When Lightning Strikes Ch 1 -5

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Subject: When Lightning Strikes Ch 1 -5
Posted By: OKDeanna - ezOP
Posts: 318
Posted At: (8/21/03 9:25 pm)
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When Lightning Strikes

Author: Deanna (OKDeanna)
Email: okdeanna@yahoo.com

Chapter One

"What can I get for you?"

Another life would be nice, Gwen Hotchkiss thought exhaling a small sigh as she made herself more comfortable on the black leather covered seat of what had been, only moments ago, one of three empty barstools in The Jazz Club. At least around the bar anyway. She had noticed a couple of empty tables toward the back of the room, but since she was alone she really didn't see herself occupying one. It was bad enough there was still two empty stools next to her, one on each side.

She sighed and said a silent prayer that they would remain empty for as long as she chose to stay then slowly raised her eyes and gave the bartender still waiting for her drink order an apologetic smile. "I'll have a gin and tonic."

While waiting for him to fix her drink, she allowed her eyes to slowly travel around the room. Thankfully she didn't see anyone she recognized. The last thing she needed tonight was to have someone she knew see her and automatically assume her drinking had something to do with -

Don't think about it Gwen, a small voice admonished, you came here to try and forget, remember? She let out another sigh then raised an arm and laid it along the bar while the hand of her other arm ran through her shoulder length auburn locks.

She really had no idea what had compelled her to come here tonight. She'd never been before. But when she'd gotten in her car to go for a drive and clear her head this is where she ended up. It wasn't a place she would normally go to so she figured it was a safe bet no one would think to look for her here - if they were looking for her at all.

She supposed someone would eventually realize she'd ducked out of the rehearsal dinner, but she wasn't really counting on it. Outside of her mother, no one really cared whether she was a part of -

"Here you go." The bartender replied placing the drink she ordered, along with a maroon colored napkin, in front of her. "One gin and tonic. You need anything else you just let me know."

She nodded absently then reached for the drink and slowly brought it to her lips. As the liquid cascaded down her throat, she felt someone slip onto the stool next to her, but she didn't turn to look at them for fear they would try to strike up a conversation with her.

A slow jazz song began to play out over the speakers in the club and Gwen closed her eyes letting herself get lost in the music and words. Maybe by the time the last song of the night finished she would forget all about what had brought her here tonight.

She shook her head realizing that wasn't likely to happen then lowered her drink back to the bar. She caught a glimmer of movement out of the corner of her eye and turning her head to the left, ever so slightly, she saw a strong masculine hand motioning for the bartender. His caramel colored skin was flaked with tiny dark hairs, but it was his long, tapered fingers that caught her attention. They appeared strong and she could tell by looking that they were no strangers to hard work.

She watched as he signaled the bartender for a beer then realizing she was staring she quickly turned her attention back to the drink in front of her. Had she really been staring at a man's hand? Good lord, she thought drawing in a deep breath, what was wrong with her? She came here to forget about men not get entangled with another one!

Maybe she should move. She turned her head to the right and glanced at the tables she'd seen when she first came in then gave a sigh of disappointment when she saw they too were now full. Apparently The Jazz Club was more popular than she thought. "Damn."

"Excuse me?" A soft-spoken masculine voice called out from beside her. "Did you say something?"

Gwen froze then glanced up and found herself staring into a pair of dark green eyes. She hadn't even realized someone was sitting on the other side of her too! She shook her head then gave a small smile. "I didn't realize I said that aloud."

The man gave her a warm smile. "I didn't hear what you said, I just thought I heard you speak."

She shrugged. "I'm surprised you can hear anything over the music. It's kind of loud."

He nodded then shifted on the barstool so that he was facing her. "Not used to it, huh?"

"Is it that obvious?" She asked her smile unconsciously widening. "Here I thought I was doing a rather good job of blending in."

"Sweetheart, I don't think you could blend in if you tried." He winked then reached out a hand and brought his beer to his lips. "So tell me, what is a gorgeous woman like you doing in a Jazz club when you don’t even like Jazz?"

That had her arching a brow. "Who said I didn't like Jazz?"

"Do you?" He asked returning her arched brow with one of his own.

She laughed lightly feeling completely at ease with the man then shook her head. "To be honest, I haven't listened to it enough to form an opinion one way or the other."

"Ah." He said his smile widening as if he'd just discovered some secret. "So let me guess. You're more into Opera than New Age? Am I right?"

She shook her head then bit her lip to keep from laughing again. "What is this twenty questions?"

"Just making conversation." He shrugged then motioned with his beer to the dance floor. "I couldn't interest you in a dance, could I?"

She swallowed hard then followed the length of his arm. Was she interested in dancing with him? She hadn't come here to meet anyone, but what could a few dances hurt? It wasn't like anything would come of it. Having made her decision, she turned back to face him and favored him with a bright smile. "I'd love to dance."

"Great!" He replied setting his beer back onto the bar as he slowly got to his feet and held out his hand. "I even promise not to step on your feet."

She laughed at that then placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her to her feet. "Good then I promise not to step on yours too."

As she moved out from around the barstool, her thigh brushed against the leg of the man sitting on the opposite side of her and the unexpected contact came with a burst of unexpected heat. She drew in a deep breath then quickly breathed out an apology and forced herself to step away from the him and the heat emanating from him.

"No problem." The man stated from behind her, his deep voice washing over her and causing her skin to tingle just beneath the surface. "Enjoy your dance."

"We will." The man who'd been sitting on the other side of her replied as he gently tugged her toward the dance floor and away from the man still sitting at the bar. As they neared the almost empty dance floor, Gwen had the strangest urge to turn around and look back at the man they'd left behind. The only reason she didn't was because of the mere strength of the temptation. If it took everything she had inside of her not to look at him, what would happen when she finally did?

