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Chapter 11
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Taken by Surprise Chapter 12
"Now everyone knows what to do, right?" Jessie asked, standing in the kitchen of the diner."Yes, Mom," Alton teased. "We'll be good boys and girls until you get back.""And then we'll be bad," Rona laughed."I know, I know." She brushed a stand of hair away from her face. "You all were doing this just fine before I got here. I'm sorry. It's just my obsessive nature.""It's okay," Alton said. "We're getting used to it."He shocked the hell out of her by giving her a hug. Then, as if realizing what he'd done, he turned back to the grill."You call us when you get there," Rona ordered, "so we know you arrived safe and sound. And let us know when you start back.""Yeah," Alton added. "Because we'd hate to lose our new boss just when we're breaking her in. Never know who we might get next.""I'm bringing back all my recipes," she warned."Oh, you want a cooking contest? Bring it on, girl."Jessie laughed. Every day she felt more and more at home here. She filled her thermos with
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Taken by Surprise Chapter 13
"I think it should be bigger," Alton said, looking up at the outside of the restaurant."I think it's just the right size," Diane told him. "Bigger isn't always better.""What do you think, Jessie?" He looked over to where she stood on her crutches next to Jack who had his arm around her.Jessie couldn't take her eyes off it. This was an important day in her life, and the sign was the milestone marker. "I think it should go a little to the left. What about you, Bob?"Bob looked down from where he stood on a ladder. "I think it's the right size and it looks damn fine right here."The crowd gathered on the sidewalk burst out laughing. A number of people had gathered to watch Bob take down the Delfina's Diner sign and now they were waiting for the new one to be hung. Jessie could feel the excitement and expectation and it made her feel good. These people had become her friends as well as customers."Then we're good to go," she told him, grinning. "Put it in place."This new sign w
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Taken by Surprise Chapter 14
Part Two: TemptedShea Prescott tugged on her short jacket-power red, of course-to straighten nonexistent wrinkles and brushed imaginary lint from her black skirt. Glancing around her office yet another time she assured herself that everything was in place, the client chairs properly placed, her pad for note-taking centered on her desk with freshly sharpened pencils and her computer set to produce her standard Power Point slide show with the touch of a button.It wasn't as if this was her very first appointment ever. No, Shea Randolph Prescott had acquired quite an impressive list of clients, not just in San Antonio but throughout Texas. Still, it wasn't every day a man worth millions and known as much for his sexual prowess as his business acumen walked into her office.Miguel Cruz Castillo was definitely a legend. Descended from Castilian Spaniards who had come to the New World six generations before, he had grown up in wealth and privilege. Yet once he'd gotten his college degr
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Taken by Surprise Chapter 15
Shea folded her hands in front of her, as much to still their trembling as to give herself some measure of control. Cruz Castillo made her very nervous with his blatant sexuality and his confident manner."At a first meeting I usually like to talk my clients through what they have in mind." She pulled the yellow pad of paper and a pencil toward her. "Let's start with some basic questions.""I'd rather show you," he said in his warm drawl.Shea put her pencil down slowly. "Site inspection usually comes later, Mr....Cruz. After I get some idea of what you're looking for and agree to take the job. Also, I'd better warn you, I don't come cheap."Cruz uncrossed his legs again and leaned forward, arms resting on his knees. "I told you before, price is not a problem. And whatever I'm doing, I always go for the gold. The best. As to the site inspection, I'd prefer to do that first, so you can get a real idea of exactly what I'm looking for. As a matter of fact, I'm giving a party there thi
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Taken by Surprise Chapter 16
Shea took off her jacket, hung it over the back of her chair and seated herself on the tall stool at her drafting table. Usually no matter what was crowding her mind she could lose herself in creating a design. Today it just didn't seem to work. After an hour of trying to concentrate she gave up and put everything away."I'm sneaking out early," she told Marta. "If anyone calls tell them I had an appointment out of the office.""Going home to start getting ready for the weekend?" Marta teased."Ha ha ha," she said in a slightly sarcastic tone. "See you tomorrow."Despite her good intentions, she couldn't seem to get Cruz Castillo out of her mind. What was he like as a lover? Was he bold and demanding? Kind and considerate? Somehow she was sure he was all of that and more. Talk about being tempted. She had no business even entertaining thoughts like that, however. He was way out of her league in every way she could think of.Still, images of him danced in her brain all the way home
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Taken by Surprise Chapter 17
