NOVEL: If Tomorrow Never Comes, Chapter 1, by Sophie Slade

This is reblogged from Sophie Slade's blog here, so that we can share the wonderful things that Simply Sexy Reads will be bringing to you, very soon.

If you want to read more of this story, you'll have to stay tuned to Sophie's blog.

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NOVEL: 

If Tomorrow Never Comes

By: Sophie Slade

*NOTE: Hey everyone! I've been wanting to blog a book, so I thought I'd try my hand at it with my book If Tomorrow Never Comes! I'll post chapters here each Monday and would appreciate your feedback. It's not been edited yet, so be easy on me! LOL! Seriously, can't wait to hear what you think! It's a work in progress, coming soon from Simply Sexy Reads! 

Chapter 1

Eight years ago …

“I love you,” I said as I hugged my father goodbye. My Volkswagen Bug was loaded down, so much so that the back end was sagging, even though my father had added more air to the rear shocks.

“Just take care of yourself,” he breathed into my hair as he held me to his chest. Then he pulled back to look into my eyes. “Just promise me that you’ll write.”

“My God, James,” my mother replied with a smile. “She’s just going to Nashville, not to the Moon.”

“Dad, if you got a cell phone, then you can text me any time you like.” On second thought, maybe it was a good thing he didn’t. I was now officially eighteen years of age and had just graduated from high school. My parents had insisted that I go to college, but I wanted to wait a few years. I had been a singer my whole life, having started off singing in the church choir and at school, and then graduated to different venues.

“You know it’s not too late for you to change your mind. You can always go to college,” Mom said, pulling me in for a hug.

“Mom, we’ve been through this,” I said with an exasperated sigh. “I’ve waited my whole life for this. If I wait too long, it’ll be too late.”

“Honey, you’re only eighteen,” Mom said, stroking my sun streaked blonde hair. “You have your whole life ahead of you …”

“Maggie, let her go,” Dad said, rescuing me. Mom turned around to glare at him when he added, “Now who’s holding on too tightly?”

Mom laughed, looking into my eyes one more time as tears welled up in hers. “Alyssa, remember: you can come home any time you like.”

“I know, Mom,” I said, taking a deep breath. “If you don’t stop, you’re going to get me crying, too.”

“Come on, sweetheart,” Dad said, pulling her away, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. My mother and father were so in love. I made gagging noises, but I secretly hoped that one day I would find someone to love like that, but they would be hard to live up to. They had the perfect relationship, always so patient and caring toward one another. Over my whole life, I had never remembered them ever uttering a cross word to one another.

“Hey, sis.” Greer pulled me in for a hug. “Don’t forget to write,” she said sarcastically with a grin over her shoulder to our father. He rolled his eyes, swaying mom back and forth with his arms still wrapped around out mother’s waist. Then, Greer pulled me in to whisper, “Don’t behave yourself. Have some fun.”

I laughed as I pushed away. She had the same long, sun-streaked hair as I did, but was a little shorter than me, even though she was only a year younger. She was fun, perky, and I could tell her anything, often talking until the wee hours of the night. I’ll miss our nightly chats when she’d sneak into my room. We’d sit up for hours on end talking or eating Oreos and milk. Once, we had polished off a whole gallon of milk and a package of cookies in one sitting, even though neither of us gained an ounce. Mom blew a gasket the next morning, but it was worth it. I loved Greer dearly. “Hey, maybe you can come visit me …”

“Not until she graduates from high school,” Dad interjected as mom smiled.

“Dad, come on!” Greer complained. “Not even during Spring Break?”

“Nope.”

“Now who’s being over protective?” Mom asked, laughing. Dad tickled her and she squealed with delight.

“I’m going to miss you, Greer,” I said, pulling her in for one last quick hug. “Take care of yourself and don’t forget to study!” Greer was a bit of a party girl, so I didn’t need to remind her to have fun. I had always been just the opposite, despite our similar looks. She always reminded me to have more fun and I always reminded her not to have too much fun. I worried that she might go a little wild without me to reel her in, but she was smart and I knew that she would make the right decisions.

