Jessie stared at the envelope then turned it over. Her name was written on the front in flowing script but nothing on the back. And it was sealed. She noticed her hands shaking and stuffed the envelope in her jeans pocket."Thank you. I appreciate you bringing it by.""Again, my sincerest apologies.""No problem. Listen, I'll send Rona out to take your order, okay?" She wasn't sure she could write two words at the moment."Of course. And if there is anything in there that needs my assistance, please don't hesitate to call.The letter burned a hole in her pocket all day. She was so distracted when Bob came in he told her to please stick to cleanup and stop screwing up the orders. At last the day was over. She locked up and headed home, her head whirling as she wondered what Delfina had thought so important she wrote her a letter. Maybe she'd tell Jessie how they were related.She had no appetite for anything to eat so she took a shower, pulled on her sleep shirt, and fixed herself
"You are so beautiful." His voice was deep and gravelly, thick with hunger.The timbre of it vibrated through her, making every secret place quiver with anticipation. She was naked, spread out on his bed, his fingers manacling her wrists as he danced kisses along the line of her jaw and down the side of her neck. He drew a trail with the tip of his tongue to the hollow of her throat, sucking lightly at the delicate tissue, beneath which her pulses beat so wildly.She wanted to touch him, run her hands over his hard, masculine body, but he shook his head."My treat, darlin'. This is all for you. Just relax and enjoy it."He strung a trail of kisses lightly along her collarbone then down the valley between her breasts. His mouth was hot and urgent on her body. When he closed his mouth over one hard, beaded nipple she felt a shaft of heat directly to her damp pussy. Her inner muscles tightened in response, demanding to feel him inside her.She moaned and tried to lift her body to him
"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
"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
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
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
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
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