Bump ’n’ Grind

Sam Cheever

A companion story to Bits ’n’ Bytes.

Felicia Jeffries is turning forty-five and her friends have dragged her to a male strip club to celebrate. She’d prefer to be hiding in a dark corner. Instead, she finds herself on stage, dirty dancing with a sexy hottie whose smoldering glances tell Felicia that he couldn’t care less about the difference in their ages.

Garrett Holcomb has always liked older women. He enjoys convincing them that their bodies’ natural changes are sexy. When Felicia slides her attractive body against his in the dance club, he knows they’re meant to be together.

But someone else doesn’t think their love is healthy. And he’ll do anything to make sure they miss out on the future they want together. Including nearly murdering a man and pinning the attack on Garrett.

Ellora’s Cave Publishing

www.ellorascave.com

Bump ‘n’ Grind

ISBN 9781419934964

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Bump ‘n’ Grind Copyright © 2011 Sam Cheever

Edited by Helen Woodall

Cover art by Syneca

Electronic book publication June 2011

The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

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Bump ‘n’ Grind

Sam Cheever

Chapter One

Drenched in sweat and exhausted, Felicia Jeffries scrubbed her face with a towel. Her legs almost gave out on her when she stood up. Reaching down, she pressed the power button on the DVD player and rolled her yoga mat, settling it against the wall. It was hell getting older. She had to work harder and harder every year to keep herself in moderately good shape.

She ate virtually nothing and constantly battled with weight gain.

Life just wasn’t fair.

Sighing, she headed upstairs to shower.

Her phone rang just as she was stepping out of the shower. She glanced at the caller ID before picking up. “Hey.” Bliss Drake was Felicia’s best friend, and the force behind the looming event Felicia was currently dreading.

“Hey, girlfriend. You ready for a hot night of drinking and debauchery?”

Felicia groaned. “I think I’m coming down with something.”

“Mm-hm. No way, babe. You’re coming tonight if I have to drag your narrow, white ass out the door and into that club myself.”

“Okay, don’t get violent. I’ll be there. At eight o’clock sharp. You’d better be there to give me cover. Lord knows this is going to take five years off my life from sheer embarrassment.”

Bliss’ throaty laugh slid through the phone line, making Felicia smile. “It’ll be good for you. Just because you’re turning forty-five doesn’t mean you have to act like an old woman.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Eight o’clock sharp, girlfriend. Wear something smexy!”

Felicia groaned again and hung up.

Smexy. At forty-five. What if her kids saw her?

* * * * *

Felicia pulled into the lot and parked. She stared at the low-slung brick building, chewing her bottom lip nervously. She wasn’t gonna be able to do it. It was crazy.

Bliss was nuts.

A forceful knock on her window made her jump and shriek in alarm. She turned to see Bliss’ attractive café mocha face grinning through the glass at her. “I knew you’d get cold feet, so I was waiting for you.”

Felicia climbed out of the car. “You bitch. You scared the shit out of me.”

Bliss laughed, linking her arm through Felicia’s. She looked incredible as always. Bliss was tall and well built, with huge boobs and a firm, round ass. She kept herself in fine shape and nature had been kind to her, giving her high sculpted cheekbones, gorgeous golden-brown eyes, and a wide mouth with full, sexy lips. She wore her hair in a soft, seventies-type ‘fro, and it worked for her. Her clingy, extremely short black dress looked as if it had been made for her, and only Bliss could get away with red shoes that had four-inch-high stiletto heels without looking like a hooker.

Felicia smoothed a hand nervously down the front of her Oriental-style red dress. The dress had a high neckline and cap sleeves and she knew she looked good in it but it was a little tight for her comfort level, showing every curve in her body. Even the ones she didn’t want to advertise. Compared to Bliss’ “fuck me” shoes, Felicia’s simple black heels seemed dowdy.

“You look sexy as hell, Miss Felicia.” Bliss purred. She gave Felicia’s arm a tug and all but dragged her toward the door of the club, stopping with her hand on the knob and turning to her nervous friend. “Are you ready to have your life changed?”

Felicia closed her eyes and filled her lungs with air. Stars burst in front of her eyes. “I can’t go in there, Bliss. Don’t make me.”

Bliss laughed and threw open the door. The low pulse of music throbbed from the room, the bass set so low Felicia’s jaw vibrated as she stepped over the threshold. As loud as it was, the music was occasionally eclipsed by a burst of feminine shrieking.

Felicia looked past the bar toward the long, curvy stage that split the room in half. The stage was about chest high and had chairs all around it, with a narrow ledge for the customers sitting in the chairs to set their drinks on. Connected to the drinking bar across the back, the stage was lit with colored strobe lights and had dancers on it.

Male dancers.

Scantily clad male dancers.

Felicia blushed and averted her face from Bliss, not wanting to endure the razzing she knew would follow if her friend noticed.

Bliss’ throaty laugh told her it was too late. “Come on, Polly Pureheart. The girls are saving a seat for you.”

A welcoming cheer erupted as Bliss dragged Felicia over to the edge of the stage, where all her friends were seated with nearly empty glasses in front of them.

“I see you’ve gotten a head start on me.” Felicia grinned at Elizabeth Collins, her best friend since college. Elizabeth had turned forty-five a few months earlier but didn’t look a day over thirty-five, due to some really good genes, some strategic sculpting and monthly visits to a great hairdresser.

In response to Felicia’s jab, Elizabeth pursed her lips and made a fart noise. To which every one of Felicia’s friends hooted as if she’d told the world’s best joke.

Felicia rolled her eyes. “How long have they been here?”

“I think since about five o’clock. Betty’s already met all the dancers. She has their names and phone numbers in her little notebook.”

Felicia looked down the row of her friends to the short, pudgy librarian with glasses. Betty was the oldest of her friends and didn’t try to hide it. She looked every bit of fifty years, right down to the short bob with bangs she wore her graying brown hair in. “Betty?”

Betty lifted the notebook over her head and yelled, “Oo-rah!”

They all burst into laughter again.

Beth patted the seat next to her. “Sit down, honey. We saved you a seat.”

Felicia glanced from the seat at the dancing bar toward the scantily clad young man on top. There couldn’t have been more than five feet in distance between them. She’d be close enough to catch a flying drop of sweat…or get soaked in an errant wave of pheromones.

“Why don’t we move over there?” She pointed to a dark corner that was just about as far away from the dancers as they could get.

Beth grabbed her hand and yanked her into the chair. “Not a chanch, honey,” she slurred. “We’re stayin’ right here. I still have tonsh of one-dollar bills left.” She reached into her purse and pulled a wrinkled bill from its messy depths. Lifting it over her head she waved it, hooting at the nearest dancer.

Felicia’s eyes widened and she tried to grab the bill. “Beth, that’s a twenty!”

A cheer arose around the dancing bar as two dancers descended on Beth. They stood right on the brink of the bar, their naked toes dangling over the rounded edge. One of them pumped his bulging crotch toward Beth’s face and the other one turned, pushing a well-shaped behind toward her.

Beth watched the dancers with avid eyes, her mouth slack. The twenty-dollar bill drooped sadly in her hand…probably wilting from all the steam coming off the stage.

Despite that train-wreck feeling, Felicia couldn’t look away.

Finally, the women around the bar started chanting, “Ben-ny, Ben-ny, Ben-ny!” Beth came back to life. She jerked and grinned, licking her thin lips, and reached to stuff the twenty into the Speedo of the dancer who’d been shoving his package into her face.

Her fingers dipped pretty low into the Speedo. And they dallied a long time. So long, in fact that poor Benny had to pull her hand out of his pants.

He was more than a good sport about it though. He grinned at her and lifted her fingers to his mouth, licking the tips of each one before he let the hand go. The ensuing shrieks of delight from the ladies around the bar made Felicia want to duck down in her chair.

But underneath the embarrassment she was aware of something else that surprised her. She found herself clenching her thighs together on a tingle of something warm and delightful. Something she hadn’t felt for quite a while.

Something that felt suspiciously like lust.

“It’s the birthday girl’s turn. Lap dance!” Bliss yelled. This startling declaration was followed by a resounding cheer from the crowd.

Felicia looked around with wide eyes. Women who she’d never clapped eyes on before were grinning at her, whistling and clapping their hands.

A twenty appeared in front of her face. “Time to dive into the water, Polly Pureheart.”

Felicia tried to get out of her chair so she could run away. She figured once she got into her car they’d have trouble catching her—worst case she could probably lose them in the warehouse district…

Somebody grabbed her chair and yanked it backward.

The bar erupted into chanting. “Lap dance…lap dance…lap dance!”

The blood drained from Felicia’s face. She didn’t know what a lap dance was, but it didn’t sound good.

A shadow fell over her.

The chanting stopped as suddenly as it had started. A collective sigh settled over the room.

The music changed, becoming even more heated, deeper, and sensual. The pulse of it beat in her veins, changing the tempo of her heartbeat. She fixed her gaze on the floor, panicking.

A long, muscular pair of legs appeared in front of her. Thankfully they were clad in well-worn jeans.

The jeans had holes in them.

Lots of holes.

Some of them in extremely strategic places.

Her gaze faltered at the juncture of two muscular, denim-clad thighs, where the crotch of the jeans should have been. What was there instead was a hole, frayed at the edges. Showing through the hole was a silky yellow patch of fabric, sporting a Road Runner in the center.

Felicia looked into a pair of sparkling blue eyes, fringed in thick dark-gold lashes.

He was laughing at her reaction to his Road Runner. He winked at her and her heart literally thumped against her chest.

Suddenly a large, square hand appeared in front of her face.

The crowd went crazy. The women around her screamed and started chanting, “Go for it!”

She tried to lean back, away from the hand, but Bliss wasn’t gonna let her get away with that. She grabbed Felicia’s arm and pulled her out of her chair. Before Felicia knew what was happening, the hunk on the stage had grabbed her hand and she was pulled onto the stage with him.

She hit his broad, naked chest with an undignified “Umph!” and felt the jolt to her system through her whole body.

The first thing she noticed was his scent. It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. He was all warm musk overlaid by clean sweat and something that she couldn’t quite identify which reminded her of hot sex.

The next thing she noticed was the smooth warmth of his naked chest. His well-formed pecs were right in front of her nose, a small triangle of dark-gold hairs nestled between them.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her body into his, swaying to the decadent pulse of the music. Felicia held herself stiffly in his arms at first, but the combination of hot, sexy man and the throbbing beat of the music quickly overcame her natural resistance and her muscles softened, molding to his.

She closed her eyes and swayed with him, feeling every hard line of his long body against hers. His hands slid over her back and shoulders, soothing, caressing, until her muscles felt like the softest butter under his fingers.

Felicia’s hands moved over his body, sliding across his narrow waist, up his sides, and across his broad chest. They trailed past the strong shoulders and thick neck, to a square-jawed face with just the hint of dark-gold stubble across it.

The room erupted as he lowered his head and laid his lips over her throat.

Felicia gasped at the moist heat of his mouth resting on her pulse and threw her head back. His tongue slipped out from between his teeth and he licked her.

Feeling as if she’d been drugged, Felicia pressed herself against the hard thigh between her legs, humping it shamelessly as her body heated and pulsed with need.

Sharp teeth replaced the hot tongue on her skin. He bit her, gently, and then followed the tiny nip with another swipe of his hot tongue.

The room fell away. Felicia was aware of the music and the room full of friends and strangers only as a dull throb at the back of her consciousness. It disappeared under the all-encompassing aura of the man in her arms.

His was a sensual sphere, filled with promises and forbidden delights. And Felicia suddenly realized she wanted it all.

Her hands slid to his buttocks. They were firm and round and filled her hands nicely. His lips moved down her throat to the tops of her breasts, leaving a warm tingle of sexual awareness in their wake.

Felicia groaned and pulled him closer, grinding against the long, hard length beneath the denim…and the Road Runner. The thought made her giggle and he pulled away, looking down on her with bright blue eyes.

When he spoke she almost came just from the sound of it. His voice was warm and smoky, like the best whiskey running through her system. “You like my big bird?”

She stared back at him, her smile sliding away under the intensity of his look. She was too lust-fogged to come back with anything resembling wit.

His mouth was wide, his teeth white between generous lips. His dark-gold hair was cut short, curling softly around his ears and at the back of his head. When he looked at her his jaw worked as if he was fighting some emotion. His tongue slid across his lips, making her pussy clench with need.

Felicia’s eyes widened. “Who are you?”

His generous mouth curved upward, his eyes sparkling with humor. He lowered his lips toward her ear just as the music in the bar stopped, signaling a break for the dancers. “I’m a man who thinks you are as sexy as hell.”

His tongue slid around the edge of her ear and he stepped away. The smile was gone. In its place was a look of such smoldering heat Felicia thought her knees would give out. He offered her his hand and she looked down at it, confused.

“Can I help you down off the stage?”

“Oh…” She fidgeted nervously. “Yes. Thank you.”

He handed her down to her friends and turned away.

Felicia watched him saunter toward the bar. She found herself wishing he’d turn and look at her one last time.

As if he’d heard her thoughts, he turned and his eyes held the promise of delights to come.

Felicia jerked her gaze away and dropped back into her chair beside the stage. She was determined to get out of the bar as quickly as possible. He was at least twenty years younger than she was and obviously only interested in one thing.

There was nothing but trouble in the thoughts she was having.

And she was much too old to get embroiled in that type of relationship.

Chapter Two

Bliss hung on Felicia’s arm, nearly dragging her down to the ground. The woman was about three martinis past coherent and Felicia was determined to drive her home. Bliss had her car keys in her hand and was insisting—very loudly—that she was, “Purefactlee culpable to drive my own dammmmm cure home!”

Felicia patted her friend’s shoulder. “I know you’re perfectly capable, Blissy girl, but I’d like the company. We’ll come back in the morning and get your car.”

Bliss snorted in disgust. “Nishe try, booby. I’m drivin’ my nown cure.”

“Need some help?”

Felicia stumbled and almost dropped her friend. A strong pair of arms, covered in soft, worn fleece, wrapped around Bliss’ waist and pulled her gently upright.

Bliss turned her head and leered drunkenly at Felicia’s young dancer. “H-hey, hansome! I’ll let you take me home!”

Irrational anger swamped Felicia as her friend flirted with the gorgeous young man. “He’s not driving you home, Bliss. He’s going to help me get you into my car so I can take you home.” She glared at him, daring him to disagree with this plan.

He just grinned back. “Which car is yours?”

She turned and walked toward a creamy-white Lincoln MKX. Garrett Holcomb licked his lips as she stalked angrily toward the fancy car. Her tight little behind swayed sexily beneath the dress she wore, the clingy fabric dancing gently just over a pair of truly cute knees. She had long dark-brown hair with sexy red and gold highlights that had sparkled in the flashing lights of the club when he was dancing with her. Her body was lithe and she moved with a confidence only a woman who’d experienced life could enjoy. She was beautiful.

Garrett had always been drawn to older women. They had many things going for them, including knowing how to make a man feel really good in bed. He also appreciated the fact that they rarely wanted a relationship. They unabashedly pursued him just for the sex.

Garrett was okay with that…usually. But something about this particular woman pulled at him. He hadn’t felt this type of connection to a woman since…

He shook his head to dispel the thought.

The woman in his arms sagged suddenly and he realized she’d passed out. Reaching down, he scooped her up and started toward the Lincoln with her. The birthday girl held the passenger-side door open for him, her face still clouded with anger.

He settled her friend inside the car and closed the door. He pulled his keys from his jeans pocket. “I’ll follow you home.”

Birthday girl jumped in surprise. “What? No! I mean…why?”

Garrett glanced at the woman in the car. She had fallen sideways and her full, lush mouth was smashed against the glass. She looked like a large, brown suckerfish. “You’ll need help getting her into the house.”

Some of the panic left Felicia’s eyes. “Oh, you meant her house. Okay.”

Garrett chuckled as she realized how bad that sounded and her face took on a horrified look. “I mean…not that I want you to know where she lives either! Umm…that is…I don’t think you’re a lecher or anything…” Her voice trailed off and she bit her lip, lost in a maze of her own making.

He shook his head and turned toward his car. “No worries. Just make sure you don’t leave me at a light or something.”

Felicia found herself staring at his yummy backside and broad shoulders as he sauntered away from her toward a black Jeep parked at the far edge of the parking lot. She swallowed the saliva that had pooled in her mouth and ran her tongue over her lips. She’d never felt an attraction like the one she felt for the young, gorgeous dancer. She’d have to be seriously on her guard with him.

Or she’d embarrass herself.

Big time.

* * * * *

He settled Bliss onto her bed with little apparent effort. Felicia slid her friend’s shoes off and covered her with the throw she kept at the foot of her king-sized bed. When she turned away she was standing way too close to him. Mere inches. His breath bathed her face in sweet warmth.

He smelled like mint with an underlying scent of beer.

“Thank you so much for helping me get her home. Her boyfriend is away on business, or he would have helped. I could have gotten her home, eventually, but it was nice to have some help. I don’t mean nice as in…” The words clenched in her throat and came out as a breathless whisper. She sounded like the worst kind of tease. Sighing, Felicia just shrugged, grinning stupidly.

He reached toward her and slid an errant dark curl from her face. “It was my pleasure.”

Felicia sucked air and tried to take a step back, but Bliss’ damn island-sized bed was in the way.

He moved an inch closer.

She could smell his heat, taste his scent. Her mouth watered.

“You’re a very beautiful woman.”

“I’m too old for you.”

He smiled. “Not a chance.” He reached up to slide a ribbon of hair off her cheek. His touch was warm and slightly rough against her skin. Felicia stopped breathing, her body going on sensual alert.

“I really enjoyed our dance tonight.” He bent his head and branded the spot he’d touched on her cheek with a soft kiss. So soft, if she hadn’t felt the heat of his breath against her skin she might have thought she’d imagined it.

Her nipples were rigid and tender against the fabric of her tight dress.

Felicia stepped sideways. “You should leave now.”

His smile slid away. “You’re right. I absolutely should.” He lifted one hand in a wave and turned away, striding quickly from the room.

All of the air left the room with him Felicia sucked in a breath, fighting a nearly irrepressible urge to go after him. In fact she took a step toward the door. But she stopped herself before she could start running.

Her body clenched with sudden need and she sat down hard on the edge of the bed. Her lungs were tight and she couldn’t breathe. Her palms were sweating. She hadn’t had this type of reaction to a guy for decades. Maybe never.

Felicia Jeffries, you are a shameless hussy!

Felicia grinned. She hadn’t heard her grandma’s voice in her head for years. Not since she’d stopped taking chances and risks and become the good little wife and mother.

It was kind of nice to have her back.

Felicia stood up and left Bliss’ bedroom, moving quickly toward the door. She made sure his car was gone before she stepped out of the house, locking the door behind her.

She climbed into her car and headed home. Thank heavens her birthday celebration was over! For the last several years, birthdays had only served to make her feel old and out of touch. She’d approached this one thinking that it would give her those feelings in spades, but somehow it hadn’t.

Felicia’s body was thrumming. She felt as if every cell had been infused with sexual energy. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so alive.

Being a shameless hussy was energizing. Laughing, Felicia decided she’d have to let her hussy side out to play more often.

She’d just have to keep it away from gorgeous dancer types who were much too young for her. That would only lead to disaster.

* * * * *

Felicia picked at her salad and fought a yawn. She was on her second real date with Dave Foust, a longtime acquaintance. Dave had been a friend of her husband’s. He was ten years older than Felicia and, as a tort lawyer, was rolling in money. He was tall and slim and reasonably good-looking. Although he’d been in love with her for years, he’d kept his feelings more or less to himself when she was married.

Since her divorce, he’d stepped up his pursuit of her, to the point where she’d finally given in and agreed to go out with him. That first date had been long and unexciting. The second one was turning out to be endless and downright boring.

Dave liked to talk about himself.

Occasionally he’d ask her something about herself or her life, but then he’d interrupt her and go off on a topic of far more interest to him…Dave Foust.

Felicia promised herself there would be no third date.

“I can’t even believe this food,” Dave informed her.

Felicia moved her fork around some more, hoping he didn’t notice that she’d barely touched hers. There was nothing at all wrong with the food, she just couldn’t concentrate on eating.

Her traitorous slutty mind just kept comparing Dave to her gorgeous young dancer. It was an ugly comparison.

Dave lifted a hand and called the waiter over. “I’d like to speak with the chef.”

Felicia barely stopped herself from groaning. He did this every time they were together. He’d done it even before her divorce, when she and Philip and he and his now ex-wife, Astrid, had gone out together. Dave liked to draw attention to himself. She only hoped he would praise the chef this time, rather than berate him as he usually did.

Felicia bent over her plate and picked up a roll. She stared at it to avoid looking at the unfortunate soul who was about to have his skills called into question by a boring, overconfident lawyer.

“You asked to speak with me, sir?”

“Yes. I wanted to ask you if you got your training at a McDonalds.”

Felicia’s gaze swung desperately around the room, looking for something to concentrate on rather than the poor chef’s crestfallen face. Just then a couple at a table across the room stood up and started toward them. The woman was young, gorgeous, and draped all over her date. The man with her was Felicia’s dancer, from the club.

Felicia sucked a minute particle of roll into her windpipe and choked. She bent, red-faced over the table, covering her mouth with one hand and wishing she could climb under the linen-covered table and disappear.

Alas, it wasn’t to be.

She barely heard the poor chef trying to hold his temper in check as Dave continued to berate him.

As she choked and sputtered, earning only a glare from her “date” before he returned to abusing the chef, Felicia wished she could run to the bathroom. But she couldn’t get out of that chair and risk coming face-to-face with her sexy dancer. He was moving directly toward her.

A moment later the situation was taken out of her hands when a firm hand clapped her on the back and a deep, concerned voice inquired, “Are you okay, miss? Maybe you should drink some water?”

