more handsome all dressed up.

“Guilty as charged. I’m a physical therapist in the sports department and coach the swim team.” Paige raised a brow and Mike hoped she was impressed. There was a time he’d been in charge of drinking, fornicating and making an ass out of himself and his fraternity on a daily basis. He’d hopefully come a long way since then.

“We’re catering your event,” Paige said and Mike nodded. “This place is gorgeous.” Mike looked around at the plants and glass and wanted to agree, showing Paige he wasn’t an insensitive bastard but truth be told they could have been in a cave and he wouldn’t have cared. He just wanted to get her alone.

“There you are,” Maryann came up between them and Mike wanted to crush the older woman with his fist. “Here’s the agenda. The president is going to speak first and then we can eat. Some awards will be given out afterwards and there will be music later on. Have you two met?” Mike watched Maryann as her head moved like a tennis ball between him and Paige and he just wanted to push her off a cliff.

“Yes,” they both said at the same time.

“Mike’s the one who recommended your company to cater,” Maryann said, providing a tidbit of information Mike didn’t want known.

Paige looked at him again, giving him a half turn as she said, “Oh really?” Mike tilted his head, trying to tell her, ‘no problem’.

“Yes, he raved about some event you catered and practically demanded I call you.” Right now, Mike wanted to personally strangle Maryann. Paige smiled and looked at him. Mike felt heat creep up his neck to his cheeks. He’d hoped for Paige to never find out he put this together, just to see her again.

“Everyone’s supposed to be here by seven. They know by now that the president is a timely man, so no one should be late.” Mike was all for punctual but Maryann was pushing the limit on his patience.

“Did you check out the music yet, Maryann?” Mike asked. He didn’t care if she checked out the bathrooms, just as long as she left. Maryann quickly shuffled off, ready to handle anything she was tasked with. He turned back to Paige.

“Well, haven’t you been a naughty boy?” she said. He liked how she said naughty and thought he couldn’t wait to show her what naughty really was.

“Not really. I know you can cater and since I have to sit through this nightmare, I’d rather be eating your cooking that the crap that comes out of the cafeteria.” Paige laughed and her phone chirped. She grabbed it, checking the number and then put her finger up, asking for a minute. Mike said nothing, knowing Paige was working but he really wanted to talk to her, to get beyond the stage of asking her out and then being interrupted.

Paige turned away and then turned back to Mike. She was listening to whoever had called her.

“Okay, calm down,” Paige said quickly. “I’ll be right there…I’ll call him as soon as I leave…stay right there…” She shut her phone off and looked at Mike. He noticed all the color had drained from her face.

“That was Marlene,” Paige said. “She’s bleeding and thinks she’s having contractions.” Paige gulped some air. “Her husband’s at work.”

“What do you need me to do?” Mike thought he could drive Paige to the hospital. She looked in no condition to drive.

“I’ve got to find her husband. He’s a fireman…Marlene is so scared. She’s not due for another month and….” Paige was rambling. She turned and looked at her guys moving setting up the tables. “I’ve got to…”

“Go,” Mike said. “I can talk to whoever you want to handle stuff here. Just go to Marlene.” Mike didn’t know the first thing about contractions or catering but it couldn’t be too hard—just put the food out and tell them to eat. Seemed pretty simple to him.

“I can’t just leave you to do this,” she said.

“Piece of cake,” Mike said, knowing he was probably the worst person to leave in charge of something like this but he always had Maryann to fall back on. “Go to Marlene. She needs more help than we do here.” Paige nodded.

“Talk to Greg; he does the set-up and take-down. He knows how I work. The foods in place and…”

“Just go. I got it,” he said pushing her out the door. Paige looked back and then she was gone. He thought she looked scared.

* * * *

Several hours later the reception was over and the success couldn’t go to Mike or Paige’s man, Greg. It rested solely on the shoulders of Maryann, who, when she heard Paige had an emergency, went into overdrive, taking over the catering as if she was born to do it.

Mike sat back, watching her direct Greg and the crew like a military general. She may be a pain in the ass but she knew how to organize. He decided not to strangle her as everyone raved about the food, the service and the catering in general.

Paige…he wished the night had gone according to plan. He wanted to see her, to get to know her better and maybe take her for a walk around campus while her crew cleaned up. He wished he had her number to call and see how everything went. He wanted to call and just talk about anything. He really just wanted her to see that he had changed. More importantly, he wanted to prove to Paige that she didn’t need to follow her sun sign when it came to him. He thought she was short-changing herself by letting some mystical sign drive and control her life versus letting fate just play it’s part.

And fate had been playing its part, for every time he saw her, something came up that just interrupted the action and he was getting nowhere. Granted, he could have hunted her down, gone to her place of business or called her there. He could have done a lot of things but he didn’t want to appear desperate, especially when the signs she kept saying told him ‘not interested’. He wasn’t obtuse but he felt she had cut the possibilities short of what they could have, if they could just get a moment and not be interrupted by everyone and their problems. He needed to just get her alone, to spend some quality time with her so she’d get to know him and not the ass he’s looked like every time they met.

Mike drove slowly, towards Jason and Mia’s apartment, taking in the California evening. He knew he should call but he didn’t want to talk with Jason over the phone. He wanted help and Jason seemed like the best person to talk to, since he did manage to capture Mia’s heart, where Mike had not.

