Seduced by Fire

TWO




The day of the melanoma benefit brought the exact amount of chaos and problems Daniel had come to expect of large fund-raisers. Which was why he was glad he’d paid knowledgeable contractors good money to handle the issues as they cropped up.

He’d arrived at the hotel three hours before the first guest was due to arrive. The time allowed him to oversee everything and still leave to change into his tux before he was scheduled to appear.

That’s not the real reason you came early.

No, the real reason was so that he could see her. Julie.

Who at that very moment was giving some poor delivery boy a firm talking-to about something. Her hands were on her hips and every once in a while, she would point to a nearby vase of flowers. The sight of her taking charge and setting whatever wrong to right made him grow uncomfortably hard.

Her brown hair was pulled haphazardly into a knot on top of her head. All too easily he imagined taking it down, running his fingers through it, giving it a sharp tug as he thrust into her needy body.

She turned and saw him. “Mr. Covington.”

Thoughts of Julie’s hair and what he wanted to do with it faded as the woman in question walked toward him. He hoped she didn’t see the erection those thoughts left in their wake.

When she stood before him, he noticed several strands of hair had fallen from the knot. He reached out and tucked one wayward piece behind her ear.

“I thought I gave you permission to call me Daniel?”

“It seemed more professional the other way.”

“Sir,” I want you to call me “sir.” But he knew he couldn’t speak those words out loud to her. “As long as you call me Daniel tonight.”

She nodded in response, a flush creeping up her neck. She cleared her throat. “Everything’s set up. Except for the centerpiece for the head table and that will be corrected in a few minutes.”

“Everything looks great. Your team’s done an outstanding job.”

“Thank you.”

He would look over everything in a few minutes. Though he really doubted he needed to. Julie and Sasha’s team really had done an amazing job. But for the moment, he had more pressing things to address. When he had asked her to accompany him, he’d forgotten something.

“Where should I pick you up tonight?” he asked.

She hesitated for a second. “We could meet in the lobby.”

“The lobby? No. Tell me where you live and I’ll pick you up.”

“I actually booked a room here tonight. My stuff’s upstairs, so I have time to change.”

“You booked a room? Why? Oh. Oh,” he said as understanding dawned.

She tapped her pen against the clipboard in her hand. The pink polo shirt she wore had not only her shop’s logo on it but several smears of dirt and green stains of some sort.

“Julie, I’m sorry. I gave little thought to how hectic the day would be for you.”

I only thought of myself. I wanted you on my arm for the night.

She waved her hand as if shooing away his comment. “You men. You put on a tuxedo and all is well. We women have to do our hair, makeup, and try to pull up sheer hose without messing up our manicures.”

Sheer hose. Her legs.

His hands spreading her knees.

“Don’t wear the hose,” he said through clenched teeth.

“What?”

Idiot.

“I mean, if it’s that much trouble.” His voice sounded coarse to his ears.

“Lucky for me, I didn’t actually bring hose. And”—she wiggled the fingers of one hand at him—“in any case, I have florist fingers.”

“You see, I look at those fingers and I see the hands of a woman who’s worked hard to get what she wants.”

“I suppose. But sometimes I think it’d be nice to have girlie nails.”

“It’s all about sacrifice.”

Her expression was thoughtful. Suddenly, he wished their date wouldn’t be shared by a hundred people. He wanted to get her alone and learn everything about her. Talk to her. Find out where she went to school, if she had any siblings, what her favorite food was.

Right. Because if you got her alone, that’s what you’d do. Talk.

Talk would be all they’d do, he reassured himself. The assumption had to be she didn’t live his lifestyle. Wouldn’t be interested in it. Even with that assumption, he was still drawn to her and wanted to spend time with her. What little he knew about her made him curious to know more. Plus, there was a certain look she’d had in her eyes that day at the coffee shop when she’d said she didn’t intend to be putty in anyone’s hands that indicated the exact opposite.

She was also Sasha Blake’s friend and business partner. Would she know about Sasha’s lifestyle? Had they talked about dominance and submission? Did that explain the sensuality she exuded? Questions for another place and time.

“Will you have time to get ready?” he asked.

She glanced at her watch. “The way I see it, I’ll need an hour and a half to finish up here. That leaves me plenty of time to get ready.”

“Ms. Masterson!” A hotel employee ran up to them.

Daniel moved out of the way. “I’ll let you get back to work. Meet you in the lobby in three hours?”