Felicia lowered her head and tried to shake off the warm hand on her back. She thought if she didn’t look up he might not recognize her. But the hand on her back slid upward, squeezing the back of her neck before dropping away.

Dave frowned at her. He really didn’t like scenes, unless he was the one making them. “Maybe you should go to the ladies’ room, Felicia, and get yourself under control.”

Felicia stood up, hurrying toward the elegant restrooms at the back of the restaurant. Still coughing violently, she nearly dived into the ladies’ room and dropped onto one of the elegant couches in the outer room.

She laid her head on her knees and sucked in a breath as the coughing began to subside. The door opened again but she didn’t look up.

“So your name is Felicia.”

Felicia’s head flew up and she gasped. He was just standing there. Her beautiful dancer. Wearing fashionably faded jeans and a crisp white dress shirt…and he looked amazing.

She gave him an embarrassed smile. “We have to stop meeting like this. I mean…really.”

“Why?” His eyes sparkled with humor.

Felicia dragged the linen napkin she’d carried into the bathroom under her eyes and stood. She took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to regain some speck of dignity after she’d nearly coughed out a spleen just from seeing him across the room. “I’m sorry. Don’t let me interrupt your date. I’m fine now.”

“It’s okay. I wanted to talk to you.”

Felicia cocked her head in surprise. “You did? Why?”

He moved a step closer. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Felicia laughed.

“It’s true.”

She stopped laughing. She was at a loss. What could she say to him that wouldn’t sound rude? When she finally managed to form some words they came out all wrong. “You’re so young.”

He frowned and so did she. She’d meant to say she was too old for him. Now she’d just insulted him.

“Trust me, I’m plenty old enough.”

Felicia blinked and he closed the distance between them before she could backtrack.

Suddenly she was in his arms, his lips mere inches from her own. “And I still think you’re damn sexy.”

Felicia made a little mewling sound but didn’t try to stop him when he kissed her. Instead she dragged him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck and returning the kiss hungrily. Self-respect be damned. The man was offering her everything she wanted on a silver platter.

After spending two hours with a man society would expect her to choose, she was more than ready to go after what she really wanted.

And she really wanted this man. Felicia pulled her lips away from his. “What about your date?”

“It’s okay. We’re just friends. We work together.”

Felicia was thrilled by his response. “Oh, well, that’s good anyway.”

He chuckled as her face turned red again and leaned in, taking her bottom lip between strong, white teeth and tugging it gently. “My name’s Garrett Holcomb. I’d like to see you tonight.”

Felicia extended her hand. “Felicia Jeffries.”

“So nice to meet you, lovely Felicia.” He pulled her close and captured her lips again. Thankfully, Felicia’s agitated thoughts calmed as her body melted into his.

* * * * *

Garrett stood outside Felicia’s home and looked at the ink-scrawled napkin in his hand again. Yup. It was the right place. He frowned. The place was huge and opulent.

Apparently she had money.

Lots of it.

That definitely put a crimp in things. He’d come from a family with more money than sense and it had brought them nothing but pain. As soon as he could, he’d run from the depression, alcohol and drug abuse that permeated his childhood. He’d never looked back.

Garrett believed that money was nice for buying what you needed, but if you had too much of it, it tended to make you miserable.

Felicia hadn’t seemed miserable.

But sometimes these things aren’t readily apparent. He didn’t want to serve as anybody’s crutch. Been there, done that. He wasn’t anxious to do it again.

It had nearly killed him last time.

Garrett frowned at the napkin Felicia had scrawled her address onto. He crumpled it up and stuffed it in his pocket. He left the way he’d come, feeling as if he’d just thrown away something he wouldn’t find again anytime soon.

* * * * *

Felicia sipped her iced tea and laughed at Bliss, who was describing her date with her boyfriend, the sexy Brad, the night before. It had something to do with dogs falling in a creek, a really big snake, and bird poop on her favorite shoes.

She still couldn’t believe Bliss was dating a guy who lived out in the country with four dogs and developed computer software for a living. Bliss was the consummate city mouse who thought software was something you wore over a cami and dress slacks. But it was obvious her gorgeous friend was completely gooey about the man and Felicia was really happy for her.

“Hello? Anybody in there?”

Felicia jerked and looked up from deep contemplation of her straw. “Huh?”

Bliss lifted a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “Girl, you’re more than distracted today. You get a little cougar action last night?”

“Cougar action?”

Bliss made a sound of disgust. “Do you ever listen to me, honey? I explained all of this to you last week.”

Felicia grimaced, embarrassed to have been caught tuning her friend out. It was just that Bliss’ sexual exploits were so far outside her comfort and experience level that she couldn’t drum up any interest in them. Besides, it made her a little jealous that Bliss was so successful with men when she absolutely sucked at finding the right man.

“Cougars are older women who like younger men.”

Felicia wasn’t sure she liked being called an older woman. “What do they call the men?”

Bliss’ smile widened. “Cubs.”

“Eww. That sounds kind of perverted. Like den robbing.”

Bliss threw her head back and laughed. “Do cougars even live in dens?”

“In your case they live in ritzy apartments above the park.”

“Oh yeah, right.” Her brown eyes sparkled with pleasure. “But seriously, go to this website and read up about it. I think you might need it soon.” Bliss placed a small square of paper in front of Felicia. The URL for a website was written in small, tidy letters across its surface.

Felicia narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

Bliss had that look on her face that Felicia had learned to fear. It usually meant Felicia wasn’t going to like what came next. “You just never know.”

“Hello, Felicia.”

Felicia stiffened. Garrett stood next to their table, looking unsure of his welcome.

Bliss stood up. “I have an appointment for a quickie with my honey. He promised he’d update my software.” Chuckling happily, she leaned down and kissed Felicia on the cheek and winked at Garrett. “I’ll see you later, honey.”

Bliss swayed toward the door, drawing the eye of nearly every man in the place. Felicia turned an unfriendly eye on the young man who’d taken Bliss’ abandoned seat. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you.”

“Why?”

“Look, I know I screwed up. I wanted to see you again to explain.”

Felicia reached for her purse. “That’s not necessary. I get it. I’m twenty years older than you…”

Garrett grabbed her hand. “Please, hear me out. I can’t…” He cleared his throat, and then fixed the saddest blue gaze on her that she’d ever seen. “I made a huge mistake. I thought I could just walk away. But ever since that night, it’s like there’s something unfinished between us. I can’t explain it but I feel like I need to spend time with you. I’d like to try again…if you’ll give me another chance.”

Felicia felt the hit first in her lungs, which clenched shut and cut off her breath, and then in her stomach. She dropped her purse from numb fingers. Swallowing hard, she said, “Go on.”

He pulled her hand closer and turned it over, running a slightly calloused finger over her palm. It tickled but she was strangely reluctant to pull away. “I come with baggage.” He laughed and the sound was harsh. “It’s funny. I did come to your house the other night. Like I said I would.”

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“But then I turned around and left because I told myself you would have baggage…because of your money.”

Felicia opened her mouth but he held up a hand.

“No, don’t bother to tell me I’m an idiot. I already know that. You see, I have some bad history. My family…well, we won’t go into that right now, but you might say I’m obsessed with the idea that money is a corrupting influence.”

“But you seem to be doing all right…financially, I mean.”

“Well, I work two jobs, but that’s true. Which is why I’m an idiot. One of the reasons, anyway.” He gave her a crooked smile. “The other reason I’m an idiot is because I walked away from the first person who’s made me feel anything…romantic…in a long time.” Garrett pulled her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. But he didn’t stop there. His tongue slipped out and he ran it across her hand. “I want you, Felicia. However I can get you… I just want to spend time with you. I want to explore these feelings you create in me. And see if you have them too.”

Felicia licked her lips. The sensation he’d created with his tongue on the back of her hand shot through her body like electricity, warming, igniting feelings she’d been afraid to recognize. She pulled her hand away. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.” She leaned forward, her hazel eyes fixed on his face.

“I let myself get carried away the other night…at the restaurant. But you and I…we’re not a good match.”

“I disagree.”

A part of her wanted to grab his hand and run home with him. She wanted to pull his clothes off and fling him onto her bed, riding him long and hard until they both dropped from exhaustion. That part of her was screaming for attention at the moment, but Felicia had a ruthless grip on that little part of her and didn’t plan to let it go.

After he’d stood her up the other night, in the brutal light of day, Felicia had told herself it was a good thing. She didn’t have what it took to flaunt tradition and go after a younger man. She didn’t have the feelings of self-worth that would make it fun rather than a constant worry. She didn’t have the spine to lift her chin against the whispers, the judging glances.

She just plain didn’t have the energy.

She stood up, avoiding the pain in his eyes as she grabbed her purse off the chair. “It was really nice meeting you, Garrett. I hope you find the woman you’re looking for someday. She’ll be a very lucky young woman.”

Felicia headed for the door, fighting tears. She suspected that she’d just said no to something important. But she didn’t have the strength to turn back around and say yes. Her judgment where men were concerned hadn’t been all that stellar. Going with her heart had always gotten her into trouble. This time she was making the rational choice. Despite the fact that she ached to follow her heart just one more time.

Chapter Three

Dave Foust was leaning against the front of her car when she exited the restaurant. Felicia was surprised to see him there, especially since his face was dark with rage.

“Hello, Dave.”

He inclined his head. “Felicia.”

She waited for him to tell her why he was there. When he didn’t, she walked past him and pressed the unlock button on her key fob, reaching to open her car door.

He reached out and held the door so she couldn’t close it. “Who the hell was that man you were talking to, Felicia?”

She was torn between anger and amusement. Apparently he didn’t recognize Garrett from the restaurant the other night. She finally settled for anger. Dave’s attitude was entirely inappropriate and worse, it reminded her of her ex-husband’s manner. “Not that it’s any of your business, but that was Garrett Holcomb. You saw him the other night. He helped me when I was choking.” She couldn’t help adding the emphasis. It still pricked her that Dave had only glared at her, embarrassed that she was causing a scene.

For just a second, surprise replaced anger on Dave’s face. “That punk who accosted you when you were making a spectacle of yourself? What the hell is he doing here?”

She pulled on the car door. “He came here to see me.” She was shocked even as she said the words. She hadn’t wanted to fight that particular battle. Hadn’t thought she had it in her. But it seemed the battle was upon her…and surprise, surprise…she appeared to be up for it after all.

Color flooded Felicia’s face as Dave’s expression took on the judgmental quality she’d been expecting. “To see you? Why, Felicia? Certainly you aren’t having a fling with that young man? He’s young enough to be your son, for God’s sake!”

Although she’d been expecting the words they still stung. “Who I choose to spend time with is none of your concern, Dave. Now please remove your hand from my door so I can close it. This conversation is finished.”

He stepped closer and grabbed her arm. Felicia was caught by surprise. His long fingers pinched as he jerked her into his body, his face purple with rage. “You will not see this young man again, Felicia. Do you hear me?”

Felicia gasped as terror washed through her.

* * * * *

Garrett exited the restaurant and headed for his car. As he hit the button on his keychain to unlock his car door he heard raised voices. One of them was familiar.

He turned toward the sound and saw Felicia, standing beside her open car door talking to a man. He had slightly graying hair and wore a well-cut suit. His stance toward her was predatory. He stood too close and leaned toward her as he spoke. One of his hands was on the car door next to Felicia’s. It looked like he was keeping her from closing it.

Garrett was striding toward them before his mind had time to tell him it wasn’t a good idea. When the man grabbed Felicia’s arm and she gave a little cry of pain and alarm, he was only two steps away.

Garrett grabbed the older man and flung him up against the side of Felicia’s car. He gripped two fistfuls of the man’s expensive suit and leaned close, putting his face just inches from the man’s terrified face. “Don’t ever touch her like that again.”

Felicia gasped. “It’s okay, Garrett. Dave was just leaving.” When Garrett didn’t immediately let the man go, Felicia touched his back and spoke into his ear. “Please, Garrett. I don’t want any trouble.”

Garrett kept his gaze locked on the furious older man for a moment longer before releasing his lapels, but he stayed between Felicia and the enraged man. The man she’d called Dave stood up and smoothed his hands over his lapels.

Garrett was disgusted. “For the lady’s sake I’ll overlook your disrespect.” He leaned closer. “But if you ever lay a hand on her again I’ll make sure you and your nice suit become intimately acquainted with the ground. Is that clear?”

The older man smirked. “You’ll be sorry you did that, son.” He threw Felicia one last glance before turning and striding away toward a Mercedes two-seater at the edge of the lot.

Garrett watched until he drove out of the lot and then turned to Felicia. She was pale and shaking. “Aw hell, honey. Come here.” He pulled her into his arms and held her tight while she shivered and sobbed against his chest.

Holding her while she cried, Garrett decided he was going to do everything in his power to win Felicia’s heart. He didn’t really have a choice. His heart had already made the decision.

* * * * *

Felicia typed cougar into the search field and hit enter. Several links to stories popped up. There were a couple of scientific papers that talked about the psychology of older women wanting to be with younger men. The stories were clinical and started with the premise that society found the pairing of an older woman with a younger man perplexing.

However, the real-life stories she read implied that the stigma to the term “Cougar” was changing. Many women appeared to relish cougar relationships and found great pleasure and satisfaction in them. Felicia knew that was true. Bliss was a perfect example.

Her friend fit the cougar description perfectly. Before she’d met Brad, she’d spent a lot of time visiting bars and clubs, looking for men who were much younger than she was. But Bliss wasn’t some kind of monster. She was a caring woman who truly cherished her young lovers and treated them very well. Her lovers cared for Bliss too, showing every sign of wanting to spend as much time with her as possible.

Thoughts of Bliss reminded Felicia of the URL her friend had written on a sticky and given her. She went to her purse and dug through it until she found the slip of paper.

The KittyKat Club was apparently some kind of chat group. Felicia discovered she had to sign into the group to use it. She bit her bottom lip for a moment, staring at the screen and thinking about whether she was ready to take that step.

But then, thinking about the date she had planned with Garrett that very night, she decided she’d better do it. If there were rules and traps in a cougar relationship, Felicia wanted to know what they were, so she didn’t make a fool of herself.

Finally, she took a deep breath and set up an account, using the name FelicitousFeline. She logged in and looked at the series of posts, with names like Cougarlicious, Cubhunter, and Prettybrownkitty.

A chime sounded and a new post popped up. Several more chimes followed in quick succession. Felicia didn’t know what to do. She stared at the screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard, and panicked.

Cougarlicious: Welcome, FelicitousFeline!

Cubhunter: Hiya FF.

Prettybrownkitty: Felicia, is that you?

Felicia’s eyes widened, who the hell was Prettybrownkitty and how did she know her? Felicia started typing.

FelicitousFeline: Hello, my name is Felicia. I’m new to the KittyKat Club.

Felicia hit send and then felt stupid. Duh! They obviously knew she was a new member already. More chimes sounded.

Cougarlicious: I’m glad to meet you, Felicia.

Prettybrownkitty: Girlfriend!

Cubhunter: Is there something we can help you with, Felicia?

Prettybrownkitty: It’s me, Bliss!

FelicitousFeline: Hey Bliss! I didn’t realize you’d be here. I guess I should have since you gave me the URL right? Duh!

Prettybrownkitty: I’m a regular. This is a great group.

Cubhunter: Thanks PBK!

Cougarlicious: Do you have a cub, Felicia?

Cubhunter: You two know each other?

Prettybrownkitty: She’s got the yummiest cub.

Felicia’s eyes just kept getting wider. She couldn’t possibly keep up with the speed of the interactions coming at her. Taking a deep breath, she decided to take one post at a time. Cubhunter had asked if they could help her with something. That was a definite yes.

FelicitousFeline: I’m having my first date tonight with my cub.

Cougarlicious: How fun!

Prettybrownkitty: You go girl!

FelicitousFeline: He’s about twenty years younger than I am.

Cubhunter: Perfect!

FelicitousFeline: I’m very nervous and wondered if there was any advice you could give me about dealing with a much younger man. What will we talk about? Should I downplay the age thing? Or be very straightforward about it? I’d appreciate any advice you can give me.

Cougarlicious: Just be yourself, Felicia. You’ll figure it all out.

Cubhunter: Don’t focus on the age difference, it doesn’t really matter.

Prettybrownkitty: Screw his brains out, honey. Enjoy yourself!

Felicia choked. Leave it to Bliss.

FelicitousFeline: Bliss! You’re incorrigible.

Cougarlicious: Obviously you two know each other, so I won’t try to explain Bliss to you Felicia!

FelicitousFeline: LOL, don’t bother, I’ve known her for years. She just likes to shock me.

Prettybrownkitty: LOL, it isn’t hard to do. But I’m not kidding, girlfriend. That man wants you bad. If you don’t jump on that yumminess I’m gonna clock you over the head.

Cougarlicious: LOL, no violence, please!

Cubhunter: Well, maybe a little BDSM! If you’re into that. Hehehe

Prettybrownkitty: Ooh, spank me honey!

Cubhunter: ROFL!

* * * * *

Garrett was straightening mats in the yoga studio when Giorgio found him. Around them the studio buzzed with preparations for nighttime classes. “Hey, Giorgio. What’s up?”

Giorgio looked upset. His round face was red and his lips white from pressing them together. He touched Garrett’s arm. “Can you come to my office, please? I need to talk to you about something important.”

“Sure.” Garrett took one last look at the mats and followed Giorgio into a small, cluttered office at the back of the studio. He pulled a stack of glossy brochures off the only chair and sat down, settling the brochures on the corner of Giorgio’s messy desk.

Rather than sitting down behind his desk, Giorgio went to the rickety, wooden bookshelves on the back wall and pushed some exercise physiology books to one side, pulling a dusty bottle out from behind them.

He poured them each two fingers of the expensive brandy he kept for special occasions, handing one to Garrett.

“Are we celebrating something?”

Giorgio made a rude sound. “Hardly.” He dropped into his chair and lifted his glass to Garrett. “To fools and thieves.”

Garrett sipped the brandy and settled back in his chair. “Okay, buddy. Tell me what’s wrong. You look like somebody made you hold plank for twenty minutes.”

Giorgio settled his forearms on his desk and looked at Garrett. “I can’t believe I’m gonna say this to you.” He took another sip of his brandy and set it down hard. “I have to let you go.”

Garrett gulped his brandy down in surprise, nearly choking. He coughed and sat up straight. “You what?”

“Some fat-cat lawyer called Penelope and threatened to file a very public lawsuit against the studio if she didn’t fire you.”

Garrett surged to his feet. “What! That’s crazy. Who was this lawyer working for?”

Giorgio drained his glass and poured them both more. “Himself apparently.” He handed Garrett his glass and sat back. “He says you attacked him in a parking lot over some woman.”

Garrett’s face grew pale and he dropped back into the chair, stunned. Felicia’s lawyer date. Holy crap!

“Tell me it’s bullshit, Garrett.”

Garrett lifted his gaze and fixed it on Giorgio’s frowning face. He opened his mouth to respond but didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to lie to his friend. His lips slammed shut and he looked away.

“Oh crap, Garrett. What have you done?”

* * * * *

Felicia’s face was red and her palms were sweaty by the time she finished reading through the current and recent messages on the KittyKat Club chat group. She’d interacted with several of the ladies and learned that it was a friendly and supportive group. She already felt better about her date with Garrett.

She finally shut the group down and went to check her email.

She had five new emails since she’d checked earlier.

The first one was from Bliss, a picture of a hot, young stud wearing only a small, strategically placed bouquet of roses. Felicia giggled and told her friend the young model, who was no older than twenty-four, was too old for her.

She hit send, grinning.

Felicia was still smiling when she opened the next email. The word WHORE hit her first. It was blown up to about a size thirty-six font and in red. Felicia felt the blood draining from her face. She hit delete with a shaking finger and sat back, feeling as if she would throw up. Who was sending her such hateful mail?

And more importantly. Why?

She realized exactly who it was. She had the phone in her hand and was dialing Dave Foust before she had time to think about it.

He answered right away as if he’d been waiting by the phone. “Hello?”

Felicia hesitated. What if it hadn’t been him who’d sent the note? She’d be opening up a whole can of worms.

“Hello?”

Felicia made a decision. “Dave, it’s Felicia.”

“Good afternoon, Felicia. Is everything all right? You sound strange.”

“No, Dave. Everything isn’t all right. How dare you send me this email? Your behavior is atrocious!”

There was a silence that made Felicia frown. What if she was way off base?

When he finally spoke, Dave’s response made her face heat with anger. “Felicia, sweetheart, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Has someone threatened you? Do you need a lawyer?”

Felicia’s whole body was shaking by this point. She felt like she might pass out from the combination of fear and uncertainty washing through her. “You threatened me, Dave.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Felicia. I’ve loved you for ten years. I haven’t made any secret of that, have I? Why would I threaten you? What’s going on, sweetheart?”

Felicia let her hostility slide away. If he was guilty he was an extremely good actor. “Someone sent me the most hateful email.” There was a small scraping sound on the other end of the line. She could visualize him pulling a legal pad and pen closer to take notes. “What was the email about?”

This had been her greatest fear. With a deep breath, Felicia grabbed the tab on the can of worms and gave it a pull. “All it had in it was the word ‘whore’, in red and all caps.”

“What?”

“I know. It’s crazy.”

“Not as crazy as you might think, Felicia. How well do you know that young man who accosted me in the parking lot yesterday?”

Felicia bristled. “He’s a full-grown man, Dave!”

“Well, I guess that answers my question. Felicia, sweetheart, do you know what you’re doing? He’s half your age. People are going to talk.”

“We’re both consenting adults, Dave.”

The ensuing silence was filled with disapproval.

“If you’re going to buck the norms, Felicia, you’ll have to take the consequences, however harsh or unfair they are.”

Now that just pissed her off. “You said it yourself, Dave, you’ve been in love with me for ten years. You’re what, fifty-five?”

