JENNIE

Mino's beautiful brown skin looked divine against the pale yellow shirt draped onto his muscled frame. Confidence poured out of Mino in every aspect of his life. Totally optimistic. I wish I could be more like him. I was giving it my best shot but let's just say my best shot at it sucked.

"So this Lisa is trying to get all up in you, huh? I saw how she watched you, Jennie. She never stopped looking," Mino muttered, "not that I blame her."

Mino's always been sweet like this. My go-to guy when I need a shoulder. He's nosy though. I'd tried all night to keep the conversation about his photography and gallery show, but he kept steering the talk back to Lisa.

"Yeah, well she has a way of getting the upper hand and I don't like it, Mino." I dipped my French fry—that I refuse to call a chip—into some ranch dressing and popped it in my mouth. "And thanks for making an honest woman of me tonight." I ate another fry. "I told Lisa I had plans, which was a total lie until you called."

Mino pointed a fry at me and smirked. "So that's why you nearly jumped me through my cell."

I took a swig of my Sheppy's cider, no longer hungry for the burger and fries. "Thanks for the invite, my friend." Even to my ears I sounded like a bore.

"Well why don't you go out with her? She's hot. She wants you badly. She can certainly afford to show you a good time." Mino picked up my hand and pressed his soft lips to my skin. "You need to have a little fun, luv, or some sex. Everybody needs to get some once in a while. How long's it been?"

I snatched my hand from him and took another swig of Sheppy's. "I am not talking about the last time I got laid, Mino. Boundaries much?"

He gave me a patient look. "You definitely need an orgasm, darling."

I ignored his comment. "She's just so—well I—she's—the woman is so fucking intense. Her words, the stuff she does, the raised brow, those brown eyes—" I pointed my finger at my head like a gun and pulled the trigger. "I can't think when she starts in with the commands." I noticed Mino had pushed his plate away too. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah. Let's get your sexually-frustrated vagina home. Maybe you can have a date with your vibrator and that will help."

I kicked Mino in the foot under the table.

During the cab ride to my flat I thought about last night in Lisa's car. I obviously felt comfortable enough to fall asleep. That had been a total shocker. I never did stuff like that. Ever. With my history, letting my guard down with strangers was not on the menu, especially the sleeping thing. So why had I done so with Lisa? Was it her gorgeous looks? I'd only really seen her face but I could tell she was built underneath the silk suit. The woman had the whole package working for her. Why me when she could have anyone she wanted?

"So you're booked for a studio shoot tomorrow at Lorenzo?"

"Yeah." I hugged Mino. "Thanks for the referral, honey, and the dinner. You are the best." I kissed him on the cheek. "Vaya con dios, you sexy man."

"Love it when you speak Spanish to me, baby!" Mino motioned with his hands toward his chest. "Keep it coming! I want to impress Ricardo next time he's in town."

I left Mino in the cab with a smile on his face, blowing a kiss. I headed up to my little flat that I love and adore, was in my shower in under five minutes, and in my pajamas another ten after that. I'd just put my toothbrush in the holder when my phone went off. I looked at the display. Crap. Lisa.

I hit accept and gathered the courage to speak. "Lisa…"

"I like when you say my name, so I suppose I'll forgive you for hanging up on me today." Her slow, elegant Brit voice settled over me, heightening my awareness of the promise of sex instantly.

"Sorry about that." I waited for her to say something else but she didn't. I still hadn't agreed to go out with her though and we both knew it.

Finally she asked, "So how were your plans tonight?" I could just picture that mouth of her in a firm line of annoyance.

"They were fine—good. I just got in actually…from dinner."

"And what did you order at your dinner, Jennie?"

"Why must you know, Lisa?"

"So I can learn what pleases you." And just like that she did it again! Taking my defensiveness away with a few small words and dripping of sexual innuendo as always. And making me feel like a cold bitch.

"I had a garden burger, fries, and a Sheppy's cider." I felt myself relax a little and softened my tone.

"Vegetarian?"

"Not at all. I love meat—I mean—I eat…meat…all the time." Dear lord. The brief feeling of relaxation vanished instantly and I was back to tripping over my words like a teenager.

Lisa laughed into the phone. "So a good selection of meats and Sheppy's on the menu will do it for you?"

"Hey, I never said I would go out with you." I closed my eyes.

