“Mind if I ride with you?” His dark eyes raked over her.

Their gazes connected in a way that they hadn’t before, seeing each other through different eyes, in a new light.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and wiggled onto his lap. “I’d love nothing better,” she whispered against his mouth before trailing the tip of her tongue tantalizingly across his lips.

He took her mouth in a long, slow kiss, pulled her closer, pressing her breasts against his chest. Danielle moaned ever so softly, running her fingers through his hair and pulling him deeper into the kiss.

With great reluctance, he pulled back. “Keep this up and we won’t be getting anywhere near Mia’s house anytime soon.”

“That’s the point.” She gave him a devilish grin. “Mia can wait,” she said, her voice thick with growing need. “But I can’t.”

MILLS & BOON

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DONNA HILL

began writing novels in 1990. Since then she has had more than forty titles published, including full-length novels and novellas. Two of her novels and one novella were adapted for television. She has won numerous awards for her body of work. She is also the editor of five novels, two of which were nominated for awards. Donna easily moves from romance to erotica, horror, comedy and women’s fiction. She is the first recipient of a Trailblazer Award and currently teaches writing at the Frederick Douglass Creative Arts Center. Donna lives in Brooklyn with her family. Visit her Web site at www.donnahill.com.

Seduction and Lies
Donna Hill

ESSENCE BESTSELLING AUTHOR

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This book is dedicated to all my loyal fans.

I hope you enjoy this latest installment in the TLC series.

Dear Reader,

Welcome back to The Ladies Cartel! If you missed Book 1, Sex and Lies…tsk, tsk, but now is your chance to catch up.

Seduction and Lies brings fashion photographer Danielle Holloway to the front lines. With her best friend and Cartel member Savannah Blake in her first trimester of pregnancy, Danielle has to take over the assignment and get a crash course in Cartel operations in order to take on a major identity-theft operation that is happening in New York City.

Of course, she can’t reveal to anyone outside the Cartel what she does “on the side,” and that includes keeping her sexy live-in lover Nick Mateo in the dark. That, however, is extremely difficult as they not only live together, they work together as well.

As Danielle works toward solving her case, she must also work on the secrets about her own identity that have always haunted her, and on her inability to commit to the unabashed love of Nick.

I do hope you enjoy this latest episode with the ladies of the Cartel, and for those who enjoyed my PAUSE FOR MEN series, Ann Marie, Stephanie and Elizabeth make cameo appearances.

Steamy sex, secrets and surprises. What more could a romance reader want? LOL.

I had fun, and I hope you will as well. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to send me an e-mail at writerdoh@aol.com.

Until next time,

Donna

Contents

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

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 1

Danielle Holloway pranced into her kitchen wearing a pink thong adorned along the waistband with tiny rhinestones, and not much else. She pulled open the camel-colored wood cabinet above the sink and took out two plates. Cooking really wasn’t her thing, but for Nick she was willing to make the effort—hopefully she wouldn’t kill him in the process.

She opened the freezer and took out a box of Aunt Jemima frozen waffles and a box of frozen Jimmy Dean turkey sausage. She was pretty sure she had some syrup around somewhere.

“Need some help?” came the rough-textured voice behind her.

Slowly she turned around, her size-C breasts standing at attention.

Nick’s dark blue, almost black, eyes rolled over her from head to toe. Dani watched his throat work up and down as his gaze caressed every inch of her, reminding her quite vividly of the night and half the morning they’d spent together.

What she felt for Nick Mateo scared her—badly. Sometimes when she was around him, she couldn’t breathe, her thoughts would get scrambled and her heart would beat so fast she thought she’d faint. She thought about him when she should have been concentrating on a photo shoot or developing film. He made her laugh, and thoughts of being without him made her want to cry. She was in love for the first time in her adult life, and she was scared as hell. And to compound it all, Nick Mateo was white—at least legally. Well, kinda white. His mom was black, his dad Italian. She was half black and half Hispanic, which accounted for her waist-length, raven-black hair and honey-brown complexion. Both of them had to check “other” on all those applications. She had enough cultural issues to deal with on her own—and now his as well.

Nonetheless, together, Nick and Dani made a stunning couple. He, a subtle look-alike for a young Alec Baldwin, dark short hair, a sexy five-o’clock shadow and a body to die for. She, a striking beauty whose face could easily grace the pages of fashion magazines.

He sauntered toward her with a pearl-gray towel wrapped around his narrow hips and slid his muscular arms around her waist. He nuzzled her neck, and Dani’s body warmed all over.

“I…was going to fix us something to eat,” she said on a breath, inhaling his cool, clean scent from his recent shower. She tilted her head back to give him better access to that spot that made her weak in the knees.

He held her a little tighter. “I already have something to eat.” He nibbled her neck and ran his hands along the curve of her spine. Dani moaned. “God, I can’t get enough of you,” he groaned. He drew in a long, hot breath and reluctantly stepped back. He looked deep into her eyes, down into her soul. “I’m in love with you—you better know that.”

Dani’s heart banged in her chest. “Me, too.” It was as close as she had come to saying the L word.

“I’ll settle for that,” he said, knowing the emotional struggle Dani was having wrestling with her feelings. Admitting that she could be vulnerable enough to turn her heart and soul over to someone else was something she wasn’t ready to handle. He was willing to give her as much time as she needed. He knew what was in her heart. He could see it when she looked at him, when she moaned his name as he made love to her, when she laughed at his stupid jokes and told him about her life and her deepest fears. They had no secrets between them, and that was why he knew this relationship was going to work, whether or not she ever said the L word.

Danielle kissed him on the lips, tasting the minty toothpaste. “So are you going to be a help or a hindrance in the kitchen?”