Knocking on the door to the apartment, Mike wondered when the two of them were going to move into the house Jason’s construction company was building for them. He wondered if it was even ready. The door swung open and Jason stood there in his boxers. Mike suddenly felt funny, the only naked flesh he’d seen lately was men and that wasn’t his thing.

“You always answer the door in your underwear?” He shouldn’t have mentioned it but he needed to see more naked male flesh like he needed a hole in his head.

“I saw it was you,” Jason said as he stepped back. Mike entered, looking around for Mia and hoping she was wearing just as little as Jason. He’d rather have a glimpse of her naked body.

“When are you guys moving?” he asked, taking in the small apartment he’d never visited before. It had a kitchen and living room and two doors which Mike assumed was the bedroom and bath. Jason had moved in a couple of months before the wedding while the house he was building for him and Mia got finished.

“House will be ready next week,” Jason said excited. “It would have been ready when we got back but I wanted to surprise Mia with a hot tub and I redid the designs in the shower.” Mike looked at his friend, seeing the gleam he got every time he talked about building.

“This place is tiny,” Mike mentioned.

“Yeah, well, it’s fit our needs for a while but I can’t wait to move.”

Mike nodded. He wasn’t sure how to start talking about his problem so he sat down on the couch, figuring Jason would recognize there was a problem, especially since his visit was unannounced.

“Want a beer?” Jason asked as he moved towards the refrigerator. Mike nodded and Jason handed him a cold bottle which he twisted off the cap and took a drink. Jason plopped down on a chair, putting his feet on the coffee table and drank.

“What’s up?” he asked after taking a long drink. Mike thought he must be thirsty.

“Where’s Mia?” Mike asked. He didn’t want to start talking about women if Mia was going to pop in. Even if she was naked, her presence would halt all talk of women.

“She’s in the bedroom.” Jason was nonchalant about it but Mike still worried she’d come out, even if it was in a tight little sexy wrap. Jason added, “Don’t worry; she’s tied up.” He took another drink.

Mike wasn’t sure if he heard him right. “Tied up?” What did that mean? Busy doing something and what was she going to do when she got done with it?

“Yeah, like…” Jason said, his eyes all expressive, “…silk ties, to the bed.”

Mike felt his cock stir. He could just imagine Mia and her sexy body, which months ago, he saw naked in the video. Granted the quality of the video wasn’t great but he’d seen enough to know he wanted some. Now she was tied up and damn…

“She let you do that to her?” Mike asked. He’d dated his share of women and some where into that. He didn’t care; if some woman wanted to be tied up before he fucked her, he was game.

“Yeah; she’s been working on a scene in one of her books and she felt she kept getting it wrong so she asked me to help her out. We talked about the scene and it came down to her wanting to know what it felt like to be tied up and left alone, something about the anticipation. I don’t know about all that shit…the ‘unknown of what’s to come’ or something like that. She’s the writer. Anyhow, I blindfolded her, tied her to the bed, talking quietly about what I was going to do to her when I got back and then I came out here.” He glanced at the clock. “She’s been alone for fifteen minutes so far.”

“Shit,” Mike said, feeling his cock stir even more. Images of Mia came to mind when he knew he should be talking about Paige.

“This is good, though,” Jason said with a smile. “She’ll hear me talking to you…this should get her creative juices going…thinking there’s two men out here that want to fuck her.” Jason couldn’t have been closer to the truth. Mike wouldn’t admit it to Jason but he wouldn’t mind sleeping with Mia and the primary reason was he hadn’t slept with anyone in months. And then he’d met Paige…

“You’re sick, you know that?” Mike said. He wouldn’t share Mia with anyone. In fact, he didn’t want to share Paige with anyone and he didn’t even have her.

“Yeah, living with a writer is great. She talks about some scene and we go do it and she writes about it and we go do some more. Man, my every fantasy is coming true.” Mike watched Jason who looked like he was in a dream world. It sounded pretty good to Mike, who right now, would take a hand job from Maryann just to get some sex.

“I need some help,” Mike said, trying to steer the conversation away from the sexy tart in the other room and to his problem with Paige.

“I’ve known that for years.” Jason laughed good-naturedly. Mike smiled. He missed times like this; bull-shitting about nothing.

“Yeah, well…there’s this woman,” Mike started.

“And she won’t sleep with you,” Jason answered, knowing Mike too well.

“It’s not that she won’t sleep with me…she won’t have anything to do with me.”

“Maybe you’re not what she wants.”

“But she hasn’t even given me a chance,” Mike said in his defense. “She runs her life by her sun sign and said I’m not in the stars.”

Jason stared at Mike, his brows pinching and then he broke out laughing.

“Stars? What is she? One of those new-age hippies?”

“Nah, I don’t think so. I think she got a reading about her business and I guess relationships are not on the horizon until some time next year.”

“Then walk away.”

“I don’t want to walk away.”

“Then go after her.”

“I do, but every time I see her, I’ve got some woman crawling up my ass and I can’t get a single moment alone with her.”

“Now you know how I felt with Veronica hunting me at that party. I didn’t want to cause problems with Mia but one false move and my dick would have been cut off and it wouldn’t have been my fault.”

“Not quite the same thing,” Mike answered. “You’ve got a wife.”

“And I won’t keep her if I’ve got other women grabbing what’s hers and Veronica knows no bounds. Being Mia’s boss seemed to give her a license to grope.” Mike remembered those hands and feeling dirty as they roamed over his body in front of Paige.

