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This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

Mary Ann Reed, a housewife, is married with two sons, a granddaughter and grandson. She has worked as a private secretary at several firms. Writing is one of her passions.

Suzanne Merritt, married, with two daughters and three grandsons, works for a local school district. She also loves to write.

Both live near St. Louis, Missouri.

Josie Lopez, a young, criminal lawyer, is the illegitimate love child of an influential rancher, Jim Cantrell. When her father dies suddenly, Josie attends the funeral. She recognizes the other members of the Cantrell family, which her father has told her about throughout the years. Jace, Jacob and Eve Cantrell are all huddled together around the flower-shrouded coffin.

Jace makes his way over to Josie at the cemetery believing she's the mistress of Jim Cantrell. Hostile words fly between them and Josie leaves without telling him, her identity.

The following day the newspaper prints an article about Jim Cantrell listing his many achievements. Also, in the story, Josie's name is mentioned as his mistress. Jace makes an appearance at her apartment over the newspaper article and she winds up in his arms.

Since their first meeting Jace and Josie find they have an instant attraction for each other.Josie discovers that Jace is her step-brother and not her half-brother and she gives herself freely to him spending passionate nights in his arms, only to have her world rocked discovering he's going to marry another woman.

Her fear is that she'll wind up a mistress as her mother had been to Jim Cantrell.

There was a sense of urgency prodding her to escape Jace Cantrell, but she didn't move and continued to watch his unhurried approach.

"I thought you'd have more respect for my mother than to come here," he said, his teeth clamping down in irritation. "Why did you have to show up today?"

"I beg your pardon," Josie managed to say, swallowing hard. Confusion lined her expression as she gazed up at his hard features. "What are you talking about?"

"You may have been my father's mistress, but he's dead now. That's where it ends!" He stated sharply, not put off by her confused look.

"Mistress?" Her eyes widened in disbelief.

Had her father somehow led his other family to believe he was keeping her? It was possible that Jace Cantrell had come to his own conclusions about her identity and her father hadn't said anything.

Josie faced him boldly, giving him one of her haughtiest looks. "I'm not a child, Jace, and if my father were alive, he couldn't say one thing about what I do. That goes for you, as well."

"Oh, no," he muttered, not realizing he was reaching for her. When he grasped her rounded curves, something again went off in his head. He couldn't seem to stop himself as he pulled her straining body tightly against his. He could feel her resisting him with all her strength, but she wasn't any match as he held her effortlessly. She felt so soft and cuddly beneath his fingertips, he couldn't let her go.

She hadn't prepared herself for the possession of his mouth, covering hers with a fierceness that surprised her. His tongue pried her clamped lips apart finding its target easily. The invasion sent a warm sensation slithering down her spine, although she tried hiding her reaction. She experienced the gentle maneuvering of his lips caressing her mouth until she felt her head beginning to swim, wanting more.

Want rose swiftly in her as he tenderly stroked the thick fall of dark hair cascading along her shoulders. His hands roamed her curves, gently searching for and finding Josie's peaked breasts. The sensuous movements of his tongue again, brought on a passionate craving for more of the same. Josie found his kisses and caresses weren't appeasing her any longer. They just weren't enough to satisfy her. Pressing her warm body closer to him, she melted her curves into his hard muscled thighs.

As he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom she draped her arms around him and her fingers trailed the smooth column of his neck. Her fingertips incessantly stroked the black hair, reaching to the edge of his collar.

He placed her gently on the bed, and reached down pulling the tie of her robe. The silky garment fell away from her, revealing her supple curves to his half-lidded look. He stood looking down at her, his eyes devouring every inch of her body.

She lay watching him, wondering what he was going to do next. She didn't have to wonder long as he started undressing. It seemed he deliberately took his time in removing his clothing giving her time to study his body as he had done hers. She couldn't take her eyes off the rippling muscles flexing with every movement he made. A frenzied yearning seized her in that moment as she looked down and saw how aroused he was at just looking at her.

Street lights near her apartment, shined through her bedroom window, glowing brightly across their bodies. His bronzed coloring blended perfectly with her olive shade of skin.

Jace moved his hands slowly across her curves, finding the hidden zone of delight between her thighs. When he touched her in a light caress, she felt the juices of passion flowing from her. Reaching up, she wrapped her arms around his neck drawing his face to hers again. His lips barely touched hers before returning to her jutting mounds peaked with desire. Nibbling bites on the hardened nipples sent waves of desire escalating through Josie. His movements were tantalizing her to a fever pitch, bringing out a soft moan from her lips.

As his tongue traveled across her body, touching her navel and reaching to her warmth waiting for satisfaction, she felt the floodgates of desire opening for her. Every new spot he kissed and caressed, sent spasms of delight racing through her.