Greer rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry, Greer. Dad will never let me come visit if I don’t graduate, remember?”

“That’s right,” Dad agreed behind us.

“Well, get out of here before I start crying,” Greer said, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. “Love you, sis.”

“Love you, too,” I said, then waved to everyone as I slid into my VW, threw it into gear, and pulled off, leaving my family behind. I watched them waving in the rearview mirror as I drove down the highway, headed onto I-95N, headed toward Nashville, Tennessee.

I had grown up in West Palm Beach, Florida, but had always dreamed of trying my luck in Nashville. From the way Dad acted today, you would have thought that he was the one who didn’t want me to go, but actually he had been the one to save me from Mom. After I told her my plans for moving to Nashville, she was determined not to let me go, but it was Dad who had finally talked her into it, telling her to let me spread my wings. My father was a great singer and had always regretted not trying his hand in Nashville. He didn’t want me to make the same mistake. Mom still wasn’t happy about letting me go alone, but had finally relented.

Now on I-95N, headed toward Nashville, I finally felt free. I had waited for this moment my whole life. I was finally on my own … for better or for worse. I knew that it was going to be difficult, but I was up for the adventure. I looked down at my blue jean purse that I had made setting on the floorboard between the bucket seats and remembered the thousand dollars I had stashed there. I had worked hard at the local pizzeria, saving what little tips I got along with my measly paychecks and had finally saved five hundred dollars. To my surprise, Dad had matched it and I now had enough to get an apartment and live on for a week or so.

My plan was to rent an apartment or at least a room for a while. Then, I needed to find a job. I hoped to get a job singing in the city, but I wasn’t that naïve, knowing that Nashville was crawling with singers who had come to Nashville, awaiting their big break. I vowed to try and find a singing job first, but relented to work as a waitress if I needed to until I could land the job I wanted. Yes, I had a lot of work ahead of me, but a thrill ran through me at the thought of the prospects.

I cranked up the little radio in my car and flipped the channels, until Free Falling by Tom Petty came on and I started singing it at the top of my lungs with the windows open. I was into the music and lost in my thoughts of Nashville when I happened to look over. A carload of great looking guys was driving beside me, all listening to me sing. I rolled my eyes, smiling as I turned my attention back to the road.

“Hey, you sound good!” said one of the guys. I turned back and he gave me a wink as I laughed. I wasn’t offended or worried, even though I was alone. They looked harmless enough. They waved as they drove ahead. I laughed when on the back of their car window was written NASHVILLE OR BUST in white shoe polish across the back of their black hatchback Camero. I guessed that I wasn’t the only one wanting to try my luck at the big time. I laughed, shaking my head as they sped on, whooping and hollering as they leaned out the windows, obviously enjoying their new freedom, too.

I shook my head, smiling as heat filled my cheeks at having been busted, but it felt good to hear they say that I was good. A moment later, the song ended and Garth Brooks’ If Tomorrow Never Comes came on the radio and I started singing along. It was sad, but had such a great message:

If tomorrow never comes will she know how much I loved her?
Did I try in every way to show her every day that she's my only one?
And if my time on earth were through and she must face the world without me
is the love I gave her in the past gonna be enough to last
if tomorrow never comes?

I belted it out at the top of my lungs as the sky started turning dark and shoots of pink, purple and orange streaked across the sky, not really thinking of the meaning behind the lyrics. I loved the tune and, as I said, the message was wonderful. My thoughts went immediately to my parents and their love. It was nice having witnessed a love like that, and I wondered if I would ever have a chance at that kind of love, a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love.

I quickly brushed the thought aside as the song ended and a fast song came on. It was getting late and my stomach started growling, so I stopped at a McDonald’s, wanting to save my money. I was going to go through the drive through, but I decided to stop when I saw the familiar black hatchback Camero with NASHVILLE OR BUST across the back window.

What the hell? I thought to myself, laughing. What were the chances? I almost chickened out and drove on, but thought why not and pulled my car into an empty spot a few spaces down from their Camero, locked up it and headed inside.