“Be glad Mia quit and you won’t have to see Veronica ever again.”

“But let’s be honest,” Jason said, “There was a time when you and I would have both taken her up on her offer.”

Mike couldn’t disagree with that but lately it was a type of offer he’d refused. Even better, it was an offer not offered because he’d stayed out of bars and sent out no signals to anyone that he was interested.

“Yeah, well, those days are over,” Mike said.

“From the moment I met Mia, those days were over. She’s what I wanted.”

“How did you know?”

Jason seemed surprised at the question. Though the two of them had talked about everything under the sun, talking about their feelings about women wasn’t one of them.

“She made me feel alive. I don’t know how to explain it…but I couldn’t get enough. And I’m not just talking sex…the scavenger hunts… It didn’t matter what the target was. All that mattered was finding a way to do it with Mia. It was exciting and she didn’t make me feel stupid for doing them.” Jason smiled.

“You did keep going back to her,” Mike added.

“If I didn’t, you would have,” Jason answered.

Mike had mentioned Mia a couple of times, hoping that Jason was interested in winning and not so serious about her. If Jason wasn’t planning to keep seeing Mia, Mike wanted to step in and have a chance. He certainly never expected them to get married. That came as a surprise and a shock and until he saw them at the reception together, he realized Jason was perfect for her where Mike wouldn’t be.

“True, but only because I respected her,” Mike said.

“Yeah and the fact you saw her naked,” Jason answered not seeming to care that Mike had.

“You’re wife is hot,” Mike finally admitted.

“That she is but she’s mine,” and the line had been drawn in the sand.

“I know and I’ve got my eye on someone else anyways. If only she’d give me a chance.”

“Do I know her?”

“Paige,” Mike said, realizing he didn’t know her last name.

“Paige, what?”

“I don’t know…she catered your wedding.”

“Paige? Paige Remington?”

“If that’s her name, then yes.”

“Oh man.”

“Oh man, what?” It didn’t sound good.

“Paige, oh man, she’s a sweetheart and that woman can cook. Did I tell you when Mia and I went to see her about catering for the wedding? She set us up in the room and had trays upon trays of food brought in for us to sample. It was the most amazing thing. I tried everything. Her food is to die for.”

“She can cook,” Mike agreed.

“And you want her…?”

Mike stared at Jason, unsure of the answer himself. It wasn’t like Paige was the most beautiful woman he’d ever met. In fact, he didn’t know a thing about her except that he wanted a chance to prove something.

“I don’t know…” Mike said honestly. “It’s almost like I can’t stop wanting her, even though I know nothing about her.”

“You haven’t slept with her, you don’t know anything about her except her job and she lives her life by astrology…so what’s the deal?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s like you with Mia…you know, how you kept finding her to do the hunts with.” Jason stared blankly as Mike talked. “You could have asked any woman in the bar to help you win but you kept going to Mia. Maybe I’m going to Paige to help me win.”

“Win what?” Jason asked. “She said she wasn’t interested, so why bother? I mean, I like her, she did a great job with the wedding but she’s obviously more interested in her business than getting laid…not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

“It’s not about sex,” Mike said adamantly, meaning every word. He’d love to sleep with her. She exuded an excitement that seemed genuine, not just for the moment but for longer. “I just want to know her and see where it goes. Maybe I’m not in her stars or whatever but to just say that without getting to know me…that is what pisses me off.”

Jason said nothing as he drank his beer. He put the beer down and leaned forward. “Let me get this straight,” he said, trying to put everything into perspective. “I’ve known you for a lot of years and you’ve gone through women like I go through pencils on the drafting board and now, you meet a woman who won’t give you the time of day, let alone sleep with you, and you want her?”

Mike thought for a second and then nodded.

Jason smiled. “Then quit sitting here talking to me and go find her,” he said.

“You got a phone number or know where she lives?” Mike asked hopefully.

“No, maybe Mia does. I can go ask.”

“No,” Mike said as he leaped up. He did not want the door to the bedroom opening. He didn’t need to see Mia’s naked flesh. He was done with his infatuation even if his cock was reacting. “How about a phone book?”

Jason retrieved the Yellow Pages and handed it, open to the ‘R’s’ and Mike wrote the information down. “Thanks.”

Jason slammed the book shut and Mike wondered if his actions were for him or for Mia who must be freaking out in the bedroom.

“Listen,” Jason said. “I’m not one to give advice but I’m gonna say something. Paige seems like a nice woman and all. She did a great job at the wedding and at Mia’s party but if she says no again, then leave her alone.”

Mike nodded even though he was hoping she wouldn’t say that. He wanted a chance, just one chance to be alone with her. She needed to see him for who he was and not who he had been.

“Now go. My wife is probably freaking out in there and I’m going to use it to my advantage.” Jason said with a wink as he opened the door for Mike.

Mike walked out and turned to say thanks when Jason said, “You know you’ve never just come by before…you must really want this.”

Mike saw a look on Jason’s face like he finally realized Mike was growing up.

“Funny, but I do.”

“Then I consider her a lucky woman.”

“Now comes the hard part of convincing her of that.”

Chapter Six

Mike looked at the address again as he drove down the street. Paige lived in a small cul-de-sac, the homes built around the 1950’s. He sort of expected her to live in an apartment complex or condo, but again, he was making assumptions about a woman he knew nothing about. He looked at the mailboxes and came upon hers.

