Working Up A Sweat

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Working Up a Sweat ISBN 9781419920011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Working Up a Sweat Copyright © 2009 Ciana Stone Edited by Sue-Ellen Gower Cover art by Syneca Electronic book Publication June 2009 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 443103502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

WORKING UP A SWEAT

Ciana Stone

Trademarks Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Pilates: LeRiche, Mary Pilates

Prologue “To Calliope, a woman with more balls than I.” Fenny raised her glass in a toast. “I still can’t believe that you wouldn’t try it.” Dee clicked her glass against Fenny’s then each of the glasses held by the other women. “Honey, to me, clothing optional means I can keep mine on.” Dee chuckled and winked at Calliope. “At least some of us aren’t afraid of new experiences. I hope it’s a real…eye-opening experience, Cal.” Dini cackled and fell back on the sofa. “Yeah, eye-opening.” “What I want to know is are you going to go au naturel?” Stella asked. “I’d like to know that, too,” Eden added with a shudder. “I can’t even imagine going naked around a bunch of strangers.” “I still can’t believe you won,” Stella said. “You must have entered…what? A thousand of these things? To think that you’d finally win and the prize would be a free trip to a clothing-optional resort!” “It’s really beautiful from the looks of the website.” Dini’s comment prompted an enthusiastic conversation over the merits of the resort. Calliope remained silent, looking around at the women. It was easy to see why Stella had grown so attached to all of them. They were all incredible, each in their own fashion. The ever-elegant Fenny, who looked like she should be royalty but could zing you with her quick and often irreverent wit, the inexhaustible energy of Dini and her adorable quirky ways, not to mention her insatiable curiosity and ribald humor. Eden, the sometimes quiet woman who would seem at home in a tale of magic with her soft voice and subtle sensuality, behind which lurked a mind that was razor sharp.

Then there was Dee. On the surface she came across as a good-time gal, always cracking a joke or poking fun at herself and the world around her. Beneath the surface she was sharp as a tack and a multi-talented person who had the biggest zest for life of anyone Calliope had ever met. Yes, it was easy to see why her sister Stella had fallen so in love with these women. And why she was already feeling so at ease with them. She’d only been included in their circle for a month and already she felt like part of a sisterhood. Albeit a junior member, but still a welcomed one. “So back to the question of nudity,” Eden cut into her thoughts. “You think you’ll do it?” “To be honest, the jury is still out on whether I’ll shed my togs.” “Togs?” Dee’s eyebrow arched. “You’ve been working on that romance novel, haven’t you? Let me guess. It’s historical.” “What makes you think that?” Dini asked. “Togs?” Both of Dee’s eyebrows shot up. “Who uses the word ‘togs’?” “She does.” Dini pointed at Calliope and then added, “So when will be jury be in on that tog shedding?” “When she decides to shave her legs,” Stella quipped. Fenny groaned and leaned back in her chair. Eden and Dini laughed and Dee reached out to pat Fenny’s knee. “Now, Fenny, not everyone is as finicky as you about shaving. Cal’s just a natural kinda gal.” Calliope felt herself blush. Dee was right. At least partly. She wasn’t glamorous, sleek or even stylish. Her clothes were chosen based on comfort and ease of care and she tended to favor loose tunics and long shirts or cotton slacks. And sometimes she didn’t bother to shave her legs. Forget about shaving other parts of her anatomy. What was the point? She was the only one who ever saw that.

Her hair wasn’t styled, highlighted or dyed. It was simply long, dark and normally secured in a braid. And her makeup of choice was none. Overall, she was plain and unremarkable, the kind of woman who didn’t get noticed. The kind who could walk into a car dealership, steal a car and get away with it simply because she went unnoticed. Calliope accepted that about herself. It didn’t cause her sleepless nights or anxiety. In fact, the only time she really thought about it was when she was around women who made their looks a high priority. For herself, she believed what her parents had told her as a small child. When the right person comes along, the one who loves the person inside you, then the outside packaging isn’t important. So far that right person hadn’t come along. Two years ago she thought he had. Boy was she wrong. She’d let herself care—too much—and ended up getting her heart broken. It had taken some time to get over it, but she had, and she’d learned a valuable lesson. First, she was no good at games, and second, if another chance ever did come along, she had to be careful to keep a tight leash on her emotions. “So?” Dee nudged her, drawing her back to the moment. “You think you’ll get up the nerve and dare to bare?” “I doubt it.” “I don’t blame you,” Fenny announced. “And besides, you can have a perfectly lovely time without parading around in your birthday suit. I’m sure it will be a beautiful resort and you’ll have a wonderful time.” “I hope so.” “And speaking of time,” Stella said. “Your cab should be here any minute. Want me to walk you downstairs?” “Sure, that’d be great.” Calliope put her nearly untouched glass of wine on the coffee table and rose. “Ya’ll wish me luck.”

Amidst a chorus of good luck wishes and hugs, she shrugged on her coat and gathered her bags. There wasn’t time for more than a hug from Stella when they emerged from the building. The cab was waiting. With a deep breath and a prayer that winning this trip wasn’t going to prove to be the biggest mistake of her life, Calliope climbed into the cab and waved goodbye to her sister.

Chapter One Calli finished unpacking and walked around the villa. It was really nice, very luxurious. And seemed quite large with her wandering around in it all alone. She stopped in the middle of the living area and just stood there. What now? The nice lady who’d greeted her and given her a tour of the resort before showing her the villa she’d be staying in had rattled off all the activities available. There were special events scheduled for the weekend and a reminder for Calli that she’d won three sessions with a private trainer, a full day at the spa including massage. If none of that met her fancy there were many day trips to nearby attractions available if she was interested. Right now, Calli wanted to pack up and head back to Boston. Back to her safe, warm apartment with its over-laden bookshelves and comfortable couch. She was totally out of her element here. What was she going to do? There was no way she’d ever be able to shuck her clothes and romp around like the guests she’d seen. People playing tennis and volleyball, swimming, lying in the sun, sitting at the bar. Naked. Oh god. Why had she accepted this trip? She couldn’t take part in any of this and certainly couldn’t go out in long pants and a shirt to mingle with a bunch of naked people. Her cell phone rang and she ran for the bedroom, snatching it up like it was the last life preserver on a sinking ship. “Hello?” “Are you naked yet?” Dee’s voice came over the line. “Hardly.” “You don’t sound too thrilled, Cal. You okay?”

Calli wasn’t. In fact, right now she wanted to cry. “This was a mistake, Dee. Don’t tell Stella, but it was. A really big mistake.” “Why?” “You should see it!” Calli wandered into the living area, looking out of the window at the resort. “I mean, it’s really beautiful and if there weren’t a million naked people here I’d love to get out and walk around.” “A million?” “Okay,” Calli admitted at the laugh from Dee. “Maybe not a million. But a lot. What am I going to do? Stay here until it’s time to leave?” “Well, that’s one option. Or you could put on a swimsuit and a cover-up, take your laptop down to the pool and work on your book. Or take your cell phone and—you have video on your phone, right?” “Yeah.” “So go get us some clips. Send them to me and I’ll put them together and stream them to the gals.” “What if someone gets mad?” “Well, damn, Cal, you don’t make a production of it. You just pretend you’re texting or something and point and shoot.” “I don’t know, Dee.” “Okay. Forget it. That’s more my style. How about this? Didn’t you say you’d won some sessions with a trainer?” “Yeah.” “Well, you said you wanted to get back into better shape so you could do the marathon next year so why not start now? I can’t imagine people would be naked in the gym. I mean come on, you need some support on a treadmill.” Cali’s mood brightened at the suggestion. She had intended to start training. She’d always run, but the last year or so she’d not been as dedicated and she really wanted to

try the Boston marathon. Not that she’d win. Winning wasn’t the point. It was just something she wanted to do once in her life. “That sounds like a good idea. Thanks, Dee.” “Sure, babe. Call if you need me. And try to have fun, Cal. This isn’t your ordinary run-of-the-mill vacation. It’s an adventure. Kick up your heels and enjoy it.” “I’ll try.” “Okay, talk to you soon.” With a much-improved outlook, Calli hurried to change. In five minutes she was dressed in shorts, a sports bra, t-shirt, and running shoes. Grabbing the map she’d been given of the resort, she stuck her key card in her cell phone case, clipped the case on the waistband of her shorts and headed out in search of the gym.

***** Leo politely removed the woman’s hand from his arm and placed his own hand on her back, gently steering her towards the door. She’d come in claiming to want help with her abs and had spent an hour doing an excellent imitation of an octopus. He didn’t know how Dan the regular trainer tolerated it. Leo was just there for another week, filling in for Dan who was on a two-week honeymoon. It wasn’t a bad place. In fact the facilities were top notch. His only real complaint was the number of women who’d hit on him. Color him old-fashioned, but he liked to be the one who made the first move. And hated being placed in the position of telling a woman he just wasn’t interested. In his experience, a rejected woman was the most lethal animal on the planet. They seemed to take rejection as incentive to make a man’s life unbearable. Finally he got the woman out of the door. Heaving a relieved sigh, he turned just as the door reopened behind him. Sure it was her, back to try again, he pivoted. “I really don’t think—”

The woman, who stopped short and stared up at him with a “deer caught in the headlights” look, took a step back. “Excuse me?” “I apologize. I thought you were someone else.” “Oh. Well, okay. No harm, no foul.” Leo smiled down at her. The top of her head reached about midway up his chest. Petite in stature, she had a look of innocence about her. Or maybe that was because she wasn’t wearing makeup. Not one bit. Not even that thick gunk women loved to smear on their eyelashes. “How about we start again?” he said with a smile. “I’m Leo, one of the trainers. Can I help you?” “Uh, well…” She paused and looked around. “Well, I won this trip here and it was supposed to include three sessions with a trainer, but I haven’t made an appointment or anything. And I don’t really know what I’d want from a trainer anyway, so…” “Well, what do you want to achieve from your workouts?” Leo wasn’t sure why, but something about this waif intrigued him. Was it those big blue eyes, such an odd combination with that dark hair? Was it the complete lack of artifice, or was it that she hadn’t taken a step closer? “Umm, just staying toned, I guess. I would like to train to run the marathon next year but I don’t know if I have time for that.” “Do you run much?” “I used to put in about five miles a day but the last couple of years I’ve gotten a little lazy and am lucky to get in two runs a week.” He regarded her, his eyes moving to her legs. They were nicely muscled. Short little things. But then she wasn’t exactly a big woman. “I’ll be honest, I don’t have a lot of experience training runners. But if you’re interested in overall toning and flexibility, that’s something I can help with.” “Okay, so should I make an appointment or what?”

“How about we start now? I have a couple of free hours before my next appointment.” “Cool. Where do we start?” The stab of lust that ripped through him at her question was a shock. Hold on, now. What was this? He wasn’t sure but it was pleasurable. It’d been a long time since he’d felt that. Too long. “How about we start with stretching? Let’s see how flexible you are now and if you need to work on it I can suggest some exercises.” “Okay.” “Why don’t we move over there?” He pointed across the gym to a vacant area in one corner. “Okay.” She smiled and started across the room.

Calli hoped her nervousness wasn’t apparent. The moment she’d looked up at that wall of muscle, something totally feminine inside had gone into serious meltdown. Which was odd. She wasn’t attracted to bodybuilders at all. Most of the ones she’d met were so caught up in their protein-versus-carb intake, how many sets they should do of an exercise and whether their body was symmetrical enough, that their physiques tended to become inconsequential to the sense of boredom they inspired. Chances were this guy Leo was the same way. Not that it mattered. He was just there doing a job and she was a client. If only that mushy female lurking inside her would get a handle on that fact and stop sending signals to her vagina. She couldn’t help but notice that more than half of the people in the gym were either nude or nearly nude. Some of the men wore shorts. So did some of the women, but many of the women were topless, wearing a bikini bottom or just naked. And my god, waxing must be more in fashion that she realized. There was an awful lot of slick flesh.