Inside the McDonalds, I didn’t look around, but just walked straight up to the counter instead and placed my order.

“I’m freeeeeee falling,” a male voice sang at the top of his lungs from behind me as I laughed.

“Go ahead. Laugh it up,” I said, then turned around to see the brightest crystal blue eyes I’d ever seen on a guy before. He was wearing blue jeans and a blue-jean jacket with a gray T-shirt that hinted at tight muscles beneath.

“Hey, I’m not judging,” he said innocently, then stepped up to the counter as a strand of his dark blonde hair fell across his forehead. “Free falling,” he sang under his breath, then looked over at me and gave me a wink.

I pushed his arm. Although I had just met him, there was something about him that made feel as if we’d known him for years.

“Hey, would you like to join my friends and me?” he asked, gesturing to his three buddies sitting at a table, boring around. “We’re sitting right over there.”

“No, I think I’ll just take mine to go,” I said, feeling a bit uncomfortable sitting with a bunch of guys in the middle of nowhere by myself. I wasn’t stupid.

“May I join you, then?” he asked, raising his eyebrows. Then, he leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, “I’m not a serial killer. I promise.”

“Yeah, that’s what they all say,” I joked as I took my tray from the counter. “It’s nice to meet you, though.”

“Likewise,” he returned. “Hey, you like ice cream?”

“What?”

“Come on, who doesn’t like ice cream?”

“I guess … why?”

“Let me buy you some ice cream, at least,” he said. “It’s the least I can do for taking up your time.”

I took a deep breath as I looked away, and then back into his ice-blue eyes. “You promise you’re not a serial killer?” I asked, only half serious.

“Promise,” he replied, making a cross over his chest. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Not funny.”

“You have to admit that it was a little,” he said.

I rolled by eyes, but couldn’t help but smile.

“Well?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

I nodded, for him to follow me as I carried my tray to a table.

“Yes!” he said, pumping the air with his fist.

“Yeah, like that wasn’t awkward,” I teased, but he ignored my comment.

“You like hot fudge?”

“Who doesn’t?”

He grinned. “A girl after my own heart. I’ll be right back,” he replied, then bought two hot fudge sundaes and hurried across the restaurant to his friends to grab his tray. I couldn’t help but notice how cute he was and how defined the muscles in his body were. He ignored the jabs of his friends as he hurried over to my table and plopped his tray down on the table across from me.

I laughed, shaking my head as I popped a French fry into my mouth. McDonalds has the best. “So, are you guys headed to Nashville?” I asked, suppressing a smile.

He leaned in as his blue eyes looked into mine, then whispered conspiratorially, “Is it that obvious?”

I giggled as I nodded toward the restaurant’s huge plate glass window to his car. “Nashville or bust?” I laughed, enjoying the exchange.

“Yeah, I guess it is that obvious,” he replied, then took a huge bite of his Big Mac, devouring half of it in one bite.

“Really?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah … well … I guess that wasn’t the most romantic thing to do.” His lips curled into a sexy half smile.

I shrugged. “I’ve seen worse.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” he joked as he took another bite of his sandwich. He was enjoying it so much that I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Enjoying yourself?” I asked, taking a bite of my fish sandwich.

“You have no idea,” he said, finishing it off. “Big Macs are one of life’s guilty pleasures.”

I laughed, enjoying myself more than I had in a long time. “Guilty pleasures?”

“Yeah, that and making out,” he said matter of fact as he opened his other Big Mac.

“Okay, I think I’ll take the rest of mine to go …”

“Sorry,” he said with a shrug, “but it’s the truth.” He took another bite of his Big Mac and the look on his face was nothing short of euphoric.

He looked so innocent that I couldn’t help but laugh as I sat back down.

“So, where are you headed?” he asked between bites.

“What makes you think I’m headed anywhere?” I asked, popping another French fry into my mouth.

This time, it was his turn to look through the window toward my car. “Well, your car being so loaded down that you can barely drive it was no clue.”

I laughed. “Yeah, I guess it is pretty obvious.”

