A night of love they’ll never forget…

Cydney Rayne likes living dangerously. But no thrill can compare to the passionate night she spends with a sexy stranger in Anguilla. The adventure-seeking event planner never expects to see her mystery lover with the sea-blue eyes again. Until he shows up in her Chicago hometown.

FBI agent Shawn Miles lives by his credo to honor, protect…and never get emotionally involved. Yet he can’t forget the sensual beauty who shared his midnight beach utopia—and changed his life forever. Rekindling their desire could blow his deep cover and expose her to the dangers surrounding him. But now that they’re back in each other’s arms, how can he ever let her go?

Cyd slowly backed up into a corner of the closet, attempting to put some distance between herself and Shawn.

Refusing to give her space, Shawn followed her into the corner and brushed a few fallen strands of hair out of her face. The heat surrounding them rose twenty degrees, and for the second time, she wished she hadn’t chosen a closet as her hiding place. He leaned in, indicating that he was going to kiss her. She could feel it, and even worse, she wanted it.

“What are you doing?” she asked, a little more breathless than she would have liked.

“If you have to ask, then I must be doing something wrong.”

No, he was definitely doing everything right. But she was trying to stall the passionate explosion that she knew would come from his kiss. His six-foot-three-inch frame towered over her five-foot-nine-inch body, and he’d successfully blocked her from any type of escape.

As his face grew closer to hers, she didn’t have the willpower to stop him.

“I’ve been waiting to do this for eight months,” he said as he dipped his head to hers.

SHERELLE GREEN

is a Chicago native with a dynamic imagination and a passion for reading and writing. As a young girl, she channeled her creativity and turned her thoughts into short stories and poems. Although she loves to read all genres, romance holds a special place in her heart. Her love for romance developed in high school after stumbling across a hot and steamy Harlequin novel. She instantly became an avid romance reader and decided to pursue an education in English and journalism. Nothing satisfies her more than writing stories filled with compelling love affairs, multifaceted characters and intriguing relationships. A true romantic, she believes in predestined romances, love at first sight and fairy-tale endings.

If Only for Tonight

Sherelle Green

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dear Reader,

Introducing the spiciest owner of Elite Events Incorporated…Cydney Rayne!

I’ve always admired spontaneous women who aren’t afraid to be themselves and seize the moment. I wanted to challenge my fierce heroine by giving her a strong hero who would force her to analyze her views on Mr. Right.

Cyd embodies a sense of mystery and desirability that instantly attracts the devastatingly sexy Shawn Miles. Shawn has always been able to control his feelings and desires, but slowly Cyd begins to uncover the truth behind his facade. Soon, they both realize what may feel so wrong is actually so right!

I’m currently working on Lexus Turner’s story, the third installment in the Elite Events series. I love to hear from readers, so please feel free to contact me, and make sure you check out my website for my latest book updates.

Much love,

Sherelle

www.SherelleGreen.com

AuthorSherelleGreen@gmail.com

@SherelleGreen

To my parents, Carl and Mary, for their unwavering support and unconditional love. The words thank you can’t justify how grateful I am for all that you both have done for me. You raised me with strong family values and beliefs, always encouraging me to follow my dreams and approach life with confidence and determination. When faced with adversity or an obstacle, you both have overcome. When life throws you a curve ball, you both hit the ball as hard as possible, resulting in a home run. Throughout my life, I’ve watched you lean on each other for comfort and understanding, always proving that a beautiful relationship like yours—strong…solid…powerful—can withstand anything. After thirty years of marriage, you both are the epitome of true love and I’m so honored and blessed to be your daughter.

To my sister, Kelsey, for your support and motivation. When I was crafting the character of Cydney Rayne, I was inspired by your adventurous spirit, mysterious demeanor, intelligence and beauty. You never pass up on an opportunity to enhance yourself culturally and challenge yourself mentally. I greatly admire your drive to live life to its fullest and your ability to always be on the go and not be stagnant in life. As little girls, we shared a bond that could not be broken, and as adults, I’m so elated that our bond has only gotten stronger. You walk with such confidence and embody so many wonderful qualities. I’m so proud to have you as a little sister and I appreciate all the literary inspiration! Without you, Cydney Rayne wouldn’t exist. This one’s for you, sis!

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Prologue

Cydney Rayne enclosed her arms around her body as she inhaled the unique scent of the ocean. On the southeastern coastline of Anguilla, sounds from the sea creatures mingled with those constrained to land as midnight approached.

“So peaceful,” Cydney whispered as she closed her eyes and listened to the sound of magnificent waves crashing against the rocky shore. Earlier that day, she’d soaked in the beauty of the bright sunset as it painted the sky a rusty reddish-orange. Now, as she opened her eyes, she admired the splashes of blue and gray that dusted the moon and the brilliant stars shining in the darkness.

Cydney walked over to one of the few light posts on the boardwalk and took off her leather sandals, letting the pinkish sand slide between her toes. Her vacation with her girlfriends from college was finally coming to an end, but she hadn’t managed to track down the sexy guy she’d been running into all week. The ladies thought she’d made him up since they hadn’t been around to spot him. But she knew she couldn’t imagine the naughty conversations she’d had with the stranger or the sensations she felt in her body whenever he was around. She felt more intrigued by this man than any other man from her past. And she didn’t even know his name.

She glanced around the deserted beach, wishing she’d brought her iPhone with her to keep track of the time. “Come on, mystery man...where are you?”

Her friends would kill her if they knew she’d sneaked out of the resort at night to track down a man she didn’t know. But Cydney was known for being the daredevil of the group. The thrill of danger excited her, and even though her family disliked her adventurous ways sometimes, she couldn’t help but be anyone but herself.

Deciding it probably wasn’t the best idea to continue to walk around aimlessly in Anguilla, Cydney started to head back to the resort until she noticed she was near the beach house that she’d admired since her arrival. She knew she should keep walking since there weren’t any lights surrounding the house, but she slowed down her pace, anyway. All the lights inside the house were off, and according to a local she had queried, the house wasn’t occupied. But somehow she sensed someone was in the house, watching her from the front window.

She stood there for a few seconds before a porch light turned on and the front door opened. Out stepped a tall man who appeared to be shirtless. She could barely make out his face in the dim lighting. Her breath caught in her throat. The porch’s lighting was just enough for her to tell that he was looking straight at her. She told herself to leave and hurry back to the resort, away from possible danger. But something kept her bare, toenail-polished feet planted in the sand as her blue summer dress danced in the night wind.

He stepped off the porch and began taking slow, purposeful steps toward her. A closer look at the man made her heart beat even faster. As he drew nearer, she told herself to be prepared for anything that the night had in store. After all, that was what she’d ventured to the beach for. She’d wanted to find her sexy mystery man, and there he was...in the flesh.

“So we meet again,” he said in an alluring voice as he approached her.

“I guess so. You told me you’d be on the beach, but I didn’t expect to find you in a deserted beach house.”

The amused look on his face was undeniable.

“You didn’t think I’d come, did you?”

“Not really,” he said with a smile. “Beautiful women don’t often go out into the night to meet a stranger they haven’t even been formally introduced to.”

What he said was definitely true considering she’d questioned her own motives several times while walking along the beach.

“Well, I guess I’m not most beautiful women then, am I?”

He walked closer to her and she confirmed her observation. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, allowing her a nice view of his delectable six-pack.

“I guess not,” he answered, studying her, as well. “My name is Brandon. It’s nice to meet you,” he continued. He offered a handshake as he removed one hand from the pockets of his khaki shorts.

Cydney wondered if she should give him her real name but decided against it. “Nice to meet you, Brandon. My name is Jessica.”

She returned his handshake and felt an electric spark the minute their hands touched. She was totally caught off guard by the feeling and immediately dropped his hand. His eyes glinted with amusement.