"But you will." Her voice did something to me. Even through the phone, without sense of sight, she compelled me to want to agree just to see her again. To look at her again. To smell her again.

I groaned into the phone. "You are killing me here, Lisa."

"No," she chuckled softly, "we've already established that I'm not a serial killer, remember?"

"So you claim, Ms. Manoban, but know that if you do kill me, you'll be number one on the suspect list."

She laughed at that and the sound of her made me smile. "So you've been talking about me to your friends then?"

"Maybe I keep a secret diary and wrote about you. The cops will find it when they search my flat for clues."

"Miss Kim has quite the flair for the dramatic. Did she take acting lessons in school?"

"No. She just watched a lot of episodes of CSI."

"Okay, I am getting the whole picture now. Meat, Sheppy's and Crime Investigation Network. A nice eclectic mix you've got going for you…among other things," she said the last part very softly, the suggestion in the words hitting me directly between my legs. "So where do I collect you tomorrow after your photo shoot?"

"It's a studio shoot, so the Lorenzo Agency, tenth floor of the Shires Building."

"I'll find you, Jennie. Send me a text when you're finished and I'll be there. Goodnight." Her voice changed, sounding more abrupt.

I heard a click and then the dial tone, realizing that Lisa had ended the call this time. Payback for earlier? Maybe. But as I got into my bed and rehashed our conversation in the dark, I became conscious of the fact she'd gotten her way again. I had a date with Lisa tomorrow night, and I'd never really agreed to go.

--

I sent the text to Lisa as Kai looked through the images. I'd worked with Kai one other time and I liked him a lot. Based in Milan, he liked classic poses reminiscent of the thirties and forties.

"You are magnificent in these, bella," Kai told me with that beautiful Italian purr, "the camera is your friend."

"It was nice. Thank you, Kai."

I still had to get ready and headed for the dressing room. I tried not to fuss over my appearance but Lisa was so damned beautiful. I was just…me. I knew I had a decent figure. I kept it that way, and my body was my livelihood at the moment so I took care of myself. And I'd had plenty of attention from boys growing up. Too much attention. But I wasn't beautiful. I had long, straight, light brown hair, nothing special. My eyes were probably the most unique thing about me. The color was odd—sort of a mixture of brown, grey, blue and green. I'd never known what to put on my driver's license back home. I went with…brown.

I opened my bag and slipped off my robe. Being it was nearly summer, and I assumed tonight would be casual at the end of a work day, I'd chosen clothes that would be forgiving of the time spent in a sports duffle—flax linen drawstring pants, a black, silky sleeveless top, and black leather flats. I slung my favorite green cardigan over my shoulders and gave some attention to the rest of me. I brushed my hair out and went with a pony tail wrapped with a strand of hair around the elastic. Next, makeup, and it wouldn't take long. I rarely use much more than mascara and blush. Some lip gloss and a spray of my perfume finished me. Good to go, Jennie.

I pushed the call button at the elevators and waited. Lisa didn't say where to meet exactly and I figured the lobby would be fine. She seemed to know the city like the back of her hand.

Kai walked up and gave me a hug in farewell. He was a demonstrative guy, always hugging and kissing twice on the cheek in that Euro way that made it acceptable for him—and made the Korean me a sucker for it. I can admit to being fully charmed by the kind of courtly behavior rarely displayed in my native land.

I hugged him back and offered my cheek. Kai pressed his lips to my jaw right as the elevator doors opened and Lisa stepped out glaring, her beautiful face set in a hard line.

I stumbled back from Kai's embrace and felt Lisa's hands catch me, latching onto my waist. "Jennie, darling, here you are." Lisa drew her arms up from my waist to wrap loosely around my shoulders, effectively pulling me away from Kai and right up against the front of her body. Her perfect body. I could feel Lisa's stare on Kai and knew I needed to do something before the situation got more awkward than it already was. "Introduce us, Jennie," she said against my ear, the brush of her lips pricking my jaw and making my knees weak.

"Lisa Manoban, Kai Jongin, my—my photographer today." Shit! Did I really sound that fluttery and weak? I swear I was in deep trouble with this one. She got to me in a way I found so unnerving yet arousing at the same time; a tantalizing mixture screaming Danger! in my head.

Lisa held out her hand and offered a greeting to the tall Italian with the bemused expression at our situation. "How did my girl do today, Mr. Jongin?" Lisa drawled in her elegant voice.

