Alluring Tales

One

He made her think of sex.

Hot, wet, blow your mind kind of sex. The kind she hadn’t had in far too long. Correction. Ever. She had never, ever had the kind of sex this man made her want.

Suddenly, the dingy little roadside bar she had stopped at because her cell phone had no signal seemed a darn good decision. It offered a damn delicious distraction from her long hours on the highway.

Standing at the bar, dressed in all black, dark hair touching his broad shoulders, he looked like a wild, exotic form of Zorro. He was the kind of man that made women pant. Even her, conservative little Jessica Montgomery, was ready to jump his bones.

She leaned against the railing behind her, forgetting the irritation over the bartender ignoring her. Her eyes dropped to his truly stellar ass just as he turned and looked at her. There wasn’t time to avert her gaze, nor did she really see the point. They were in the middle of nowhere Texas, two strangers, likely to never see each other again.

She was checking out his ass and didn’t plan to hide it.

What she didn’t anticipate was the intensity of his gaze. Dark eyes assessed her, taking her in from head to toe. He inspected her with such completeness, she felt exposed on some carnal level. Yet, oddly, she was at ease with the feeling.

She couldn’t help but notice the contrast in their appearances. He was dark, where she was light. His hair was black, as were his eyes, and his skin was a perfect light chocolate brown. She was fair, with hair the blondest of blond, porcelain skin, and eyes the palest of blues. Something about their differences made her feel a little thrill inside. The thought of her fair skin contrasting against his dark, her blond hair draped against his black, was enticing.

She watched him watching her. Those eyes of his, those deep, dark eyes, only served to enhance his quintessential sex appeal.

For the briefest of moments, she had the oddest sensation of being touched. Goose bumps spread across Jessica’s skin, her nipples tingled and then hardened, and a light ache spread between her legs. Shocked at the utterly sexual response he evoked in her, Jessica found it difficult to catch her breath.

No man had ever aroused her so easily.

Perhaps, it was her lifestyle that made her respond so readily. After her divorce, she joined the district attorney’s office and had since been burning the candle at both ends, with little to no time for social affairs. Not that she was eager to jump into a relationship after her ex-husband’s nasty comments about her overall appeal. As hard as she tried to dismiss his harsh words, they had stuck with her. Especially the part about her being undersexed and outright boring in bed.

Funny, the wetness clinging to her panties didn’t make her feel undersexed. Quite the opposite. This stranger had her feeling quite ready to get naked and take him on in a little game of one on one.

She laughed and broke eye contact with him.

What in the hell was she thinking? She hadn’t had sex in eighteen months, and she was wet and wanting a man she didn’t even know. Was she insane?

Apparently, because her eyes moved back to her Zorro as if she was desperate for another glance. But it was too late. He had turned away and was paying the bartender, preparing to leave. Seconds later, his boots scraped the floor as he started toward the door.

She watched him saunter across the floor, his walk graceful but masculine at the same time. His hair fell down his back, not too long, not too short. It made her long to run her hands through it, to touch it and feel it draped across her body.

As he reached the door, she fought the desire to run after him. It was crazy, but she wanted this man in a powerful way. Willing herself to stay in her chair, Jessica took a deep breath. And that’s when he turned, fixing her in a hot stare. In his eyes, she saw the potency of a desire she had never experienced.

If only he wasn’t leaving. Inwardly, she laughed. Not that she would ever have a fling with a stranger. She bit her bottom lip. But if she ever did, she’d want him to look exactly like the man who just walked out the door.

The last two putters of the car engine dispelled any hope that her trip would be a good one. It was bad enough that she had let the sexiest man she’d ever seen slip through her fingers. Now, only a mile up the road, Jessica was stranded.

Of course, she had made it into some dingy motel parking lot. For that she should be thankful. Still, from the looks of the building, it was no great find.

Shoving open her door, she stepped out into the hot Texas night and stared at the blinking red sign. The wind whipped around her shoulders, dirt blowing at her feet. A storm was coming, and she had car trouble. Looked like she would be sleeping at a place with no name other than Motel.

“Great,” she muttered as she slammed her door shut and began a stomp toward the office door. She didn’t know a damn thing about cars. What kind of help was she going to get in a place like this?

Stepping into the tiny lobby that held only a dirty chair and a counter enclosed in glass, Jessica didn’t feel any more optimistic about staying here. She wouldn’t be sleeping much this night.

There wasn’t a person in sight as she stepped toward the counter. “Hello?”

No response.

Jessica looked around her, hugging her body with her arms. Deserted and a bit eerie was the only way to describe the feel of the room. She just wanted a warm bed and some sleep, dreadful as they might be. Tomorrow, with a broken-down car, she already knew she would be in hell.

For tonight, she just wanted someone normal to come to that glass window and give her a room. Then, she would snuggle under the blankets and dream of the sexy Zorro-looking man from the bar.

If only he were here, getting a room with her. To be alone and naked with that man would more than make up for the challenges of the night and tomorrow. She could practically feel his body next to hers. Hard muscles pressing against her body, his hand on her breast, kneading and teasing…

Jessica mentally shook herself. What in the heck was happening to her? She never fantasized about men. Yet, now, in the middle of a crisis, she could feel her panties, for the second time in one night, wet with wanting.

She needed a room and sleep. She knocked on the glass. “Hello?”

Just as Jessica opened her mouth to call out again, an old man with a cigar hanging out of his mouth shuffled, feet in slippers, through a side doorway.

“We’re full,” he said grumpily, his wild eyebrows making him look like some kind of spook.

Jessica felt a wave of panic. “But my car is broken down, and I can’t get anywhere else.”

The cigar stayed in his mouth moving up and down. “I don’t know what to tell you, lady. First come first serve around these parts. Should have been here ten minutes earlier. I had one room left.” He laughed. “Not no more though.”

Sleeping in her car didn’t sound like a good option. “How far to the next hotel?”

“Three miles.”

Three miles…she could walk three miles.

“It’s the land of nothing between here and there. Pure ghost town.”

She frowned at the man and shoved a strand of her long, blond hair from her face. “But you won’t give me a room?”

“Told you, lady,” he said and had the gall to have a hint of irritation in his voice. “Don’t got one to give.”

Mumbling not so nice words under her breath, Jessica turned toward the door. Talking with this rude man was getting her nowhere fast. Pushing open the exit door, she stepped outside and was instantly slammed with a gush of wind and rain. Droplets of liquid gathered in her hair and on her cheeks.

“Can this night get any worse?” she whispered into the darkness, feeling very alone and on edge.

As she moved toward her car, the wind seemed to pick up several notches, throwing wetness and dirt around her body.

All Jessica wanted to do was get to Brownsville in time for her nephew’s party. She had to be back in court in two days. If she didn’t get to her sister’s place soon, she’d have to shove her present at her nephew and turn around and leave.

By the time she yanked open her door, she was dripping wet. The wind blew so hard she could hardly get into her car. Panic was building as she slid inside. She sat in her seat, darkness surrounding her, and for the first time since the night she found her husband with another woman, tears began to fall.

The turbulence that erupted took her by surprise. So long suppressed, her emotions seemed to simply invite themselves to explode. Her hands clenched onto the steering wheel, and she rested her forehead on her knuckles. For long moments, she could do nothing but let the tears fall, trying to understand what she was feeling.

This wasn’t like her. She didn’t cry. Getting to her family had just felt so important. She’d been working night and day at the DA’s office, trying to forget the past, and focus on career. But now…she needed more. Seeing that sexy man in the bar had jolted her a bit, reminding her that she had to stop hiding from her personal life. She needed one. Fear over the past was holding her back from exploring any new relationship and she knew it.

Thunder rumbled around her as rain fell hard against the windows. She sat in the middle of it all and had her own storm. Swiping at her cheeks, she reprimanded herself. Tears were not going to solve her issue of being stranded. She needed to think through her options.

Jessica was pondering her thoughts when a loud knocking made her scream. There was a man at her window. Her hand went to her chest, shocked at the presence. But more so because it was a familiar face. “Oh my God.”

It wasn’t just any man. It was a dripping wet version of Zorro from the bar.

What should she do? Let him in? Lock the doors?

She decided to crack the window. A little. “What are you doing in the rain?”

“You can’t stay in your car all night. It’s not safe.”

“Getting out isn’t either.”

“You’re under a tree in lightning.”

“You’re in the rain,” she argued.

“Trying to get you out of it.”

“I am out of it.”

“I’m not,” he said testily. His long hair was plastered to his face. “Come inside with me. I promise it’ll be safer than here.”

Water was splattering in her face. “How do I know I can trust you?”

He gave her a steady stare despite the water splashing around him. “You don’t.” Pause. “Room 112.”

Then he turned and walked away.