“Very nice to meet you, too, Jessica. And might I add, I’ve enjoyed the conversations we’ve had this past week. Honestly, I can’t say I’ve ever been this captivated by a woman before.”

Cydney felt the same way but couldn’t explain why she’d felt compelled to exchange naughty dialogues with the stranger. In fact, she’d been the one to start the conversations. She’d first seen him at a food market where he’d been buying coconut cake, a local dessert extremely well-known on the island. She’d waited until he was leaving, and being the daring person she was, she’d told him she’d love to lick the dessert off his body and then walked away, leaving him with a stunned look on his face.

He’d returned the favor the next day by walking into a local clothing store while she was shopping and saying he’d love for her to purchase the swimsuit she had in her hands just so that he could strip it off her later. He’d taken it one step further and explained everything he would do to her naked body.

Their back-and-forth naughty banter had continued every time they’d seen each other until finally he’d told her to meet him on the beach her last night in Anguilla. That night had finally come, and she didn’t know if she was spontaneous or foolish for meeting with a man who had just learned her name, but probably remembered all the sexual positions she whispered in his ear for the past week.

“Brandon, I want you to know that I’ve never done anything like this before,” Cydney blurted out, although she wasn’t sure why she cared since she didn’t plan to ever see him again.

He grazed her cheek with the back of his hand. “I know. Believe it or not, I know what type of woman you are.”

The gesture was sweet, but Cydney didn’t believe him. What woman would believe a man in her position? She knew what he wanted, and it was fine with her because she wanted the same thing. She’d never had a one-night stand, but she didn’t think she could stop herself now, even if she tried. The man was definitely in shape and had the build of a basketball player. His skin was the color of cinnamon and she’d never seen eyes like his. They weren’t hazel or blue but more so a combination of the two. Sea-blue, she thought as she peered a little closer. He was hot....

“So what do you say, Jessica?” he said, breaking into her thoughts. “Will you come inside the beach house and spend the night with me?”

Cydney looked him up and down, her eyes lingering on his six-pack. How can I say no to a man this fine? She didn’t live with regrets and after one more glance over his body, she knew she’d regret not taking him up on his offer.

“I accept,” Cydney said, relishing in the desire reflected in his eyes. “But only on one condition.”

“What’s that?” Brandon said, his voice even sexier than before.

Cydney tilted her head to the side as she observed Brandon a little more closely. She was one day shy of twenty-seven and definitely not a stranger to the bedroom. But there were still certain things that she’d always wanted to try yet never entertained with other men. If only for tonight, she wanted to live out one of her fantasies. She glanced at the beach, and then back at Brandon.

“I want to have sex in the ocean,” Cydney finally replied.

Brandon smiled at her and nodded his head in agreement. “That seems simple enough.”

“But not just that,” Cydney continued. “I want us to continue our naughty conversations by talking dirty while we explain every single thing we want to do to each other...while having sex in the ocean. No inhibitions....”

Cydney watched the fire build up in his eyes right before he stepped closer to her. His hands gently grazed her face again, only this time they didn’t stop there. He took one finger and dragged it in between her cleavage before dropping his head to the side of her neck. There, he placed soft kisses along her neckline, paying close attention to the parts right above her breasts. Cydney dropped her head back and enjoyed the way his lips felt on her skin. She couldn’t help the moans that escaped her mouth with every seductive kiss he placed on her upper body.

When he neared her mouth, she stopped him before their lips could touch. Outlining his jawline with her finger, she used her free hand to gently push him away from her. She took that moment to provocatively lift her dress over her head, revealing her spicy two-piece bathing suit.

Her eyes were pinned to his lips as he licked them in anticipation and slowly unzipped his pants before pushing them completely off. Cydney gasped at the sight that was before her. Brandon hadn’t worn anything underneath, displaying his enlarged sex. Her mouth watered as she took in the complete sight of his sexy nakedness. His arms and abs were so muscular that it made her want to lick every crevice of his body like it was a chocolate-ice-cream sundae.

He walked toward her, one mission clearly evident in his mind. Instead of getting nervous, Cydney flirtatiously smiled and met him halfway.

“I see you brought the swimsuit you were looking at in the store,” Brandon said as he played with the string on the side of her bikini.

“I always keep my promises,” Cydney replied, her voice catching as his eyes grew even deeper with desire.

“Come with me,” he told her seductively while grabbing her hand and leading her to the ocean. Her inner voice warned her that a man this sexy could be dangerous for a woman’s psyche. Men this fine were hard to forget and even harder to duplicate. But that inner voice was no longer present the minute their bodies hit the water. The only thought on Cydney’s mind was making sure she remembered every moment she spent with her sexy island lover.

Chapter 1

Eight months later...

“Cydney Rayne.”

She glanced up at the man who had whispered her name and prayed her eyes were deceiving her. They’d been formally introduced an hour before her sister Imani’s wedding, and her body temperature still hadn’t returned to normal. It had taken all her strength to stand up as maid of honor and not steal glances at the sexy man whose eyes had been glued to her the entire ceremony.

Imani and Daman Barker’s backyard wedding reception was in full swing, and she didn’t dare regard the man while being surrounded by her family and friends.

“Please follow me,” she said quickly before leaving the reception and retreating to a nearby walk-in closet inside her grandfather’s large house. As soon as she shut the closet door, she wondered why she hadn’t found a less confined hiding spot.

As they stood there observing one another, she wondered who would be the first to speak. Goodness, the man looked devastatingly sexy. He looked even better than she remembered. His black suit looked tailor-made and now the foremost thought in her mind was how good he’d look out of it.

He licked his lips as his eyes practically burned a hole through her lavender maid-of-honor dress. He was obviously having the same thoughts she was. She wanted to kiss him badly, and seeing the fire in his eyes, she knew that he wanted to kiss her, too. But Cydney refused to start something with a man like him—the kind of man who oozed sex appeal and looked like he just walked off the cover of GQ magazine. She could lose her damn mind with a man like him, and losing her sanity over a man, no matter how good he looked, was not an option.

A month ago, when she’d gone to help her new brother-in-law move out of his Detroit condo, she had seen a picture of Daman with a man she couldn’t quite make out. She could only see his profile in the picture, but she instantly knew that she had met the man previously. Refusing to believe her eyes, she put the photo out of her mind, hoping it was just a weird coincidence that he resembled that man she’d tried to forget about. Now, staring back into a pair of amused sea-blue eyes, she reminded herself that she never did believe in coincidences.

“So, Cydney Rayne, would you like me to call you Jessica, Cydney or do you prefer Cyd, the name everyone else has been calling you all day?”

She wished she could wipe that smirk off his handsome face. She wasn’t the only one who’d made up a fake name. “Well, that depends. Do you want me to call you Shawn Miles or would you rather I call you Brandon?”

His eyes squinted together. “Although I loved the way you screamed my name that night in the ocean, I’d wished you were screaming Shawn rather than Brandon. Now that you know my real name, maybe we can make that happen.”

Throwing her head back in an exaggerated laugh, she refused to let his arrogance get to her. “I’m sure your ears were playing tricks on you, but if that’s the name your mother gave you, then Shawn it is. You can call me Cyd or Cydney, but if you think for one minute that we’ll be sleeping together, think again.”

He was still smiling and checking her out. She tried to keep a calm demeanor, but she was anything but relaxed. She couldn’t even remember how Shawn knew Daman since she hadn’t really listened to the introductions past learning his real name. The moment she’d seen his face before the wedding, she’d wanted to crawl into a deep, dark hole. However, Shawn had looked more amused than surprised. She’d barely returned his handshake when the enormity of the situation had hit her full force. Most people never saw their one-night stands again. Unfortunately for Cyd, her one-night stand came strolling through her grandfather’s backyard for her sister’s wedding. Seriously?