Mike parked in the street and noticed a car was parked in the driveway. He hoped it was hers. It wasn’t fancy but that wasn’t a surprise. Paige probably bought it for reliability more than for its looks. Lights were still on in the house and he checked his watch. It was going on eleven in the evening…he hoped everything was okay with Marlene.

He knocked on the door, waiting as he heard footsteps. The door slowly opened and he saw Paige. She was wearing a short nightie covered by an equally short robe. Her face was beautiful, free of any makeup and her hair was up, held by some large clip. He expected her to say something like, ‘what in the hell are you doing here?’ but all she did was lean forward and grab him by his tie, pulling him inside quickly.

Mike moved with the motion, letting Paige get him inside the door before she shut it and turned to him. In a mere second, she was on tip-toe, kissing him and his hands wrapped around her waist. He pulled her in tight, not believing he was actually kissing her or the other way around. Paige put her arms around his shoulders, running her fingers through his hair as she kissed him with a passion he hadn’t felt in a long time.

He’d kissed plenty of women but Paige’s kiss made her seem like she was starved, wanting to devour him as her tongue mingled with his. His breath was short as he gulped for air, not wanting to ever break their first kiss. His hands roamed down to her hips and Paige pushed her pelvis in tightly. Mike let out a groan as his hardened cock felt Paige’s body and he slid his hands around her buttocks and lower, lifting her up.

They didn’t break the kiss as he held her. Paige rubbed her breasts against the front of Mike’s suit and he wanted to feel those breasts against his naked chest. He wanted to ask her which way led to the bedroom but he didn’t want her all of a sudden thinking about her stars or sun sign. He wanted her thinking about fucking him because that’s all he could think about.

Opening an eye, he saw a hall and just started moving. One door led to the bathroom and he wasn’t ready for that yet. He wanted to get down and dirty with Paige and the second door yielded the bedroom.

Mike moved towards the bed and slowly laid Paige on it. Hunched over, he began taking his tie off and Paige pushed his jacket off his shoulders. He left it where it fell as his fingers began unbuttoning his shirt. Paige seemed less than patient when she pulled his shirt apart and tugged the cuffs over his wrists. Before he could do anything else, she was unbuttoning his trousers and lowering his pants around his hips. His underwear went just as fast.

It wasn’t until he was totally naked that Paige leaned back on her elbow and looked at him. He was expecting her to tell him to leave.

“Condoms are in the drawer next to you,” she said as she untied the sash of her robe and let it fall open. Her breasts were cupped by swashes of burgundy silk and he could see her hard nipples through the sheer material.

Mike opened the drawer, grabbing a condom and noticed there was a lot. He wondered if she had a lot of men over and then stopped thinking. He put one on as Paige slowly lifted the hem of her nightie, showing him exactly where he wanted to go.

Paige lifted her nightie slowly, watching Mike’s eyes as it followed the silky path. She knew exactly what she was doing. She’d played this scene in her head a thousand times before this moment and now was time for reality. She wanted this. She wanted him. The last time she had sex with someone, she had really liked the guy. She didn’t even know Mike but that didn’t matter.

There was something magical about him, the sleek muscles of his legs, the golden hair triangulated around his erection. His stomach was a washboard of muscled lines, his chest was tight and his nipples were a rosy hue that made her mouth water. He was hot and naked, he was hotter. She almost squirmed with excitement.

His cock stood straight, looking right at her and all she could think about was having him inside her. She knew her pussy lips were moist. Just the sight of him made her insides quiver. Kissing him had been better than she imagined. She was about to find out what fucking him felt like. He licked his bottom lip as the silky material came off her hips, giving him more than an eye full.

“Come here,” she said huskily. He looked into her eyes for a second and then moved like a flash of lightening, his lips devouring hers just as hard as she had attacked his by the front door. He gave her a punishing kiss as he moved her into the middle of the bed, his knees separating her thighs. He pushed her robe off her shoulder, the strap sliding down to her elbow. He rubbed his hand over her breast and Paige’s nipples swelled and tightened more. She couldn’t wait. She felt like she’d been waiting forever for this one shot.

“Get inside me now,” she moaned as his lips left a trail down her neck to her breast. The warmth was exquisite as his hot tongue sucked on her nipple and she ran her hands down his back, up his sides and then to his nipples, rubbing the hard points. He groaned and put his hard sheath at her hot fiery entrance and then looked into her eyes.

“Now,” she commanded. She saw a look, almost like a question but then he moved his hand, pushing the tip in slightly. Paige felt him slide in and fill her.

She moved her legs, spreading herself wider as he pulled back out and then in again. Wrapping her legs around his hips, her hands ran over his muscular torso and she gave into the sensations of making love.

Neither spoke after that. There seemed little point as each explored the other, kissing lips and skin, biting a shoulder, running hands over flesh.

This was new, this was their first time and it shouldn’t be happening. It wasn’t in the plan, but at the moment, Paige didn’t care about the plan because Mike moved a little to the left and she felt a new sensation inside her pussy as he stroked her.

A hot heat began to burn inside her womb, spreading quickly throughout her body. She hadn’t felt that sensation before with previous lovers or boyfriends. She must have moaned or done something because Mike moved his hand to her engorged clit and rubbed her while he moved against her and Paige started to come quickly. She felt the small quakes flicker and soon her body was having a spasm and she could feel the orgasm wash through her body as she writhed beneath him.