“Sounds good,” she replied before turning her attention to the young man at her side.

? ? ?

He arrived back at the hotel, dressed, two hours and forty-five minutes later. Though he always tried to be punctual, he had another reason for not being late that night: he wanted to watch Julie make her entrance.

When he reached the hotel, he saw a few early guests had arrived. They lingered in the lobby, making small talk before wandering to the ballroom. Daniel waved at a few people, but his gaze kept returning to the elevator doors.

They finally opened and she stepped out.

His breath caught.

Ninety-nine percent of the women attending the fund-raiser would dress in black. Julie Masterson was not ninety-nine percent of women.

Gone was the harried and stained florist from earlier in the day. In her place was a siren. Her gown was white and fit close to her skin, showing off the curves he imagined buried beneath her standard pink polo. Sheer beading draped itself over one shoulder, allowing just a peek of skin. Her hair was twisted up, leaving her neck long and bare. She looked even better than his fantasy.

She looked around the lobby for him and once her gaze settled on his, her mouth formed an O of recognition. She walked toward him, her hips swaying ever so slightly. Every step she took gained her more and more attention from the lobby crowd.


“Let me assure you,” he said when she finally stood before him, “that no one is looking at your fingers. You are stunning.”

“Thank you. My sister’s a buyer up in New York. She got this for me and tonight’s the first chance I’ve had to wear it.”

“You’ll have to give me her address.”

“You’re into clothes?”

“No. I want to send her a thank-you note.”

Her laugh was low, throaty, and the most seductive sound he’d heard in years. Once again, he was sure the intense sexuality he sensed in her was there.

He held out his arm. “Shall we?”

People surrounded them as soon as they entered the ballroom. Daniel was well-known for his work raising money for cancer awareness and research. While most of the time he was content to talk with anyone about his involvement, at that moment, he simply wanted to be left alone with Julie.

But that wasn’t an option. So he greeted everyone warmly, and thanked them all for coming. She stayed by his side while he talked, looking at him every once in a while with a curious grin on her face. She looked so lovely, he wondered idly if he’d have so many people swarming around if it wasn’t for his date.

They eventually made their way to the head table, where, finally, he could hear himself think. They sat next to each other, and he let out a deep breath.

“That was certainly interesting. Do you always inspire such an entourage?” Julie asked.

“Only when the woman by my side is wearing a gown like the one you have on.”

He was pleased to see she could handle a compliment. It bugged him when a woman got all flustered just because someone said she looked nice. But Julie just smiled in recognition of his kind words. “There were a good number of women in that crowd. They definitely liked the way the man by my side looked in his tux.” Her eyes were dark.

He leaned close so he could smell her. She smelled of oranges. “What about you? How do you think he looks?”

“You look perfectly adequate.” She said it with a straight face, but her eyes were laughing at him.

“You’re a dangerous woman, Julie Masterson.”

She placed her napkin in her lap with the utmost care and attention. “If that’s not the pot calling the kettle black, I don’t know what is.”

“I’m just dangerous to my competitors.”

“Remind me to never get on your bad side.”

He had a feeling he didn’t have a bad side where she was concerned. He felt comfortable and easy around her. She was an intelligent self-made businesswoman. She made him laugh and she looked fantastic. And she was the sexiest woman he’d met in years.

“Tell me,” he said to her. “Why flowers?”

She shrugged. “My mom loved flowers. She had them all over the house and always said it was a travesty to save them for special occasions. I wanted to share her love and beliefs with everyone. Sasha and I found the shop a few years ago while walking through the historic district. We bought it and the Petal Pushers was born. Now it’s like I spend part of each day with my mom.”

“And yet you said you weren’t the flower type of girl.”

Her body stilled. “You remember?”

He ran a finger across her hand, swirled a figure eight on the top. “I remember everything about you.”

For the briefest moment, when he looked into her eyes, it was as if the rest of the room disappeared and there was nothing in the world except the two of them. Her hand turned over on the table, so the palm faced up. He dragged his finger along the lines there before settling his hand over hers.

How simple it was to engulf her hand in his. He had an overwhelming desire to engulf her entirely. Surround her. Protect her.

Tease and tempt her.

They jumped apart when a waiter placed their salads in front of them. Daniel looked up to find their dinner companions watching them intently. He was almost embarrassed to realize they hadn’t even noticed when the other diners sat down. But the truth was, he didn’t care. He couldn’t when she was overwhelming him like this. Now their dinner companions all averted their eyes, obviously embarrassed on their own parts to be caught staring.