He peeked over her shoulder to see what was on the menu. He turned up his nose. “How ’bout I fix us breakfast?”

A sunshiny smile bloomed across her face. “Sure.”

Nick shook his head and chuckled. “You didn’t have to give in so quickly, ya know. Let me put on some clothes—pickings are kinda thin in the fridge, if I remember correctly.” He kissed her on the tip of her nose, turned and went into the bedroom to get dressed.

“Whataman,” she murmured.

Savannah Fields woke up on Sunday morning and barely made it to the bathroom. She was only in her first trimester, and morning sickness was kicking her butt—day and night.

“You okay, baby?” Blake called from the other side of the bathroom door.

Savannah splashed cold water on her face, leaned over the sink and drew in long, slow breaths in the hopes of controlling the rocking and rolling going on in her stomach. How could something that would ultimately be so precious make you feel like you wanted to die?

“I’m…fine,” she was finally able to say. “Be out in a minute.”

Slowly she raised her head and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. The doctor assured her that the morning sickness would stop after three months. She still had one to go. She gripped the side of the sink as another wave of nausea swept through her belly and made her head spin.

Savannah moaned. How was she going to be able to fulfill her latest undercover assignment if she could barely hold her head up? She was going to need help.

Jean Armstrong, the head of The Ladies Cartel—affectionately known as TLC—had called her into the Cartel offices at the brownstone on 135th Street in Harlem three weeks earlier to congratulate her on the successful completion of her last assignment, which was to uncover a suspected land fraud deal in downtown Brooklyn. What Savannah had uncovered was not only a major scam but also the fact that the development was going to be built on top of an ancient African burial ground. It had been a difficult assignment, and not so much because it was her first but because her husband, Blake, was the contractor on the deal and she was bound by her oath to the Cartel not to reveal what she was doing to anyone—and that included her husband.

Her investigation had also led her to believe that her husband, her soul mate, was not only involved in the unscrupulous land deal but also was having an affair with the woman who was behind it all, millionaire heiress Tristan Montgomery. Savannah needed the help of her two best friends, Danielle Holloway and Mia Turner, to prove otherwise, and they did.

Unfortunately, Savannah had broken a major rule of The Ladies Cartel by involving anyone who was not a sworn member. Fortunately for her, it had turned out well, and Jean reminded her how lucky she was when she gave her this latest assignment.

Savannah flushed the toilet and rinsed out her mouth. At least her head had stopped spinning.

One thing she knew for certain was that she was going to have to break some more rules if she was to get the next job accomplished. She could certainly use the skills of the Cartel members, but she knew she could trust Dani and Mia more than any other two people on earth.

Blake knocked on the door. “Savannah, are you okay?”

“Coming.” Gingerly she made her way to the door and opened it.

Blake was standing on the other side with a distraught look on his ruggedly handsome face. She smiled wanly.

He put his arm around her shoulder. “Can I get you anything?”

“Yeah, a time machine. Speed this process up by about seven months.”

Blake grinned and kissed the top of her head, and led her back to the bed. “If I could, you know I would, baby.”

She waved off the bed. “I think I need to move around. I want to meet the girls for a late lunch.”

“You sure you’re up to it?”

She nodded. “Yeah, some ginger ale and a few crackers, and I’ll be good as new.” She left his embrace and went into the kitchen. Moments later she could hear the blare and roar of a basketball game coming from the living-room television set.

Must be Sunday, she mused, smiling as she popped open a can of ice-cold ginger ale and took a long, refreshing swallow. Sunday was game day in the Fields’ household. Blake carved out his position on the couch and watched games all day long, nonstop, even if they were on videotape, which gave Savannah the perfect opportunity to hang out with the girls. And today they needed an emergency meeting.

While Nick was at the local grocer, Dani took a quick shower and straightened up the bedroom. As she sat on the edge of the bed, applying the Victoria’s Secret brand of lotion that Nick loved, her phone rang.

She turned behind her, reached across the bed and picked up the phone from the nightstand. Lying on her stomach, she answered.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Dani, it’s me, Savannah.”

“Hey, girl, how ya feeling?”

“Don’t ask.”

“You’re a better woman than me.”

“Listen, I was hoping the three of us could get together this afternoon.”

“Hmm, what time? Me and Nick were getting ready to fix something to eat.”

“You mean, Nick is fixing something to eat.”

Dani giggled. “Don’t hate.”

“How about four at The Shop? Maybe by then my stomach will have settled down to a quiet roar.”

The digital clock on the nightstand illuminated eleven.

“Sounds good. Did you call Mia?”

“No, not yet. Would you mind? It’s going to take me a while to get myself together as it is, and I don’t need Mia slowing me down by needing all the details of a simple late lunch.”

The friends laughed. Of the trio, Mia Turner was the organizer—to a fault. As head of her own events management business, she was a stickler for planning each and every move. Although it was an outrageously annoying habit, her obsession with order and detail always ultimately paid off.

“Sure. I’ll do that as soon as we finish. What’s up, anyway? Just need to get out?”

“Actually it’s a little more than that.” She lowered her voice and got off the side of the bed to make sure Blake was still parked securely in front of the television. She closed the bedroom door. “I have another assignment, and I need yours and Mia’s help.”

Mia Turner had been up since daybreak. She fixed a spectacular breakfast for her and Steve—homemade Belgian waffles; egg-white omelets filled with mushrooms, tomatoes, green peppers and cheddar cheese; fresh orange juice and an incredible Turkish coffee that she’d received from one of her corporate clients as a thank-you gift.