“How do you know Daman, anyway?”

He looked at her from head to toe one more time before responding. “I met Daman through Malik Madden, a mutual friend.”

Cyd wondered if Shawn had known her true identity when they’d first met on the island.

“No, I didn’t know we shared a mutual friend. Imani and Daman hadn’t started working on the gala they planned yet,” Shawn said, interjecting her thoughts.

Cyd squinted her eyes together, soaking in his accurate assessment. “I didn’t even ask you anything,” she snapped. Even if he didn’t know her then, she was sure he’d known about her before he got to the wedding because he hadn’t appeared surprised when he saw her.

“You’re right. I knew who you were before I got here today. After meeting with Daman and Malik one day, I used Google to search Imani when I heard she was marrying Daman. That’s when I spotted a picture of you and your business partners.”

Cyd rolled her eyes and shook her head when he read her thoughts once more. Clearly Shawn had done his research. Cyd, along with her sister Imani Rayne-Barker, cousin Lexus Turner and friend Mya Winters were proud founders of Elite Events, Incorporated in Chicago. The women were well-known for planning elaborate events that left lasting impressions with all who had the pleasure of attending.

“How do you know that’s what I’m thinking? I could have been thinking anything.” Cyd didn’t like when people assumed they knew what was on her mind because usually they were wrong in their assumptions. But Shawn had correctly assessed her thoughts, and that didn’t sit well with her.

Shawn pushed aside a coat that was partially blocking his view of Cyd. “That’s true, but you weren’t just thinking anything. And trust me, Cyd, I wanted to track you down the minute I found the information.”

He was really starting to irritate her. He spoke to her as if they’d known each other forever instead of just being sex partners for one night. “Listen, you don’t know me, Shawn Miles, or whatever your name is. So do us both a favor and stop acting like you do.”

He leaned in closer, and she inhaled his enticing masculine scent. Being around him was a threat to her sanity, and her body was a ball of nerves. Her heart beat even faster as her eyes followed his hand that reached for her face. She couldn’t help but lean into him a little more.

“I know you better than you think, Cydney Rayne or Jessica or whatever your name is. And I also noticed your hair. It’s different than I remember. This color makes you look even sexier than you did the week we met.”

His voice was so seductive that she squeezed her thighs tighter to try to ease the ache that was starting to develop. When she’d met Shawn, her hair had been light brown and styled in natural waves since she’d wanted a look suited for the island. Now her hair was jet-black and cut in soft layers that flowed around her shoulders. The dark color looked dramatic on her light butter-toffee complexion, and she’d definitely gotten a lot more attention since she’d dyed it.

Cyd slowly backed up into a corner of the closet, attempting to put some distance between them. Refusing to give her space, Shawn followed her into the corner and brushed a few fallen strands of hair out of her face with the back of his hand. The heat in the closet rose twenty degrees, and for the second time, she wished she hadn’t chosen a closet as their hiding place. He leaned in, indicating that he was going to kiss her. She could feel it and even worse, she wanted it.

“What are you doing?” she asked, a little more breathless than she would have liked.

“If you have to ask, then I must be doing something wrong.”

No, he was definitely doing everything right. But she was trying to stall the passionate explosion that she knew would come from his kiss. His six-foot-three-inch frame towered over her five-foot-nine-inch body. He’d successfully blocked her from any route of escape.

As his face grew closer to hers, she didn’t have the willpower to stop him.

“I’ve been waiting to do this for eight months,” he said as he dipped his head to hers. The moment their lips touched, she felt the burst of passion she’d been waiting for. Her tongue mated with his as she reacquainted herself with his savory taste. His hands went around her waist and straight to her backside as she wrapped her arms around his neck. When Shawn began to grind against her core, she lost all sense of reality. The fact that he had such a strong sexual hold on her was extremely unsettling.

When her back hit the closet wall, she lifted her right leg and was rewarded by his strong, masculine hand grasping her thigh to keep her in place. His hands were like fire as her body melted to his every caress. She was pretty sure she could come on the spot without him even trying. That was how badly she wanted Shawn.

“Cydney,” Shawn said breathlessly in between kisses, “if we don’t stop soon, I’m taking you right here, right now, no ifs, ands or buts about it. Like I said, I’ve waited eight months to do this, and after kissing you, all I want to do is fill myself with the sweet taste of you.”

He pulled her even closer so she could feel his manhood press against the spot he wanted to bury himself inside. Cyd was so aroused, she could barely think. She knew what she wanted, but she also knew that she shouldn’t succumb to it. Then again, when do I ever do what I should? Being the bold person she was made the answer easy.

“Well, Shawn, if you think you can still handle me, by all means...prove it.”

She was thinking with the lower part of her body but this time she didn’t care. She inched onto the tiptoes of her left foot and Shawn quickly lifted her so that both of her thighs were in his palms. A rush of anticipation shot through her body as she leaned against the wall while he pushed her dress high on her waist and tightened his grip even more.

Cyd assumed he’d just get down to business, but instead, Shawn leaned into her, licking from the base of her collarbone to the middle of her neck, leaving a trail of soft, wet kisses along the way. He methodically began grinding against her core while his hands gripped her butt, bringing her closer to the fit of him.

She wrapped her legs tighter around Shawn’s waist as she gripped one of the closet poles to maintain her balance. When his lips found hers again, she was hungry and waiting. She could taste the remnants of wine on his lips, heightening her aroused state. She tried to think of any reason why she should stop Shawn from moving any further, but her mind was void of excuses. This man, her island lover with the cinnamon-colored skin and abs hard enough to bounce quarters off, was what all wet fantasies were made of. She couldn’t deny herself the opportunity to make love to a man guaranteed to take her on a journey to ecstasy.

Cyd tore off his jacket and Shawn wasted no time tearing off his dress shirt and throwing it aside, as well. His sexy arms flexed with each movement of their bodies and he never once let her feet touch the floor in his hastiness to remove his clothes.

Shawn reached in his back pocket and ripped open a condom packet. Cyd unzipped his pants and quickly put the condom in place, briefly massaging his member as she slid the condom over his shaft.

“I see you’re prepared,” Cyd murmured between kisses.

“Don’t forget that I knew you would be here and I was hoping I’d get a chance to talk to you. I figured with you, I’d better be prepared for anything.”

She wasn’t sure if she liked the fact that he was prepared or offended that he thought there was a possibility they would have sex again.

“I guess if I think about the last time we were together, it makes sense that you were prepared.”

Shawn stopped kissing her neck and gazed into her chestnut-brown eyes. She felt like she was under a microscope and her uneasiness increased when she couldn’t make out his thoughts.

“I was hoping I’d be lucky enough to have another moment with you,” Shawn said while rubbing his hands along her thighs. “I never forgot about the last time we were together, and I hung on to that hope that maybe you felt the same way about me and wanted to share another intimate moment. I didn’t assume, but I damn sure hoped you did.”

She melted at his reply. Lord, help me. The man had a way with words and she was being baited by his charm. Cyd always prided herself on knowing the difference between a man running game on her and a man genuinely expressing his feelings. Shawn was being genuine and the sincerity in his eyes was undeniable. But she couldn’t get too wrapped up in the emotions she felt. This was only about sex. Instead of responding to his words, she adjusted herself and slowly guided his shaft into her core until he reached her hilt.

Shawn exhaled deeply and took over from there, gliding in and out of her wet center with ease. This was the moment she’d missed since their last encounter. This was the feeling she’d dreamed about, the sensations she knew only he could provide.

They’d been exchanging words since they’d stepped into the closet, but at this moment all words ceased. Shawn’s eyes stared into Cyd’s with an intensity she felt throughout her entire body. There was nothing sexier than a shirtless man sexing the hell out of a woman with his body and his eyes. All the coats and shirts hanging in the closet rocked back and forth to the movement of their hips.