Suddenly, one of his friends looked down at his watch and got up. “Shit, man!” Then, he looked over at us. “Logan, man, we’ve got to go!” With that, all of his friends started clearing off their table.

“Logan?” I asked, realizing that I was sitting here talking to a complete stranger and I didn’t even know his name.

“Yeah, Logan Ambrose,” he said, extending his hand. “Nice to meet you. And your name is …” He raised his eyebrows expectantly. When I didn’t respond right away, he said, “Come on, really? We just shared a romantic meal together.”

“Romantic meal?” I asked, clearly amused.

“Logan, man,” his friend yelled across the room. “Get her number and let’s go!”

The guy behind the counter frowned.

“Dick,” Logan said under his breath as he shook his head, and then turned his attention back to me. “Come on. I might not ever see you again. Please, at least tell me your name.”

The look in his eyes was so hopeful that I couldn’t resist. “Alyssa. Alyssa Collins.”

A broad smile spread across his lips. “Well, Alyssa Collins, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Logan, let’s go!” his friend yelled. The other guys were already headed out the door. “If you don’t come on now, I’m leaving your lame ass!”

“Kyle, I’m coming!”

From the way Kyle laughed and shook his head, his mind was definitely in the gutter. “Okay, man. Whatever you say.”

“Ass,” Logan said, then turned his attention back to me. “Look, I have to go, but may I have your number?”

“And he has manners, too,” I hedged aas I folded my hands under my chin, laughing.

His friends started honking the horn and revving the engine outside. “Come on, Logan!” they yelled from the car.

The manager looked up, frowning again.

“Look, I have to go before my friends get kicked out of the McDonald’s parking lot,” Logan said, clearly torn. “What’s your number?”

“I don’t have one,” I said, suddenly regretting not having taken the Track phone that my father wanted to buy me. I vowed to get one as soon as I got to Nashville until I could get a better phone.

Logan looked around desperately, and then looked down at my paper bag and ran to the counter. “Do you have a pen?” he asked the manager, who just looked at him. “Man, I’m begging you. Give me a pen and I’ll give it right back.”

“Logan, man …” his friends yelled from outside.

“Give me a pen and I’ll get my friends out of here,” Logan said, and then added, “Please.”

“Only if you’ll leave with them,” the manager replied.

“Of course,” he said innocently.

“Here.” The manager slid a pen at him across the counter. “Now, get your friends out of here before I call the cops.”

“I love you, too,” Logan said to him sarcastically, then ran over to me and quickly scribbled something down onto my McDonalds paper bag. “It was a pleasure to meet you. I hope I get to see you again.”

“The pleasure was mine,” I replied, then held up my half-melted sundae. “And thanks for the ice cream.”

“It was the least I could do,” Logan said. “Look, I have to go. Will you call me?”

“Logan, man …” Kyle yelled, exasperated as he held the door open. His other friends were yelling from the car.

“Just give me a minute …”

Kyle rolled his eyes and walked out.

Logan turned his attention back to me. “Will you call me?”

I smiled. “I’ll think about it.”

A broad smile spread across his face. “That’s good enough for me. I’ll see you later, Alyssa Collins.”

I nodded as he ran out the door. “You guys are dicks!” he yelled at his friends just before the door closed.

I laughed and shook my head, then watched as he jumped into the car and sped off. When I looked down at the paper bag and it said:

Thanks for dinner.

They were the best Big Macs I ever had,

but what made it truly the best was spending time with you.

Nice, to meet you, Alyssa Collins.

Maybe we can indulge in more

of life’s guilty pleasures sometime.

Ha, ha!

Call me,

Logan Ambrose

His cell number was written at the bottom of the page.

I laughed as I read the note. Typical guy, I thought to myself. Then, I tore the note from the paper bag and slipped it into my purse. And as I finished my meal, I wondered if I would ever see him again.

***

Copyright Sophie Slade, 2015

All rights are property of the author.

