A Delicious Mistake

Copyright © 2014
by Roselyn Jewell

All Rights
Reserved

All characters in
all books are fictitious. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is
coincidental.

The scanning,
uploading, and distribution of these books via the internet or any other means
without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law and
really
bad karma
. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not
participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

Table of Contents

Chapter One: A Vivid Memory 
 

Chapter Two: Akin to a Brother

Chapter Three: Grief and the Grievous
 

Chapter Four: Ominous Times  
 

Chapter Five: Continental Crossing
 

Chapter Six: Desire Has a Will of Its Own
 

Chapter Seven: Journey to the Hills
 

Chapter Eight: What the Wind Blows In 

Chapter Nine: Innocence versus Doubt

Chapter Ten: A Life for a Life
 

Chapter One: A Vivid Memory

               
Darkness fell far too quickly on the Serengeti plains, Sarah thought. But she
had missed this endless wildness, these vast grasslands, where anything seemed
possible. Standing at her bedroom window, she stared out at the gathering
night, at the stars splashed across the sky, her mind in a whirl. How late was
it? It was Friday, she knew—a dark Friday night in Africa and a world away from
her life in England. Try as she might to think of something else,
anything
…well,
anyone
… else. But one man filled her thoughts; one thrilling, dark,
mysterious man.

Benjamin Ndlovo.

She
had known him years ago as a lanky boy with a blazing smile. She hadn’t been prepared
for the man he had become. He had dazzled her without effort, had distracted
her, and had cast a spell on her. Now she could do nothing but berate herself
for her total lack of self-control. She couldn’t trust him—she shouldn’t. Not
without proof. But she wanted him. She had that much honesty. Ever since she
had arrived back at her family’s game farm—hoping to surprise him—she’d been
drawn to him. She wanted him so bad that her skin ached with her desire. The
all-consuming power of her craving left her powerless over sultry needs she
didn’t understand.

Sarah
huffed in frustration. Turning from the window, she picked up the pocket watch
on the nightstand and scowled at the hands. It was 11:45. Almost midnight, and
yet sleep eluded her. She put down the watch and paced across her, annoyed with
herself and still bothered by that itch. She was no closer to resolving her
mission then when she had first arrived in Tanzania a week ago. All because of
Benjamin Ndlovo. Her sole purpose and reason for returning to Africa had been
to find out what had really happened the night her brother had been killed.
She’d wanted to confront Benjamin with his disgusting betrayal. Instead she’d
only glimpsed him—and then he had made himself scarce. But she couldn’t stop thinking
about him.

One
fleeting meeting, one hello and a reluctant handshake, and she had been
consumed with an irresistible appetite for the man that she had no business
having. Benjamin stood between her and the truth behind her brother’s brutal
murder. How could she even begin to bear the thought of him touching her? How
could she indulge in reckless fantasies of him claiming her, and unleashing the
raw, fiery passion she thought she had glimpsed in his eyes? A shiver ran down
the length of her spine. She shook her head and pressed cool fingers to her
temples.

This
was madness. She simply could
not
think about him—not in that way at
least. She should focus solely on seeing to it that justice was served. So far
Benjamin had managed to fool everyone, but not her, never her. Any ties he
might have had with her family in the past—and indeed he’d had profound bonds
that were now too painful to think of— no longer mattered. She must think of
Benjamin Ndlovo as the enemy. And the last thing she should be doing was to let
the enemy’s undeniable sex appeal distract her.

Still,
that was easier said than done. All she had to do was close her eyes and she
would find herself trying to imagine what he looked like under his ranger uniform,
which he habitually wore. She could visualize his formidable muscles—hinted at
beneath his clothes. Her mouth dried as she thought of unbuttoning that shirt
to reveal chocolate-colored skin that she might taste, touch, and explore.

I must be insane
,
Sarah thought, impatiently running her fingers through her hair. Wasn’t that
the phrase—mad with grief? She bunched it in a fist and pulled the length over
her shoulder, sweeping it off of her damp neck.
Ten minutes with a man who
may have killed Luke and I’m a wreck.

She
paced back across the room, her restlessness increasing and the emotions that
warred within her impossible to subdue. She glanced at her watch again and
suddenly something snapped. She’d had enough. Things had been going Benjamin’s
way for far too long. She’d be
damned
if she’d let him think he could
keep on calling the shots.

She
had tried to confront him a few days ago, but he pulled a disappearing act on
her, vanishing before sundown. He was not to be seen on the property for days after
that. Now he’d come back. She’d thought to wait until morning, but now she
couldn’t stand idle a moment longer. She knew exactly where to find him.
Quickly she changed from her nightgown into shorts and a tank top. She pulled
on her boots and grabbed a light sweater—nights could be chilly. At the last
minute, she grabbed the watch from her nightstand—the watch that had been
Luke’s. Striding out of her room, she headed out of the main house. Her boots
clomped on the wide veranda. As if controlled by an unknown force, she made her
way to the quarters at the edge of the main grounds. She made for Benjamin’s
hut. Whether he was ready to be challenged no longer concerned her—only her
fury mattered to her. Her fury, and Luke. She curled a fist around the watch
that had once belonged to her beloved brother.

