PASSIONATE ENCOUNTERS (6 page)

She tried to pull the bottoms up but they were designed to
fall below the hips, revealing her bellybutton. There were yards and yards of
gold fabric but the problem was it was mostly sheer. The only thing keeping her
from being indecent was the wide band of satin covering her breasts and bottom.
Completing the outfit was a pair of gold satin slippers.

The party sounded like it was in full swing, if the noise
filtering through the door was any indication. Loud music and the roar of
laughter revealed she was missing out on a good time. She peered at herself one
last time, arranging the veil over the lower half of her face before covering
her eyes with a gold sequin mask. At least no one would be able to tell who she
was, unless they happened to recognize the tiny mole just above her bellybutton.

She laughed at the thought. There’s no way that was possible
because she wasn’t in the habit of wearing revealing clothing, including her
one-piece swimsuits.

It was now or never. She took a deep breath for courage,
swung the door open and stepped into the hallway. It was pitch-black but for
the flashing light at the end of it prompting her to go in that direction. She
followed it until she came to an open doorway, which led into the large, main
room of the community center.

For a moment she paused, and adjusted her eyes to the
darkness of the room and the blinking disco lights. It wasn’t until someone
opened the outside door that she realized all the windows had been blackened
out. It was the only time she was allowed a decent view of the room and the
occupants before everything went dark again.

It looked like there were at least a hundred ghouls and
goblins dancing about, but Emma was only looking for one costumed dancer.
Finding Amanda in the mix of so much commotion was going to be like looking for
a needle in a haystack. The party was already bordering on the wild side.
People were dancing crazily all over the place; women were running and
squealing with feigned fright while being chased throughout the room by
laughing, costumed counterparts. She quickly recognized Batman and Catwoman
racing by, followed by Tarzan and Jane.

A group was standing in line for their chance to bob for
apples while others were playing pass the orange and musical chairs. A large
orange pumpkin dangled from the ceiling, swinging wildly as a blindfolded witch
tried to knock it down with a broom. Emma began to move through the room
unhurriedly, forgetting all about her skimpy attire once her gaze fell on some
of the more outrageous costumes. Some were wearing nude body suits, making the
wearer look naked. Grinning at their boldness, she began to search for Lady
Marian.

* * *
*

Mike was at the refreshment table, leaning his hip casually
against it while enjoying a cup of laced punch when his eyes lit on the harem
dancer in the midst of the dancers on the floor. The lights on the ceiling
above caught the gold sequins lining the satin of her bodice and waistband of
her harem pants, momentarily casting an enchanting glow over the woman who made
him think of fairies and angels.

His eyes narrowed on the woman as she slowly moved through
the crowd. He sensed she was searching for someone. Probably her date because
why would a woman with a body like hers be there by herself? He was glad for a
change to see a woman who wasn’t afraid to look like a woman. The ultra-thin
types had never whetted his appetite. As she glided closer he couldn’t help
thinking that there was something vaguely familiar about her. The color of her
hair, what he could see of it, looked familiar, and the graceful way she moved.

His gaze lingered a moment on hers and the visible portion
of her face behind the veil, before falling to her cleavage and the gentle
swell of her bosom over the edge of her top.
Nice, more than a handful.
His gaze continued down to her slim waist, taking in her bellybutton before
gliding over the curve of her hips and slender legs. The sheer material of her
costume was tied at her ankles and wrists, revealing and concealing at the same
time. She had the kind of curves that demanded attention from a man and he was
no exception.

Still, something about her nagged at him. Swallowing the
rest of his drink, he reached behind him and set the empty cup on the table. He
folded his arms, and cocked his head slightly as he tried to figure out what it
was. When the mysterious beauty reached behind her to give her pants a sharp pull,
the action triggered a not-too distant memory. And that’s when Mike knew the
beauty he was ogling was Emma.