Mike’s thrusts were deep, banging into her hard. He was still stroking her as he came and Paige watched his face through half eyes, watching him as he came into her body and she thought she’d never seen anything so sexy. He let out a deep breath, a final grunt and he pulled out of her and lay down next to her, not saying a word.

Paige rolled over and put her hands under her head, watching Mike’s chest rise and fall. She wasn’t sure what to say now. Thanks?

“Jesus,” Mike said as he turned his head to look at Paige. His hair was messed up and his face was flushed. He let out another deep breath. “I didn’t come over here to do this.”

“Are you disappointed?” she asked, suddenly worried. She may have wanted this to happen but she hadn’t planned it. When he stood on her doorstep, all she could think about was how sexy he looked in his suit. It reminded her of the first time she met him. He’d been in a tuxedo and she wanted to jump his bones then too. Something came over her to just take him and put herself out of the misery of wondering what it would be like to make love to him.

“No not at all. It’s just that I expected…,” he paused as he searched her face. “I don’t know what I expected but it wasn’t this. I guess I expected you to tell me to get lost again.”

“Then you are disappointed,” she answered for him. Maybe she had read the signs wrong. They’d met and she’d felt an instant attraction; so did he. He was the one who recommended her business to caterer tonight’s party. There had to be something between them, didn’t there? Maybe she should have followed the signs and stuck with her original plan.

Mike didn’t answer right away and Paige wondered what he was thinking. “Why did this happen tonight?” he asked.

Paige thought to lie and cover up the truth but she was never good a lying.

“My horoscope said tonight was the night to spend making love,” Or words to that effect, she wanted to add but didn’t. She wasn’t lying but she had sort of exaggerated the truth. Her daily horoscope actually said—A good day to spend with loved ones.

Mike looked at her funny and then turned so they were facing each other. He watched her face as his hand unrolled the used condom and threw it toward her waste basket and had gotten it in. She looked back at Mike, who was grinning from ear to ear.

“Then I guess I’ve just got tonight,” He kissed her again. Paige said nothing because there was nothing to say.

Kissing him felt like being kissed by the stars and the night was the perfect for spend making love

Chapter Seven

Paige moved and felt warmth against her back. She moved again and the warm moved, enveloping her around the waist and pulling her tightly. Her ass felt the instant heat and she felt slippery between the legs. A set of lips kissed her shoulder and then Paige smiled, as warm fingertips stroked her nipples. Her body reacted, stretching like a cat after a long nap, and she leaned back into the warmth, turning so she was facing Mike.

“Morning,” she said as she watched his sleeping face. She noticed his skin was smooth and his morning stubble was showing. He looked peaceful, wearing a slight grin on his face as he pushed his face into her hair.

“Morning yourself,” he said as he rubbed his face against hers. Paige wanted to stay right there as Mike snuggled against her. She could think of nothing better to do as he ran his hand over her breasts and down her stomach. He stopped just as he hit her pubic area and then opened an eye. “What do we have here?”

Paige smiled at his silliness. He’d spent enough time down there during the night to know exactly what was right there.

“Maybe you should investigate,” she prompted. His tongue had been quick to bring her to an orgasm that had wracked her body. She wouldn’t mind a repeat performance. Mike moved under the covers and Paige laughed as he positioned himself between her legs, pushing them up and wide. He lifted the cover off his head and Paige stared at him as he ran his fingers over her outer lips.

“Just what I expected,” he said with a serious face and Paige grinned. His fingers moved slowly, tracing the lips from her clit, down to her ass and then back up. She closed her eyes as his fingers slipped into her folds, following the previous path up and down. Then his fingers touched her clit, slowing circling the little nub that was growing with each pass of his thumb. He stopped and Paige quickly opened her eyes.

Mike hovered over her pussy, a mere inch from it, watching her. Paige stared back, waiting for his next move. He slowly stuck out his tongue and licked her clit. Every part of her body screamed in pleasure. She closed her eyes, feeling her body tingle and then opened them again. Mike was waiting.

When he had her attention again, he licked her again. Paige felt the same response and wanted to wash her body in it. She kept looking at him as he dined on her clit, one stroke at a time. Each stroke pushed her on, building her excitement. Mike moved his fingers, sliding them between her labial lips towards the center of her heat and stroked as his tongue flickered over her engorged clit.

She couldn’t stay focused. She couldn’t watch him eat her. She could only feel each pass of his tongue and fingers as they consumed her. She couldn’t hold back the orgasm that was quickly arriving. She wanted each stroke and flicker to last and when it didn’t, she grabbed onto the bed cloths, gripping hard as another climax rippled through her twisting body.

She felt warm lips, the taste of her body on them as Mike’s tongue found hers. The weight of his body felt like heaven as she wrapped her arms and legs round him, feeling his erection against her swollen folds. She wanted to spend all day fucking this man, feeling him inside her, around her, beneath her. Over her, he covered her with kisses as his hands kneaded her breasts that were so sensitive she was ready for another orgasm. He leaned to the right, grabbing another packet out of the open drawer by the bed and put it in his mouth, tearing off one end as he watched her. One handed, he put the condom on and slid in quick.