“That’s different of course.”

She was shaking again, but this time it was from a healthy anger. “It is? Different how exactly?”

“It’s perfectly acceptable for a man to be with a younger woman, Felicia. You know that. I know it doesn’t seem fair…”

“No, Dave, it doesn’t seem fair because it’s not!”

“But that’s the way it is, sweetheart. Fair or not.”

“Well, then we’ll just have to create new norms, won’t we?” Felicia hung up the phone. She was so angry she could barely breathe. It was so unfair.

Men had been linking up with younger women since the beginning of time, in some cases even ridiculously young women. Society had never looked askance at it. But let a slightly older woman—a woman still in the prime of her life—even look at a sexy younger man and all hell broke loose.

It was unfair.

No! It was more than unfair. It was unacceptable!

It had to change and she was just the woman to change it.

Felicia had always liked causes. This felt like a cause that needed to be championed.

She headed for the shower.

Now if she could just safeguard her heart in the process.

Chapter Four

“Is there something wrong with your dinner?”

Garrett looked up, surprised. He’d been playing with his food. Shrugging, he put his fork down. “Sorry, I’m not very hungry. I’ve had a rough day.”

He took her hand, drawing it to his lips. “How about I make us dessert at my place…later?”

“Only if you promise there will be chocolate involved.”

Garrett laughed. “I think I can whip up something involving chocolate.”

Felicia stood up, grabbing her purse off her chair. “Then let’s go. I’ve got a hankerin’ for chocolate…and other things.”

Garrett followed her out the door. She seemed different somehow. She’d been very chatty and upbeat all evening, and rather than skulking around looking guilty she was holding her head high and looking people right in the eye.

He liked the new Felicia. She seemed so much more relaxed and happy.

Garrett handed Felicia into the passenger side of his car and walked around to the driver’s side. He gave the valet a five-dollar bill and thanked him.

The valet grinned. “No worries, sir. I’d drive this beauty for free.” The young man looked at Felicia and winked.

Garrett hoped the guy was talking about his new Jeep rather than Felicia. Or he might have to teach him some manners.

He was shocked when Felicia threw back her head and gave the young man a throaty laugh. Something had definitely changed since the last time he’d seen her. He needed to find out what it was.

* * * * *

Felicia watched Garrett closely as he drove. He hadn’t been quite himself all evening. He’d been quiet and sort of withdrawn.

It was really starting to worry her.

She bit her bottom lip and looked away, staring at the lights of the city as they flashed by. Maybe he’d changed his mind about her. Maybe he’d just realized how much older she was.

Tears stung her eyes and she blinked rapidly to get rid of them.

But then Garrett reached over and grabbed her hand, kissing the back of it before smiling at her. “I’m really looking forward to dessert.” He waggled his eyebrows at her like a lech from an old black-and-white movie.

Giggling, Felicia reminded him, “You promised me chocolate.”

He nodded and sucked one of her fingers into his mouth. “I always keep my promises.”

Felicia’s eyes fluttered closed as he pulled the finger into his hot mouth, his tongue bathing the sensitive tip in a sensuous slide. Her head fell back as a wave of pure lust enveloped her. “That’s good,” she managed after clearing her throat twice. “See that you do.”

Her voice grated away as her throat closed up, and another finger found its way between his sexy lips.

* * * * *

“I don’t care what you do to my club, man. Garrett is my most popular dancer. If I let him go I might as well shut down anyway.” Bruno Hench glared across the room, his deep-set black eyes sparking with temper. His gaze encompassed the space where a very timid cleaning crew was sweeping the floor and wiping down tables.

A couple of the Mexican illegals stopped working and glanced toward the door, ready to make a run for it.

Bruno was oblivious. The voice on the other end of the phone was cultured, sure of itself, and spoke in legalese that made his mouth go dry. But ex-Marines don’t scare easy. And Bruno was Italian to boot.

“You can just go fuck yourself, buddy. I’m not firing my best dancer just because you couldn’t hold your own in a tussle. It sounds like all he hurt was your pride, anyway. Losin’ my business is too steep a price to pay for your stupid pride. Next time pick on somebody your own age!” Bruno slammed the phone down and walked back to the bar.

He retrieved his pad and pen. He decided he’d give his Uncle Guido a call if this lawyer guy tried to muscle him about Garrett.

Nobody wanted to get on Guido’s bad side. Uncle Guido liked to play Italian mafioso whenever somebody tried to strong-arm him or one of his clients. “You wanna swim wid da fishes?” was his favorite line. Bruno smiled to himself and returned to his inventory.

* * * * *

Felicia sighed as Garrett’s lips feathered down her throat and into the channel between her breasts. She laid her head back on the couch and slid a hand under his shirt, scratching her nails gently across his flesh as he undid her blouse and pulled it back to expose the sexy silk and lace demi-bra she wore.

His tongue slid across the tops of both breasts, dipping beneath the lacy edge of her bra to tantalize her already rigid nipples. One hand slid down her hip and found the hem of her skirt.

It didn’t take him long to locate the panties that matched the sexy bra.

He slid his warm fingers across her panties and over her clit, caressing it through the damp silk. She sighed and went limp, seeming to give herself over completely to the pleasure he was creating. He nudged her knees apart and settled between them, kneeling on the floor in front of the couch.

Her skin was pale, flawless, and so exquisitely soft. The muscles in her thighs flexed as he slid the silk of her panties aside to glide a finger into her warmth. She gasped with obvious pleasure, her mouth coming open and her tongue sweeping across her lips as if she were hungry.

Garrett was hungry too. He reached for the sides of the flimsy panties and pulled them over her thighs and calves, kissing a trail down to her soft, white feet as he went. The panties came off and Garrett lifted a foot to his mouth.

Felicia’s eyes popped open as she felt the warm wetness of his mouth enveloping her big toe. She giggled self-consciously.

He grinned. “Tickle?”

She watched as his tongue made a sensuous trail across her instep, causing her to shiver in unrestrained lust. Then he nibbled her arch and she came up off the couch, arching her back with pleasure.

Garrett settled her foot into his groin and pulled off his shirt.

Felicia pressed the hard ridge of flesh beneath the zipper of his jeans. He stood up and pulled her off the couch. “Let’s get more comfortable.”

She allowed herself to be led into his bedroom, which, like the rest of his home, was decorated in a stark, masculine style that was understated and classy.

The king-sized bed was covered in a black-and-tan comforter with oversized pillows. He pulled the comforter back and turned to her, peeling off her blouse and bra.

Felicia reached for the zipper of his jeans and slid it carefully down. She giggled as the Road Runner peeked out at her.

Garrett laughed. “I knew how much you liked him.”

“I’ll never look at Saturday morning cartoons the same way again.”

Garrett slid the short zipper of her skirt down and let it fall to the floor, leaving her naked before him. Felicia fought the urge to cover herself as his heated gaze moved over her.

He examined her with an intensity that made her palms sweat, his bright blue gaze sliding hungrily over her. Felicia had a sudden urge to dive under the covers.

Just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, he lifted a hand and reached toward her. His touch was featherlight, only the barest tip of one finger. He touched her lips—oh so softly—and then moved downward, feathering a skin-tingling trail over her chin, down her throat and into the valley between her breasts.

There, he laid his palm over her heart and slid it, fingers loose and gently cupped, over each breast in turn, before moving down her belly toward the vee of her thighs.

Felicia stopped breathing. She closed her eyes and prayed that he wouldn’t notice the telltale stretch marks or be repulsed by the soft roundness of her belly.

But when his gentle touch found the soft curls at the vee of her legs, all thinking stopped.

The finger slid inside and Felicia gasped.

Garrett had never seen such a beautiful sight as the woman standing vulnerable and trembling before him. He didn’t care about the flaws he knew were probably there. He only saw the beauty he knew she didn’t appreciate.

The soft, creamy skin, the gentle rounding at breasts, hips, and belly that differentiated the female form from the male form. The rounded edges versus the hard angles made him rigid and eager to bury himself in her moist heat.

He’d dated prodigiously since becoming old enough to date. He was twenty-seven years old and he thought he understood women pretty well. He knew that women tended to obsess about their perceived faults and completely miss the things that made them beautiful.

Young women starved themselves to get rid of the things that made them look like women. Much to their chagrin, older women were unable to rid themselves of the soft curves nature wanted them to have.

Garrett agreed with nature. Women should be soft and curvy.

“You’re so beautiful,” he told the woman standing before him.

She closed her eyes, sighing as he touched her.

His voice was filled with reverence. It was soft and husky with need.

Felicia took a breath for the first time in what felt like hours. She shook her head and opened her mouth, feeling the irrational need to point out her flaws. She didn’t want him acting under some misconception of her. That would be too hard to live up to.

He stopped her with a finger on her lips. “Yes. You are beautiful. Every last inch of you.” He replaced the finger with his lips.

Felicia started to believe.

She started to believe that what they were trying to do was possible.

She started to believe she had something to offer the young, gorgeous man who was wrapped around her at that moment.

She started to believe that she maybe she was beautiful.

Garrett lowered her to the bed and covered her body with his own. His kisses were intense, filled with need. Felicia was drawn into his intensity as lust stabbed through her, turning her stomach to jelly and making her thighs quiver with need.

Garrett’s tongue tangled with hers, swept hungrily across her lips, and then slid down to lap gently at her throat. Felicia moaned and reached for his jeans, trying to tug them off. He chuckled, pulling back. “Not just yet, Lissy. I promised you chocolate.”

Felicia sat up, leaning on her elbows. She gave him a questioning look. “What are you up to?”

Garrett just laughed and left the room.

Felicia heard the microwave door slam and a series of beeps. He padded into the room a few moments later, holding a brown plastic bottle in a towel. He set it down on the bedside table and removed his jeans. Then he stripped off the Road Runner and he was standing before her wearing only a wide grin.

He was perfect. Wide shoulders tapered to a narrow waist and met narrow hips which flowed into long, muscular legs. The dark-gold hair on his chest matched the triangle of golden curls around his cock.

His beautiful long, hard cock. Felicia licked her lips.

“Lie back while I serve dessert.”

Garrett shook the bottle and opened the nozzle, squirting a bit onto one finger to test the temperature. Felicia watched as he climbed onto the bed and knelt over her. He leaned down and captured her lips in a tender, emotionally charged kiss before sitting back on his heels again.

Felicia tried not to stare at the heavy package bouncing around in front of her, but it was too big a temptation. She was distracted when something thick and warm was drizzled over first one nipple and then the other.

Garrett leaned over her and swiped some of the chocolate off the first nipple, then pulled it between his lips and sucked it gently. “Mmmm. Just like an ice-cream sundae.”

Felicia whimpered.

Next, the warm chocolate sauce was drizzled down her stomach. She lost her mind when his tongue followed the chocolate trail down, stopping just above the patch of soft, brown curls between her legs.

The chocolate found her thighs and she gasped. Garrett squeezed a large dollop on her knee and sucked there for a long moment.

Felicia had never had her knee sucked. Her giggles quickly turned to gasps of delight as the chocolate found her moist entrance.

Garrett removed it with several strong laps of his talented tongue and then pulled her pulsing clit into his mouth. He gave it several hard sucks that sent her roaring over that delicious edge into full-blown orgasm.

She bucked against his mouth, moaning loudly, with her toes curled up tight. Her fingers were tangled in his hair and, as her climax softened into gentle waves of pleasure, she gave him a tug to urge him upward.

Garrett rolled a condom over his cock and settled between her thighs, claiming her lips in a hungry kiss. Felicia tasted her own juices on his lips, along with the sweet, dark taste of chocolate and his natural masculine scent.

Garrett drove into her, making her gasp in delight. He nibbled on her throat as she arched to send him more deeply into her body. He reached under her buttocks and held her as he thrust hard and deep into her welcoming core.

Felicia wrapped her legs around his waist and held on, feeling every touch and every stroke as if for the first time.

It was like her body hadn’t recognized a lover until it found Garrett.

He drove them harder and faster until there was only one place to go for either of them. They crested that peak together, reveling in the sensual wave that swept them over the edge.

Felicia screamed as she climaxed, her muscles going rigid with pleasure. Her body throbbed around his driving flesh, demanding that he follow her over. He finally gave in with a groan, plunging even more deeply into her as his head rolled back on a groan of exquisite pleasure.

Garrett dropped onto his elbows and nuzzled the tender spot where her throat met her shoulder, licking the throbbing pulse there in lazy, satisfied swirls.

Felicia made circles on his back with her fingernails, causing him to shiver. “That was amazing.”

Garrett lifted his head and kissed her, gently, possessively. “It was more than amazing. It was…fattening.”

Felicia laughed. “Which reminds me. You got all the chocolate.”

“I figured you might prefer yours in a bowl with ice cream.”

“I would. Later. But for now…” She dug in her heels and lifted her butt, dumping him off onto the bed beside her.

“Hey!”

Grabbing the brown bottle, Felicia gave him an evil grin. “There’s at least one other place this chocolate needs to go.” She removed the condom and dropped it to the floor beside the bed.

Garrett flopped back onto the bed. His toes curled just thinking about what she was going to do with that chocolate. “Who am I to deny a beautiful woman her chocolate fix?”

“Exactly what I was thinking.” Felicia tipped the bottle and squeezed, licking her lips in anticipation.

Garrett propped the pillows up behind his head and settled in to enjoy the experience.

Felicia ran a thin line of dark, rich chocolate from his balls to the very tip of his soft cock, glancing upward as a low groan escaped him. “You like?”

“Oh god, Felicia. Are you kidding me?”

In support of his obvious enjoyment, his cock had begun to harden and swell beneath her touch.

Felicia ran the tip of her forefinger from the base of his cock to the thick head, spreading the chocolate sauce over the bulging vein. When she reached the head of his cock she bent and swirled her tongue around the ridge, sliding the tip of her tongue into the sweet-salty hole in the tip.

Garrett arched his hips off the bed, groaning with delight.

She pressed her hands against the inside of his knees, encouraging him to spread his legs wide.

Tipping the bottle of warm chocolate over his balls, she drizzled the sweet concoction in a circular trail over his sac, heading toward the sweetly puckered skin of his anus.

Garrett’s head flew off the pillow as her tongue touched the sensitive skin between his sac and his anus. Felicia felt him stiffen in shock. She reached up and placed a hand on his flat stomach, pressing gently to urge him to lie back on the bed.

Her tongue swept the virgin skin, lapping up sweet chocolate as his unique, musky scent brought warm cream sliding from between her thighs. He gasped as her tongue trailed upward, and her mouth enclosed first one ball in the tightened sac and then the other, pulling every bit of chocolate from the warm skin.

She drew back just long enough to add more chocolate up the length of his shaft. By that time his cock was bouncing expectantly against his belly. Felicia swept a few errant drops of chocolate from the nearby skin, eagerly cleaning him up.

Her hand wrapped around his thick shaft and she licked at the chocolate trail, following it to its happy conclusion. Sliding the fat head of his cock between her lips, Felicia stroked the mushroom-shaped tip with her lips and tongue, bathing it in slippery heat.

She allowed her lips to slide downward, opening her throat to encompass his entire length. She gently squeezed his balls as she slid the newly bathed shaft back out, increasing the tempo and the pressure of her lips as she repeated her oral stroking.

Garrett made helpless little sounds in his throat, his hands tangling in her hair. His muscles tightened, his fingers twitched helplessly, and his hips rose off the bed, his heels digging hard into the mattress. He cried out and slammed into release.

Felicia tightened her lips around his jumping cock and swallowed as he gave up his thick, sensual offering. When he began to soften again between her lips, she allowed him to slide out and sat up, licking her lips. “Yum. I think I just gained five pounds.”

Garrett reached down and pulled her up his body, laughing as he saw her face.

Felicia smiled too. “What?”

“You have a little chocolate just…here.” He touched her face. “And here, and there, and…” He swiped his finger across her cheek and licked it.

Felicia swiped the back of her hand over her face and laughed with him. “What’s a little chocolate mustache…and beard…between lovers?”

“It was nice of you to save some for me.” He threw her over onto her back and covered her with his hot body, licking her face like an exuberant puppy as she giggled hysterically.

Chapter Five

Felicia walked into Children’s Hospital through the emergency room doors as she always did. She smiled at an EMT on his way out and waved to an admin she knew behind the reception desk.

She headed toward the cafeteria, as was her practice before starting her shift, to get a cup of coffee. She was standing in line to pay when she spotted someone who looked a lot like Dave Foust walking down the corridor toward the exit doors. She briefly considered following the man to make sure it wasn’t Dave.

What would Dave Foust be doing in the emergency room of Children’s Hospital?

“You gonna pay for that or become one with it?”

Felicia jumped and turned to the woman sitting at the checkout queue. She smiled and handed the woman two one-dollar bills. “Sorry. I thought I saw someone I knew.”

The woman had already dismissed her and was glaring at the man behind her in line.

All righty then.

Felicia headed toward the gift shop to pick up the morning’s allotment of goodies for the kids in Intensive Care. She didn’t make it that far.

Ben Miller, the hospital administrator, met her outside the gift shop.

He wasn’t smiling.

“Good morning, Ben.”

He inclined his head by way of a greeting. “Felicia. Can you come to my office with me please?”

Her smile died on her lips. She’d known Ben Miller for twenty years. He’d never failed to greet her warmly when they passed. Whatever he wanted to talk to her about, Felicia knew in her gut it wasn’t good. “Sure.”

When they were seated in Ben’s large, cluttered office he looked at her sadly. “I’m sorry to say, Felicia, that I need to let you go.”

“What are you talking about, Ben? I’m a volunteer. You’re firing a volunteer? Why?”

His expressive, brown eyes darted around the room, refusing to look her in the face. The hands he’d placed on his desk in front of him twitched and fluttered, showing his discomfort. “I’m under pressure from one of the board members to get rid of you. He says you’re indulging in decadent behavior that, if discovered, will reflect badly on the hospital.”

She flew to her feet, nearly toppling the chair over. “What! Are you crazy? What decadent behavior?”

He shook his head, finally meeting her eyes. “I’ve known you for years, Felicia. I would no more believe that you were involved in anything seedy than I would of myself.”

The starch went out of her knees and she dropped back into her chair. “Then why are you firing me, Ben? I love working with the kids. I’ve been doing it for ten years. I don’t want to leave.”

His face turned red. He walked over to the room’s only window, his back to her. “I have to do what I’m told, Felicia. Surely you understand that. Competition for patients is stiff and protecting the hospital’s reputation is very important. The pressure to fire you has been…intense.”

She stood up again, really angry now. “It was Dave Foust, wasn’t it?”

Ben didn’t turn but his shoulders jerked in surprise.

“I saw him leaving a few minutes ago. I should have known…” Her voice trailed off.

Ben turned. “Dave’s a powerful and respected member of the board, Felicia. If I went against him…” He walked back to his desk but didn’t sit down. He leaned on his desk, fixing his sad eyes on her again. “Why would Dave say such a thing about you, Felicia?”

She sighed. “I think he was in love with me.”

“Was?”

“I can’t return his feelings. And a couple of days ago…” She glanced up, feeling guilt coloring her face as the words choked in her throat. Then she realized she was doing it again, worrying about breaking a double standard, an unfair prejudice, and she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “I recently started seeing a younger man…”

Ben’s eyebrows lifted before she could finish the sentence.

“He’s twenty-seven, Ben!”

Unfortunately Ben didn’t look any less shocked. She might as well have told him Garrett was ten years old. “Oh Felicia.” He shook his head and dropped into his chair, looking for all the world like someone had punched him in the gut. “No wonder.”

She placed both hands flat on Ben’s desk and leaned over it with fire in her eye. “Now you listen to me, Ben Miller. Men have been dating younger women since the dawn of time. Sometimes much younger women. Nobody seems to have a problem with that.”

“That’s different.”

“Oh, it is? Why is that, Ben? Because men make the rules and men enjoy that particular rule? That’s a horrible double standard and you know it.”

“I don’t make the rules, Felicia.”

“Yes you do, Ben. Don’t you see? Every time you frown upon a healthy, vibrant woman dating someone who happens to be younger than she is and finds her attractive, you’re bolstering that stupid rule. And by supporting it you’re helping it live. You don’t have the right to judge me, Ben. For God’s sake, how old is Katie?”

His entire body stiffened in shock and anger. He stood up. “My private life is none of your business!”

She straightened too so she could reach across the desk and poke him on the chest. “But mine is up for judgment by you and any other hypocrite who cares to judge it?” She headed toward the door to his office. I don’t think so, Ben!” She turned at the door. “Why don’t you ask your ex-wife how she feels about that double standard? I’m sure she’s just thrilled with it. After all, it allowed you to drop her when she got a few years on her so you could take up with someone who’s barely older than your daughter.” Felicia stepped into the busy hallway. “You make me sick!”

She slammed the door on his shocked face and headed out of the hospital. Adrenaline carried her home and anger got her into the house. But then shock and sadness overwhelmed her and she climbed into bed, suddenly so depressed that all she wanted to do was sleep.

* * * * *

Bruno met him at the door when he entered the club. They clasped hands and slapped shoulders like they always did. Garrett had known Bruno since college. They’d terrorized bars and wooed women together.

“You’ve made a powerful enemy, man.”

“Let me guess, you got a call from a lawyer demanding that you fire me?”

Bruno jerked his head toward the bar. “Join me?”

Garrett nodded.

Bruno went behind the bar and poured them each a shot of bourbon. They clinked glasses and downed it.

Garrett shuddered as the fiery liquid slid down his throat and exploded in his chest. “I’m getting a strong sense of déjà vu,” he muttered. Then he looked at his friend, prepared for the worst. “So,” he narrowed his eyes at Bruno. “Am I fired?”

