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Chapter 16: PART ONE
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Sunstroke Chapter 17: PART ONE
"Mom?" Michael's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Who is this guy? And why does he look like me?""Yes, Bailey." Zack's voice was hard and edged with barely controlled anger. "Who am I? And who is this?"Bailey wished the floor would open up and she could disappear. This was not at all the way she had planned for this to happen.People were walking in the little hallway, staring at them. And then Warren Blake came back to see where she was and what was holding her up."Everything okay, Bailey? I was looking for you two in the bar." He looked from Michael to Zack and back again. "Michael, I see you got here okay. That's great. Sorry you missed dinner.""Yeah, thanks for telling me about it." But his words were laced with resentment."Can I help you with anything, Bailey?"She shook her head. "No, thanks. We're fine. I'll try to come along in a while.""Good, because you're the star of the show. Now you have two good-looking men to help you celebrate.""Yes, I understand." B
Sunstroke Chapter 18: PART ONE
"You didn't come to the restaurant for breakfast, you didn't order room service, and no one has seen you since last night."Bailey looked at Lacey standing in her doorway. The last thing she needed was someone watching her life fall apart."And you look like hell," Lacey continued and nudged Bailey aside so she could enter. "At least let me fix you something from the single server in the kitchen. Or maybe I should just give it to you intravenously."Bailey didn't want to offend her friend, but she wasn't in the mood to see Lacey or anyone else. Except maybe the two people who didn't want to see her. Lacey led her out to the patio and pointed to a chair at the umbrella table."Sit. And don't move."Bailey sat, mostly because she didn't have the whatever to argue. When Lacey handed her a full mug, she took it with shaking hands and gingerly sipped at the hot liquid.Lacey sat in the chair across from her and studied her."Warren Blake was asking for you this morning. Wanted to kno
Sunstroke Chapter 19: PART ONE
Zack had taken Michael to his suite where they'd spent hours talking, feeling their way toward each other, equally hungry for details about then other person. It had been an agonizing night for both of them as they tried to figure out this unexpected relationship, both venting their bitterness that Bailey had kept them from each other.By four in the morning, they still had no answers, but exhaustion overtook them. Michael conked out on the couch, and Zack lay down in his bed, sure he'd never be able to sleep. He was shocked when he opened his eyes again and saw it was morning and Michael was standing in the bedroom doorway."I used one of the toothbrushes in your bathroom," he said. "Hope that's okay.""Of course." He sat up and ran his fingers through his hair. "I could use a hot shower and a gallon of coffee. How about you?"Michael nodded. "You bet. I went down to my car before and brought my duffel up here. I hope that's okay. I just came back from a trip for Clay."He'd alre
Sunstroke Chapter 20: PART ONE
Bailey turned over in bed, pressing herself against Zack's muscular body. She wondered if she'd ever get used to the joy of being with him. Of waking up with him every day and going to sleep with him every night."I don't think I'm ready to get up yet," Zack murmured, stroking her back with gentle fingers. "But I suppose we can't stay in bed forever.""Who says?" Bailey teased."How about the man who wants your body twenty-four seven?""Oh." She giggled. "Then I'll have to think about it."He continued to caress her body, following the line of her back and the curved shape of her bottom."Don't think too long. I think we have company in bed with us." He jerked his hips slightly, enough so she could feel the hard length of his cock, swollen and pressing into her belly."Well, well." She swallowed a smile. "Eager little thing, isn't he.""Hey!" He adopted an offended tone. "Don't use the word little when you talk about him.""I'll give you that the word doesn't apply where he's
Sunstroke Chapter 21: PART TWO
SUNSTROKEPart TwoThe story continuesI still can't believe this is happening. Maybe I'll wake up and find out it's all just a bad dream.Yeah, right.Robin Hanna tucked her long brown hair behind one ear and looked at the computer screen for perhaps the one-hundredth time. She had a headache from staring at numbers for so long and the taste of frustration was bitter on her tongue. She'd worked late three nights in a row and still didn't feel as if she'd accomplished what she needed to. Getting information for Jonas Faulkner had been the easy part. Protecting her clients was a lot more difficult. Damn Raymond Forrester anyway.Damn herself, while she was at it, for being smart enough to spot what was happening. And stupid enough to work for a man who was laundering money for the Russians and stealing from his clients while doing it. If only she could wave a wand and make things go back to the way they were. She had spotted the discrepancies by accident, her business and
Sunstroke Chapter 22: PART TWO
Robin wanted to ask her what was going on but she figured she'd better just shut up and do what she was told. Jonas had the uncanny ability to make things happen when he needed to and she'd learned to trust him. So she stripped off her clothing, including her shoes, pulled on a T-shirt and a pair of jeans and slipped her feet into rubber-soled shoes. "Not glamorous," the woman said, "but they'll protect your feet from the snow. The plows cleared the streets this morning and the drifts have done a little melting today."A fleece-lined jacket completed the outfit. Then Robin took the ponytail holder the woman handed her and yanked her long hair into a tail. "Ready." At least she hoped she was. "Good. Here we go."Robin's heart was thumping as the woman opened a door in the back wall and ushered her outside. A brown sedan idled just beyond the door. The driver, a muscular man in a soft collared shirt and jeans, leaned over and pushed open the door. "We need to get going, anyway."