Two

She called after the stranger as he walked away. “How’d you know I was out here?”

But he didn’t turn, didn’t answer.

Jessica sat there, fretting. Had she not wished for an opportunity to be alone with the very man who just welcomed her to his room? A man who offered to spare her a scary night alone in a car, under a tree, in an electrical storm?

Then thunder boomed overhead. She jumped and reached for the door.

Somehow, a night alone with her sexy stranger sounded better than a night alone in her car. Not thinking, just acting, she stomped through the rain, her purse the only item she carried with her.

Once she was at room 112, she stood before the door, dripping wet, hair stuck to her face and stared at the number sign. Maybe this was a bad idea? What if he was a serial killer, or a rapist, or…

The door opened.

Her mouth dropped. There stood her stranger with no shirt on, looking like a poster for the world’s sexiest man. His hair hung in damp strands around his face, barely brushing the tops of his muscular shoulders. He held a towel in his hand and interest in his eyes.

“Come in,” he said, stepping backward and holding the door open for her. For the first time she realized he had a distinct Hispanic accent. Not too strong, but evident enough to slip into her mind and entice a response.

She was so soaked in rainwater that she literally dripped.

“I’m wet,” she said, feeling the need to state the obvious.

He smiled, a slow, sensual smile that said he read into her words. “Thanks for the warning.” He held up his towel, offering it to her. “I think we’ll manage.”

The room was lit by only one small light. In a quick glance over his shoulder, Jessica took in the shadows created by the light dancing seductively on the walls. She barely glanced at the rest of the room, so mesmerized was she by this man. One thing she was now certain of, he was alone.

Licking the wetness from her lips, she accepted the towel, the intimacy of sharing it hard to ignore. Rubbing her hair, she stepped tentatively through the doorway.

His eyes, dark and mysteriously sexy, followed her path. He stood directly in front of her and didn’t seem inclined to move. Arm reaching over her shoulder, he pushed the door shut.

The action put him so close their faces came mere inches apart. The towel was forgotten. She could feel him even without ever physically claiming to touch. His scent, a woodsy, clean smell wrapped around her, enhancing the feeling of invisible touches.

Their eyes locked. Slowly, he took the towel from her hand and wrapped it around her, holding it on either side of her body and cocooning them together. “I’m glad you decided to come inside, mi Hermosa.”

She gulped. He had said something complimentary in Spanish. She knew that much. And for some reason, it really got to her. Someone else could have said those words and they just wouldn’t have set her on fire the way they did from him.

Soft, sexy and incredible arousing, his voice danced along her nerve endings. She reached for words, struggling to speak coherently. “I’m still not sure I should be here.”

“No?” he asked, his eyes searching her face. “I think you want to be here.” He let the towel rest on her shoulders and ran a finger down her cheek.

The touch should have scared her. The whole situation should have. Instead, she felt oddly exhilarated; in fact, she had never felt so alive and eager. Eager for what? was the question. A question she definitely wanted answered.

A tiny little light flickered in her mind. Maybe this man, this incredibly alluring stranger, held within him a means of escape from her past. Alone in a hotel with a man she hardly knew wasn’t her style. But then neither was divorce.

Circumstances had delivered her here, alone in a motel room, with a man as sexy as any of her best fantasies. Looking into this man’s obsidian eyes, she began to wonder if he could take her beyond her insecurities.

This seemed a rare opportunity to find a new her. And damn, she needed a new her. She hated how her ex had made her feel. In her professional world, she knew how to put on a show. How to seem strong and secure. But when it came to intimacy between a man and a woman, the past didn’t let go. Insecurity ruled.

A knowing look slipped into her stranger’s eyes. He repeated his words, an edge of understanding now in his voice. “Yes,” he said softly. “You want to be here.”

For the first time, in far too long, everything woman in her was awake and alert. She wanted this man. She didn’t know his name, didn’t know a thing about him, but she wanted him. “I have to be here.”

One corner of his mouth lifted, and his finger slid down her neck. “Not so. You have choices.” He paused a beat. “You’re in no danger with me.” His eyes, which had been following the path of his finger, lifted to hers. She felt his hand settle around her neck, gently touching her. “Whatever you want, you can have without fear. Comprendes?”

She didn’t know what to say. His face was slowly descending, and her moment of decision was upon her. If she kissed him, she would want more. Did she want to? Could she abandon reason and fall into this man’s arms?

Head swimming in confusion and desire, she couldn’t think. Just knowing his lips were about to be upon hers, she felt her nipples harden and throb. Wet and now aroused, they pressed against her bra, begging to be touched. The feeling sent a wave of heat across her skin and settled with a not-so-subtle impact between her thighs.

She wanted this. She wanted him.

His lips lingered above hers, breath mingled with her own, teasing her anticipation. And she understood the purpose. Understood his hesitation was a question.

Yes or no?

Thoughts, fears and a few remnants of logic raced through her mind. It was her body, though, that held the answer. Desire and physical need was controlling her, not rational thought. She let her purse slide off her shoulder, onto the ground. Then, she inched forward ever so slightly and pressed her lips to his.

Her decision was made.

It was a gentle kiss, lips pressed to lips.

He leaned back and looked at her and then whispered something in Spanish before feathering kisses on her lips. One, two, three… and then he dipped his tongue into her mouth. She felt the light brush of it against her own. She whimpered.

Jessica’s eyes fell shut and he slowly, perfectly, seduced her with his kiss. Hands at her sides, she longed to touch him. He closed the remaining space between their bodies, bringing them thigh-to-thigh and hip-to-hip.

Proof of his arousal pressed against her stomach. A thought, provocative and arousing, danced in her head.

He was hard for her.

It was an empowering realization. This sexy man wanted her. She had aroused him, made him hot for her. Suddenly, a one-night stand, no strings attached, felt liberating.

Her hands went to his waist, and the feel of his skin under her palms ignited the need to feel more. She touched him freely then, feeling the flex of muscles under her palms.

She wanted him. Really wanted him, like she had never wanted before. What was so wrong with that? It had been so very long since she had felt such need, such heat. Maybe she never had. He deepened the kiss, and a heavier fog of desire built, threatening to consume her.

No, she had never felt this kind of arousal before. It was as if a magnetic force pulled her to him, making her yearn to feel his body next to hers.

And they had only just begun.

His power to make her ache in places he didn’t touch was nothing short of amazing. This was new. This was incredible. This couldn’t be missed.

To hell with her conservative, good-girl lifestyle. For once in her life, she wanted to let go and feel. If her ex-husband had made her feel these things…she shoved the thought away. Thinking of him, her past, might mess with her head and rattle her confidence and cool the desire her Zorro was so effectively building.

Instead, she sank into the kiss, sliding her palms up his back. Giving into the need to be closer to him, she pressed her chest to his, her nipples aching sweetly as they brushed against him.

He held her close, touching her face, her hair, her neck. Gentle caresses etched with sensuality and tenderness. This was not a man who acted as if he wanted only sex.

He was a man intent on making love.

And she was intent on experiencing all he had to offer.

He pulled back slightly, softly wiping the wetness from her bottom lip with his thumb and then taking her hand in his. “Come, mi Hermosa, you are going to catch cold. We must get you out of those wet clothes.”

Heart racing at mega speed, she let him lead her across the room. When they were in the bathroom, standing at the sink, he turned her to face the mirror. He stood so close to her, she could feel his hardness pressing against her bottom.

What would he do next? Nervous anticipation laced with excitement had her trembling ever so slightly. Not knowing what to expect from him should have frightened her. Instead, it seemed to heighten the excitement.

Using the towel, which he still held in one hand, he began drying her hair. “I noticed your hair back at the bar.”

Her eyes lifted, locking with his in the mirror. “You did?”

“I noticed a lot of things,” he said, tossing the towel on the counter.

Her eyes widened. “Like?”

One of his hands spread wide on her stomach. “There is loneliness in your eyes.”

“I choose to be alone,” she said defensively.

His hand inched its way upward and then stopped. “I have no doubt.” He studied her lips as if he wanted to kiss her and then slowly raised his eyes back to hers. “But not tonight.”

She digested his words. He was right. Not tonight. Tonight she wanted to be with him. But she didn’t have the courage to say it out loud.

His hand began inching upward again. She could feel anticipation building in her stomach and in the tingling between her legs. Where was that hand of his going?

Courage. She repeated the word several times in her mind, even as she fought through her sensual fog. “No,” she said softly. “Not tonight.”

Jessica wondered if he knew how much it had cost her to say those words. To admit she wanted to be here. How much she had to overcome to stay. Here. With him.

Somehow, she thought he might. His body knew hers in ways no one ever had. Could he read her so easily through and through?

His mouth settled at her temple, pressing lightly as his hand moved up the line of buttons on her shirt.