* * * * *

He watched as the man pulled the woman into his arms and wondered why she was still fighting the temptation to look at him. He had absolutely no doubt that she was fighting it either. He could tell by the tense way she was holding herself, had been holding herself, since the moment he'd sat down at the bar beside her.

She probably thought he hadn't noticed her looking at him earlier, but he had. He'd felt her eyes on him the moment they'd turned toward him and they'd only glanced at his hand. He shook his head then turned back around and grabbed his beer off the bar, taking a small sip before he turned back around to watch the couple on the dance floor.

Normally he went for blonds, but there was something about this auburn haired beauty that refused to let him glance away from her for more than a moment or two. He was intrigued to find out the reason for it too. He hadn't felt a pull as strong as the one he was feeling now in a long time and he had to admit it felt pretty damn good to feel it again. He had no clue who the man currently holding her in his arms was, hell he didn't even know who she was, but he knew just by eavesdropping on the conversation they'd been having a few moments ago that they didn't know each other.

Which means the playing field is level, a voice inside his head gently reminded him. He smiled at the thought then frowned when the man pressed his hand more firmly against her back, instantly bringing her body closer to his. Okay, so maybe it wasn't exactly even, he thought reaching back behind him to set his beer on the bar before crossing his arms over his chest and watching as the man began to make his move.

A second later, he saw her pull back a bit, bringing distance back between their bodies, and he couldn't help but chuckle. Obviously she wasn't interested in the man too much and apparently he got the hint, because when the next song came on he released her and they both began to make their way back toward the bar.

He supposed he could have turned around and pretended not to have been watching them, but he'd never been too good at pretending and he was determined to be gazing back at her when she finally did manage to raise her eyes to look at him. Which apparently wasn't going to be any time soon, he thought smiling despite his disappointment that she never looked up from the floor the entire time they walked back toward the bar.

He shook his head, telling himself it was probably a good thing she was fighting whatever it was that was going on, but a second later, as her thigh once again brushed his leg, he changed his mind. He was almost as bad at denial as he was at pretending. Moving his leg slightly, so that it pressed more firmly against hers, he watched her face and waited for a sign that would let him know the pull was just as strong for her as it was for him. He didn't have to wait long because the moment he increased the pressure of their accidental touch a tiny gasp escaped her lips and he knew, even before she raised her eyes to his, that she felt the heat the same way he did.

"Have a nice dance?" He asked smiling into her forest green almond shaped eyes.

She opened her mouth as if she were going to say something then closed it again and much to his surprise she turned on her heel and walked off toward the ladies room. He furrowed his brow for a moment then he shook his head and let out a laugh. "Guess I left her speechless."

"Either that or you scared her away."

He looked up then smirked as he found the man she'd been dancing with staring down at him. "Oh I scared her alright. Just not in the way that you mean."

The man arched a brow at him then positioned himself back on the barstool he'd vacated a few minutes before. "You seem pretty sure of yourself."

He shrugged then cast a sideways glance at the man. "I got no reason not to be."

The man arched both brows at his admission, but because he didn't have any interest in continuing the conversation, he turned back around and focused his attention on the doorway the auburn haired beauty had vanished into a few moments before. She had to come out sometime, right? He smiled at the thought then stretched his long legs out in front of him and waited for her to reappear. He knew she had to eventually, he just didn't know how long it would take her to actually do it.

* * * *

Gwen walked into the ladies room, fighting to catch her breath. She didn't know what had just happened to her, but she knew who to blame for it - him. Why did he have to go and… and… and what? Talk to her? Make her look at him and loose her breath? Completely blank her mind?

She sighed then gripped the edge of the white porcelain sink in front of her and tried to block his image from her mind. It didn't work. The dusting of stubble along his jawline and upper lip was as clear in her mind as was his deep coffee colored brown eyes and caramel colored skin. He was a walking temptation and damned if her mind wasn't telling her to sin.

But she'd done enough sinning in her life to last her two lifetimes and she wasn't about to add another one to her already far too long list. She didn't care how goodlooking he was. She didn't care that he just happened to be the most gorgeous man she had ever laid eyes on. She didn't care if he had two dimples that when he smiled caused her heart to pound in her chest and her knees to weaken in their ability to hold her. She didn't even care that his eyes held a mysterious glint in them that just begged her to try and discover what was hidden behind them.

Damn, she thought raising her hands to rub them across her brow, she'd only looked into his eyes a split second before she bolted. How could she have possibly seen the mystery in them? It should have taken her a lot longer than that to…to see that deep.

She gave a frustrated groan then lowered her hands from her face and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She knew she had to go back out there, but she really didn't want to. She didn't want to face him again. God, she really wished there had been a window installed in this bathroom. If there had, she knew without a doubt she already would have used it.

"Get a grip, Gwen." She replied staring at herself in the mirror. "He's just a man. All you have to do is say no."

Only problem was she wasn't sure she would remember that word even existed when the opportunity to use it finally presented itself. She shook her head again. She should really just leave. It wasn't like she needed to be here. She'd only come to forget about -

Stop right there, Gwen, you promised yourself you wouldn't think about that tonight. She frowned then met her eyes in the mirror. Maybe going back out there wasn't the bad idea she thought it was. At least it would save her from thinking of things she really did not want to think of. Then again it might also make her think other things she really didn't want to think of.

Damn, she thought her eyelids slipping closed as she tried to block out the confused green irises of the woman in the mirror, what the hell was she going to do? If she went back out there, she knew she would forget what she wanted to, but she also knew she'd have to face the temptation he posed. She might not know his name or even where he was from, but one look into those deep coffee colored brown eyes told her all she needed to know. He had a fire burning inside of him and tonight, for whatever reason, that fire sparked her own. The only question was how they would put it out once they let it rage.

* * * * *

He wasn't quite sure what to expect when she finally made her way out of the women's restroom almost fifteen minutes after she first went in. He half expected her to walk straight out of the bar not even sparing him a glance, but he knew, even as he thought it, that she wouldn’t do it. She didn't strike him as the type that ran when things got a little too hot. No, she struck him as the type that would strike a match and make the flames burn even higher.