Paige felt every part of him consume her. She wanted to be consumed.

Mike pulled out. “Turn over,” he said and Paige turned around, untangling her body until her ass was toward Mike and she was on her knees.

“You’ve got a great ass,” he said as his hands ran over her hips and down the flanks of her thighs. He slid them slowly up the middle until they met at the center of her core. Paige closed her eyes, wanting him to do everything to her. She was his to do with as he wished. She’d been crazy to think she could deny him or herself this pleasure.

Mike pushed into her wet channel and Paige leaned forward, pushing her ass out as her wet pussy made sounds with his cock.

“I don’t think I’m gonna last,” Mike said around the fourth stroke and Paige didn’t care. She just wanted him to pound into her. His angle was good and she loved the strokes he administered.

She said ‘fuck me’ into the pillow and Mike complied, lasting longer than she expected, giving her pussy a good rubbing. When he came, he held on to her hips, pounding hard at the end making her insides quiver again. He pulled her to him as he laid down, his cock still inside her. Paige felt like putty, all languid and loose and very relaxed.

“What time do you need to go to work?” he asked as his arms surrounded her.

Paige felt a sudden panic. Work, she hadn’t thought about work since running out on it the previous night.

“How did last night go?” she asked. She wondered if his arrival last night was to tell her about a fiasco.

“Like clock work. No problems.” Paige felt instantly relieved. “I meant to ask how your friend was doing…before we…” He stopped and Paige turned her head to see the grin on his face.

“Marlene is great. It was scary for a while…they wouldn’t tell me what was going on but apparently the doctor made a mistake on her due date. Here we thought she was eight months pregnant but she was really closer to nine.”

“That’s messed up,” Mike said.

“Yeah, that’s very messed up. Apparently the bleeding started when the fetus detached from the wall or something like that. They had to take her into surgery for a cesarean. They had a little girl.”

“Her husband got there in time?”

“Just in the nick of time. He got to see his daughter born. He said it was the most amazing thing he’d ever seen.”

Mike said nothing as his fingers ran up and down her arm. Paige felt the soft caresses as they traveled over her body.

“Do you want to get married?” he asked and Paige froze, looking back at Mike. He raised a brow, looking for a response.

“You’re not asking, are you?” She felt a sudden panic.

“No, just curious. I don’t know anything about you.” Paige felt relief and also a sense of disappointment. No one had ever asked her to get married. “Answer the question.”

“Some day,” she replied easily. Didn’t every woman want to get married?

“How about children?”

“Maybe some day,” she said. She couldn’t wait to see Marlene’s baby.

“I’ve got to go to work,” he said as he kissed her shoulder. Paige watched his soft lips. “When can I see you again?” Paige looked into his eyes and they bore down on her.

“I don’t know.” She wasn’t sure if this was more than a one time thing.

“Not good enough. Let’s go to dinner tonight.”

“I can’t,” she said quickly.

“Why not?” Mike asked.

Paige didn’t want to answer because she hadn’t consulted her daily horoscope yet. “I’m working.”

“Then we’ll go after.”

“I can’t,” Paige answered. She looked at him, noting the angry look on his face.

“Why? You need to consult some crystal ball to check when you can see me again?”

“No,” she said defensively.

“Then see me tonight. I really want to get to know you.”

“I can’t. This wasn’t supposed to happen in the first place,” she blurted out.

Mike said nothing as he stared at her, hard. Paige saw his eyes squint just slightly and she realized she’d just hurt him immensely. Their night together had been wonderful. It was simple, very pleasurable and she’d enjoyed every minute. So why couldn’t she just let go and see where this went?

Mike got out of bed, taking the condom off and throwing it in the trash. He walked to the other side of the bed, picking up his clothes.

“Mike,” Paige said and he looked at her. “I…” she started but nothing came out.

“When you stop playing this game about your sun sign, call me. I’ll leave my number on the kitchen counter.” He turned and walked out. Paige saw his ass, an ass she’d clutched to several times during the night as he fucked her. He’d given her a moment of pleasure and now she was letting him leave.

Was she the fool to think she could live her life by her horoscope or was she just stupid enough to let a gorgeous man leave her bed and not set the next appointment? Probably both.

* * * *

“She’s beautiful,” Paige said as she got her first glimpse of Kayla. Marlene was breast feeding her and looked sublimely serene, the after-glow of giving birth.

“Should have been here ten minutes ago. She was screaming to be fed and this girl’s got a set of lungs on her,” Marlene said as she kissed her daughter suckling at her breast.

“She must get that from you,” Paige said as she sat and watched. She thought it was the most amazing thing. She must have looked mesmerized by the whole event because she didn’t hear Marlene’s question.

“What?” she asked as she broke her gaze from the baby who looked like she was sleeping, Marlene’s nipple her pacifier.

“I said you look different today.” Paige pulled back a bit surprised.

“How?” She thought she was the same. She’d changed nothing about her looks.

“You aren’t running around like a mad woman, that’s how. To be honest, I’m surprised to see you so early.” It was after nine in the morning and she couldn’t wait to get to the hospital to see the baby and Marlene.

“I thought you were dying last night,” Paige said honestly.

“Hell, I thought I was dying last night,” Marlene said as she kissed Kayla’s head again. Kayla’s mouth broke the suction she’d been holding. She was asleep.

“She’s simply beautiful,” Paige said as Marlene moved Kayla to her shoulder and slowly burped her.