Bruno laughed. “Not a chance. My business would never recover if I let you go. But I don’t think this guy’s gonna go away. I got a surprise visit from the health inspector this morning. He’s determined to ruin you and anyone who sides with you.” Bruno poured them each another shot. “You must have really stomped on this guy’s dick.”

“I’d have to find it first.”

Bruno’s laugh was hearty and infectious. Garrett laughed with him, swallowed his drink, and then leaned over the bar. “He’s in love with my girl.”

“Ahhh.” Bruno’s face filled with understanding. Despite his strong features and heavy brow, he was an intuitive and intelligent man, who ran the finest women’s club in the country. “The pretty little cougar whose friends dragged her in here on her birthday?”

Garrett frowned. “Don’t call her that.”

“It’s not a derogative term unless you mean it that way, man.” Bruno’s wide face split in a grin. “And I surely don’t.”

Garrett couldn’t help chuckling.

“She’s a woman who knows what she wants and she takes it. Society and its outdated mores be damned. I respect that in a woman.”

Garrett laughed outright. “Outdated mores? What are you some kind of flippin’ psychiatrist?”

“I’m just sayin’.”

Garrett slid off the stool and headed for his dressing room. “I’ll catch ya later, buddy.”

“If she has a friend I’d definitely be interested!” Bruno called after him.

Garrett lifted a hand in response and kept walking.

* * * * *

The phone rang again and Felicia pulled the covers over her head. She didn’t feel like talking to anybody at the moment, particularly Garrett. Despite her bravado in Ben’s office, Felicia was far from confident she was doing the right thing. It was hard to buck the system. And Felicia had never been known for a willingness to do it.

Maybe Dave and Ben were right.

Maybe she was a pervert.

But a little voice screamed at her from inside her head. It told her, if she was a pervert then Ben was a pervert for dating then marrying Katie. And, for that matter, Dave was a pervert for wanting to date her.

She sighed. Life was so confusing.

The phone rang again and Felicia jumped as someone pounded on the door. Hard.

“I know you’re in there, Felicia! Open this damn door before I create a disturbance and unnerve every last one of your neighbors.”

Felicia jumped out of bed and hurried to the door, unlocking the chain and the deadbolt and pulling it open quickly. Bliss was standing there with her cell phone at her ear. She slapped it closed as Felicia opened the door.

Felicia grabbed Bliss’ hand and pulled her into the house. “Are you crazy? You’re creating a scene!”

Bliss grinned, totally unrepentant. “I knew you were in here pouting. I’m not going to let you get away with that.”

Felicia put her hands on her hips. “Oh yeah? How are you gonna stop me?”

Bliss held a bag out in front of her. Inside was a large, rectangular box.

“What’s that?”

“Take it. I got them for you.”

Felicia took the bag from her friend and looked at the box inside. Her eyes widened and she gasped. “Jimmy Choos?”

“Jimmy Choos fuck-me shoes.”

Felicia giggled, pulling the box out of the bag and yanking off the lid. “Oh my god, Bliss! They’re outrageous!”

Bliss nodded. “Yes they are and they’re too good to waste. Get yourself prettied up and let’s go to the club. I know a certain gorgeous stripper who’s probably dying to see you.”

Felicia’s face fell. She put the shoes back into the box. “I can’t.”

Bliss grabbed her hand to stop her. “You didn’t just say those words. I didn’t even hear you say you couldn’t.”

“I think you did.”

Bliss gave Felicia the eye. Bliss had grown up in New Orleans and she insisted she had a voodoo priestess in the family tree. Whether there was magic in Bliss’ family or not, she certainly had the evil eye down pat. “I’m not going to take no for an answer. If you don’t go with me I’ll get my Auntie Mina to hex you.”

“I just can’t, Bliss.”

Bliss cocked a hip and crossed her arms over her abundant chest. “Why can’t you, sugar? If you can give me a good reason why you can’t I’ll walk out this door and never bother you again.” She grinned. “Until tomorrow.”

Felicia went to the couch and sat down, pulling the sexy black shoes out of the box and slipping them on. They felt like heaven on her feet. “How do they look?”

Bliss sat down next to her. “Like they belong in a club, where they can entice a sexy man to ravage you.”

Felicia leaned over and kissed her friend on the cheek. “Thank you for the thought, Bliss, but I…”

“Don’t…say it again. Tell me why you can’t and I’ll leave.”

Felicia’s mouth opened and words tumbled through her brain, but none of them seemed important enough to voice. Why should she stop seeing Garrett?

They liked spending time together. She didn’t give a rat’s patootie what men like Dave and Ben thought of her. She grinned as she realized that was true. And her family? Well, her daughters were grown up and had their own lives.

She turned to Bliss and grinned. “You’re right. There’s absolutely no reason why I can’t go to the club with you tonight.” She stood up. “I’m in. Just give me a half-hour to get beautiful.”

Bliss nodded, watching her friend disappear into the bedroom. She murmured, “It’s about time you started thinking about yourself, sugar.” Then she wandered into the kitchen in search of alcohol and munchies.

* * * * *

Garrett was just finishing up his “I love America” set when he saw the two women walk into the room with a tall man wearing wire-rimmed glasses. He frowned, hoping the man wasn’t there with Felicia.

Garrett pulled a well-padded brunette off his leg and headed toward the bar to greet Felicia. “Sorry, darlin’, this cowboy’s got a wild mustang to tame.”

The woman whimpered as if he’d physically harmed her and sat back in her seat, pouting like an adolescent. He tipped his white cowboy hat toward her and turned away, giving her a parting jerk of his butt to make her feel better.

Women all along the stage squealed with delight.

* * * * *

Felicia turned toward the stage when the women started screaming. She spotted Garrett ambling toward her, wearing only cowboy boots, a flag-colored thong and a white cowboy hat. He had a gun belt around his waist with one pistol in it.

He jumped down off the stage and swaggered toward them, tipping his hat. “Ma’am. You look like you might need to ride a cowboy.”

“Save a horse?” Felicia offered.

Garrett tipped his hat to her. “Exactly what I was thinking.” He offered his hand to the tall man with them. “Hey! Garrett Holcomb.”

The man shook his hand, showing no inclination to be competitive. Bliss leaned toward him and he put his arm around her waist possessively. “This is my honey, Brad Hoffman.”

Relief flooded Garrett. “Nice to meetcha.” He turned to Felicia. “I’m glad you came.” He touched her chin with a finger. “I’ve missed you.”

“Let’s get drinks.” Bliss took off toward the bar.

They followed her swaying backside to the bar and Brad ordered the women white zinfandel and himself a beer. “Can I buy you a drink?” he asked Garrett.

“No. Thanks. I’m on again in a few minutes.”

Brad’s eyebrows lifted behind his glasses but he simply nodded.

Garrett gave the man points just for walking into the club.

Felicia leaned on the bar, giving Garrett a smoldering look. “I love cowboys. You look downright edible.”

Garrett fondled the gun, which Felicia hoped was just a toy, and frowned. “Ma’am, I expect you to misbehave while you’re in these here parts.”

Feeling playful, Felicia leered. “If you let me get into them thar parts I’d be happy to misbehave.”

Garrett threw back his head and laughed. Felicia licked her lips, her body warming with expectation.

“Garrett, buddy. Are you gonna introduce us?”

Garrett slapped the man on the back. “Bruno Hench, my name is Garrett Holcomb. Nice to meetcha.”

The women giggled and Bruno shook his head. “Very funny, man.”

“This very ugly dude is Bruno. My oldest friend and a true reprobate. I’d advise against letting him corner you near the ladies’ room.”

“Or the men’s room,” Bruno added.

Hoffman shook hands with the bartender and Bliss touched his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Bruno. You have a great place here.”

Bruno winked at her. “Coming from one of my best customers that’s a high compliment.”

Brad cocked an eyebrow at her. “Best customer?”

Bliss laughed, not at all worried. “You keep going out of town. I get bored.”

Brad snaked an arm around her waist and tugged her close, “Then I guess I’ll have to take you with me next time.” He captured her lips in a smoldering kiss.

Garrett reached across the bar and enfolded one of Felicia’s hands, pulling it to his lips. “Why don’t you come to my dressing room with me? I might need some help changing out of this outfit.”

Felicia fixed him with an assessing look. “Yeah, I can see that. The thong looks especially complex.”

“You have no idea. I have a mail-order engineering degree and I still can’t get the thing off without help.”

Felicia licked her lips, feeling decadent and happy about it. “Well, I’ve never been one to refuse help to those in need.”

“Oh, I need,” he told her as he gave her hand a tug and pulled her across to the bar. “I need lots of help from you, beautiful lady.”

She shivered with sensual delight and her knees suddenly felt like butter. It was all she could do to put one Jimmy Choo in front of the other and follow him to the back of the bar.

Chapter Six

Garrett pulled her through the door to his dressing room, a ten-by-ten cubicle with no ceiling, and spun her into his arms as he slammed the flimsy door behind him. His lips covered hers hungrily.

Felicia’s pulse shot into the danger zone as she melted against him. His sensual aura enveloped her, pulling her into its addictive core and cocooning them in a world where no one else existed.

On some level she was aware of sounds nearby—doors slamming and the sound of hangers being strung on metal bars—but her body was on fire and it was all she could do to retain an ounce of sensibility.

Garrett reached down to the hem of her little black dress and slid it upward, running his warm palms along her thighs as he lifted it to her waist.

Felicia pulled her lips from his and glanced down. “No Road Runner today?”

“Cowboys don’t wear cartoon characters on their crotches.”

She lowered her head and nuzzled his neck. It was warm and slightly bristly from the shadow of his beard and smelled like man. Inhaling deeply, she swept her tongue from the base of his throat, over his Adam’s apple and up to his chin.

Garrett groaned and captured her lips again.

Felicia slid her hands over his exposed buttocks, enjoying the warm smoothness of his skin. She hooked her fingers in the top of the thong and peeled it down, stepping back so she could watch him spring free.

Licking her lips, she dropped to her knees and pressed her face against the hard length of him.

“You’re killin’ me, darlin’.”

Felicia smiled at the cowboy twang. She decided to play along, adopting her own drawl. “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, cowboy.” She parted her lips and slid them over the thick head of his penis, drawing him into the heated cave of her mouth.

Garrett’s head dropped back on a moan, his hands fisting in her hair. Felicia moaned too, thoroughly immersed in the explosive heat of the moment and enjoying the sweet, salty taste of his skin in her mouth.

She buried the thick length of his cock deep in her mouth, working her teeth and tongue gently over the hard flesh as she slid it slowly back out. Her tongue found the tiny hole in the fat head of his shaft and tasted him there. He moaned as her fingers caressed the taut sac of his balls, running along the sensitive skin just behind and to the puckered skin of his sweet ass.

He widened his stance as her finger teased the sensitive, puckered flesh and his cock jumped in her mouth.

Garrett pulled her to her feet. “I can’t take any more of that, Lissy.” Reaching over to where he’d deposited his jeans on the back of a nearby chair, he dug in the pocket for his emergency condom and slipped it on.

He grabbed her under the buttocks and lifted her off her feet, sliding her down over his throbbing flesh.

Felicia gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck. She laid her head on his shoulder and lost herself in the incredible sensation of his flesh scraping wonderfully over the sensitized skin of her core and the feel of his hard body against hers.

Her release built steadily and quickly. Pleasure swept over her in waves. Beneath her arms his shoulders were rigid as he lifted and then lowered her hips, plundering her body with deep, toe-curling thrusts. Her body tightened and throbbed as she approached that elusive peak. She savored the mind-numbing rhythm, her breath exploding from her chest in frantic bursts, until finally, she threw back her head and cried out, shuddering into release with his name on her lips.

Garrett buried himself deeply within her and stiffened in his own violent release. As his orgasm gentled to waves of residual pleasure, he found her lips again in a still hungry kiss. When he pulled his lips from hers a moment later, he lowered his head to rest his forehead against hers. His hot breath bathed her with its sweet musk.

“Darlin’, that was incredible. I haven’t had a ride like that since I broke that wild filly with the silver tail and the bad attitude at the ranch last year.”

Felicia, still breathing hard, smacked him on the arm. “Put me down, you ass. I’ll give you wild filly.”

Garrett allowed her to slide to the ground but kept his arms around her waist. “Promise?”

Felicia giggled like a schoolgirl and bit her lip with embarrassment. “You’re a very naughty boy, Garrett Holcomb.”

“Ooh, sugar, I like the sound of that. You gonna spank me?”

“I just might. You never know.”

A fist hit the door hard and they both jumped. “Five minutes, Romeo.”

Felicia felt color swamping her face as she realized the whole damn place had probably heard them making love. Garrett kissed the tip of her nose. “Don’t worry about it, darlin’. They won’t tease you. It’s me they’re after.” He waggled his eyebrows and turned away. “Stay with me while I get dressed, then I’ll walk you back out front before I start my set.”

* * * * *

Thursday nights were relatively quiet in the club. Having been there several nights in a row to spend time with Garrett, Felicia was starting to get the pulse of the place. She sat back in the corner at a table by herself to watch Garrett’s show. Bliss and Brad were swaying at the edge of the small dance floor, oblivious to everything and everyone else in the bar.

Garrett had replaced the cowboy outfit with a Roman soldier getup. He wore a short, pleated leather skirt, leather sandals with straps crisscrossing up his legs, and not much else. He brandished a plastic sword in various suggestive ways that made her giggle.

She observed the women, mostly drunk, screaming and throwing themselves at him with decidedly mixed emotions. She was pleased that other women found him irresistible and proud that he seemed to have chosen her above all of them. On the other hand, she wasn’t confident enough in their relationship to sit there smugly without suffering some pangs of worry and fear.

It definitely helped that he occasionally looked her way and smiled.

“Are you saving that seat for me?”

Felicia glanced up at the young man bending over her. He was dressed conservatively, in a black turtleneck and nicely pleated gray slacks. He wore his dark-brown hair very short and he was attractive. Very attractive.

But the smile he offered her didn’t quite reach his dark-green eyes.

“Sorry. I’m waiting for a friend.”

Unbelievably, he pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. “I could be that friend.”

“No. I mean a particular friend.”

“Turns out I’m very particular.”

She glanced toward the stage but Garrett was busy trying to extract the leather tie of one sandal from between the teeth of a tall, attractive, and very determined redhead.

“Can I buy you a drink?”

She kept her gaze fixed on the stage, hoping the guy would get the hint and go away.

No such luck. He leaned close and grabbed her hand off the table. “How about you and I go someplace quiet and talk?”

Felicia jerked her head around, her mouth falling open in shock. “I don’t even know you. I told you I’m waiting for my boyfriend to join me. Please go away.”

The man lifted one eyebrow and smiled again. Felicia shivered slightly from that smile. It was predatory and didn’t quite reach his eyes. “No. You said a friend. A friend could be anyone.” He turned toward the shadows, where Bliss stood alone, leaning against the wall. Brad must have gone to the men’s room. “Like that beautiful black woman for example.”

Felicia gasped and stood up, reaching for her purse.

The man rose too and grabbed her arm. “Now if you’ll just come with me quietly I promise I won’t hurt you. I just want to have some fun. I’ve been told you like to have fun. You do like to have fun, don’t you, Felicia?”

She tried to jerk her hand away from his but he wasn’t letting go. “Stop it! What the hell’s wrong with you! I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“I think you are.” Unbelievably the man pulled his fist back like he was going to punch her.

He never got the chance.

Garrett finally managed to extricate himself from Polly, the aggressive and horny legal secretary who was a regular visitor to the club, and looked toward Felicia’s table. At first he didn’t see her. She’d left her seat.

His first thought was that she’d gone to the ladies’ room. Then he found her and nearly choked with rage. A man was trying to pull Felicia toward the door.

She was struggling to get her arm free and looked terrified.

Garrett lost awareness of everything else in the place as he leapt off the stage and stormed toward them. He heard Bruno call his name but ignored him, his full attention focused on the tussle still going across the bar.

Suddenly the man cocked his arm as if he would hit Felicia. Garrett lost any semblance of control he might have had left and launched himself at the creep.

The first thing Felicia was aware of was a growling sound. The next thing she felt was a painful tug on her arm as something large slammed into her attacker, sending him flying into the wall.

Garrett grabbed the guy by the front of his shirt with one hand and punched him in the face with the other. She could tell he wanted to keep punching but managed to restrain himself.

Barely.

Bruno arrived with Bliss closely in his wake and wedged himself between Garrett and the dazed-looking jerk who’d accosted her.

“Okay, Garrett, ole’ buddy. That’s enough.”

“He attacked Felicia.”

Bruno nodded. “I got that, man. I don’t blame you for hitting him. But that’s where it stops. This scum isn’t worth jail time, man.”

Two of the club’s dancers grabbed the guy under the arms and “escorted” him from the club. An arm encircled Felicia’s shoulders and she looked over at Bliss. Her friend gave her an understanding smile. “Hey, honey. You okay?”

“Yes.” Felicia cast a worried glance toward Garrett.

Bruno had apparently been successful in calming him down. His shoulders looked more relaxed and he no longer clenched his large hands in fists.

Two times he’d saved her from a questionable situation.

Two times he’d been her knight in shining armor.

She felt her pulse pick up. She was thinking like a romantic teen. The last thing she wanted to do was romanticize her relationship with Garrett.

He turned around and the pain in his eyes almost undid her. She watched him walk toward her with a sense of relief and something else that she didn’t want to examine too closely. He wrapped her in a hug that stole her breath and held on tightly. “You all right, Lissy?”

“I am now. Thanks for saving me…again.”

She felt his warm breath against her cheek. “S’okay.” He didn’t say anything else, but his arms tightened around her even more.

* * * * *

Bliss, Brad, Felicia, and Garrett sat at the bar and watched Bruno close it down for the night. The place had long since cleared out and the doors were locked. They’d been enjoying a companionable chat while waiting for Bruno to finish up. They were planning an early breakfast out before going home.

Except for a couple of short trips to the men’s room, Garrett hadn’t left Felicia’s sight since she’d been accosted. That had been just fine with her. The event had unnerved her.

“Are you sure you’ve never seen the guy before?” It wasn’t the first time Garrett had asked Felicia that question. In fact it might have been the tenth. She forced herself not to sigh, knowing he was just trying to help.

“Never.”

“He was probably just some jerk looking for a good time,” Brad contributed.

“No. He knew my name and he knew Bliss was my friend.”

Brad’s shoulders stiffened at this bit of news, and wrapped his arms around Bliss, pulling her back against his chest.

Garrett reached out and rubbed Felicia’s arm. “I don’t like this at all.”

“Somebody must have sent him.”

All eyes swung to Bliss, who was checking her lipstick in a small mirror.

Brad asked, “Why do you say that?”

She shrugged. “Felicia doesn’t know the guy, but he seems to know us. Which means somebody filled him in on us.”

Felicia felt the blood drain from her face. “Dave.”

Garrett swore quietly. “Had to be.”

Brad fixed an intense look on Garrett. “Sounds like we need to do something about this Dave guy.”

Bruno came out from behind the bar, wiping his hands on a towel. “Time to call it a night, folks.”

They slid off the stools and started toward the door. Garrett’s back and shoulders were stiff with tension. “Don’t worry, buddy. I fully intend to do something about that asshole.”

Alarm bloomed in Felicia’s chest. She grabbed Garrett’s hand. “I don’t want you to put yourself in any danger, Garrett. Obviously there are some mental issues there.”

He opened the door and guided her out with a hand on her back. “Don’t worry, Lissy. I’ve got this under control.”

Felicia doubted that any of them had control over the current situation. Maybe it would just be better if she and Garrett didn’t see each other anymore. Being together was getting so complicated.

The thought made her stomach clench.

Once outside, Bruno locked the door and turned toward his car in the far shadows of the lot. “See you guys later.”

“Later, man.” Garrett watched his friend walk away, frowning. He owed Bruno big time for hanging with him against Felicia’s nutty stalker.

“Where do you guys want to go for breakfast?” Brad stood with his arm thrown over Bliss’ shoulders, looking as if he was afraid to let her get too far away.

Bliss looked pretty happy to have him there.

Felicia leaned into Garrett. “You guys decide, you know this area better than I do.”

They discussed their options for a few minutes and then picked a place.

Garrett walked Felicia to her car before heading to his. Bliss and Brad headed toward Brad’s car.

When they reached Felicia’s car Garrett leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. His gaze on hers was searching, as if he’d heard the doubts in her mind. “We’ll work this out, Felicia. I don’t want you to worry about it.”

She knew it wouldn’t be that easy, but felt reluctant to get into it at that moment. “I know. I’ll try not to worry.”

He stared at her for a heartbeat longer, then stepped away from her so she could open the car door and climb inside. He grabbed the handle of her door and was ready to close it when he heard a shout from the other side of the parking lot.

It was Bruno, calling out to him.

Garrett jogged toward the sound of his friend’s voice. Felicia followed. When he reached them Bruno was bending over something on the ground. Bruno’s car was a few yards away with the door open, the interior light painting whatever was on the ground in a soft light.

Bruno stood up and Garrett could finally see the silent, bloodied form on the ground at his feet. It was the man from the bar and somebody had beaten him badly.

Felicia gasped and threw a hand over her mouth. “Is he…” she swallowed hard.

“He’s still alive. But he’s a mess.”

Sirens split the silence of the night, getting louder as they approached. Garrett looked at Bruno. “Did you call the cops…or an ambulance?”

Bruno’s dark gaze locked on his friend, filled with meaning. “I think we might want to get hold of a lawyer, my friend.”

Garrett swore softly.

Chapter Seven

The police car tore into the parking lot and screeched to a stop beside them. Both doors flew open and the two uniformed officers inside slid out, crouching behind the doors with their guns trained on the three friends. “Hands up where we can see them!”

Garrett moved in front of Felicia, protecting her with his body. “Take it easy, officers. We just walked out here and found this guy. You won’t need those weapons.”