He unbuttoned it slowly, using both hands and then sliding the wet material off her shoulders. Tossing it on the counter, as he had the towel, he looked at her in the mirror.

Jessica stood facing her own reflection in a lacy black bra. She was covered, but not. Her attention shifted to him. She watched him in the mirror. His hands and eyes moved over her shoulders. The darkness of his skin against hers stirred something inside her.

“Such fair skin,” he murmured and then lifted his eyes to hers, clearly thinking the same thing she was. Their differences aroused him as well. Holding her gaze, he reached for the clasp at her back and unhooked her bra.

Nervously, her hands went to cover her breasts, holding the material in place. His hands slid up her back, warming her skin with their caress, as they returned to her shoulders. “It’s your choice,” he said.

Nerves and old fears were haunting her. Her ex-husband’s harsh words about her sexual performance, and even her body, were like demons in her head. But she wanted this man. He made her feel sexy and adventurous.

And she wanted to be all that and more.

Wanted it with all her heart and soul. The ghost of the past was destroying her, and she wanted them gone. “No,” Jessica said, though her voice quivered. “I don’t want a shirt. I want this.” Her hands dropped, and she shrugged out of the bra. Moments later it lay with her shirt.

She didn’t look in the mirror, averting her eyes downward, as she took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She could feel him looking at her.

“You are truly lovely.” His fingers ran down her neck, but still she didn’t look up. “Such full, beautiful breasts. And your nipples…” He stopped speaking, and she looked into the mirror, locking eyes with him. She could see the depths of his arousal in his eyes.

He looked down at her nipples. “They are very aroused, are they not?” He looked back up at her. “Because you are cold or because you are thinking about what I might do to them?”

She wasn’t used to talking about this type of thing. Her ex’s words raced through her head. Boring, sexless. “I’m…not cold.”

One of his hands ran the length of her hair, and his lips nuzzled the sensitive spot behind her ear. “Meaning, you are thinking of what I might do to you?”

Her lashes fluttered. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Open your eyes, mi Hermosa.” She forced herself to comply, meeting his gaze. “Now. Tell me what you want me to do to you. Wht is your desire?”

Three

Tell him what she wanted him to do? She’d never told a man what to do during lovemaking. She clenched her teeth at the words and corrected herself. This was sex. Just sex. The thought of telling this man what she desired, both scared and excited her. She swallowed and wet her lips. “I…I don’t know.”

His eyes narrowed in reprimand. Bringing his mouth to her ear, he nipped her earlobe ever so gently. “Yes, you do. Tell me.”

Their eyes locked in the mirror yet again. His face was still low, cheek pressed to hers. She could smell him, enticingly male with a hint of spice. Her senses were so alive she could still taste him, even though it had been long minutes since they kissed.

There were so many things she could do with this man. “I want…”

“You want what?” he asked as his hands moved back to her stomach. “Tell me. You want what?” He repeated the words.

“Touch me.” Jessica’s voice was barely audible.

“I am touching you.”

“No.” She swallowed, no, gulped. “Touch my…breasts.”

He didn’t so much as hesitate. His hands cupped her breasts, taking their weight and ever so softly kneading. But he didn’t touch her nipples, and she knew it was on purpose. He was teasing her and it was working. Her nipples ached, begging for relief. For satisfaction.

“Like this?” he asked.

“No.” He started to move his hands, but she covered them with her own. “I mean yes, but…”

His brows inched up in the mirror. “Tell me what you want.”

She took a deep breath. What she wanted was the courage to be bold and spicy and everything a sexy woman would be with a man like this. “Touch my nipples.”

He murmured something in Spanish, kissing her neck and then lightly pinching her nipples between his fingers. She moaned as a rush of sensation washed over her.

Her nipples throbbed with painful bliss, his hands now more diligent in their exploration. No longer was he holding back, waiting on her. He seemed to be acting on his own needs.

Jessica’s head fell back on his shoulder as ripples of pleasure controlled her, forcing her eyelids to her cheeks.

Unexpectedly, she felt herself lifted and turned. Now, sitting on the counter, eyes open, she found him at her feet, removing her shoes. It was an incredibly erotic sight, him at her feet, hair half dry and shirtless.

Sliding up her body, hands trailing up her calves and thighs, he seduced her perfectly, teasing her with what was to come. He brought his mouth to hers, kissing her with slow, erotic strokes that made her feel as if she might melt from the heated need building in her body.

Never, ever, had she been kissed the way he was now kissing her. Arms wrapped around his neck, she was lost in him, kissing him with equal hunger.

Against her lips, he asked, “When was the last time you had an orgasm, mi Hermosa?”

Her ex had never cared if she came or not. He blamed her if she couldn’t, and that was always. “Does a vibrator count?”

He laughed, a deep, sexy sound. “No, but that answers my question.” Leaning back he looked into her eyes. “Tonight you will have many.”

Jessica’s eyes went wide as her stranger’s words replayed in her head. Tonight you will have many. She’d never had an orgasm that wasn’t self-induced. She would have told him as much, but he moved, distracting her. His mouth had found its way to her nipple, and he was doing a delicious combination of licking, suckling and nibbling.

She allowed herself the luxury of doing what she had longed to do for hours. Her fingers sunk into his wonderful mass of hair. Even as she laced her fingers into his silky strands, she moaned. His mouth was doing such deliciously perfect things to her body.

With each suckle, she felt it not only in her breasts but between her legs. There was no question, she was beyond wet. After equal time devoted to each nipple, he moved to eye level with her. He nipped at her lips, ran his tongue along her bottom lip. She was reaching for him, wanting more, as he in turn reached for her pants.

“I am falling down on the job,” he said in a deeper voice than before. “You still have wet clothes on.”

More than willing to get undressed, she lifted her hips to allow him to slide her slacks and panties down her legs. Hands on her thighs, he inched her legs apart. She sat there, nude, legs spread wide and became his eye candy. For long moments, he took her in, eyes growing hotter, more potent. It felt as if his hands were on her, touching her. But it was only those eyes, those amazingly dark, expressive eyes.

Unbelievably, she felt empowered and sexy rather than shy or awkward, as she would have felt with her ex. This stranger made her more comfortable, yet at the same time more turned on and excited, than her ex or any other man ever had.

“I want you,” she said boldly, proud of how confident her voice sounded.

He tilted his head ever so slightly, studying her, assessing and probing. Then he smiled. “And you shall have me, mi Hermosa.” His fingers began walking up her inner thighs. “As I shall have you.”

Her lips parted as one of his fingers slid across her inner core. “You are wet.”

Despite the pleasure and the intensity of the moment, he managed to make her smile. He was referring to that moment in the doorway when she had announced she was wet. Only this time it wasn’t her hair and clothes that were wet. “Yes,” Jessica told him. “I would never lie about something so important.”

A second finger slid along her sensitive flesh, circling, spreading her own liquid. He stepped closer between her legs, bringing his mouth so that it lingered just above hers. “Are you wet for me?”

“Yes,” she whispered in the midst of a gasp as his finger slid inside her. He kissed her then, swallowing her sound, feeding her need.

His tongue pressed along hers as his finger found the upper wall inside her core, mimicking the same motion. She felt like she was falling into a haze of pure desire. No longer were her actions thought out. She simply responded.

“Do you like this?” he asked her.

Her mouth barely formed a word as he slid yet another finger inside her. “Yes.”

Her head fell against the mirror as he leaned back and pressed her thighs open a bit further, looking at her as he touched her. Eyes shut, she felt the climb of heat in her body, tingling and wanting.

And it just kept getting better.

He dropped to his knees and focused his tongue on her nub, shocking her with the warmth of his mouth. “Oh God,” she moaned, looking down at him, aroused by the sight of him between her legs, tasting her so intimately.

The journey toward ultimate satisfaction was almost complete as he licked, suckled and delved his tongue into the sensitive core of her body.

All she could do was lie back and experience what was to come next. And as he lifted her legs over his shoulders, dipping his tongue yet deeper into her body, his motions more frenzied, she arched her back, feeling the need to be closer.

His fingers slid inside her again, caressing just as his tongue flickered. It was just the right combination. It made the impossible happen…

The first ripple of orgasm shook her body. The second made her tremble. On and on, the feel of pleasure seemed to inch its way through every nerve ending in her body, until she felt completely sated from pleasure.

Her stranger was only just beginning, and she was already putty in his hands. He hadn’t even found his way inside her.

Boneless from satisfaction, she sank against the mirror and sighed. An instant later, she found herself in her sexy stranger’s arms being carried toward the bedroom.

As he laid her on the bed, he spread her legs and slid between them. Instinctively her arms went around his neck. Weight on his elbows, he stared down at her, eyes brimming with heat.