Calli stopped and waited for Leo, who had been stopped by another man. She watched, curious why Leo didn’t have the waxed thing as well. Wearing only a pair of short and sneakers, it was easy to see that he had plenty of hair on his body. The dusting of hair on his chest tapered to an intriguing line that followed the depression in his ripped abs then flared out just below the navel to disappear into the top of his shorts. He ended the conversation and smiled at her as he approached. She couldn’t help but think how fitting his name was. With his mane of tawny hair and golden eyes, she could imagine him transforming into a magnificent lion. And how romance oriented was that? Maybe Stella was right. Maybe she needed to read some thrillers or mysteries now and again. Even her lust was being colored by the romance genre. “Okay,” he said as he stopped beside her. “Let’s start simple. Touch your toes.” That was simple enough. She bent down and touched her toes. He had her put her hands flat on the floor beside her feet, then wrap her arms around her calves and touch her head to her knees. “You’re very flexible.” Why did that give her such a thrill? She knew she was flexible. Years of yoga and Pilates did that for a person. So why was a simple statement of fact so darn special coming out of his mouth? She asked herself that question a dozen more times during the next two hours as Leo put her through her paces. When they finally stopped, she was sweaty and tired but feeling great, the way only a good workout can make you feel. “Well, to be honest, I don’t know what more you need, Ms., uh, Ms.…I’m sorry I don’t even know your name.” “Calliope Howard.” “Muse or instrument?”

“Excuse me?” “I’m sorry,” Leo laughed. “I meant are you named for the Greek muse Calliope or the musical instrument?” Calli was stunned. This mountain of muscle knew about the Greek muse of poetry—and that there was a musical instrument by the same name? “Did I ask the wrong question?” “Oh, sorry.” She felt her face heat. “It’s just that…well, I-I guess I’m surprised you know who about the Greek muse.” “Ah,” Leo nodded. “I get it. Stereotyping me.” “Excuse me?” She knew what he was saying but was embarrassed to admit that he was right. “You think that because I work as a trainer and have muscles that I’m a musclehead. That, aside from worrying if I’m getting enough protein or too many carbs or if I should’ve tried ‘riods to get that extra bulk, I’m pretty mentally challenged.” Calli opened her mouth to protest but what emerged was a laugh. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I guess I’m guilty.” “Not the first time it’s happened.” “That really doesn’t make me feel any better. Just says I’m as much a moron as the rest of the idiots who’ve typecast you. I’m really sorry. But also surprised. Not because you’re…” she waved her hands in an encompassing gesture, “built like that, but just in general. I don’t meet many people who know much about mythology.” “Love the stuff,” Leo said with a smile. “Me too.” “Nice to meet a fellow fan. But you didn’t answer the question. Muse or instrument?” “Muse.” “Cool. Wish I had one of those sometimes.”

“Really? Why?” Leo blushed. Actually blushed. That did it. Something warm, pink and fuzzy curled up around her heart and made her want to sigh. “I’m a…I’m trying to be a writer.” “Oh my gosh, so am I!” “You’re kidding? What do you want to write?” “Romance.” She looked away, ready for the inevitable diatribe that most people delivered, about if you’re going to write, at least write something worthy. “I thought about trying my hand at romance but I don’t seem to have the knack for it. Maybe we could have a drink and talk writing later on.” Calli thought her heart would stop. That she’d just keel over then and there, tag on the toe, dead. This kind of thing never happened to her. Not from someone who looked like Leo. Then the voice of reason intervened, nuisance that it was, reminding her that he hadn’t asked to father her children. Just talk writing. He probably saw her the way everyone else did. A dowdy little mouse. Some androgynous little bookworm. Still, having someone to talk to was better than hiding in her villa the rest of the weekend. “Sure, that’d be nice.” “Great. I’m off at six. You want to hit the buffet then grab a couple of chairs by the pool?” “Would that be the bare-naked buffet?” “Yeah.” “Uh no. Thanks. I was thinking more along the lines of room service and sitting on the balcony fully dressed.” “Oh. Okay then. Why don’t I drop by around half past six?” “That’d be nice.” “See you then, Calliope.” “Calli,” she corrected. “To my friends anyway.”

Leo grinned, causing her blood pressure to rise at least twenty points. “Then Calli it is. See you soon.” “Okay.” God, couldn’t she come up with a better word? She was just chock full of the four-letter variety today. Cool. Okay. Damn. He probably thought she was a moron. Hurrying out of the gym, she raced across the resort toward the villas, trying hard not to look at the naked people she passed. Once safely inside, she pulled off her clothes and headed for the shower. Once her hair was clean and wound on top of her head, she lathered her body. Her hands moved down her stomach to her groin and her head lowered. Oh good lord. She was a wooly mammoth. Her bush hadn’t been trimmed in so long she couldn’t even remember the last time she took a razor to that area of her anatomy. Shit! She didn’t even have a razor! She rinsed off, wrapped in a towel and hurried into the bedroom to get the information packet on the resort. Yes! They had a store on site. Calli started to pull on clean clothes then stopped. What in the world was she doing? Leo wasn’t interested in getting in her pants so what difference did it make if she was a cavewoman? He only wanted to talk writing. That thought brought an unexpected rush of tears gathering in her eyes. She felt so foolish, getting so excited and allowing herself such fanciful imaginings. It wasn’t like her to give in to such things. Wasn’t like her to long for such things. So why was she longing? Why did she want to rush to the spa, get waxed and polished and perfumed? Leo wouldn’t ever be interested in a woman like her. That hiked up the amount of tears that streamed down her face. Leo wouldn’t ever be interested in a woman like her. How utterly horrible that she found herself so terribly interested in him.

Chapter Two Leo tapped on the door of the villa and waited. In one hand was a nice bottle of white wine. In the other was his laptop case. He’d debated on whether to bring it and had decided that since this date was ostensibly to discuss writing, he probably should. The truth was, he found himself less interested in the process of writing than the petite little writer, who opened the door and smiled up at him. She looked like a little fairy or woodland nymph come to life. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, spilling onto the turquoise gauze dress she wore. Scooped at the neck, with short, puffed sleeves, it was belted at the waist and ended in a ragged uneven hem displaying bare legs and feet. Her bright blue eyes were unadorned with makeup, as was the rest of her face. The smell of something sweet, like honeysuckle in the summer, wafted over him. “Hi,” she said in a soft voice. “Come in.” “Thanks.” Leo entered and waited as she closed the door then offered her the bottle of wine. “I wasn’t sure if you even like wine but I’m told this is pretty good.” Calli smiled as she accepted. “Well, to be honest, I wouldn’t know good from bad. It all tastes like sour grapes to me.” “Same here,” he said with a chuckle. “Then how about we save this and maybe you can return it—or give it to someone who actually likes wine.” “Works for me.” “Is that your laptop?” She gestured to the case in his hand before she turned to take the wine and set it on the bar that divided the living area from the kitchen.

“Yeah. I hope you don’t mind. I thought if we were going to talk writing that maybe I’d take some notes.” “Sure. You can set it up on the table over there where I have mine. Just scoot my stuff out of the way. I was doing a little work.” Leo busied himself unpacking his laptop and clearing a space for it. “Working on your vacation?” “Research.” She walked over to the table and took a seat, folding her legs beneath her, Indian style. Leo wondered if she had any idea how completely adorable a picture she presented. Or how sensual. Not an ordinary “I’m trying to be sexy” kind of sensuality, but one that was natural and without conscious effort. He quickly took a seat before such thoughts could inspire action in regions he wasn’t ready to reveal. There were a few moments of silence. Calli propped her forearms on the table, clasping her hands. “This is awkward. Sorry. I’m not exactly the most gregarious person on the planet—or the most interesting. So, instead of us sitting here being uncomfortable, why don’t you tell me how you ended up in a place like this?” Leo smiled, grateful for her honesty. “I don’t really belong here. I’m just filling in for a friend.” “That’s nice of you. And obviously you have a really nice boss to let you take time off from your job to do that.” “Actually, I’m kind of my own boss.” “Oh. You have your own business?” “Yes. I own a few gyms back home.” “That’s great! It must be wonderful to be your own boss.” “It has its moments.” Leo made it a point not to be too forthcoming about his gyms or his success. It tended to attract the kind of women he preferred to avoid, namely the

ones hungry to spend someone else’s money. “What about you? What line of work are you in?” “I’m a librarian.” “And you enjoy it?” “Yes, I really love what I do.” “And in the end that’s all that matters.”

The long silence that followed had Calli fidgeting in her seat. Man, she was horrible at this. If she didn’t have that strange alter ego pounding away at her, all libido and no brain, it would be easier. Being this aware of a man was new and really uncomfortable. Especially a man like Leo. He was handsome, had the proverbial body-to-die-for, was successful and seemed to be a nice person to top it off. The whole package. A package she didn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell with. She almost wished she hadn’t agreed to get together with him. How was she going to make it through dinner when all she could think about was how attracted she was to him? Damn, what would her friends do? Okay, that wasn’t the right thing to ask. Fenny would be the perfect lady, ask all the right questions, give all the right answers and be completely composed and utterly entertaining. Dini would tip his chair over and pounce on him and Dee would just come right out and say she had a case of the hots. None of that was going to work. Which left her sitting there like a bump on a log, feeling her skin flush and grow damp with nervous perspiration. Food. She’d almost forgotten. They were supposed to eat. She jumped up and grabbed the menu on the coffee table. “Are you hungry?”

That question prompted a reaction Leo had not expected and didn’t really welcome. Suddenly all he could think about was nibbling his way down her slender neck to the top of her shoulders then lower, to see what delights were hidden beneath the top of her dress. What the hell? Calliope Howard had gotten to him and that made him nervous. He’d been burned more than once and was more than a little hesitant to act on an attraction. But the guileless blue eyes that searched his, waiting for an answer, were just that— guileless. Could she be that rare woman who wasn’t interested in his money or having a boy toy to brag about to her friends? He’d been caught in that role one too many times, finding himself a sex toy to be displayed in public like a prized pig, ridden hard in the bedroom and then ignored emotionally and intellectually. He’d had his share of pretense, lies and deception and didn’t want any more. Which had his body in motion and his mouth going into gear before his brain had time to stop him. He rose and walked to her. “That’s a loaded question. Food? Yeah, I could eat. But honestly, right now I’m more interested in finding out whether you taste half as sweet as you smell.” Leo didn’t consider himself a master at reading people, but he was also no slouch in that department. And two things he was certain of in her reaction were that she was stunned by what he said and tempted. “I…I, ah, I…” She took a step back and came up short with her legs against the sofa. “I…shit. I’m no good at this Leo. Really. I blow. Big honking chunks. And right now I’m really scared that you’re playing me or feeling sorry for me or looking to do me a favor by pretending to come onto me. And I appreciate it, but I really really don’t think I can handle it. I mean if it was sincere—” “Who says it isn’t?” Her nervousness made her even more appealing. She was so innocent, so unaware of her own beauty and sensuality.

Calli barked something resembling a laugh and held out her arms to her side. “Duh! Do you need glasses? I’m nothing special. Not sexy. Not like—like you. I’m just…just plain.” Leo reached out to cup her face with one hand. “Calli, there’s nothing wrong with the way you look. Nothing at all. You’re not plain and you’re certainly sexy. And if you want proof of that…” He took her hand and guided it to his pants where an erection strained along his upper left thigh. Her eyes rounded along with her mouth. “Oh. Oh my.” Leo smiled and pulled her to him. “Yes, indeed. Oh my.” With that he lowered his head and kissed her. Not hard or fast, just a slow gentle kiss. At first she was stiff, her lips frozen. He released her hand to work his arm around her narrow waist and pull her against him. The moment their bodies met, a small breathy moan escaped her lips. Then she not only accepted the kiss but returned it. Hesitantly at first but only for a moment. One more breath of sound against his lips and hers parted. Leo didn’t hesitate. He took what was offered, tasting and exploring. She was sweet. So damn sweet. And her lithe little body molded against his, arms snaking up to circle his neck. When her hands fisted in his hair and she began an exploration of her own, her tongue working against his, Leo pulled her even tighter against him. One hand tangled in the silk of her hair while the other roamed down her back to cup that firm, sweet ass. He felt like a teenage boy. Just one kiss and getting his hand on her ass had him ravaging her mouth, wanting to grind his erection against her. What made it even more exciting was that her tight little body was starting to grind against his. She might look like a fairy princess from a mystical world but she knew how to move. And how to kiss. They were both breathing hard when the kiss ended. Calli didn’t try to move out of his embrace. She simply tilted her head back to look up at him. Her lips were reddened from the kiss, and her face flushed. Her eyes wore a look that a man dreams of inspiring, the blue darkened to the color of storm clouds.

“Now I’m starved,” he said.