The cop who’d spoken jerked the gun toward Garrett. “You let me worry about when I need my weapon, sir. I need you to place your hands on your head and turn around.” He glanced at Bruno. “You too, sir.”

Garrett did as he was asked, but he stayed between Felicia and the cops. Felicia lifted a hand toward him. Tears filled her eyes. “Oh, Garrett…”

He gave her a smile. “It’s okay, honey. It’ll be fine. I have nothing to hide. We all know I didn’t do this.”

The cop jerked his arms around behind his back and reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet. Garrett noticed the other cop, a woman, had done the same to Bruno.

“I got him,” the male cop with Garrett’s wallet said.

The female cop checked Bruno’s wallet and then unlocked his cuffs, handing him back the wallet. “What’s this shit?” Bruno asked.

The cop Mirandized Garrett. “You’re coming with us, sir.” He turned to Bruno and Felicia. “Don’t leave town. Give these officers your addresses before you leave.” Then he jerked Garrett’s arm and drew him toward the cop car.

While they’d been cuffing Garrett, two more cop cars had squealed into the parking lot.

He heard Felicia screaming his name and tried to turn around, but the cop holding his arms wouldn’t let him turn. “Watch your head, sir.” He was pushed down and into the cop car. And the door was slammed shut.

His arms hurt and he couldn’t get comfortable sitting with them cuffed behind him. But nothing hurt as much as watching Felicia’s face as they drove him out of that parking lot to take him to jail.

* * * * *

Felicia grabbed Bruno’s arm. “What just happened here, Bruno? Why were they looking for Garrett?”

Bruno jerked his head at the cops. “We’ll talk about this later. As soon as we can get out of here.”

Felicia dug in her purse for her cell. Brad and Bliss had left the parking lot before Bruno discovered the battered man. She called Bliss to warn her that they wouldn’t be joining them at breakfast.

When she hung up she had tears in her eyes. Bruno put an arm around Felicia’s shoulders. “It’ll be okay, Felicia. We know he didn’t do anything. We told the cops that. They’ll have to let him go.”

Felicia’s eyes filled with tears. “And if they don’t?”

“Then we’ll get my Uncle Guido involved.” Bruno said with a grin.

Felicia grinned. “Guido? Are you kidding? You have an uncle named Guido?”

“His real name’s Gabriel, but he doesn’t think it sounds intimidating enough. He likes to play up the Italian thing.”

Felicia’s eyes widened. She remembered Dave introducing her and her ex-husband, Philip, to a powerful lawyer once at a party. The man had had dark hair and flashing black eyes and he’d joked about being a member of the local mob. “Gabriel Vitale?”

“The one and only,” Bruno answered with a sense of real pride. “Uncle Guido’ll get Garrett out of jail. Or da guy who done dis’ll be swimmin’ wid da fishes.”

Felicia laughed at Bruno’s bad mobster imitation, feeling better. But just in case, she said a silent prayer of thanks for Uncle Guido—mobster or no they might need his very talented services.

* * * * *

Garrett slouched in the chair across from Detective Hanks, a burly cop with curly brown hair that stood up tall at the top and was sliced off micro-short on the sides, giving him an elongated look from the chin to the top of his massive head. Garrett decided he looked like a buffalo.

Hanks worked laboriously over his report, a well-chewed pencil clutched in his meaty fist. Garrett looked around the room, seeing a mixture of uniform and street-dressed cops, and a few civilian types who may or may not have been criminals.

“When was the last time you saw Mr. Rogers?”

“I was probably about five.”

Hanks’ buffalo face contorted in confusion over this. “Five?”

Garrett leaned forward and, in his best Mr. Rogers voice said, “Can you say huge mistake? I knew you could.”

This did nothing to clear things up for Detective Hanks, who made a dubious notation on his report and continued with his questions. “Why did you and the victim fight?”

“We didn’t fight. We had a mostly verbal disagreement in the bar when he accosted one of my friends.”

Hanks’ eyes widened in delight. Here was something he could work with. “Mostly verbal?”

“I might have punched him once.”

Hanks hunched over his report, the pitiful pencil clutched expectantly in his meaty fist. “Name?”

“Garrett Holcomb.”

Hanks blinked. He blinked again. Then he shook his massive head in disgust. He just couldn’t believe how stupid Garrett was. Garrett coughed to hide a smile.

“Not your name, sir. The friend’s name.”

“That’s not important.”

Hanks’ small, hazel eyes got a speculative glint. Even Neanderthals occasionally had a coherent thought. “Why are you protecting this friend?”

Garrett leaned forward. “Because she’s my friend.”

Hanks blinked again and his pencil drooped.

Garrett sat back in his chair. “I’d like to go now.”

Hanks shook his head. “I’m not done with you.”

Garrett sighed. He’d been afraid of that. Felicia’s lawyer friend would have made sure they held him as long as possible. To send him a message if nothing else. They had no evidence so they couldn’t arrest him. But they could make him suffer for twelve hours or so. “I’d like to make a phone call.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Garrett and Hanks both looked up at the man who’d just arrived. Only one of them smiled.

Garrett stood up and extended his hand. “Guido. Nice to see you again.”

Gabriel Vitale was tall and slim, with an abundance of slick black hair that was combed back from his face, and a crooked nose that fit his Guido persona perfectly. His handsome face was unlined. The only sign of his fifty-some years was a touch of gray at his temples. His eyes were so dark they looked black and he used them like a weapon.

Guido was well-known for his ability to weaken a witness’s bladder on the stand just by fixing an intense, cold gaze on him. He was even better known for his ability to make witnesses cry under questioning.

Vitale shook Garrett’s hand. “I’m sorry to see you again under these circumstances, son. But I’m happy to help in any way I can.”

Garrett inclined his head. “I’d appreciate that, sir.”

Guido slapped Garrett on the shoulder and turned to Hanks. “I’d like to see the evidence against my client, officer.”

Hanks’ mouth dropped open and his eyes went blank. “Um. I can’t do that, Mr. Vitale.”

Guido Vitale went completely, perfectly still. His cold gaze fixed on Hanks for a full minute before he spoke again. Then he smiled.

Garrett was pretty sure he heard Detective Hanks whimper.

“I’ll be taking my client home now, Detective Hanks.”

Hanks’ massive head dipped in what could have been acquiescence. Garrett wasn’t sure Hanks even knew he’d nodded.

Guido didn’t wait for him to figure it out. He touched Garrett on the shoulder. “You ready, son?”

“I believe I am.”

* * * * *

When they arrived at the station, Felicia ran to Garrett and he wrapped his arms around her. She had been so scared that he’d be thrown into jail for that poor man’s beating.

Bruno shook his uncle’s hand. “Thanks, Unc. I owe ya one.”

“You do, yes. I’ll expect you to throw your golf game next Saturday to make me look good in front of your aunt.”

“That’s an awfully steep price, sir.”

“It is. But I’m a very well-paid lawyer. I’d say you got a bargain.”

Garrett reached a hand toward Guido Vitale. “I’d have to agree with that assessment, sir. Thank you for coming in tonight. It means a lot to me.”

Guido shook Garrett’s hand. “My pleasure, son. I hate to see people getting pushed around by arrogant assholes.”

Garrett lifted an eyebrow in surprise. “I guess you know Dave Foust?”

“Unfortunately.” He slapped Garrett on the back. “You young folks get out of here now.”

Brad grinned at Felicia, who was fighting a grin herself.

Bruno turned to his uncle. “Aren’t you coming?”

“No. I’m going to talk to a friend of mine. Chief Barris and I go way back. He’s gonna get to the bottom of this charge for me and put it to rest.”

* * * * *

They left Guido to his machinations and headed toward their cars. “Breakfast?” Bruno asked hopefully.

Felicia grimaced. “I just want to go home. I’m exhausted.”

They said goodbye to Bruno and Garrett dropped an arm around Felicia’s shoulders. “Let’s get out of here before they change their minds and come looking for me.”

Felicia was so tired she thought she might drop on the spot. She’d been operating on nothing but emotion for the last few hours and it was starting to wear on her. “Maybe you should stay at my house tonight, just in case.”

Garrett felt a moment of panic at the thought of spending the night among the trappings of wealth. But he quickly shook it off and kissed the top of her head. “Good idea.”

* * * * *

When Felicia woke up the next morning Garrett was sprawled all over the bed next to her. His thick, dark-gold lashes formed a perfect arch on each cheek and his lips were slightly parted as he snored softly.

He was sound asleep and he looked adorable.

She fought an urge to run her hands down his smooth chest, toward the telltale tenting of the sheet. She supposed he needed his rest. She had kept him up much of the night. She climbed out of bed. He was probably drained after what he’d gone through the night before.

Dave Foust was getting seriously out of hand. She needed to do something to stop him. The question was—what could she do?

Sighing, she pulled on yoga pants and a tight, stretchy tee and headed to the kitchen. She’d start her day the way she always did, with a glass of juice and a muscular power yoga workout. She figured that by the time she’d showered, Garrett would be up and ready for breakfast…or something.

This happy thought carried her through the first twenty minutes of her hour-long workout. She was panting hard through her nose and had a nice sheen all over her body by the time the warm-up was over and the workout began.

She was in a muscle-straining, down dog position, and so deep into the zone that she didn’t even know he was there until she felt strong hands on her hips and something long and hard against her butt. “So this is how you stay in such great shape.”

Felicia started to stand up but he stopped her with a hand at the small of her back. “No, stay there, I like this position.” His hands skimmed the top of her loose-fitting pants and slid them down her hips. “I like it a lot.”

Her soft pants puddled around her ankles. Felicia felt the hard length of him against her exposed flesh. She groaned as he pulled her back to snuggle against his engorged cock.

“What’s this position called?” His voice was raspy with lust. He positioned himself between her thighs, the hard tip of his cock nudging gently into her.

She sucked in a breath. “Down dog.”

“I can’t back down right now, honey, I’m in heat.” He drove into her, hard and deep.

Felicia cried out with pleasure and deepened her dog to bring him farther into her body.

The instructor on the DVD told her to keep breathing.

Felicia was panting.

He told her to deepen the position and hold.

Felicia did as she was instructed.

He didn’t tell her to fall screaming into an orgasm. But she did that anyway.

Garrett groaned as her body milked his cock. He stopped moving and gritted his teeth, holding off his own release by sheer force of will.

When her body began to soften its hold on his cock, Garrett grabbed one of her thighs and lifted it, sliding his engorged shaft more deeply into her body.

Felicia reached between their legs and took his balls in a gentle fist, squeezing rhythmically as he slowly and steadily built the heat between them. Her thigh muscles were lean and taut from holding her balance and the skin beneath his hands was smooth and moist from her workout.

Garrett ran his hands over her dewy skin and slid beneath her light tee to find her unbound breasts. They filled his palms perfectly, a sensual weight in his hands.

He dragged his shaft from her tight channel and pulled her upright, capturing her soft lips in a hungry kiss. Felicia wrapped her arms around his waist and ran her soft hands over his butt, grinding her belly against his hard cock.

Garrett dropped to his knees and lifted her tee, pulling a rigid, brown nipple into his mouth as his fingers sought the moist entrance to her pussy. He inserted two fingers into the wet heat and found the nub of her clitoris with his thumb. Felicia moaned, deep and husky as his fingers fucked her silky channel.

His lips trailed down her belly, nipping and licking the exquisitely soft flesh, and replaced his fingers on her pussy. Felicia cried out as he covered her with his mouth, her hips arching and her hands tangling in his hair to urge him on.

Garrett inhaled her spicy scent, his cock jumping hungrily at the sweet, sensual aroma. He pulled the tiny bud of her clitoris into his mouth and sucked it, feeling her body tense against the start of her orgasm.

Giving her one final suck, Garrett pulled her down and covered her body with his, sliding his cock hard and deep into her already pulsing pussy and sending her screaming into release again.

He slammed into her several more times and then threw back his head and stiffened as his muscles locked into orgasm.

Felicia felt every jump of his hard flesh inside her body. She shivered under the aftershocks of her own orgasm and sighed as Garrett’s warm hands slid up her sides and cupped her breasts. He captured her mouth in a sweet, tender kiss.

“I’ll never be able to teach a yoga class again without getting a hard-on.”

Felicia made an outraged sound and smacked him. “You teach yoga? You cad! You know what down dog is!”

Chuckling, Garrett nuzzled her neck. “I just wanted to hear you say it.”

“Why?”

“So I could say, ‘Not now, bitch.’” He lifted off her. “You know, like a female dog?”

She giggled. “But you didn’t say it.”

He stood up and pulled her to her feet. “I chickened out.” Yanking her into his arms he placed a passionate kiss on her lips. “Now come on.” He reached to turn the television off. “You don’t need this hack to do yoga. I’ll teach you all my best moves.”

Felicia lifted an eyebrow at him. “That’s what I’m afraid of. Will I even work up a sweat with your workout?”

He favored her with a slow, knee melting smile. “Oh yeah. I guarantee you’ll be sweating…bitch.”

Felicia’s throaty laugh caused an immediate, strong reaction in Garrett.

She lowered her gaze to the place where he’d reacted best.

“Mmm, my favorite position,” she said. “Up dog.”

Chapter Eight

Garrett’s cell rang that afternoon as he was helping Felicia clean up the remains of a late lunch. They’d spent a wonderful day together, making love and talking. Garrett was feeling more relaxed than he had in a long time when he answered his phone. “Hello.”

“Why’d ya do it?” Giorgio’s voice was thick with hostility.

Garrett frowned. “Do what?”

“Don’t play stupid with me. I found your studio ID card in the middle of the mess. How could you have done this to us? Penelope’s been crying all morning. I’ve never seen her this upset.”

Garrett grabbed a towel and walked away from the sink. “Giorgio, buddy, I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. I spent the night with a friend. I haven’t been near the studio since you let me go.”

He felt Felicia’s presence and turned. She was frowning a question at him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

“You aren’t lyin’ to me, Garrett?”

“I swear to God I’m not lying, buddy. Now tell me what happened.”

Giorgio sighed audibly. “Somebody trashed the studio last night. Your studio is nearly destroyed. They pulled all the mats into the center of it and set them on fire. The smoke in the place was toxic. One of the cleaning crew who came in this morning has been taken to the hospital.” Giorgio’s voice broke. “I don’t know how we’ll recover from this. There could be lawsuits…”

“I’ll be right there.” Garrett hung up and gave Felicia a quick kiss on the lips. “I need to go.”

“What’s wrong, Garrett? Who was that?”

“My old employer, at the yoga studio. Giorgio gave me my start as an instructor. We go back a long way…” Garrett let the words trail away, shaking his head. “Someone trashed the studio last night. He thought it was me.” He turned to her and there was such pain in his eyes.

Felicia reached up and laid a hand on his cheek. “I want to go with you.”

“Let’s go.”

* * * * *

From the outside the studio looked much the same as it always had. Fire trucks still sat at the curb, lights flashing and hoses coiled like rice noodles in a puddle-riddled parking lot.

But as soon as Garrett and Felicia entered the studio he noticed the smell. It was the smell of burnt rubber.

“You can’t be in here!” A firefighter hurried toward them, a mask over his face. “The air is toxic in here, folks.”

Garrett held up a hand. “I’m looking for the owner and the manager.”

The man jerked his head. “They’re out back with the EMTs.”

“Thanks.”

Garrett took Felicia’s arm and pulled her gently back outside. They walked around the side of the building to the back lot, where the employees parked. It was the closest lot to the yoga studios.

The EMT van was just pulling out of the lot when they rounded the corner of the building. Giorgio and Penelope were standing alone, watching the van leave. Giorgio had his arm around Penelope’s shoulders and was rubbing her arm briskly. They both turned as Felicia and Garrett walked up.

Penelope looked angry. Giorgio looked like he wasn’t sure how to greet them.

Garrett walked over to Penelope and pulled her into a hug. She held herself stiffly at first, but then started crying and hugged him back. “Pene, you know I’d never do this.”

She sobbed once and then pulled away to wipe her face with her sleeve. “I didn’t want to believe it, Garrett. But the graffiti…” She sniffed. “You’re the only one we’ve fired in over a year…” She looked at the ground and rubbed her arms, obviously uncomfortable.

Garrett glanced toward the building, “Graffiti? Where? In the studio?”

“Yes.” Giorgio’s hands were shaking. He shoved them into his pockets. Garrett had never seen him so upset.

“What did it say?”

Penelope glanced at the studio manager. Giorgio looked at his shoes.

“Tell me, Giorgio.”

“All fired up and no place to go.”

Garrett swore softly. “I promise you, Penelope. Whoever did this is not going to get away with it. I’ll make sure of that.”

Penelope was crying again.

Felicia made a small sound and Garrett turned to look at her. She had tears in her eyes. “What’s the matter, honey?”

“Why didn’t you tell me Dave got you fired?”

Garrett opened his mouth to respond but the words wouldn’t come. He’d been afraid she’d run. And looking into her eyes at that moment, he was pretty sure he’d been right to be afraid.

Felicia turned away from him. She looked panicked. He knew what she was probably thinking. Things were way out of control. Dave Foust was ruining their lives. And she felt responsible because Foust was her friend.

“Felicia…” Garrett wrapped his arms around her from behind.

She jerked away. “No! This is all my fault. All of it.” She turned to Penelope and Giorgio. “I’m so sorry!” She walked briskly away, toward the front of the building.

Garrett called after her. “It’s not your fault, honey. It’s that damn lawyer’s fault!”

Garrett started after her but Penelope grabbed his arm. “Let her go, Garrett. She needs to come to grips with your relationship or it will never work.”

He watched her go, his fists clenched against an enemy he couldn’t fight. “She’s blaming herself for what that monster’s done. That’s unacceptable!”

Giorgio stepped in front of him. “You think that lawyer guy is behind this?”

“I know he is.”

“Then we need proof. So we can get the police involved.”

“I’ll get your proof.” Garrett stalked in the direction Felicia had gone, fully intending to pay Dave Foust a visit.

* * * * *

Dave Foust finished the brief he’d been reviewing and slid it back into the client’s folder. He swiped a hand over his face and stood, moving to a small bar that was built into the mahogany bookshelves which took up an entire wall of his office to pour himself a glass of brandy.

Pouring the expensive, amber liquid into a fine crystal snifter, he carried it to the window overlooking the city. Indianapolis was humming beyond the clean glass of the window, lights twinkling and sidewalks teeming with nighttime revelers.

He sighed. The world played while he worked.

It was time he moved beyond his lust for one woman and found someone more worthy of his well-regarded attention. Felicia was obviously a terribly confused and even perverted individual. She would be an embarrassment to him.

Appearances were everything to Dave Foust.

Appearances and power.

He heard a small sound and turned away from the window, the snifter lifted toward his mouth.

He didn’t take that drink.

“Mr. Foust.”

The young man stood in the shadows, his hands held down at his sides, fists clenched in anger.

Dave glanced toward his desk, where he kept a thirty-eight special for situations just such as this one. All he needed to do was get it into his hands and power would shift in an irreversible way.

Dave lowered the snifter and moved over to his desk to set it down. He slid behind the desk and sat down in his black leather chair. He never took his gaze from the man at his door. “What the hell are you doing here?”

The young man stepped out of the shadows and moved toward Dave’s oversized mahogany desk. “I have a score to settle with you, old man.”

Dave felt his mouth go dry. He yanked the drawer open and grabbed his gun. He didn’t even have time to lift it toward the man standing over him. The heavy marble lamp from his desk descended on his head with a terrible crunching sound and he fell forward with a grunt, his head bouncing off the surface of his desk as he hit.

The lamp descended one more time just to make sure, and Dave was still and silent.

As his visitor slid back out of the office, Dave’s hand slipped from his lap and the thirty-eight tumbled uselessly toward the floor beneath his desk.

* * * * *

Giorgio caught up with Garrett at Foust’s office building. His friend was leaving when he arrived. He jumped out of his illegally parked car and called out to Garrett.

Garrett jerked and looked up. He seemed unsure what to make of Giorgio’s presence. Finally he shoved his hands into his jeans pockets and walked toward the car. “What the hell are you doing here, Giorgio?”

“I came lookin’ all over for you, my friend. Penelope was worried you’d do something stupid and get yourself into trouble with the law again.”

Garrett leaned his forearms on the roof of his friend’s Jeep. His face held a sad smile. “Penelope’s a good woman, buddy. You should hold on to her.”

Giorgio narrowed his gaze on Garrett. “I fully intend to, my friend. What’s the deal? Did you speak with the lawyer?”

Garrett shook his head. “I sat in my car for a while and then started into the building. I got as far as the lobby and realized I’d probably kill the guy if I saw him in my present state of mind. I’ll come back later, when I’ve calmed down.”

Giorgio nodded, looking relieved. “Buy you a drink?”

Garrett shook his head. “I need to see Felicia.”

“Do you need a ride?”

Garrett slapped a hand on the roof of the Jeep. “I’m good, buddy. I have my car. I’ll see ya tomorrow, okay? I’ll meet you at the studio and help you get cleanup started.”

Giorgio nodded. “Thanks, Garrett. Penelope will be really pleased by that offer. We’re gonna do as much of the cleanup and repair as we can ourselves…save some money.”

Garrett nodded. “See ya tomorrow, buddy.”

Giorgio climbed into his car and drove off. Garrett watched him go and then turned to look at Dave Foust’s building one last time before he left.

Chapter Nine

Felicia scrolled through the messages on the KittyKat Club site, looking for answers to all the doubts and questions spinning through her mind. She was comforted to learn that her doubts were normal. Most of the women online seemed to have encountered them at some point in the course of their new relationships.

Nowhere was there a message about a psycho, rejected lover who felt threatened by the woman’s new relationship and was trying to ruin people’s lives as a result.

After giving it some thought, Felicia typed a note to the group, asking if anyone had ever experienced violence as the result of their relationships. Maybe it was just something they didn’t divulge unless asked directly. She chatted back and forth for a while with several of her new friends on the loop but nobody had any specific experience with the type of thing she was dealing with because of Dave. Most of the women were very happy and living satisfied lives with their younger men.