“It must be you,” Julie said all calm and cool. “People never stare at me like that.”

“Maybe it’s the combination of us together.”

The air between them pulsed. Surely she felt it, too. They would probably be a dangerous combination together. Even more so alone. He wanted to test that theory.

Badly.

But the benefit wouldn’t be over for hours.

He pressed the palms of his hands against his thighs. Refocused his attention on the three other couples sitting at the table. Before he’d asked Julie to be his date, he’d been looking forward to discussing several new oncology breakthroughs with those in attendance. At the moment, though, all he could muster was small talk. After a few minutes, the other couples were talking among themselves and he could finally turn back to Julie.

“What does your mom think of your business?” he asked.

“She passed before it opened.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

She took her time cutting her salad. She was very meticulous about it, cutting each piece into nearly identical sizes. “How about you? Why banking?”

Obviously, the conversation about her mother was over. He took a moment to follow her lead and cut his salad.

“It’s a family business. Something it was always assumed I’d do.”

“Is it what you really want to do?” Questioning eyes met his. “If you could do anything, what would it be?”

He chuckled. “What do I want to be when I grow up?”

“Something like that.”

“Outside of the fact that I’m thirty-five, I suppose when I grow up, I just want to know I’ve changed the world for the better.”

She muttered something under her breath, but all he could make out was “no wonder” and “pants.”

“What?”

“Nothing, just something Sasha said.”

Their conversation flowed smoothly throughout dinner. Julie proved to be witty and warm, a delightful combination. But as she talked about what she’d done to reach her goals, and the obstacles she’d overcome, she also showed him a will of iron. Her father had left when her sister was born. After her mother died, she’d worked two jobs while going to school. Somehow, she and Sasha had secured a loan for the shop and turned it into a successful business. He had a strong desire to bend that will of hers to his own, to show her what it was like to have someone protect her and take care of what she needed.

Careful, he told himself.

He had succeeded in arranging for one of the leading oncologists in melanoma to speak at the benefit, and for months he had been looking forward to the event. But sitting next to Julie close enough to hear her breathing and smell her orange scent made listening as the speaker went on and on about biomarkers almost more than his patience could bear.

When the gentleman wrapped up his speech, Daniel joined the audience in a standing ovation, but the truth was he already couldn’t remember what had been said and he clapped only because the talk was over. Julie was up on her feet beside him. She leaned her head near his.

“What a fascinating speech,” she whispered.

“I only heard every third word.”

She laughed, but he lifted an eyebrow to let her know he wasn’t joking.


They sat back down and chatted with their table companions while the orchestra set up. The local hospital’s chief of staff was seated across from Julie and she quickly became deeply engaged in conversation with him about ongoing research at the hospital. He was so impressed by how relaxed she seemed, despite the heady dignitaries she spoke with. All her questions were intelligent, and her tone was confident and friendly. Apparently, making her own way in the world as she had was its own reward.

When the first notes sounded from the nearby violin, the executive excused himself and took his wife’s hand.

“She always insists on dancing the first dance,” he explained.

Daniel waited until the older couple made it to the dance floor. Then he stood and held out his hand to Julie. “Dance with me?”

She didn’t hesitate, but silently took his hand and came to her feet.

For the most part, Daniel could take dancing or leave it. He would join in when the situation called for it. Other times, he would sit out and people-watch. But tonight, outside of wanting to hold Julie, he had another purpose in asking her to dance.

You could tell a lot of information about a person by the way she danced. There were the obvious things: grace and agility. But Daniel was looking for more from Julie.

They settled themselves onto the dance floor, one of her arms around his shoulder, her other hand held gently in his. He slipped his free arm around her waist and pulled her close. As he began to move, she followed.

“Thank you for coming with me tonight,” he said.

She settled farther into his arms. “Thanks for the invite.”

“Can you do dinner next week?” He had the group meeting Thursday night and the play party Friday night, but he was free on Saturday.

“Yes.” She smiled up at him as she answered.

They could work out the details later. For the moment, he only wanted to hold her. She was an astute dancer, following his lead, her body answering his movements. It told him what he had been looking for, and now it was far too easy to picture her body answering his in a much more intimate manner. Would she be as pliable in bed? Dare he hope?