Calli considered it. She wasn’t stupid. The erection pressing against her belly let her know beyond all doubt that he was turned on. But by what? Was she simply another conquest, another notch in the belt or a temporary diversion? It dawned on her that at the moment it didn’t really matter. She wasn’t foolish enough to believe that there could be something starting here. She was in fantasyland. And with a fantasy man. The only real question was whether she wanted to take the fantasy further. The only answer to that question was a resounding yes. She was in fantasyland so why not live it to the fullest? “And what might you be in the mood for?” “That depends. What are you in the mood for?” She smiled and pulled away. “Fantasy.” “Fantasy?” “Well, yeah.” She stretched out her arms and turned in a slow circle. “Take a look around. This isn’t real life. At least not my real life. This is fantasy. Just like you.” “I’m very real, Calli.” “Yes, you are. But this isn’t. Not for women like me. So, I just want to enjoy the fantasy as long as it lasts.” “It doesn’t have to be—” “Don’t.” She didn’t want him to try to come up with a sweet lie. She knew that whatever happened would be short lived and over fast. But it would be a great memory and that was enough. Calli stepped up in front of him, close enough to feel the heat from his body but not touching. Leo opened his mouth again and she put her fingers to his lips. “Please. Just for tonight, no talk of real life or anything beyond these walls.”

He nodded and she reached up to trace her fingers along his bottom lip, across the side of his face and behind his head. When she pulled him down to her, she pressed against him. Their lips met and parted. Leo’s arms circled her and pulled her tighter against him. The kiss enflamed her with an intensity she’d never known. All of the hidden passions she was unaware she possessed were set free. Her hands moved between them, fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. That proved to be a frustratingly slow process and she was too impatient. Grabbing the shirt in both fists, she yanked. Fabric tore and buttons popped loose but neither of them paid it attention. All she could think about was the feel and taste of him. She drew back from the kiss and slid her hands over his firm chest. Her fingers traced from the curve of his neck down. By the time her hands reached his belt, her lips had begun their own trek across his skin. Leo’s hands tightened on her arms as her hand slipped down lower. She looked up at him. “I want you,” she whispered. His eyes seemed to glitter like dark jewels as he looked at her. Abruptly, he released her and ripped the cloth belt loose from her dress. She made no protest as he slid the dress off her shoulders and worked it down her body. His hands moved to her breasts and she closed her eyes with a groan of pleasure. Leo swept her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom. With her still in his arms, he sank down onto the bed. Calli watched with lustful enjoyment as he stripped off his shirt. When he came to her, she pulled him down on her, savoring the feel of his hard body pressing against hers. He wound his hands in her hair and held her captive for a long kiss. Her body responded, moving against his. He raised his head and looked down at her. “Tell me what you want.” His voice was rough with desire. “To pleasure you,” she responded without hesitation. His lips moved to her breasts, licking and teasing. She gasped as he bit lightly on one nipple. Her body ground against his, feeling his hardness pressed against her belly.

After a time, he sat back on his heels and traced his hands down her body. He worked her undies over her hips and down her legs. Calli felt a momentary rush of embarrassment, knowing he’d see the forest of hair covering her sex. Leo didn’t make any expression of distaste. It didn’t slow him at all. His fingers dug into the tender flesh of her inner thighs as he spread her legs. A shiver of delight ran over her as his fingers parted the delicate folds and probed deeper. They emerged wet with her need. “I didn’t exactly come prepared for this,” he said. “Do you have protection?” “Never expected to need it.” She sat up and moved onto her knees in front of him. “But I can think of other ways that don’t require protection.” “Oh?” Calli smiled and pushed on his chest. “Lie back.” He complied with a sexy smile and she knelt beside him, leaning over to place her lips against his chest. His taste and smell woke an unfamiliar longing, a need to please. Slowly she trained kisses down his body, stopping at the button of his shorts. Calli paused to look at him and he smiled, briefly caressing the side of her face. She took that as agreement and quickly unfastened his pants to expose him. Her fingers and tongue took advantage of the new delights, moving through the hair that trailed down his abdomen to disappear from sight in the jeans. Commando-style, she noted, no underwear. “Raise your hips.” The huskiness of her own voice surprised her. Great stars, this man affected her. Leo raised his hips and she tugged his shorts down his legs, over his feet and tossed them aside.

Leo grabbed a spare pillow and jammed it behind his head. Just then he felt her tongue run along the length of his cock. He couldn’t stop his body from jerking slightly

when she took the head into her mouth and circled it with her tongue, flicking at the sensitive tip and small opening. One small hand fisted the base of his cock, squeezing in a steady rhythm as her mouth worked, teasing the head and inching slowly down, taking more of it into her mouth. It felt good. Too good. He pressed his hips up, wanting to sink fully into her warm, wet mouth, but she obviously wanted control because she stopped. “Not yet.” The soft command sent a thrill sizzling straight to his balls. She knelt so that her tight little ass was tilted up in the air and started with his right ankle, kissing and licking her way up the inner side of his leg. When she reached the junction of his thighs, his cock jumped in anticipation. She pushed his legs further apart and ran her tongue along the crease of his thigh then down, beneath his balls and up the other side. Leo actually heard himself groan when her wet tongue circled his testicles, stroking one then the other, before taking one gently into her mouth to suck and pull. She might look like something out of a fairy tale, but her touch and technique were something straight from a wet dream. Calli used one hand to grasp his cock as she continued to tease his balls. At first her stroke was light and slow, but when his testicles started to tighten with mounting need, her strokes became firmer and faster. Within minutes, his body was taut and quivering. Each time he would come close to release, she would slow, work her way up or down his body, leaving a trail of longing wherever her lips touched and left. It was an entirely new experience for him, this tempting. He lost track of time, aware only of the delicious sensations she pulled from him. On and on the torment continued. Twilight turned into night and the room darkened, lit only by the warm glow of lights from the landscaped resort beyond the window. She teased him until his body ached with want and then she took him into her mouth. Leo fisted his hands in her long hair, wanting to drive into her mouth yet not wanting it to end.

Calli stretched it out until it was evident that he wasn’t going to last much longer. His body was covered in a sheen of perspiration, tense and nearly vibrating. She closed her mouth on him, sucking him deep, over and over until she felt the pulse of his climax crescendo. He groaned and gripped her hair and she eased off him, replacing her mouth with her hand, letting the hot stream serve as lubricant as she continued to stroke him. Leo went limp and she rose up to look at him. He was so incredibly handsome and sexy. Such a fantasy. How marvelous it would be to call him her own. But that wasn’t part of the game plan. She had only tonight. Chances were he wouldn’t find her of interest tomorrow. She hoped that wasn’t the case. She had a few more nights in paradise. She’d like nothing better than to spend them with him. Careful not to drip on the bed, she rose and went into the bathroom to wash her hands. She wet a washcloth with warm water and carried it and a dry towel into the bedroom. Leo’s eyes opened as she started to clean him. “You don’t have to do that.” “I want to.” He lay still until she’d cleaned and dried him, and then pulled her down beside him, working into position so that her head was on his chest and he had one arm securely beneath her, holding her close. Neither of them spoke and after a few minutes his breath began to slow. Calli cautiously raised her head. He was asleep. She snuggled up against him, pulling the sheet over them. As she closed her eyes, she imagined what it would be like to have this be the norm of her life, to go to sleep every night listening to the steady thrum of his heart with his strong arms around her. Smiling at the fanciful idea, she drifted to sleep.

Chapter Three The smell of coffee had Calli sniffing then cracking open one eye. Leo sat beside her with a steaming mug in his hand. “Good morning.” “Morning,” she said around a yawn. She stretched then pushed herself up, grabbed her hair and wound it into a knot on the top of her head and reached for the cup. “Ummm, thank you.” “I wasn’t sure how you liked your coffee so I took a chance and fixed it the way I like it.” Calli sipped then smiled. “French vanilla and a generous helping of sugar. Perfect.” He returned the smile. “I have to get to the spa. I’m booked solid today. Want to get together when I’m done?” “I’d love to.” “You coming in to work-out today?” “I’d like to.” “Great.” He leaned over and kissed her lightly. “See you later.” “Later,” she said with a smile. The moment she heard the door to the villa close, she sprang from the bed. It took less than five minutes to complete the morning bathroom rituals. Then she was back on the bed with her cell phone and coffee, dialing her sister’s number. “Crap!” Stella wasn’t answering. Probably on her way to work and she always turned her cell phone off when she was driving. Calli dialed Dee’s number. It rang three times before Dee picked up. “This better be important,” her sleepy and decidedly grumpy voice came over the line. “Hey, it’s Calli. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Hey, Cal. No worries. What’s up, babe?” “I-I met this guy.” “Hey now. Hold on.” Calli could hear the sounds of rustling, a soft masculine grunt and a door closing. She continued to hold and heard the unmistakable sound of a toilet flushing then water running. Finally, Dee came back on the line. “Sorry. Call of nature, ya know. And I needed to get out of the bedroom. Cam’s still sawing logs. So…you met this guy.” “Yeah.” “And?” Calli suddenly realized she didn’t know where to begin. How could she tell Dee that she’d gone down on Leo on their first date? “Cal?” “I’m here.” “You okay?” “Yes. It’s just… Oh, I don’t want you to think I’m some kind of slut or something.” “I doubt I will unless you tell me you did the entire mariachi band then moved on to the serving staff.” Calli laughed. “Nothing quite that dramatic. But I did sort of have this…oral experience with someone.” “You’ve got my attention. You dig this guy?” “Very much.” “And he digs you?” “Yes, I think so.” “Then what’s the problem? Remember what you said last week? This trip is like a fantasy thing. You get to go somewhere you’d never see if you had to pay for it. And

you can be anyone you want for a whole week. Kick up your heels. Party or relax or have a…a sexploration with a hunky stranger. He is hunky isn’t he?” “The hunkiest. And sexploration?” Dee laughed. “Seemed fitting—you being there in a hedonistic paradise, exploring new things and hunky men.” “I guess.” There was a moment of silence before Dee spoke again. “Did this guy make you feel cheap about what happened?” “No, not at all. In fact, he brought me coffee in bed this morning and asked me on another date.” “Well then, there you go. Sounds like the fire is mutual. And hey, you’re a grown woman, Cal. No one’s gonna slam you for kicking up your heels and enjoying yourself. So go have fun.” “You’re right. And I will. Thanks, Dee.” “Any time, babe. Keep me posted on the haps.” “I will. Talk to you soon.” She put the phone down on the bed then flopped back and stretched, feeling a smile take shape on her face. This really was a fantasy. Here she was in a tropical paradise with a handsome man who wanted to spend time with her and it didn’t matter what she did or didn’t do. When she left, he’d forget all about her and no one would ever know what happened. Which meant she could live out the fantasy to its fullest. That prompted her to bolt up and search for the guest services binder. Flipping through the pages, she found the extension for the spa. She snatched up the phone and placed the call. After making an appointment for the works—facial, massage, pedicure and waxing—she headed for the shower, eager to start her day.

***** Leo found himself distracted all morning, watching for Calli. When lunchtime rolled around and she hadn’t shown he found himself disappointed. Last night had come as a surprise—at himself as much as what had transpired between them. He hadn’t expected to be so attracted to her and had thought the initial attraction he’d felt when they met in the gym would vanish. That’s normally what happened. There’d be an initial rush and then he’d spend an hour with the woman and discover that he wasn’t at all attracted to her. Such was not the case with Calli. The longer he was with her, the more attracted he was to her. And the more intrigued. For the most part she seemed like a shy little woodland fairy, very soft-spoken and quiet. But there was a hint of steel inside that small frame and behind those guileless blue eyes. The dichotomy fascinated him. As did her completely uninhibited sensuality when they were intimate. He’d not expected that. Not from a woman who was loath to show even her belly button in a clothing-optional resort. Then there was the whole fantasy thing. That had him completely baffled. That sort of thing might have seemed plausible coming from an ugly woman with no personality or brains, but she was none of that. So what did it mean? That she wasn’t interested in anything other than a sexual flirtation or fling while she was on vacation? Did she have someone waiting for her at home, wherever that was? He wasn’t about to believe that she saw him as the embodiment of some fantasy come to life. Sure, he was easy enough on the eyes and he worked to say in shape, but he sure as hell wasn’t some Prince Charming. So what the heck was up? And why had he spent the entire damn morning obsessed with Calli Howard and her mysterious fantasy? Damn, he was getting to be an old woman. Men didn’t have all this damn internal dialogue crowding their minds. They were supposed to be strong and silent. Think with their dicks and act with their brawn.

