Rude Awakening Read online

  “So what if I was, and that’s a big ‘what if’, it’s none of your business. I don’t know you.” In order to gather some degree of calm, she took another deep breath. “What did you get out of embarrassing me?”

  He stilled, frowning, his brows pulled together over dark eyes. “Embarrassing you wasn’t my intention. I…”

  “What if I wasn’t wearing anything under it?”

  For a moment he looked as though he was questioning himself and his actions. “You were wearing something under it.”

  “But what if I wasn’t?”

  “You were.”

  With a disgusted sigh she shook her head and spun away from him, eager to get to her car.

  “Wait.” One very tan, very large hand reached out and snagged her wrist, forcing her to halt in her retreat. His fingers circling her wrist were warm and strong, but gentle, as he turned her to face him. His touch was charged with sexual energy. Her entire body reacted and she struggled not to step closer. Instead, she stiffened and focused on his arrogance. “I’m sorry I embarrassed you.” He let her go before she could jerk away.

  She raised her eyes to meet his gaze but kept her scowl firmly in place.

  “I’ll replace the shirt.” He looked sincere as he offered his hand. “Let me start over. I’m Lucas.”

  After a long pause, she took it. He had such sexy hands; very warm, long strong fingers. Images of what wondrous delights those hands could be capable of producing flashed through her mind—and body—again.

  She cleared her throat. “Jaimee.”

  He held her hand firmly as she tried to pull away. His palm was warm against hers and his fingers just calloused enough to elicit more imaginative ideas. Her gaze traveled down, pausing to watch the intriguing way his throat worked as he swallowed before gaping at the span of skin exposed by the V of his open collar. The flush to her cheeks was rapid and mortifyingly obvious.

  Jaimee licked her lips as she looked up at him. The mischievous smile that curved his mouth and the sparkle in his dark eyes told her just how obvious she’d been.

  “Actually I believe I’ve seen you before, up the street from me. I just moved here from California. I bought a house in Wood Crest, 512 Meridian.” He reluctantly freed her hand. Damn, his voice was so deep, and it seemed rougher than before.

  He was right; hers was only a few houses up from him, in 507. How did she miss seeing him? Did he take a step closer? He certainly seemed closer. “Oh, well, welcome to the neighborhood.”

  “Have you had dinner?” he asked slowly, watching her mouth. Had she licked her lips again?

  Okay what was he up to? Men like him didn’t ask out women like her. It simply wasn’t done. “Why?”

  Without question, those gorgeous eyes of his darkened even more. One brow lifted and his smile turned just a tad wolfish. “Well, I’m hungry, and from the looks of it, you are too.”

  “Excuse me?” She narrowed her eyes in disapproval. He chuckled and his eyes took on a predatory gleam that sent hot shivers dancing up and down her body. It was hard not to wiggle and shake them off.

  “Have dinner with me.”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  If he expected her to just go all fluttery because he showed her attention he was sorely mistaken. Okay, so she was all fluttery, and overheated and dammit…wet and tingly. But she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.

  “Are you married or dating someone? I didn’t see a ring but I guess that doesn’t necessarily mean anything anymore. I should have asked earlier.”

  “Widowed,” she interrupted.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” And it was. Maybe it shouldn’t be, but it was.

  He tilted his head and watched her. “But you won’t have dinner with me?”

  “No.”

  “May I ask why not?”

  She met his gaze and wondered at the flames that seemed to flicker in his eyes. Intrigued? Maybe. Tempted? Definitely. Still, she didn’t know him or trust him and didn’t understand at all why he seemed to be attracted to her. It only added to her frustration that her traitorous body was vibrating with lust from merely looking at him and briefly holding his hand.

  “No, you may not,” she answered with as much cool indifference as she could muster. She quickly whirled around and walked away before she gave in to her ridiculous little fantasies and hurled herself at him. Though it was very, very difficult, she didn’t look back, and oh did she want to. She could practically feel his gaze on her butt. Oh God. Was he looking at her butt? She cringed at the slick, sensual rub of the swollen flesh nestled between her thighs, sensations spiraling through her with each purposeful step away from him.

