Im waiting for you. Make me yours.
Melodies provocative words echoed through Coles head, and he nearly groaned as every muscle in his body responded to her brazen invitation. Her flattened palms traveled along his shoulders and around his neck, causing her soft, lush breasts to rasp across his chest and her thighs to press against his. One step closer and shed have ample proof that he was ready, willing and able to indulge in carnal pleasures with her.
Unable to take another moment of her bewitching seduction, he grabbed both of her hands to regain control of the situation and backed Melodie up against the wall behind her.
Dammit, Mel, he growled, his low, rough tone threaded with frustration and desire. Youre playing with fire.
Cole had expected her to back off, but this sexy new Melodie was proving to be more than he bargained for.
Instead of retreating, she let out a deep breath and rubbed her breast against his chest. Looking up at him with a challenge in her gaze, she said, But Cole, maybe I want to get burned.
Dear Reader,
I think most of us are good girls at heart, with urges to be impulsive and naughty at times. And Melodie Turner, the heroine of A Shameless Seduction, is no exception. Shes lusted after her boss, Cole Sommers, for years, and shes finally decided that shes going to shed her sensible image and have him, no-holds-barred. What ensues is a shameless seduction filled with erotic encounters, provocative fantasies and enough heat to singe your fingertips! Cole doesnt stand a chance against this females methods of persuasion. So turn the page and discover just how far Melodie will go to get her man.
I hope you enjoy Cole and Melodies sizzling story. And dont miss the fireworks when lady-killer Noah Sommers meets his match in The Ultimate Seduction, a November 2002 Blaze title. You can check out my Web site at www.janelledenison.com for updated information on both books.
Enjoy the heat!
Janelle Denison
P.S. I love to hear from my readers. You can write to me at P.O. Box 1102, Rialto, CA 92377-1102 (send a SASE for goodies!), or at janelle@janelledenison.com.
Books by Janelle Denison
HARLEQUIN TEMPTATION
759CHRISTMAS FANTASY
799TEMPTED
811SEDUCED
832SEDUCTIVE FANTASY
844WILD FANTASY
HARLEQUIN BLAZE
12HEAT WAVES
33A WICKED SEDUCTION
A Shameless Seduction
Janelle Denison
www.millsandboon.co.uk
This is dedicated to all the good girls out there whove taken chances, seduced the man of their dreamsand lived happily ever after.
And to Don, for letting this good girl take a chance on him. Youre my happily-ever-after.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Epilogue
1
I NEED A WOMAN.
You most certainly do. Maybe if you got laid every once in a while you wouldnt be so uptight at the office.
Cole Sommers shot his younger brother a tolerant look from across the expanse of his polished oak desk. Ha-ha, very funny, Noah. Youre a laugh-riot.
Noah chuckled despite Coles unhumorous tone. Hey, its the truth. Sex does wonders for a guys attitude. Take me for example. Im always in a great mood. His trademark bad-boy grin made an appearance, making his blue eyes gleam with satisfaction and purpose. And judging by your surly attitude lately, Id say its been a while since youve blown off somesteam, among other things.
Cole grunted in reply. Reclining in his chair, he rolled his shoulders, inwardly admitting that he had been tense and restless lately. He just wasnt sure if it was a result of not getting laid, or rather the culmination of some unstimulating sex. The last brief affair hed had nearly six months ago hadnt been all that mind-blowing and had left him feeling like something crucial had been missinglike an emotional connection. As a result, hed become more discriminating when it came to dating and sexual relationships, which had narrowed the field of women considerably and left him celibate and even more irritable than normal.
But with no woman constraining him he could concentrate full-time on his true love. His P.I. firm was his mistress, and Sommers Investigative Specialists was demanding enough to occupy his days and nights.
Youre awfully quiet, Noah said, breaking into his thoughts. Does that mean Im right?
Hardly, Cole drawled. Love em and leave em is your motto, not mine.