He chuckled to himself, earning a curious look from the middle-aged man he was finishing up a session with. Leo waved it off. Maybe he’d never quite escaped being the skinny geek who made straight A’s and got an engineering scholarship to Northwestern University. Whatever the case, he was determined to put what brains he had to work and figure out the mystery of Calli Howard. And he’d have to do it fast. According to her reservation, she only had five more nights before she’d head back to where she came from. And? What if you do figure it out? She’ll just go back to her life, you’ll go back to yours, and that will be it. So what’s the big deal? Leo didn’t have the answers. That annoyed him. Along with the fact that he was even asking. Forcing those thoughts from his mind, he turned his attention to his client. He’d deal with figuring out Calli later.

***** Whoever had invented waxing had to be a sadist. Calli was firmly convinced of that. After she’d talked with Dee, she’d showered and summoned enough courage to go for a morning run. That had been interesting. It seemed to her that most of the guests at the resort viewed the “clothing optional” as an invitation to get naked. As far as she could tell, the only clothed people she saw were employees of the resort. She rather hoped the other guests would think she was just another employee, out for a morning run before her shift. It was a beautiful place. She’d run down the beach looking at the sparkling water of the Atlantic and enjoyed the odd sensation of running on sand. By the time she got back to her villa she had less than twenty minutes to shower and make her appointment at the spa.

It was actually pretty wonderful. After the facial, the chocolate-mint body scrub and chocolate-mud body wrap, she’d been treated to a hydrotherapy soak and a chocolateoil massage. She’d felt like she was floating a couple of inches off the floor when it was time for the waxing. Then all semblance of comfort disappeared and there was nothing but pain. It was horrible. Not to mention rather embarrassing. The technician had to do “extensive trimming” as she called it before she could even begin the waxing. Had she not been so embarrassed, Calli would have bolted. So she endured it. And when it was finally over, she literally ran back to her villa, stripped off her clothes and ran a bath of cold water. Her skin was bright pink and looked inflamed. God, what had possessed her to do such a thing? Here she wanted to get all sexy for Leo and now she’d probably scream if he even touched her. What a nightmare. She sat in the cold water for a long time, adding more when it started to feel warm. Finally when her toes were pruned and her butt was sore from sitting, she got out. It felt a little better but not much. She slathered on some of the lotion she’d purchased and threw on an oversized t-shirt. She hadn’t eaten all day and was starved. Taking advantage of room service, she ordered and then climbed on the bed and turned on the television. She’d just rest and watch until her food arrived. At least that’s what she intended to do. Instead she fell asleep.

***** Leo drew up short before he reached Calli’s door. There was a room-service tray sitting beside the door. He walked over and lifted the lid on one of the dishes. Nothing had been touched. That was odd.

He tapped on the door and waited. And waited. He tapped again, this time louder. No response. Had she gone out? He hadn’t seen her anywhere on his way over. Maybe he’d go back to his room and call. Just as he turned to walk away the door opened. Looking like a waif awakened from slumber, Calli smiled at him. “Hey. Sorry. I guess I fell asleep.” “And missed lunch from the looks of it.” She looked around the corner of the door at the room service tray. “Damn. Oh well. Come on in. I’ll go get dressed.” “Not on my account.” He entered and set his laptop case by the door. “I kinda like the outfit.” She laughed and looked down at the baggy t-shirt that read I’m not short. I’m vertically challenged. “Yep, a real fashion statement. Okay, make yourself at home. I have to make a bathroom run. Be back.” Leo grinned as she took off. She was like a breath of fresh air. Most women were either all over you the moment you walked in, or whining about where you were going to take them, if their outfit made them look fat, and every other superficial thing they could come up with to drag a compliment out of a guy—and get him to spend more money on them. He set up his laptop on the coffee table in the sitting area then walked out onto the balcony. His eyes moved over the lush grounds to the strip of white beach that separated the resort from the blue water of the Atlantic. It was beautiful here, but not a place he’d want to be permanently. Maybe he was just too conventional. He still hadn’t been able to bring himself to shuck all his clothes. There’d been a number of requests from female guests to get naked and nasty, but he’d not been tempted. Was he old-fashioned? Maybe. He found it far sexier to see a woman clothed and imagine what delights were hidden beneath the fabric. When it was all out in the open it took away the mystery and made it…commonplace. As far as he was concerned that was a shame.

But then who was he to make a judgment? Before he’d graduated from college he’d spent his entire life as a skinny nerd. Not one girl had ever noticed or been interested in him. He received his degree before he was relieved of his virginity. Had it not been for the fact that he couldn’t find a job in his field when he graduated and had been forced to take a job at a local gym to make ends meet, he might still be a virgin. The job had been simple. Check in members and answer the phone. There was a lot of time to be bored, particularly when things were slow. So, he’d started working out. Surprisingly, his body had responded like a plant starved for water. In a year’s time he went from skinny to ripped. Since he couldn’t afford a haircut, he let his hair grow. Suddenly women were not only noticing but also hitting on him left and right. The first year after his transformation had been a non-stop fuck-fest. It wasn’t until he overheard two women at the gym he’d slept with talking about him that he was jerked back to reality. Leo the trained lion, they called him. Tell him what to do and he’d fall all over himself to do it. The perfect date when you want to show up with a hunk. The perfect fuck—he delivers and then you send him home. That woke him up. He swore off women completely. Fortunately the timing was right. The owner of the gym was looking to sell out. Leo had managed to save a bit of money and was able to get a loan for enough to buy in. From that moment on, his attention was on building the business. It had paid off. In five years time he’d not only bought out his partner, but had a string of gyms, a nice home and money in the bank. The only thing missing was someone to share his life with. So he’d tried again and gotten involved with a woman who appeared to be genuinely interested in him. When he found out, six months later, that she wouldn’t give him the time of day if it were not for his success, he broke it off and decided he was destined to be alone.

Then the call from Ray, a guy who’d worked for him as a trainer, came in. He was going on his honeymoon and desperately needed someone to fill in for him as a trainer at a luxury resort in the Caribbean. Leo jumped at the chance to get out of town. And now here he was, wondering if Calli Howard was as special as she seemed or just another woman who was good at playing games.

Calli wasted no time brushing her teeth, washing her face and working the tangles out of her hair. She thought about changing but decided against it. The plan to seduce Leo with a sexy outfit, waxed and perfumed body had already flown out of the window. She headed back to the living area and stopped at the balcony door. Leo looked so far away, lost in thought, that clearly were not happy thoughts. His eyes looked so sad. What could a man who looked like him, who was obviously secure in a job, smart and personable, have to be sad about? “Hey, you okay?” She stepped up behind him and put her hand on his broad shoulder. “Yeah, fine,” he said with a smile that seemed a little forced. “Just thinking.” “Penny for your thoughts. Or nickel—inflation and all.” He chuckled. “I’m not sure my thoughts are worth much.” “Oh, I don’t know. I’d be willing to bet they are. Hey, are you hungry? I’m starving. I was going to call and order room service. Do they have decent pizza here?” “It’s not bad.” “Pizza okay with you then?” “Yeah.” “Okay.” She headed in and placed their order then took a seat on the sofa where he was now sitting. “So, do you have a work in progress?” she asked.

“Yeah, sort of.” “What genre?” “Urban fantasy.” “Cool. How’s it going?” “It was going great. Until I hit a snag.” Calli tucked her feet up under her, pulling her t-shirt over her legs. “Okay, so let’s talk about it and see if you can get past the snag. What’s the problem?” “Well, the main character, Blake, has had a thing for this woman, Sydney, for a long time. Only she was jerked around bad by her ex and so she’s totally gun shy. She has feelings for Blake, but she’s been hesitant to let him get really close.” “Okay.” Calli closed her eyes to try to form an image of the characters and situation. “And the problem you’re having is…?” “Sydney had kind of a close call with an evil guy that’s changed her thinking. Now she wants things to progress with Blake. They’re at her apartment and…and I’m not quite sure how to write it.” “Can I read the scene leading up to this?” “Sure.” Leo called up the file, scrolled to the right place and handed her the laptop. Calli read the lead-in to the scene. Leo wrote very well and from what little she read, had a distinct voice and style. “Okay, so she’s just asked him to stay the night. Something I assume she’s never done before?” “Correct.” “Well then, put yourself in his shoes. What is Blake thinking right now?” She handed him the laptop, watching his brows draw together and his eyes narrow as he thought about it. “Well, he’s surprised.”

“So write that.” She scooted over closer as he set the computer on his lap and started typing, reading the words aloud that he keyed in. He opened his mouth then closed it, looking at her with a perplexed expression on his face. “Let me get this straight. You want me to stay here—with you—tonight?”

Leo looked at her. “Sound right?” “Perfect. Now, what does she do?” “She…ah…she…shit, I don’t know. I told you, I suck at the romance and sex stuff.” “Okay, no problem. I’ll be Sydney. Let’s see. I know. Write this…” “Yes,” she whispered. Her fingers worked up his neck to caress the side of his face. “Very much.” “That’s good.” Leo smiled and typed. “And he’d say…” “Why? I mean, just a few days ago you said…” Calli considered it for a moment. “How about this?” “Just a few days ago I was still running. But I’m not now. I’m through running, Blake, and more than anything I want you to stay here with me tonight. If you want to, that is.” Leo nodded, typing as she talked. “Perfect.” “Maybe the part about if you want to is too insecure,” Calli said. “Unless the character hasn’t been all that secure up until now.” “It’s perfect. Okay, so …” Blake looked at her for a long time, searching for an answer in his eyes. Relief washed through him. The answer was there. “Yes, I want to. But only if you’re sure.” “Now what?” “Now they make love,” Calli replied. Leo grimaced. “I’m pretty sure I can’t write that.” She studied his face. He wasn’t kidding. Something was definitely blocking him from writing the sex. But what?

“Can you help?” Calli turned her attention away from wondering what had him so inhibited about writing sex and to the scene itself. “I’ll try.” She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking, and then opened her eyes, the words spilling out. Dex’s fingers flew over the keyboard, trying to keep up as she dictated. “Very sure.” Her voice was little more than a soft breath as she looped her arms around his neck and moved to straddle him. Their lips met and she felt her breath catch as desire rose inside her. Blake’s hands moved to her shirt to pull it up. Their lips parted only long enough to pull the t-shirt over her head and toss it aside. Then he claimed her with another kiss. The kiss soon became frenzied. Clothes were pulled off and thrown across the room. They explored each other’s body with hands and mouths, tasting, touching and experimenting with one another. Blake rolled Sydney off his lap and pressed her back on the couch. Running his hands down the length of her slowly, he followed with his mouth. He wanted to taste every square inch of her milky skin. She ran her hands through his hair, letting the silky strands slide through her fingers. He kissed her stomach and moved slowly down to her hips. His mouth created currents of fire that moved through her body. His hands found their way to her wet core and dipped into the wet heat. Sydney pulled his face back to hers. “I want to feel your body next to mine,” she breathed and seared him with her kiss. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her to him and together they sank into each other. Leo caught up, stared at the screen for a moment then looked at her. “That’s pretty hot.” “It’s supposed to be. They’re about to consummate an important step in their relationship. It’ll be the first time he’s ever made love to her then slept with her. They’re taking things to the next level and you want your readers to go with them. To feel their need and the heat between them.” “To be honest, I’m feeling a little too much of their heat.”

“What?” He smiled and set aside the laptop to take her hand. “I’m afraid that writing with you gives me more than just ideas to put on a page.” A sharp shard of excitement pierced her. She was feeling a little worked up herself, and it wasn’t just from the scene. Sitting next to Leo, feeling the heat from his body and remembering the feel of him from the night before had her wanting more than just to work on a sex scene for a book. It had her wanting to enact one of her own. And that gave her a wicked idea. “Then maybe what we should do is become Blake and Sydney and see how this scene should really play out.” Leo’s eyes widened. “Role play?” She gave him a smile. “If you’re game, why not?” “Oh yeah, I’m most definitely game. So how do we start?” “Well, I guess where we left off.” Calli climbed onto his lap, straddling his body. Leo grinned then pulled her to him for a kiss that had her nerve endings sizzling. His hands rubbed down her back to grip her ass. Suddenly he rolled back on the couch, pulling her on top of him. Calli helped him work free of his t-shirt between kisses, then rose long enough for him to take off his shorts. Once he was nude, she stripped off her t-shirt and undies. “Ummm.” He reached out to stroke his fingers lightly over her nearly bare pussy. “Soft. Sexy.” And exactly what she’d hoped he would think. At least the torture hadn’t been in vain. With a smile, she straddled him again, taking his hard cock in her hands to stroke him for a few moments. His eyes closed in what she perceived as pleasure. She released him and leaned down, letting her hair fall over his skin as she explored him with hands and mouth. She worked her way down his body to his cock and started to take him in her mouth, but he pulled her back up for another kiss.