At
the front of the hut, Sarah pushed open the door. The instant she marched in,
she realized her mistake. Benjamin might or might not be prepared, but
she
most definitely was not ready for this. She’d thought she could do this. But
now, staring at him, heart pounding and light headed, she could only stare at
what she had found. When the door swung open, Benjamin looked up from where he
crouched on the mud-packed floor, stoking the open fire. He wore nothing but a
burnt-orange
kikoi
tied around his waist. The flames cast an eerie light
on the angles of his face, which made him look all the more breathtakingly
beautiful. When he saw her, his face lit up. “Sarah,” he said in a welcoming
tone.

That
deep voice of his sent hot tingles all over Sarah’s skin. She hadn’t prepared
herself for his staggering beauty or the effect it had on her. He stood to his
full height, and she barely suppressed a gasp of admiration. Nothing but that
precariously low-slung wrap shielded him.

Oh, shit.

She
thought about looking away but that might seem cowardly. She focused her eyes
on that all too magnificent chest. Desire left her dizzy. She couldn’t catch
her breath and found herself left wordless and awestruck by all that glorious,
ebony skin. His untamed masculinity stirred needs within her that shamed
her…and left her longing.

“You…you…how
dare
you!” She spat out the words, picking them randomly from a long
list of complaints. She needed to end this irrational lust for the man, and the
only way she could do that was by launching straight into action
, any
action.

Benjamin
blinked. Now was not the time to notice his beautiful dark brown eyes, but she
did. He tilted his head and asked, “How dare I do what?”

“Disappear!”
Sarah shook her head. It should have been obvious. And it really should,
shouldn’t it? “I’d barely come—” She bit off the word. This was no longer home.
It hadn’t been since her father had had his stroke and they’d gone back to
England. But Luke had returned to Africa—and to his death. She had to focus on
Luke and remember she was here to uncover what had happened. “Our conversation
was anything but over, and you up and left for five days.”

Benjamin
frowned. “I had work to do. I’m sure you’ve heard by now, we’re having poaching
issues—”

She
cut him off. “Spare me.” Taking one step forward, she put all her anger into
her words. “
How...dare...you
?” But the treacherous thought echoed in her
head that what she was really saying was “
How dare you make me want you so
badly when I should hate you instead?”

She
never said it aloud, but Benjamin seemed to sense something of the emotion
behind her words. She knew her body language must have given her away—she knew
it by how his dark eyes flashed with what looked like the very same desire
burning her from the inside out. His gaze felt scorching. He stared straight at
her and seemed to see past her incoherent accusations. Mouth dry, she thought
this must be what it felt like to be one stray, imprudent gazelle that was
being contemplated by a lion. A very large lion.

She
knew then that there would be no escaping him. There was simply no way for her
to keep fighting her deepest cravings. Her insides had all but gone liquid. An
answering surge of electric desire flash across Benjamin’s handsome features.

Before
she could utter one more word, he crossed the distance between them. In two
strides he stood in front of her and seized her by the shoulders. His heat
washed over her and he silenced her with a hot, deep, mesmerizing kiss.

Some
part of her tensed to fight him and resist—but what would be the point? She
wanted this—had wanted this from the first instant she had seen him again.

Pleasure
cut through her system like a razor-sharp blade. Benjamin’s lips were as firm
and giving as she had imagined. His mouth, sensuous and perfect, fit against
hers as if their lips were matching pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. He held her, his
arms encircling her waist, his hands on her lower back and kissed her like no
other had. He was raw and yet tender, sweet and yet piercing. She went limp and
helpless in the strong embrace of this breathtaking African man.

A
little voice in her head told her she should pull away, but any words of
protest promptly died on her lips when Benjamin tugged gently at the bows that
held up her tank top. The straps unraveled effortlessly from her shoulders and
allowed the oversized tank top to slide down to the mud-compacted floor. Her
shorts quickly followed, peeled from her skin, along with the last ounce of
resistance. She stood naked and trembling, her alabaster skin in sharp, potent
contrast to Benjamin’s dark mahogany muscles. Benjamin pulled her close and
pressed her against his hard length.

She
could feel his sizzling gaze and it left her knees weak to realize just how
much he wanted her. The depth of his desire wasn’t visible in just his darkened
eyes, but pressed against her in a hot, prominent erection. Without thinking,
Sarah reached out and swept the
kikoi
away. For long moments, she stared
in awe at the sheer size and perfection of his manhood.

She
found herself suddenly fearing what was clearly about to take place just as
much as she exalted in it. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before.
She had never felt such insurgent desires pushing so fiercely against every bit
of common sense. She ached. She craved. Benjamin had barely even touched her,
and yet she was already wet with need for him. She knew she should run. She
should flee as far from her carnal needs as she could. But she could do nothing
but grant the wishes of that overpowering part of herself that begged to stay
and experience everything with this man.