  No, she couldn’t have dinner with him, and she couldn’t tell him the reason why was that she didn’t trust herself. As she reached her car she gave in and glanced back at him. He hadn’t moved. He was still standing there, smiling as he watched her walk away. Despite her resolve to remain coolly detached, she returned his smile. Before she could change her mind she got into the car and headed home, wondering if she would see him again.

  Chapter Two

  Lucas pushed the windows open but left the lights off. He had taken off his shirt and the evening breeze was cool against his overheated skin. Before he sat down to the rubbery, tasteless meal he had just pulled out of the microwave, he put on his headphones and adjusted the settings on the equipment. It was sweet torture listening to the soft sounds of Jaimee moving through her room preparing for bed.

  It wasn’t that late but he didn’t expect her to get any calls. Her house had been bugged for several weeks and he’d been scanning them. In that time she hadn’t had all that many and most of those were from her mother. A couple had been from a woman by the name of Maxine Pruitt, whom he gathered was a very close friend.

  Evidently, Ms. Maxine was a hellcat, and from the conversations he’d heard thus far she was more than adventurous, especially sexually. There was something about the way Jaimee’s voice got breathy with incredulity that caused Lucas to arch a brow. That throaty laugh and those longing sighs had elevated his heart rate, pumping all his blood southward to elevate other valued organs. More than once he imagined what it would be like to initiate Jaimee’s lush body to the pleasures Maxine had detailed for her…and even more.

  Lucas hadn’t originally been pleased with this new assignment. This kind of mundane undercover and surveillance work required someone who liked to sit around and wait for something to happen. Lucas preferred to be in the middle of the action as much as possible. Which was why he chose to take on the more risky assignments. Two months ago he had been briefed and handed Jaimee’s file. From the moment he’d seen her photo he knew he wouldn’t have to pretend to be attracted. The laid-back, easy assignment of watching out for a pretty little innocent schoolteacher would be refreshing after the last few he’d dealt with. If for no other reason than the slower pace and the enticing scenery, he’d accepted the assignment immediately.

  He shoveled a forkful of bland fettuccini alfredo into his mouth and chewed unenthusiastically as he flipped open the file and looked over the photos of Jaimee once again. She looked like innocence personified. Wide baby blue eyes stared back at him from a lovely heart-shaped face completely unaware of the photographer. Her full pink lips were slightly parted and she had the most adorable little freckled nose. Her thick sable hair was shot with gold and hung in wild, loose waves just past her shoulders.

  At the health club it had taken Herculean self-control to keep from groping her. Remembering the way her sumptuous ass flexed as she worked out had his body reacting on its own…again. He’d been right; underneath all that fleece she was magnificently crafted. All soft, lush curves. He couldn’t help but think about the way she moved around the house singing along with Joan Jett. She had a nice voice, great tone quality. He was growing fond of just listening to her talk. But damn he wished they had installed surveillance cameras too.

  Behind that sweet
exterior hid a wild cat that didn’t know how to break free. Recalling the conversation they’d had only hours ago and the way Jaimee’s eyes had blazed like blue flame brought a smile to his lips. She was by no means the fragile flower she appeared to be. But underneath all that bravado he saw the raw pain she harbored, and though it wasn’t at all a rational notion, he wanted more than anything to change that, to replace that deep-seated sadness with pleasure, passion…

  Lucas shifted uncomfortably and forced his train of thought onto a more rational track. Mrs. Jaimee Turner was the widow of Brent Matthew Turner. Brent had ties with one cell of an organized crime ring called The Collective. The FBI had been working on busting them for two years. Evidently Mr. Turner either underestimated the men he worked for or he overestimated his own abilities. Either way, embezzling funds from a bunch of modern-day gangsters was stupid. There was a Swiss bank account worth several million in his wife’s name, though they had soon discovered Jaimee knew nothing about the account, her husband’s connections or his murder.