Their eyes locked as she began to make her way back toward the bar, and even though she was still a few feet away and the music was still playing, he could swear he heard the clink of her high heels as they slowly made their way across the dance floor to him. He didn't need to ask himself how he could hear something that should be impossible to hear. He just knew he heard it.

She stopped in front of him and he could tell by the look in her eyes that she was done trying to pretend whatever was going on wasn't really going on. She was giving in and now it was his turn to figure out if he was going to follow her lead or walk away.

It didn't take him long to make his decision. Hell, he'd made it even before she'd walked into the bathroom. There was absolutely no way he was going to walk away. Something told him he wouldn't be able to even if he tried. He slowly brought his feet in closer to the barstool and stood, automatically holding out his right hand, palm side up. He didn't have to tell her what he wanted. He could see in her eyes that she already knew.

He waited patiently for her to make a decision regarding his question, allowing her the time to be sure of what they both knew was bound to happen once skin met skin, and when she took a deep breath and slowly reached out her hand to place it inside his, he closed his fingers around hers and gave a small nod.

The match had been lit.

Chapter Two

Gwen closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, trying to fight the strong-willed current of emotions racing through her veins. But as he slowly began to pull her into his arms and the tantalizing aroma of soap and man drifted to her nostrils, she knew the fight was futile. There was just something about him that disarmed every single defense mechanism she thought she'd ever need and until she found a new one - one that actually worked - she was completely helpless to the feelings swimming within her.

He brought their joined hands up to rest against his chest while his other hand moved to the base of her spine and with the slightest amount of pressure, he managed to bring their bodies closer, until less than a quarter of an inch separated them. The man she'd danced with earlier had performed a similar maneuver, but it certainly didn't cause the effect on her that this man's did. Even through their thin layers of clothing she could feel the heat radiating off his caramel colored skin and her body was begging her to seek its warmth.

She sighed and told herself it was crazy to allow such a powerful attraction to flourish, but instead of pulling away from him like she knew she should, she burrowed closer, her cheek coming to rest along side his. The light stubble along his jaw scratched at her sensitized skin and the pool of heat that had been gathering in her stomach since their first accidental touch slipped lower, making her all too aware of just how powerful her attraction to him was.

The hand that held hers to his chest loosened and without realizing it, she turned her hand so that her palm flattened out against his chest. The moment she felt the tightly coiled muscles underneath the thin black cotton T-shirt he wore, a surprised gasp escaped her lips. She had known he was muscular. She could tell that just by looking at him. But the raw strength she felt beneath her hand was more than she expected and it affected her far more than she would have thought possible.

She pulled her cheek away from his and slowly tilted her head back so she could look at him. It only took one look into his smoldering brown eyes to know that she was in way over her head. She swallowed hard and searched her brain for something to say, but then he smiled and she quickly realized that intelligible speech was beyond her current capabilities.

She drew in a deep breath as her eyes continued to remain locked with his then, as he began to speak, she said a silent prayer she'd somehow find the words to join him in conversation.

"So," He replied, his face breaking out into a heartstopping grin. "How long is it going to take before you'll take pity on me and tell me your name?"

"M…my name?" She asked her brain still too cluttered with thought to think coherently.

He nodded and she found herself mesmerized by the amused smirk dancing across his full lips. "I know you have to have one. So tell me, what'll it take to get you to share it with me?"

She opened her mouth intent to say something flippant, but quickly closed it when her voice came out as a tiny, unintelligible squeak. She felt her face heat with embarrassment, but rather than let it fester, she merely cleared her throat and answered him. "My name is Gwendolyn."

Her eyes widened at the name the crossed her lips and she quickly corrected herself. "But I go by Gwen. I mean everyone calls me Gwen."

"Gwen." He repeated softly, his eyes slowly traveling over her face as if the thought he might be tested over it later. When he was done, he smiled and the appreciation in his eyes as well as his sweetly whispered words told her he liked what he saw. "A beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

She reddened at the compliment and would have looked away had the serious look in his eyes not held her captive. "Don't tell me I'm the first man to ever tell you how beautiful you are?"

Her blush deepened further at his words and this time she did look away. It was too hard for her to think when he was staring at her with those deep brown eyes of his. She shook her head to clear it of the fog once again beginning to cloud it then decided to change the subject. "You still haven't told me your name, you know?"

Her eyes swung back to his as she waited for him to answer and when he leaned in closer, his lips just a fraction of an inch away from her left ear, she found herself drawing in yet another deep breath. "That's because you didn't ask me."

Her eyes fell shut as his hot breath hit her left ear, but a moment later, they shot back open and she pulled back to voice the question she told herself she really shouldn't ask. "What's your name?"

His arm tightened around her waist, bringing her body even closer against his, and as she stared into his eyes, his voice lowered to a tone barely above a whisper. "It's Antonio. But you can call me Tony."

She swallowed hard as he leaned forward to rest his cheek against hers and an intense burst of heat shot through her bloodstream. Slowly, very slowly she dragged air into her lungs, but she lost it a second later when his lips met with the sensitive skin underneath her left ear. "Mmm, sweet."

She felt the rasp of his tongue as it shot out to lick the skin behind her ear and she could no more stop the moan that left her throat than she could deny she liked what he was doing. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she needed to pull away and stop this before things got out of hand, but her body had taken over her mind and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't get it under control again.

Her eyelids fell shut as the moistness of his tongue and lips met the lobe of her ear and as he softly whispered into it, she knew it was too late to walk away. "You make me hot."

He made her hot too. Hotter than she'd ever been in her life and he still hadn't kissed her, at least not on the lips anyway. As if he read her mind, he suddenly pulled back and she opened her eyes just as his lips began to descend toward hers. "Tell me to stop."