“You are beautiful when you come,” he told her in a low, deep voice.

Any other time, words such as his would make her blush. Tonight, with him, they didn’t. Still she chose not to respond directly. Despite having just had an amazing orgasm, she felt the distinct sensation of arousal already building again.

Feeling his hard body pressing against her own turned her on. “I still want you.” In some far corner of her mind she wondered how she could feel so much desire, and yet, complete comfort within that passion, with a stranger.

His mouth, full and sensual, lowered toward hers. It drew her away from her thoughts, pulling her into the anticipation of what was to come.

“I want you very much,” he said in a voice so thick with his need that it sounded almost hoarse.

His lips brushed hers, gently, but with such electricity, she felt it in every inch of her body. When finally his tongue parted her lips, brushing past her teeth, she eagerly met it with her own.

Within seconds they were kissing passionately, pressing their bodies together as if they couldn’t get close enough. Her breasts pressed in the hard perfection of his chest, even as her hands caressed the muscles of his bare back.

She melted into his kiss and knew that if this was a dream, she didn’t ever want to wake up.

Four

He didn’t remember ever wanting a woman the way he wanted this one. Even as he kissed her, pressing his tongue against hers, savoring her flavor, he knew he shouldn’t be here with her.

He was dangerous.

She was like an innocent angel, too pure for him, and too tempting for him to walk away from. He kissed her neck, nipped at her ear and touched her nipples.

Her soft sighs only provoked his urgency.

He wanted out of his pants and anything else that served as a barrier between them. Pushing away from her, he met resistance as she clung. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere.” He leaned back down and pressed his lips to hers. It was a quick kiss, but not lacking in passion. “I’m going to get rid of these pants.”

She pressed her lips to his for a brief moment, and then a bit breathlessly said, “Good.”

He couldn’t help the smile that played on his lips. There was no doubt this woman was allowing him to see a side of her others didn’t. He had watched her struggle to maintain control, sensed her internal battle. Had she not held so tightly to her inhibitions, he would have made her come sooner.

Quickly unsnapping his pants, he shoved them over his hips along with his underwear. Stepping out of them, he kicked them aside. Ready to remove all obstacles, he stood at the end of the bed, fully aroused, and stared down at her.

Her skin was as ivory and pure as new fallen snow. It made him want, no need, to touch and kiss her all over. This woman got under his skin, made him hungry for more. It didn’t seem to matter how much he’d already had of her.

“What about birth control?” he asked, addressing the final obstacle that kept him from taking her in his arms and sinking deep into her body.

She lifted her weight up on her elbows, giving him a delicious view of her breasts, nipples aroused. “I don’t have a condom.”

“A condom,” he repeated flatly, feeling impatient. Damn, he wanted to feel her skin to skin, no barriers, but a condom was necessary and he knew it. “I do.”

He moved, reaching impatiently for his pants and yanking his wallet from the back pocket. Moments later, he rolled the condom over his throbbing cock.

Her eyes dropped to his erection, her tongue wetting her lips and making him want to moan with the images it evoked. Her gaze lifted back to his. “What are you waiting for?”

He laughed, but it was laced with passion, thick and rich in tone. “You,” he said. “Come here.”

A combination of surprise and nervousness registered on her face. “As in where?”

Not wanting her to feel uncomfortable, he dropped to his knees on the bed. His hands settled on her legs, and gently, careful not to hurt her, he pulled her closer.

He spread her knees, moving between them. The action put his cock directly between her thighs. As much as his body begged for him to find her wetness, he resisted. Instead, he ran his hands up her inner thighs.

His thumb touched the slick folds of her core, lightly spreading the moisture. She made a soft sound of pleasure. It inched its way through his body, spurring his need for ultimate satisfaction. He wanted desperately to bury himself deep inside her body.

Still he resisted. He would only have her one night, and he wanted to make every second count.

He moved so that his hands rested on either side of her shoulders, holding his body just above hers. Their hips touched in a tantalizing tease. He kept his arousal carefully tucked between her thighs, but not quite at the point of total satisfaction.

Her hands moved under his arms, over his shoulders, as her body arched upward, her breasts pressing into his chest. She was like a cat curling up to her master, practically purring with the pleasure of body-to-body contact.

His mouth closed over hers, hungry to swallow her moans, and just as eager to taste her desire. Never before had he kissed someone and felt the potency he did at this moment. His body sank down on top of hers even as she arched into him yet again.

Their need for one another was like a living creature with its own agenda. It controlled them both, blocking out everything else. There was no question they were both lost in one another.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he said, biting her shoulder and then licking. His urgency made him rougher than normal; yet, she seemed to get more aroused, crying out with pleasure at his actions. He nipped at her shoulders over and over. Then he soothed each spot with his tongue.

One of his hands explored her nipple, pinching and tugging, before rolling it with his finger. He cupped and kneaded her breasts, one at a time and together. All the while his mouth explored her shoulders, her neck and her mouth.

She touched him, feverishly stroking, fingers exploring and bringing him pleasure. She begged for fulfillment. “I can’t wait anymore.” It was a strangled whisper against his lips.

His mouth claimed hers yet again, his tongue stroking hers, seducing her with its long, soft caresses. Adjusting his hips, his hand slid between their bodies. He wrapped his fingers around his erection and allowed the tip to slide across her wetness.

“Ohhh,” they both moaned at once.

He moved his cock back and forth, slowly, feeling the sensations it created in every nerve ending of his body. It took absolute willpower to keep from sinking inside her body…but every second he waited would make the completion hotter, more intense.

“Now,” she cried out, urgency in her voice.

“Soon,” he said, barely keeping a grip on his restraint.

Without warning, he moved, maneuvering her to her side. “What are you doing?” she asked, surprised.

He didn’t say a word. She’d see soon enough.

Rolling onto his back, he pulled her with him. Her hands pressed on his chest, as he urged her to straddle him. Realization and a touch of nervousness flickered in her eyes.

Briefly, he wondered at the insecurities he glimpsed within her. Gently he urged, “Come, mi Hermosa. I want to see your passion.”

Moments later, she was willingly climbing on top of him. He was damn happy the lights were still on, because what an erotic sight she made.

Her skin was like a painting, pale and perfect. And her hair…long, silky strands danced around her shoulders. A blond veil of silk dangled over one of her sexy, round breasts, drawing his eyes to the red bud. He wanted it in his mouth.

Before she could hesitate, he took his cock in his hand and urged her to lean forward. He slid the tip along her wetness and then slowly slipped inside. His breath caught in his throat as she moaned softly.

Inch by inch, he felt her slide down his length, watching as her eyes fluttered shut in pleasure. Forcing a breath, his hands settled on her hips. His eyes feasted on the sight she made, gloriously naked and sexy. “You’re beautiful.”

She bit her bottom lip, her hands moving in a circular motion over his chest, timidly at first and then with more hunger in her touch. “So are you.” Her voice was low and heavy with arousal.

Their eyes locked and held. It was then, at that moment, that he felt a connection to her beyond what he had experienced with any other women. It was something he neither understood nor recognized as familiar.

Something passed between them…emotions, passion, perhaps even a deeply rooted understanding of each other. It was a connection of souls, deep and unexplainable. He felt it in his stomach, in the rapid beat of his heart, and in the arousal of his body.

“Come here,” he said taking her hand and pulling her forward. Her breasts pressed against his chest, arousing something primal inside, his mouth claiming hers in a hungry kiss.

Slowly, they began to move. Their bodies pressed close, each movement part of a sensual dance. Every stroke more frantic. Faster and harder. Sweet sounds of pleasure slid from her lips as she buried her face in his neck. Her hands were all over his body, hips pressing harder and harder against his.

“Come for me, mi Hermosa,” he whispered in her ear. “I want to know I please you.”

“You…do,” she replied in between strokes. “You…oh…um…do.”

His body begged for release, but he fought back his orgasm, wanting her to come first. His hand found one of her breasts, kneading and stroking. His lips found her neck.

She was close. So close. Breathing deeply, he filled his lungs with the delicious tang of her arousal.

He felt her rotate her hips, taking him deeper. She arched her back and cried out as he felt her first spasm grab his own. Seconds later, he gave into his own need for release, pushing deep into her body and pulling her down hard on his cock.

Spilling himself inside her, his body shook from the waves of pure pleasure racing through his body. Moments later, completely sated, he wrapped his arms around the amazing woman now still on top of him.

He stroked her hair and told her again how beautiful she was. Silently, he wished for so many things he couldn’t have. If only he could ask her name and tell her his. If only he could get to know her beyond this one night.

But he couldn’t. He knew he couldn’t. Instead, he would have to be satisfied with holding her and making love to her now. He could only hope she didn’t want sleep because this night had to last a lifetime.