When she pushed back into a sitting position, she took his cock in hand, stroking slowly but firmly. Two voices warred within her. One screamed a warning. She might think she was acting out a fantasy but she knew herself better. She wasn’t someone who could indulge in casual sex. There had to be an emotional component. The other voice whispered seductively, encouraging her to indulge in the fantasy and live it to the fullest. Who knew if another opportunity like this would ever come around again? Forget silly notions of romance and love and just enjoy the physical pleasures Leo had to offer. Play it cool. Don’t be a sap and let on that you’re crazy about him. That thought gave her a mental jolt. She’d been trying hard not to be that interested. Could she really be emotionally attached to him so soon or was it simply some hidden need to be attached to someone that had her emotions rising to the surface? She didn’t know the answer, but did know that now wasn’t the time to analyze it. So she chose to heed the advice of the seductive and play the game of living out a fantasy. “I believe right about now, Blake and Sydney would be so eager for one another they’d forego the foreplay. Only we can’t exactly do that because unlike a good little scout, I’m not prepared.” Leo smiled and fumbled around on the floor for his shorts. “Lucky for Blake and Sydney, I am.” “Let me do that for you.” Calli smiled and plucked the condom from his hand as he pulled it from a pocket on his pants. She unwrapped the condom and rolled it on slowly. He was hot, hard and ready, and for once she didn’t feel shy about taking the initiative. She rose on her knees and with one hand at the base of his cock and the other guiding the head around the edge of her wet sex she lubricated him with her own juices. Then slowly she sank down on him. Calli gasped as her pussy stretched to accommodate him, trying to shove aside the near orgasmic waves that washed over her. She wanted this to last. Bracing herself with her hands firmly on his chest, she started a slow, sensual dance, rising up his entire

length before sinking back down. God, did that feel good. She’d forgotten just how much she enjoyed sex. But now it was coming back to her. Fast. Leo’s hands covered her ass, his fingers digging in, guiding her down more firmly on each down stroke. Calli tried to hold it in check, not to come, but it was too good, too powerful. She rode him through the climax then slowed. “You’re beautiful when you come,” he said softly. She hadn’t expected pretty words from him, but what a thrill it gave her. With everincreasing speed, she rode him again, feeling a tension come into his body that signaled he was close. Just when she thought he would come, he sat and laid her back on the couch, slipping free from inside her. She let him position her as he slid off the couch and knelt, spreading her legs. Calli nearly came off the couch when his tongue lapped at her pussy. God almighty, it was like she’d grown extra nerve endings. If she’d known waxing would provide this much added sensation she’d have tried it long ago. His tongue, worked up and over her clit. She moaned, digging her fingers into the fabric of the couch. He backed off, moving down to drive his tongue inside her. Just as she started to hum with the onset of a climax, he switched his attention back to her clit. Calli didn’t know whether to scream in frustration or pleasure. Every time she would get close to release, he’d ease off. She was ready to spontaneously combust. “Please,” she moaned, not caring that she begged. She needed to come. Badly. Leo focused his attention on her clit, licking and sucking it. It didn’t take much for her to tumble over the edge. And when she did, she screamed his name. As if in answer to some need she didn’t know she’d voiced, he pushed her legs up over his shoulders and slid her onto his hard cock. Calli screamed again, her pussy clenching on him as he pounded against her. Faster and harder, they strained to come together in an almost savage need.

He tensed, his hands gripping her hips in a near-painful grasp. She felt him pulse inside her and it evoked another orgasm. Together they crested the wave and were sent plummeting into the depths when it crashed down over them. Leo blew out his breath and moved her legs off his shoulders so he could lay his chest on her body, wrapping his arms beneath her and holding her close. Calli was too limp with satisfaction to do more than run her fingers through his long hair. After a few minutes he raised up to look at her. “That was—” Just then someone knocked on the door. “Room service.” “Food!” Suddenly Calli’s stomach was grumbling, reminding her just how long it’d been since she’d eaten. As Leo got up, she rolled off the couch, grabbing her discarded t-shirt, and headed for the door. She paused long enough for him to disappear into the bedroom then opened the door. “Hey, thanks. I’ll take it from here.” She signed the receipt, adding a generous tip, and wheeled the serving cart into the living area. “God this smells good.” She opened the first platter and sniffed the heavenly aroma the pizza gave off. She was halfway through her first slice before Leo appeared, a towel secured around his waist. “It’s delicious,” she mumbled around a mouthful and popped the top of a soda.

Leo couldn’t help but grin. Clearly, she had no inhibitions when it came to eating either. She was gobbling away, humming and groaning like it was food from heaven. He swiped at a glob of sauce on her chin. “I’m a slob when it comes to food. The messier the better. When I was a kid my favorite night was fajita night. That’s the night you could eat with your hands and make a real mess. It was wonderful.” Leo laughed and transferred the pizza and sodas to the coffee table. As they ate he keyed in the sex scene. Several times she corrected him, giving him the feelings and

needs of the female character. He found himself wondering if the feelings she described were really just fiction or there was something of herself in there. The fact that he wanted it to be the latter surprised him. He barely knew her. How could he be wishing that she was falling in love with him? That question had him freezing, his hands poised on the keyboard. “What’s wrong?” she asked. Leo shook his head, unable to look at her for fear that she’d see the lie he was about to say. “Nothing. Just trying to make sure I’ve got this right.” Relief washed over him when she nodded and grabbed another slice of pizza. He was safe. At least for the moment Calli had no clue that to his shock he’d realized that he was falling for her.

Chapter Four Calli peeled off her wet workout clothes and headed for the shower. She and Leo had enjoyed a late workout after his shift was over, and he was going to meet her at her villa as soon as he cleaned up. As had become their custom, they’d order room service, work on Leo’s book, and if she was lucky, have incredible, mind-blowing sex followed by cuddling and sleeping wrapped in his strong arms. Heaven. That’s the only word for it in her vocabulary. As the warm spray of water cascaded down over her, she thought about how much fun it was working out with Leo, or working on his book—or eating or just talking. She could do that every day of the week and not get tired of it. That thought brought a sudden rush of tears. It wasn’t long before she’d have to go home. Suddenly home didn’t seem as appealing. Going home meant leaving the fantasy behind and returning to the real world. How was she ever going to go back to the way she’d been before she came here? How was she going to be able to forget Leo and what she’d shared with him? She tried reminding herself that this thing between them wasn’t real. It was all just part of a fantasy she was living out. But her heart had gone beyond fantasy. Despite all efforts to the contrary, she was in love with him. She worked shampoo into her hair, savagely scrubbing. She couldn’t allow herself to feel that way. It would only lead to hurt, to heartbreak. Besides, they’d exchanged no words of love, made no promises. This was just fun and games. Period. She had to remember that and shove those unwanted emotions aside. Right after she had a good, long cry.

The cry cut into her time and she was barely out of the shower when Leo tapped on the door. With a towel draped around her body and another wound around her head, she ran to open the door. “Well now, this is the way I like to be greeted,” Leo said with a smile. He grabbed the towel around her body and used it to haul her in against him, then let the towel fall to the floor. When he lowered his lips to hers, she almost dreaded the kiss. Not because she wouldn’t enjoy it, but because every time he kissed her she felt she could erupt from the desire it evoked. And then there was the issue of her unstable emotions at the moment. Nevertheless, her lips parted for his as his hands unwound the towel from her hair and tangled in the wet tresses. God, he was addictive. She couldn’t get enough of him. As if of their own accord, her hands moved to unfasten his shirt. His skin was hot to her touch as she moved her hands over the muscles of his chest and then down his ripped abdomen. His lips moved to her neck then down its curve to the hollow of her throat. Cassie felt like she was on fire as his hands traced down her back to cup her ass. He pulled back from the kiss, his lips trailing over her chin and down her neck. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. His lips were soft and warm as they traveled lower. She gasped as his tongue circled her nipple slowly. “Leo…ahhh…” He rose up to look into her eyes. “Do you want to make love?” Make love? He’d never asked that. Never referred to their couplings as making love. What did it mean, if anything? And why was her heart racing with a sudden swell of hope? “Yes,” she whispered, hoarse with desire. He smiled and kissed her gently and slowly. The sweet taste of him filled her mouth. She breathed in his scent and felt her desire grow deeper as if the very smell of him triggered a basic primal need. Her teeth nipped at his tongue and lips, and then fastened more securely on his mouth to feed on his kiss.

She had never imagined that a kiss could produce such a strong reaction. The heat flowed from her mouth to her breasts, through her belly and pooled between her legs like liquid fire. Leo lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bedroom to place her gently on the bed, lying down with her, cradling her head with his hand. “I want to make love to you.” She couldn’t trust her voice, could only nod and try to quell the hope that was beating at her heart—hope that there was something more than physical need between them. When he took one nipple between his index finger and thumb and rolled it, the shiver turned into an explosion of sensation that had her arching up for more of the sublime torture. She broke free from the kiss to tear at his clothing but he captured her hands. “We have all the time in the world.” It didn’t matter how much time they did or didn’t have. She wanted him right at that moment. But his grip was strong. “Lie back.” His voice caressed her as surely as his hands. He took his time, arousing her more each step of the way. Her breasts grew heavy, the nipples sensitive under his teeth and tongue. He suckled her then laved the taut flesh into plump fullness only to gather the responsive flesh into his mouth again. Calli felt she would go mad with need. The bed grew wet from the juices that flowed from her and her sex felt swollen and feverish. Leo worked his way down her body, his lips leaving a trail of heat in their wake. His tongue dipped into her navel then traveled steadily south. Positioning himself between her legs, he lifted her so that her legs rested on his shoulders, with her sex open and vulnerable to his questing mouth. His fingers spread her labia wide, circling within and without, lubricating her with her own juice. When he lowered his head and lapped her from anus to clit in one slow

stroke, she screamed with pleasure and longing. He took her clit in his mouth and suckled it as he had her breasts. Calli’s body stiffened as an orgasm built like a wave rushing toward the shore. His mouth moved, leaving her clit throbbing with unresolved need. “Please” she begged, trying to wiggle herself back into position for his mouth to take her clit once more. “Soon,” he whispered just before his tongue plunged into her wet channel. Her legs tightened around him, trying to pull his tongue deeper inside her. He let her approach the edge of release then pulled back. “Not yet.” Before he could issue another sublime torment, she wiggled free and got to her knees in front of him. “My turn,” she said with a hungry smile. Passion flared and the kiss deepened. Their lips devoured one another as Calli’s hands tore at his jeans. Her touch was no less gentle than his had been as she removed them, taking her time to touch, kiss and lick every inch of him along the way. At last there was nothing between them. Calli let her hands roam over him, stroking and caressing their way down his body. Her lips then followed. Leo groaned slightly as she took his erection in her hands and licked at him. She took her time, savoring the way he felt, the way he smelled and tasted. He was a living aphrodisiac to her, everything about him excited her. She felt the skin of his silken sac begin to tighten and knew he was close to release. With a heavy breath he pulled her up, slid on a condom then claimed her lips with a kiss. Then he rolled her over onto her back and claimed her wet sex with his mouth again. She gasped as his tongue touched her clit, flicking at the swollen nub then gathering it in his mouth to suck on it. Stars exploded in her head when two of his long fingers eased into her wet channel and began to pump rhythmically. She wound her fingers in his long hair and cried out as a shuddering orgasm started to claim her. Still caught up in the climax, she gasped as he moved between her legs and slid inside her. It sent her

tumbling into an unending void of pure sensation from which she did not want to return. As the climax began to fade, she opened her eyes and looked up at him. He smiled down at her and she arched up against him. His smile faded to be replaced by a look of deep passion. Their movements became harder and more demanding. Their lovemaking became more primitive. Nothing existed but their need for one another. Calli cried out his name as he took her over the edge. They were both quiet and still for a long time afterward. Calli wondered what he was thinking, wondered if he could tell that she wasn’t with him just for sex. Could he sense her feelings for him?