Sunstroke Chapter 23: PART TWO
"Yes. Because tomorrow I'm getting you someplace safe, far away from here. I started that in motion as soon as I hung up from your call.""Oh!" She hadn't given much thought to what she'd do next. "Well, sure, although I'm not sure how much help I cam be.""You'd be surprised at what the brain registers and remembers. At least it gives us a starting point."The tea had taken the edge off the cold enough that she could unzip her jacket although she didn't take it off. In fact, she wondered if she'd ever be warm again."Okay, go ahead and see if you can get someone. I'll do my best.""One more thing." He slid over a pad of paper that was sitting on the table and handed it to her along with a pen. "I need you to write down all your sizes, even for your...He paused."...your delicate items."If she hadn't been so uptight, Robin would have laughed. Unflappable Jonas, uncomfortable discussing ladies lingerie."Okay, but what for?""We're sending you out of town and you obviously can't
Sunstroke Chapter 24: PART TWO
Trey DeMarcus, Commander, US Navy, Retired, ushered his client from his office to the reception area. As they walked he reassured him one more time that all the paperwork was in order and he had nothing to worry about. Today Lloyd Bridger had seemed more tiresome than usual. He was a nitpicker without equal, although Trey figured to amass as much wealth as he had, he'd have had to be. But the man was now in his late eighties, retired and occupying himself with nitpicking changes to the dispersion of his estate. Trey chastised himself for being irritated, but this was so far from the law he'd practiced for twenty years-and the law he wanted to practice now- it wasn't even on the same map.You wanted the change.No, I didn't. Laura did.Laura. Even thinking her name sent a shaft of pain right through his heart. "Did you get Bridger all squared away?" Trey looked up to see Art Finnergan, one of his partners, lounging in his office doorway. Art handled estate planning for the firm,
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Sunstroke Chapter 41: PART TWO
Robin thought springtime in Bozeman, Montana was possibly one of the best seasons ever. The air was fresh and crisp without being too cool. The sun warmed you as a gentle breeze played across your face. And everything was so right and clear. Robin Hanna sat in a coffee shop in downtown Bozeman waiting for Trey to finish his morning at the Gallatin County Courthouse. When everything came down about the Russians and the FBI needed a safe place for her until the trial was over, Trey insisted on taking her home to Bozeman and hiding her from the world there."They'll never think of looking for her there," he'd assured Jonas Faulkner. As soon as they got the final all clear from Jonas she promised they'd move forward with their wedding plans. As Robin pointed out, neither of them was getting any younger and they didn't want to waste a minute more being single. They for sure had no doubts about their feelings for each other. Now she was anxious to tell him about the call she'd gotten
Sunstroke Chapter 40: PART TWO
Trey thought about getting quietly drunk. He had to admit it seemed like a damn good idea. Too bad it wasn't his style. He hadn't done it when Laura served him with divorce papers and he wasn't planning to do it now. What he was going to do, instead, was call Zack Elliott, see how soon the man could fly him out of here, pack his stuff and check out. He should have known better than to come to a place like this. Zack had meant well giving him the brochure, but this was for couples. Apparently he was destined not to be part of one. He had just put his suitcase on the luggage stand to pack it and was searching for Zack's number on his phone when there was a knock on the door. He ignored it at first. There was no one here he wanted to talk to. At least, not any more. But the knocking persisted until, at last, in anger, he stalked over to the door."Go away, Robin," he growled, as he yanked open the door. Only it wasn't Robin standing there but the guy from McBain Security. Seth Somebody
Sunstroke Chapter 39: PART TWO
"Oh, Seth." Beside her Trey tensed. "What's up?""Can I see you for just a moment, please?" He looked at Trey. "Could you excuse us, please?"Trey nodded but stood there, frowning, as Seth tugged her out of the lobby into a little hallway. "What's up? Seth, this is just not a good time for me, as you can see." He itched his voice low. "What's up is that Jonas has been trying to call you for more than an hour. Where were you? He's about to have a fit worried about you.""Oh, sorry. We went for a hot air balloon ride." She forced a smile. "Trey arranged it. Why?""Jonas has been trying to call you and losing his mind because you weren't answering. He said you always answer his calls. You know him. If something is out of sync he gets paranoid.""Oh, he does? Just who the hell is Jonas and why does he have to talk to you right now?"Neither of them had heard Trey come around the corner until he spoke. When Robin looked at him she could see he was seething with anger and something
Sunstroke Chapter 38: PART TWO