"I…I can't." At the first touch of his lips, her eyelids dropped and then…and then she was lost inside his kiss.

* * * * *

Antonio froze as his lips finally connected with the faint rosy lips of the woman in his arms and for the first time in his life, he found himself questioning the wisdom of following through on the desire for a kiss. He'd been expecting the sparks, had known they would occur since that first accidental brush of her thigh against his, but he hadn't expected to feel as if he'd been struck by lightning. He couldn't ever remember another woman's kiss causing hot white fire to shoot through his veins and the fact that it was happening now, with a woman he hadn't even known half an hour yet, startled him.

He started to pull back away from her, put some much needed distance between them, but then he felt her lips part underneath his and the temptation to taste the sweetness he knew awaited him inside proved to be stronger than he was. With a moan of defeat, he parted his own lips and slowly eased his tongue into her mouth, finding a sweetness he thought only existed in his dreams.

He tightened an arm around her waist, bringing her body even closer against his, then raised his other arm and thrust his hand into her hair, his fingers immediately curling around the silky auburn strands as he fit their mouths more fully together. She responded with a moan and the soft, sweet sound set off a burning hunger inside him, a burning hunger he was sure could only be filled by her.

He felt her hand on his chest move and before he knew it, it joined her other hand to wrap around his waist and pull him closer to her body. He knew there was no way she could miss the effect her kiss had on him, given there was absolutely no space left between their bodies, and the fact that she didn't pull away told him she was as intrigued by their reaction to one another as he was - and just as helpless.

But one of them had to pull away, he thought wanting to ignore the fact even though he knew there was no way he could. If they didn't end this passionate inferno now, the heat they were generating was going to set more than just his body on fire. It was going to send the entire town up in flames!

He reluctantly dragged his lips away from hers and raised his head, his eyes immediately popping open to look at the woman before him. A passionate flush rode high on her cheekbones, but it was the desire lurking in her beautiful green eyes that held his attention. "You didn't tell me to stop."

"I know." She whispered her eyes dropping slightly to look at his lips before rising back up to look into his. "I…I couldn't."

A satisfied smile broke out across his face. "I'm glad."

She smiled briefly before letting out a small sigh. "This is so crazy. I don't do things like this."

"Do things like what?" He asked lowering his hand from her hair to rub the knuckle of his right forefinger along the silky smooth skin of her almost bare shoulder, all the while not taking his eyes off hers. "What exactly are you doing?"

"I don't know." She breathed out, a faint smile hovering over her lips. "I just know whatever it is, is…is crazy."

The corner of his lips tilted upward as he wrapped both arms around her waist and they slowly began to sway to the music still playing over the speakers. "How can something that feels this good be crazy?"

He watched as she drew in a deep breath then sucked in one of his own as her face broke out into a dazzling smile. "You are a dangerous man. Did anyone ever tell you that?"

He shrugged a shoulder then tugged her closer, and with their lips just inches apart, he replied. "Maybe once or twice, but the real question is what you plan to do about it? Walk away? Say goodbye?" He paused briefly before continuing. "Or find out just how much fun playing with danger can be?"

Her green eyes searched his for a heartbeat before she finally took a breath and let them close. "I really must be crazy."

"If you are," he whispered, lightly brushing his lips across hers. "Then by God so am I."

* * * * *

The moment his lips covered hers again, Gwen knew without a doubt in her mind that she was in big trouble. This man knew all the right things to do to get her body to react and reacting it was. Her heart was hammering in her chest so hard she was almost positive he could hear it and her blood was roaring so loud in her ears that it drowned out every single thought she had of pulling away and ending this inferno before the flames moved higher.

She moaned as his tongue began to trace her bottom lip then whimpered when he suddenly pulled away to look into her eyes. The raw hunger she saw in his gaze should have been enough to convince her of just how dangerous he was, but it didn't. It couldn't. Because she felt the same hunger he did.

Raising her hand to rest against his chest, just over his heart, she leaned in closer and pressed her lips to his. "I don't want to walk away."

He pulled back slightly and studied her eyes and she held her breath in anticipation of what would happen next. "Are you sure?"

She nodded then slowly let her hand travel up his chest to finally work its way to the base of his neck. "I want to play."

The smile that crossed his face could only be described as sinful. "Then by all means…let's play."

Gwen let out another breath and when he stepped back and held out a hand, she once again placed her own inside it. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe giving in to the temptation surrounding them wasn't such a good idea, but it was a chance she was willing to take.

If all her dreams were to come crashing down around her tomorrow then at least tonight she'd have someone to hold her and give her the pleasure she may never feel again. At least tonight she could feel loved, even if she really wasn't.

Chapter Three

Gwen drew in a deep breath as Tony unlocked the door to his hotel room and again wondered what on earth she was doing. She wasn't the type of woman that did things like this. She didn't allow strange men to pick her up in a bar and take her back to their hotel room. Yet here she was, standing outside a hotel room door, waiting for a man she had known less than an hour to open it. She swallowed…hard.

God, what was she thinking? She couldn't do this. She couldn't -

"Honey?" His soft voice called out interrupting her thoughts and causing her to start in surprise. She had been so lost in thought she hadn't even seen him turn around. She drew in another deep breath then slowly moved her eyes to meet his. The passionate fire reflected in his deep brown gaze should have scared her, but it didn't. Neither did the challenge in his words. "Change your mind?"

God, he was hot, she thought unconsciously placing a fluttering hand against her impossibly fast churning stomach. She had certainly seen her share of goodlooking men over the years, but the one standing in front of her, with his coffee brown eyes and caramel tinted skin, not to mention his two-dimpled grin, had them all beat. But she knew it was more than just his good looks that drew her to him. No, what drew her was the electricity she could feel piercing the air around them, causing hundreds of delicious shivers to race up spine. It was also the promise of fire and more passion than she could possibly handle.