Chapter #3 - Kissing is a Cover

*This writing is the Copyrighted Intellectual Property of Elaine White*

Copyright © 2015 by Elaine White

***

Chapter 3

Hadley was breathless, as she and Maxx stilled against each other. She wound her fingers in his hair and held him close, as she basked in the afterglow. She leaned her head against his shoulder, as they caught their breath, while she wondered what on earth she had been thinking. She should never have allowed events to take off as they had. She could so easily have played coy and made him want to see more of her, by being mysterious.

Instead, she had panicked that, by rejecting him, she would lose her story opportunity and now she was in major trouble, but she couldn't let it get to her. She had to use it to her advantage. She had his attention, now she had to use it, to get exactly what she wanted from him; a way into his life, so that she could get the real inside story on just who Maxx Mackenzie was.

Suddenly, amongst all the rationalisation and planning that she was doing, she remembered something that made her laugh, despite herself.

“What's so funny?” Maxx asked, sounding caught between annoyed and intrigued.

“I heard those friends of yours say it was your birthday.” Hadley confessed, a little embarrassed by the hidden meaning of her words. “Happy Birthday!” She smiled to herself, glad that Maxx smiled back at her.

It sounded ridiculously like she'd let them get carried away, in some sort of birthday gift to him. But, for the life of her, she couldn't think of anything else to say. He'd fried her brains and she was incapable of any logical thought, so technically it was his fault.

“That's some birthday present. How about a repeat performance later, before I have to leave?” He wondered, teasingly

She hoped that meant good things, for her potential story. Then, he cupped her chin and kissed her, lingering for a response.

Hadley blushed in embarrassment, trying to remember why she was there, though in light of her latest experience, she was struggling. When she didn't say anything, he took the hint, that she was waiting to see how the rest of the night panned out, before giving into him again. At least, that's what she hoped he assumed, because, if not, she was in serious trouble. Though, she suspected she was already in knee deep.

Maxx backed over to a table, in the empty function room, fixing his clothes as he went. She had the rather awkward timing of catching him removing the condom he'd worn and throwing it into the nearby trash bin. But still, that wolfish, approving smile was on his face, the whole time, as he eyed her up, across the room.

Hadley pulled herself together; she pushed the skirt of her dress down and pulled up her panties, while fitting the top half into place. The straps didn't want to stay put, and the bust hugged her breasts until she could see her nipples showing, but that couldn't be helped. Her bra was on the floor and she wasn't going to fumble around with it, while Maxx watched.

Maxx held his hand out to her, as he backed into a seat. It was a casual offer, not demanding but invitational, as though he would like her to sit with him, but she didn't have to, if she chose not to. It was unsurprisingly gentlemanly of him, compared to other men she knew.

When he caught Hadley's moment of hesitation, he smiled lazily and turned his hand, until it looked like he was waiting to shake hers.

“I'm Maxx Mackenzie,” he introduced himself, in a very flirtatious manner, as he sank into his seat and stared at her. “A fairly well off art gallery owner, with no interest in exercise or healthy living. I like a drink, I smoke cigars and cigarettes, and I love to sit back with a good book and a cognac.” He recited, as though he was one of those Lonely Hearts ads in the newspaper.

It made her smile, as she made her way, rather unsteadily, towards the table, where he was sitting.

“I hate long walks on the beach, love listening to, but not being in, the rain and I relish the electricity of thunder storms.” Maxx continued, as she placed her hand in his. His smile softened, as he lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of her fingers. “I don't like dancing or public displays of affection and I'm known to be jealous and possessive of what's mine. Call it unreasonable, if you will, or an unfavourable trait, but it's the truth.” He confessed, while using his loose grip on her hand, to draw her closer.

Hadley got the message loud and clear; he wanted a repeat performance or something close to it. But she wasn't nearly ready for more; her brain and body were still struggling to accept that their last encounter had actually happened. “Well, it's very nice to meet you.” She said, playing along with his odd little game.

“I'm Hadley Mendez, half Colombian and half American. I don't like the sand either,” she confessed, as she backed away and sat across the table from him. Unluckily for her, the table was a booth, and the seat was one single bench that circled the round table.

Maxx slid around the bench seat, until he sat right next to her, reaching up to brush a strand of dishevelled hair from her eyes.