A slow grin spread across his face, as he looked her over
with newfound awareness. He would never have pegged Emma for the harem girl
type. He was glad his Zorro mask concealed his identity, hoping his silent
scrutiny would go unnoticed. Especially when she halted within a foot of him.
He didn’t have to worry because they hadn’t made eye contact yet. In fact, her
eyes were everywhere but on him. He decided to rectify that immediately.

“Looking for someone?” He could see the white of her smile
through the veil. Coupled with the direct contact of those smoky eyes, it was
enough to steal his breath away.

She had no idea how appealing she appeared to him at that
very moment, how hungry she made him. And Mike knew he was in big trouble.

Chapter 5

Emma caught her breath. She recognized Mike the second she
heard the deep timbre of his sexy voice. He made a hunky Zorro, dressed all in
black in a costume that fit his tall, powerful body like it was tailored
especially for him. She’d seen him watching her while she crossed the room, and
ignored him on purpose because she hadn’t wanted to encourage any unwelcome
attention. Now that she knew who he was, she couldn’t take her eyes off him.

He was what dreams were made of. The handsome hero disguised
in a black mask, his steely eyes doing all his talking for him as he leaned
insolently against the table with that wolfish grin. The bad boy every woman
secretly yearned for. He had to know how he affected women with his mysterious
presence. Goodness, she all but placed her hand over her pounding heart. It
took an effort to remember he was married.

She was about to step away when a dancer bumped into her backside,
causing her to fly directly into Mike’s arms.

“Oh!” she gasped, throwing her head back to meet his eyes
just as his strong hands curled around the fleshy part of her arms. He caught
her against him. Their bodies were flush, and suddenly it seemed like they were
sharing every breath, every heartbeat as they stared intently into each other’s
eyes.

Emma felt warm heat spread throughout her body, a heat that
had nothing to do with the hot disco lights glaring overhead. Time seemed to
stand still. She couldn’t pull her gaze away from his, too caught up in the
spell of the moment, feeling way too much in his strong arms, and experiencing
way too much sensation against his hard body.

She was old enough to realize the flow of heat pooling in
her pussy was the result of sharp and instant arousal. She tried to ignore the
tingling in her nipples as they tightened against his chest, and wet her lips
to issue an apology. However, the only thing that came out was a noise that
sounded very much like a purr of surrender, a sound of betrayal if she ever
heard one.

“Mike.” Her tone was breathless, revealing her emotions. She
was unable to finish, her body trembling on a sudden wave of weakness. Certain
her knees were going to give way, she struggled to put the brakes on the
obvious signs of what being in his arms did to her. “Please…” She intended to
ask him to let her go, but there was no denying the invitation she heard in her
own voice.

At that moment she felt suffocated with self-loathing
because she became that other woman.

Mike’s eyes darkened with desire; he didn’t want to let Emma
go. He’d known he was attracted to her from the start, but he wasn’t prepared
for the instant results she produced every time she touched him in some way.
Even innocently, only this was hardly innocent. He felt every inch of her. His
hands tightened around her arms, a low groan locking in his throat.

The very air around them seemed electrified. He wanted to
fuck her until neither of them could stand on their own.

He didn’t want to feel attracted to Emma, yet he was
powerless to push her away. Instead, he was acting like an adolescent
discovering what sex was all about for the first time. Hell, he was breaking
out in a sweat! Her sweet scent and softness was more than any mortal could
bear.

Glancing down was his undoing. Her lovely breasts were
crushed against him, all but spilling out of their scant covering. The breath
hissed from his lungs, lust shooting a direct path for his aching groin. He
released a low growl of denial as he felt himself turning hard, and realized he
should set her away from him at once. But she felt too damn good right where
she was. As if she belonged there.

The sensible part of his brain told Mike to distance himself
now, before things went too far. Yet he held Emma tighter. Then it occurred to
him that if he wasn’t going to turn her loose, he couldn’t very well continue
to hold her without a justifiable reason.

“Let’s dance,” he barked in a less-than-friendly tone.