Shea changed clothes five times Friday morning before she was satisfied with her outfit. Casual meant a lot of different things to different people. They were going to a ranch, so she finally settled on jeans, a soft cotton blouse and sandals. Rather than pin her hair into its usual twist, she pulled it into a high ponytail and, in a touch of whimsy, tied it with a ribbon matching her blouse. Too frivolous, she wondered?She'd been just as indecisive in choosing what to pack. Her bedroom looked as if the clothes fairy had thrown up all over it. At last she just threw in what she thought would be appropriate and hoped she'd made the right choices. She'd even dug into the back of the spare closet and found a pair of western boots she'd worn to a fundraiser. Hopefully they'd be as good for riding as they were for showing.At least a dozen times she'd picked up the phone to call Cruz and tell him she'd changed her mind. She had this unshakeable feeling that she and Cruz Castillo would en
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Taken by Surprise Chapter 18
After a time they left the Interstate for a two-lane country road."All of this is ranchland," Cruz told her.With one hand he indicated the vast acres of pasture rolling away from the road. Much of it was dotted with trees. And while some stretches of land had no livestock visible, others were filled with cattle ambling slowly along, stopping now and then to graze. Here and there Shea saw tall metal cylinders that she knew were stock tanks that held water for the herds.When they made another turn onto a graveled road, Shea caught her breath in wonder. On either side of the gravel, lined up like sentinels, were live oaks, sweetgum and mimosa trees. It was obvious they'd been there before someone cut through to make the driveway. Through the trees she could see pastures, dotted with more trees and cattle. It was like a scene from a western novel.But then the house came into view and she wanted to weep at its elegance. It was old, probably hadn't been well-maintained but the gracef
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Taken by Surprise Chapter 19
Shea's hands were shaking as she stripped off her clothes and tugged on the unfamiliar bathing suit. It was a one piece and should have been modes but it was cut so high at the thighs, so low in the back and front she felt as if she were wearing nothing. No matter how much she tugged at it, a large amount of skin was still exposed."Sissy," she chided herself. "You wouldn't be doing this if you didn't want to."And it wasn't just the tempting thought of the hot, bubbling water after the hours on horseback that made her agree to this. No, it was the image of Miguel Cruz Castillo half naked, waiting for her. She couldn't put this all on him. From the moment he'd walked into her office she and her libido had been waging a battle royal. If she weren't drawn by his blatant sexuality, by the erotic promise in his eyes, by the way her body reacted to him again and again, she wouldn't be here at all.With a sigh and still striving for some semblance of decorum, she wrapped one of the big to
Last Updated : 2024-10-29
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Taken by Surprise Chapter 31
Cruz ignored her and kept walking until they reached the cabin. Once inside he tossed her onto the bed, straddled her and captured her hands before she could hit him again."We are going to get all of this out," he told her, "so you might as well simmer down.""Go to hell," she spat."Tsk tsk. Such language from a lady. But I promise you, I'm not moving until I tell you the truth. The real truth.""Answer one question for me." Her anger was so hot she wondered she didn't incinerate herself."I'll answer all the questions you want," he agreed, "if you promise not to hit me.""Depends on your answers," she grumped. "Okay. Are you married to that witch?""Yes. And no."Shea tried to struggle up but Cruz had her effectively imprisoned."What the hell is that supposed to mean"He sighed heavily. "This is very embarrassing, cara. Ten years ago I was young and wild and horny. I was busy making money and living in the moment, tasting everything life had to offer. Lorena was the devil
Taken by Surprise Chapter 30
Although she buried herself in as much work as possible, even pulling potential clients out of the call-back file, the days seemed to drag by. Saturday was the expected date of Cruz's return. Before she went to bed Friday night she turned off her cell phone, unplugged the land line and finished off a bottle of wine.When she awoke late Saturday morning, for a moment she thought the pounding she heard was in her head, a present from the empty wine bottle. But after stumbling into the bathroom and swallowing three aspirins with a glass of water, she realized the pounding not only continued but was accompanied by the furious ringing of her bell.Pulling on a robe and pushing her disheveled hair back from her face, she went to the door and hollered, "Whoever you are, go away. No one's home.""Open the damn door." Cruz's voice was loud and angry."Go away," she shouted again. "I have nothing to say to you.""Well, I have plenty to say Do you want me to stand out here and yell so all th
Taken by Surprise Chapter 29
"She is lying," Safina said, placing a glass of iced tea in front of Shea.John Reston had called a halt to all work until they could get this mess straightened out. Lorena Castillo had waved a marriage license under their noses and everything had shut down. Shea had hightailed it for the hacienda in the golf cart, barely making it into the kitchen to give Safina a bare outline before she heard the Mercedes pull up in front.High heels tapped on the terra cotta tiles as Lorena Castillo made her way to the kitchen. The look she gave Shea was a mixture of disgust and hate."What are you doing in this house?""Getting ready to leave. Don't worry.""Please don't tell me you've been staying here," she spat. "I consider that an outrage."Shea counted to ten before she spoke. "I have a question for you. If you're really Cruz's wife, where have you been all this time? Not anywhere around where people could see you.""Where I've been is incidental. I'm back and you're out. Along with any
Taken by Surprise Chapter 28