Of the trio it had always been efficient Mia who hadn’t had a man in her life. Savannah had Blake and before Danielle finally starting playing house with Nick, she always had men to keep her warm and well tuned.

Mia had always known about Steve Long: she’d seen him from a distance from time to time, since he and Savannah’s husband, Blake, were tight buddies and business partners. But they’d never spent any time together, and it had never occurred to Mia to do so. It wasn’t until she’d planned a get-together, with Steve being an invited guest, that they both realized what they’d been missing. They’d been an item ever since, and Mia couldn’t have been happier.

Steve left shortly after breakfast for a game of tennis, and Mia decided to get a jump start on the week. She went into her immaculate office, where not a paper clip was out of place, and settled down for a few hours of planning. She had several corporate clients that were planning major conferences as well as restaurant locations that she needed to set up for more intimate meetings.

She turned on her seventeen-inch flat-screen computer and quickly clicked on her color-coded spread sheet program; then she opened up another program window, this one with a grid of Manhattan.

Just as she started plugging in information, her phone rang. It was Dani.

“Hey, girl, what’s up?” Mia kept her attention on the screen while she talked to Dani on speaker.

“I hate that damned speakerphone! Makes me sound like I’m underwater.”

“Oh, don’t be silly.”

“Can you please just stop doing what you’re doing and pay attention to me for a minute?”

“You know, you sound like a whiny five-year-old,” Mia said, taking the call off speaker. “Better now?”

“Much,” Dani said with a huff.

“So what is it? You’re breaking my flow.”

“Savannah just called. She wants us to get together around four at The Shop.”

Mia frowned. That was not on her agenda for the day. She’d have to rearrange things to make that happen. If there was one thing that worked Mia’s nerves more than anything, it was surprises that knocked off her schedule and her plans.

“Well, okay. I’ll have to shift around a few things. Why today? Did she say what it was about? Our get togethers are always planned in advance…”

“Dang, Mia. This is the best advance notice we can give. Five damned hours. Now do whatever it is that you do to get yourself in gear, and we’ll see you there at four.”

Mia huffed with indignation. “You don’t have to be nasty…I was just saying…”

She almost sounded hurt, Dani thought. “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to snap. You know my mouth sometimes. Anyway, Savannah said it was important.” She paused. “She needs our help.”

Mia knew exactly what that meant.

Chapter 2

For four o’clock on a Sunday, The Shop, located in the West Village, was pretty crowded. The hum of conversation interspersed with bits of laughter floated over the pulse of some nondescript listening music.

Although she’d complained about the disruption in her day, Mia was, of course, the first to arrive and had secured their favorite booth in the back. She was sipping on a mimosa when Dani walked in looking like a super-model, followed moments later by Savannah, whose petite frame was getting plumper by the day.

“Movin’ kinda slow there, sis,” Dani teased, as Savannah lowered herself into the seat next to Mia.

Savannah put her purse on her lap and took off her sunglasses, setting them on the table. “Don’t make fun. It ain’t funny,” she grumbled over a half smile.

Mia put her arm around Savannah’s shoulder and pulled her in for a short hug. “At least you look cute.”

That much was true. Much like Danielle, Savannah loved to dress, and being pregnant only upped the ante. She was determined that the worse she felt, the better she would look. No expense was spared when it came to her wardrobe.

Today, she wore a bolero sweater, cuffed at the elbow, in a sea-moss green that sparkled in the sunlight, over an empire shirt in the same color, with tight accordion pleats that fell just to the waistband of her designer jeans, and a pair of emerald-green ankle boots in butter-soft suede.

“Thanks. And thanks for coming.”

“No problem,” the duo murmured.

Dani flipped open a menu. “So whatsup?”

Savannah leaned forward. Dani and Mia drew closer.

“I got another assignment.”

“We figured as much,” Dani said. “So how can we help?”

“I got major grief from Jean about pulling you two in the last time around. But because everything turned out so well, she sort of gave me a pass to ‘use my resources.’ Anyway, I’ve been feeling so crappy I know I can’t handle this alone at all.”

“The suspense is killing me already. What is it?” Dani asked.

“Well, it’s identity theft.”

“Whoa.” Mia reared back, then lowered her voice. “For real? Like the kind of identity theft that’s been on the news lately?”

Savannah nodded. “Apparently there is a major ring operating right here in New York.”

Dani leaned in. “Why aren’t the cops or the FBI or somebody handling this?”

“They are. But it goes a little deeper than that. This thing is extremely sensitive due to the nature of the people involved, so Jean was called in by a friend of hers in the Bureau.”

“This is pretty major,” Mia said.

“There’s more.” Savannah folded her hands. “This is where it gets kind of James Bond-y. There are some folks that have come to Jean…on a personal level. People who can’t go to the police or the FBI and who are in the same boat.” She looked from one friend to the other, making sure they got her meaning. Their eyes brightened in understanding.

“Illegals?” Dani asked.

“No. Just folks who can’t be scrutinized by the authorities. They can’t risk this showing up in the media.”

Mia flopped back against the leather seat. “How much time do you have?”

“A few weeks. A month at best.”

“That’s going to be a problem on my end. I’m out of town for the next two weeks setting up several conventions, one in Atlanta the other in D.C. I leave tomorrow afternoon. Of course I’ll do what I can—any contacts and resources that I can provide…”

“Count me in,” Dani said. “Do you think I’ll get to use a gun this time?” Her eyes sparkled with hope.

Both Savannah and Mia looked at her and shook their heads.

“I would hope not,” Savannah said.

Dani sucked her teeth in disappointment. “Figures.”

