especially since she wanted kids. She ran the timeline in her head: 2 years to date; 1 year engagement; a few years to enjoy being child free; first kid; second one 2 years later. Jesus, she’d be almost 40 before it was all said and done.
“Next!” a voice rang out.
She snapped out of her contemplation and walked up to the counter with the slip in her hand. The woman went in back and returned with a medium sized box. Natalie took the box and shook it curiously. Whatever was inside slid back and forth heavily. It sounded like a book.
She ripped the top open as she walked back to her car. She thought of the books on her wish list on Amazon. Maybe someone had seen it and bought her something as a birthday gift. She was pretty sure Amazon didn’t use FedEx though. Curiosity was getting the best of her.
She sat in the driver’s seat of her car as she reached in to pull out the book. It was a hardcover edition: In the Heat of the Moment , by Jake Steele.
Natalie frowned, looking at the cover. She turned to the description written on the back of the book.
Nick Zane is at it again. A threat to the British Parliament from the notorious terrorist organization, ONUS, leads Nick on a hunt from the streets of London to the desserts of Syria. In order to stop the deadly plot against one of America’s closest allies, Nick must join forces with the sexy Naomi Davidson of MI-6. Will Nick be able to keep his trademark cool when the danger starts getting close…or will his new partner cause him to get lost in the heat of the moment?
Natalie’s frown only deepened. Apart from the implied love interest, it certainly didn’t sound like any book she’d be interested in. She picked up the FedEx box again to read the address, thinking maybe she’d received the wrong package. Her correct name and address were on the front.
She flipped open the front cover and saw the bold handwriting in black marker.
To Natalie,
Thanks for keeping me warm that night in Tahoe.
As promised, my book.
Jake
Her mouth fell open as she read it again. She opened the back flap inside the book and saw the familiar face staring back at her. Her heart skipped a beat as vivid memories of their night came back to her. She could feel her face grow warm as the blood rushed through her body. He looked even better than she remembered.
It was a nicely done photograph of him sitting on a concrete ledge somewhere outside. His legs were spread and one elbow rested on each knee as he leaned in, hands crossed, to give a serious look to the camera with those piercing hazel-green eyes. His clothing was just as casual as his pose: a plain gray t-shirt, snug enough to show off the fact that he lifted weights, but not so snug that he looked like he was showing off; a faded pair of blue jeans and a pair of brown laced hiking boots. Ruggedly handsome.
The women looking at this photo probably got their panties wet before they even read page one.
Natalie could feel her own body responding as she looked at the photograph. She flipped back to the handwriting on the first page. Her fingers traced the black ink, remembering his touch that night in Lake Tahoe. She smiled guiltily as a shiver ran through her body.
That’s when she noticed the dedication above the writing:
This book is dedicated to Natalie, my muse, and the inspiration for Naomi.
Natalie’s face creased with confusion. She looked at the description on the back and noted that Naomi was a character in the book, a “sexy” character in the book. She wasn’t quite sure how to take that. Part of her was obviously flattered. So Jake thought she was sexy, huh?
Another part of her wondered exactly how this “Naomi” had been written. Did she even look like Natalie? Was she actually black? That would be interesting. She’d just have to dig into it and find out.
Natalie turned back to the picture of Jake in the back, with
“Next!” a voice rang out.
She snapped out of her contemplation and walked up to the counter with the slip in her hand. The woman went in back and returned with a medium sized box. Natalie took the box and shook it curiously. Whatever was inside slid back and forth heavily. It sounded like a book.
She ripped the top open as she walked back to her car. She thought of the books on her wish list on Amazon. Maybe someone had seen it and bought her something as a birthday gift. She was pretty sure Amazon didn’t use FedEx though. Curiosity was getting the best of her.
She sat in the driver’s seat of her car as she reached in to pull out the book. It was a hardcover edition: In the Heat of the Moment , by Jake Steele.
Natalie frowned, looking at the cover. She turned to the description written on the back of the book.
Nick Zane is at it again. A threat to the British Parliament from the notorious terrorist organization, ONUS, leads Nick on a hunt from the streets of London to the desserts of Syria. In order to stop the deadly plot against one of America’s closest allies, Nick must join forces with the sexy Naomi Davidson of MI-6. Will Nick be able to keep his trademark cool when the danger starts getting close…or will his new partner cause him to get lost in the heat of the moment?
Natalie’s frown only deepened. Apart from the implied love interest, it certainly didn’t sound like any book she’d be interested in. She picked up the FedEx box again to read the address, thinking maybe she’d received the wrong package. Her correct name and address were on the front.
She flipped open the front cover and saw the bold handwriting in black marker.
To Natalie,
Thanks for keeping me warm that night in Tahoe.
As promised, my book.
Jake
Her mouth fell open as she read it again. She opened the back flap inside the book and saw the familiar face staring back at her. Her heart skipped a beat as vivid memories of their night came back to her. She could feel her face grow warm as the blood rushed through her body. He looked even better than she remembered.
It was a nicely done photograph of him sitting on a concrete ledge somewhere outside. His legs were spread and one elbow rested on each knee as he leaned in, hands crossed, to give a serious look to the camera with those piercing hazel-green eyes. His clothing was just as casual as his pose: a plain gray t-shirt, snug enough to show off the fact that he lifted weights, but not so snug that he looked like he was showing off; a faded pair of blue jeans and a pair of brown laced hiking boots. Ruggedly handsome.
The women looking at this photo probably got their panties wet before they even read page one.
Natalie could feel her own body responding as she looked at the photograph. She flipped back to the handwriting on the first page. Her fingers traced the black ink, remembering his touch that night in Lake Tahoe. She smiled guiltily as a shiver ran through her body.
That’s when she noticed the dedication above the writing:
This book is dedicated to Natalie, my muse, and the inspiration for Naomi.
Natalie’s face creased with confusion. She looked at the description on the back and noted that Naomi was a character in the book, a “sexy” character in the book. She wasn’t quite sure how to take that. Part of her was obviously flattered. So Jake thought she was sexy, huh?
Another part of her wondered exactly how this “Naomi” had been written. Did she even look like Natalie? Was she actually black? That would be interesting. She’d just have to dig into it and find out.
Natalie turned back to the picture of Jake in the back, with
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