Red Shoes and A Diary. Mia Zachary

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СКАЧАТЬ brown curls framed an interesting face. Behind the wire-rimmed glasses, her eyes were the color of a good single-malt scotch. Warm and sparkling with intelligence. Her golden skin was flawless, highlighted by the sweet flush coloring her cheeks. She had freckles on her nose and a stubborn set to her chin.

      Her small, but perfectly formed breasts would fit nicely in the palms of his hands. She had round hips, a great butt and her shapely legs went on forever. He was dying to find out how they’d feel wrapped around his waist.

      Moving gracefully around the room, she was doing her best to pretend he wasn’t there. But the frequent glances from under her lashes gave her away. Alex grinned. She was trying way too hard to ignore him. Damned if he would let her. He drifted closer, narrowing the space between them.

      “Need any help?”

      “I can manage, thank you.”

      She gathered her cotton T-shirts, linen shorts, and plain black swimsuit out of the dresser. The neatly folded clothing was just as neatly repacked into the suitcase. She brushed past him, unnecessarily close, and her exotic scent filled his senses. Like getting socked in the gut without warning.

      “What’s your perfume called?”

      She looked over, startled by the question. “It’s body oil, actually. Calendula flower.”

      “It suits you.”

      “Oh, really. How so?” Wary curiosity laced her tone.

      He cocked his head to one side, assessing what he’d learned about her so far. “Sweet, with an unexpected hint of spice.”

      She grinned at him, obviously pleased by the description. The shallow dimple added character to an already pretty smile. Alex wanted to feel that mouth all over his body. Lord have mercy, those lush curving lips could get a man into serious trouble.

      And “trouble” was just how he thought of her. He had a job to do, had to prove himself to the DEA all over again. He’d been trained to handle every situation with a cool, clear head. He wasn’t supposed to feel like this, wasn’t supposed to lose control. Her kind of distraction he didn’t need.

      His body disagreed. Firmly.

      When she picked up the cherry-red “seduce me” sandals, his imagination went into overdrive. He saw her laid out on his bed, wearing the sandals and nothing else, reading her journal to him in that soft husky voice. He shifted to ease the pressure on his zipper.

      Alex reached into the open dresser, pulled out a nightgown she’d forgotten in the corner. The white silk whispered through his fingers. He held it up by its thin straps, easily picturing the delicate material against her tawny skin.

      “What I said before didn’t come out right. I just assumed a classy lady like yourself wore white or pink or cream.”

      “And so you were right.”

      He noticed her pulse flutter in her throat as he prowled toward her. “But I’ll bet the red lace looks incredible on you.”

      “Yes, it does.”

      She held his gaze boldly, like she was testing him instead of the other way around. A wild passion burned through the sadness in her eyes when she looked at him and suddenly he recognized her. She was “Elise,” the real woman hiding inside that killer body. No question.

      “Why don’t you show me?”

      “Why don’t we leave some things to the imagination? I’m not in the habit of letting strangers see me in my underwear.”

      “Lady, those teeny scraps of cloth don’t have enough room for my imagination.”

      He’d never reacted to a woman like this before. He wanted to strip away the contradictory layers down to the hot babe hiding inside. Uncovering secrets was his business and he wanted to discover hers, despite his mission and the possibility that she was somehow involved.

      Meghan didn’t seem like the type to be working for the cartel. Still, he didn’t like coincidences. And recent events had taught him about deception. If she worked for Braga, he’d find out soon enough. If not, he’d allow himself the brief pleasure of her company before concentrating on his job.

      Alex stood close, deliberately invading her space, brushing his index finger across her lower lip. Her eyes widened and her quick intake of breath was one of the sexiest sounds he’d ever heard. He held her gaze, dared her to look away.

      “Spend the night with me. Then we won’t be strangers.”

      3

      In fantasies, I can be anyone I want, do anything I please. I can follow my impulses and indulge my wildest desires. Best of all, my fantasies are completely anonymous.

      MEGHAN UNPACKED her suitcases for the second time that day. “Well, it’s been anything but boring so far.”

      “What do you mean?” The charms on Julie’s bracelet jingled as she flipped her hair over one shoulder.

      “First, a gnome propositioned me and you made me into this week’s charity case. Then, I had to wrestle my underwear away from a modern-day pirate.”

      Julie let out a peal of laughter. “A gnome and a pirate? I don’t remember including them in our advertising brochure.”

      “The gnome isn’t important.” She opened a drawer and laid her lingerie inside. “As for the pirate, he’s the gorgeous guy whose suite I checked into by mistake.”

      “He wasn’t wearing your underwear, I hope.”

      “No, he only fondled it.” Instantly, she recalled the sight of her bright red panties draped over Nick’s olive skin—and her burning desire to be wearing the lingerie the next time he got his hands on it.

      “I can only imagine how my straitlaced big sister must have reacted! What did you say to him?”

      Meghan affected a nonchalant tone. Jules was so easy to tease. “I agreed to spend the night with him.”

      “Excuse me?”

      “He asked me to have dinner with him.”

      “Oh.” She sat back in the chair and reached for another piece of the almond-crusted brie. “That’s a relief. I thought you meant—”

      “I’m planning to take him for a lover.”

      “Excuse me?” Julie’s voice rose to a squeak and she dropped the cheese back onto the tray.

      “I said—”

      “I heard you.” She shook her head, her tone emphatic. “You are not serious.”

      Meghan planted her hands on both hips and answered with a steely resolve. “I’m quite serious. He’s great-looking, charming and very sexy. I think Nick would be a perfect lover.”

      “You’ve never taken a wrong step in your entire life. I doubt you’ll start now.” Julie dismissed СКАЧАТЬ