Shawn never lost eye contact with her. There was never a man who wanted her this badly. The fact that he was so honest about his desire excited and scared her all at the same time. Damn, what is it about this man? Cyd had had good sex, but none of her past partners remotely compared to Shawn. Not even close.

Her orgasm was threatening to break free and Shawn increased his pace. She gripped his shoulders to maintain her balance as her body lifted more toward the ceiling with each powerful thrust into her core.

“Shawn,” Cyd whispered. “We’ve been in this closet for a while and I know my family is wondering where I am. This time has to be a quickie.”

She’d quickly realized her mistake in implying that they would have sex again in the future. The sly smile on his face proved that he’d caught her mishap and wouldn’t let her forget about the implication.

“Who am I to disappoint,” Shawn said, his eyes briefly lowering to admire the healthy amount of cleavage bursting through the top of her dress. There they were again, those slick words and that sexy look that had her insides twirling in a massive heap of desire.

“I want you to look me in the eyes as you come,” Shawn whispered in her ear. Although she didn’t want to, she obeyed his request and stared deeply into his sea-blue eyes. That was her undoing. The look in his eyes told her that even though this was a quickie, he was far from finished with her. In the time she’d shared with Shawn eight months ago, she’d realized he was a man who said what he meant and meant what he said. There was no doubt in her mind that they would have sex again, and she wouldn’t even bother convincing herself otherwise.

“Cydney, it’s time,” Shawn said in a husky voice a little louder than before. Her faint moans were growing louder and on instinct, Shawn pinned her up on the wall even harder using only his thighs to hold her up while one hand gently covered her mouth. The movement brought him even deeper inside her and soon she mirrored his technique and covered his mouth to conceal his loud groans. Only using one hand for balance, Cyd bounced up and down as Shawn came completely out of her center only to bring her back down on him. He thrust harder twice more until they both released the passion they’d been holding inside. Cyd wanted to close her eyes as she became overcome with emotions she hadn’t felt in months, but she kept her eyes open. She had no choice. Shawn was still staring at her, still embedded deep in her core, warning her that this was only the beginning. He had plans for her, or at least her body. And with a man like him, she knew she had to stand her ground or give in to temptation.

Chapter 2

Seductive moans swarmed around in Shawn’s memory as he recalled every delicate feature of Cydney’s curves. He should have been paying attention to the current topic of discussion at his weekly meeting, but he couldn’t get his mind off her. For months, he’d dreamed about the unbelievable sex he’d had with his exotic lover, and this past weekend he’d sampled her sweetness again.

When he’d learned her identity a month ago, he’d wanted to contact her right away but he didn’t think she’d respond well, since like him, she assumed they’d never see each other again.

I wonder what brought her to Anguilla eight months ago. He’d planned to ask her after they were formally introduced. But when he saw her, the only thing on his mind was getting her out of her dress. She’d looked even sexier than he remembered and he wasn’t done with her yet. Far from it.

An undercover FBI assignment had led him to Chicago and he was definitely going to make the most of his time here after he solved the case. He’d need a good distraction after the upcoming months he faced, anyway. This case was one of the biggest of his career and for personal reasons, it was one of the most important.

“That’s all for now, folks,” said Chicago senior supervisory special agent Larry Wolfe as the meeting came to a close. “Shawn, can you follow me to my office?”

“Yes sir,” Shawn said, putting his thoughts of Cydney on hold. When they arrived at the office, Shawn took a seat close to a window.

“Shawn, I wanted to talk to you about the assignment in a little more detail,” Agent Wolfe said as he sat in a large desk chair opposite Shawn. “I’m sure I don’t have to remind you how important this case is. The DEA and Chicago P.D. will be working closely with us. I know you’ve researched all the current employees for the Peter Vallant Company, but as acting chief information security officer, you need to be debriefed on all the new employees and volunteers for the company.”

Agent Wolfe opened the top shelf of his file cabinet and pulled out a manila file folder. “I need you to go over everything in this file. As you know, Mr. Peter Vallant is the owner of the Peter Vallant Company, one of the top real estate firms in the nation. Mr. Vallant is throwing a series of customer appreciation events in Illinois and Indiana to thank all of the company’s supporters and contributors who participated in their Rebuild Your Community program initiative. You’ll be attending every event and Mr. Vallant is aware that you are undercover. He has agreed to assist you with any additional information you need while attending the events. I trust that your team is prepared.”

“Yes, sir. My top four security guards are aware of the situation and will provide extra sets of eyes during the tour for any suspicious activity. The rest of my security team will stay in Chicago and were told to be alert as they are with every security matter we handle.” In addition to working with the FBI, Shawn had spent the past year building his own high-level security firm. He hadn’t decided on a city to headquarter his company, but he had hired a top-notch security team of former members of the FBI, CIA, P.D. and U.S. military.

“Good. They leave on the appreciation tour later this week.”

“I’ll be ready,” Shawn said as he stood from his seat.

“Oh, and, Shawn,” Agent Wolfe called.

“Yes,” Shawn said as he turned his head over his shoulder.

“Can you handle this?”

Shawn knew why he was asking and appreciated the concern. But there was no way he was giving up the opportunity to work on this case. He stood to lose too much and he knew that solving the case would bring him some closure. “Is there anything I can’t handle?” he said sarcastically, demeaning the seriousness of the situation.

“Just making sure,” Agent Wolfe said with a slight laugh.

Shawn then walked out of the office and into the busy hallway buzzing with agents and other personnel ready to start their Monday. Using his thumb to flip through the pages in the file, Shawn familiarized himself with a few new faces he hadn’t originally researched as he shuffled around people walking past him.

When he was halfway through glancing at the pages in the file, Shawn stopped short. “What are the odds,” he said surprisingly as he studied the beautiful brown eyes of the woman who’d been sneaking into his thoughts way too frequently.

“Cydney Rayne, Elite Events, Incorporated. Lead planner for the appreciation series of events,” Shawn said aloud as he read the headline on the page. “Damn.” Yes, he was anxious to see her and continue what they’d started in the closet, but he didn’t mix business with pleasure. When it came to his work, nothing and no one stood in his way, and he couldn’t afford to compromise this case.

Shawn had a reputation as being one of the best undercover special agents in the bureau. A lot of agents were surprised to learn he ultimately wanted to leave the FBI and start his own company. But those who knew his story weren’t surprised by his decision at all. For the past few years he’d tried to avoid coming back to Chicago, the second city he was assigned to when he joined the FBI. But a few months ago, he’d known he had to return and finish what he’d started. It was a miracle he even got on this case in the first place. Agent Wolfe was more than his supervisor. He was more like family. Shawn hadn’t had the pleasure of knowing his biological parents and although he had great guardians, Agent Wolfe had been key in his development from boy to man. Agent Wolfe knew what Shawn stood to lose if he didn’t solve the case, and since he cared about him, Agent Wolfe had appointed Shawn as the undercover agent despite the personal conflict. But Shawn wasn’t too sure how Agent Wolfe would react if he knew about his relationship with Cydney.

“Miss Rayne, Miss Rayne. It seems I have a bigger issue than I thought,” Shawn said as he continued to stare intently at her picture. Since their relationship had been purely physical, he hadn’t told her what he did for a living. He would have given her a fake job, anyway, but that would have further complicated the situation, so he was glad that he had kept his mouth shut. Cydney wouldn’t like the fact that she would be working so closely with him, so she’d probably maintain her distance. At least that was what Shawn was hoping would be the case. He had a feeling that Cydney could be unpredictable at times and that could definitely pose a problem.

He looked from her eyes to her lips as he studied her picture one last time. For his sake, he hoped she would decide to keep her distance because if she didn’t, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to resist her.

“Stay focused,” he said to himself as he tried to reinforce his thoughts before leaving her page to finish scanning the rest of the documents in the file.