Hell, you dont even love em. Noah stretched his long, jean-clad legs in front of him and clasped his hands behind his head. Thats the whole problem, Cole. For you, work comes before pleasure. Its always been that way.
Ive had my share of relationships, he refuted. But Noah was right about his dedication to his work. The wealth of responsibilities hed taken on at a very early age was all hed ever known. He wasnt complaining. He loved his job and career. So, at the age of thirty-three, hed pretty much resigned himself to being a confirmed bachelor, and he was fine with that status. Work and past obligations had consumed him, a single-minded trait that stemmed from the bitter divorce of his parents, his mothers tragic death and then the loss of the one man hed always looked up to and thought of as his own personal hero.
Unerringly, his gaze shifted to the eight-by-ten picture of his father hanging on the wall in his office. In the candid photo, his dad was dressed in his police uniform and Cole was standing next to him, a beaming young teenager without a care in the world. That had been years before his father had been shot in the line of duty and Coles entire life and future had shifted in a way that hed never, ever expected.
Coles strict work ethics had been borne out of sheer preservationfor him and his younger siblings. Yet despite the burden and duties hed accepted as his own, hed never resented the choices hed made. Hed like to believe that the past had made him a stronger, better manalbeit one without as great a sex life as his carefree brother.
If youll remember correctly, I was left with a family to support at the age of twenty-one, he reminded Noah. That didnt exactly leave a whole lot of time for play.
The mention of their fathers death sobered Noah and softened his features. You did a damn fine job with me and Joelle. And youve spent the past ten years building this investigative firm into a reputable agency. Hell, were all gainfully employed because of you. So maybe its time you put a little fun and excitement into your life and enjoy whatever comes your way.
Cole grinned wryly. Is that your answer to everything?
Most things, yeah, Noah admitted unabashedly. The fun balances out the stress. Wanna place a bet here and now that I live longer than you?
Because of all that great sex youre having?
Noahs grin broadened. Im telling you, Cole, you really ought to give it a shoton a regular basis, that is.
A frustrated breath eased out of Cole. Do you think we can get past dissecting my sex life?
Noah smirked. You mean your nonexistent sex life.
Thank you for reminding me of that. Repeatedly.
Hey, us guys have to stick together. Youve spent a whole lot of years looking out for me, so Im trying to repay the favor.
Cole shot his brother a pointed, direct look. Can we get back to the original discussion?
Sure. Noah sat up straighter in his chair, affecting a serious demeanor. Lets see, you need a woman and you think I can supply one for you. Is that it?
Cole cringed when his secretary, Melodie Turner, walked through his open office door just in time to hear Noahs outrageous comment. Her deep brown eyes grew wide with surprise, which quickly ebbed to curiosity as her gaze slid from Noah to Cole. She studied him with a look of feminine interest that made his skin prickle and the heat of awareness settle deep in his belly.
He shook off the subtle reaction and damned Noah for putting thoughts of sex into his head. Dressed in a conservative navy dress that covered her from neck to calves, and with her hair in a neat and tidy French braid, his prim and proper secretary was the last woman to inspire lustful thoughts. Or so hed been trying to convince himself for the past few months.
She was pretty enough in a fresh, wholesome kind of way, but she wasnt even close to being the type of woman hed favored since graduating from college years ago. Melodie was too sweet, innocent, and nurturing for his tastes. A quintessential good girl who looked prime for the prerequisite 2.5 kids, dog and house in the burbs. After raising his brother and sister, he wasnt in a hurry to repeat the process with kids of his own, if at all. Cole had no desire to be tied down. He liked his freedomto come and go as he pleased, to stay as late as he wanted at the officethe only responsibilities being those he inflicted upon himself.
If his own personal credo wasnt enough to give him a much needed jolt of reality, then there was the important fact that hed hired Melodie two years ago as a favor. His efficient secretary was the only child and daughter of Richard Turner, whod been his fathers sergeant and best friend, and had become Coles mentor after his dads death. The elder man had been grateful that his little girl had accepted the position at the Sommerses agency and was working for a man Turner highly respected and trusted.