Hadley reached up to remove it from its ponytail, letting it fall around her neck. Much to her surprise, Maxx groaned, low in his throat and brushed her hair back from her shoulder, while leaning towards her. He kissed her neck, nipping lightly with his teeth. It felt wonderful, but she knew she couldn't let him keep doing that.

“I,” she tried to remember where she'd left off, and tried again. “I don't smoke, but I do like the odd glass of wine. I'm a sucker for red tulips and marshmallows; not so much a chocolate and roses girl.” She continued, try hard to distract herself from the hot mouth, drifting down the length of her neck.

“Why?” Maxx muttered, while dragging himself away from her.

“What?”

“Why marshmallows?” He asked, actually looking genuinely interested, as she turned to look at him.

So, Hadley figured she'd tell him the truth. “Because they're so light, that I can convince myself they're like air, so I'm not breaking my diet.”

“Please tell me you're not on a diet,” he groaned, leaning his forehead on her shoulder, as if in despair. It was ridiculously cute, but she decided to focus more on the important question of just what he meant by that.

“Why?” She wondered.

“Because you're on the skinny side of perfect.” He complained, lifting his head to gaze into her eyes. His chocolate eyes drew her in, until she was speechless. But then he sighed, as though in defeat, and crushed his lips to hers, in a hot kiss.

Hadley found herself responding, without thought for consequences or what was right. Kissing Maxx felt right; it was all she wanted to do. She tilted her head into the kiss, gave up control to him and caught the back of his head in her hand, to hold him close.

***

Maxx had to drag himself away from Hadley, the moment he felt his hand surrounded by her soft thighs. He was getting dangerously close to undressing her again and he didn't want that. Well, he did, but that wasn't all he wanted.

He wanted…no, needed…to know this girl. He had to understand her and find some way of keeping her around. He'd only had a brief taste of her and already he felt like an addict, who could never get by, if she got up and left. If this girl walked away, Maxx knew that he would spend his whole life craving her, but never able to satisfy that craving in anyone else. Only Hadley would do, now and he hated it. He hated that he had no control over himself, that just looking at her, made him want to spend days with his mouth locked on hers and his hard cock buried deep inside her.

No-one else would ever taste so sweet.

Forcing himself away, he licked the taste of her from his lips and sat back, to give them some space from each other. Hadley's brown eyes stared at him, with such need and raw emotion that he wanted to dive back in and finish what he'd started. But he didn't; he had more control than that.

Instead, he turned his mind to other matters. Like her reaction to his full name; most people either ran away, wanted money or tried to get closer, to get gossip from him, when they realised who he was. He was intrigued to see that Hadley didn't seem to register any meaning behind it or connection to his profession or his father's reputation, as most people did, upon their first meeting. That intrigued him, but also made him wonder what rock she had been hiding under.

“I should probably have asked you, already,” Maxx began, realising something important. “But are you here with anyone, tonight?”

“No.” She smiled at him, though she still looked a little dazed from their kiss.

“And will you be leaving with me, tonight?” He asked, unable to stop himself, as he gently brushed the hair back from her shoulder. She looked…ravishing…with it hanging loose, down the back of her neck. There was no other word for it. It fell in light waves that seemed to mimic the curves of her body. It made him hungry.

“Your friends,” Hadley said, turning away, to look at the table, as she changed the subject. “What are they…your entourage? Bodyguards? Secret agents? Work colleagues?” She asked, teasingly, amusing him as he sat at the table and watched her.

Maxx was only more intrigued by her; who was this mystery woman, who knew nothing about him or his father? He watched her like a hawk, for any sign of who she was or what she was about. “I believe they would be considered both work colleagues and bodyguards.” He answered, deciding how much to tell her and about what.

“Wow…you must be pretty big news to have bodyguards. What do you do?” Hadley acted excited and impressed.

Hadley acted it so well, in fact, that Maxx was tempted to believe that she knew nothing and was bowled over, by the fact that he had such an impressive group of people looking after him. But there was something…something he couldn't put his finger on…that said there was no way in hell that he could be this lucky. He did not choose a random club, to visit for his birthday, only to find a near perfect woman, who had no idea who he was or knew about his father. And that near perfect woman would never let him fuck her in the back room of a club, after her display of initial hesitation, without knowing who he was first.