* * *

Cyd chanted Beyoncé’s recent hit as she poured herself a cup of coffee and waited for her partners to arrive to the conference room. The song had been playing in her head all weekend and she was feeling good. Even better than good—she was feeling great. She wanted to ignore the fact that Shawn was the cause of her happiness, but she couldn’t. The man had sexed her in a much needed way and she’d been on a high ever since.

After adding the perfect amount of cream and sugar to her coffee, she took a sip and savored the bitter yet sweet taste. She walked to a nearby window to enjoy the brilliant colors of the fall leaves, taking two more sips of the warm deliciousness. Each taste was better than the last.

“Hmm,” she said aloud, not noticing that her partners had walked into the conference room. “Amazing.”

“Okay,” her sister Imani said, disrupting her enjoyable moment. “Who are you and what have you done with the real Cydney Rayne?”

“Very funny,” Cyd replied. “I haven’t been that bad.”

Imani looked at Mya and Lex before turning her head back to Cyd. “You’re joking, right? Do you even remember how you’ve been acting lately?”

“Well, let us remind you,” Lex chimed in. “You’ve been tense over the past few months even though you’ve tried to hide it behind your usual sarcasm. To make matters worse, you missed the bridesmaids’ group dance and the maid-of-honor toast on Imani’s wedding day.”

Whoops! Cyd had definitely forgotten about those last couple details. “Hey, I gave my maid-of-honor toast.”

“Yeah, about thirty minutes late!” Mya replied. “And you disappeared for almost an hour. We couldn’t find you anywhere.”

“So true,” Imani added. “Even though I refused to get upset on the most important day of my life, I honestly can’t believe you pulled a stunt like that on my wedding day.”

Cyd dropped her head backward and stared at the ceiling. She was slightly irritated that she was receiving the third degree, although part of her knew she deserved it. As she twisted her head to crack her neck, she immediately thought about Shawn placing soft kisses along her collarbone. She could still visualize every single moment of their sexual escapade in the closet.

“And you have the nerve to be smiling right now,” Imani said, interrupting her thoughts. “Oh, man, you are so lucky that I leave for my honeymoon in a few days because I could strangle you! But I refuse to get arrested and miss my vacation with my new husband!”

“Sorry,” Cyd said as she sat down at the conference table and thought about how her sister must feel. “If it’s any consolation, I have a very good explanation.”

All three women joined her at the table as they waited intently for her to finish.

“We’re listening,” Imani said impatiently when Cyd didn’t jump right in with excuses. Cyd had planned on telling them about Shawn, but she was hoping they would be a little less tense if she waited until Monday. Times like this made working with her sister, cousin and friend really complicated. They were a large part of one another’s lives and were also founders of a very successful business. Although she loved them dearly, sometimes she wished she could have a day or two to relax and take a step back from the family and business chaos. Luckily, a series of upcoming events would help her do just that.

Taking a deep breath, Cyd put on her big-girl pants and prepared to explain what happened.

“Do you guys remember meeting Shawn at the wedding?”

“Daman’s friend?” Imani asked.

“Yes,” Cyd replied as she watched each of her partner’s eyes open wide with interest. “Well, something happened between us during the wedding.”

“And what exactly might that be?” Mya inquired.

Cyd scrunched her nose as she thought about the right way to tell them. Slightly closing her eyes, she chose to be blunt about it. “We sneaked off to the grand walk-in closet in the foyer...and had sex.” There, she’d said it.

As she fully opened her eyes, she laughed when she noticed all three women had their mouths hanging open.

Imani was the first to speak. “You mean to tell me that while I was wondering why on earth my sister and maid of honor had missed our group dance and the time for her speech, you were getting freaky in a closet?”

“Um...yes,” Cyd said a little unknowingly, since she couldn’t tell if her sister’s high-pitched squeal and the fact that she was now standing was a good or bad thing.

Imani’s face went from surprise to excitement in a matter of seconds. “Well, judging how fine Shawn is, I’d say you did well, little sis.”

Cyd threw her head back and laughed. She should have known her sister would react that way.

“I shouldn’t even have to ask based off that look you had a few minutes ago, but was the sex good?”

Cyd gripped her Starbucks mug a little tighter and took another sip of her coffee. “It was way better than good. Y’all saw how the man looked that day. I could barely control myself when we were introduced.” No need to disclose the fact that it had actually been their second time meeting each other. She’d keep that bit of information to herself.

“He had to be good,” Lex interjected. “I never remember you actually giving a man credit for being better than good in the bedroom.”

“Or admit to not being able to control yourself,” Imani added. “So I’m guessing he had a lot of qualities off your list?”

Instead of answering Imani’s question, Cyd’s mind drifted back to the night she was with Shawn in Anguilla. She had spent a week with Imani, Lex and Mya in Barbados before meeting her college girlfriends in Anguilla. Lex and Mya had been on a quest to find sexy islanders in Barbados and had succeeded. But nothing could have prepared her for the likes of Shawn Miles when she landed in Anguilla. As shallow as it sounded, Cyd always knew the men she entertained weren’t up to her standard. The men who she believed were a great match were often too nervous to approach her, further proving her point that he wasn’t “Mr. Right” in the first place. So she settled for a bunch of “Mr. Right Nows,” waiting for a man who would sweep her off her feet.

Imani cleared her throat, zapping Cyd back to reality. “No,” Cyd slightly lied. “He doesn’t have a lot of qualities on my love list, but he does have almost every quality off my lust list.”

“Maybe you should create a ‘you’re full of it’ list,” Mya said with a laugh, her comment receiving snickers from Imani and Lex, as well. Cyd knew they thought her lists were stupid, but she didn’t care. In her mind, her lists were a necessity.

“Don’t we have business to discuss?” Cyd said, directing her question to Imani since it was her turn to lead the meeting. Imani gave her a look insinuating that she wanted to say something else, but luckily she dropped it.

“Okay, since Cyd will have her hands tied with the series of appreciation events for the Peter Vallant Company, we will need to make sure we plan efficiently and not overbook ourselves.”

“Agreed,” Mya said. “Let’s make sure that we remind our assistants to constantly check our calendars.”

“How much traveling is required?” Lex asked Cyd.

“Since the events are all in Illinois or Indiana, I will be living in and out of a hotel for the next month or so, but I don’t mind. I’ll find out more when I meet with Mr. Vallant in a couple days.” Cyd loved to travel, and although small towns in the Midwest weren’t exactly her idea of a good time, she’d enjoy herself nonetheless.

“Great. How about we go around the table and give an update on what we’re working on,” Imani suggested. “I’ll go first.”

Chapter 3

“Oh, my goodness, please let the weather stay this warm,” Cyd said to the sky as she walked down the busy streets of Chicago’s West Loop wearing her favorite designer sunglasses. The sunny October weather was unlike any she’d ever experienced in Chicago and she was enjoying every minute of it.

This afternoon she was meeting with Mr. Vallant to get the final details on the appreciation event tour for the Rebuild Your Community initiative. Elite Events, Incorporated was extremely honored to plan the events and Cyd was very proud of the agenda she’d created for each occasion on the tour.

She dodged through walkers, making sure she didn’t roll over anyone’s feet with her suitcase. “On your left,” yelled a biker who was forced to use the sidewalks due to heavy traffic and street construction. Since the weather was so nice, Chicago construction was at its highest after the city decided to restructure several major streets in Chicago’s West and South Loops. Cyd was glad she’d worn her most comfortable black high-waist skirt and heels. She’d completed her outfit with a teal blouse and complementing accessories.

Reaching her destination, she promptly signed the visitor logbook and waited in the tastefully decorated lobby for Mr. Vallant’s assistant.

“Ms. Rayne?” said a woman with a questioning, raspy voice.