One woman had dated a young man who had anger issues. But that wasn’t necessarily an age thing.

After an hour of chatting, Felicia shut down her computer and turned off the desk lamp. She headed toward her bedroom, thinking that she’d need to confront Dave in the morning. It was one thing for him to go after her, but getting Garrett fired and possibly torching his friends’ place was totally unacceptable. She’d threaten him if she needed to. She had dirt on him that he wouldn’t want out.

Felicia had carried the secret around with her for years, never intending to use it. But maybe it was true—things did happen for a reason—and her overhearing Dave and her ex-husband talking about Dave’s illegal activities had, at the time, seemed like bad luck. She’d felt guilt for years for not doing anything about it.

He’d taken money from a disreputable businessman once. The money had been to keep Dave from representing a longtime client against the businessman.

The firm where he was partner had lost an important client when Dave had refused to take the case and his partners would be very displeased to learn the truth.

Maybe Dave’s tacky little secret would come in handy after all.

The front doorbell rang as she was washing her face. She walked to the door, drying her face with a hand towel, and peered through the narrow window at the side to see who was there.

She almost didn’t open the door.

She needed time to think. To decide what to do.

But her heart melted at the look on Garrett’s face and she found herself reaching for the knob.

Garrett was leaning against the doorframe. “Hey!”

“Hey yourself.”

“Can I come in?”

Felicia bit her lip. Her mind warred with her heart for the decision. Finally, her heart won. She reached for his hand and pulled him close. “Always. You’ll always be welcome here, Garrett.”

His kiss was intense and hungry. When he pulled away a few moments later he laid his forehead against hers and sighed. “I was so worried, Felicia. I thought you’d run. I’d never see you again.”

“I’m still feeling pretty jumpy. What we’re doing…what we have…” She stepped away, wringing her hands. “It feels so right when we’re together, but the world thinks it’s bad.”

He shook his head. “Not the whole world, Felicia. Only a very small portion of it. The people with closed minds. You need to remember that.”

“You’re right. I need to focus on that.” She walked away, wringing her hands nervously. “I’ve made a decision. I’m going to see Dave Foust on Monday. This has gone way too far. It has to stop.”

“No you’re not! You’re not going within ten miles of that man. It isn’t safe.”

Felicia bristled. “Don’t take that tone with me, Garrett!”

He stepped farther into the room and pulled the door shut behind him. “I’m sorry, Lissy. I’m just worried about you. Let me come with you at least so he won’t be tempted to do anything rash.”

Felicia thought about that for a while. It would definitely set Dave off if Garrett were there. But it wouldn’t really matter since what she had to say should put an end to Dave’s manipulations and destructive behavior. “I think that’s a fair compromise.”

“Good. Now that that’s settled, do you have a cold beer for a weary ex-yoga instructor slash exotic dancer?”

“I do. But…” She pressed herself against him and took his bottom lip between her teeth, sucking on it gently. “I was just getting ready to take a bath. Would you like to join me?”

“Oh god, that sounds wonderful.” Garrett spread his fingers across her tight, round buttocks and pulled her against his thickening cock. Felicia wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her mouth to his.

The soft heat of her breath washed his face as she feathered kisses along his jaw and into his throat. Garrett moaned as she nuzzled him, grinding his rigid cock against her belly.

As his hands slid beneath the waistband of her soft sweats, she pulled away with a laugh, grabbing his hand. “Come on. I have something special in mind for you.”

“I like the sound of that.”

Felicia led him upstairs, to the claw-footed jet tub in the master bath. The floor around the tub was covered with varying sizes of white pillar candles. Candles also decorated the two marble-topped tables situated on either end of the sleek, white porcelain fixture. A slim, crystal bottle sat on one of the tables too, a pearly pink substance filling it halfway.

Fluffy towels hung nearby on a metal towel warmer.

Garrett shoved his usual wealth-abhorrence reaction away and smiled down at her. “Very nice.”

“Thanks. This is definitely my haven.” She reached for the button of his jeans and slipped it open, grabbing his hand when he would have helped. “This is my turf, Garrett, I’m in charge here.”

She smiled when she said the words, but Garrett could tell she meant what she said. His cock jumped a little at the thought of being subjugated, no matter how briefly or gently, by the sexy woman standing before him. He lifted his hands, palms outward, in surrender. “I’m in your very capable hands, Lissy. Do with me what you will.”

Her smile was sexy and slightly predatory. “Oh, trust me, I intend to.”

She started the water in the tub and added a generous amount of the pink liquid to the steaming water.

Then turning back to him, she stood up on her tiptoes and captured his lips in a soft, exploratory kiss as her nimble fingers commandeered the zipper of his jeans.

It was all Garrett could do to keep his hands down by his sides as her sweet tongue teased its way into his mouth and her warm fingers enclosed his hard shaft. She stroked her hand up its length a few times, her tongue dancing playfully against his teeth and tongue. Each stroke of her fingers along his rigid flesh sent ribbons of pleasure coiling through him, until his balls rose tight and firm against his body. Felicia’s fingers skimmed upward, toward the fat head of his cock, and slipped through the silky bead of pre-cum she’d harvested.

She pulled his bottom lip into her mouth and nibbled it gently as she swirled an exquisitely soft fingertip through the slippery bead of moisture. Garrett’s knees almost gave out from the sensations she created there.

“I’m not sure I’m going to survive this,” he uttered huskily.

Felicia’s laugh was equally husky. She dropped his cock and slid her velvet palms along his hips, skimming his jeans and boxers down to his ankles in one smooth move. Before he knew what she intended, she was on her knees and her mouth was covering the head of his cock, sliding downward.

Garrett let loose a groan of sheer pleasure as her nimble fingers cupped his balls and her wet mouth worked its magic on his cock. Her rhythm was even and slow, savoring rather than consuming, and he couldn’t stop himself from sliding his fingers into her soft hair.

As she sucked his cock, she used her fingers to milk him, pulling another drop of cum from the tip and then, looking up at him as she did it, lapping at it like a cat licking up the richest cream.

Garrett started to worry that he wouldn’t be able to last long enough to bury himself deep inside her before his traitorous body found release without him.

Fortunately for him the water in the tub was ready to overflow.

Felicia gave him one last lick and stood up, turning off the water. “You get in. I need to light the candles.”

Garrett climbed into the tub and sat back groaning with pleasure as his body sank into the hot, silky water. It smelled like roses. “I’m gonna smell like a girl,” he joked.

“Not when I’m done with you.”

His cock jumped hopefully.

Felicia blew the match out and walked over to the light switch beside the door, flipping it to plunge them into a dream.

Candlelight flickered over every surface of the large room, softening it, creating a sensual cocoon filled with promise and intrigue.

Felicia stood in front of him and slowly, deliberately pulled her skimpy, white tee off over her head, dropping it to the ground at her feet. She wore no bra. Her breasts were full and heavy. The rigid shadows of her nipples danced in the flickering candle light.

He licked his lips as her fingers slid into the rolled waistline of her sweats. She peeled the soft fabric down her silky thighs and stepped out of them, leaving only the skimpy, white triangle of her thong behind for him to ogle.

The thong was so sheer he could see the dark curls nestled behind the fabric and the full folds of her labia. She reached for the strings at the sides but Garrett stopped her. “Leave them on.” He barely recognized his voice. It grated against a throat-closing wave of pure lust.

Felicia stepped into the tub and stood over him, between his spread knees. Garrett wasted no time reaching for her, sliding his hands up her smooth thighs and over her hips, skimming across her softly rounded belly and down, to cup her sex through the paper-thin fabric of her panties.

Felicia moaned, her head falling back in pleasure.

Garrett leaned close and covered the moist fabric of the tiny panties with his mouth. Her warm, musky scent rose up to infuse him, taking him another notch closer to the point where he would be fighting to retain control.

He pressed the fabric into her slick folds and found the hard bud of her clit, sucking it into his mouth. Felicia’s legs slid farther apart, giving him better access.

He skimmed a finger around the leg of the thong and slipped it underneath, to slide along the skin of her pussy. “Yes,” Felicia moaned. “Put them inside me.”

Garrett didn’t hesitate to comply. He slipped two fingers slowly inside her wet pussy, enjoying the way the honeyed walls grasped eagerly at his fingers. Sweet cream bathed his fingers and he shoved the drenched, insubstantial fabric of the thong to the side and leaned close again, covering her clit with his mouth.

He sucked on the little bud and fucked her with his fingers and felt her body vibrate with pleasure. Increasing the tempo of his ministrations, he felt her riding the razor edge of release. But before she fell over that edge, she stepped away from him and pushed him backward, to rest against the curved end of the tub.

Her face was flushed and she panted softly into his ear as she reached behind the tub. “Not so fast.” She grinned at him as her hand came back with a long tie of some sort in it. It looked like the belt from a silk robe. “I told you I was in charge.”

Garrett laughed, shaking his head. “You’re gonna tie me up?” His voice was incredulous, but his body was definitely on board with the idea. His cock felt like it would explode if he didn’t find release soon.

Felicia frowned. “Do you mind?” She slipped the tiny thong down her legs and threw it across the room.

He reached up and tweaked a delicate, brown nipple playfully. “Mistress Spanky, you’re not supposed to ask your sub if you can tie him up, you just do it. And, just so you know, my safe word is Herfnerbler.”

She grinned. “I’m kind of new to this. Can you tell?”

He grew serious, “I can tell you’ve been giving this some thought. Which makes me really hard.”

“Good.” Felicia bent over him and grabbed his wrists, putting her luscious breasts right at mouth level. Garrett didn’t resist the temptation they presented. “Let’s see what this does to you.”

She wrapped both wrists loosely together and tied him to the legs of the heavy, marble table at the end of the tub. Garrett let his butt slip down into the tub and settled in to suck her delicious nipples.

Felicia draped herself over him, enjoying his attentions for a moment, before sliding her body slowly down his and pressing her pussy over his hard cock. She swung her hips to graze the heat of her folds across him.

Her lips covered his nipples and her teeth nibbled there. When she closed down on a hard little bud, Garrett gasped. Her bite was just a hair over comfortable, touching on pain. He went very still until she tugged on the nipple while pressing against his cock. His groan was nearly desperate.

“Felicia!”

“What?”

“I need to be inside you. Now!”

She shook her head, transferring her stimulating attentions to the other nipple. “You have to beg.”

He groaned. “Please?”

She bit down, a little harder this time, bringing his hips arching up underneath her. “Please what?” Felicia ground down on him, so hard he could feel the slickness of her pussy against the vein on the underside of his cock.

“Please, Mistress Spanky…”

Felicia giggled.

“Please let me fuck you. Hard. Long. And fast.”

Felicia’s mouth moved from his nipples to his lips. She sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and bit down on it, giving it the same treatment she’d given his nipples. Garrett held his breath, praying she’d take pity on him soon.

“Okay.” She rose up and grasped him, plunging him deeply into her body.

Garrett’s eyes rolled back in his head as pleasure swamped him. His toes curled under and his legs went rigid from the intensity of being buried deep within her. Finally. But then he realized something. “Wait, no condom.”

Felicia lowered her lips to his and lifted her hips until only the fat head of his cock remained inside. “We’ll adjust.” She slammed back down on his cock and all the breath left Garrett’s lungs. The world fell away. All thoughts of earlier events were buried behind the sensations she was creating. His whole awareness narrowed down to the woman riding his cock.

Her kiss savaged his mouth. She angled her head to take the kiss ever deeper and speared her tongue between his lips. Their tongues danced hungrily as their bodies climbed toward orgasm.

Not used to being passive when making love with a woman, Garrett pulled constantly at his bonds. He ached to hold her heavy breasts in his hands and control the intensity of their joining. But he found other ways to contribute. Digging his heels into the bottom of the tub, he arched his hips, making it easier for her to ride his cock and fuck him senseless. He gritted his teeth, praying he’d be able to hold out longer than Felicia.

Her body tightened around his, enticing, encouraging him toward release. He thought about the looming pro football strike to keep from being pulled over the edge. Felicia’s eyes were closed, her mouth was open, and sexy little sounds were emerging from her throat as she worked him, riding his cock like her own personal rodeo bull, while she palmed her own breasts and tweaked her creamy brown nipples.

A few minutes later she stopped moving, shuddered once, and jerked into release. Her pussy grasped his cock, milked it, and sent it into the first spasms of release.

Garrett dropped his hips to dislodge her from his shaft just as he started to come. Felicia settled herself over his balls and rubbed herself along his full length, sending him into new spasms of pleasure with the feel of her soft pussy against his skin.

As his muscles softened into the aftermath of his orgasm, Felicia collapsed over him, panting. “I really kicked your ass, didn’t I?”

Garrett captured her soft lips, inhaling her laughter. “I’m totally subjugated, bruised and battered.”

Biting her bottom lip, she reached over him and tugged on the tie, releasing his hands. “Hopefully not too battered and bruised. I was thinking, maybe, you might like to return the favor…” she grinned at him, “Master Dom.”

Garrett laughed. “Master Dom at your service. Just give me five minutes to catch my breath.”

She stood and climbed from the tub, grabbing a thick, heated towel and heading toward the bed. “Take your time. I’ll just be right out here…waiting.”

Garrett dumped half the water from the tub to the floor as he leapt out and ran after her.

A moment later the play began with a wet body slam down onto the bed and a lot of happy squealing.

* * * * *

Felicia sat at the bar and watched Garrett perform. He was dressed as an Egyptian pharaoh and had a fake cobra around his waist, flicking it suggestively at the ladies who were packed around the stage. She’d wavered between laughing at the antics going on and wanting to scratch the eyes out of a couple of the more insistent women.

Especially the cute little blonde who was just about Garrett’s age and looked like she wanted to eat him for dessert.

Felicia forced herself to stay at her table, away from the stage, and take comfort from the occasional wink from Garrett as he managed to evade the clutching fingers and occasional stage hopper with practiced ease.

Bliss strolled over from the bar, where she’d been chatting with Bruno, and slid into the seat next to her. “Cute costume, huh?”

Felicia saw the suspicious sparkle in her friend’s eye and nudged her with an elbow. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to seeing women throw themselves at him.”

Bliss cocked her head. “Ever? As in long-term relationship? Dare I hope you’ve joined the sisterhood and the twenty-first century?”

Felicia pinched her friend’s arm. “Maybe.”

Bliss let out a whoop that had people at several nearby tables glancing their way. Felicia ducked her head with embarrassment. “You go, girl! I’m proud of you.”

“It’s not like it’s a huge hardship dating Garrett, you know.”

Bliss guffawed. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Felicia could feel herself turning red.

“Felicia?”

She turned and looked at the woman who’d spoken. For a moment she couldn’t put a name with the vaguely familiar face. Then it clicked. It was Susie Walters. She’d been a friend once, before Felicia’s divorce.

“Hi, Susie. How are you?”

The woman looked embarrassed. “I-I’m good. I’m surprised to see you here.”

All the old feelings of rejection resurfaced. Susie Walters was part of the group of women who’d rejected her after the divorce. Felicia had thought Susie, and a few others, were her friends. She’d learned differently once she was no longer part of a couple. Felicia opened her mouth to give the woman back a smart retort…but then she realized she didn’t really care about all that anymore. She had real friends now, people who liked her for herself, not because she was married to one of the wealthiest men in the county.

“I’m here to watch my lover dance.”

Susie Walters staggered comically, her hand going to her heart. “Are you serious?”

Felicia laughed at the woman’s shocked face. “I am. That’s Garrett.” She pointed toward the stage and Susie’s gaze swung to where Garrett and his…snake…held the roomful of women entranced by their athletic swaying, bumping, and grinding.

Susie’s face, when she turned back, was filled with awe. Her mouth opened and she just stood there, as if unsure what to say. Finally she lifted a hand toward Felicia. “Give me five, honey, you are one lucky bitch!”

Felicia patted the chair on her other side and Susie sat down.

“So,” Felicia asked the other woman, “What are you doing here?”

Susie had to wait to speak because the music stopped and the room erupted in applause and ribald cheers. When it quieted down, Susie said, “Some of my friends and I have been coming here for weeks. It’s fun, and we feel a bit like we’re getting away with something.”

Bliss nodded knowingly. “That’s how it started with me too. Then it became an addiction. Now I come here several times a week.” She grinned wickedly. “Sometimes I bring my boyfriend.”

Susie’s eyes sparkled with pleasure. “I’m thinking about coming on Wednesday nights. I understand they have customer sandwich night on Wednesdays.”

Bliss laughed, leaning closer. “Honey, let me tell you, they do not skimp on the meat in that sandwich.”

Felicia narrowed her eyes at Bliss. “What the hell is a customer sandwich?”

The two women at the table with her shared a knowing look. “Oh, you’ll see. I’m bringing you here on Wednesday. You haven’t lived until you’ve become the middle in a male stripper sandwich.”

Felicia’s eyes widened as she realized what they were talking about. “Oh my!”

Susie said, “Ah. Hey, did you hear what happened to Dave Foust?”

“Something happened to Dave? I called his office yesterday to get an appointment and was told he’d be out for an extended period of time. They wouldn’t tell me why though. What happened?”

Susie sat back in her chair, her face filled with horror. “Somebody came into his office and beat him pretty badly with a lamp.”

Felicia’s mouth went dry and her pulse shot into panic range. Stars sparkled in front of her eyes as the blood flooded from her face.

“Are you okay?” Susie’s face swam for a moment behind the stars but Felicia took a deep breath and managed to keep from passing out.

“When did this happen?”

Susie’s face screwed up as she thought about it. “Friday night, I think.”

Felicia’s world crashed around her. She looked up to see Garrett, looking handsome and sexy in his street clothes, striding toward her with a smile on his face. Suddenly she felt as if she would throw up.

The Yoga Studio had been trashed Thursday night. The next day, Friday, as they stood in the parking lot with Giorgio and Penelope, Garrett had accused Dave of being responsible and had vowed Dave wouldn’t get away with it. Maybe that hadn’t been all talk.

Without warning her mind showed her images of Garrett grabbing Dave and flinging him up against the car…of punching the guy who’d accosted her in the bar and then…his battered body in the parking lot.

Felicia moaned and stumbled up, running toward the ladies’ room to throw up. She only hoped she made it in time so she didn’t add abject embarrassment to the horror that her life had just become.

Chapter Ten

Garrett waited anxiously outside the ladies’ room, listening to the sounds of retching and then sobbing through the door. He’d sent Bliss in there several moments earlier and was just about ready to invade the sanctity of the ladies’ room to check on Felicia.

He’d already decided he was going in if she didn’t come out in five minutes.

When the door finally opened he looked up expectantly. It was Bliss. Her dark gaze was wary. Garrett stepped forward. “Is she okay?”

Bliss stepped back, glancing toward the bar with something that looked like fear in her eyes.

“Bliss? What the hell’s going on here?”

“She doesn’t want to see you, Garrett. You need to go away and leave her alone.”

He took a step toward the door and Bliss stepped directly in front of him, her beautiful brown face paling noticeably. “I’m not going to let you in there, Garrett. You can hit me if you want, but I won’t go down without a fight.”

Garrett just stared at her, shock making his mind go blank. “Hit you? What the hell are you talking about? I wouldn’t hit you. Why would I hit you?”

“I don’t know, Garrett. Why would you hit anybody?”

He shook his head. “You aren’t making any sense, Bliss. This doesn’t make any sense. Get out of my way so I can go see if Felicia is all right.”

She stood her ground, looking terrified. “I can’t. Go away, Garrett. Leave her alone. She’s scared of you.”

That stopped him. He brushed a hand over his eyes, trying to make sense of what Bliss was saying. “Scared of me? Why? What’s happened?”

“Somebody beat the living hell out of Dave Foust.” Garrett turned at the sound of Bruno’s voice behind him. He didn’t like the look on his friend’s face. Bruno should have known better than to think Garrett would beat a defenseless older man.

But apparently he didn’t.

“The cops just called to ask about the altercation in the parking lot. Seems they’re looking at all possible suspects and you’re on that list.”

Garrett felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. “And you all think I did it?”

Bruno’s gaze was intent, unrelenting. Bliss lifted her chin, looking more confident since Bruno was there to back her up.

Garrett expelled a frustrated breath. “Really, Bruno? You’ve known me for years, buddy.”

His friend’s rugged face softened slightly. “It looks bad, man. I just think it would be best if you left now.”

Garrett stood there for a moment longer, looking back and forth from Bliss to Bruno. He briefly considered pushing Bliss aside and barging into that ladies' room to assure Felicia that he was innocent but he’d probably just scare her more if he did, and he had to admit to a small amount of anger that she would believe the worst of him that way.

Finally he swore softly and left the bar. Heading to his car, he glanced toward the spot where all the problems started. The spot where he’d caught Dave Foust accosting Felicia and had stopped him.

Garrett played the episode back in his mind, looking for things that might make Felicia think he was capable of that kind of anger or violence. All he’d done was make Foust stop bothering Felicia.

He’d barely touched the man, and now they thought he’d tried to kill him.

What kind of woman turns on her lover like that, completely disregarding their history together?

Garrett tried not to think about that as he climbed into his car and pulled out of the lot. He had other things to think about at the moment, like clearing his name.

There’d be time enough to deal with Felicia’s and Bruno’s defection.

But he doubted time would make it any easier to get over Felicia turning on him. Garrett doubted there was time enough to soften that one.

* * * * *

The following evening,Felicia refused to let Bliss and Bruno come in and sit with her. All she wanted was to be alone with her thoughts. She had to go over everything one more time and try to get it straight in her mind.

Nothing made sense.

Nothing she’d been thinking felt right.

