Amy Thornton felt like she'd died the night her husband was killed. Now, two years later, she's ready to starting living again, and she knows just the man to help her do so. All she has to do is get him to admit he wants her as much as she wants him. One call to Acme Escort Service brings owner Josh Colbert running to her door and with him all the emotions she'd forgotten exist. Little does she realize the power in her hands--to crush Josh's heart or to bring it to life.
EXCERPT
Amy Thornton’s hands shook as she read the newspaper ad for
the fifth time. She couldn’t believe she was considering this…act of
desperation. She didn’t know what else to call it. Morning light streaming
through the windows of her breakfast nook spilled over the ad—calling her
attention to it, or trying to make her see how stupid this was?
Perched on the edge of her chair, she jiggled her legs under
the table, trying to expend nervous energy, while she weighed her decision for
the thousandth time. She was lonely, sad, and all the sex toys in the world
didn’t help that deep ache inside. She needed to be held, touched, loved on.
With Dan’s death two years ago, she’d died, too. And had stayed that way. She
needed someone, anyone, to bring her back to life. And she knew just who that
someone was going to be.
She pushed the newspaper back and returned to nibbling her
raisin toast. Amy would be the first to admit it had taken her a long time to pull
herself out of that pit of shock, grief, despair, and depression. It still
strangled her heart each time she recalled that awful night. One minute she and
Dan were standing outside Mario’s Trattoria waiting for the valet to bring
their car around. The next minute Dan was dead, along with six other people—all
victims of a driver who’d fallen asleep at the wheel. Yes…a very long time to
crawl from the pit—eighteen months. But she was out now, ready to breathe in
life once more.
Unfortunately, it appeared as though their friends and
associates weren’t ready for her to do so. It didn’t take long for Amy to see
the sad truth—most everyone respected Dan too much to make a move on his widow.
Any men who smiled her way were snagged aside fairly fast and told to back off.
While Amy had appreciated that consideration during the first year, it had
grown very trying later when she was ready to explore the world that awaited
her.
But she was the widow of the sainted Dan Thornton—whose
legend seemed to grow each day—and now the head of his multi-million dollar
production company. Her reputation could not be besmirched, or that of the
company. A liaison with the wrong man could end in disaster for all, or so
she’d been advised by her directors. She wondered if they were more concerned
she’d marry and her new husband would attempt to take over the company. Not
that anyone said anything, but she could see worry in their eyes.
It was the same look she got that first day she walked into
the boardroom and announced she’d be stepping into Dan’s shoes. She’d expected
the cool reception they’d given her. It was the same frosty demeanor Dan had
received when he’d taken over after his father’s death five years ago. It
didn’t take long for him to win them over.
Amy followed his example and didn’t back down. The directors
had eventually warmed to her when they realized she wasn’t a ball of fluff and
knew what the hell she was doing. Now they guarded her like a princess in a
fairy castle. Any white knight attempting to rescue her was drowned in the moat
before a single digit touched her drawbridge.
Amy sighed and drew the paper toward her again. She didn’t
need rescuing, she needed male contact. She needed to get laid. Was it asking so much? Out of the
millions of men in Los Angeles, wasn’t
there one with balls enough to scale the battlements and fuck her good and
proper?
She buried her head in her hands. It was more than that. She
wanted to laugh again, feel the warmth of another body next to hers as she
slept, to not be single at a table of couples. Specifically, she wanted Josh
Colbert.
Amy couldn’t say when she realized Josh was the main person
responsible for chasing away would-be suitors. She’d noticed it by accident two
months before at a party. Some actor had cornered her over a platter of
mini-quiches—a nice-looking man, with an interesting smile, who seemed capable
of intelligent conversation. Amy was intrigued. She’d turned away to set her
champagne glass on the tray of a passing waiter. When she looked back, the man
was gone. Josh had him by the arm, their heads bent in serious conversation.
The actor moved on to other prey, studiously ignoring her.
Curiosity had her seek out another male at that same party.
Josh wasted no time cutting him off. Then another and another, until Amy was
fairly certain she had the answer she was looking for. Josh wanted her for
himself. So she’d flashed him what she presumed was a knowing smile over the
fresh champagne flute she toyed with. His brown eyes dilated, his nostrils
flared while those long fingers tightened around his glass. A glance down had
revealed his tux was considerably tighter across his crotch. Yes, definitely interested. Getting him
to make a move, however, was a different issue.
Years of marriage had taught her a lot about male pride. She
couldn’t come right out and confront Josh with how he felt, not when she
couldn’t be sure how he’d react. Now that her eyes had been opened to the
possibilities, she wanted him in her arms, not running the other way screaming
denial.
Josh and Dan had been friends for a long time. Dan had given
Josh part of the start-up money to help get the L.A.
franchise of Acme Escort Services going. It turned out to be a good investment;
Dan had recouped his investment and then some in less than six months. Josh had
been more than grateful for the help.
Amy needed to make sure that elephant was banished
completely. Josh had to admit he wanted her because that’s what he wanted, not
out of any feeling that he owed Dan, or, heaven forbid, that he had to protect
Amy from all the men in the world, even himself.