  She believed, like many, that he’d been driving along the mountainous and curvy back roads of eastern Kentucky when a heart attack sent him careening off the road into a ravine. His vehicle had exploded on impact, leaving very little for investigators to work with. Lucas shook his head as he dropped the empty microwave tray in the trash. It had to be hard to lose someone you loved the way Jaimee had lost her husband. No wonder she was so sad.

  In the very beginning Mrs. Turner was a suspect, though she was quickly cleared. It became evident that leaving her in the dark could help them garner valuable evidence against the criminals her hubby worked with. Ronald Marshall, of the higher echelon, had dropped by once or twice but Jaimee hadn’t been home and his wife, Sandy, had called her recently to invite her to yet another dinner party. Mrs. Marshall didn’t sound all that disheartened when Jaimee had politely declined, again. They wanted their money back and eventually they would go to extreme lengths to get it. So for now, Jaimee’s not knowing would allow him to keep her safe. Hopefully it wouldn’t be much longer before they had most of the key players in custody.

  The FBI wanted the same information The Collective wanted, therefore it was time to acclimate himself to Jaimee, get past her defenses. Though he had hoped she would take him up on his offer tonight, he hadn’t really expected her to after her indignant tirade. Her pale blue eyes turning icy with anger was intriguing. How would they look filled with fiery passion? Would they darken, dilate with desire or glaze over with calculating and frigid ice? Frigid…ha! Cold and calculating maybe, but no way was she frigid. He shifted in the chair, adjusting his erection.

  The sound of the shower being turned on triggered his imagination. Lucas closed his eyes and envisioned her curvy body stepping out of her sweatpants and peeling off the bright body suit, her nipples tightening, her full breasts swaying gently as she raised her arms to let her hair down. Her nipples were round and plump, like berries, when they hardened. Earlier in the gym he’d wanted to free the ripe globes and take a nipple between his teeth, lave it with his tongue.

  He could imagine her now, water cascading over those juicy nipples, hips, thighs. Her hands moving over her soapy body, her breasts, her stomach, her mound…were there soft golden brown curls there or did she shave—or wax maybe. His hands tingled as he imagined touching her, his fingers sliding through the slick swollen folds of her pussy. Shit. This assignment was proving to be quite enjoyable and could only get better…as long as he didn’t let things get out of hand.

  The phone ringing, followed by Jaimee’s soft curse interrupted Lucas’s fantasy and he pulled his headphones off as he grabbed the set that allowed him to scan her phone conversations. “Fuck!” With all the technology and high tech shit the government had, couldn’t they eliminate this fucking headphone shit? He adjusted the headphones, sat forward and listened in as Jaimee picked up the receiver.

  “Hello,” she said breathlessly. Damn she had a sexy voice. Lucas scowled at the way his body, his already engorged cock, reacted to that sound.

  “Jaimee?” the masculine voice asked. “How ya doin’ babe?”

  “I’m sorry, who is this?”

  “It’s Ron, I called a couple of weeks ago but you didn’t return my call.” His voice took on a slight edge.

  “Oh, hello. I’m sorry, you didn’t leave your number.” Jaimee sounded a bit confused and more than a little uncomfortable.

  “Come on, Jaimee, you have my number. I know Brent had it. In that black leather day planner thing he carried around.”

  “Day planner?” Jaimee asked. Day planner? Hmmm.

  “Yeah, you know, Brent kept all his appointments in there. Phone numbers and stuff like that.”

  “I don’t remember any day planner. I didn’t see one among the things they brought me from his office.” She paused. Lucas heard her shift, switching ears he imagined. “Maybe they overlooked it and they still have it at his office. I’ll call Alice and ask her. If anyone would know about it she would.” She paused again. “Anyway, what can I do for you, Ron?”

  “Huh? Oh, Sandy told me you couldn’t make it to the party. I was hoping I could change your mind.” His voice lowered and Lucas’s eyes narrowed.

  “No, thank you, Ron. Please tell Sandy thanks again for thinking of me, but no.” Lucas could hear the tension in her voice.

  “You know, it wouldn’t hurt you to get out, Jaimee, circulate again. I’ll take you to dinner, get you out of the house for a while.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “I could invite a friend of mine along. He’s Italian, he likes his women fleshy.”