“However, this time I’m not taking any chances. This is major and we can’t afford to screw this up.” She zeroed in on Danielle. “I’m going to make sure I have clearance to bring you in. You’re going to have to meet Jean.”

A big grin dashed across Danielle’s mocha-colored face. “The head chick in charge! Well, all righty then. That’s what I’m talking about.”

“What about me?” Mia whined.

“Since you won’t be directly involved, I don’t think it’s necessary.”

“Damn.” She finished off her drink and slunk down in her seat, pouting.

The waitress finally came over. “Sorry, ladies. It’s crazy busy. Can I get you anything?”

They flipped open their menus and one by one gave their orders.

“Now that we have that out of the way, how have you both been doing?” Savannah asked, sipping a glass of water.

“I finally know what always keeps a smile on the two of your faces,” Mia said.

“Oh, really?” Dani said with a raised brow. “And what might that be?”

“Having a fine, sexy man to wake up to every morning.” She flashed a wicked grin and a wink.

Savannah and Dani laughed.

“So you’ve discovered the secret of sublime happiness,” Savannah said.

Mia bobbed her head. “Yes, chile,” she said, emphasizing each word. “Steven is absolutely a dream come true. And to think we’ve known each other for years and never took it further than hello.” She looked off wistfully. “It’s just so wonderful. I mean, I’ve never really had anyone that made me feel good all…the…time. Know what I mean?” She looked from one to the other. Well, there was someone once, but she’d never told her friends about him then and with good reason. And with everything going so right in her life with Steven there was no point in bringing it up now. It was old news and best that it stay buried in the past.

“I know exactly what you mean,” Dani offered. “And you know me, Ms. Love ’em and Leave ’em. I think I’ve been whipped, my sistahs.”

Savannah and Mia applauded.

“We never thought we’d see the day,” Savannah said.

“Me, either. Nick has totally taken me by surprise. It’s like those romance novels where the heroine gets swept off her feet and lands flat on her back, ready and raring to go,” she added in her typical ribald fashion.

The trio broke up laughing.

“Some days,” Savannah offered, “it’s still hard for me to believe that me and Blake are still so crazy in love and still hungry for each other.”

“Even with the loaf in the oven?” Dani asked.

Savannah’s eyes widened. “Girl, it’s even worse. When I’m not sick, I’m horny as hell! Can’t wait for the man to get home from work! Hormones are in overdrive or something. And Blake, Lawd, he never felt so good!”

Dani started fanning herself and Mia quickly followed suit.

Their meals arrived, and they continued swapping stories of their scorching love lives.

Outside the restaurant, the three women hugged.

“Have a safe trip, Mia,” Savannah said. “And I’ll be in touch if I can use your help.”

“Yeah, take care, sis.” Dani kissed her cheek. “What is Steven going to do while you’re gone?”

“Miss me.” She rocked her head to the side. “I intend to wear the brother out before I leave. Make sure it holds him over until I get back.”

“Now that’s gangsta,” Dani teased.

“See you guys in two weeks.” Mia waved as she headed down the street to where her car was parked.

Savannah turned to face Danielle. “Let me know when you have some free time. I’m going to call Jean in the morning and try to set up a meeting as soon as possible.”

“You know me. I’m my own boss. My schedule is pretty light this week with photo shoots. I have a couple of location shots, but that’s it.”

“Great. So as soon as I get it set up, I will give you a call.”

“Sounds good.”

“Thanks, Dani, I really appreciate this.”

“Hey, that’s what superspy friends are for, right?” she teased.

“Yeah, exactly.”

When Danielle returned to her apartment, it was empty. She was surprised that Nick wasn’t there. He hadn’t mentioned he was going out.

She tossed her purse on the table in the hall and deposited her keys in the glass bowl right next to it before heading to the kitchen for an ice-cold beer.

She took her beer and went to the so-called second bedroom, which served as her office/darkroom. There should be a law against false advertising, she thought, as she flipped on the light. When she’d read the ad for the “spacious two-bedroom apartment” some five years ago, she was expecting spacious. Well, the “second bedroom” was about eight feet long and five feet wide. The only person who could sleep in there was a midget. If you put a full-size bed in the room you’d have to walk over it to get in and out! So she’d converted it to a tiny office space with a flat-screen computer, a small desk and her photography equipment, which was stored in the closet. With a few shelves mounted on the wall, it actually became a functional space.

Danielle had a photo shoot scheduled for the following morning and wanted to go over the shot schedule. There were five models involved in the shoot for a new designer who was launching a line for the fall. They were going to set up in the Central Park Zoo so that the caged animals could serve as a backdrop.

The weather for the next day was set to be in the high seventies, which would make for a very uncomfortable day for the models and the crew.

She went down her list of supplies for the day, making sure to include two cases of water and an ice cooler.

The front door opened and shut, and the sound of male voices filled the front room.

Danielle pushed her papers aside and went to the front room.

“Hey, hon,” Danielle greeted Nick, as she strolled up to him in the living room and kissed him lightly on the lips. She turned to their guest. “Bernard…”

“Good to see you again, Danielle.”

She’d met Bernard Hassell several weeks earlier at a get-together at Mia’s house. Bernard was a dead ringer for Billy Dee Williams and the current love interest of Claudia, Savannah’s mother.

“You, too, Bernard.” Her brow wrinkled ever so slightly. “Where did you two hook up?”

“At the gym,” Nick said. “Well, as I was going to the gym. Bernard was walking by on his way to this new spot, Pause for Men. He invited me to join him.” Nick grinned. “The place is fabulous. Full spa, exercise rooms, saunas—the works—and a health-food cafe.”

Bernard hooked his thumb over his shoulder toward Nick. “I think Pause just got a new member.” He chuckled lightly.