The Garrett she’d grown to love would never beat an older man, no matter what the man had done. But, her traitorous mind kept telling her, Garrett had been so angry at the yoga studio, and he was young and strong. While Dave Foust wasn’t. It would have been easy for Garrett to overcome him.

Felicia stood up and started pacing her living room. Her thoughts were too uncomfortable to take sitting still.

When her thoughts kept spinning around, getting ever more tangled and less clear, she decided she had to take her mind off it for a while or she’d go crazy. She wandered around her house for a while, trying to settle into something that could occupy her mind. She even sat down at her computer and tried to go through her emails.

There was another note from the creep who’d called her a whore. She’d been deleting them all week, at the rate of at least one a day. She didn’t even read them anymore.

She’d received the last one the day before Dave apparently had been beaten. Sighing, Felicia went to the KittyKat Club to see who was online. Four women were in the chat room.

FelicitousFeline: Hello.

Crazycougar: Hi FF!

Cougarlicious: Hi Felicia. How’s it going?

FelicitousFeline: Not so good actually.

Cubhunter: Hey Felicia. What’s wrong?

FelicitousFeline: I have to ask a hard question.

Silvercat: Go ahead, honey. No question is out of bounds here.

FelicitousFeline: Have any of you found that your cubs are more hotheaded than an older man would be?

Silvercat: Is your cub hitting you? You don’t stand for that, honey. I don’t care how hot he is!

Cubhunter: *Nodding* violence is unacceptable.

Cougarlicious: Not so fast, ladies. Why do you ask, Felicia?

FelicitousFeline: I can’t explain it all, but some things have happened and Garrett has been accused of beating somebody.

Cubhunter: Oh honey. Do you think he did it?

FelicitousFeline: I just can’t see him hurting anybody like that. If they attacked him, or somebody he cared about, yes, but…

Cougarlicious: The answer to your original question is no. They’re men, no matter what age they are. Some are good, some are bad. But younger men aren’t any more likely to be violent than older ones.

Silvercat: Honey, if your gut is telling you he didn’t do it, than I’d go with that. If it’s your heart…then you’d better look more closely before you decide.

Silvercat: Sometimes our hearts lie to us.

FelicitousFeline: That’s the problem isn’t it? I don’t know what I’m hearing, my heart, or my instincts.

Cougarlicious: Good luck Felicia. Let us know what happens, okay?

Felicia promised to get back to them when it was all over and stood, heading into the kitchen to make some tea. Maybe it would calm her nerves. As she filled a mug with water from the tap, Felicia realized there was somebody she could talk to about Garrett.

Penelope and Giorgio. They’d known Garrett a long time and Garrett had told her Giorgio had come looking for him that night. Maybe Giorgio could put her mind to rest about Garrett.

Felicia set the mug down and grabbed her purse. It was getting late. She just hoped Penelope and Giorgio were at the studio, or she’d have to get creative and try to find their home address.

* * * * *

Garrett had been at the police station most of the day. After leaving the club the night before, he’d decided to get a good night’s sleep and tackle the task of clearing his name with a clear head. He sat across from Detective Hanks again, watching him write laboriously as Garrett told him where he’d been and what he’d been doing during the time Dave Foust was being attacked. It was a long, slow process, given the fact that Hanks seemed to have trouble holding on to the tiny, chewed pencil with his sausage-like fingers.

“Don’t they give you real pencils here?”

Hanks looked up, his small eyes filled with surprise. “I like this pencil.”

Garrett snorted.

Finally Hanks set the pencil down and stood up. “Let’s get you printed.”

Garrett followed him into the fingerprint area, hoping the cops had some good prints to compare against his. He really didn’t relish the idea of getting Guido involved again, especially to represent him against an attempted murder charge.

* * * * *

Felicia knocked on the frame of the open front door and stuck her head inside. The studio smelled like a combination of fresh paint, bleach and smoke. She wrinkled her nose and stepped inside. From the front door, except for the smell, the place looked fairly normal. But when she followed the sound of music and voices to the large studio where most of the damage had been done, she realized just how badly the vandal had hurt the studio’s owners.

The wood floor was charred and burned away in a large area in the center. One long wall was covered with graffiti in blood-red paint. Scorch marks stained the white walls and black soot coated the wall of mirrors.

The stereo system at the front of the studio had been smashed to pieces, its large speakers slashed and torn apart. One window at the back of the room was broken. It looked like the vandal had thrown a chair or something through it. Glass still glittered on the floor beneath the window.

Giorgio was sweeping up the glass, and dumping it into a large trash can. Penelope was wearing rubber gloves and scrubbing hard on the walls, trying to remove some of the graffiti. They’d brought a boom box into the room and were playing salsa music at a tooth-jarring level. Penelope’s hips swayed and jerked to the music as she scrubbed.

Felicia smiled. It took a very strong woman to dance as she dealt with the wanton destruction of her livelihood and property.

Felicia stepped around the charred floor and called out to them. It took several tries to get their attention over the music. Then Giorgio walked over and hit the power button, plunging them into startling silence.

Penelope pulled off her gloves, dropping them onto a nearby wooden chair, and walked over to take Felicia’s hand.

“Felicia. How are you?” She glanced around. “Is Garrett with you?”

Tears flooded Felicia’s eyes and she sobbed.

Penelope and Giorgio each grabbed an elbow as her knees sagged.

They walked her to the side of the room and made her sit down and drop her head between her knees. Penelope rubbed her back and sent Giorgio to get her a bottle of water.

“Take deep breaths, honey. That’s good, just breathe. The rest will come in a few minutes. You just need to breathe deeply.”

Felicia did as instructed. When Giorgio returned with an icy bottle of water she drank it gratefully. Then she quickly filled them in on the latest news and Garrett’s apparent involvement.

Penelope was shaking her head before Felicia could finish the story. “Garrett would never do that. No matter what that man did.”

Felicia felt better until she glanced at Giorgio. His face had gone pale.

“What?” Penelope asked him.

Giorgio shook his head. “I’m sure you’re right, sweetheart.”

Penelope touched his shoulder, “No. Tell me what’s bothering you.”

He glanced at Felicia as if reluctant to talk in front of her.

“Please, Giorgio. It’s why I came here. I have to know.”

Giorgio took a deep breath, “It’s just that…when I got to Foust’s office that night, Garrett was coming out of the building. He looked a little shell-shocked. I asked him if he’d seen Foust…” Giorgio seemed to be avoiding Felicia’s eyes.

“Please go on.” She swiped tears from her cheeks, more certain than ever that what Giorgio was going to tell them was important.

“He said he’d decided against seeing him because…” he stopped, glancing at Penelope, “in the mood he was in he was afraid he’d kill the man.”

Felicia gasped. She jerked to her feet and started toward the door. She was vaguely aware of Penelope and Giorgio calling out to her but she ignored them and started running.

Chapter Eleven

Felicia headed for St. Vincent’s Hospital. When she arrived, she asked where Dave Foust was being kept. She told them she was family so they’d allow her to visit him in ICU. The nurse headed for the door when she arrived, whispering to Felicia as she left that she could only stay a few minutes.

Felicia walked over and looked down at Dave. Every ounce of anger she held against him slid away. The man on the bed was unrecognizable. His entire head was discolored and swollen. He looked as if his nose and both cheeks had been crushed and his eyes were swollen nearly closed. One hand was in a cast, probably broken when he tried to defend himself against his attacker.

Felicia sobbed and placed a hand on Dave’s chest. The determined pound of his heart against her palm was comforting. She walked around the bed, sat down in the visitor’s chair and clasped Dave’s large, warm hand.

She sat that way for a while, with tears flowing down her cheeks and wondered when her life had gotten so messed up. She should have never stepped outside the box. She should have never slept with a younger man. She should have never gone to that damn club.

Sighing, Felicia stood up and placed a gentle kiss on Dave’s cheek. She turned away and took a step toward the door.

The hand in hers tightened, holding her there.

Felicia turned in surprise and saw Dave’s eyes, barely visible between the swollen lids, fixed on her.

She sat back down. “Hello, Dave. Are you doing all right? Can I get you something to make you more comfortable?”

Dave tried to speak but nothing came out. He motioned to the water on the table next to the bed. Felicia lifted it and placed the straw between his swollen lips.

He looked as if he had trouble swallowing but, clearing his throat, he tried to speak again. “I shouldn’t have done it. He-he never saw it coming.”

Felicia leaned close to hear the words, certain she’d misheard. “Done what, Dave?”

He just shook his head, repeating the words. His eyes fluttered closed. But before he drifted off he said, “Can’t blame him.”

Felicia sat back in the chair, thinking. What was it that Dave was feeling guilty about? The notes to her? No, he’d said he didn’t blame “him”. Of course it was probably the trashing of Giorgio and Penelope’s studio. He definitely shouldn’t have done that, if he did.

In that case it looked bad for Garrett. He’d be the obvious “him” on that one. Unless it was Giorgio…

Felicia gave that a moment’s thought, playing possible scenarios through her mind. Giorgio going to Dave’s law office to find Garrett. Garrett and Giorgio leaving together. Giorgio returning alone…

It could have happened that way. But Felicia had trouble envisioning Giorgio as the kind of guy who’d beat an older man to a pulp with a lamp.

She replayed Dave’s exact words in her mind. I shouldn’t have done it. He never saw it coming. Can’t blame…

Felicia leapt out of the chair, suddenly knowing who it was. She turned toward the door and stopped, giving off a little squeal. A man stood there. He was dressed in a lab coat but Felicia doubted he worked in the hospital. His face was covered in still-healing bruises. She recognized the face under the swelling and bruising. She took a step backward.

He stepped toward her.

Felicia tried to dodge around him but he grabbed her arm, flinging her toward the hospital bed. She landed on Dave and hit her head hard on the metal side rail on the far side of the bed. Dave grunted but his eyes stayed shut. He appeared to be heavily sedated.

“Now just what have you figured out, Ms. Cougar? That you like younger men? I’m younger than you. I think you’d like me much better than that pansy-ass dancer boy.”

Blood dripped down Felicia’s face from a small cut on her forehead. She pretended to be woozy from the head injury and didn’t straighten from the bed right away. Reaching into her purse with the hand that was under her stomach, she felt around until she found her cell phone. She tried to feel her way around the buttons to find a nine and a one.

Before she could dial 9-1-1 he grabbed her arm and pulled her off Dave. Her cell phone flew out of her hand, landing on the bed next to Dave. Felicia was unable to keep her attacker from dragging her toward the door. Looking both ways down the hall and seeing that nobody was paying attention, with his arm over her mouth to keep her from screaming, he pulled her across and into the elevator, pressing the button for the basement.

As the doors slid shut, he slammed his body into hers, pinning her to the side of the elevator. “I wasn’t planning on dealing with a nosy bitch today. But maybe it won’t be so bad after all, huh? You’re pretty. You smell great too. You older bitches are very appreciative of a man’s attention, aren’t you?”

Felicia swallowed down bile and kneed him in the crotch, hard. The elevator doors slid open and she ran out, leaving him gasping and retching on the floor.

* * * * *

Detective Hanks narrowed his eyes on the computer as it searched through millions of available fingerprints, looking for one that matched Garrett’s freely given prints. They’d managed to pull a partial thumb print off the doorjamb leading into Dave Foust’s office that didn’t match any of the employees’ prints.

It could be a thousand other people. Cleaning crew. Clients. Family members of personnel who snuck into the boss’s office looking for paper and scissors. The list was endless. But police work was built on certain methods and ways of doing things.

First weed out the obvious. Then look for the less obvious in the newly filtered arena.

Garrett stood up. “I’m gonna go get another cup of liquid blacktop. You want some?”

Hanks looked up and grinned, handing Garrett his mug. “Thanks.” He watched the young man walk across the bullpen, looking decidedly less cocky than he had the first time Hanks had brought him in, but still giving off the vibes of an innocent man.

Hanks was trying not to like the guy but it was getting increasingly difficult. He dealt with a lot of people in his line of work. Victims, scam artists, violent thugs, and even the occasional good guy just trying to keep his head above water.

He’d stake his career on Garrett Holcomb being in the latter group. He just hoped he could find evidence to prove it. Or rather, prove Garrett wasn’t a violent thug. Hanks didn’t need proof that Holcomb was a good guy, he had his gut for that.

And a fine gut it was.

Said gut rumbled hungrily and Hanks ran a beefy hand over it. He stood up and headed toward the snack area. Some cookies would go well with his blacktop. Hanks chuckled. The kid wasn’t too far off on that. The coffee at the station was just a hair away from being roadworthy.

* * * * *

Felicia screamed when a hand grabbed her hair and yanked, hard. She fell backward and hit the floor, ripping some of the hair from her head in the process.

“Bitch!” He yanked her upright again and dragged one of her arms around her back, cranking it toward her shoulder blades until she cried out from the pain. “You pull any more shit like that and I’ll break your pretty arm. You got that?”

Felicia nodded and pressed her lips together to keep from crying out. She didn’t want to give the jerk the satisfaction.

“Let’s go. I’m parked just outside this door.”

Felicia’s mind spun, trying to come up with a plan to escape the man before he could get her into his car. Once he had her there she was in deep trouble.

But her mind was locked up with fear and the pain and she couldn’t think. There was nothing she could do to get away.

* * * * *

Hanks’ phone rang as Garrett returned from the coffee room. The big cop looked at his phone, apparently checking caller ID, and glanced up at Garrett. “Why would your girlfriend be calling me?”

Garrett swore. He had deliberately come there without telling Felicia about it because he didn’t want her involved. He’d just wanted to clear his name so he could face her again. Setting Hanks’ coffee down on the desk, he dropped his butt into the chair as the big cop picked up the phone. He should have known the woman wouldn’t be able to stay out of it.

Hanks’ face showed his surprise. “Mr. Foust? Why are you calling me from Felicia Jeffries’ phone?”

Garrett’s mug hit the tile floor and he was on his feet reaching for the phone almost before Hanks got the question out. Hanks slapped his hand away and glared at him.

“Uh-huh.” Hanks grabbed his all-suffering pencil and scribbled painstaking notes on a pad of paper.

Garrett came around the desk so he could read Hanks’ scribbles. He gave up after only a couple of minutes. The man wrote like a monkey.

“Please try to calm down, Mr. Foust. I’m having trouble understanding you.”

Garrett made a play for the phone again and Hanks punched him in the chest. Garrett was knocked backward a couple of steps from the punch. He rubbed his chest and glared at Hanks.

Hanks just glared back.

“When did this happen?” Hanks made some more monkey scribbles. “And the man’s name?” He tucked the phone between his beefy shoulder and his ear and bent over his computer to type the name Foust had given him into a search database.

Garrett moved closer, still rubbing his chest, and saw the name Geoff Rogers on the screen. “Rogers? The guy from the parking lot?”

Hanks shushed him.

“Okay, thank you for calling us, Mr. Foust. We’ll be in touch.”

Hanks fairly threw the phone back into its cradle, hit the print button on the keyboard, and grabbed his gun and badge from his center desk drawer. “Come on, we’ll grab the printout on the way.”

Garrett ran after him. For a big guy, Hanks sure could move fast when he needed to. “What’s going on, Detective?”

Rather than waiting for the elevator, they pushed into the stairwell and took the stairs to the underground parking level where the detectives kept their cars. “Dave Foust witnessed the kidnapping of Felicia Jeffries.” Hanks looked at him. “Apparently she was taken by the guy who beat Foust up.”

Garrett only heard that Felicia was in danger. It didn’t make sense. “Why? How?”

They burst through the parking level door and ran toward Hanks’ car. “I’ll explain it all to you in the car. Let’s just hope this Rogers guy still lives at his latest known address and that he wasn’t smart enough to take her somewhere else, or we might not find her in time.”

Chapter Twelve

Felicia tugged her wrists, trying in vain to loosen the duct tape wrapped around them. The man had left her alone for a few minutes and gone into another room. He seemed to have gone a little mad. She wasn’t sure if it was from the beating he’d obviously taken or all the pills she’d seen him popping for the pain.

All she could think about was Garrett.

If this guy killed her, Garrett would never know that she trusted him implicitly. That she’d never really doubted him for a moment. Not in her heart. Not in her soul.

He’d also never know that she loved him.

She stopped pulling on the tape for a minute and her eyes widened.

She’d surprised herself.

Yes, she realized. She did love Garrett.

Tears rolled down her cheeks. She’d probably never get a chance to tell him.

The phone rang again in the other room. She could hear it through the door. He’d stuffed her in some kind of closet, filled with clothes that smelled of sweat, cigarettes and mothballs. The phone had been ringing every ten minutes or so for the last hour.

Selfishly Felicia hoped it was somebody looking for her but she knew it wasn’t. It couldn’t be. They’d never know where to find her.

* * * * *

Garrett slammed his cell phone shut and glared at the traffic on the road ahead.

Hanks glanced at him. “No luck?”

Garrett swiped a hand down his face in frustration. “He’s not answering. Or he’s not there.” Blowing out a frustrated breath, Garrett pounded a fist on the dashboard. “Why couldn’t Foust have regained consciousness sooner? Then maybe we could have grabbed this guy before he got hold of Felicia.”

Hanks couldn’t help smiling. “We?”

Garrett had the grace to look embarrassed. “I know. I’m just along for the ride. You’ve only told me that about a hundred times.”

Hanks chuckled. “Then why don’t I think you believe me?”

They pulled up in front of a small, yellow house that was badly in need of paint. Rogers lived in one of those neighborhoods that had once been cute and respectable, but had over the years traveled down a path to become seedy and disreputable.

It was a known hotspot for crack addicts and drug dealers.

Garrett’s phone rang and he grabbed it, foolishly hoping it was Felicia. “Hello?”

“Garrett? Buddy, where are you? You’re on tonight.”

Bruno. Damn! “Sorry, buddy. I can’t come in. Something’s happened to Felicia.”

Garrett heard a quick background discussion and recognized Bliss’ voice. A second later the phone changed hands and she was on. “Garrett! What’s wrong? What have you done to Felicia?”

Hanks climbed out of the car and stood outside the house, looking up at its darkened windows. It sure looked as if nobody was home.

Garrett climbed out too. He bit back his frustration at Bliss’ immediate assumption that he’d done something to Felicia. She was worried about her friend. He got that. He just didn’t get how everybody had assumed he was capable of beating an older man nearly to death.

He’d never get that.

“Garrett!”

“Sorry, Bliss, look, it’s complicated. I’m with Detective Hanks. We’re trying to find Felicia. I’ll have to fill you in later.” He hung up, certain he’d left poor Bruno with a huge smoldering turd of a mess.

Bliss would not only be mad, she’d be crazed with worry.

Bruno would have his hands full.

Garrett didn’t envy him.

* * * * *

The closet door was wrenched open and Felicia squinted against the bright beam of a flashlight, focused right in her face.

“Come on, kitty cat.” He jerked her arm and pulled her onto her feet, out of the closet. Her feet stung with needles as blood worked its way back down to them. She felt as if she’d been sitting on them for hours.

With her feet numb and clumsy, Felicia tripped over them and fell, catching him off guard so that he lost his grip on her arm.

A loud pounding sounded from another part of the house.

His head jerked in that direction and he swore. “Hurry up. They’ve found me. We need to get the hell out of here.”

Felicia kicked at his hand as he reached for her and heard a very satisfying crack as his hand wrenched backward on his wrist. He screamed in pain. She rolled and managed to get herself underneath the bed, scooting as far from his grasping hand as she could.

Dust balls and more disgusting things assailed her and she sneezed. The smell of something rotting near her head made her eyes water.

He got down on his belly and managed to get one shoulder under the bed so he could reach for her, catching one of her ankles as she kicked at him.

Felicia kicked frantically but he didn’t release her. He managed to pull her halfway out from under the bed and she had no way to stop him.

Her hands were taped together behind her back and he had hold of both feet now.

Something crashed at the front of the house and he let go of her.

Felicia quickly scooted back under the bed, closed her eyes and cried quietly, praying it was help that had arrived, rather than more trouble.

A deep voice called out, “Put your hands in the air and lie on the floor. Now, Rogers!”

Silence followed this command, then the sounds of scuffling and a muffled cry of pain.

Then footsteps, heading for the bed.

Felicia’s eyes flew open and she waited, silently praying her ordeal would be over soon.

“Felicia! Where are you?”

Garrett!

She tried to call out to him but the tape over her mouth reduced the words she gave him to mumbling sounds. She started scooting, desperate to get to him.

Strong hands grabbed her arms, pulling her gently out from under the bed. She sobbed as she looked up into Garrett’s beautiful, worried face.

He grabbed the edge of the tape over her mouth. “I’m sorry, honey, this is gonna hurt.”

She nodded, suddenly finding it hard to breathe with the tape on her face. Her eyes pleaded with him to remove it quickly.

Garrett ripped the tape away and immediately covered the tender skin with kisses. “Oh my God, Felicia, I was so scared. Are you okay, honey?” He held her arms and looked intently into her tear-filled eyes.

“I…” she cleared her throat. “I’m okay, but I think I might have wrenched a shoulder.” She tried to lift her hands to show him the tape and winced.

“Dammit!” Garrett moved around behind her and made short work of the tape.

When her wrists were free, Felicia slowly pulled her arms forward, rolling her shoulders carefully. Garrett rubbed her wrists gently as the needles found their way into her numb fingers.

The deep voice from earlier said, “Is she all right, Holcomb?”

Garrett looked up. “I think so. We need to get her out of here.”

“Let’s go.”

Garrett stood and reached for her. “Can you stand?”

Felicia grinned at him through her tears. “To get out of here? Just try to stop me.”

Garrett chuckled. “That’s my girl.”

* * * * *

Bliss grabbed Felicia in a crushing hug when they arrived at the police station. “Are you all right, sweetie?”

“I’m fine.” Her voice was husky with unshed tears.

Brad hugged her too, when Bliss finally let her go. “You had us pretty worried.” The big man gave her a wry smile. “I thought I was gonna have to steal somebody’s handcuffs to keep Bliss here.”