Rolling her to her side, he pulled her close against his shoulder. She started to move. “I need to clean up.”

He kissed her forehead. “Don’t move. I’ll get you a towel.”

She stared at him, eyes wide, and then nodded. He returned only seconds later and pressed the small hand towel between her legs. He stretched out beside her again and pulled her into his arms.

Crazy as it seemed, he already wanted her again. “Rest a few minutes,” he told her, willing himself to contain his desire.

She laughed and looked up at him. “Only a few minutes?”

He smiled. “I see you have never experienced the desire of a Latino man.”

“I must admit,” she said, resting her chin on his chest, “you are the first.”

“You are pleased with the experience?” He already knew the answer, but he couldn’t resist asking. “Yes?”

She shifted and snuggled under his arm. “Yes.” The word was like a sigh of satisfaction. “I am quite pleased.”

His fingers found her hair, sinking into it, and enjoying the feel of the silky strands. “And I have only just begun, mi Hermosa.”

Jessica’s hand lay on top of the muscular chest of her Latin lover.

She inhaled the sexy, male scent he wore, feeling the first hint of newly forming arousal. Amazing. She sure wasn’t feeling sexless and boring.

Not one bit.

This man, whose name she didn’t even know, had helped her discover a new, sensual side of herself she wanted to explore. Her fingers curled in the dark hair on his chest, her hand itching to explore.

And why shouldn’t she?

This was a once in a lifetime experience. She’d never see him again. The only consequence she would have to live with would be regret if she didn’t take advantage of the time she had with this.

With that thought in mind, her decision was made. Her hand slowly began exploring his chest. She felt a tiny warmth begin to build inside as the muscles under her palm flexed.

He was awake.

Her head tilted and she found his skin with her mouth. Lips pressing against his chest as her tongue darted out to taste him. His hand slid down the back of her hair, a tender, sexy caress that spurred her into action with the approval it offered.

Hungrily, her tongue, lips and teeth explored, lingering at his dark, flat nipples and pulling a moan from his mouth.

She smiled inwardly, loving the ability to arouse this man. Sliding her body closer his, her breasts pressed against his side, she kissed her way up his chest to his neck.

His hands inched into her hair as he urged her mouth to his. She met his tongue with her own, needing the connection, loving his flavor. Enjoying the tantalizing way he used that tongue of his to seduce.

But this was her seduction, as much as she enjoyed his. It was her turn to take control, and she wanted it. For far too long, she had played the submissive in her personal life.

Not now. Not here. Not with this man.

Her hand slid down his stomach and flat, taut abdominals rippled beneath her touch.

Seeking…She found exactly what she was looking for. He was hard and ready for her. But she wanted to play a while. No rushing. Briefly, purposely, she ran her hand along his erection.

Teasing.

His body jerked at the touch, and he made a sound, much like a growl, deep and aroused. Just like his body.

“I want you,” she said against his mouth, being bold about her desire, even verbally. Something she normally didn’t do.

He nipped at her bottom lip, breathing with her, as one of his hands pulled her tighter against his body. She nipped back, and ran her tongue along his bottom lip, imitating his action.

His head lifted slightly as he tried to claim her mouth, but she resisted, feeling empowered. This was a new her, a stronger, bolder, spicier woman.

Her hand flattened on his chest as she sat up, giving him a full view of naked breasts. His eyes dropped, heated. Body reacting to his stare, her nipples puckered, eager for his touch.

For a split second, she felt nervous, but this was a little fantasy. One she had the pleasure of living rather than dreaming. One where she was sexy, confident and free to explore her sexual side.

“Hermosos. Los quiero tocar.” His voice was low, and laced with arousal.

She wasn’t sure what he said, but the way he said it was sexy as hell. It made her whole body heat.

Then in English, he said, “I want to touch.”

A slow smile turned up the corners of her mouth. “Not yet.” He had made her wait earlier.

Five

Her stranger reached for her, and Jessica moved, maneuvering so that she was between his legs. Leaning up on his elbows, he looked at her, surprise and a hint of excitement in his eyes.

Or maybe it was anticipation.

She reached forward, eyes dropping to the focus of her attention, as her hand circled his cock. For long moments, she stared at her hand as it held his body. It felt liberating and sexy to feel him throbbing in her palm.

Her gaze lifted to his, wanting to see his reactions, his passion. And it was indeed there for her viewing. His eyes held his desire like a frame would a picture, displaying it for her viewing.

She loved this. Watching him watch her. Wanting to see his reaction. She kept eye contact as she lowered her mouth. Her tongue dashed out, touching the tip of his erection. He moaned, and she felt a rush of empowerment.

Gently, she circled the tip with her tongue and then took it into her mouth. He flattened onto his back, his body taut with the tension of pleasure.

Teasing him, she held her mouth there, tongue swirling in a seductive little dance. Amazingly, she felt incredibly turned on by the act. With her ex, she had hated sex in general. Pleasuring him in this way had been a chore.

With this man, she wanted to linger. She wanted to make him feel pleasure under her ministrations. Slowly, she began sliding back down his body. Desire played on her nerve endings as his fingers settled in her hair. It made her tongue explore, even as she began sliding up and down his length.

Her hand tightened around him, her tongue licking and teasing. As she increased the speed and pressure of her mouth, he lifted his hips, and he moved with her. She reveled at her success, loving the way his body responded, clearly eager for more of what she offered.

What she so wanted to give.

Low moans came from his mouth, feeding her own actions, making her taste him with deeper strokes. But she also wanted to come with him inside her. Greedy though it might be, she didn’t want him to come and have this be over.

In one long stroke, she slid down his length and released him from her mouth. Her tongue lapped at the tip, circling it one last time.

She pulled herself upright, balancing on her knees, wanting a good look at his gorgeous body. He put one arm behind his head, looking at her, eyes dark with passion. For long moments, he allowed her to look her fill, and she did so with hungry eyes. As much as she yearned for him to be inside her, she also loved looking at him. What if it was her only chance?

He was nothing short of a work of art, broad chest, with a narrow waist that tapered to rippling, deliciously defined abdominals. Her hands ran the length of his strong thighs, feeling them flex beneath her touch.

He murmured something in Spanish and moved suddenly, taking her by surprise. His hands slid up her back, sending a rush of sensation to all parts of her body. He was kissing her neck, and his hand slid to one of her breasts and kneaded.

She moaned, her nipple tightening against the rough texture of his palm. His touch threatened to take her control, and she pressed her palms on his shoulders.

“Not so fast,” she said urgently.

He responded to her tone, leaning back to see her face, but not releasing her. “No, porque.”

“I’ll tell you when you can touch.”

His eyes narrowed, and then a slow smile slid onto his lips. There was a challenge in his voice. “If I can’t touch, mi Hermosa, you touch.”

A flash of insecurity made her freeze, eyes dropping to his chest. Could she do that in front of him? But she didn’t have time to think. His hand was over hers, and the next thing she knew, her hand and his were on her breast.

Her eyes lifted, his darker ones pinning her in a hot stare. “You are very sexy, mi Hermosa.”

It was as if he sensed she needed the reassurance. But she didn’t want to need it. Her hand moved beneath his, gently applying pressure to her breast. His hand dropped from hers, his gaze shifting to take in her actions.

She brought her other hand to her other breast, squeezing and kneading. She could feel the impact of her actions on him, so thick was the sexual tension in the air. It empowered her, pressing her to release her inhibitions.

His head bent and kissed one of her hands, tongue slipping between her fingers to one nipple. She moaned, head tilting backwards. He eased her hands to the sides of her breasts, pinching her nipples with just enough pressure to almost be painful. Deliciously so.

“You do it,” he said in a soft voice. She looked at him, wetting her lips as she did, her heart beating double time. She didn’t hesitate, sliding her hands to replace his and pinching as he had done.

A low growl escaped his throat as she felt his fingers slide between her legs. She was wet with desire, her body begging for satisfaction. He fed that need, stroking her sensitive flesh with his fingers and then dipping one inside her.

Her hands went to his shoulders. “I want you,” she whispered hoarsely, needing him inside her.

His hands slid to her waist, and he maneuvered so his erection settled between her legs. “Then what are we waiting for?”

She wasn’t sure how, but they were almost at the headboard. Palms against his chest, she pressed him backwards, so he ended up sitting against the wood, legs in front of him. But they needed a condom. She had seen an extra on the floor where he had dropped it earlier. The temptation to skip it, knowing she had the pill as protection, was extreme. But she forced herself to move. To retrieve the small package.

Tearing it open, she watched him. Hungering like she never had before. And then she wrapped her fingers around his cock, loving the hard pulse beneath her hand. Quickly, she rolled the protection down his length. And then, able to wait no longer, she straddled him.