Josh wasn’t inclined to let other men near her; he wasn’t
inclined to approach her either. Someone needed a little prodding. She’d been
alone long enough. They were going to resolve this. Either Josh would step up
to the plate and admit his feelings, or he would step away and let Amy move on.
Although doing the latter felt akin to another death all over again; her heart
and body were set on him.
Since that party she hadn’t been able to get Josh out of her
mind. His smile, his laugh, the light in his eyes, the way the edges of his
brown hair curled ever-so slightly against his collar. She’d seem him dressed
to the nines and stripped down to swim trunks. His looks could devastate a
woman’s senses no matter what he wore. Amy could almost feel herself tucked
against that hard body as they danced. Could easily imagine his weight bearing
her into the mattress as she wrapped her legs around him. Could almost taste
his lips as they merged with hers.
Damn his stubbornness.
The man needed a serious wake-up call.
It seemed like hiring an escort from his company was as good
a place to start as any. Perhaps that would open his eyes.
Her palms sweated as she reached for the cordless. She wiped
them on her white shorts. There’d be no tennis with the girls today…if this
worked according to plan. The privacy of her home was a good place for a trial
run. Her friends often teased her, but Amy was really glad now that she and Dan
had never had live-in staff. The cleaning, landscaping, and pool maintenance
services all came once a week. If she had a large gathering, which hadn’t
happened since before Dan’s passing, she hired a caterer. It was one of the
smartest moves she’d ever made. The one she was about to make remained to be
seen.
She punched in the number before her courage failed her. A
woman picked up on the second ring, answering in smooth, cultured tones. “Acme
Escort Service, how can we please you today?”
You can get Josh
Colbert’s tight buns over here. “I’d like a dinner escort for this evening
and…and I’d like to inquire about your special services and rates.”
That ought to get his
attention. Acme certainly wasn’t a front for prostitution. Their agreements
were very specific about the services they provided, and especially those they
did not provide. But many of the escorts were trained massage therapists. The
prospect of Amy nude with a man’s hands roaming her body ought to give him
pause.
“Excellent. I’m Nancy
and I’ll be more than happy to make the arrangements.” Her confidence boosted
Amy’s. This ploy really might work. “Let’s start with the basics.”
That involved Amy’s name, address, phone number, billing
information. They progressed to the evening’s date—where she wanted to go, if
she wanted limo service. She opted for a quiet dinner in a romantic restaurant
and no limo.
“Excellent.” She heard the keyboard tap out the information
through the phone. “Now for our special service… Do you want male or female?
Before or after the date, or for an extended period of time?”
Amy’s confidence faltered. What if this didn’t work?
Suddenly being naked, even under presumably innocuous circumstances with a
strange man didn’t feel so enticing. The last thing she wanted was to set up a
schedule for massages.
“You know…let’s forget about that one.”
“Gone. If there should be a need, please know your escort is
fully trained in all the arts.”
She resisted the urge to ask which ones. Getting Josh’s
attention was one thing, making veiled innuendoes about his business was
another. She wanted him in her bed, not pissed off.
“Now…what type of man would you like? Being as specific as
possible will help us match your wishes.”
“Well, I’d like for him to not look like he’s fifteen.” She
and Josh had frequently joked about how young everyone was starting to look to
them.
Nancy’s soft
laughter filtered back. “Boy, do I know what you mean. Lately, they’re all
starting to look like high school students to me. Our boss teases me about that
all the time.”
Amy smiled. She’d bet some of their older clientele liked
them looking on the young side. Maybe she should really rattle Josh’s cage and
pick the youngest escort she could find. No, this had to be believable if she
was going to pull it off.
“No baby faces,” Nancy
said, and Amy heard the click of the keyboard as the woman typed in the
information. “What else?”
“No taller than six feet. No shorter than five-ten. More
muscle than lean, but not overweight. I also want him fit, not muscle bound.
Brown hair and eyes. Strong hands, a good sense of humor, well read, a gentleman,
punctual, and…” Laughter swallowed the rest of her list. “I guess I was a
little too specific.” She’d pretty much described Josh.
“Not at all,” Nancy
quickly assured her. “We want you to have a good time. You won’t be able to do
that if you’re focused on some facet you find distressing. Anything else?”
“No, that’s all I can think of.”
“Excellent, give me just a few seconds to access our files
to see who’s available. Ah…here we are. Brian Ross. In fact, he just walked in
and is nodding his acceptance as we speak. Would you like to talk to him?”
“No. That won’t be necessary. I’ll see him tonight.” Unless
she missed her guess, Brian Ross wouldn’t get within five miles of her house.
“Good. Six it is. One of our representatives will be by
shortly with paperwork for you to sign. We have to ensure you’re completely
aware of the services you’ve requested, and of the ones we cannot provide.
You’ll also have our nondisclosure agreement. We want nothing to distract from
the evening. This gets it all out of the way before then to help keep the night
enjoyable.”
“Wonderful.” Perfect,
in fact. “Thank you. I appreciate your attention to the small details.”