  “Fucking asshole,” Lucas grumbled as he shook his head.

  Sighing impatiently she waited before she answered tightly. “I’m not interested.”

  “Aw come on, Jaimee, it’s been several months since Brent died.”

  “Eight months. Don’t be crass, Ron…”

  “Look,” he cut her off. “You have to be horny as hell by now. Unless you really are frigid?”

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean? Never mind. I don’t care. Goodbye, Ronald,” Jaimee said harshly and slammed down the receiver.

  Lucas winced at the sharp sound and scowled as he pulled off the headphones and put on the others as he adjusted the volume on the bugs. Silence. After a few minutes he checked the connection. The sound of Jaimee opening a drawer then closing it again had him sighing with relief—until he heard the whisper of the towel falling from her body.

  Jaimee was still steaming as she grabbed the bottle of lotion and walked back into the bedroom. She sat the bottle on the nightstand, snatched her panties off her bed and pulled them on.

  She smoothed lotion over her legs as she remembered the day she went to his office to pick up his things. His secretary, Alice Sinclair, had been shocked and brokenhearted at Brent’s death and had retired. She’d been more like a mother to him than his secretary. Keeping him organized and on track had been her job, and he’d even joked about how if she ever got fed up and quit on him he’d be lost. It was weird; Jaimee couldn’t imagine him with a day planner. But that didn’t mean he didn’t have one.

  Jaimee finished rubbing the lotion into her arms and hands then glanced at the clock. It was only eight forty. If there had been a black day planner Alice would know about it. She pulled on her nightshirt then quickly found Alice’s phone number in her address book.

  After five rings the answering machine picked up. “I am unable to accept your call at this time. Please leave a message. Thank you.”

  “Alice, this is Jaimee. When you have a moment please give me a call. The number is the same. Thanks.” She returned the phone to the cradle. Monday she would call the office and see if perhaps they had overlooked it.

  With a sigh, she climbed into bed and after getting comfortable she picked up her book. Intriguing as it was, her mind just couldn’t focus on the Scottish laird and his attempt to seduce the Sassenach wench who had t
raveled into his world from another time. Too much was occupying her thoughts. Ron’s annoying call had her curiosity up.

  What was Ron up to anyway, the jerk? She’d been to a couple of parties Brent’s friends had thrown. Most of the wives or girlfriends were always standoffish and the men just smirked at her, whispered comments to Brent and elbowed him in the ribs. He wouldn’t even look at her when they did that. She spent most of her time sitting by herself, watching everyone have a good time while she politely sipped the diet Coke they made a point of supplying just for her. But Brent enjoyed the parties so she went. Why had she done that? Why had he insisted she go, knowing how uncomfortable she was?

  Jaimee suspected things weren’t as they seemed with that group. More than once Brent had accused her of being paranoid. “Just because I’m paranoid, doesn’t mean they’re not after me,” she’d say half in jest, half seriously. Brent merely smiled, gave her a quick kiss, declared his exhaustion and went to bed.

  The book just couldn’t hold her attention. She gave up and laid it aside. She stared at the ceiling in lonely silence, trying to ignore the ache in her heart. Not once had she doubted his love for her, and she wasn’t going to start doubting him now that he was gone. The memory of Brent’s tender lovemaking, his slow and gentle touch had her closing her eyes against the pain.

  Sex had never been the best part of their marriage. It was never something Brent needed a lot of, mainly because he occasionally had erectile issues. When that happened it left them both frustrated. Even when everything went well she was often left aching for something. Something she couldn’t name, something more. Those memories never failed to leave her feeling ashamed and selfish. There’s more to marriage than sex and no man is perfect, she had told herself so many times. It was so wrong of her to even entertain such thoughts. Brent was her best friend and he loved her above all else. Didn’t he?

  Her thoughts went to “the stud” from the gym. Lucas. Her body flushed with heat and her nipples tightened. Against her better judgment she briefly entertained the fantasy of him—his body heavy on hers, his sensual lips pressed firmly to her own, his wide palms massaging her breasts, his long fingers trailing down her body, touching, probing…