Dani eyed Bernard. “Wow, no wonder you stay in such great shape,” she teased.

Bernard grinned and made a slight bow. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Can I offer you something to drink?” she asked, moving toward the kitchen.

“We were gonna grab a couple of beers and catch the end of the game,” Nick said, pecking her cheek. “How was the afternoon with the girls?”

“Fine,” she answered absentmindedly, trying to wrap her mind around the odd matchup of her man with one old enough to be his dad. “Well, I’ll leave you boys to your games. Good to see you again, Bernard,” she said before returning to her office.

Once inside, she closed the door behind her and dialed Mia on her cell.

“Hey, Dani, whatsup?”

Danielle cut a quick glance toward the closed door, then spoke in a harsh whisper. “Guess who’s here?”

“What? Why are you whispering?”

“Put your damned glasses on so you can hear me!”

“Not funny. Abuse I don’t need,” Mia said haughtily. “Now, speak up.”

Danielle blew out an exasperated breath. “Bernard is here.”

“Who?”

“Bernard! Claudia’s Bernard.”

“Savannah’s mom, Claudia?”

“Yes!” she hissed.

“Why? Did something happen to Claudia?”

“No. He’s hanging out with Nick, of all things. They met at some spa.” She shook her head in bewilderment.

“Soooo…the problem is…?”

“Don’t you think it’s odd? I mean, Bernard is…older.”

Mia laughed. “Guys aren’t like women, D. They bond over all sorts of stuff, sports, video games. Age isn’t an issue with them.”

“Hmm, I guess…”

“Besides, didn’t you say Nick lost his dad when he was a teen?”

“Yes.”

“Maybe Bernie’s like a substitute or something.”

“You’re probably right. I’m making something out of nothing.”

“Bet they’re watching a game and drinking beer.”

Danielle giggled. “Exactly.”

“See what I mean? Anyway, relax. I need to pack. And don’t forget if you and Savannah need my help…”

“I know, sis. Thanks.”

“Good luck. I mean that.”

“Thanks. Safe travels.”

“Safe spying.”

That was what she should be focused on, Danielle reasoned as she disconnected the call—working her first undercover assignment.

She couldn’t wait to meet Jean.

The sounds of male laughter drifted into the bedroom. Even with Mia’s wise words about male bonding, she still couldn’t shake her misgivings about Bernard. It was nothing that she could actually put her finger on. He was nice enough and obviously Claudia cared about him. But he simply seemed too good to be true: handsome, smooth talking, well put-together for a man of his age, and he seemed to have plenty of time on his hands. What did he do for a living? How could he afford a fancy spa like the one they were talking about, and where did he come from, anyway? She was probably overanalyzing, seeing ghosts in the closet when there weren’t any. She pushed her wayward thoughts about Bernard Hassell to the back of her mind, at least for the time being. She had more pressing matters to concentrate on. Her first assignment. She grinned with anticipation.

Chapter 3

It was three nerve-racking days before Savannah heard from Jean with a date for the meeting.

“Do I look okay?” Danielle asked for the tenth time in as many minutes as they drove to the Cartel brownstone.

“Dani, I swear, if you ask me just one more time…”

“I want to make a good impression.”

“You’ll be fine. And when have you not made a good impression?” She paused, frowned slightly. “Well, there was that time in the restaurant in Chelsea when your name wasn’t on the reservation list, and the time you got into a shouting match with that model’s agent during a photo shoot, and the time…”

Danielle held up her hand. “All right, all right! I’ll behave. I get it.” She huffed and folded her arms.

“What I’m trying to say, sweetie, is you always look fabulous, but you simply have to keep your temper in check and be, uh, more diplomatic.”

Of the trio, Danielle was notorious for flying off the handle at the drop of a hat, and it didn’t take much for her to feel slighted. But most of her flare-ups occurred when she felt one of her friends was being mistreated or the people she expected to fall in line, such as staff, support people and…well, the general public, didn’t live up to what she expected of them. But if you ever wanted anyone in the trenches with you, it was definitely Danielle. She would go down swinging and still look incredible.

“I want to make a good impression,” Danielle finally said, looking uncharacteristically uncertain. She tugged on her bottom lip with her teeth.

“You’ll be fine.” Savannah reached across the gears and squeezed Danielle’s hand. “I promise.”

Danielle looked into Savannah’s eyes and saw the confidence there. She drew in a long breath. “Thanks.”

“Here we are.”

Danielle peeked out the window at the very stately four-story brownstone, which looked like all the other well-taken-care-of homes on the restored block. “This is it?”

Savannah chuckled. “What did you expect? The Batcave?” She unfastened her seat belt and got out. “Come on.”

Danielle followed Savannah to the ground-floor entrance of the house.

“See that house across the street?” Savannah said, lifting her chin toward the house.

“You mean, where that F-I-N-E man is going in followed by another one?”

“Yes, it’s a day spa for men.”

“Get out.”

“Yep, run by four women, best friends.”

“What? Wait a minute. Is it called Pause for Men?”

“Yeah, why?” She pressed the bell. A chime echoed gently in the background.

“Uh, nothing. I think I heard about it somewhere.” That sounded like the same spa that Bernard had taken Nick to, she thought. She’d have to make sure, and if it was, hopefully she wouldn’t have to come to headquarters too often. That could get pretty sticky. And she certainly wasn’t about to mention anything to Savannah to give her or Jean a reason not to give her this assignment.

The door opened. Savannah recognized Margaret, the woman the Cartel had honored the previous month for having been responsible for shutting down a senior retirement home in Brooklyn that had been abusing the seniors.

“Hi. We’re here to see Jean.”