“Robert told me you were here last night,” Marlene said.

“I tried to get in but they wouldn’t let me. Thank god he showed up when he did.”

“Trust me, he got an earful as I was poked with every kind of needle in every place. I couldn’t move my body. I was numb from the chest down and all I could feel was pushing and pulling. I saw people rushing around talking all medical and I’m cussing my husband out because I thought the baby’s too early and something’s wrong and well, here she is.”

Paige moved forward, sitting on the side of the bed. She ran her finger over the soft downy hair of Kayla which was the same blond color as Marlene’s.

“It was a good surprise.”

“How did the thing go at USC?” Marlene asked. Paige looked up at her, surprised Marlene was talking about work.

“Mike said it went fine.”

“Who’s Mike?”

“That guy,” Paige said. “The one I met at the wedding and then at the Mia’s going away party.”

“That Mike,” Marlene said with a smile. “Don’t tell me he works there?”

“He’s apparently the one who got us the job.”

“So, did you get together with Mike?” Paige kept quiet for a second and that was all Marlene needed. “You did, didn’t you?”

Paige nodded.

“Was it good?”

Another nod.

“Great even?”

Paige couldn’t help herself; she nodded and smiled.

“When are you seeing him again?”

Paige didn’t need to say anything as her smile fell.

“Oh, shit, Paige, you didn’t give him the boot, did you?”

Paige nodded.

“Why the hell did you do that? Business is great; you said so yourself the other day that we are making money hand over fist.” Kayla started to fuss as Marlene’s voice rose. She got quiet again but her look was hard and angry.

“We are doing well,” Paige admitted. “It’s just…I don’t know. I’ve followed this plan and I know you think I’m stupid for doing it but it’s worked.”

“It’s worked because you worked your ass off. We all have. It had nothing to do with your sun sign. How many times are we going to go through this? You can’t live your life in a vacuum, making decisions only when the Sagittarius Gods says it’s a good time to do so.”

“But you can’t argue that once I got the reading, things began to pick up.”

“Yes I can and I will. Things picked up because we were getting smarter on how we advertised, how we drummed up business. It wasn’t because some guru sitting in some funky dress saying ‘now’s the time’.” Paige kept quiet. “It happened because you are who you are, doing what you do best. You’re a good caterer, Paige. Success was bound to happen, one way or another and it had nothing to do with being a Sagittarius or reading your daily horoscope. It happened because of you.”

Paige wanted to believe Marlene. Up until she had the reading, things were moving steady but slowly. After the reading, she felt like she had direction and that was the only push she needed to make her business thrive.

“Listen, Paige,” Marlene said. “I love you to pieces but this has to stop. You just spent the night…you did spend the night with him?” Paige nodded. “You just spent the night with a dream guy and then you walked away. You need to go get him.”

“How? He asked to see me again and I said no.”

“Then tell him you made a mistake and you’re sorry. Guys eat that shit up.”

“You’ve got to stop swearing in front of the baby,” Paige said as Kayla moved her head, snuggling closer to Marlene.

“And you’ve got to listen to what I say. I’m the married one with a kid to show for it. Go after him.”

“What if we aren’t right for each other?”

Marlene stared at Paige as if she’d grown another head. “Paige, we never know if we’re suited for anyone. We just have to go with what feels right. When I met Robert, I thought he was a horse’s ass. He was drunk in the bar after a day of battling fires and I thought he was an idiot.” Paige laughed, remembering when those two had met. “But I got to know him and found out a few people hadn’t made it out of the fire. He was taking that really hard but I didn’t know that until I got to know him.”

“I know,” Paige said.

“He’s the sweetest man I know and look at what he’s given me,” Marlene said with a smile as she rubbed her baby’s back. “If I hadn’t taken a chance, followed my heart, I might have missed out on this.”

“You would have met somebody else.”

“But I met him first, Paige. I took a chance. I didn’t follow any document on how to do it. I followed my heart.”

“I don’t know what my heart says,” Paige said honestly.

“Then go find out. Until you do, you don’t get to be the godmother of Kayla. And you better move quickly or I won’t even let you baby-sit.”

* * * *

Mike moved his hand over John’s calf, feeling the knot under the skin.

“This happened how?” Mike asked. When he saw John’s name on his patients list for today, he’d been worried, thinking he’d injured himself and wouldn’t be able to compete for the invitational next week. Feeling the muscle now, he wasn’t sure.

“You’re gonna get mad, coach,” John said into his hands. He was lying prone on the padded table.

“Try me,” Mike said as he slowly rubbed his thumbs into the tight muscle.

“It was a dare,” John said and Mike stopped. Any normal coach would be up one side and down the other of one of their star athletes. John’s antic sounded so similar to Mike’s own in college he wanted to laugh.

“What was the dare?” Mike asked curious.

“Jump from the second story window at the frat house.”

Mike cringed. He’d done some stupid things in his time but he never put his body in harms way, except with alcohol.

“Did you win?”

“Yeah,” John said with a laugh.

“What was the prize?”

“A date with a girl. She wouldn’t go out with me so when the dare came up, I’d said I’d do it but only if she’d have dinner with me.”

“How’d that work out?”

“I don’t know, we’re going out tonight.”

“I don’t think so,” Mike said. “You’ve torn the ligament here.”

“But I don’t need that to eat, do I?” John asked.