"Honey?" He asked again, this time accompanying the soft-voiced endearment by laying one of his large hands against her cheek. "It's okay if you changed your mind."

"I…I didn't. I mean I…" She smiled at the nervous crack that entered her voice then closed her eyes and tried again. "I mean I did, but..."

"But?" He questioned the unreadable tone of his voice causing her eyes to pop back open. He flashed a dimpled grin at her and her heart skipped a beat.

"But I changed it back again." She finished her heart skipping another beat as he moved closer and enveloped her into his arms.

His hand against her face moved into her hair and as he gently fingered the strands, she let out a small sigh, a sigh that caused his grin to widen into a full-fledged eat-your-heart-out smile. "Well, I'm definitely glad you changed it back again."

So was she, she thought closing her eyes as he continued to finger the strands of her hair. She never knew her hair was an erogenous zone, but then again something told her everything would be an erogenous zone where this man was concerned. From the tip of her head to the soles of her feet, she knew this man could awake something inside of her that she hadn't even been aware existed and she couldn't lie and say she wasn't looking forward to it.

* * * * *

Antonio smiled as her pale lids fell shut then unable to help himself he dropped his gaze to her rose colored lips. When her tongue shot out a second later, to moisten them, he lowered his head more than ready to taste them for himself. As his lips covered hers for the third time since they met in the bar and the familiar rush of heat shot through his body, it struck him that this woman was different from all the other woman he had known over the years. Even the passion she ignited inside of him was different.

In fact, in all his thirty years, he couldn't ever remember anything causing the intense gut level reaction that she did. He knew deep down that should worry him, but with his lips fastened against hers, he couldn't think of a single reason why.

A moan pierced the air and he couldn't be entirely sure if it had come from her or him. It didn't really matter though, because right now he felt so in tune with her it was almost like they were one and the same. That strange thought almost had him pulling away from her, but the sudden parting of her lips beckoned to him and no way could he turn down the temptation to taste that sweetness again.

He slowly swept his tongue into her mouth and the moment he tasted the warmth inside, he moaned and tightened his arms around her. He could feel her breasts pressed against his chest and the urge to feel them against his skin had him removing one arm from around her waist and blindly reaching for the door behind them. The moment he felt it open, his arm returned to wrap around her waist and he slowly backed them inside.

He felt her give a tiny start of surprise as they cleared the small step leading into the room, but the moment they reached the inside and he swung the door shut behind them, the passion between them ignited to a heartstopping fever pitch. He backed her into the door, one hand still at her waist while the other moved to cup her head at the base of her neck. He felt her give a soft moan against his lips and his groin tightened in response. A second later, as her slender hands began to pull his T-shirt out of the back of his jeans and slip up underneath to touch the bare skin of his lower back, he gave his own moan.

He removed his hand from around her waist and ran it along her side then when he reached the front edge of the turquoise silk blouse she wore, he slowly slipped his hand underneath the material. The moment the pad of his fingers brushed against the bare skin of her midriff, a low guttural growl tore from the back of his throat followed quickly by her throaty moan.

He pulled away from her then to look into her eyes and in one swift movement he pulled the shirt over her head. Less than a second later, she mimicked the movement with his own shirt and then her hand shot up to the back of his neck and she was pulling his head down to fit their mouths into a kiss hotter than any desert in all of Arizona.

Her tongue flew into his mouth to glide against his own and as they began to mimic the movement their bodies would soon make, he slowly slipped his hands up her back to unfasten the beige satin bra, covering her breasts. The moment it was free and her breasts were bared, he pulled his lips from hers and fastened them onto one swollen breast. Her response was instantaneous. Her head flew back against the door and she arched her back to give him better access so he could administer the pleasure her soft moans were crying out for.

He locked his arms around her back then used his hands to press her body closer as his tongue began to lave the area around one dusky peak. He gave the same treatment to the other breast until he finally took the tip of her breast into his mouth, lightly nipping with his teeth, before soothing the area with his tongue. His lips gently pulled at the one taut nipple and a cry of pure pleasure filled his eardrums just before her fingers knotted in his hair and pulled him back up her body to meet her in another heated kiss.

Realizing one or both of them was going to lose control fairly quickly, he pulled back out of her kiss and swung her into the cradle of his arms then turned to walk toward the bed. He reached it in two strides and as they fell onto the dusty rose bedspread, he couldn't help but think about how much fun tonight was going to be. He normally didn't enter into a sexual situation with a woman he barely knew, but there was something about this one that he couldn't help but be drawn too. It was more than just her physical beauty that drew him too, although that was certainly nice.

No, what drew him the most was the strength he could see lurking in her emerald green eyes. Even the small flashes of sadness he'd seen tonight, couldn't diminish that inner strength. He'd always been drawn to strong women. Had been since he was in high school. They were a challenge and he'd always loved a challenge. But something told him the challenge this one provided was far more than he'd ever encountered before. In fact, as her hands moved to the snap of his jeans and slowly released the button, a thought occurred to him. She could quite possibly be the one challenge he wasn't prepared to face. But then she began to ease the zipper down and the rest of his thoughts were lost in the passionate fire that blazed between them.

Chapter Four

Gwen woke to the sound of running water and as she slowly opened her eyes, some of the events of last night floating back to her, her hand flew to her mouth and a gasp escaped her throat. Had she really gone back to his hotel room? Glancing around she realized she had and the moment she realized that was the same moment she realized she had to get out of there. Fast. Before he came out of the shower and they had to face an awkward morning after.

Throwing back the covers, Gwen bolted upright, automatically lowering her bare feet to the teal blue carpet as her eyes searched the room for her discarded clothes. She found them laying on a nearby chair and furrowed her brow at the thought that he had placed them there. It seemed like such an intimate gesture yet the only thing it told her was that he wanted her gone by the time he got out of the shower and putting her clothes where she could find them was his way of saying so, which was just fine with her considering she planned to be gone by then anyway.

