His to Possess
Authors: Opal Carew
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.
To Laurie.
You’re the best!
Contents
The Seduction
Jessica watched the busy traffic and streams of people passing by the window as she
took a last sip of coffee, then set the empty mug on the table. One man crossing the
street toward her caught her eye. There was something familiar about his face, but
she couldn’t get a good look at him to figure out why.
She pulled her wallet from her purse and placed her credit card on the bill the waitress
had left on a plastic tray on the table. Eating at this little restaurant a block
from her hotel had definitely been a good idea. The food here was much cheaper than
at the hotel restaurant and this trip to Philadelphia was already straining her budget.
Coming here for the big career fair was worth the risk, though.
The waitress came by and picked up her card. As Jessica waited for her to return,
she continued watching the men and women rushing by in business attire, trying to
catch sight of the man again.
Self-consciously, she reached behind her head and checked her hair, which was coiled
and held up with a clip. She didn’t usually wear her long, black hair up, but she
felt it looked more professional this way. The same with her smart charcoal gray suit
and white blouse. Not her usual attire, since the environment at her cousin Sally’s
company, where Jessica had last worked, had been pretty casual and everyone who worked
there normally wore jeans to the office. Thank heavens for credit cards.
She glanced at her watch, and her stomach churned. She had to get going. The waitress
returned with her card and Jessica signed the slip and tucked the receipt into her
wallet. As she slipped on her coat, she noticed the man again, this time buying a
newspaper from a newsstand just outside. She froze when she realized why this man
had drawn her attention.
It was Storm.
This man, in his expensive-looking, tailored suit, his dark hair in a short and stylish
cut, was the opposite of the Storm she knew. Her Storm had spiky hair and was typically
in comfortable jeans and a skin-tight tank top that showed off his muscles and tattoos,
with a black leather jacket at the ready for when he hopped on his big, sleek Harley.
He was a guitarist in her brother’s rock band, and he wouldn’t be caught dead in business
attire.
She watched this suited man as he tucked the paper under his arm and started walking
down the street. That was definitely Storm’s face. She gathered her purse and briefcase
from the chair beside her and stood up. What was Storm doing here? And dressed like
that?
She hadn’t seen him in over a month. Not since the night he’d walked out on her.
Everything had been so good between them before that. Her heartbeat sped up at the
memory. It had been better than good. All the women in town had been gaga over him,
but he’d only had eyes for her. Hot, incredibly sexy eyes. She almost giggled at the
memory. He was so tall, sexy, and macho. He could have had any woman he wanted, but
he’d chosen her. He’d always made her melt inside every time he looked at her with
that bad boy smile, and those smoldering, love-filled eyes.
At least, she’d thought it had been love, but clearly she’d been wrong. He’d up and
left her life as abruptly as he’d entered it six months earlier, leaving her heartbroken
and lonely.
She strolled to the door of the restaurant and stepped outside into the cool air.
The sky was overcast and she hoped the rain would hold off until she was inside the
career fair.
She noticed Storm was now in the crowd of people waiting at the light on the next
block. The light turned green and he crossed.
Why was he here in Philadelphia?
Was it possible he’d come here looking for her? Maybe her mom had told him she was
here and he’d come looking for her to tell her he couldn’t live without her.
But surely Mom wouldn’t do that.
It was a far-fetched thought anyway, because right now he and the band should be traveling
through California. But she couldn’t think of any other reason why Storm would be
in Philadelphia. And he
was
walking in the direction of her hotel.
Her heart swelled at the thought that he still loved her. She longed to be in his
arms again. His hard, muscular body pressed tight to hers. His big, strong arms around
her.
Oh, God, she’d missed him. Dreamt of him night after night, waking up quivering with
need.
She glanced at her watch. She could grab a cab to the career fair, which would get
her there fairly quickly. That way, a short detour shouldn’t make her late. She hurried
across the street after him. He turned into a Starbucks. Perfect. She could go in
and just casually run into him. No biggie. Just two old friends happening across each
other in a new city.
She opened the door and hurried inside, then glanced around and saw him at the counter
placing his order.
Her heart fluttered. She knew that if he turned and gave her that heart-melting smile
of his, then told her he wanted her back, she’d throw herself into his arms and kiss
him like crazy. Then she would probably drag him back to her hotel room.
A smile curled her lips. Why kid herself? If he was here to win her back—and why else
would he be here?—she would welcome him with open arms.
She drew back her shoulders and marched toward him.
“Storm,” she said as casually as she could manage.
He poured cream into his coffee, then opened a sugar packet, totally ignoring her.
She stepped closer. “Storm.”
He glanced toward her and her heart stopped.
Oh, God, that’s not Storm.