Leo listened to her breath even out and get slower. He wanted to open his eyes and look at her but feared what he would see. Actually, feared what he would not see and what she might. He’d accepted that he was falling in love with her. That was daunting enough all on its own. The fact that she’d made it clear that this was nothing but a vacation fling had him reluctant to reveal his feelings. He’d been stepped on enough without inviting injury to his heart or ego. He’d just have to be content with the way things were. Enjoy what time they had left and try not to think about what came after. After a while his mind started to quiet and before he realized it, he’d drifted off to sleep. “Are you awake?” Her soft whisper had him opening his eyes. “Yeah.” “Sorry. I didn’t mean to crash out on you.” “That’s okay. I was just thinking.” How long had he been asleep? According to the clock on the nightstand, quite some time. It was almost two in the morning.

“Penny for your thoughts.” “Just indulging in a little fantasy,” he lied. “A fantasy?” “Umm-hmmm.” “Tell me.” His mind raced. He had nothing really to tell. Shit. Oh wait, he did have a fantasy. But it wasn’t one he wanted to talk about. He’d prefer to live it. “How about you make it real with me?” She sat up, her blue eyes curious but wary. “Does it involve being naked in front of strangers?” “No,” he laughed. It still confounded him that anyone as uninhibited as Calli would have a problem with nudity. Particularly considering her lithe little body, sexy ass and perky breasts topped with the most perfect nipples he’d ever seen. “Okay, what?” “Put on that gauzy blue swimsuit cover-up thing you have and find out.” Her eyes narrowed for a moment then she grinned and jumped off the bed. Before he could retrieve his shorts, she was wearing the short, gauzy dress, raking her fingers through her wet hair. Leo grabbed some towels, took her hand and led her outside. They made their way toward the beach. “It’s really beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked. “Incredibly,” he replied, watching her. She looked at him then away. “You don’t have to flatter me.” “I wasn’t trying to. Just being honest.” She wasn’t sure whether to believe him or not so, she remained silent on the issue. “So, what about this fantasy?”

Leo spread towels on the sand. “Well, it starts with you naked on the beach, masturbating.” “You want to watch me masturbate?” “Very much.” She hadn’t expected that. But the idea of it didn’t bother her. In fact, it was kind of exciting. Especially since the beach was deserted. She didn’t have to fear being discovered. She stripped off her dress and lay down on one of the towels.

Leo took a seat beside her as she smiled seductively and lay back. Her hair fanned out on the bedroll, the raven strands glistening in the moonlight. She raised both hands to her chest and began a spiraling descent downward, pausing to cup her breasts up and together then releasing them to circle the hardening nipples, squeezing them between thumbs and index fingers. One leg bent and released, spreading wider and affording him a view of her waxed pussy. While one hand busied itself with her breast, the other hand traveled down the length of her body. Fingers raked through the strip of hair of her mons, slipped lower to separate the lips of her pussy, opening her to his heated gaze. Leo’s eyes were hooded, a look she’d come to equate with desire. That look spurred her own desire and she lost herself in the moment, feeling excitement increase as he slid out of his shorts and started to stroke himself. With little pants of pleasure, Calli stroked her hard clit, then let her hand dip lower to disappear into the wet folds, emerging wet with her own juice. She raised her fingers to her lips and inserted them into her mouth. “Jesus, you’re gonna make me come,” he said. “Isn’t that what you want?” “Hell no. This is what I want.”

He rolled over, pinning her beneath him and kissing her hungrily. His tongue caressed hers and she deepened the kiss, sucking his tongue deep into her mouth. His mouth left hers and he sat to one side, kissing her breasts and belly, working lower and sending shivers of delight over her skin. His hands moved down her body over the swell of her ass and beneath, just brushing her pussy from behind. With a heated look at her, Leo shifted, turning to straddle her body, before he resumed licking and nipping as he trailed a torturous path with his tongue and teeth over the sensitive flesh of her stomach…and lower. She arched up when he clamped his mouth on her sex, working his tongue in the folds, tasting and exploring. Above her, his hard cock throbbed and pulsed and she reached to take it in her mouth. He groaned appreciatively and grabbed her to roll them both over, so that he was on his back with her kneeling above him, her pussy at eye level. Calli gasped at the sensation of his tongue lapping at her clit and then sliding down her folds. Reveling in the sublime sensations created by his mouth, she took his cock in her mouth, sucking it hard. His fingers joined the party, squeezing her ass and circling her anus. He lubricated one finger with her cream and gently probed her ass, all the while sucking at her clit. Her orgasm came quick and hard. Pleasure crashed down on her, and she moaned against his cock, writhing and pumping against his mouth. With her mouth clamped firmly on his dick, sucking and drawing the come from him and her pussy weeping into his mouth, Leo couldn’t hold back. As her body vibrated and pumped, his climax peaked. Calli moved off him, collapsing on her back. Leo felt for her hand and her fingers twined with his. For several minutes they lay perfectly still, breathing and pulse slowing to normal.

After a few minutes, Leo rolled over onto his side, letting his fingers dance down her body from breast to pussy. She looked at him and he raised his eyebrows in

question. At first she smiled up at him but the smile faded to be replaced with a look of desire as their eyes met and held. There was no more need for words. He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her body to his. Her arms instinctively went around his neck as he pressed his lips to hers. He kissed her without the restraints he’d kept so securely in place, letting all of his emotion go into the act. Calli moaned into his mouth and pulled him on top of her, wrapping her legs around his waist. The feel of her firm thighs wrapped around him, her hot sex pressed against him, enflamed his passion. Breaking away from her lips, he sucked on her neck then let his lips travel lower. Calli pulled herself tighter to him, rotating her hips, fueling his flame. Her back arched, presenting her breast to him. An offering he had no desire to refuse. Cupping one breast, his mouth covered the nipple, rolling and flicking it with his tongue. He paused long enough to roll a condom over his cock then knelt between her legs and lifted her hips to meet him. Slowly he entered her wet pussy. Her muscles tightened around him. Fighting to go slow, he put his full length in her, feeling her tremble against him. Leo began a slow rhythm, pulling almost completely out before plunging back in again. Calli quaked with each stroke, opening herself for full penetration. His rhythm began to build in speed and intensity. He grabbed behind her knees and lifted her legs in the air. She cried out his name and nearly robbed him of control. He slowed his pace and lowered her legs, coming forward to capture her mouth with his. The kiss was slow but passionate, matching the motion of his hips. Together they danced a primitive dance, each naturally matching the rhythm of the other. As Calli deepened the intensity of the kiss and wrapped her legs around his waist, his motions became harder. He drove himself into her wet core. She pushed against each thrust, driving him deeper into her. Her legs tightened around him as her body

went into climax. Wetness poured between them. Leo slowed his movements, enjoying the feel of her orgasm. Her body went limp and he rolled them over onto their sides. His mouth moved to her breasts, teasing her nipples as his hand continued the journey down her body and slipped under her ass. With expert motion, he rolled her on top of him. He ran his fingers down between her cheeks, over her anus and up to swollen lips. She groaned as he fingered her clit gently and suckled one her breasts. Just as another orgasm began to ripple through her body, he shifted her and drove himself into her. Calli’s eyes locked with his and in that moment she assumed control, setting the rhythm. Hard and fast. With eyes locked and bodies connected, they moved steadily closer to release. And when he came and could no longer keep his eyes open, the last sight was her blue eyes. And within them, something that later he’d wonder if he’d only imagined. Because in that moment, he was certain he saw love.

Chapter Five Calli rolled over, fumbling for the clock as the shrill, persistent beep shattered the silence. “What time is it?” Leo asked as she rolled back over next to him. “Five thirty,” she said with a yawn. “Five thirty? God, who gets up that early?” “Me.” She snuggled over closer to him. “I normally run, but this morning I think I’ll skip it. I don’t think I have the energy for running.” Leo yawned and ran his arm beneath her. “I don’t have the energy for anything.” “Nothing?” She raised her head and looked at him with a suggestive smile as she ran her hand down his body. “Well, maybe that,” he agreed and rolled over with her beneath him. “Ummm,” she purred as his hands moved over her body. “That feels delicious.” “You are delicious.” He moved his lips down her neck. Calli sighed in pleasure, forgetting about the lack of sleep and what little time she had left. All time slipped away as they explored each other with their hands. Leo slid his fingers into the wet folds between her legs. Her body quivered when his finger slowly slid into her, drawing out her juice. He spread her lips and moistened her clit. While his fingers explored between her legs, his tongue slowly circled her nipple, flicking across the hardening flesh. Leo gently awakened her body with his caresses and she eagerly rode the waves his hands and mouth created. Her body was his to manipulate, his to explore. His mouth moved from her nipple to the underside of her breast, causing her to arch toward him. He ran his tongue up her cleavage to the base of her neck. There he feasted, fueling both

their passions. She knew he could feel her getting wetter but he kept the movement of his hands slow and rhythmic. As Leo’s body moved up hers, Calli could feel his hardness against her hip. Her hand traveled down his hard chest and stomach. She stretched her fingers in the tight hair that surrounded the base of his shaft and stroked his length, circling the pulsing head. The rhythm of her caresses matched his. As their mouths met and connected, they pleasured each other with their hands, lovingly stroking one another. But Calli needed to feel the ultimate connection. She needed him inside her. “I need you, Leo. In me,” she whispered in his ear after her tongue traced his lobe. She felt around on the nightstand for a condom and worked it on him. Her hand guided him into her as he positioned his body between her legs. Her body quivered as he entered her. She moved her hand from his shaft, letting her fingers feel him enter her. He sank in slowly and her muscles quivered around him, feeling an answering pulse from his hard cock. Calli kept her fingers between them, rubbing herself to his rhythm. The first orgasm had her whole body tightening around him. Her legs wrapped around his waist, stopping his motion until she released. As her legs loosened, he began to move faster and harder inside her. She pulled her legs up, giving him deeper access, rocking her hips to meet him. “Calli, baby, get on your knees.” His voice was husky, a low, sexy rasp that she’d never heard from him. It struck a part of her that she didn’t know existed—she wanted him to fuck her. Not have sex with or make love to her, but fuck her. She rolled over and got on her hands and knees. Leo slipped off the bed and pulled her over to the edge. He went to his knees and buried his face in her. He ran his tongue from the wet opening of her pussy to her clit, licking the nub until it hardened. Calli arched her back, pressing into his tongue. Just as she was tightening to climax, Leo stood and pushed into her.

She pushed back against him, hard and fast. His hands gripped her hips, pulling her forcefully back on him. Flesh slapped flesh in a coupling that was primitive and powerful. Calli felt his hands tighten on her hips and his body tense. At almost the same moment he groaned, stars exploded behind her closed eyes. Leo laid his chest on her back and wrapped his arms around her, holding her until the pulsing in his cock ceased. Then together, they climbed back under the sheets and, in each other’s arms, fell asleep. Hours later, the ring of a phone pulled Calli from a sound sleep. Untangling herself from Leo’s arms, she sat up, seeing the lighted display of the clock on the nightstand announcing that it was after ten. The sound was coming from Leo’s phone on the dresser. She got up and brought it back to bed, nudging him as she handed it to him. He rubbed his eyes and took the phone. “Hello?… Yes, I will be in. No, I’m fine. I just overslept. Tell Mrs. Harding that she can either wait, or reschedule her, and apologize for me… Yes, in about an hour.” Hanging up the phone, he sat up. “I’ve got to get to work.” “Okay.” “Anything special you want to do today?” “Besides you?” He grinned and kissed her. “Yeah, besides that.” “Not really.” “Okay, so I’ll catch up with you later?” “Yep.” “Great. Okay, I’m outta here.” Calli watched as he dressed and blew her a kiss. She rolled over and stared at the ceiling. Today was her last day. The last day she’d see the sparkling water of the

Caribbean outside her window. The last day she’d pig out on room service. The last day… Even as the words formed in her mind, tears came. The last day she’d spend with Leo.