Cole stamped that as a mantra in his brain, certain Richard wouldnt appreciate knowing hed entertained a fantasy or two of peeling off those buttoned-up dresses from his daughters body and finally getting an eyeful of the curves he suspected hid beneath the loose material. Hed often wondered if her breasts were as full and lush, and her legs as long and sleek, as he suspected. And did she wear serviceable cotton underwear, or lacy, silky lingerie that hinted at a softer, feminine side?
His brother cleared his throat, intruding on Coles private musings. He jerked his gaze back to Noah, who wore a goofy grin on his face.
Cole shifted in his seat, realized he was semi-aroused, and experienced a moment of disgust. What the hell had gotten into him? Christ, maybe he did need to get laid as his brother had suggestedespecially since provocative thoughts of his secretary were beginning to distract him more and more lately.
Hed left his door open because his conversation with Noah wasnt what hed consider a private one. Melodie had been in his office plenty of times when hed discussed a confidential case with his brother or Joelle. Her knowledge of his clients and cases was what made her such an exceptional, proficient secretary.
Keeping that in mind, he did his best to ignore her presence as she walked across the room to his oak cabinet to put away a client file and other paperwork. He figured she would become familiar with the Russell case quickly enough. As soon as he talked to Noah, he planned to hand over the contract and initial statement hed taken from Elena Russell, so she could type up the report for him before he began the investigative process.
Inhaling a deep breath to clear his mind, he refocused on his brother. Let me give you the details of the case from the beginning, so you quit jumping to wrong conclusions, Cole said meaningfully. Leaning forward, he opened the file on his desk and scanned the information hed jotted down earlier that morning. My client, Elena Russell, owns a shop in Pacific Heights which deals primarily in selling antique jewelry and rare collectibles shes acquired from collectors and estate sales.
Pacific Heights? Noah interrupted, then followed that up with a long, low whistle. Thats a ritzy part of town. Whats a rich girl like her doing hiring a middle-income agency like ours? he joked.
Cole had asked Elena the same thing, albeit a bit more tactfully. She wanted someone outside of her social set to make sure her request for investigative services was kept as private as possible.
Did you tell her thats why were called private investigators? Noah drawled with amusement.
Cole rolled his eyes. I figure if she wants to throw her money our way, who am I to question her reasons?
Point taken. Whats the name of the shop? Noah asked, his own P.I. instincts kicking into gear.
Heritage Estate Sales. Considering where the business is located, Elena has built quite an elite, wealthy client base over the years and has earned a reputation for the quality of the antiques and collectibles she sells, and for being fair, reliable and honestuntil now.
I take it someone is trying to besmirch her reputation?
Cole nodded. Yes. That would be her ex-lover, Jerry Thornton, a real estate magnate. According to Elena, during their one-year affair Jerry gave her an antique, five-carat European diamond ring that was appraised at over twenty thousand dollars. When the relationship ended, he asked for the ring back. Shes holding on to the trinket claiming it was a gift, but Jerry is saying that she stole it from his collection of vintage jewelry, and hes just filed a lawsuit to that effect. Hes been very public and vocal about his accusation, which has affected Elenas business and her reputation.
Noah rubbed a hand along his stubbled jaw as he mulled over the information hed been given. Maybe she did steal the ring.
Maybe, Cole agreed, not discounting anything. Except Elena says theres a personal letter that Jerry wrote to her that says he gave her the ring as a gift, and states that its hers to keep forever as a token of the love they shared.
A deep chuckle escaped Noah. A real romantic, eh?
Romance didnt even come close to what the two obviously indulged in. Apparently Jerry and Elena were fond of writing explicit love letters to each other, and it was in one of these erotic exchanges that he promised her the ring.
No doubt, in the heat of the moment, his brother commented with sexual humor, which gained a small grin from Cole. I take it she doesnt have the letter on hand.