“Yes, I’m Cydney Rayne,” Cyd replied as she shook hands with the woman. The woman didn’t say anything at first, but observed her so intently, Cyd felt as if she were under a microscope.

“My name is Verona Neely and I’m Mr. Vallant’s assistant,” she said, her awkward demeanor growing perky in a matter of seconds. “Mr. Vallant invited a few other individuals to the meeting and he apologizes for not telling you about this change sooner. Please follow me to the conference room.”

“Thank you, Ms. Neely.”

When they arrived at the conference room with tall, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Lake Michigan, seven people were already seated at a large table. Cyd placed her belongings on a counter off to the side of the room.

“Ms. Rayne,” said Mr. Vallant as he stood to shake her hand. “Allow me to introduce you to a few members of my executive team. We have Kim Lathers, chief marketing officer. Jim Pearson, senior vice president of business development. Jacob Early, chief financial officer. Brittany Higgins, senior vice president of client services. Tom Mendez, senior vice president of communications and Paul Jensen, general counsel. Everyone, this is Cydney Rayne from Elite Events, Incorporated.”

Cyd made her way around the table as she shook hands with each member before taking a seat in one of two vacancies. “Nice to meet you all.”

“Throughout the next month members of the executive team will be present at a few of the appreciation events. I felt it best that we all attend this meeting to ensure that everyone understands the schedule. Team, I trust that you will make Ms. Rayne feel welcome during the tour.”

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement and exchanged a few warm words. Adjusting herself in her seat, she tried to place the reason behind her suddenly quickened heartbeat. Her heart only beat this fast when she was nervous, but she usually never got nervous on the job. She momentarily stopped observing her behavior when she heard the conference door open. No way.... No freaking way. Now it all made sense. There was one new development in her life that seemed to be wreaking havoc on her nerves since the day she’d laid eyes on him.

“Ms. Rayne. This is the newest member of our team, Shawn Miles, chief information security officer,” Mr. Vallant said, rising once again from his chair to make the introduction. “Shawn, please meet Cydney Rayne from Elite Events, Incorporated.”

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Rayne,” Shawn said with ease, once again giving himself away and proving that he wasn’t surprised to see her at all. Of course Shawn works for the Peter Vallant Company, she thought sarcastically. What was it with this man! How did he manage to pop up in her life not once, not twice, but three times!

“Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Miles,” Cyd replied, accepting his handshake and ignoring the electric surge that shot through her arm. He looked great in his navy blue suit, but she refused to give him a compliment. He never told her what he did for a living, but he’d admitted to researching her online. She guessed it was partially her fault for not researching him online, too. She’d much preferred to keep him a mystery, but had she just searched his name on the internet, she could have saved herself some embarrassment.

She was so sick and tired of Shawn getting the upper hand. Even if he was new to the company, he’d probably been told that she would be the lead planner for the appreciation tour. Cyd nervously glanced around the table before her eyes settled back on Shawn. She wished he’d wipe that smirk off his face. Better yet, she wished she could punch it off him. But Cyd had way more class than that.

“Let’s all take a seat,” Mr. Vallant said as he returned to his chair. As Cyd sat back down, she twisted in her seat so that her back was slightly to Shawn, directing her full attention to Mr. Vallant at the head of the table.

“I’ll begin our discussion with the rotation schedule for the events. As lead event planner, Ms. Rayne will be attending every event. Here is the schedule for the rest of the events,” Mr. Vallant said as he directed his attention at the material that had been placed in front of each attendee’s seat.

Cyd didn’t hear Mr. Vallant announce that as CISO, Shawn would also be present at every event, though a quick scan of the document made that fact evident, anyway. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on high awareness as Shawn leaned forward to pick up something he’d dropped on the floor. She sighed a little deeper than necessary as she gripped the mahogany table while uncrossing her legs just to cross them back again.

There it was again. The butterflies she couldn’t stop from swarming in the pit of her stomach. Yet she managed to answer every question that was directed at her during the course of the meeting. Though she wasn’t sure how she answered anything at all, given all her attention was secretly fixed on the man to the right.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and prayed that the already forty-minutes-long meeting would conclude in the next twenty minutes. She looked through a folder that Mr. Vallant had handed her a few minutes prior to see the list of hotels she would be staying at during the appreciation tour. Over the next month, there would be four stops. Cyd lived in downtown Chicago, but tonight she would be staying at the JW Marriott, host hotel for the Peter Vallant reception for the employees to thank them for all their hard work. On Friday, they left for their first stop, Springfield, Illinois.

At the sound of Shawn’s voice, Cyd turned her head to listen to what he was saying, as did everyone at the table. She wanted to comprehend his words, but she couldn’t. His lips looked too sexy today. He stuck his tongue in and out between sentences to moisten his lips, glancing at her after every lick. I’ll definitely be changing my panties after this meeting, she thought. She was a visual person and right now the only thing she could visualize was seductively bouncing on top of him and riding him like the bull she’d ridden at her sister’s bachelorette party.

“Is that okay with you, Ms. Rayne?” asked Mr. Vallant. Crap, she’d missed the question. “Yes, that’s fine with me,” she replied, hoping that her answer would suffice.

“Great. Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes our meeting. I’ll see you all tonight at the reception.”

Cyd quickly grabbed her belongings, politely smiling to the others as she tried to leave the room so she could seek refuge in the privacy of her hotel room, but Shawn had other plans.

“Are you ready?” Shawn asked, gently catching her arm before she dipped out into the hallway.

“For what?” she asked, trying not to notice his blatant appraisal of her outfit. He smelled of men’s soap and aftershave that complemented his natural masculine scent. The fact that she could also detect that he was wearing a brand of Kenneth Cole’s cologne to match the scent of aftershave both aggravated and aroused her at the same time. She’d never noticed those things about a man before, yet with Shawn she noticed every little detail. She nervously played with her hair, awaiting his response.

After one more look at her outfit, he finally decided to answer. “You agreed to let me take you on a tour of the building.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did,” he said, standing a little closer than before. “And you also agreed to let me escort you to your hotel to ensure that everything is well with your accommodations.”

Cyd took a step back from him. “No. I. Didn’t,” she said a little slower than before. That was probably what Mr. Vallant meant when he’d asked her if she was okay with something. She just hadn’t known what that something was until now.

“Look, Mr. Miles, I—” Cyd stopped talking when Shawn let out a hearty laugh.

“Mr. Miles? Seriously? After everything we’ve done, you want to be formal with me? Tell you what. How about you call me Mr. Miles when we’re around everyone else. But when we’re alone,” he said, stepping back into her personal space, “I want you to call me Shawn just like I plan to call you Cydney.”

Was that a request or an order? Cleary Shawn didn’t know what type of woman she was. Cyd did not take orders from any man. “Listen, Mr. Miles. Had I known you worked for the Peter Vallant Company, I would have never...” Her words trailed off when he leaned in toward her ear.

“There is no way you wouldn’t have been intimate with me, so save yourself the trouble and don’t deny something you know was bound to happen, anyway.”

Talk about cocky! He really thought he had her eating out of the palm of his hand. Although she was the first to admit that part was true, the fact that he wouldn’t let her finish her statements was nerve racking.

“Tell you what,” Cyd said, crossing her arms over her chest, not caring that his eyes followed her movement. “How about you be the good golden boy and tell Mr. Vallant that you showed me around the building and made sure my room was okay. In the meantime, I will head to my hotel without you and I’ll make sure I have Mr. Vallant’s assistant give me a tour some other time.” With that she walked away, got on the elevator and hightailed it out of the Peter Vallant Company.

Only when she had paid the cab driver, checked into her hotel and settled into the confines of her luxury room did she absorb the situation. “For the next month or so I have to work with Shawn Miles,” she said aloud.