A balloon! OMG!She never would have thought this was what Trey had in mind. Her stomach flopped up into her throat and back again. Good thing she didn't scare easily, she thought.A woman Robin guessed was somewhere in her thirties stood by the balloon, tending to its tether while a crew checked the sandbags holding it in place and steadied it. As they came closer she smiled and waved at them."Hi." She shook Trey's hand. "Glad you made it.""Are you kidding? I've always wanted to go up in one of these things. Zoe, this is Robin Hanna. Robin, meet Zoe Tamarin Bradley."Robin just stared. "Is this your balloon?"Zoe nodded. "My baby.""And you drive it? Or pilot it? Or whatever it is you do to a balloon.""I do, and I love it. Well, we've got clear skies and a pleasant breeze so let's get to it, shall we?"As soon as Zoe and one of her crew had climbed into the gondola, Trey swept Robin up in his arms and lifted her into it, then followed her. Zoe stood at the controls, waitin
Sunstroke Chapter 37: PART TWO
Trey would love to have moved all his stuff into the villa with Robin. It would make things so much easier. But his brain put up a roadblock when he thought of it. Not a good idea, he finally told himself. He knew nothing about her except she hadn't tried to steal his money, making love with her was off the charts, and she was easy and fun to be with. For the first time in a very long time he felt like a young forty-eight, maybe looking forward to the next chapter of his life instead of looking backwards and living with the pain. Who said life began at forty? For him he might be saying it began at forty-eight. How was it possible they had met less than forty-eight hours earlier? Or that despite the lingering pain of Laura's betrayal and his vow never to become involved with another woman, little by little he was losing his heart to Robin Hanna. In point of fact, at the moment the only thing he could find to complain about was her friend who picked the most inopportune times to call
Sunstroke Chapter 36: PART TWO
The shrill sound of her cell phone woke Robin. At some point during the night she had fetched it from her purse and put it where she could reach it, just in case. Now, as she blinked against the bright sunlight pouring in through the sliding glass doors, she wished she'd buried it instead. Throwing her arm over her eyes to shield them she picked up the phone and looked at the readout.Damn!Jonas!A tiny shaft of fear stroked through her, as it always did with his calls. Bad news. That's what she always expected.Beside her Trey's big body shifted and he looped an arm casually around her waist, pulling her back to him. She could feel the thickness of his morning erection and the heat of his body where they were skin to skin."Just give me a second here," she murmured. Lifting the arm around her, she kissed his hand before placing it back on the bed. Then she slid out from between the covers, grabbed the phone and hurried into the bathroom. "Hi, Jonas. What's up?"She pitched her
Sunstroke Chapter 35: PART TWO
Trey thought if he'd ordered a perfect evening it couldn't have been better. The air was warm but not hot. The sky was clear, stars glistening against its velvet backdrop. The night air was filled with the rich scents of the luxurious foliage. Something out of a movie set, he thought, then wondered where all this imagery was coming from.He had never considered himself a romantic, something that Laura had teased him about, except maybe it hadn't all been teasing. He thought of all the little road signs along the way in their twenty years together. Road signs he had just missed because he wasn't expecting them and was unprepared, so he'd apparently just ignored them. When he'd married her, in his mind it was forever. He still felt the shock of discovering it wasn't in hers.And that's enough of that. You're supposed to be changing your outlook on life. Putting the past behind you. And damn, he sure hoped he could. He looked at the woman sitting across the table from him in Junon
Sunstroke Chapter 34: PART TWO
I can't let my guard down.Robin had been telling herself that from the moment she spilled coffee and water on Trey DeMarcus. She should never have agreed to have breakfast with him. And driving into Mimosa Key in that convertible and wandering around town like lovers on a date was a bigger mistake. There was some kind of electricity between them, invisible but still crackling in the air.Seth had told her to make an effort to enjoy herself while she was here and forget about the mess back in Boston. That was Jonas's problem and he and the FBI were keeping it well away from her. She didn't think he meant jump the bones of the first good looking, single man she met and take the edge off all that frustration building in her since she'd dumped her last relationship. How was it she was so bad at picking men? She must have warped radar that it only vibrated toward men who were already in a relationship-with themselves. Trey was so different it amazed her how taken with him she was. Alth
Sunstroke Chapter 33: PART TWO
He couldn't help letting his eyes roam over her figure, so appetizing in her shorts and T-shirt. She was the first woman who had really lit up his hormones in more than twenty years. Laura had been the one for him and he'd never even thought intimately about another woman. Did he admire appealing bodies? Sure, he wasn't dead. But always in an abstract way.So what was it about Robin Hanna with the nice breasts and delectable ass that was turning him on so much? Nice breasts? Delectable ass?He'd better put his libido in deep freeze or he'd be in big trouble.She chuckled. "Wait until you see me in a bathing suit before you hand out the compliments.""I look forward to it."Trey wanted to smack himself in the head. He was just looking for a companion to do things with, so he wasn't alone. He shouldn't hint at things that weren't going to happen.On the drive back to the resort, Robin leaned back in her seat, scarf wound around her head and sunglasses in place, the sun bathing he