Just what Hadley actually was, or who she was, was still a mystery to him. But it was a mystery he was willing to solve.

“Let's say I'm in the…arts business. I handle pieces of art, take part in transactions and have a very fine collection of my own.” Maxx agreed to keep the casual conversation going and allow Hadley to keep her secrets, for now.

“That sounds wonderful.” She sighed, leaning her elbow on the table, to rest her head on top of her hand.

“And what do you do?” He asked her, curious to find out if she would tell the truth.

“I'm a novelist. Unsigned at the moment, unfortunately, so I guess it would be more accurate to say I'm an aspiring novelist.” Hadley explained, with a light giggle that didn't seem to fit with the fiery, feisty girl he'd just been with, a moment ago. “Writing is my passion, but I just haven't found the right publisher. You need an agent to get a publisher and a publisher to get an agent. And no-one takes unsolicited mail, these days.” She shrugged, as though it was a sad fact that she'd had to accept.

Maxx was impressed with how well she could lie, but she had one little tell that gave it all away. She looked away and couldn't meet his gaze, whenever she lied. So he knew that writing was her real passion, but she wasn't a novelist and she wasn't waiting for her big break. But he wasn't going to let on that he knew that, just yet.

They sat and talked for an hour, about her unemployment and how she was looking for a new career. Maxx never asked what she used to do and she didn't offer up any suggestions. He feigned interest and asked lots of questions, about what kind of stories she wrote and what she was currently working on, curious to see if she would trip up and get caught up in her own lies.

Surprisingly, she was a class act. She didn't once stumble or fall into a mistake; she kept to her lie and, yet, she always managed to bring the subject back to Maxx and his life. He didn't mind so much, liking that someone was taking an interest in him and what he did, rather than grilling him about his father and his shady business. He would figure Hadley out eventually, but there was no hurry.

After an hour together, however, Maxx broke off the conversation, mid-sentence, when he kissed Hadley quiet. She reacted instinctively, as he knew she would, and all it took was one arm around her, to grasp her thigh, before she was encouraged to move.

She climbed over him, straddling his lap and sitting high on her knees, as they kissed lightly. He didn't like the distance between them, so he pushed her constrictive dress out of the way and drew her tight ass onto his lap.

“I'll have to leave soon. I have urgent business in the morning,” he explained, pulling her closer, so that she had no other choice than to press against him and accept the kiss he initiated. It was very seductive and slow, just like most of the other things running through his head.

He didn't know who she was, but he was constantly billed as unfeeling, professional and sadistic by the newspapers, so he wanted to prove to this mysterious girl that he could be passionate and sensual, too. Whatever she said about not knowing who he was, had been a lie and he knew it, but he wanted to know why such a beautiful, innocent looking girl was lying to him. And why she'd let him inside her.

Hadley kissed away from his lips and down his jawline, gradually moving down his neck. He could feel a strange tension in her, that hadn't been there since they first walked into the room, so he decided to take it from her. Tension didn't belong in anything they did together.

Maxx pushed her dress further up her thighs and explored beneath the taut fabric, where he found her already wet for him. He touched her, just briefly, and heard the gasp of surprise, by his ear. “Will you give me one last birthday treat, before I go?” He whispered to her, shifting his body beneath hers, until he only had to undo his zip, to get inside her again.

“Take me home with you and I might.” She bargained, in that low, husky voice he loved to hear. Then she pulled back, to hover her mouth over his, playfully, in the promise of a kiss that would never come.

He knew then that she was the most interesting girl he'd ever met. No-one else confounded him the way this lying, scheming, seductress did.

Maxx smiled, looking forward to the game of cat and mouse he'd unwittingly begun to play with her. He caught her thick black hair in his hand and pulled her down, until he could kiss those pink lips.

It was the first he'd noticed that she wasn't wearing any make up. Yet, she was still, easily, the most attractive woman in the building. He kissed her with desperation and need, devouring whatever he could of her.