Surprise registered on her face but he didn’t give her a
chance to turn him down. He dragged her onto the dance floor, and crushed her
against him as they began to sway to the music. A giggle escaped Emma almost
immediately, causing him to frown. The music blaring through the room was a
lively, upbeat tune. Not particularly to his tastes but it allowed him to keep
her nestled against him. The couples brave enough to dance to it were nothing
but a blur of activity near them, spinning around the room like tops out of
control.

“You think this is funny?” he questioned gruffly, a little
put out by her misplaced sense of humor.

An aroused man was like an angry bear. Didn’t she know that?
’Course, he wasn’t making things easier by keeping her in his arms. Maybe he
had made up his mind to get his kid raised and out of school before pursuing
personal interests, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy the foreplay. The
forbidden excitement. The rush of what could be. It didn’t have to lead
anywhere, did it?

Who am I kidding?
His good intentions were one thing,
reality another.

He gave up trying to find a place to put his hands that
didn’t end up on naked flesh, and finally settled for the curve of Emma’s hips.
She placed her hands on his shoulders naturally, drawing her body closer to
his. Before Mike realized what he was doing, his hands slowly rose to her waist
and above, halting beneath the swell of her breasts.

It was a move he was going to pay for. He tried to halt the
sudden rush rolling through his blood but it wasn’t fast enough to keep his senses
from going into overdrive.

“I wasn’t laughing over our situation. I was laughing at the
music. We’re slow dancing.”

“Emma…” He pulled back far enough to look into her eyes.
“That was five minutes ago,” he pointed out.

A low, seductive laugh escaped her. “I couldn’t talk five
minutes ago,” she admitted in a teasing tone.

It was dark but Mike could make out the flash of fire in her
eyes, before she lowered her lids and released a long sigh that echoed his feelings.

Mike thrust his cock against her. “Do you have any idea what
I want to do to you right now?”

There was panic in her eyes. “I have an idea but don’t say
it, Mike. This isn’t right.”

There was regret in her voice, and she scanned the crowd
nervously.

“Just be thankful we’re in a public place.” His hands
smoothed down to the curve of her hips, splaying out to include the rounded
slopes of her buttocks. “Or you still wouldn’t be able to talk. I want to kiss
you again, Emma. And I don’t want to stop until I’ve kissed every inch of you.”

She gasped in what he could only ascertain was shock before
pulling out of his arms and taking a step back. Mild anger and disapproval
laced her bitter words.

“I’m sorry, Mike, but I’m not in the habit of sleeping around
with married men. I, at least, have scruples.”

Before he could stop her, Emma turned and marched away.

Married man? Where the hell did that come from?
He
watched her weave through the crowd, wondering if she knew something he didn’t.
He hadn’t been married for a long time, not since Sharon had walked out four
years before and he’d filed for divorce and custody of Melissa.

Then it came back to him, that day in the dugout when
Melissa had called out to him after the game. He recalled the look in Emma’s
eyes, the hurt expression. She must have heard and drawn her own conclusion.

Maybe it was just as well. He headed back to the punch bowl.
God’s way of throwing obstacles between them so he could remain on track. One
of them had to keep a cool head, and if the trick was letting Emma believe he
was married, he’d take advantage of it. Even if it was going to cost him his
sanity when she was around.

* * *
*

How could Mike be so deceitful?
Richard’s face
flashed before Emma’s eyes, along with the memory of all the nights he’d called
to say he was working late. The weekend trips he’d taken across country in
search of new and unusual recipes to prepare in their successful restaurant.
Trips that later she’d discovered he hadn’t taken alone.
What possessed a
man to think it was okay to cheat on the woman who loved him?

She didn’t glance back but knew Mike was watching her. The
telltale sting behind her eyes warned her that she was going to cry, and the
thought angered her.
Why does he have to be so darn appealing?
When she
was in his presence, all her good sense went right out the window.
Is this
how it had been for Richard in the beginning? Had he struggled between right
and wrong before giving into the weakness?