He wanted to ask if she was staying the night at the hotel, but he didn’t want to come across as a jerk who only wanted her for one thing. The truth was, he didn’t just want to go to bed with her; he wanted to get to know her. For now, he would ignore the side of himself that whispered it would do him no good to get to know her if she didn’t share his sexual desires.

He had dated so-called vanilla women before. It was adequate. Filled some of his needs. But he knew that it could never be truly satisfying to him unless his sexual partner genuinely submitted to him. At least in the bedroom.

The woman in his arms might test that need. If they continued on their current path and he found himself even more attracted to her . . .

Well, that was something they would have to explore later.

“You seem far away all of a sudden.”

Yes, he had been and that was a travesty with such a remarkable woman so close. “Forgive me?”

She pulled back slightly and gave a sly smile. “Maybe. If you make it up to me.”

Forget about getting to know her better. When she teased him like that, all he could think about was dragging her off the dance floor and taking her upstairs.

He risked sliding his hand a bit lower down her body so his fingers brushed the top of her ass, and pulled her toward his groin. “Don’t start something you’re not ready to finish.”

“I’m not a tease.”

“Didn’t think you were, just wanted you to know you’re playing with fire.”

She pulled his head down and whispered in his ear, “Would you like to join me in my room for a drink?”

? ? ?

Julie didn’t know what had gotten into her. Probably it was the combination of being dressed up in the gorgeous gown her sister had given her, Daniel, and the dancing. Not to mention, Sasha’s words from over a week ago replayed in her mind all night. She still felt like her friend’s insinuation that Julie wasn’t suitable for Daniel was a challenge of some kind.

All night she’d been basking in the heat between them, acutely aware of the overwhelming powerful maleness of him. He brought out a part of herself she’d rarely experienced. He made her bold. And the way he looked at her? As if she were a rare treat he wanted to savor. Or possibly devour in one bite.

He walked behind her as they left the elevators and moved down the hall toward her room. His hand never left the small of her back, a subtle reminder of his warning downstairs. He was fire and she could either accept his power or not, but he would make no excuses for what he was.

“This is it,” she said, stopping in front of her door.

“Allow me.” He took the key from her and unlocked the room, holding the door open and letting her pass.

Nervous excitement bubbled in her stomach. He looked so male in the middle of the room. So there.

“I actually don’t have anything to drink,” she admitted. “We can order room service or raid the wet bar.”

He started untying his tie. “No problem. I’m not really thirsty.”

He slipped the tie from his neck, placed it on an end table, and started removing his cuff links.

Dear heavens, was he going to strip down just like that?

He nodded to the couch and smiled as if aware of a joke she wasn’t in on. “Have a seat, Julie. I won’t bite. I’m just getting comfortable.”

There were moments that defined your life. Julie knew that. The day she decided to get her MBA. The afternoon she and Sasha found the building they eventually remodeled into the shop. Somehow, she knew, this moment with Daniel was another one.

She was a woman who took what she wanted and in that moment, she wanted Daniel.

“Good idea.” She walked to where he stood and turned so her back faced him. “Help me get this off, will you?”

“Julie.” His voice was a warning. And a promise.

“I just want to get comfortable.”

His hands brushed her shoulders, teased the nape of her neck. She barely had time to take a ragged breath before his lips replaced his fingers and he pressed a soft kiss on the top of her spine.

“If I help you get the gown off, I’ll have you naked and beneath me on that bed in less than ten seconds.”

“I certainly hope so.”

The hands on her shoulders tightened. “There are . . . things you don’t know about me.”

She turned back to face him, met his eyes. “Are you a deranged serial killer?”

There was a smile in his response. “No.”

“Do you kidnap small children?”

“No.”

“Are there any outstanding warrants for your arrest? Does anyone have a restraining order out against you? Have you jumped bail?”

“No. No. And no.”

“Do you have a condom with you?”

“Damn straight I do.”

“Then that paired with what I already know about you is enough.” She turned around again and lowered her neck to give him better access. “Will you help me with the gown?”

He didn’t unzip it immediately. Instead, he placed several kisses along the bare skin of her back. “I’ve wanted to taste you all night. All week.”

She trembled at the feel of his mouth on her, at the sound of his words. He’d been thinking of her just like she’d been thinking of him.

“You taste even better than you did in my fantasy.”


Instead of unzipping her, his hands went to her hair and gently removed each pin. Her hair fell in waves around her face and she moaned in pleasure when he rubbed her scalp, his fingers easing away the soreness of having it up for so long.