Maxx was a suspicious person by nature, but something about Hadley made him like that she wanted to go back to his house, rather than give him anything else for free. She was gorgeous and when they came together, it was like an explosion of hot, heady sexual satisfaction, of the likes he'd never known before. He didn't mind so much giving in to her wish.

Besides, hadn't he just told himself, that morning, that he wanted much more than just to be forced into a relationship or marriage. But that one day, he was sure that he would find a girl he wanted and who wanted him, whether he was ready? Wasn't Hadley the most perfect, sweetest thing he had seen in a long time? How could he say no?

So she was a liar. That was a small price to pay for the roaring heat between them. And she was keeping secrets; who didn't? He would discover them, eventually.

He broke the kiss, curious about how far she would take this thing between them, to get whatever it was she wanted. “Do you have any idea who I am?” Maxx asked, wanting to see her reaction to a direct accusation.

Hadley shrugged and smiled, as if she didn't understand the question.

“Don't you care?” He wondered, since he could have done all sorts of nasty things to her, in the back room a club, where her screams couldn't be heard. For a woman who seemed smart and sophisticated, considering the things they'd talked about, she wasn't exactly aware of the danger she'd put herself in, tonight.

“Why? Are you a criminal? A serial killer? Do you go prowling bars and clubs, for vulnerable women to seduce?” Hadley giggled, pretending to know nothing about him and convince him that she was just a clueless writer, who barely left her apartment.

He studied her for a minute, cool and calm in his evaluation of her, before replying. She was lying alright; she knew exactly who he was, which only made the risk she'd taken all the greater.

“I might be.” Maxx allowed, since it was possible, curious to see if she would be frightened or concerned by it.

“I don't think so. You said you were an art dealer…that's not exactly dangerous or criminal, is it?” She wondered, with a thoughtful smile.

“It could be,” he confessed, with a wry smile. She had no idea just how criminal it could be. And, for a split second, she did a stellar performance of looking caught off guard, then concerned, before smiling, in a nervous way.

Maxx figured he'd tormented her enough; he laughed it off and cupped her face in his hand, adoring her attempts to deceive him. She was so good that, had he not been focused on her so completely, he might have missed the subtle signs that told him the truth.

“You've nothing to worry about. If I've got to take you home with me, before I get you naked, then so be it. But we have to leave now, if that's what you want?” He offered, giving her what she wanted, for now.

He caught a genuine look of surprise cross her eyes, and then realisation, that said she knew this was her moment.

Hadley smiled, bit her lip and got to her feet, giving him an odd look, that he almost thought was fear. But what exactly did she have to be afraid of?

She backed off a few steps, towards the door, acting coy, until Maxx stepped up close to her and took her hand in his own.

He looked at her, just for a moment, before smiling and leading her out of the back room and onto the club dance floor. His friends were all gathered near their table, dancing with girls or chatting amongst themselves. He gave them a nod and waited for recognition, before grabbing his coat from the booth and leading Hadley out the front door of the club.

She kept unusually quiet, the whole way, and when he glanced at her, she had a look on her face that said she was truly terrified. This time, however, he could tell that he wasn't the one who frightened her…she was scared of herself, and her choices.

Maxx pretended to be unaware of her internal struggle, as they walked a block to his car, with his arm over her shoulder. He played the gullible fool, who couldn't see past her lies, who was simply happy to have a birthday that went off exactly as he had planned it, and better.

But one day, very soon, he was going to figure out all of her dirty little secrets. And when he did, he wasn't going to be let her get away from him, without a fight.

She might think this thing between them was temporary, but Maxx had other plans. He was, after all, a career criminal's son and he'd learned from a young age that a little blackmail could go a long way. As soon as he knew Hadley's big secret, he was going to make sure to use it again her, whether she liked it or not.

***

THE END

I hope you enjoyed this cheeky little tease. For more, you can read Courage in the Kiss, when it's released with Simply Sexy Reads later this year. The situation will have changed and the characters lives are different, but the heat and the chemistry will remain.