She took a deep breath, but just as she took a step the water shut off and knowing she probably didn't have enough time to get dressed before he stepped out of the shower and opened the door, she turned back around and pulled the white sheet from the bed. She'd barely had time to wrap it around her and secure it over her breasts before the bathroom door opened and she found herself staring into a pair of unreadable deep brown eyes. "Morning."

"Morning." She choked out, her eyes falling from his face to his bare chest to the white cotton towel riding dangerously low on his hips. She closed her eyes as she remembered running her hands over that muscular chest and feeling the raw strength beneath her fingers then flushed scarlet when she thought about what lay underneath the towel. She turned around to hide her sudden embarrassment, but the deep chuckle that escaped his lips told her she hadn't turned fast enough.

"You know it's been quite awhile since I've seen anyone turn that particular shade of red." His laugh got closer and she sucked in a sharp breath when she suddenly felt his body press up against her back, his hands raising to slowly run down the length of her arm as he leaned his head in to whisper in her ear. "I have to say it looks good on you though. Then again I can't imagine anything not looking good on you, including the sheet you are wearing now."

Her eyes popped open at the mention of the sheet. Not because he thought she looked good wearing it, but because she realized what she wasn't wearing underneath. And what he wasn't wearing underneath that towel he had around his hips. Oh god. "I -"

"You what?" He asked his fingers gently digging into the flesh on her arms as he slowly turned her around to face him. When she opened her eyes, they instantly met with his broad chest, but a well placed finger under her chin had her gaze rising to meet his almost as soon as lashes lifted. "You were saying?"

She swallowed hard then brought another patch of air into her lungs as her hand rose of its own volition to lay across one pectoral muscle, the heat of his skin causing the water droplet that fell from his forehead onto his chest to almost steam. Okay, so maybe that was her imagination making the water seem as if it were steaming, but if he could cause lightning to run through her veins then his causing water to steam was not totally out of the question. Right?

Right, her mind answered as she watched the corners of his lips tilt upward, producing two deep dimples in the sides of his cheeks and subsequently causing her heart to lurch inside her chest. The heat from his body being hot enough to cause the water droplet to steam was definitely not out of the question, especially when the sparks in his eyes produced the fire that heated his blood.

"Cat got your tongue?" He asked his eyes heating even as amusement danced inside them. "If so I think I have a remedy for that."

Something told her not to ask what that remedy was, but judging by the sinful smile that crossed his face she didn't think she really had to. "I should go. I have some place I'm supposed to be."

If she expected his smile to fall at her words, she would have been wrong. "You should."

The words were neither a statement nor a question. They were more like a temptation. A temptation to stay and play. Oh god, she was in more trouble than she first thought. "I will be late if I don't leave."

"Late for what?" He asked finally moving his finger underneath her chin and sliding his fingers through her auburn hair until they came to rest on her bare shoulder. His lips replaced where his finger had been moments before, placing a kiss underneath her chin before moving across her jaw toward her ear. "What will you be late for?"

"My wedding." She breathed out as his lips closed over the lobe of her ear. "I will be late for my wedding."

"Your what?"

He pulled back from her, his brows arched high, and the moment she registered her own words, uncontrollable laughter bubbled out from inside her. "That…that didn't come out right."

"And how was it supposed to come out?" He questioned taking a step back away from her as he crossed his arms over his chest, giving him a dominating appearance, but only making her laugh harder. He shook his head in response. "I am glad you find this so amusing, but I'm afraid I fail to see the humor in the situation. I don't make a habit of taking another man's woman to bed. You see I have this thing about sharing. It's the one thing I don't do well."

Gwen found herself smiling at that, but she kept it from showing on her face. "Shouldn't you have thought about that before you took me to bed?"

He nodded then raised a hand and ran it through his still wet jet-black hair. "Yeah, I probably should have. You just didn't strike me as a woman that would…"

"That would what?" She asked raising a brow as his voice leveled off.

"That would cheat." He replied his eyes staring at her in disappointment and also what looked to be a touch of confusion. "And you especially didn't strike me as a woman that would cheat on her fiancé the night before her wedding."

"So what type of woman did I strike you as then, Antonio? The one-nightstand type? The type of woman you could love then leave?" She shook her head. "I guess I proved you right there, huh? I mean I fell into bed with you without even asking your last name."

She watched a muscle in his jaw flex, but otherwise his face remained impassive. "So now you want to know my last name? Isn't it a little late for roll call?"

"Isn't it a little late to be worried about sleeping with an engaged woman?" She countered her own arms rising to cross underneath her breast. She wasn't exactly sure why she suddenly felt irritated with him, but she supposed it had something to do with the condescending look in his eye.

"Touché." He stated with a nod, his dark eyes hardening, contrasting with the small smile that broke out across his lips. "I guess it's a little too late for us to worry about anything now. I mean the damage has already been done. So to speak."

"So to speak." She repeated, her eyes roaming over his face. "So now our sleeping together was damage?"

"I suppose it will be to your fiancé when he finds out you spent the night before your wedding sleeping with another man."

Her brows arched high at that. "And what makes you think he will find out?"

Antonio smirked. "The love bite on your neck might be a clue."

She gasped and her hand flew to her neck. "You gave me a hickey?"

"Not intentionally, but I guess the night wanted us to remember it." He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "Well either that or it wanted to pay you back for cheating on your fiancé."

"There is no fiancé!" She snapped turning to grab her clothes off the chair before turning back around and gasping in surprise when she found him blocking her from moving.

"What do you mean there is no fiancé? You just said -"

Gwen shook her head then let out a sigh. "I know what I said, but you had me all flustered and I misspoke! It's my best friend that's getting married today. Her and my ex-fiancé, are having a double wedding and I'm one of the maids of honor."

"You are the maid of honor in a double wedding today?" He asked surprise filling his eyes. "At a double wedding where your ex-fiancé is one of the grooms?"