A quick call to her sister in her cab ride to the hotel had eliminated the notion that Daman and her partners had known that Shawn worked for the Peter Vallant Company. Too bad Imani was laughing so hard that Cyd didn’t have the chance to vent to her.

“Truly comical.” She would be laughing at her situation, too, if she wasn’t too busy freaking out. Cyd walked over to the floor-length mirror positioned on the wall to give herself a pep talk. “You can do this!” she chanted a couple times, taking deep breaths in between chants. “You’re damn good at your job and you can definitely handle a man like Shawn Miles!”

But could she really? Could she handle a man who brought her to her knees with just one look? It may sound conceited but she didn’t lust after men—men lusted after her! Yet somehow, Shawn had managed to make her crave his touch...and his touch only.

She cracked her neck as she placed her arms on each side of the mirror. “What I need to do is take control of the situation,” she said, getting closer to her reflection.

“Why can’t I enjoy Shawn while I’m on the tour? Participate in a little sweet seduction in between planning?” She was an adult after all, one who could enjoy sex with Shawn if she wanted to. Cyd always did as she pleased, but she was beginning to realize that there were some things she should have thought about before taking action. This definitely wasn’t one of those times.

She sprinted to her suitcase and pulled out one of her grandmother’s old diaries. When Faith “Gamine” Burrstone had passed away years ago, Cyd had been devastated. Her mother, Hope Burrstone-Rayne, could barely function after the loss. The entire family was shocked by Gamine’s death, but luckily, Imani had stepped in and helped the family through the tragic time. While the death had affected Imani in ways she’d never admit, Cyd admired the strength that her sister had. The Burrstone clan was a loving, yet overwhelming, bunch at times. There were many reasons why Cyd was glad that her sister had found a man like Daman, the main reason being the fact that he helped Imani realize that she wasn’t responsible for everyone’s life.

Although they were sisters, she never did have the type of responsibility to the family that Imani did. But that didn’t make things any less complicated for Cyd. Her role in the family was always a little more rebellious. She was the go-getter and adventure seeker. The one you ran to if you didn’t need someone to bail you out of jail, but rather needed someone to sit in the jail cell beside you. Cyd had long ago decided to dance to the beat of her own drum rather than follow directions or fulfill obligations. As her mother affectionately told her, Cyd’s antics oftentimes brought her parents to the brink of heart attacks. She had it all, brains and beauty. Class valedictorian, prom queen, and she was voted in high school most likely to run the world one day. She had a big heart and wasn’t at all selfish, but she also didn’t really care what people thought about her decisions. Men sometimes feared her confidence, falling into the friend category and staying there. And with each and every romantic downfall, she told each man the same thing: “I’m not the relationship type. I enjoy being single and free entirely too much to spend my days engrossed in a man. Trust me, you don’t want to go there. But we can still be friends.” To this day, her friends and family didn’t understand how she convinced so many guys to actually agree to be friends with her. “What can I say... I have a gift,” she’d often respond. But having that gift made the fact that she secretly longed for a storybook romance so out of character.

Lying on the bed, she propped herself up on her elbows and began flipping through pages of the diary. Gamine had left her a few things in her will, but the most important had been her diary collection. As soon as Cyd had dived into the pages, she became engrossed in the life of a woman she realized she hadn’t really known. She knew Gamine the mother and grandmother, Gamine the community activist, Gamine the best friend to all who graced her presence. She even knew Gamine the romantic since her relationship with her grandfather, Edward Burrstone, had been one that everyone in the family had admired. What she hadn’t expected to find in the diaries was a woman who understood her more than she thought. A woman who used to be just like Cyd when she was her age and a woman who’d dared to dream big and live on the edge.

Cyd’s fingers graced the page of her favorite entry, written during a time in Gamine’s life when she had first discovered true love. Cyd was never much of a reader, but she’d read Gamine’s diaries so much that every crème page was curled at the corners and tea stains were evident on more than a few places.

“So romantic,” she said aloud as she reread one of her favorite lines. She wanted to find her Mr. Right, which was the reasoning behind her creating her love-versus-lust lists. Gamine’s diaries had opened up a side of Cyd that she’d often kept concealed...even from herself. Hidden in the pages of Gamine’s deepest thoughts were feelings Cyd longed to experience. An escape into a world that showed her, although she was one of a kind, many women shared her thoughts and feelings of finding the perfect man. It may not fit the persona that people were used to when they thought of the infamous Cydney Rayne. But it was how she felt, nonetheless.

She turned on her back and closed the diary, holding it close to her chest. Once again, the pages had given her the answer she desired. Shawn may have more “I don’t” traits from her list than “I do,” but a girl had a right to have fun. Who knew what things she could learn about herself through a man like that. Even though he’d caught her off guard and put her in her place a couple times, she liked that he was aggressive and not afraid to take her head-on.

Cyd got off the bed and put the diary back in her bag before heading to the shower. “Shawn Miles, wait till you meet the likes of Cydney Rayne.” And she was certain he wouldn’t know what hit him.

Chapter 4

At thirty-two, Shawn had finally met his match. He’d finally met a woman he couldn’t get out of his mind, although part of him refused to admit it.

There were over three hundred employees and friends present at the Peter Vallant Company appreciation tour kick-off reception but Cydney Rayne was not yet amongst the crowd. Shawn tried to will his head away from the ballroom entrance as he checked for her in a pool of new attendees who entered. Still no Cydney. He barely registered all the women openly checking him out as he greeted employees he’d recently met.

Shawn usually had no problem bedding one woman after another, but after he’d met Cydney eight months ago, he hadn’t felt compelled to have sex with any other woman. And he’d received plenty of offers. Cydney. He’d thought about calling her by her nickname, Cyd, but Cydney rolled off his tongue with such ease that he had to use her full first name. Plus, from the brief moments he’d gotten to observe her with her family at the wedding, he noticed that everyone affectionately called her Cyd and she played into the darling role. But when he was with her, he didn’t see anything darling about her. She was a unique treasure. But his definition of treasure definitely meant in the bedroom. When he was around her all he saw was fiery passion, pure lust...all woman.

You should stay away from her, he reminded himself. He shouldn’t even flirt with her. But since when did it hurt to do a little flirting? The voices in his head were not cooperating with one another and he could only assume it was a matter of time before the lower half of his body started siding with the less logical part of his brain. Shawn made his way across the room to Mr. Vallant, who was conversing with a few executives.

“Hello, Shawn,” Mr. Vallant said as Shawn approached the group.

“Hello, ladies and gentlemen,” he greeted. Curt nods from the men and polite smiles from the women were exchanged. Within two minutes he stopped a nearby waiter to ask for tequila on the rocks. He needed a shot of something to get through this night, anything to help him deal with uneventful conversations amongst an uptight executive team who had nothing better to do than kiss Mr. Vallant’s butt. He didn’t know why the men looked so tense. He didn’t want any of the women in the group. There was only one woman on his mind. Only one woman he wanted to devour...whole, if he could. A woman with a sexy smile, succulent lips and a behind that fit so perfectly in the palms of his hands you’d think her butt was created just for him.

“You okay?” asked Paul Jensen.

Deciding to forget about Cydney, he focused his attention back to the group in front of him. “I’m fine. Just wondering what’s the score of the football game.”

“Bears are winning for now,” responded Brittany Higgins, taking a sip of her drink while gaping at Shawn over her glass. When she fully lifted her head, her eyes told it all. He could sense that she’d wanted him from their initial meeting, and now had no qualms about making that fact obvious.

I really don’t need this right now. After all, he was here to do a job, and if the FBI’s suspicions were right, a man who worked for the Peter Vallant Company, more than likely an executive team member, played a significant role in the case. The team had been trying to demolish a huge drug operation for years and had recently tracked a van that was dropping off boxes of cocaine. The van traced back to the Peter Vallant Company and a lead informed them that someone who had higher ranking in the company was a key element in the operation. Peter Vallant, longtime friend of Shawn’s boss, Agent Larry Wolfe, had agreed to help find the culprit, but Shawn knew he and his team had to pay attention to details. He needed to do more than just catch the person responsible. He needed to uncover the entire operation.