Shea sat at the small table under the umbrella Cruz had asked the hands to set up for her. Texas heat could be devastating and he worried that she spent too much time in it."Use the trailer," he urged constantly. "That's what it's for, cara. Please."But now that she'd made the commitment she liked to eyeball everything personally.Cruz had loved her designs, not only for the new hacienda set high on a hill but for the remodel of the existing one as well as the small homes for the foreman and the married hands and a modern new bunkhouse for the others."You really meant it when you said you planned to spend a lot of money," she'd teased him when he'd signed the contracts. Exactly how rich are you?"His face had tightened and an unfamiliar expression had come over it. "Is it important to you?" he'd snapped."No, not at all." She'd shaken her head. "It was just a joke, Cruz. I don't give a damn how much you have. Okay?"His face had relaxed again. "Sorry, Shea. I just have a lot
Taken by Surprise Chapter 27
If they gave medals for kissing, Shea thought, this man would take the gold. His tongue swept in, tasting every inch of her, pressing against the roof of her mouth, running his tongue over her teeth then plunging it deep, deep, deep. He shifted the angle of his head to go even deeper, then dragged his tongue out and licked a pattern around her lips. By the time he moved to other parts of her body, she felt as slick and heavy as molten nickels.Cruz's hands were warm on her breasts, squeezing them gently, licking the nipples and grazing his teeth across them."So beautiful," he told her in a thick voice. "So gorgeous. A man could feast on these forever."Every touch sent spikes of electricity through her, straight to her throbbing pussy. His tongue flicked and retreated, teasing her nipples into an even more distended state. Shea moaned, a low sound in her throat and shifted her body beneath his, trying to urge him to more aggressive activity."Don't rush me," he murmured in a hoars
Taken by Surprise Chapter 26
Cruz showered and dressed first, needing to be ready out front to greet his guests."Take your time, cara," he told her. "No rush. Look for me at the entrance to the tent when you're ready."Shea took him at his word, soaking in the tub, then washing her hair and carefully blow-drying it. Tonight she left it long and loose, a riot of dark blonde curls around her face. She took extra pains with her makeup and sprayed herself from a new bottle of expensive cologne. Finally she dressed in the outfit she'd brought-a long printed skirt that swirled around her ankles and a white peasant blouse that she wore off the shoulders.She'd had no idea what other women would be wearing and Cruz had been absolutely no help. She'd finally decided to dress for the environment and hope she wasn't laughed out of the place. Stepping into the sandals next to the dresser, she took a final look at herself in the mirror, fluffed her hair one more time and headed through the house for the backyard.She esti
Taken by Surprise Chapter 25
"I understand." Shea took another sip of coffee. "Not that it's any of my business but exactly how many companies do you own?"He chuckled. "If I tell you, will your fee go up?""Don't be ridiculous. I charge what I charge. I was just curious."They had reached the stage by this time. Cruz sat on the edge of it and motioned for her to join him. "I could have walked into my father's business, you know. I'm sure you heard the story. But I've always had this obsession to earn whatever I got. So I took money I'd saved and began flipping houses."She nodded. "Buying old ones, rehabbing them and selling them for more money.""That's it. But other things began to interest me, so I went after companies that fit the bill. Now there are ten separate entities under the Castillo Corporation banner. Is that enough information?""I wasn't prying," she said hastily. "Just trying to understand the man you are.""The man I am is busy getting ready to wow his clients tonight." He waved his hand b
Taken by Surprise Chapter 24
Saturday morning Shea awoke to a multitude of noises and voices drifting in through the open glass door. Rolling over, she realized Cruz was no longer in bed with her. In fact, if the coolness of the sheet was any indication, he'd been gone for some time. Sitting up and pulling the sheet with her, she spotted a note on the bedside table.Mi amor,Supervising party preparations. Coffee is made in the kitchen. Safina will fix you whatever you'd like for breakfast. Or lunch if you sleep that late. Take your time and relax.CruzThe party. Of course. The excuse for getting her to spend the weekend.She yawned, then crawled out of bed, wrapping the sheet around herself. She closed the sliding door and pulled the blinds shut. Cruz had insisted she unpack her suitcase, so she grabbed some clothes from the drawer where she'd stuck them along with her toiletries kit and headed for the shower.In jeans and a plaid shirt knotted at the waist, ponytail swinging, she followed the heavenly aro
Taken by Surprise Chapter 23
The night air was cool so Cruz had left the sliding doors open to catch the breeze. Overhead a ceiling fan turned lazily, drawing in not only the air but also the heady scents of the flowering shrubs and trees. Once again Shea was stretched out on the soft sheets of his bed, naked, his mouth and tongue and fingers making a slow journey over her body.In the dim light of the bedside lamp she could see the taut planes of his face and the dark pools of his eyes, eyes that returned again and again to lock with hers. Her breasts ached from his gentle kneading while his mouth pulled at her nipples and his teeth grazed their pebbled surface. The flesh of his back beneath her palms, was warm and under the tight covering of skin she could feel the play of solid muscles.His touch everywhere lit up her nerves and accelerated every pulse in her body. The swirl of his tongue at her navel. The nip of his teeth at the soft flesh below it. Those damnable kisses teasing at the backs of her knees and