The tip of his erection met her wetness, and she bit back a moan. She needed him. Her body cried out impatiently, and she responded by taking all of him in one quick movement.

They both gasped, her head falling backwards, lashing floating down to her cheeks, pleasure dancing along nerve endings. She couldn’t ever remember feeling this aroused.

“Mi Hermosa,” he said huskily, when she didn’t immediately move.

Her head tilted downward, eyes opening, as she responded to his plea. Hand on his chest, she arched her back and slowly began moving.

It was a mad rush of passion then, hands on each other’s bodies, mouths meeting, tasting, teasing. She couldn’t get enough of him. Something was between them, an unusual attraction that seemed to make them hunger for each other. It was as if they were trying to become one.

They clung, her breasts pressed to his chest, tongues meeting hungrily, until a rush of heat sent her over the edge.

She trembled and shook with the impact of release, fingers pressing into his back, body contracting with force. His hips seemed to buck as he joined her, body thrusting into hers, a moan escaping his mouth.

When finally they stilled, neither moved for long moments. It was as if neither could completely believe the full force of what had happened between them.

Or maybe they simply didn’t want it to end.

Six

It was nearly time for sunrise when Dominic Montez forced himself to slide out of the bed, careful not to wake his sleeping beauty. Usually, leaving was easy. This time it was not. This time this woman had gotten to him in a way no other had before.

But he couldn’t stay, even if he wanted to. He had an informant to meet in Brownsville, a job to do. And his job as a DEA agent was exactly why he made a better one-night stand than future lover. The nastiness that touched his life wasn’t meant to be shared.

Yet, the connection between him and this woman enticed him to linger, wishing things could be different. He stared down at her, her blond hair a mass of silk on the pillow. Inhaling, Dominic could almost smell the floral scent it held. So sweet. So alluring.

The temptation to crawl back into the bed and hold her just a little longer enticed him. To feel what he had just moments before, as she’d slept in his arms, relaxed and far too trusting.

He had made love to her over and over, determined to embrace every second he had with her. In the back of his mind, he knew his motivation. He wanted this unique woman to remember him for what they shared.

Regret for what would never be burned his soul. There was something about this beautiful white woman that called to him. But he would only be trouble and pain for her. Not that she would want someone like him.

For Dominic, the options were limited. His career ruled his life. A fact that had begun to bother him lately. At thirty-five, he barely remembered his own name, he was undercover so much. He had nothing to offer a woman like this one. Nothing of value.

Dominic knew he had to leave and he had to do it while she slept, without saying goodbye. He grabbed the hotel notepad and pen from the nightstand, pausing a moment as he tried to decide what to say.

Mi Hermosa,

I will never forget our night together.

He paused, struggling with how to sign the note. Using his name wasn’t an option. Finally he wrote,

Adios,

D

He started toward the door, note in hand, and stopped as he almost stepped on her purse where it still lay on the floor. Squatting, he hesitated, and then gave into his urge. He unzipped her purse, determined to find out her name. Identifying a business card holder, he withdrew a card, and then returned the purse to its normal order.

Standing, Dominic left her purse on the floor, not wanting her to think he’d done what he had, and looked inside. Dominic gave her a quick look, confirming she was still sleeping, and then eased the door open, the note wedged into the closure.

He paused outside the door and read the name on the card. Jessica Montgomery, Assistant District Attorney, Travis County. “No fucking way,” he murmured. That meant she dealt with criminal types almost as much as he did.

On a timeline, Dominic had no choice but to head out. He couldn’t risk missing his meeting. But as he started toward the office, intending to pay the bill, he couldn’t get his mind off the “what ifs.”

Sliding the card in the front pocket of his jeans, Dominic forced himself to think about the business ahead of him…for now.

Later he’d decide what to do about Jessica Montgomery.

Jessica woke slowly, eyes fluttering open, nostrils flaring with the scent of the man she had tasted and touched all night. She didn’t move, knowing her time with him was now limited, wanting to enjoy it just a little longer.

Sunlight beamed through the windows, making certain she knew her fantasy world was about to end. The absence of cloud cover told her the storms had ended.

She squeezed her eyes shut, mentally reliving the images of her and her stranger in heated embraces. After long moments, she forced herself to open them again. She needed to touch him just one more time. Reaching for him, her hand met the mattress. Lifting her head with a sudden rush of fear, she found herself in bed, alone.

Her eyes moved to the bathroom, hopeful that he was there, not gone. But the door was open, and the light was out.

He was gone. She was indeed alone.

Unbidden, a tiny ache of disappointment formed. She threw the covers aside and sat up, refusing to let the reality of the situation get to her. This was how it was supposed to be. A one-night stand ended in one night. That was the whole point.

And it wasn’t like she wanted a relationship.

Shoving her feet off the edge of the bed, she stood. That’s when she saw the piece of paper shut in the door. Her heart began pounding against her chest, anticipation thrumming in her body like a second skin.

Maybe he hadn’t left. Maybe he had just gone out for a minute.

Gingerly, she moved toward the note, and with far too much eagerness, she opened the door. Securing the piece of paper, she shoved the door shut. And then she read.

It was short and to the point. He was gone. She was alone. “D” was how he signed it. She still didn’t even know his name.

Jessica sank to the ground, back against the door, thinking about her past, and how much she’d allowed herself to miss. Compliments of her stranger, she now knew there really was a sexual woman inside her. Now that it had revealed itself, Jessica had no intention of shoving it back into hiding.

Memories floated in her mind. Of her stranger. Of her ex saying nasty things. Even blaming her for his cheating. But this stranger, and her night with him, had proven she wasn’t, as her ex had said…sexless.

So he might be gone, but she still owed her sexy stranger a silent “thank you.” She was going to embrace the future feeling more confident. Certainly, she was now making room for some physical satisfaction. She smiled at that thought, and pushed to her feet.

Sex had certainly taken on a new meaning.

All she needed was the right man.

An hour later, Jessica entered the motel lobby-if the dingy box of a room could be called that. She needed to deal with her car and get on the road.

Approaching the counter, Jessica found a teenage boy so consumed by a handheld game of some sort he didn’t notice her approach.

Delicately, she cleared her throat. “I’m in room-”

He slid an envelope toward her. “112,” he said, glancing up at her. “I know. Your room’s paid for, and your car is out back being repaired.”

Jessica frowned and started to ask questions but the kid interrupted. “That guy you were with said he had to leave but wanted to make sure you were taken care of. Paid for an extra night so you could wait in your room while your car gets repaired. Just a bad alternator though. It’ll be ready soon.” The boy smiled. “That man, he sure was a good tipper. Tell him to come back anytime.”

Jessica smiled. “I’ll tell him,” she said, thinking she wouldn’t mind one more visit with her stranger herself.

One more hot night.

Seven

Dominic sat down on yet another hotel bed. After passing on the details his informant had delivered, he flipped his cell phone shut.

Until a week before, Dominic had been deep undercover with the Alvarez Cartel. The information he’d received today helped take down a motorcycle gang traffic king drugs over the border for Alvarez. It had been the final piece of evidence needed before arrests were made.

Eyeing the hotel room, Dominic took in the floral bedspread and picture of a rose over the particle-board dresser. In Brownsville, this was about the best accommodations available. The town wasn’t known for luxury, but the beach and border nearby drew tourists regardless.

Dominic’s mind went back to the dingy roadside motel he’d shared with Jessica. To the beautiful white woman he’d forced himself to forget while he attended business.

In truth, she’d been there, lingering just beneath the surface, begging for attention the entire day. Unsure why, but unable to stop the urge, Dominic eased backward, shoving two fingers in the pocket of his jeans and retrieving her business card.

He stared at it, still surprised at her title of assistant DA. Flipping the card around between his fingers, he considered the implications. She understood the nastiness of the criminal world, of his world. She’d know what DEA meant. What complications came with the job.

A frustrated sigh slid from his mouth, and he tossed the card on the nightstand. If she knew the complications, she’d know he was trouble. He scrubbed his jaw, still unshaven, a one-day growth soon to become two.

Pushing to his feet, he crossed the tiny expanse of the room which included a sink and mirror, the toilet being in a tiny closed hole of a room. He leaned against the counter, looking into the mirror.

“Chingado,” he murmured, searching his image for answers.

Why was he even considering contacting her again? Why? He’d seen how his line of work destroyed relationships. No. It was more than just his job. It was the impact of his job. The darkness he’d seen. The things he’d allowed himself to become in the name of good. The undercover jobs that almost sucked him under and destroyed all he knew himself to be.

Things best kept to himself.

Yet…Jessica had touched him in some way he didn’t quite understand. And now, her role in law enforcement seemed to almost invite a future connection.

Dominic let his head drop between his shoulders, trying to make sense of how much he wanted to see her again. Considering the road they’d both traveled, the likelihood she was right here in Brownsville seemed strong. So close. So easy to track down with one quick phone call.