Kai gave just the hint of a smile. "Jennie does her job to perfection, Ms. Manoban. Always." The elevator dinged again and Kai stuck his arm out to hold it. "Are you going down?" Kai asked, stepping inside.

"Eventually. Not just yet," Lisa answered, settling a hand on both of my upper arms and holding me firm. We faced the elevator doors about to close. Eventually? I did not miss the suggestion in that comment. The image of her beautiful black hair moving slowly on her bobbing head between my legs was more than my libido could bear at the moment.

"Bye, Kai, thank you for the booking!" I managed to sputter, lifting a hand in a wave.

"Thank you, bella, the pictures are gorgeous as usual." Kai kissed two fingers and blew them at me as the elevator doors closed on him, leaving me securely in Lisa's grip and totally alone with the one who had an erection pressed against my ass and the promise of knowing exactly how to use it.

"What are you doing!" I spat, spinning out of her hands. "What's with the my girl and the territorial behavior, Lisa?" I turned to her beautiful face very aware that I was breathing heavy and with every inhale drawing more of her delicious scent inside me.

She came at me, backing me up against the wall in the corridor. Her big body looming as she very deliberately lowered her mouth onto mine. Lisa's lips were soft, and her tongue, like velvet, met mine in an instant; stroking over every part of my mouth, tangling with my tongue, sucking my bottom lip, getting inside me deep. Pressing her big frame harder against me, I felt the solid length of her cock hit me in the belly. Lisa Manoban took control of my body and I let her.

I moaned into her kisses and buried my hands in her hair. I brought her closer, my nipples tightening to brush against her chest and she had to be fiction. Except she wasn't fiction, she was kissing me passionately in a public hallway on the tenth floor of the Shires Building in front of the Lorenzo Agency. She'd come here to find me.

She held my face on both sides so I couldn't move away from the onslaught of her tongue. I was open to her and whatever she wanted me for. My reaction to Lisa was a weakness. I'd known it all along even if only imaginary at first understanding. The real thing was devastating.

She moved a hand off my face and brought it down to rest on my neck. Her kiss slowed to soft nibbles until she pulled her lips away and I felt the cool air upon the wetness she'd left there.

"Open your eyes," she told me. I lifted them to see Lisa's face a mere inch away, her brown eyes burning hot with lust.

"I'm not your girl, Lisa."

"You were during that kiss, Jennie." Eyes flickering, she read me, and then she inhaled. I was a damp mess between my legs and I wondered if she could smell me. "You smell so good …and fucking sexy."

Sweet Jesus! Her thumb rubbed over my collarbone where her hand still rested on my neck. And I did absolutely nothing to stop her. I was enjoying the view too much. I'd tousled her hair from the mauling with my hands. She still looked gorgeous and probably did even when she crawled out of bed in the mornings. Bed. Was there a bed in our immediate future? It would take next to nothing on my part to get this person into bed. I didn't have to be a genius to know she wanted sex. The real question here was did I want it?

"Lisa." I pushed against the wall of steel that was her body and got nowhere. "Why me? Why are you acting this way?"

"Don't know. I can't stay away and I'm not acting. I tried to leave you alone but I can't do it." She feathered her other hand over my hair and down until it was resting on the other side of my neck. "I don't want to stay away from you." She rubbed slow erotic circles with her thumbs meeting at the middle of my throat. "You want me too, Jennie, I know you do."

She brought her lips against mine again and kissed softly. I could hardly stand up on my own as she conquered my body. The point was moot, I didn't need to stand. She had me braced against the wall at my back and her hips glued to my front. The elevator binged and she stepped back. I stumbled forward into her chest. She steadied me as a couple emerged and headed down the hall.

"We can't—we're in public. I don't do this sort of thing—I can't be here with you like th—"

She moved quickly. Covering my lips with a few fingers to silence me and lifting my hand up to her mouth for a kiss. "I know," she said gently. "It's all right. Don't panic."

I could only stare spellbound as she pressed her soft lips against the back of my hand.

Lisa looked at me with a measure of longing before taking the hand she'd just kissed and clasping it into one of her. She grabbed up my duffle off the floor with her free hand and drew me into the open elevator. "Dinner first and then we can talk about things."

And in a way that was becoming very familiar whenever in Lisa's presence, I accepted she'd completely taken charge again. She'd established control over everything, and had me right where she wanted.