Her cheeks heated as she stared at the complete stranger.
A stranger who was every bit as handsome as Storm. Electricity sizzled through her
as his piercing blue eyes locked on her. Those eyes were darker than Storm’s, but
with the same navy ring around the rim. And his dark brown hair, though cut much shorter
than Storm’s, was the same glossy texture and color. In fact, their features were
strikingly similar, which was why she’d mistaken this man for Storm in the first place.
His eyebrows arched. “Excuse me?” he said, in a deep masculine voice.
“Oh, um…” She drew in a shaky breath. “I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else.”
He smiled. “Are you meeting this someone here?”
“Oh, no. I’m from out of town and I thought … you just look like someone I know.”
“So you were hoping for a friendly face.”
The warmth in his eyes, lit up by that debonair smile of his, stirred something deep
inside her. She imagined this man asking her to join him for coffee, then them talking …
and him inviting her to dinner, and that leading to …
She swallowed. “Um, I just wanted to say hello. I mean, to Storm. Not you.” Oh, damn,
now she sounded rude.
Her heart thumped loudly in her chest and all she could think of was getting out of
here. Away from this man’s speculative gaze.
This sexy, drop-dead gorgeous man.
“Would you like to join me for a coffee?” he asked.
Panic welled up in her as she realized she was actually considering accepting. Did
she really want this stranger to pick her up?
She glanced at her watch. “Sorry, I have to be somewhere. Um … good-bye.” With that
she turned and raced out of the shop, her face still burning.
* * *
Dane watched the lovely woman scurry out the door as if she were escaping a predator.
Lightning flashed outside and what had started as a light rain now streamed down the
window panes. He liked to walk to the office in the morning, but he drew the line
at getting soaked. He picked up his coffee and sat down at one of the tables, then
pulled out his cell phone. Outside he could see the lovely stranger trying to hail
a cab. He smiled as he watched her timid attempts. Not even stepping off the sidewalk
and making a pitiful little hand gesture toward the street. She’d never get a cab
that way.
* * *
Jessica stuck out her hand as a cab drove past, but it didn’t stop. Being from a small
town, she wasn’t used to hailing cabs, but she’d watched others doing it and it seemed
simple enough. Most of the cabs that had driven by over the past few minutes had their
top lights off, indicating they were unavailable. This one had its light on, but there
were passengers inside, so maybe the driver had forgotten to turn it off. She tried
to hail another, but it stopped for someone a little farther down the street. After
several more failed attempts, she started to feel invisible.
The rain, which had begun as a drizzle, started coming down harder. Why hadn’t she
thought to bring an umbrella? Water streamed down her hair.
She tried for another cab, and was pleased to see it pull up, but then a couple pushed
past her and hopped inside. She stared at them, her mouth agape at their rudeness.
A black limousine pulled up and the back window glided down.
“Would you like a lift?” asked a familiar male voice. It was the man from the Starbucks.
Should she just climb into a limo with a stranger?
Water dribbled down her forehead and she wiped it away.
“Yes, thank you.”
* * *
Jessica settled into the leather seat beside the stranger who looked so much like
Storm. The limo pulled smoothly into traffic.
“Where are you heading?” he asked.
She pulled the address from her purse and handed it to him.
“Jeff, we’ll be dropping the lady at the DoubleTree on Broad Street.”
“Yes, sir,” the chauffeur said, then closed the smoked glass partition.
This man must be pretty rich with his expensive suit and a chauffeur driving him around.
The thought intimidated her a little.
She shifted in the seat, aware that she was dripping water all over the buttery leather
seats.
“Thank you again. I really appreciate the ride.”
The man beside her smiled. “My pleasure. My name is Dane.”
He offered his hand and she grasped it for a handshake.
“I’m Jessica Long.”
Heat hummed through her as his fingers closed around hers, then he gently squeezed
before he let go. He was so big and masculine. Her hormones pulsed through her, tempting
her to lean in a little closer and breathe in the musky male scent of him.
He reached into a compartment beside the seat and handed her a towel. “The rain has
played havoc with your hair.”
He flipped open a mirror on one of the side panels and she could see her drooping
wet hair.
“Oh, no. I look awful.”
He smiled. “I wouldn’t say that.”
She pulled the clip from the back of her head and her hair tumbled over her shoulders.
She towel dried it, then pulled a brush out of her purse and ran it through her long,
and now only slightly damp, tresses.
“Your hair looks lovely like that.”
She glanced at his smiling face and her insides quivered at the heat in his eyes.
“Um … thanks. I think it looks more professional up, though.”
“You’re going to a business meeting, I presume.”
“A career fair, actually.” She twisted her long hair into a coil, then clipped it
up again. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror and tucked in a few loose strands.