She nodded. "Yes and if I don't leave in the next…" She stopped talking and glanced toward the clock on the bedside table. "Ten minutes I will never have time to go home and get ready."

"Has anyone ever told you that you are insane?" He questioned with a laugh. "Because this sounds pretty damn crazy. Who on earth would expect you to participate in a double wedding where your ex-fiancé is a groom?"

"My mother." She replied with a sigh. "I am going because of my mother and if I don't get there in time to stop her there may not be a wedding at all. Well at least not a double wedding anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean if I don't get to the church on time my mother is going to turn what is supposed to be a happy occasion into world war three. I, for one, do not want to see that happen. Not anymore." She shook her head again then stepped around Antonio not bothering to wait for him to ask her what she meant. As soon as she reached the safety of the bathroom, she closed the door and leaned back against it, trying to gather her strength as well as her courage.

If she didn't get to the wedding in time to stop her mother, not only would Ethan and Theresa's wedding be ruined, but her own life would be ruined as well. Ethan would never forgive her if he found out she and her mother were the ones that sent that email to the tabloids and consequently set Theresa up to take the fall and while she would love to see Theresa pay for the lies she had told, she no longer needed to gain revenge against her.

And she was certainly no longer willing to cause Ethan more pain than she already had. Finding out he wasn't a Crane was enough. Did she really have to take away his happiness too? So what if he had taken away hers when he had chosen Theresa over her. She was strong enough now to admit it had been the right decision. She and Ethan were not right for each other. She knew that now and hopefully she would be able to convince her mother of it. Preferably before she did something stupid.

* * * * *

Calm down, Antonio, a voice warned, it's just a coincidence. No way could she be talking about what you think she is talking about. People get married all the time.

But how many get married in a double wedding, the voice asked making Antonio groan with realization that he was indeed right. There was no other possibility. Gwen would be at the wedding, be in the wedding. He swallowed hard. Which groom was her ex though? His brother? Or the man his sister was about to marry?

He shook his head. It didn't really matter which groom was her ex, although he would much prefer it to be someone he wasn't blood related to. Either way it went what happened between them last night was going to cause problems. Big problems. Especially when Gwen found out exactly who he was. He drew in a deep breath. He wasn't sure which would upset her more - his possibly being the brother of her ex fiancé or his being the brother of the woman about to marry her ex-fiancé.

Chapter Five

Grabbing the new black slacks he bought yesterday afternoon off a hanger in the closet, Antonio quickly stepped into them. Once the pants were up over his hips, his hand automatically moved toward the zipper, but he stopped himself from zipping it when he realized he still had to tuck his shirt in once he put it on. He shook his head, wondering where his head was at, then reached back into the closet and pulled his white dress shirt off the hanger.

Pushing his left arm into the sleeve, Antonio thought about the woman standing on the other side of his bathroom door. He had no clue what he was going to say to her when she finally emerged. He knew he had to tell her who he was. Who his family was. But he wasn't at all sure how to go about doing it.

God, he thought sliding his other arm into his shirtsleeve, how did his life suddenly become so damn complicated? He'd spent the last ten years trying to avoid romantic complications such as this and here he was, not even back in Harmony twenty-four hours yet, and he'd already managed to get himself into one hell of a good mess.

Without a clue as to how he was going to get back out of it, he thought with a frown as he slowly began to button his shirt.

Sure, he could just take off on his bike again and avoid the whole messy situation, but he wouldn't. He'd come home to see his brother and sister get married and that was exactly what he was going to do. He didn't care if his reappearance was likely to ruffle a few feathers and complicate a few lives - namely his own. Sticky situations and unexpected complications had been a part of his life for a long time now. No reason to think things would change just because he decided to come home.

As if.

Fastening the last button on his shirt, Antonio quickly tucked the material into the waistband of his slacks and reached for the zipper, immediately pulling it up. His hand froze at the snap above, however, because that was when the bathroom door swung open and Gwen walked out, shrinking the space of the room with every step she took. Not that she took that many. If he were to guess, he'd say she took two steps max. But that was just a guess.

"I have to go." She responded, her voice barely above a whisper, her green eyes apologetic. "I don't want to be late for the wedding."

"Yeah, " Antonio started, nervously raising a hand to rub the back of his neck. "Um, about that wedding-"

Just as he opened his mouth to tell her what he knew she needed to know, the phone on the bedside table gave a loud shrill and he groaned in realization. He'd forgotten he'd told the front desk when he checked in yesterday that he would need a wake up call this morning. He wanted to make sure he didn't oversleep and miss the wedding, but he hadn't counted on not sleeping at all.

"You should get that." Gwen said, when the phone gave another shrill. "And I should get going."

She made a move to walk past him toward the door, but he quickly reached out a hand to stop her. "Wait, don't leave yet. I…" He paused as the phone rang again then shook his head. "We need to talk first. Just give me one second. It's only the wake up call I asked for."

He let go of her arm and turned to get the phone then just as he picked it up, he heard the unmistakable sound of a door opening. He turned back around surprised and frowned when his eyes landed on the door as Gwen softly closed it behind her. "Dammit!"

"Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald?" A hesitant feminine voice asked. "You requested that we give you a wake up call?

"Yeah," He replied, a breath of frustration escaping him. "Unfortunately I did."

Antonio shook his head and quickly thanked the lady for the call then hung up and headed for his hotel room door. He knew it was probably too late to catch Gwen, but he still opened the door and looked out, hoping to do just that. He shouldn't have even bothered though, because the only thing he caught was the tail end of Gwen's car as she peeled out of the parking lot.

He wondered if she'd even looked back, but judging from the way she left, he figured looking back was the last thing on her mind. Last night in The Jazz Club he'd told himself that she wasn't the type to run away when things got a little too hot, but she'd just put a serious dent in that observation, a serious dent indeed.