Shawn had always been great at socializing and after analyzing the group and providing a few key comments, the group was warming up to him.

“Here you are, sir,” said the white-gloved waiter as he delivered his tequila on a silver platter.

“Thank you,” Shawn said, taking the glass and sipping the strong drink. The cool liquor slid down his throat and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on alert. Shawn looked at the glass, surprised by the sudden kick he felt after only one sip. He quickly took another, this time feeling a kick in the lower part of his body. He shuffled his feet, his pants suddenly feeling too tight around his groin. Maybe I shouldn’t have had tequila after all. He was seconds away from disposing of the drink when he heard the voice of seduction.

“Good evening,” Cydney said as she sashayed her way to the group. He should have known she had entered the room. His body never reacted that way to a few sips of his favorite drink. Why did she have to dress so sexy? Her deep magenta dress clung to her curves while her jet-black hair was pinned back on one side and played over her shoulders. She didn’t need much makeup but the slight makeup she had worn looked flawless on her smooth, buttery complexion and accentuated her natural beauty.

She found a place in the group standing right across from him with a glass of wine in her hand. Why did she do that? Why had she chosen to stand right across from him? He now had nothing better to do than imagine her sprawled across his bed, waiting to be enraptured by his body. Who told her to come down in a dress so tantalizing he swore he could see every crevice of her body?

But he wasn’t the only one who’d noticed Cydney. The other men in the circle were on full alert, cracking imprudent jokes that caused her to giggle in delight. And Jim Pearson was the worst. Everything he told her made her slightly throw her head back in laughter and place her arm on his shoulder. But make no mistake, Shawn saw her glance at him every time she opened her sweet pink lips to let the cool wine enter her mouth. He watched her tongue slip in and out as if savoring the flavor before taking another sip, her long eyelashes fluttering with each taste. She was baiting him. He knew it. An unfortunately, the lower part of his body knew it, too.

Down boy, he inwardly cautioned to his piece, knowing he could spring out at any second if he continued to watch Cydney drink her wine. She wasn’t going to make his undercover job easy, and now that he knew what he was dealing with, he would spend the night regrouping and reminding himself how important this case was. But right now, he needed to escape from the ballroom and away from temptation.

“Excuse me for a moment,” he said to the group as he walked toward the exit and glanced over at Micah Madden, his lead security officer, to signal that he was leaving the premises.

Once Shawn was in the hallway, he unbuttoned his suit jacket and breathed in a sigh of relief. He quickly walked down the hall and found a conference room. He tried the handle and was relieved to find the door open. He kept the lights off and escaped to a nearby window overlooking the nicely lit city. Shawn loved nighttime and he appreciated the solace of the unoccupied room with the only sounds coming from nearby traffic and trains. Dropping his head and closing his eyes, he placed his hands on each side of the counter, taking a moment to calm his body. Cydney had him on edge. Wasn’t it less than a week ago that he’d had her pinned to the wall of a walk-in closet?

“Reminiscing about great sex is not helping,” Shawn said aloud to himself just as he heard the conference door creak open.

He stepped back from the window and placed his hand in the back of his pants, clutching a small pistol he always kept on him. As the intruder peeked their head through the crack, he quickly released his hold.

“Shawn, are you in here?” Cydney’s sugary voice filled the empty room. She couldn’t see him in the dark corner, but he could see her from the light in the hallway. For a few seconds, he thought about remaining quiet so she could leave, but decided to make his presence known.

“Yes, I’m here,” he said, stepping back toward the window so the moonlight could shine on his face. As soon as Cydney entered the room and shut the door, Shawn knew he was in trouble. Even in the darkness he felt her get closer to him with each step she took. When she finally reached him, she stood there in observation, the moonlight caressing every part of her face.

“Why’d you leave?” she asked, her beauty catching him off guard even though he’d just seen her. Up close, he noticed all the little details about her that he hadn’t noticed in the ballroom. Right then and there, Shawn knew hands down she was the most attractive woman he’d ever seen.

“Shawn? Why did you leave?” she asked again after several moments of silence. Shawn crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows at her question. There was no way she hadn’t known why he left the ballroom.

“Really, Cydney,” he finally replied. “By the way you were sipping that wine, you’d think you were purposely trying to seduce me.”

She fringed a look of innocence as she shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know what you mean, Mr. Miles.”

Unlike the terse way she’d said his name earlier that day, this time she said it in an alluring way that solidified his worries. I should have kept silent, he thought, referring to moments earlier when she’d asked if he was in the room. She took a step closer to him, her bold chestnut-brown eyes trapping his sea-blue ones in her sole captivity.

“Although I was surprised to see you in the meeting this morning, I must say that I do believe this is another sign,” she said, playing with the collar of his suit jacket. Shawn kept his arms crossed for fear that if he uncrossed them, he’d have no choice but to kiss her senseless.

“I was surprised to see you, as well,” he lied, hoping she believed him. She squinted her eyes together in disbelief before tilting her head to the side with a soft sigh. Then she looked up at him and smiled that smile he was becoming all too familiar with. “What is this a sign of?” Shawn asked, although he had a pretty good idea.

Cydney moistened her lips with her tongue before dragging his head closer to her mouth. He expected her to whisper something seductive or naughty in his ear. Instead, she gave his earlobe a quick lick before moving to his neck. He was pretty sure he had done this move on her a couple times already, but she was reversing the roles. Her sensual fragrance was mingling with her natural scent of arousal, further enticing his senses. The erotic aroma smelled like a combination of seductive slices of citrusy fruits and sweet wildflower honey. He couldn’t help but uncross his arms and pull her closer to him. His hands ventured to her bottom and he palmed her cheeks as her mouth went to work on his neck. Her kisses were soft, light and wet. Her body was hot in his hands, proof that she was just as aroused as he was.

She stopped kissing his neck and gazed into his eyes. Her hands moved from their grip of his head and made their way to his chest, lingering on his dress shirt. “Another sign that our affair that should have been for one night only may not be so brief after all,” she finally answered, lightly biting her bottom lip. She leaned closer to his face again, her breath fanning his lips. She didn’t kiss him, though. Instead, she kept her face close to his and placed his right hand over her heart. The fast beats only stimulated him more and he was sure she could feel him jumping in his pants on full alert. But she didn’t budge. And when she blinked, she did so slow and inviting.

“I’m going to head back to the party now,” she said, gently pushing up from his chest while dropping her hands to her side. He didn’t let her go right away as his left hand still palmed one of her back cheeks. Seconds later, Shawn let her escape his grasp. They stood there for one more moment, neither saying anything but letting their body language speak for itself. Then Cydney turned and exited the conference room door, briefly looking toward the dark corner Shawn was still standing in.

An hour later Shawn got to his hotel room and quickly discarded his tie and suit jacket. Pulling his dress shirt out of his pants, he plopped down on the bed and dragged his long fingers across his face. He suddenly felt sorry for any male who underestimated the determination of an irresistible woman. Cydney was a siren, a seductress with the grace of a cat, fortitude of a lion and craft of a fox. Blended together, those qualities equaled temptation at its finest. They were leaving for Springfield in a couple days, so Shawn had to focus on his duties and not stray from his goal. Fortunately, the case was so personal to him, he wasn’t sure he even had a choice. Shawn knew all he had to do was remember that fateful day years ago and suddenly everything fell into perspective. It would take all of his willpower to treat Cydney like he treated the other Peter Vallant employees, but it was something he had to do. He would prevail in this case and finally close a chapter in his life whether his body agreed with him or not.

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