***** Leo made his way to the pool. He hated teaching water aerobics. Hated teaching aerobics period, but water aerobics even more. As luck would have it, the instructor had come down with a stomach flu and they needed someone to fill in. Since his schedule was free, he drew the short straw. He was going to be glad to see this experience come to an end. Only two more days and it was back to Boston for him. Work his own schedule, live his own schedule and be his own boss again. This had reminded him of just how great it was to be your own boss. Not that it had been horrible. It was a different experience, had allowed him to do a favor for a friend. And he’d met Calli. That brought a frown to his face. How the hell was he going to let her just walk out of his life? The frown turned into a look of determination. He wasn’t. Couldn’t. He’d talk to her tonight and tell her straight out that he wanted to find a way to continue seeing her. And he’d hope that look he’d seen a couple of times in her eyes spoke the truth and she did have feelings for him. If she did, then they’d find a way. Such thoughts were cut short as he approached the pool. Two women, Debbie and Diane, friends who’d come for a two-week stay, were waiting. He mentally groaned. Both of the women were attractive, but both were freaking barracudas. He pitied the poor man who ended up with either of them. He’d be chewed up and spit out before he knew what was happening. “Hey, handsome,” Debbie, the too-blonde-to-be-natural cooed and ran her hand up one arm.

Leo nodded and shrugged her off to take off his shirt. Mistake. She was on him like white on rice. “Oh, just look at all these glorious muscles. Diana, feel this! Have you ever felt anything so delicious?” Leo literally peeled the women off him and made post haste to the pool. “Sorry, I’ve got a class I have to teach.” “Well, why do you think we’re here, handsome?” Debbie reported and sidled up to him. As he started to step down into the pool she gave him a push then jumped in on top of him. Leo grunted under her weight and let the impact push him under the water. She wrapped around him like an octopus, legs around his waist, arms circling his neck. He surfaced and raked back his hair. “Hmmm.” She ground her pussy against him. “Come on, baby, let’s see what that you’ve got hidden in those shorts. Give Debbie some wood.” Leo wanted to retch. Literally. Several of the people nearby were laughing at her antics, egging her own. He reached behind his neck to work her hands loose and when he did, she kissed him. Or tried. He slammed his lips shut and turned his head. And saw her. Calli. Standing at the line of deck chairs with a look of shock on her face. Her eyes met his for one split second then she turned and ran. “Let go of me!” He pried Debbie’s hands loose but no sooner would he get her unwound around his neck, she’d grab hold again. Damn, he was going to have to drown this bitch to get her off him.

***** “Well here you are again,” Calli said to her teary reflection in the bathroom mirror. “You’d think you’d have learned after last time, but no, you had to go make a fool of yourself over a man who sees you as nothing more than another fuck.” It horrified her that she’d let herself fall for Leo. She’d tried to play it cool and claim this was just fun and games—a fantasy—but the truth was, it was way more than that

for her. She didn’t know how to play those games, and because she’d been careless and left her feelings exposed, she found herself having to face that once again she’d been played. What really hurt was that she’d thought Leo was different. That he… God, how stupid could she be? It was too humiliating. She couldn’t face him again. There’s no way she could keep up the act. Not now. What was she going to do? Leave. She had to leave. Now. Calli slammed things into her luggage, heedless of what went where. All that mattered was getting the hell out of there. What a fool she was, thinking that Leo was genuinely interested in her. Why had she been so stupid? She grabbed the house phone and called the desk. She was checking out early and needed a cab immediately. And a bellman to get her luggage. No, not shortly. Now. She had to leave immediately. It was an emergency. That was no lie. She couldn’t bear to see Leo’s face again, couldn’t stomach the idea of trying to make small talk with him after seeing him wrapped up with that fakebreasted, bleached blonde. Tears threatened, but she swiped them away. She was not going to cry. He’d made a fool out of her, but she wouldn’t cry. She threw the last of her belongings into the suitcase, zipped it closed and hauled it to the front door. Before the bellman arrived she was standing outside her villa, laptop case in hand and purse strap on her shoulder. She didn’t bother to wait for the bellman to get off the golf cart, but hefted the two suitcases onto the back and climbed in behind him. Her cab was waiting outside the lobby. Without a word she tipped the bellman. The cab driver transferred her luggage to the trunk of the car and she got into the back seat. Time to go home. It wasn’t until the cab had cleared the gates of the resort that she allowed the tears to come. Brokenly, she instructed the driver to take her to the closest hotel to the airport.

Her flight didn’t leave until tomorrow. She needed a place to stay, a place to have a nice long cry and figure out how in the world she was going to forget about Leo Thatcher.

***** Leo was certain he was cursed. By the time he’d extricated himself from Debbie’s clutches, her friend Diane joined the party. In the end he’d been rude and had literally tossed both of them halfway across the pool, yelling at them to get their fucking hands off him. And naturally, the assistant manager of the resort happened to be at the pool bar conferring with the bar manager and overheard him. It took Leo fifteen minutes to explain, apologize and get away from the man. By the time he got to Calli’s villa, she was gone. He raced back to the lobby and asked about her, only to be informed that Ms. Howard had checked out and her cab had left no more than five minutes ago. Leo cursed, stomped to the bar and proceeded to get drunk.

Chapter Six By the time Calli stepped off the curb into her sister Stella’s arms, she’d gained control of her emotions. She’d had plenty of time to cry and feel sorry for herself the previous day and night as she sat alone in the hotel room. Stella finished hugging her and pushed her back to arm’s length. “My god, you don’t have a bit of tan! Did it rain the whole time?” “No.” “Okay, I know that look. Get in the car and tell me what happened.” The last thing Calli wanted to do was tell Stella what an idiot she’d made of herself. Maybe she’d just plead a headache and Stella would leave it be. She buckled up her seatbelt and leaned her head back, closing her eyes. “That won’t work with me, Calli Howard. Now tell me what happened.” Calli opened her eyes and stared out of the window. “Nothing to tell. There were a lot of naked people. I didn’t want to get naked, so I worked out, ran and enjoyed some time doing research.” “You are so lying through your teeth.” Calli whipped her head around to look at Stella. “I am not.” “Yes you are!” Stella’s voice softened. “Calli, I know you’re upset. I can feel it. Why can’t you tell me?” Calli thought about it a long time before answering. “Because if I don’t talk about it maybe I can pretend it never happened and in time I won’t have to think about it.” “You’re scaring me, Cal. Did someone hurt you?”

The concern in Stella’s voice ripped away all the protective barriers she’d erected. Before she realized it, she was telling Stella what had happened. The only thing she didn’t mention was Leo’s name. She couldn’t bring herself to even speak his name. It wasn’t until she got to the point in the tale where she’d called a cab that she realized they were not on the right route to her apartment. “Where’re we going?” “Oh shit!” Stella cut a nervous look at Calli. “The girls planned a coming home party for you at Fenny’s.” “Stella, no. I don’t want to. I just want to go home.” Stella chewed her lip for a moment then shook her head. “I know that you do. Just like I know that if I take you home you’ll just sit there by yourself and brood. That’s no good, Cal. So this guy played you. We’ve all been played. Just chalk it up to a life lesson and move on. Besides, these women are your friends. Do you really want to hurt their feelings?” “God you know how to work me,” Calli complained. It was true. Stella knew the right buttons to push. “Okay, fine. But just for a little while.” She turned away from Stella, staring out of the window and steeling herself for the gathering.

***** Leo forced a smile on his face when he walked in the door of the gym. He’d been back home for two days and he couldn’t put off getting back to work any longer. Besides, it was doing him no good to sit around and brood. He was just going to have to accept that it wasn’t in the cards for him to find a meaningful relationship. Fate had screwed him over royally in the Caribbean and he’d lost any chance with Calli, even if he could find her. And he’d tried. He’d run searches on the internet, tried to bribe information from the resort and even searched library forums online to see if maybe she was a member.

So far, he’d found no leads on her. Why the hell hadn’t he asked where she was from? And why had that never even come up in their conversations? Because all the conversations were about you, moron. Your book and your aspirations. That made him feel ashamed. He’d really let his dick and his ego lead him along. He’d just wallowed in the attention and the help she’d given him with his book, and hadn’t paid attention to the important things. Like she did? That devil’s advocate in his head had a good point. She’d made it clear that all she wanted was a fling. So why was he so messed up over the way it had ended? “Well, well, Leo Thatcher.” A cool, sarcastic female voice had him pivoting on his heel at the reception desk. “Good morning, Stella. How are you?” “Haven’t seen you lately, Leo. Where’ve you been?” “I was gone for a couple of weeks, doing a favor for a friend.” Leo checked the computer to see how many members were logged in as he talked. “Really? How kind of you. Where did you go?” It was a little out of character for Stella to be so inquisitive, but then again in the last few months she had changed a lot—become less cool and brusque and more personable. “Actually, I was filling in for a friend at a resort in the Caribbean while he was on his honeymoon.” “Really? And did you have a good time? Meet lots of new exciting people?” Leo felt the depression he’d battled the last week gaining strength at her question. “It was…interesting.” He looked down at the computer, hoping to end the conversation by appearing busy. “I can just imagine.”

Something in her voice made him look up. Stella marched up close to the desk, threw her hands on her hips and leaned in close. “If you ever, EVER go near my sister again I’ll…well, I assure you I’ll make your life miserable.” “What?” He had no clue what she was talking about or why she was so angry. Bright pink spots had appeared on her cheeks and her eyes were blazing. “Don’t play stupid with me. Calli isn’t like the bimbos you’re used to here, Leo. She doesn’t play games well and she sure as shit didn’t deserve to be played and made a fool of. Frankly, I’m disappointed enough in you that I’m almost certain I’ll be taking my membership to another gym when the month is out.” Leo found his mouth opening and closing, his mind trying to wrap around what she was saying. “You’re…? Calli? You’re sisters?” “Like I said, don’t play stupid.” He completely forgot she was furious. All he could think was that now he could find Calli and explain. “I have to go.” “You just remember what I said, Leo.” “Yeah. I got it.” He hurried to his office and snatched up the phone to dial directory assistance. “I need the number for Calliope Howard.” “Shit!” He slammed down the phone when the operator notified him there was no listing for a Calliope Howard. Okay, but he knew she was in the area and she was a librarian. He turned to the laptop on his desk and accessed the internet. The first place to start was with the main library. Surely they’d have records of all the librarians associated with the library system. Hope had his fingers flying over the keys. It might be a long shot and might net him nothing, but until he saw her face-to-face and explained, he wouldn’t be able to move past it.

*****

Fear spiked, sending a jolt of adrenaline to Calli’s legs. She’d seen that same dark sports car three times since she’d gotten off work. The first time was when she’d left the library. The car pulled out of the parking lot behind her. She noticed because the light had turned yellow as she was making the left hand turn and the sports car had run the red light. The next time she saw it was a block from her apartment. She hadn’t given it much thought. Many people took the same route she took. But now, seeing it as she bounded down the front steps of the apartment building to head out for her run, she felt very uneasy. Uneasy enough that she turned and ran back inside. As soon as she was in her apartment she picked up the phone and called Dini. “Hey, this is Calli. I’m sorry to bother you but I know your boyfriend’s a cop and… Well this car has been following me ever since I left work and just now when I went out to run I saw it again.” She looked out of the window as she listened to Dini tell her to try to get the license plate number, and that she was going to call Jonas that moment. “Okay, thanks, Dini. I’ll let you know if I see it again and get the number.” She hung up the phone and looked out of the window, scanning the street below. There was no sign of the car. Maybe she was making too much of this. She’d been such a mess since she returned from her trip that maybe it was making her see things where nothing existed. She should just go for her run and forget about it. She checked the view of the street again. Nothing. She wandered around the apartment for twenty minutes, tidying up, then checked again. No dark blue sports car. Okay, this was silly. She was going to go run. She grabbed her cell phone and keys and headed out the door. There was no strange car on the street that she could see when she walked down the stairs. Chiding herself for an overactive imagination, she started off at a jog, warming up. If she had time she’d like to get in at least an hour’s run. But chances were good it

would be dark before then. That was okay. She’d run her short route and be back before dark. Running cleansed her mind in a way nothing else did. She could let go of all her stress and worries when she was running. She could even find ease from the almost constant ache she’d carried since she saw Leo with that blonde. She still didn’t know how she’d let herself be so fooled, how she’d let herself fall in love with someone she didn’t even know. Pushing those thoughts aside, she picked up her pace, forcing herself to think about other things, like the book she was finally writing. She’d started it the day after she got back, when she thought she’d go crazy from thinking about Leo. Now the story was starting to gain momentum and she was pouring everything she had into it. She rounded the corner onto her street and stopped short. There was the blue sports car. Damn. What should she do? She remembered what Dini had said. She couldn’t see the tag very clearly. Should she get closer? No, wait. Her phone had a camera. She snatched it out of its clip and aimed. If she zoomed in she could make out the numbers. She took three shots just to make sure, returned the phone to its clip, and then ran as fast as she could to her building, taking the steps three at a time. When she was safely inside her apartment with the door locked behind her, she called Dini again. “I got the number. It’s parked right in front of my building.” “Jonas is across the street, watching. He just called. Give me the number and I’ll call and tell him.” “Hold on.” Calli accessed the photos, scribbled down the number and read it off to Dini. “Okay, I’ll call you back.” Calli put the phone down and eased over to the window. A knot took sudden shape in her throat as she saw Jonas jumping out of a dark sedan across the street and running toward her building.