Raising a hand to run it over his still unshaven face, Antonio turned and walked back inside his hotel room. He knew Gwen was probably counting on never seeing him again and he was sorry he couldn't accommodate her wishes, but there was no way he was going to miss his brother and sister's wedding day. No way at all.

* * * * *

Gwen knew she'd taken the cowards way out by leaving Antonio the way she did, but she'd only been trying to save them both some time. It wasn't like last night was going to lead anywhere anyway. It was just a one-night stand. That's all it was. That's all it could be.

But it would take her a long time to forget it. To forget him and how he'd made her feel. She knew that instinctively. She also knew that tonight, when she closed her eyes to go to sleep, his face would be the face inside her dreams. His hands would be the hands that held her close. His lips would be the lips that kissed her own and his voice would be the voice she heard whispering in her ear, "How can something that feels this good be crazy?"

She shook her head. In one night the man had managed to engrain himself so thoroughly inside her thoughts that she could call up his voice inside her head without even really thinking about it. And that worried her. They may have spent the night in each other's arms, but the only thing she knew about him was his first name. She had no idea where he was from. How long he would be in town. If he'd enjoyed last night as much as she did.

She smiled at that last thought. She knew he had. She'd seen the evidence of it this morning. If she hadn't realized she was going to be late for the wedding, she would have gotten another memory to keep her warm at night. Make that hot, she thought her cheeks flaming at the mere thought of his hands slowly, seductively stroking her naked flesh, making her feel far too much. Making her think far too little.

She wasn't looking forward to the wedding today, if it wasn't for Sheridan and their friendship, she would have skipped the entire thing, but at least when she was forced to watch Ethan and Theresa say their wedding vows, she'd have something to occupy her mind. Antonio. For that she owed him a debt of gratitude.

By now her mother probably knew she hadn't come home last night and Gwen still had no idea what she was going to tell her. If she told her the truth, that she'd spent the night in bed with a handsome stranger, her mother would hit the roof. Not because of the dangers involved in it though. No her mother would go insane about the fact that it hadn't been with Ethan. That she hadn't been trying to seduce him into calling of the wedding.

At one time that was the only thing Gwen could think about. It had even invaded her dreams at night. She'd have given anything to see Theresa as heartbroken as she'd made her, but that was before. Before she'd seen the pain in Ethan's eyes. Before she'd seen exactly what her need for revenge had done to him. She'd never forgive herself for stooping so low as to reveal Ethan's paternity in a cheesy tabloid rag they'd always avoided like the plague. And if Ethan ever found out…. Well he'd never forgive her either. In fact, she was pretty sure that Ethan's finding out would quickly make both her and her mother the town pariahs.

It didn't really matter anyway. Once Ethan and Theresa married, whatever "friendship" they'd managed to build after their disastrous breakup would be history. Theresa would see to that. Her mother might try and break them up, but it wasn't going to work. She'd seen the love in both their eyes at the rehearsal dinner last night. They shared a bond, a bond that could be dented, but would never fully break.

And she no longer wanted to break that bond. Did that mean she'd forgiven them for the pain they'd put her though? No, of course not. It would take her a long, long time to ever forgive Ethan for his betrayal and she couldn't see forgiving Theresa at all. But that didn't mean she needed to hurt them. If things didn't work out between the two of them then that was one thing, but knowingly trying to break them up because they'd broken her heart? That was something else entirely.

If she succeeded in breaking them up and getting Ethan back, she would no longer be the woman she'd always been. She'd be her mother, full of revenge and deceit. She didn't want that. She wanted to be her own woman. She wanted to be happy and Ethan wasn't the man to make that happen. Not anymore. If she were honest with herself she'd realize he hadn't been for a very long time.

Pulling into the home she shared with her mother and shutting off the engine, Gwen drew in a deep breath. She was definitely not looking forward to speaking with her mother. She was actually hoping her mother was already gone. But if she were then that meant Gwen would have to try and find her at the wedding before it began and that could be hard considering all the guests that would be milling about. If she hoped to convince her mother to drop the plan they'd both wanted to implement then she needed to do it before they ever made it to the church. It was the only shot she had at keeping the truth from destroying not only Ethan and Theresa's wedding day, but also her own life.

It was selfish she knew, but she was no longer willing to stoop to Theresa's level and scheme her way back into Ethan's life. In fact, she was pretty sure that she no longer wanted back in. After what he'd done, what woman in her right mind would want him back? He'd not only broken her heart, but he'd done it the night before their wedding. She'd be crazy to want him back and while she did question her own sanity, she wasn't insane enough to try and get back a man that didn't deserve her.

She wanted a man that once committed to a relationship wouldn't look twice at another woman. She wanted a man like -

I don't make a habit of taking another man's woman to bed. You see I have this thing about sharing. It's the one thing I don't do well.

Antonio, she thought closing her eyes as his voice began to play. He definitely wasn't the type of man that would do what Ethan had done. He was the type of man to make sure the woman in his life knew how he felt about her. How much he cherished her. Adored her.

Granted, he probably never let his relationships get to that level, but still… If he were to actually commit to a woman, she knew he'd do it with nothing less than his whole heart. He took commitment seriously. His outrage over their little misunderstand told her that. When he finally committed to a woman, it would be forever.

But getting him to the altar would take a herd of wild horses, she thought with a smile. He definitely struck her as the confirmed bachelor type. While he'd commit with his whole heart, he wasn't about to give it away easily. It would take a one-woman army to steal it away from him and even then she wasn't sure he'd actually let it go.

No, if a woman were looking to steal Antonio's heart, she'd have to do it when he wasn't looking. She'd have to sneak in under the radar and take it. Not stopping her pursuit until she had it firmly in her grasp. Gwen smiled. If she ever saw him again, she'd probably be more than a little tempted to try for it herself. But the chances of her running into Antonio again were so small they weren't even an option. If he wasn't already gone, he would be in a few days, and by then their having met would exist only in her memories - and in her dreams.

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