“That feels good,” she said, thrilled to have her hair down and even more thrilled at his touch.

“That’s my plan.”

Ever so slowly, the zipper slid down, gradually exposing her to him. His lips followed the path until finally coming to a stop at the small of her back. Two large hands gently pushed the gown from her shoulders.

She turned around as the silken material slipped off her body. The gown didn’t allow for a bra, so she was topless when she faced him. One by one, she undid the buttons on his shirt. “I believe your ten seconds are up.”

He took her hand in his and placed a kiss on her palm. “There’s been a change of plans. Rest assured, though, I’ll still have you under me at some point.”

She couldn’t wait to feel him above her, pressing into her. “Then you better let go of my hand so I can finish unbuttoning your shirt.”

He hesitated for the briefest of moments, but then his easy smile came back. “I suppose it’s only fair since I undressed you.”

Quicker than before, she undid his buttons. The shirt fell away, revealing his hard chest. She ran her hand down the sculpted muscles. “My, my, my. Looks like someone works out.”

“The better to f*ck you, my dear.”

Her knees quaked at his dirty talk. She loved a vocal man. “Really? I would have thought that depended on another part of your anatomy.” Her fingers drifted to his waistband.

“When done correctly, it’s a whole body activity.”

How long had it been since she’d been with someone who really knew what he was doing in bed? She couldn’t count in months; years would be closer to the truth.

She started to drop to her knees, but he stopped her.

“Not tonight, Julie.”

She looked up, puzzled.

“My plan is for this to actually last longer than ten seconds,” he said, but something else lurked behind his expression.

Without explaining further, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Softly. As if she were fragile. Little by little, he backed her toward the bed, so she sat on the edge of the mattress wearing only a tiny pair of panties.

He stood above her, his fingers swirling over her chest, lightly brushing her nipples. He dropped his mouth to one and gave it a gentle suck. Her back arched, silently begging for more. Asking to be taken deeper. To be engulfed.

“Lie back,” he said, his voice low and commanding.

She obeyed, situating herself on the bed with her legs hanging over the side. He was still standing, his hands lightly brushing over her body. Rougher than a tickle, his touch teased her mercilessly. Desire pooled between her legs, but that was the one area he avoided.

“Please,” she begged, lifting her hips in silent invitation.

“Some part of you feeling neglected?”

“You did say it was a whole body activity.” She playfully pouted.

He chuckled. “I did, didn’t I? How rude of me not to involve all your parts.”

His finger teased the leg of her thong. Her legs shook. She felt desperate for him to touch her. One glance revealed him kneeling between her legs. She watched as he hooked a finger inside her underwear and slowly pulled it off.

Naked under his gaze, she didn’t feel exposed. She felt powerful and needy and wanting. Oh so wanting.

“Please,” she said again.

“Is your p-ssy feeling deprived?” He trailed a finger up her thigh, inching closer. Drifting away.

“Yes,” she said, not caring that her voice sounded like a whine.

“Keep your legs spread nice and wide for me.” He pushed them farther apart. “Just like that.”

Bending down, he placed a single kiss on her upper thigh. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist and licked her slit, the scruff of his upper lip brushing her *.

Her hips jerked off the bed and she fisted her hands frantically in his hair. “Yes.”

He was warm and big and the craziest combination of rough and tender. He would nibble her almost playfully while his hands roamed her body. He blew a stream of air across her * while at the same time pinching a nipple slightly.

She muttered curses under her breath.

But just when she was coming close, right as she teetered on the edge of orgasm, he pulled away completely, leaving her achy and alone. She peeked out of one eye. He stood by the bed, panting, rummaging in his pocket.

He found the condom, shoved his pants down, and then ripped the package open. She didn’t see much before he covered himself, but what she saw looked downright delectable.

The ache between her legs pulsed impatiently. She wanted him. Wanted him badly. And from the looks of it, he wanted her just as much.

He crawled onto the bed with her, his toned body taunting her. She wanted to take her time exploring it, but at the moment what she wanted more was for him to fulfill his promise.

He didn’t disappoint her. Without saying a word, he came up over her, spread her legs even wider, and positioned himself at her entrance.

“Does your p-ssy need even more attention?”

She tried to wiggle in an effort to draw him in, but he held her waist still and when he spoke, his voice was low and unyielding. “I asked a question.”