Bliss grinned, her brown eyes shining with unshed tears of relief. “Hold that thought, Bradley. I might just take you up on that!”

The tall, handsome man laughed, shaking his head.

Bruno touched her shoulder. “I’m really glad you’re okay, Felicia.”

Felicia nodded, her answering smile wobbly.

“Garrett! Felicia!” Giorgio and Penelope rushed into the room. Garrett kept his arm around Felicia but reached to shake his friend’s hand.

Penelope clasped one of Felicia’s hands in both of hers. “I’m so glad you’re okay. Garrett would have been devastated if something had happened to you.”

“Thanks!” It was a stupid, mundane response but she found herself tongue-tied under all the loving support.

She suddenly realized that, despite all the recent ugliness in her life, she had found friends, new friends, and they didn’t care about her money or her status. They didn’t judge her because she was in love with a much younger man. They liked her because of who she was, rather than what she could do for them.

While she’d been concentrating on all the wrong things, the things that were really important had been working themselves out, unnoticed. Felicia took a huge breath, feeling as if a huge weight had lifted away.

Hanks hung up the call he’d taken shortly after they’d arrived and looked up at the crowd, his small, brown eyes widening in surprise. “Looks like we’ll need more chairs.”

Felicia fully expected her friends to excuse themselves and leave. But instead they helped the detective pull chairs from around the room and they all sat down around her, like a support group.

She felt the shock and horror of the last few hours sliding away under a newfound hope that things would be better now. Now that she had someone to love and new friends to share that love with.

Garrett had seemed withdrawn since finding her at Geoff Rogers’ house. He hadn’t spoken three words to her, and not many more than that to Hanks and his friends. Looking at him now, she saw an intensity in his gaze that was disconcerting.

As if he felt her gaze on his face he turned. He squeezed her hand but didn’t smile. Felicia clearly read the hurt in his sexy blue eyes.

She knew she had hurt him. They’d all hurt him. They’d assumed he’d beaten Dave Foust, judged him without even asking him about it first or taking into account all they knew about him as a man.

It was inexcusable.

Looking at his face now, Felicia began to worry that it would also be irreparable.

“Okay, Dave Foust has been placed under medical arrest. He’ll stay in the hospital until he’s well enough to go to jail.”

That caught Felicia’s attention. “What? Jail? Why?”

Garrett didn’t look at her when he said, “For beating the living crap out of Geoff Rogers and then trying to pin it on me.” Finally he did turn and his gaze swept all the people assembled there. Felicia recognized the pain and accusation in the look. They were his friends, and they’d all thought the worst of him.

Bruno and Giorgio both swore under their breath. Penelope reached for Garrett and squeezed his forearm. Bliss couldn’t look him in the eye.

Felicia just sat there, guilty as charged. She didn’t know the words to make it right with Garrett again. Anything she said there—in front of all those people—would just turn the knife deeper. So she only whispered, “I’m so sorry, Garrett.”

He turned away and looked at Hanks. “What about Rogers?”

“We have a partial print placing him in Foust’s office. And Foust’s statement that Rogers beat him in retaliation for what he’d done at the club that night. They’ll both be spending some time in jail.”

Felicia found her voice. “But why?”

Hanks focused small, hazel eyes on her. “Why did Foust beat Rogers? I’m guessing it had something to do with pinning it on Mr. Holcomb, as he said. The man was most insistent that night that we round up Holcomb because he’d threatened his client prior to the beating.”

“His client?” Garrett’s lips twisted with distaste.

Hanks nodded. “Yeah. Rogers was a client of his at one time. Rogers was working for Foust when he accosted Ms. Jeffries in the club that first night. It was apparently all a plan by Foust to set up the scenario where Mr. Holcomb got blamed for beating Rogers.”

“Rogers figured it out and went after the lawyer.”

Hanks looked at Giorgio and nodded. “Foust insists he attacked from behind and hit Rogers with a baseball bat before he could see him. Something must have tipped the man off.”

“Nice guy,” Bliss mumbled, glancing at Garrett guiltily. Brad rubbed her back in sympathy.

Felicia suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Turning to Hanks, she said, “I’m not feeling well, Detective Hanks. Can I go home now?”

Hanks stood up. “That’s a good idea. I have enough information from you for tonight. I’ll call you tomorrow and get your complete statement.”

“Will you give me a ride home?” she asked Garrett.

Garrett shook his head and turned away. “I’m sorry but…I need to go.” He walked out of the room, leaving all his friends behind, looking shocked at his abrupt dismissal of them.

And breaking Felicia’s heart clean apart in her chest.

Chapter Thirteen

Felicia stared glumly at the computer screen and fought tears. The excited words of a newly converted cougar stared back at her. She remembered the thrum of excitement from those first looks, that first, tentative touch, and the thrill of knowing that a young, sexy man could find her attractive.

The experience, though terrifying at first, had been incredible. Felicia knew she’d never be able to replace it. She knew now that she was in love with Garrett. She probably always would be. He was a wonderful man.

And she had treated him horribly.

Her heart twisted and she stood up, eager to get away from the evidence of another woman’s joy at having found a new love in a most unexpected place.

Felicia moved restlessly around the house. She’d been at loose ends for the past two weeks, since Garrett had walked out of her life and left her alone and feeling stupid.

She’d received a conciliatory call from Ben Miller at Children’s Hospital. Apparently his young wife had discovered what he’d done in firing Felicia and had given him no end of grief about it. He’d obviously been trying to get back in his wife’s good graces by bringing Felicia back.

Felicia hadn’t committed herself to anything. She didn’t think she wanted to go back. She needed to move forward, put the past behind her, and try something different, something that would stir her senses and give her a new purpose in life.

Sitting down at her computer with a sigh, she started searching for a job that would fit those parameters. An hour later she gave up and headed into the kitchen, hoping to find something to eat.

The cupboard was bare.

Felicia grabbed her purse and headed out. There was a deli downtown that she and Bliss liked. It had a truly stupendous salad with chicken and a warm, spicy dressing. She couldn’t wait to taste that salad again.

It was the first thing she’d been excited about in weeks.

She parked on the street outside the deli and headed inside. An attractive woman sat hunched over a stack of papers at a small table in back, chewing despondently on a large salad.

Without stopping to examine her motives too carefully, Felicia headed toward the woman. “Penelope?”

Penelope looked up, her attractive face brightening in a smile. “Felicia! How are you?”

Felicia indicated the empty chair at the table and Penelope nodded. Sitting down, Felicia placed her purse on the table in front of her. “To tell you the truth I’ve been better.”

Penelope reached across the table and touched Felicia’s hand. “You haven’t heard from Garrett?”

Felicia struggled to hold back tears. She sniffed, determined not to make the visit about Garrett. “How are you? Did you get the studio back in shape?”

A shadow fell over Penelope’s face. “The insurance company is dragging its feet. They want to wait until the legal issues are ironed out before they’ll pay for the damage.” Her gaze lifted to Felicia’s face, filled with frustration. “That could take months or years.”

Felicia felt responsible for what had happened to Penelope and wished she could help somehow. “I’m so sorry, Penelope. I know how much that business means to you.”

Penelope forced a smile. “It’ll work itself out. At least I’m rich in love.”

“How is Giorgio?”

The shadow finally fell away from Penelope’s face. “He’s wonderful as always! I’m so blessed…” Her smile faded as she realized that her happiness might not be exactly welcomed by the woman sitting across from her. “Oh, I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be silly. The world can’t stop just because my heart’s broken. I’m glad you and Giorgio found each other. You’re both wonderful people.”

Penelope grasped Felicia’s hand. “Thanks. You’re pretty great too.”

Felicia looked away, all too aware of her guilt about Garrett.

“I understand you like yoga?”

“I love it. It keeps me sane.” She patted her hip, smiling. “And in shape.”

Penelope took a bite of her salad. Silence reigned as she chewed and swallowed. “I feel the same way. You should come to the studio a couple of times a week. We have really awesome classes.” She determinedly kept her gaze on her salad. “And the best instructor in town.” Her gaze slid toward Felicia’s face, sparkling with mirth.

Felicia stood up. Not sure how to take Penelope’s playfulness. “I just might do that, Penelope. It would be good for me to get out of the house a few times a week.”

Penelope looked truly pleased.

Felicia ordered her salad to go and left, waving goodbye to Penelope and feeling the other woman’s eyes on her back as she returned to her car.

Had Penelope been trying to tell her something about Garrett? Was there a chance? Felicia shook her head, refusing to set herself up to the kind of pain those hopeful thoughts would bring her.

Garrett was gone. She’d just have to learn to live with that.

* * * * *

The studio was filling quickly. Garrett had been moved to the smaller studio until his was repaired, and it was sometimes a little tricky fitting all the participants into the room. The overcrowding had spurred some interesting entanglements and the occasional mass collapse, domino-like, during some of the balancing poses.

Overall the practitioners in Garrett’s class had been good natured about it, though Penelope had been fretting because they’d had to limit the class sizes until they could find a way to get his larger studio repaired.

Garrett checked his music and switched out the CD he’d had in there from that morning’s class to one that fit his mood better. He’d used upbeat rock music for the morning class, but his current, slightly depressed mood said classical to him.

He kept himself apart from the social interactions going on behind him as long as he could. He just didn’t feel much like joining in. He probably should have given the class to Giorgio or Penelope and taken the night off.

He was having trouble getting over Felicia.

Garrett had thought he could walk away from her and never look back. He’d thought his hurt pride would be enough to help him make that break. He didn’t want to be with a woman who could think that badly of him, a woman who would assume he’d not only beat a man near to death out of temper, but who would also hurt her if he got angry.

He’d been sure his pride would make the separation easy.

But pride was a poor partner and it did nothing to heal the pain of a broken heart.

“Namaste.”

He dropped the blocks he’d been getting ready to distribute and turned, the blood running from his face as he looked at her. He frowned to cover up his shock. “Felicia.”

She looked wonderful in her snug little top and sleek yoga pants. She’d pulled her dark hair back into a smooth ponytail that made her look about twenty. Her eyes were sad and she had her hands clasped in front of her, nervously twining her long fingers.

She was a feast for his starving eyes.

“How are you, Garrett?”

Grabbing up an armful of blocks, he stepped down from the raised platform and started laying them out beside the mats.

He could feel her eyes following him around the room. He fully expected her to walk out. He was being rude and he knew it but he had nothing in his armory of accepted behaviors that told him how to react to her sudden reappearance in his life.

He was surprised to find her sitting on the edge of the platform, waiting for him, when he returned to the front of the room.

“Garrett, I’d like to talk…”

He grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the studio, shocking both of them. Stalking across the lobby with her in tow, he opened the office door and glared at Penelope until she stood up from her desk and walked out, squeezing Felicia’s hand supportively as she slid past.

As soon as the door to the office closed Garrett turned to face her, running a hand through his hair so that it stuck up in spots.

Felicia fought the urge to reach up and straighten it, feeling a tender tug on her heart at the sight.

“Why are you here, Felicia?”

She wanted to wrap herself around him and hold on. She wanted to murmur that she was there for him…but she didn’t. “I just signed an agreement to partner with Penelope. I’m now co-owner of the studio.”

His eyes widened at that. She watched emotions play across his handsome face as he assimilated all the more obvious outcomes of her announcement.

Finally he nodded. “Well. I’m happy for Penelope. That takes a load off. With your money…” Then his gaze sharpened and he said, “I guess I’ll be looking for another job then?” He put his hands on his hips and glared at her, daring her to fire him.

Unbelievably Felicia felt the urge to giggle. She bit her lip and shook her head. “I hoped you would stay.” Felicia took a step closer, her hand coming up to touch the side of his face. “I’ve missed you, Garrett.”

He stiffened and closed his eyes. For a long moment he didn’t move or speak.

Felicia held her breath.

Then he turned his head and placed a soft kiss in her palm. “I’ve missed you too, honey.”

Tears rolled down Felicia’s face. “Oh God, Garrett, I’m so sorry. I was such a bitch…”

He pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “I was wrong too, Felicia. I was blaming you for a moment of doubt, when I was far from perfect in that area myself.”

Felicia shook her head, burrowing deeply into his chest. She felt as if she was home again. She wanted to stay there forever. “What I did was terrible…”

“Shhh!” He grabbed her ponytail and pulled her head back gently, dropping his lips to hers.

Felicia made a little sound and tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him more deeply into the kiss. The air in the little office heated and sparked under their hunger. Felicia forgot to breathe for a moment as her body melded to and throbbed against his.

Garrett’s lips left hers and trailed down her throat. His hand skimmed across her buns and along her hips, his fingers tucking beneath the tiny top to rest on the silky skin of her waist.

“It’s all good now.” He lowered his head, touching the side of her neck with a soft, heated kiss. “All I want to do is make long, sweet love to you.” His lips trailed to her chin and he nipped her there, gently, playfully.

Felicia’s body wept with need, her breasts painful with fullness under his hands. Garrett’s lips touched her cheek and lingered there, giving her the sweetest kiss. “I want to do it now.”

Felicia opened her eyes, shocked. “But…”

Garrett covered her lips with his. He grabbed her hips and pulled them up tight against his body, showing her how very much he needed her.

Despite her awareness of the other people in the building, of the thin layer of glass which was all that was between them and about a hundred rosy-cheeked yogis, Felicia felt her resistance sliding away under the determined onslaught of Garrett’s tongue and hands.

He slanted his head and deepened their kiss, sliding a hand up her back to cup the back of her head, holding her into the whirlwind he was creating with his mouth. Felicia made a little sound in her throat. Her mind had gone muzzy with lust.

After a moment she couldn’t remember what she’d been worried about.

All she wanted was the heated satin of his body stroking hers.

The intensity of the fire between them was intimidating. Garrett had thought he could play with her for a few minutes and then go on with his night, picking it up again later, in the privacy of his home. But a single touch, a single taste of Felicia was all he needed to lose complete control.

His cock strained against the malleable material of his oversized shorts, tenting them noticeably. He was beyond thought, beyond restraint, completely beyond caring about anything at all except the soft, sweetly panting woman beneath his hands.

He hooked his thumbs in the band of her yoga pants and tugged them down to her thighs.

Felicia gasped, dragging her lips from his. “We can’t! The door!”

Her beautiful eyes were lidded with lust, her lips swollen. Unable to help himself, Garrett lowered his head and captured her supple lower lip between his teeth, worrying it gently.

When he let her go he sighed, placing his forehead against hers. “You’re right. This is definitely not the right place to do this.”

Felicia nodded and sighed, her body slumping with regret.

Garrett lifted her chin, smiling. “But I don’t care. I can’t wait to have you again.”

Without warning, Garrett grabbed her hips and lifted her, turning to press her back against the door. “There. Now nobody can get in unless we let them in.”

Felicia burst into slightly hysterical laughter that turned to a gasp when Garrett dragged her soft cami up to her chin and captured a demanding nipple in his hot mouth. Felicia’s objections died on her lips as he slid a hard finger into her pussy.

She was so wet, so ready for him she wanted to cry.

Her back was pressed against a frosted window in the door. She knew anyone who was looking would see her there, smashed against the glass like a bug on the windshield.

Laughter burbled up into her throat and she let it free, suddenly not caring.

Garrett’s mouth moved to the other breast and Felicia slid her fingers into the heavy silk of his hair. He felt like heaven against her. His heat, the firm roundness of his beautiful muscles, the soft contrast of his blond curls against her skin.

His mouth slid upward, to nibble the sensitive spot where her shoulder met her neck. Felicia gasped and dropped her head, allowing him free rein of her throat.

He removed his finger and added a second, plunging them deep into her hungry body. His thumb found her clit and rubbed it as his fingers fucked her wet channel.

“Oh my god, Garrett! Don’t ever stop.” She gasped as her muscles tightened, on the edge of beautiful relief. “You feel so damn good.”

But Garrett did stop. He pulled his fingers from her pussy and dropped to his knees, lifting one of her legs so he could reach the throbbing nub between her thighs with his hot mouth.

Felicia groaned long and hard as the moist heat closed over her needy little bud. Pleasure swept through her, tightening her muscles even farther and locking breath within her lungs.

His talented lips sucked and his hot tongue licked until Felicia thought she’d die from pleasure. She placed one hand on his head, holding him close as he pulled her inexorably closer to the flames that danced just out of reach in her mind. Her other hand found an aching breast and tweaked her nipple, enjoying the rush of pleasure spearing from her breast right to her soaking pussy.

She danced at the edge of those flames, feeling their heat. Her body hovered on that flickering edge, hungry, desperate, and determined to enjoy the burn. Each pull of Garrett’s strong lips sent a fiery spear of pleasure searing through her body, sending her just that much closer to the fire.

Desire built and climbed beneath her skin until, finally, Felicia shattered into a million, wonderful pieces and she fell over, screaming his name, as her body fractured apart.

Her pussy milked his fingers hard, demandingly.

Garrett stood up and pressed against her, grinning. “Well, you’ve done it now.”

That was when Felicia realized she’d screamed. Her mouth formed a horrified “oh” and she stilled, listening.

Sure enough, the busy rumble of moments before was gone. It was as if the entire building had stopped to listen to them.

Felicia covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes dancing with embarrassment and delight.

The sound of very loud salsa music suddenly filled the space and Garrett chuckled. “Good job, Pene.”

Felicia laughed too. Her laughter was cut off very quickly as Garrett picked her up and turned her, depositing her on her ass on the top of Penelope’s desk.

“Penelope isn’t gonna be happy if she finds out you’re making looooo—ohhh…my lord!”

Garrett buried himself deeply inside her wondrous pussy, feeling the silken muscles mold and wrap him in their hot embrace. Paused within her, he allowed the breath he’d been holding to escape him. A single word danced across his consciousness as he savored her body’s embrace.

Home.

He wrapped his arms around her knees and levered her butt off the desk, driving himself even more deeply into her massaging heat. Felicia closed her eyes and palmed her breasts, tweaking her nipples as he thrust.

Garrett slid comfortably into the salsa music booming through the studio, allowing the beat to guide the tempo and intensity of his thrusts.

The spicy beat fired his body and sent his pulse soaring. The sight and feel of the beautiful woman beneath him made his skin burn with unresolved need. He tucked Felicia’s calves over his shoulders and reached between their bodies to find her clit, rubbing it briskly as he increased the intensity of his thrusts.

With his other hand he cupped a swelling breast, savoring the dense heaviness against his palm.

His muscles tightened under his building orgasm. Sweat poured down his face. His cock swelled and he became almost painfully aware of the silken channel caressing it. Each skim of flesh against flesh created a razor-sharp response jolting through his skin. His balls rose tight and firm against his body, throbbing with the need for release.

Felicia’s eyes were closed and her eyelids began to flutter, her hands clamping convulsively onto his arms. Her muscles tightened beneath his hands, her pussy gave his cock a testing squeeze, and she went over, her head thrashing on the desk.

Garrett closed his eyes and let his muscles soften. He plunged deep and stopped, catching his breath in a gasp as release teetered just outside his grasp and then tipped, sending bright shards of delight swelling through him.

His cock jumped once, his balls tightening to the point of pain, and then offered blessed relief as he gave up his sensual offering with a groan. Wave after wave of delight swept him as he came.

As the layers of pleasure softened, Garrett leaned over Felicia and captured her panting breath in a soft kiss. “That was amazing.”

Felicia gave her response in the form of a passionate kiss that put ideas of further playtime in his head.

The salsa music stopped abruptly and Garrett pulled away. “We need to pull ourselves together, we’re about to get a visit from the head yogi.”

Felicia’s face burned red with embarrassment but she took Garrett’s hand and slid off the desk, quickly pulling her clothing over her body.

Garrett barely got his clothes back into place before the door opened. He crossed his arms and leaned against the desk, trying to look innocent.

Penelope stuck her head into the office. She was grinning. “You’ve lost your class for tonight, Garrett. I’m taking it. And Felicia…” Her grin widened. “There’s just no room in the class for you. I’m sorry.” She started to close the door and then opened it again, her green eyes sparking with mischief. “Maybe Garrett should take you home and give you a private lesson.” She giggled as she closed the door.

Remembering the last private yoga lesson they’d shared Felicia licked her lips. “I’m up for a private lesson if you are.”

Garrett grinned and gave her ponytail a tug before tucking her under his arm. “I’ll race ya to my house.”

Felicia squealed and surged out from under his arm. “You’re on!”

About the Author

Award-winning author Sam Cheever mixes in a little fun, a little magic and a little real-life spice to create her sexy fantasy characters. Sam’s fun-loving creations fight their way through a dizzying array of dangerous challenges without letting little things like the end of the world, angry, manipulative gods, evil dark-world denizens, or killing Furies dampen their zest for life and hot love!

Sam loves to chat with readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Tell Us What You Think

We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email us at Comments@EllorasCave.com.

Also by Sam Cheever

Bits ’n’ Bytes

Dancin’ With the Devil 1: ‘Tween Heaven and Hell

Dancin’ With the Devil 2: ‘Tween a Devil and His Hard Place

Dancin’ With the Devil 3: ‘Tween Heart’s Fire and Devil’s Delight

Dancin’ With the Devil 4: ‘Tween Hopeful and Hopeless

Dancin’ With the Devil 5: The Devil You Know

Gods of Love 1: Nocked Over

Gods of Love 2: Nocked Asunder

Gods of Love 3: Nocked Senseless

Gods of Love: Nocked for a Loop

Print Books by Sam Cheever

Dancin’ With the Devil 1: ‘Tween Heaven and Hell

Dancin’ With the Devil 2: ‘Tween a Devil and His Hard Place

Dancin’ With the Devil 3: ‘Tween Heart’s Fire and Devil’s Delight

Gods of Love 1: Nocked Over

Gods of Love 2: Nocked Asunder

Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

www.ellorascave.com