Her hands roamed his body, touching and caressing his thighs before softly stroking his male hardness. She felt a shudder race through him when she found his arousal. Her fingers traced a pattern across the lower part of his body, until moving slowly up to his waist and then his chest. She deliberately caressed the springy hair laying in mats across his solid chest, letting her fingernails dig lightly into the smooth flesh.

Josie felt his knee move between her thighs, opening her legs to gain entry into her moistness. When he entered her body, she felt as if she was on fire, and the fire raged out of control. Heat flooded through her blood stream until she felt as if she might explode with the rapturous sensations. Every stroke was sending her on a wild ride into ecstasy.

The wild passion boiled within her, mounting as he continued his skill in fulfilling her, until a final eruption quaked through her body. She shuddered violently again and again, loving the tantalizing sensation. Her heart beat madly inside her chest, and she thought for a minute that it might pop out from the hard throbbing.

Jace continued to kiss her tenderly, bringing his mouth down her body to touch the swollen nipples still peaked from desire. Slowly, her heart returned to a normal beat as they lye in each other's arms, spent and drained. Perspiration glistened across their skin, blending the salty liquid.

He lowered his head and his tongue found her breast, licking away at the wet, peaked mound. Trembling returned to her limbs as desire rose again. This time, his possession was more tender, instead of the frenzied act a short time ago. Even with the tenderness, he still found he could extract a writhing response from her.

A pent-up sigh escaped her lips when she thought of Jace. She'd tried not thinking of him, but it was impossible. His image would form in her head and there was no erasing it.

The thought of Jace brought a swift heat licking through her veins, spreading a warmth that filled her completely. Visions of them locked in each other's arms in her bedroom flowed through her memory.

Her heart started throbbing over the scenes dancing in her head. She was going to have to face Jace again and she wasn't sure whether to be casual about their lovemaking, or pretend it hadn't happened. There was no easy answer or solution for her.

When the phone rang, she picked it up and a shock raced through her hearing the voice on the other end. "Josie," Jace said her name softly. "I called to see if you needed any help in moving your things to the ranch." She couldn't utter a word, and sat with the receiver clutched tightly against her ear. "Josie, are you there?"

"Y-yes," she stammered, eventually finding her voice. "Thanks for the offer, but I've moved just about everything, except my clothing."

"Oh," he said quietly. Had she heard a disappointed sound in his tone? Why should he feel disappointed over her refusal of his help? "Are you going to be busy tonight?"

The thought of him spending most of Saturday and Sunday with Marsha brought a rise in her temper. "Yes, I have a date," she said the first thing that popped into her head.

Josie tried to keep the anger she was feeling from spilling out in her tone. How could he keep jumping from one woman to another? She wondered in astonishment. The man had no scruples.

"Is it with Wayne Jackson?" he asked, his tone changing to a gruff sound.

"You're right, it is Wayne," she answered, hating herself for agreeing with him and telling another small fib. He had given her the excuse and she jumped on it.

"What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?" He asked, changing the explosive subject.

"I'm not sure," she stalled.

Jace must have heard the reluctant sound in her tone because he didn't press her for an answer. "Maybe I'll call you later in the week," he told her.

"That would be nice," she said.

She wanted desperately to see him, although not on his terms. As long as he had Marsha waiting in the wings for him, Josie was going to keep her distance. Pride was the main factor in her decision.

As she sat staring at the phone, a lightning flash went off in her head concerning Jace Cantrell. It hit her with such a forceful impact, she felt her hands trembling with a nervous reaction. Josie now knew that she loved Jace. The startling discovery at first sent her head to dizzying heights, but as she thought about Jace's relationship with Marsha, a throbbing pain started beating away at her temples.

Why him? The question pounded through her head repeatedly. Why couldn't it have been Wayne Jackson? Wayne was such an easy person to get along with, and they shared the same interest and profession. Her life was going to be hell from now on since her discovery. Long into the night Josie's erotic dreams of Jace interrupted her sleep.

Her eyes lifted quickly to his face. There was no mistaking the slumberous look in the blue depths of his gaze watching her so intently. A passion lurked brightly, igniting the blue to a luminous shade.

Jace cupped her chin gently and slowly lowered his lips to hers. Prying softly with his tongue, he managed to invade her mouth easily. The kiss was tender and coaxing as he tried to elicit a response from her. Their shadows were silhouetted against the concrete wall from the flickering candle, drawing them together as if they were one.

Josie responded with hunger, rising from the depths of her soul. She forgot the storm for a short time as Jace ran his fingers with tantalizing strokes down her breasts to her hips.

Heat coursed through her body with lightning speed. She arched herself toward him, as an aching sensation filled her. Thoughts of her earlier promise to resist him were forgotten in those magical moments.

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