Not giving himself time to think, Dominic shoved away from the sink and walked back to the bed and sat down. He grabbed his phone off the nightstand and dialed, taking advantage of the resources available to him.

A minute later, he was talking to a contact, a research specialist, from his base office. “I need everything you can get me on Travis County Assistant District Attorney Jessica Montgomery.” He paused. “I’m fairly certain she’s in Brownsville today, and I need to know where.”

As expected, Dominic wasn’t questioned. If he needed intel, he got it. Years of service and a track record of success gave him certain liberties. The specialist would simply believe he was tracking down a lead related to his assignment.

And though Jessica wasn’t part of his job, she most definitely had become a distraction he had to deal with.

Hours later, Dominic pulled his bike into Beth Montgomery’s driveway and killed the engine. He’d considered his choices and knew showing up and seeing Jessica in person was his only option. She’d think he was a stalker if he called and probably blow him off. Or she’d just let fear drive him away. He’d seen a lot of fear in her. Too much. Fear, he realized, he wanted to drive away permanently.

He knew this was nuts. He came with baggage she didn’t need. On the other hand, he’d seen the ghosts in those blue eyes and knew he’d put them at bay.

Starting toward the front porch, his groin tightened at the mere thought of seeing Jessica again. Of touching her and feeling her tight against his body.

No other woman had ever drawn this kind of potent response. He couldn’t walk away without finding out if it had been a fantasy that the light of day destroyed.

Or if it was more…

Eight

Jessica had made it to Brownsville just in time for the birthday party which included dinner, cake and lots of friends and family. Her mother had lived with Beth, her sister, since their father’s death several years before. It had done Jessica good to see her doing well with Beth.

Now, hours after the festivities, exhausted from travel and no sleep, Jessica sat on a wooden swing located on the back porch of her sister’s small, country house. Wearing jeans, no shoes or socks, and a t-shirt, she felt relaxed for the first time in a long while.

Staring into the rich black of night, no stars in sight, a breeze lifted her hair from her neck, her nostrils flaring with the scent of rain. Another storm was headed toward them. The thought conjured erotic images from the night before.

Of her Zorro look-a-like, with long, dark hair, mesmerizing eyes and milk chocolate skin. She loved his skin color. Loved how intimate and perfectly he had touched her. How sexy and feminine he’d made her feel.

The screen door squeaked, snapping Jessica reluctantly back to reality. Jessica opened her eyes, unaware she’d even allowed them to drift shut.

Beth peered around the doorway. “What are you doing out here, alone?”

“Just enjoying the peaceful night.”

Beth gave her a probing look, and then stepped past the door, letting it slam shut. “Why do I feel like you have some secret you’re dying to tell but you aren’t sure you should?”

Jessica laughed, hoping it didn’t sound as nervous as she felt. Beth had gotten married, a virgin, right out of high school. Admitting to Beth she’d slept with a stranger, and didn’t even know his name, simply wasn’t an option.

Besides, part of Jessica wanted to keep her Latin lover a special secret. “I assure you anything I might share is incredibly boring,” Jessica said, patting the seat beside her, the swing big enough for two. “Come sit with me.”

“I’m not wrong,” Beth said, tossing her long, blond hair over her shoulder. Several years younger than Jessica, they shared the same coloring, though Beth was much taller, a good three inches above Jessica’s five foot four. “I know you. Something is going on.” She sat down next to Jessica, and angled her body to study her sister. “I can see it in your eyes.”

“You are as crazy as always, I see,” Jessica teased, diverting her gaze, trying to act nonchalant as she stared out into the darkness. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she hugged them.

“Come on, Jess,” Beth prodded. “Tell me.”

“There’s nothing to tell,” Jessica replied, peeking at Beth. Then, she held up a finger. “Wait. I go to trial on Monday. Want to hear about the case?”

Beth made a frustrated sound. “You are always at trial, prosecuting some bad guy. And no, I do not want to hear the details. You know I don’t like all that law stuff. I run a flower shop for God’s sakes.” She crossed her jean-clad legs. “And you’re trying to distract me anyway.”

“I am not,” Jessica insisted even though they both knew she was.

“Are too,” Beth said. She made a humph sound. “Fine.” Her lips thinned. “Keep the fun stuff to yourself.” She reached out and pulled a strand of Jessica’s hair through her fingers. “It’s gotten longer. The last time I saw you it was barely to your shoulders, and now it’s well past them.”

Guilt tightened Jessica’s gut as she turned to her sister. It also opened up the door for Jessica to say what was on her mind. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve been far too withdrawn from you and mom. I buried myself in my work after the divorce but that’s behind me. I’m going to change that. I promise.”

Beth laced her fingers through Jessica’s. “Both mom and I knew you just needed time. All we want is for you to be happy.” She narrowed her eyes on Jessica. “Are you happy?”

“I’m getting there,” Jessica said, surprised at how much she meant her words.

Before her sister could respond, the doorbell rang. “Great,” Beth said, a frustrated sound following the word. “Mom and the baby are sleeping. Who would be visiting now?”

Jessica glanced at her watch and shot an amused look at Beth. “It’s eight o’clock. Not late by most people’s standards.”

Beth pushed to her feet and shook a finger at Jessica. “Wait until you have babies. Eight will feel like midnight. I’ll be right back.”

As the screen door slammed shut, Jessica laughed out loud. Beth hadn’t changed. Always melodramatic. Always in crisis. She hadn’t realized just how much she’d missed her until now.

Until this weekend, she hadn’t realized how much of everything she’d missed. Her mind raced back to the motel. To the awakening of the woman inside. The one she intended to keep alive and well.

Jessica was just about to go check on the visitor when Beth cleared her throat from behind. “Jessica,” she said. “You have a visitor.”

Jessica’s brows dipped. No one would visit her here. She’d barely kept in contact with her family, let alone anyone else. “What?” She rotated around in the swing to see the doorway. “Who?”

And then her jaw dropped because she could see exactly who herself. It was him. Her sexy stranger. Her lover for a night. And though she saw him there, in the doorway, looming above her sister by several inches, it didn’t seem real. Her stranger couldn’t be here, in her sister’s home. She blinked.

No.

It wasn’t possible.

With her back to the stranger, Beth proceeded to form the silent word “wow” meant for Jessica’s eyes only. God, what must her sister be thinking? Crap. What had he told her?

Her gaze lifted to his, to her fantasy man, who’d suddenly invaded her real world, and the impact stole her breath away. Those eyes…those dark, sultry eyes of his packed a powerful punch of pure heat. They seduced with a mere look, wordlessly promising pleasure.

And they demanded she remember.

Memories flooded her mind. Of naked bodies entwined. Of boldly telling this man what she wanted and needed. Even demanding it.

How long she sat there, unmoving, body getting all warm and wet, with the vivid play of intimate moments, she didn’t know. It was him, the stranger no longer a secret, who broke the silence.

“I told you I might be in town today. Didn’t you warn your sister I might drop by?”

His voice was both familiar and thick with the soft, silky accent she’d found such a turn-on. Still did, it appeared, because she felt the distinct ache of pleasure between her thighs.

Jessica swallowed, unable to think what to say. She didn’t understand how he was here or what he was saying. “I…I guess I didn’t.”

Beth made a tsk sound. “Now I know what your secret was.” She winked at Jessica. “I’ll leave you two alone.”

Her sister’s words shook Jessica back into action. She scrambled to her feet, backing up against the wooden railing of the patio. Beth disappeared, and he stepped out onto the porch and under the one dim light above the door.

His long raven hair was pulled back at his neck, a tie holding it in place, his square jaw dusted with dark stubble. His black jeans and matching, snug t-shirt, along with boots, completed the renegade look.

The one that screamed sex and fantasies.

Only this wasn’t a fantasy. He was real. And getting closer. Suddenly, he was moving, and in two long strides he stood beside the railing, and she rotated to face him. So close she could smell his spicy male scent. The same enticing scent she’d awakened wearing like a second skin just hours before.

But no matter how familiar her body might find this man, he was indeed a stranger. One who shouldn’t know how to find her. “Why are you here?” she demanded, straightening her spine. “No. How? How are you here?”

A hint of a smile lifted one corner of his sensual mouth. “Hello mi Hermosa.” A pause and a nod. “Jessica.”

She should be scared. Damn it, she was no fool. She didn’t really know this man. So why was her stomach fluttering with excitement and nerves instead of fear?

“How do you know me?” she asked.

He reached in his pocket and pulled out a wallet, flipping it open and exposing a badge. DEA. She knew it at sight. Quickly, Jessica found his name, trying to determine if it was familiar. “Dominic Montez,” she said, reading it out loud, but not placing it. She narrowed her eyes on him, searching his masculine features, trying to think of a time they’d met. “Did we know each other before…um…?”