“Oh shit!” She couldn’t see beyond the landing of the door. What was going on? Suddenly she didn’t feel so safe in her snug little apartment. She didn’t even have anything to defend herself with. No wait, she did. Calli raced to the bedroom. In the corner were two rain sticks she’d gotten from her parents. Souvenirs from their trip to South America a few years ago. She grabbed one and ran back into the living area, gripping the stick like a baseball bat. The seeds inside the stick “rained” their way down its interior, the soothing sound in direct opposition to the fear making her breath harsh and her skin prickle. Suddenly someone banged on the door. “Calli? It’s Jonas Smith. Can you open the door?” Calli inched over to the door and peered through the tiny view hole. A man was holding out a detective’s shield so she could see it. She unlocked the door and cautiously opened it. “Calli?” Jonas asked at the same moment she saw the man he had cuffed and standing beside him. “What are you doing here?” She hissed at Leo. “I was trying to explain to this officer that I was just trying to find where you lived so I could talk to you. Explain—” “I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.” “Do you two know each other?” Jonas asked. “No.” Calli said at the same moment Leo said “Yes.” “So which is it?” Jonas asked. Calli blew out her breath. “Yes, I know who he is.” “Then this is the man who’s been stalking you?” “Stalking?” Leo stammered. “I haven’t been stalking—” “Why are you following me?” Calli cut him off.

“I told you, I wanted to—” “Shut up!” Jonas barked. “Okay, now, let’s get this straight. You two know each other.” “Yes,” Calli said sullenly. “And he’s been stalking you?” She started to say yes, but changed her mind. She might be mad as hell but that didn’t excuse telling a lie. “No.” “Then why did Dini…” “That’s my fault,” she interrupted. “I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize Leo’s car and I thought someone was following me.” “So you don’t want to press charges?” God it was tempting. She could have him tossed into jail. Sure, the charge would be dismissed, but it could cause him at least a night of discomfort. Still, when she glanced at Leo and how miserable he looked she couldn’t do it. “No. I’m sorry to waste your time, Jonas.” “It’s okay.” He uncuffed Leo. “Sorry, sir.” “Just doing your job,” Leo said and rubbed his wrists. “So we’re okay here?” Jonas asked. “Yes. Sorry.” Calli replied. “Really.” Jonas nodded then looked at Leo. “Mr. Thatcher. My apology.” “No problem,” Leo replied. He and Calli watched Jonas leave then he turned to face her. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted to find you. Talk to you.” “We don’t have anything to talk about, Leo.” Suddenly she was tired. Too tired to argue, too tired to be hurt. She wanted it to just be over. “Yes, we do. Calli, please. Just give me five minutes.”

It wouldn’t change anything, but she couldn’t refuse. She gestured for him to enter her apartment and followed him in, leaning against the wall by the door. “Okay, say your piece.” “First, what you saw—me and that woman—it wasn’t what it looked like. She was just another of the hungry sharks looking for action and not knowing how to take no for an answer. I swear on my grandmother’s grave that I never touched that woman—well, except to peel her off me.” “It doesn’t matter,” she said softly. And she realized she meant it. What difference did it make? She’d been the foolish one, thinking something could develop between them in just a few days. It was a juvenile, romantic notion and she should have known better. “Yes, it does.” He walked over and took hold of her by the upper arms. “Calli, I know you said you didn’t want anything but a fantasy—a vacation fling—but what happened with us…it was…it was more than that for me. Much more.” His words ripped away the protection she’d so carefully woven, tore through the fabric of her tightly knit shield and justifications. It destroyed her ability to protect herself from the pain that tore through her. “Please don’t say that,” she whispered. “Please. Don’t play me, Leo. I’ll believe that you didn’t mean to hurt me, but don’t make things worse by lying to me now. Just accept that I believe you and let me be.” “I can’t do that, Cal.” “Why?” His touch was a torment, his nearness torture more severe than anything she could imagine. She wanted so badly to touch him, to feel his arms around her—to believe that there was something more than a vacation fling. But she couldn’t let herself be fooled that way. The hurt was too big. She couldn’t take any more. “Because. Because I need you.”

Calli heard the word need and it stiffened her spine a little. “Need me? Come on, Leo. You can have your pick of women to scratch whatever itch you have. You don’t need me for that.” “I’m not talking about sex!” he yelled. “Damn, how can you be so smart and so fucking dumb? I need you, Cal. Your beauty, your brains, your total lack of inhibitions in speaking your mind, your sense of humor, your curiosity… I need you. You.” He ended softly. Calli was struck mute for a long time. Her eyes searched his, looking for the truth. And he didn’t back away. He met her, locked eyes with her. “Leo, I…I swear I want to believe you. I do. But I’m afraid.” “I won’t hurt you.” “You already have. Don’t you see? I’m not someone who knows how to play these games, how to turn feelings off and on. Either I care or I don’t. There’s no middle of the road for me. I’m…I’m scared of the hurt. I let myself care once before—let myself love someone. And he made a fool of me, played me. He never cared. I was just a convenient fuck—someone he was ashamed for his friends to meet. I can’t go there again. I can’t. And I know I said I only wanted a fantasy but that was because I was scared. You’re so—so perfect. Handsome and sexy, smart and successful. You can have any woman you want. How can I compete with that? I’m nothing. Just a librarian and a wannabe writer.” “Don’t you ever speak that way again!” The harshness in his voice and the way he leaned his face in close to hers made her draw back. “I mean it, Cal. You might have some warped notions about yourself but I see you. I see your beauty and intelligence and there’s no woman—not one—who can hold a candle to you.” “Leo, I—” “No, don’t say it. Look at me, Cal. Really look. Beneath this muscle you see now is a skinny kid who never had a date. All the way through college. Not one. I had brains,

made the grades, and got a scholarship but never once did a girl give me more than a pitying glance. I know about appearances and how people use them and I don’t play that game. Beauty, real beauty is rare and you have it in spades. I do need you. I do. I-I really think I’m falling in love with you. Please, please don’t turn me away.” Calli never thought she’d hear such words spoken to her. And certainly never dared to hope she’d hear them from Leo. Yet here she was, hearing it. “You were a skinny geek?” She couldn’t even begin to digest all of it, trust it. “Yeah, the class loser.” “I’d have given you a glance,” she said softly. “Just give me a chance now. Can you do that?” She searched his eyes again, fear, hope and excitement battling for dominance inside her. “Yes,” she said as hope won out. “Yes.” “Cal,” he whispered and pulled her to him. The moment their lips met she knew he was being truthful with her. She felt it in his touch, in the way he held her. She clung to him, wanting that kiss to last forever. When it finally did end and he pulled back, she smiled up at him. “Are you hungry?” Leo laughed. “For you? I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you.” She smiled and went into his arms again. Suddenly her fatigue was gone. In its place was energy and new excitement. Life suddenly held promise. The promise of love.

Chapter Seven Calli stopped at the kitchen door, balancing a tray of drinks. What a night this had been. Fenny was hosting an engagement party for Dini and Jonas. All of the girls and their men were present. Calli was amazed at how well everyone meshed. Fenny and Michael were like the royal couple. Fenny was so elegant and beautiful and Michael, so handsome and sophisticated. And whether Fenny admitted it or not, they were just perfect together. Calli suspected Fenny had finally realized that, since she and Michael were planning to take his boat on an extended cruise down the east coast and back. Eden and Sean were doing more than making a go of their long-distance relationship. They were getting rid of the long-distance part. Sean had accepted a position at MIT in order to be closer to Eden and she’d asked him to move in with her. Since she’d met Sean, Eden had done far more than add a little romance to her medical thrillers. She’d gotten a five-book deal on a medical romance series. Dini and Jonas were the reason for this gathering. He’d whisked Dini off for a ride on the Vomit Comet, a zero-g environment, and had proposed to her. Everyone was stunned that she’d said yes. Now that she had, she was thrilled and happily planning the wedding and threatening to make all the women wear pink taffeta. Cam and Dee had made it through the minefield that was Dee and he’d won her over completely. They were currently in the construction phase of a new home— arguing over every aspect, naturally—and breaking in each new board that was nailed down, it seemed. Dee had even stopped pretending that Cam didn’t own her heart and it was easy to see that he had no intention of ever letting her get away. Her sister Stella had met her match in Dex. Calli had never seen Stella more happy or relaxed. She was enjoying working out of her home, and her legal practice had

become something of a neighborhood hangout. Anyone within ten square miles who had a problem ended up on Stella’s doorstep. And Stella loved it. Not only had she found her place in the legal world, but she’d found her true calling in her writing. Now her books were infused with romance that tugged on the heart and made readers beg for more. Dex couldn’t be happier. His first CD had gone platinum but he still preferred playing the small clubs. Truth be told, he just didn’t want to be away from Stella one moment more than he had to. And then there was Leo. Her Leo. Her “skinny geek boy in the body of a god” as she liked to tease him. She never dreamed she could love someone so much, or that she would feel so loved. Calli smiled as she watched everyone laugh and talk. Dee looked up and saw her. “What’re you doing, Calli girl?” “Just watching. Enjoying.” “Well set that tray down and come over here. Leo tells me you have some news.” Calli placed the tray on the coffee table and wedged onto the sofa between Leo and Dee as everyone reached for glasses. “So?” Fenny asked. Calli looked at Leo. He smiled and took her hand. “Well,” she said and looked around at everyone. “Leo and I were offered a contract on the series we wrote.” There were cheers, claps and a huddle from all the girls wanting a hug. “I’m so happy for you, Cal,” Eden said. “Is this the urban fantasy you were working on?” “Yes.” “What pen name are you using?” Dini asked. “Calliope Leonard.” “Very cool,” Dee said. “Did you get a good deal?” Calli laughed. “Actually, yes.”

“Well hey now,” Dee raised her glass. “A toast. To all the women who bless my life and the men who give us all something to smile about.” “And talk about,” Fenny added slyly. “Definitely talk about,” Eden said with a chuckle. Calli laughed, clinked her glass against everyone near her then turned and kissed Leo. Dee was right. Every person in the room was a blessing to her life. She’d never dreamed she’d have such good and true friends, or that she’d be living a dream. She was on her way to the career she wanted and she had the man of her dreams by her side, working with her. Yes, life was better than she ever imagined. And it wouldn’t be if she hadn’t had the courage to take that step and have what Dee had so aptly named a “sexploration”. It just went to show, you never knew where it might take you.

About the Author Ciana Stone has been reading since the age of three, and wrote her first story at age five. Since then she has enjoyed writing as a solitary form of entertainment, and has just recently come out of the closet to share her stories with others. She holds several post graduate degrees and has often been referred to as a professional student. Her latest fields of interest are quantum mechanics and Taoism. When she is not writing (or studying) she enjoys painting (canvas, not walls), sculpting, running, hiking and yoga. She lives with her long-time lover in several locations in the United States.

Ciana welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and e-mail address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Tell Us What You Think We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can e-mail us at [email protected].

Also by Ciana Stone An Unwanted Hunger Another Saturday Night Hot in the Saddle 1: Chase ‘n’ Ana Hot in the Saddle 2: Molding Clay Hot in the Saddle 3: Scout ‘n’ Cole Hot in the Saddle 4: Conn ‘n’ Caleb Riding Ranger Saturday Night Fever Sexplorations: Finding Her Rhythm Sexplorations: The Thing about Cowboys The Hussies: A Taste for Jazz The Hussies: All in Time The Hussies: Maxwell’s Silver Hammer The Hussies: Sin in Jeans Wyatt’s Chance

Also see Ciana’s release at Cerridwen Press (www.cerridwenpress.com):

That Which Survives

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