“Come in. Come in. Good to see you again, Savannah,” the middle-aged Cartel member said with a warm smile. Tiny laugh lines fanned out from the corners of her blue eyes.

“Margaret, this is Danielle Holloway.”

Margaret stared at her for a long moment then turned to Savannah. “Looks like she has what it takes.” She winked. “It’s all in the eyes. Make yourselves comfortable a moment. I’ll let Jean know you’re here.”

“Thanks, Margaret,” Savannah said with a light laugh.

“That was weird,” Danielle said under her breath. “Did you see how she looked at me?”

Savannah waved her hand in dismissal. “That’s one of the top agents. She’s been with the Cartel since the beginning, and she’s Jean’s right hand. Definitely someone you want on your side, and if she says you’ve got what it takes, then you’ve got it.”

“If you say so,” Danielle murmured, glancing up at the twelve-foot ceiling and the incredible crystal chandelier that looked like something out of a holiday movie. She slowly strolled around the massive room and took in the decor.

Antique furnishings dotted the enormous room. Sunshine spilled across the sparkling parquet floors from eight-foot-long windows treated with sheer white curtains billowing ever so gently from the light breeze. An oak mantle with a massive fireplace was the centerpiece of the room, reminiscent of the great party days of old Harlem.

Margaret appeared in the doorway as silently as she’d left. “Jean is ready for you,” she said.

She led them upstairs, turned right at the top of the landing and walked down a long hallway that was lined on either side with photographs of Cartel members. Danielle caught a glimpse of Savannah’s mother, Claudia, and just before Margaret tapped on the partially opened door, Danielle saw a picture of a smiling Savannah.

Wow, it’s like going to the White House or somewhere prestigious and seeing the rows of presidents hanging on the walls, she thought, then she wondered if her picture would wind up there one day.

Margaret opened the door, stepped aside and let Savannah and Danielle pass. “Good luck,” she whispered to Danielle before closing the door behind her.

The room was dimly lit by an antique lamp on a desk behind which Jean sat. Outdoor sunshine was blocked by the heavy brocade drapes, in sharp contrast to the floor below.

“Ladies.” Jean took off her pink-framed glasses and stood. “Thank you for coming. Please have a seat.” Her radiant red hair fell in soft waves around her delicate face to brush her shoulders.

Danielle noticed that her skin was almost translucent as a trickle of perspiration shimmied down the center of her own spine even though the air-conditioning was running at optimum level. She took a seat opposite Jean and next to Savannah. She crossed her ankles and drew in a long, calming breath, then put on her best smile.

“How are you feeling these days, Savannah?”

Savannah gently patted her barely noticeable baby bump. “If I can get past these first three months, I just might survive.”

Jean offered a lukewarm smile. “Children.” Her right brow flicked reflexively. “They never factored into my life—always busy traveling, getting from one assignment to the next.” She sighed. “Now it’s too late.”

“I’m sorry,” Savannah offered.

“Oh, don’t be,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I’d make a terrible mother. I don’t have a nurturing bone in my body.” She turned her attention to Danielle. “Ms. Holloway.” She said it in such a way that it hung in the air, more like an accusation than a greeting.

Danielle swallowed and offered a tight-lipped smile, feeling as if she’d been caught with her top off in the boys’ locker room with the captain of the basketball team. “It’s good to meet you.”

“I’m sure that Savannah told you this is completely against protocol. This is not how we recruit members.” She tossed Savannah a sharp look, and Savannah adjusted her behind in her seat. “However, because Savannah did such an excellent job on her first assignment and was recruited by her mother, whom I hold in the highest regard…” She drew in a breath, then on the exhale said, “I’ve decided after much deliberation and consultation, to consider your admittance.”

Danielle felt her lungs fill with air and realized that she’d been holding her breath. She almost broke out in laughter, she was so relieved.

“However, you have no skills. You haven’t been trained. Ideally I should be using one of our more seasoned members, but I wanted Savannah for this job. Obviously she can’t handle it now, and because you and Mia Turner were so integral to resolving the land fraud deal, I think that you would be a perfect substitute.”

“Thank you.” I think.

“You’re going to have to take a crash course. We don’t have much time to get you up to speed. You will need to master in two weeks what would normally take two to three months. If I’m satisfied with your progress at the end of the training, you’ll get your kit and be briefed on the details of the assignment.”

“Is she always like that?” Danielle asked once they were safely inside Savannah’s car.

Savannah grinned. “Like what?”

“So…distant, no-nonsense and…cold.” She fastened her seat belt.

“In her position, I think you have to be. She has a lot of responsibility.”

“You think she has a man in her life?”

“You would ask something like that,” she said, laughing. “Why?”

“Just figured if she had a man, it would loosen the lines around her mouth.”

Savannah cracked up. “Girl, you are terrible.”

“Just honest. Anyway,” she continued as Savannah pulled off, “what does this training entail?”

“Well…”

It was nearly nine by the time Danielle got home. She’d told Nick that she was going with Savannah after work to look at cribs.

“Hey, babe,” Nick said from the archway of the kitchen. He brushed a damp lock of hair away from his forehead and stepped out, a towel wrapped around his waist. His torso was a series of hard ripples, his slightly tanned skin glistening with water where the towel had missed. His eyes sparkled and crinkled at the corners when he smiled, which was often.

Danielle’s heart sputtered in her chest, and that butterfly feeling in the center of her stomach went on a rampage. Just looking at Nick and having him look at her with such love and lust in his eyes made her weak all over.

She tossed her bag on the counter and slowly approached him. He leaned against the frame of the door. She stood right in front of him, barely a breath away, and pressed the palms of her hands against his chest.