He leaned closer. “Before we made love all night?” he asked, in a husky whisper.

Her nipples tightened at the words, and she felt the ache of undeniable lust between her thighs. She let out a breath and eased backward, afraid she was going to lose all rational thought. Normally, as an attorney who knew the courtroom well, she handled herself with grace. With this man instinct took over. Right now, getting naked and repeating last night sounded far too good.

She needed answers and she knew it. “Did we know each other before?” she asked again, leaning her palm on the railing to her right for stability.

He mimicked her action, resting his elbow on the wooden ledge to his left. The position put him closer to eye-level with her.

“Not before last night, mi Hermosa.” He spoke the words precisely, emphasizing the familiar endearment he’d spoken so many times as he’d made love to her, his eyes holding hers as if he wanted her to see the truth in them. “I took the liberty of taking one of your business cards.”

The idea of him going through her purse bothered her, yet, if he hadn’t he wouldn’t be here now. She was confused. The feeling made her snap. “You went into my purse?” Her voice held accusation.

His nod came slowly. “That’s right, and I used my contacts to find out where you were tonight. I wanted to see you again.” He pushed off the railing, his expression suddenly indiscernible, his mood darker. The barely there smile, gone. “You can report me if you like. I won’t deny my actions.”

There was no apology in his voice. In fact, his words felt like a dare. She searched his eyes, his face. An almost overwhelming urge to reach out and touch him overcame her. Like an urge to reassure. To comfort. An urge she didn’t let herself act upon.

“Dominic,” she said, trying to offer in that word what she hadn’t been willing to in touch.

And just like that, he closed the distance between them. He reached out to do what she had resisted, to touch. Anticipation sent a shiver racing down her spine. But just as the reward, the desired feel of his skin against hers, was to come, he pulled back, his hand dropping to his side.

Her body ached for him. For the contact that never came.

“I broke the rules to find you,” he said in a low voice. “I wanted to see you that much. But make no mistake, Jessica Montgomery. This isn’t the only time I’ve broken the rules nor will it be the last. I’m no angel.”

At that moment, all she wanted to do was kiss him. To taste that spicy maleness so unique to him. But she sensed the importance of his words. He was looking for something from her. Perhaps she held back because she wanted something from him too.

But what? She didn’t know. Only that a line was drawn in the sand and it somehow, someway, had to be crossed. And she wanted to do it now, not later. To tear down the barriers.

She didn’t even know this man, but what she’d shared with him had felt far more exposing and intimate than anything she’d ever experienced with her ex. Everything inside her wanted to trust him.

“These rules you break,” she asked, forcing herself to be cautious, to act as she normally would. “Are they for the right reasons?”

One second. Two. “Is there a right reason to break the rules?” he asked.

There had been a time when she would have said no. Not anymore. Right and wrong weren’t always black and white. She’d learned that after years of seeing criminals walk free on technical issues.

Besides, how could she convict Dominic for finding her when being found felt so…exciting? “Breaking the rules brought you here,” Jessica said, not willing to say more, implying her meaning rather than speaking it out loud.

He didn’t so much as move a hair, but the air crackled with the impact of her words. With his reaction. “Which means what?”

“I’m not sure,” she said, and that was as truthful as it got. She was as scared as she was pleased to see him. “I’m…surprised.”

“I needed to know,” he said in a low voice.

“Know?” she asked, her stomach fluttering with nerves, anxious for his response.

“If what I felt back in that room was real.”

He barely finished speaking the words when he reached out and brushed her cheek with his fingertips, and she felt it clear to her toes. Every inch of her body went warm and then turned hot. His palm settled on her face, and she found herself leaning into the touch, her lashes fluttering.

The way this man impacted her was as amazing as it was frightening. It also excited and aroused. And most of all, it left her wanting more.

“Mi Hermosa,” he whispered.

She forced her eyes open, looking at him with what she knew had to be lust. “And what did you find out?” she asked. “Was it real?”

“I know how to be sure,” he said.

His thumb brushed her bottom lip, and though Jessica knew her sister could walk outside any minute, she couldn’t stop her reaction as she pressed her hand to that rock hard chest. Her panties were wet. Her body burning.

“How?” she whispered.

He looked down at her hand and then covered it with his own. After several seconds, he fixed her with a tormented look, and then, abruptly, stepped away from her, far enough to break contact, but close enough to speak for only her ears.

“I’ll be in room 112 tomorrow at noon,” he said. “If you show up we’ll find out.” With the words, he turned and started for the door.

Jessica wanted to call him back, but she didn’t dare bring attention from her sister. Instead, she stood there, staring after Dominic, her body scorching hot from his touch. His presence. His promise of more than one night.

The soft breeze the only thing offering any relief from the loss of the man who set her on fire like no other.

Nine

In front of 112 sat a motorcycle.

Jessica smiled, knowing it belonged to Dominic. Sleek and silver, it screamed of sex and power. It fit her image of her sexy Zorro lover like a glove. Just as her body had fit to his as if made for his.

Slowly, her eyes went to the cracked door leading to the room she’d shared with Dominic so recently. Her stomach fluttered with nerves. She’d called her contacts in Austin, and had Dominic check out. She assumed he’d expected as much. Only a fool would show up here, today, without such actions.

Dominic’s parents were dead, his grandmother raising him from his teens to college years, before she too passed away. He had no siblings. He’d spent most of his adult life undercover.

Dominic was alone.

And deep inside, she knew he didn’t want to be anymore. She had seen it in his eyes, and felt it in his touch.

As she walked toward the door, her boots scraping on the gravel, Jessica smiled. Dominic was nothing like her conservative attorney ex-husband.

And she loved it.

The idea of playing a little, and enjoying both Dominic, and life, felt exciting. And so did the continuation of her sexual exploration. She wanted to start there. She wanted to release her inhibitions and charge toward the future.

She eased open the door and found Dominic standing in the center of the room. Jessica stepped into the room and pushed the door shut. She leaned against the wooden surface.

Her eyes locked with Dominic’s, and they stared at each other, the air sizzling with implication. With heat and desire.

Her gaze traveled his body. He wore faded jeans and a tight white t-shirt. Boots. Hair down around his shoulders. She pushed off the door and walked toward him, seeing the surprise register in his eyes at her forward action. She forced down the nerves that threatened to destroy her plan.

Stopping only inches from where he stood, she pressed her hand on Dominic’s chest, feeling his muscle flex beneath her palm. Fighting the urge to explore his body. The time would come…just not yet.

Jessica started walking again, urging him backward until he hit the wall. He reached up to touch her and she waved off his hand. “Hands at your sides and against the wall.” He hesitated. “Do it or I leave.”

His brown eyes turned almost black. Potent. Hot. She could see the burn of desire in them. Feel the way her aggressiveness turned him on. She could even smell his arousal.

And she liked it. Really, really liked it.

Giving him a sultry look, she threw out her challenge. “You asked me what I wanted last night. In fact, you demanded I tell you.”

“And then I made your wants and needs reality,” he said, his voice husky with desire. “Did I not?”

She ignored his attempt at seduction. She’d come this far, Jessica wasn’t about to hand over control now. “I want to know what you want, Dominic,” she said.

“You,” he said. “I want you.”

She slid her hand down his body and palmed his cock, now hard and more than ready to be inside her. “I know that much.” Her fingers traced the tip of his erection. “You don’t really think I’m going to let you get off that easy, do you?”

A slow smile slid onto his lips. “I was hoping you wouldn’t.”

“What do you want, Dominic?”

“Everything you’ll let me have, mi Hermosa,” he responded. “All of you.”

Lost in the game, the lust, the desire to simply feel his body against hers, she still didn’t miss the implications of his words. “And what do I get in return?”

“Anything you wish,” he whispered.

“Anything?” she asked, a coy smile slipping onto her mouth.

“Your wish is my command.”

Jessica stepped away and took a seat on the bed. “Start by getting naked.” She paused. “Slowly.”

As Dominic reached for his shirt, prepared to do her bidding, Jessica inhaled, feeling the power. Loving the inner vixen come to life. She couldn’t wait to see where it would take her.

Nor could she wait to see just how far Dominic was willing to go. Today and in the future. But whatever the outcome, she was going to enjoy the ride.

Prior to realizing her dream of becoming a writer, LISA RENEE JONES owned and operated a multi-state staffing agency, with sales as high as sixteen million dollars a year. She was recognized by many publications, including the prestigious Entrepreneur Magazine. In 2003, she sold her business to focus full time on her writing.

Since then, she has sold books to four major publishing houses in multiple genres. You can find out more about her busy release schedule at www.lisareneejones.com.