“And thank you so much for calling Acme Escort Service.”
Amy set the phone down. Phase One complete. Now for Phase Two…wait
for Josh to show up and pray her minimal acting skills held up.
She washed up the few dishes she’d had from her late
breakfast, but her nervous energy wouldn’t let her rest. For the first time in
two years, her body was alive with anticipation. If he walked in the door right
now, she wouldn’t be able to think, much less speak. All she’d want to do was
tear off his clothes, throw her body around his, and sink his cock deep, deep
inside.
Amy darted for the patio door, stripping tank top, shorts,
and underwear off as she went. Her bare feet kissed the coolcrete around the
pool only a second before she dove into the deep end—the perfect parallel to
the move she’d just made. She touched bottom, then swam under water until she
reached the shallow portion, where she broke the surface once more. Rolling to
her back, she drifted there, while rows of Italian cypress trees stood guard
just inside the ten-foot-high stucco wall that surrounded her back yard. Anyone
determined enough to breach that wall was welcome to the peep show. They
wouldn’t enjoy it long; security cameras would spot them and the trespasser
hauled away before he could get a toehold to hoist himself over. Dan had spared
no expense to see they were safe inside their home, and yet have their privacy
still guarded from surveillance personnel. The hours he and Josh had spent
planning the system…
She sighed. Amy didn’t want to keep thinking of the past; it
just made her sad. Her parents had assured her that one day she’d be able to
look at or back on those memories and smile. One day was sure taking a hell of
a long time to get here. Maybe that was all part of the moving-on process.
Truthfully, she did think about Josh now more than Dan—a lot more.
Light at the end of
the tunnel.
Giving a wry chuckle, she lay there, cradled by the heated
pool water, and watched fluffy white clouds skid across the blue sky. Contrails
from jets flying overhead divided it into a grid-like pattern. That’s what she
should have done—gone somewhere on vacation and made Josh wonder where she’d
gone, made him miss her and come after her. There could really have been no
doubt then how he felt.
Amy laughed at herself. That would be her next step if Josh
didn’t take this bait. Maybe she’d add the torture of hiring an escort to go with
her. Or asking him to refer her to an Acme franchise where she was vacationing.
They had branches all over the country. If he cared, if he really wanted her,
that should burrow under his skin quite nicely.
The good fairy in her second-guessed her methods. Maybe it
wasn’t the wisest of choices, but Josh had started this by naming himself guard
dog. If he’d been honest from the start…
She could say the same thing about herself. She might do
just that when he showed up…if he showed up. There was no guarantee he was in
the office, or that he monitored appointments. She hadn’t thought about that.
If someone other than Josh came by with the forms, she could
just tell the representative she’d changed her mind. Or maybe suck it up and
take the chance. It was a dinner, for crying out loud, nothing more. She
deserved a night out with a handsome man, even if she did have to pay for it.
But it would be so much nicer if Josh showed up. If he’d
pull her into his arms and kiss her until she melted. Run those warm hands over
her naked flesh. Surely she hadn’t misread the fire in his eyes.
The breeze caressed her nipples where they were exposed just
above the water, chilling them to hard gems. She turned again, letting long,
smooth strokes carry her from one end of the pool to the other until exhaustion
pulled her to the side. Arms braced, she hoisted herself out and sprawled in
the nearest chaise lounge to let the warm California
sun dry her.
Amy toyed with her nipples as she imagined Josh’s fingers
and lips there. He’d twirl one, suckle the other, then switch sides until she
was arched in gap-mouthed ecstasy against him. She’d wrap her legs around his
and rub her aching pussy along his pulsing cock. She combed her fingers through
her pubic curls, straight to the moist slit. It felt like her clit met her
halfway.
He’d suck her there, too. Long sweeps of his tongue, his
fingers probing deep into her cunt, finger-fucking her ass while his tongue
forced her clit to rigid attention. Then she’d come. God, how she’d come. He’d
let her rest, dragging his mouth up her body, and he’d slowly wedge his hips
between her thighs.
Her fingers flashed over her clit.
He’d be big, hard…the biggest, thickest cock she’d ever
seen. He’d have to enter her by slow degrees, spreading her pussy lips wide
with the head of it before spearing the full length deep inside.
Amy gasped out, lost in the daydream.
Then he’d fuck her, pulling almost all the way out before
seating back home in a slow, sweet glide. Easing her onto his length, letting
her muscles mold around his cock. Heat would flush their skin, bonding them
more.
She cried out softly as her body tensed. Pretending was
good, so good. Reality would steal her breath away.
Slow glides would give way to a pounding, frantic beat. Josh
wouldn’t be able to control himself, driven mad from the want of her body, the
need to come, the craving to make them one. He’d spread her thighs wide, her
knees up, making sure she felt every thrust from clit to womb. And then they’d…
Amy reared her hips on a blinding orgasm, riding her clit
until the last spasm died. A sigh eased her into the cushion of the chaise. She
wished it was Josh’s arms. Soon…soon she’d have the answer she needed. Amy
hoped she could handle it if the answer was no.