Nick lowered his head, brushed her fluttering eyelids with his lips.

Danielle felt the heat tap out a rhythm between her thighs.

Nick snaked an arm around her waist, his other hand cupped the back of her head. His mouth dragged down her upturned face, planting kisses until he reached her lips; then he took her mouth in movie close-up fashion, slow, soft and sure.

Danielle’s body vibrated. She sighed into his mouth as his tongue played with hers.

Nick pulled her tightly against him. Dani groaned, feeling the bulge of his erection press firmly against her stomach.

He lifted his mouth from Danielle’s. Her eyes remained slightly parted, then fluttered open. Nick’s lips curved upward.

“And how was your day?” he teased, stroking her back.

Danielle pressed her head against his chest. “It just got better, but I need to get settled.”

“No problem. I fixed dinner. Come on out when you’re ready.”

She tilted her head back, looked into his inky dark eyes and lost herself in the light that danced in their depths.

“I…I’m crazy about you,” she whispered over the sudden tightness in her throat.

For a nanosecond she caught the flash of disappointment that passed across his gorgeous face and dimmed his eyes. Then it was gone, and that half smile that always made her melt was in place.

“I know.” His gaze locked with hers, seeing beyond her words.

Danielle tugged in a breath. “I’ll be out in a few.” She picked up her purse from the hall table and walked toward their bedroom. She plopped down on the side of bed and took off her shoes.

A sense of exhilaration rippled through her. She had her first assignment—well, almost—and she couldn’t wait to get started with her training. Two weeks, humph, she could handle it. Piece of cake.

She got up from the bed and began to take off her clothes. Walking into the bathroom and turning on the shower, she wondered how she was going to handle Nick, especially if he was going to the spa right across the street. Geez, how freaky was that?

Not only did she and Nick live together, but they also worked together as fashion photographers. Their days were busy, often grueling yet at the same time exciting. They loved what they did and were as passionate about their work as they were about each other. The adrenaline rush that they felt all day while shooting those perfect shots, getting the lighting just right to frame the model, spilled over into the bedroom, where they strove for the perfection that would run them all day as they watched the other work—Nick getting turned on watching Danielle style the set, then get behind the lens to capture the moment, or Dani as she looked on while Nick, now behind the camera, coaxed and cooed at the models to bring out that special something that would pop on film.

Maybe that was what made their lovemaking so intense, so passionate and earth-shaking, Danielle thought, as she stepped under the rush of water. The need that built up between them all day exploded at night.

She knew their relationship was more than great sex. There were feelings involved. Nick was in love with her. She knew it, she felt it, he admitted it.

She also knew that she had deep feelings for Nick. She felt it deep in her soul. It was probably love—something she admitted hesitantly to Savannah and Mia but never to Nick. She couldn’t. If she did, it would become real—and if it was real, it could hurt her and she could lose again.

Danielle lathered her body with her favorite mango body wash, running her hands over her smooth skin. They settled for a moment over her flat stomach.

Life once bloomed there. Once. Not even Savannah or Mia knew. She never spoke about it. Too painful. Because, of course, if she said it out loud, it would be real and that devastating reality she wouldn’t deal with.

So she kept that dark part of her life buried so deep beneath the surface that she hardly thought about it, especially because she could cover it all up with beauty, excitement, work—and now Nick Mateo.

Danielle stepped out of the shower stall and wrapped herself in a thick, pearl-gray towel. Before leaving, she caught a glimpse of herself in the foggy mirror. The ethereal image evoked a sense of illusion—something or someone being there but not quite. That was her. That was her life.

She opened the door and the cool rush of air blew in, dissolving the steam. Her image cleared. The hazy edges evaporated. There she stood, the way the world saw and knew her. She looked away.

“You and Savannah find a crib?” Nick asked before he lifted a forkful of penne pasta swathed in primavera sauce to his mouth.

“Crib?” For a moment, Danielle had no clue what he was talking about.

“Yeah, you said you two were going crib shopping.”

“Oh.” She laughed, hoping to cover her gaff. “Yes, uh, we looked around. There were a couple that she really liked.” She kept her gaze focused on her mixed-green salad.

Nick angled his head a bit to the right. “Are you okay? You seem out of it since you got home.”

She forced herself to look at him, and her heart hammered in her chest as the lie flowed smoothly from her lips. She shrugged, then reached across the small table and covered his hand. “You know the kind of day we had, and then all that walking around from store to store this evening. I don’t know how Savannah does it, but I’m beat. That’s all.”

Nick stared at her a moment.

“For real,” she insisted with a smile.

“Okay.” He paused. “If something was wrong, you’d tell me, right?”

“Of course.”

It was the first lie and, like scalding water it burned her tongue, and she knew it was only the first of many.

“Are you all set for your shoot tomorrow?” she asked, switching to a neutral topic.

“Yeah.” He dipped his bread in the sauce and took a bite. “I’m going to the site early to check on the final details.”

“If I can finish in time with my meeting with Michael Preston, I’ll stop by. I’m determined to get the account to photograph the ads for his new line.”

Nick chuckled. “I love when you get that little bass in your voice and that kick-ass look in your eye.”

“Very funny,” she said, failing at sounding offended.

“It’s one of the things I love about you, Dani, that fierce determination, knowing what you want and going after it.”

Her gaze dragged over the planes and valleys of his face. That determination that he spoke of was instilled in her as a child growing up in a mixed-heritage household, filling out countless applications and checking “other” for ethnicity, never wanting to negate one parent’s heritage for the other and living a life walking that fine line. All of that made her determined to be somebody on her own, independent of tags and labels.