“Damn it, Daniel, yes.” Her eyes closed in anticipation.

“Look at me,” he said, and when she did, she saw her need echoed in his eyes.

His gaze stayed locked with hers as he oh-so-slowly pushed inside. It had been a long time since her last boyfriend and she felt every delicious inch Daniel gave her. The stretching felt so good, she whimpered.

He stilled. “Are you okay?”

She could have howled at the loss of his pressing forward. “Don’t stop, feels too good to stop.”

As if that was the signal he had been waiting for, he held her waist and thrust to the hilt with one push. He held still for a moment and she took a few breaths to accustom herself to the size of him. He didn’t move his lower body, but leaned over and kissed her.

“Damn, you feel good,” he whispered against her lips.

“Let me make you feel better,” she said with a shift of her hips.

He answered with a shift of his own. “Like this?”

The sweet ache of him moving inside her, the hypnotic push and pull, was too much. She closed her eyes in an attempt to contain the sensations he created. His arms held her tightly while he settled into a pounding rhythm. Her own hands found purchase on his backside and she scratched the clenched muscles of his ass.

“Wrap your legs around me,” he ground out.

She obeyed, and when he slid even deeper, she hissed in response. There were no words then, just their breathing, his grunts, and her cries of pleasure. He dropped a hand between them, and began to circle her * with a fingertip.

Her hips bucked; it was too much. “Oh, f*ck, yes, Daniel, yes.”

“I want to feel you come. Come hard and fast all around my dick.”

She already was, it started low in her belly, concentrated itself between her legs, and then shot outward, encompassing her entire body. She was only slightly aware of Daniel’s last few thrusts, of his body stilling within her as he came, and his sigh of satisfaction as he rolled them to their sides.

His lips were on her cheeks, her nose, and her ear. “I was a bit rough. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”


She ran a hand across his back, down his arm, and back again. There was a pleasant ache between her legs, and she knew she’d feel him for days. “Only in a good way.”

They stayed in silence for a few minutes, allowing their breathing to return to normal, simply enjoying being in each other’s arms. She stretched out beside him, trying to remember the last time she felt so good. Probably never.

Suddenly shy, she traced a finger along the muscles of his chest. She hoped he knew she wasn’t wanton as a general rule. She wasn’t sure she recognized the woman she became in his presence, but she rather thought she liked her. Julie Masterson, the seductress. A giggle escaped before she could stop it.

Daniel cracked one eye open. “That’s a sound no man wants to hear in bed.”

Feeling bolder, she pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “I was actually thinking about the way being around you makes me feel all wanton and wicked.”

“And that’s worthy of a giggle?”

“It’s just not like me.”

“Maybe it’s more like you than you realize.”

His words struck a chord within her. Maybe he was right and she had just needed the right man to show her the woman buried inside and longing to be free.

“Julie, I—,” he started, but stopped when a cell phone rang.

“Must be yours. That’s not my ringtone.”

“It is. I’m sorry. It’s my private line. Do you mind?”

She sat up, dragging the sheet with her and wrapping it around her chest. “No, go ahead.”

He rummaged through the pile of clothes, finally pulling the phone from his discarded pants. A frown crossed his face when he saw the display. “Tess?” he asked, answering the call. The frown changed into an expression of worry. “How long ago? Where’s she at now?” Silence followed as whoever he was talking with replied. He looked down at his watch. “I’ll be there in thirty minutes. No, I can’t get there any faster.”

He ended the call with a sigh and turned to her. “I’m sorry. My grandma’s had an episode. . . . She’s not in the best frame of mind sometimes. That was my sister.”

Julie swallowed her disappointment; she’d hoped he could stay longer. Selfish of her to feel that way with his grandmother ill, but there you go. She wasn’t just a seductress; she was a selfish seductress.

But she waved at him. “Don’t think twice about it—you need to be with your family.”

He shrugged his shirt on. “I feel like a jerk, leaving like this.”

“Don’t. You’d be a jerk if you didn’t go.”

His tuxedo pants were quickly donned and he haphazardly stuffed his shirt in. When he was dressed, he walked to the bed and cupped her face.

“You are an amazing woman and I promise I will make this up to you.” He leaned down for a soft kiss, promised to call, and then left.

With a sigh, Julie collapsed back onto the bed and snuggled into the downy comforter. She eventually fell asleep to one thought: she was willing to bet she would thoroughly enjoy Daniel making it up to her.