“No, but you need it to swim and basically walk.”

“Coach, I can’t cancel this date. This girl is hot, you know and if I cancel...” Mike could see his predicament. He was in his own, wanting a woman so badly he’d do anything to get her…

“Fine, you can go but no dancing and no crazy sex.”

“It’s not like that,” John said. “I really like her. I just want her to get to know me, away from the guys and all.” Mike knew all too well what John was saying.

“Okay, ice the leg up before you leave and put this ointment on. Stay off the foot as much as you can and don’t be taking any long strolls. I want to see you back here tomorrow so I can look at it again.”

“Am I swimming next week?” John asked.

“I don’t know,” Mike commented. “If you can’t, is she worth it?”

John got quiet for a second and Mike could see he was thinking. “Yeah, I think so,” he said grinning.

“I know what you mean.”

Mike opened the door to his office so John could leave. John practically tripped himself on the crutches Mike gave him to use to keep off of his leg.

“Karen, can you get John on the schedule for tomorrow?” he asked his secretary.

“Sure and your three o’clock is here.”

What three o’clock? He glanced around and saw Paige sitting off to his right, reading a sports magazine. She looked up and smiled. Her hair was flowing around her face and her eyes shined at him. He noticed she wore a dress, her feet in a pair of high pumps. He’d never seen her in anything other than work clothes. He was almost speechless.

“Won’t you come in?” he asked. Paige stood, brushing out the material of her dress and walked into the office. Mike shut the door as Paige looked around.

“Therapist,” she said, taking in the diploma on the wall.

“That’s what it says.”

“Then I’ve come to the right place,” she said as she hopped upon onto the padded table. “I’ve got this pain.”

“Look, Paige,” Mike started.

“It starts right here,” Paige said, putting her hands on her breasts, “and then moves down to here.” Her hands slid over the flat plane of her stomach until her hands rested in her lap. “It started last night.” She smiled at Mike brightly.

“Paige,” Mike said. He didn’t want to play games though what she was doing with her hands was rather intriguing.

“And since sex is like a sport, isn’t it?” she asked slyly, “I thought you could help me work out the kinks.”

“The kinks?” Mike asked, thinking all kinds of kinky things he wanted to do with her right now.

“Yes. It’s been a long time since I’ve had sex.”

“But you had sex last night.”

“As you well know. I meant before that.”

“Well,” he said as he moved forward and put his hands on the table next to her knees, “the only remedy I know for working out any sexual issues is to have more sex.” He was eye level with her now and he saw a sparkle in her eye.

“Are you available later?” she asked.

Mike stood up and crossed his arms. “Did you consult your sun sign today?” he asked sarcastically. “Did it say go find some guy and screw him and tell him to fuck off after that?”

“No, it actually said I should ‘focus on my surroundings and not let opportunities get away from me’. And as for just finding some guy, well, why would I do that when I’ve got you.”

“You’ve got me?” he asked.

“Well, I hope to, if you’ll give me a chance.”

“What about all that mumbo jumbo about your year-long plan and staying focused?”

“The plan is still going but I’m looking for a new opportunity.”

“Is this just about sex?” he asked.

“If that was the case, I would have asked you to lock the door and jumped your bones on this table already.”

Mike turned and walked over to the door, locking it.

“That’s done. Come here,” Paige smiled.

Mike walked over and Paige untied the sash at her hip, pulling her dress apart. “Would you please jump my bones?”

“Only if we have a real date afterwards?”

“Whatever you want.”

Epilogue

A year later…

“Paige, stop fussing,” Mike said, pulling her out of the kitchen and towards the party. She took one glance back and noticed a tray of hors d’oeuvres that hadn’t been delivered.

“Let me grab that,” she said. Mike grabbed her hands before she could pick up the tray and pulled her into him.

“Listen to me,” he said when she looked up at him. “This is our party, okay. Marlene knows how to do her job, so let her. Your job tonight is to have fun. We’re getting engaged--hell, we already are and I want to show you off to everyone. I do not want to drag you out of the kitchen every five minutes. Everything is going to be perfect.”

“I just want everyone to love the food.”

“They do. Everyone in my family wanted to know why I didn’t get engaged and married to you the weekend I met you.” Paige smiled. “They want to see us out there dancing and mingling.”

“But…?”

“No buts,” Mike said. “You’re crew can handle this. The deal we made was that you could follow whatever sign you wanted when it came to the job but when it came to us, we’d follow our hearts and tonight is about us.”

Paige stared at Mike, surprised.

When she met him, she thought he was only a womanizing drunk. But once she opened herself up to the possibilities, life got pretty interesting. She’d followed her sign and it had made her successful, but Mike was right.

She could harass Marlene in the morning. It was time to follow her heart.

About the Author

Michele Imiola is a former Army officer who has served and lived around the world. She uses her experiences for the plots and settings for her books and stories.

The mother of two daughters, Michele and her family are still on the move going wherever the Army assigns her husband. When not writing or working, Michele reads voraciously. An avid biker, Michele can be seen riding through whatever town, city or country she lives in this year as she plots her next story.

Also from Michele Imiola and Venus Press…

Mystical Signs, Capricorn: Scavenger Hunt (Prequel to Follow the Signs)

The Brotherhood #1: Marcus’ Magic

The Brotherhood #2: Ian’s Inferno

Blue Eyes