Often she believed that stubborn streak of independence kept her from allowing anyone to get too close, beneath the surface, only to discover that she was no more than a confused girl who was searching for her identity.

She reached over and with the tip of her finger wiped a spot of sauce from the corner of Nick’s mouth.

He took her hand and kissed her fingertips, and she silently hoped that when the investigation was all over he would still want to hold her hand.

Chapter 4

If she could land the Michael Preston account, it would take her business to the next level, Danielle thought, as she entered the building on Seventh Avenue—also known as Fashion Avenue. And she was dressed for the part. Her ebony hair flowed in gentle waves around her face. Her five-foot nine-inch frame was the perfect showpiece for the body-hugging, sleeveless, black cotton T-shirt, covered with a belted, hip-length jacket in a riot of orange, gold and muted green, over skinny black jeans that hugged her hips and defined her long legs.

Danielle gripped the handle of her oversize black leather portfolio and stabbed the button for the elevator. Impatiently she tapped her foot, encased in black alligator sling backs with three-inch heels. The finishing touch was her Sean John designer shades, which gave her a hint of mystery. More times than she could count, she’d been mistaken for the songstress Alicia Keys, and although she’d had several opportunities to profit from the mistake, she never had.

The elevator bell dinged and the stainless steel doors soundlessly slid open. She stepped on with two other riders.

Preston’s offices were on the thirty-fifth floor of the glass and steel tower. She watched the numbers light up as they ascended.

“Love that jacket,” the woman standing next to her said.

Danielle turned. “Thanks.”

“Anyone ever tell you look like Alicia Keys?”

Danielle gave a slight smile. “Every now and then.”

The woman reached into her purse and pulled out a business card. “If you’re ever interested in modeling work, give me a call. I do a whole thing with celebrity look-alikes.”

Danielle took the card just as the doors opened on her floor. “Thanks.” She stepped off.

“Call me. I’d love to work with you.”

Danielle took a quick look at the woman before the doors closed. She walked away, shaking her head in amusement, and stuck the card in her jacket pocket.

She strode down the corridor toward the glass doors with the Michael Preston logo on them. She drew in a breath and pressed the buzzer.

“Yes?” came the voice through the intercom from the fashionista sitting at the desk on the other side of the glass door.

“Danielle Holloway to see Mr. Preston.”

The lock buzzed and the door slowly swooshed inward. She entered a space that could only be described as classy. Sleek elegance in simple black and white. Bursting blooms of exotic plants showcased in glass bowls sat majestically on low tables. The stark white walls were adorned with near life-size photographs of models wearing Michael’s creations. The frames matched the walls so perfectly that the images seemed to float. It was a powerful optical illusion.

A stunning young woman who couldn’t have been more than twenty greeted her. She was pencil thin with startling blue eyes and a mane of strawberry-blond hair that fell straight as a board down the center of her back, held away from her heart-shaped face with a tortoiseshell headband.

“Good morning.” She stuck out her hand, which Danielle shook. Her thin lips tinged in dramatic fuchsia widened to reveal a brilliantly perfect smile. “My name is Tasha, Michael’s assistant. If you’ll follow me, we can get started.”

We?

Danielle followed Tasha and the scent of patchouli that wafted around her down a short carpeted hallway, turning right along another that was three times the length of the first. Behind either side of the glass walls, designers were busy at work, their creations in various stages of construction.

Tasha led her to the end of the hallway and opened a heavy inlaid wooden door with Conference Room etched in gold on the front. She stepped aside to let Danielle enter.

Danielle expected to see Michael sitting behind a desk, but he wasn’t.

“Please have a seat, I’m eager to see some of your work.”

Trying not to show her confusion, which bordered on annoyance, Danielle laid her portfolio on a table that could easily seat twenty, and she unzipped it.

“Uh, is Mr. Preston going to be joining us?”

Tasha gave a little laugh. “Michael is out of town. But not to worry. If I like what I see, he likes what I see.”

Danielle blew out a silent breath. This chick wasn’t old enough to know the difference between commercial photography and Photoshop.

“Actually, I’m a fan of yours,” Tasha said, as she sat down and began reviewing Danielle’s work.

“Really?” The knot in her stomach loosened.

“I’ve studied your work at Parsons and The New School for Design in my advertising and marketing classes.”

Her brows rose in surprise. “I had no idea.”

“You have a very distinct style, Ms. Holloway. I could pick your shots out from a crowd any day.”

“I hope that’s a good thing.”

There was that little laugh again. “I think so.”

Tasha closed the book before she was even halfway finished. Not a good sign, Danielle thought.

“I’d like to take you on a tour of the design floor—get your impressions—and then we can wrap up in my office.”

A little more than an hour and a half later, Danielle was sitting behind the wheel of her Navigator with a retainer check in her hand for ten thousand dollars.

Her head was still spinning. She’d actually landed the account. She was to be the official photographer for the Michael Preston fall collection.

Her photographs would be on his Web site, in his catalogs and all of his promotional material. They’d wind up in every fashion magazine across the country and in Europe.

She didn’t even care why they needed a new photographer. All she knew was that she had finally taken her business to the next level.

This called for some serious celebrating. Under normal circumstances Mia would offer to whip up one of her fabulous meals at her house, since she was the only one of the trio who could really cook. But because she was out of town, Danielle and Nick would have to go out.

She reached for her cell phone to call Nick and give him the good news when the phone chirped in her hand, indicating she had a message waiting. She dialed into her voice mail.

It was Savannah. Danielle’s training was to start tonight. She was to come to the TLC headquarters at eight.

Well, that put a wrinkle in things, Danielle thought as she put the SUV in gear and drove off.

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