SPARK OF DESIRE
A suspicious fire at one of his construction sites ignites an all-consuming passion when Cedric Hunter meets arson investigator Randi Nichols. A woman battling to prove herself in a male-dominated arena, Randi won’t back down from danger, even if it costs her a love that fulfills them both. And if Cedric wants to win her heart, he must be ready to risk his own.
ALL FOR YOU
Dedicated and talented surgeon Myles Jackson can always be counted on to do what is expected, like joining his father’s practice. Then he meets free-spirited painter Aria Bell, who creates her own rules for art and life. She challenges Myles to rethink everything he thought was important and pursue his passion. As this desirable, extraordinary woman becomes more than his inspiration, can Myles find the courage to live his dream?
Sheryl Lister
and
Elle Wright
Spark of Desire & All for You
Table of Contents
Spark of Desire by Sheryl Lister
All for You by Elle Wright
Excerpt from Then Came You by Kianna Alexander
Spark of Desire
Sheryl Lister
“Would you like to have dinner?”
Randi studied him intently. “Thanks for the offer, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why? Aside from the case, that is,” Cedric said as he closed the distance between them.
She instinctively took a step backward. He towered over her five-eight height by a good six inches. Aside from the case, she didn’t have a legitimate reason, except for wanting to steer clear of men for a while. “Since there is a case, nothing else matters.”
A small smile crept onto his face, and he folded his arms across his wide chest. “And if I promise we won’t talk about the case? Are there any rules against it?”
“Not that I know of, but I—”
“Think of it as my way of apologizing for being such a hard-ass. One dinner won’t get you into any trouble.”
In her estimation, dinner would only be the beginning of trouble, because Randi knew he’d be charming—like now—and she didn’t need or want charming in her life. Yet she heard herself say, “Okay, one dinner and no talk about the case.”
He unleashed a full dimpled grin that made her breath stack up in her throat. The half smile she’d seen on
the website photo didn’t come close to capturing this sexy version, one a woman would sell her soul to touch, as Iyana had pointed out. But Randi wouldn’t be selling her soul or touching. After tonight, there would be nothing between them except what pertained to the case.
Sheryl Lister is a multi-award-winning author and has enjoyed reading and writing for as long as she can remember. She is a former pediatric occupational therapist with over twenty years of experience and resides in California. Sheryl is a wife, mother of three daughters and a son-in-love, and grandmother to two special little boys. When she’s not writing, Sheryl can be found on a date with her husband or in the kitchen creating appetizers. For more information, visit her website at www.sheryllister.com.
Books by Sheryl Lister
Harlequin Kimani Romance
It’s Only You
Tender Kisses
Places in My Heart
Giving My All to You
A Touch of Love
Still Loving You
Sweet Love
Spark of Desire
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For Maia
Acknowledgments
My Heavenly Father, thank you for my life and for loving me better than I can love myself.
To my husband, Lance, you continue to show me why you’ll always be my #1 hero! I couldn’t do this without you.
To my children, family and friends, thanks for your continued support. I appreciate and love you!
A very special thank-you to my daughter Maia for her help and guidance. That forensic science degree is already paying off. Love you!
They always say to find your tribe and I’ve found mine. They know who they are. I love y’all and can’t imagine being on this journey without you. Thank you for keeping me sane!
A very special thank-you to my agent, Sarah E. Younger. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate having you in my corner.
Dear Reader,
If you’ve kept up with this series, you know that Cedric has adamantly stated his preference for remaining single. Randi has her own reasons for shying away from relationships, but the problem is love doesn’t always play by the rules. That old adage about sparks turning to flames is true in this case and it was a pleasure to watch them fall in love. What I also enjoyed about writing this story was having a heroine as a former firefighter and a current arson investigator. I hope you will, as well.
Can you believe there is just one more single Hunter? Jeremy’s time is coming...and soon.
As always, I so appreciate all your love and support. Without you, I couldn’t do this. I love hearing from you, so be sure to email and let me know your thoughts.
Much love,
Sheryl
Website: SherylLister.com
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Facebook.com/SherylListerAuthor
Twitter: Twitter.com/1Slynne
Instagram: Instagram.com/SherylLister
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
Chapter 1
“Look at all of DeAnna and Nolan’s grandbabies. All five of their children have married.”
Cedric Hunter added more ice and drinks to the three coolers and tried to drown out the sound of his mother’s voice. His aunt, uncle and most of the Gray family lived in Los Angeles but had come to Sacramento to celebrate their paternal grandmother’s eightieth birthday. The weekend turned out to be a good one with the late March temperatures running slightly warmer than normal in the low seventies.
“And Lorenzo is smitten with Desiree. Even Alisha has remarried,” she added in reference to his cousins, the adult children of his father’s twin brother. She placed her hands on her hips. “If everybody else can find someone and settle down, why can’t you and Jeremy?”
He groaned and closed the lid. He used to love family gatherings. “Mom, I’m not looking to settle down. With Dad and Uncle Russell retiring last year, I’ve been spending more time on the business. It doesn’t leave much time for socializing.” His father and uncle had come into the office one morning almost a year ago and announced to Cedric and Lorenzo that they were retiring that very day, leaving Cedric and Lorenzo to run their family-owned construction company. It was true that he’d been spending lots of hours at the office, although he still made time to play. However, marriage wasn’t on his radar. “Maybe you should be having this conversation wit
h Jeremy. He’s the romantic.”
“You’re the oldest, Cedric, and you’re not getting any younger.”
Cedric winced. “Wow, Mom. You act like I’m two years from being sent to a retirement home. I’m only thirty-six.”
“Closer to thirty-seven,” she muttered.
“Hey, Ced. Can you come help me move these tables?”
He glanced over at his brother. “Yeah. Be right there.” Cedric kissed his mother’s cheek. “If it’s meant to happen it will.” He said the words to placate her, but he had no intention of settling down. He didn’t have a problem with the idea of commitment or marriage. He just didn’t see those things for himself. He preferred a little variety in his life. Cedric crossed the yard to where his brother stood waiting.
“You looked like you needed a rescue,” Jeremy said with a laugh, grabbing one of the tables.
Cedric shook his head. “Mom has been on me nonstop since Alisha got married last month.” His younger cousin had been married previously, until her first husband left her, eight months pregnant with a two-year-old in tow. But her new husband treated her like a queen. Cedric picked up another table and they carried it a short distance, setting it near another one that held wrapped gifts at one end and an elegantly decorated cake at the other.
“Well, you’d better get moving. Do you need any help finding a potential wife?”
He shot his brother a glare. “You know what you can do with that—”
Jeremy leaned toward Cedric. “You might want to watch your mouth. Mom is standing not too far behind you and you know she hears everything.”
Cedric clamped his jaws shut, glanced over his shoulder and caught his mother’s gaze. Growing up, he’d never understood how she could hear everything they said, whether she was in the room or not. “Lucky for you.” Before he could say anything else, his cousin Lorenzo joined them.
“Need help?”
“Yeah.” Cedric nodded toward the remaining table.
Lorenzo picked it up and brought it over. “Why are you moving these?”
“I think they’re getting ready to do the cake and Mom wants all the tables close together,” Jeremy answered. “Did Ced tell you Mom’s on his case again about settling down?”
Lorenzo grinned and clapped Cedric on the shoulder. “Forty is right around the corner, so you might want to get busy.”
Cedric shrugged off the hand. “Shut up. You’re right there with me.” He and Lorenzo had been born two months apart.
Jeremy burst out laughing. “That’s what I said. It would be a shame for him to be flashing an AARP card while taking his kid to day care.”
Lorenzo joined in the laughter.
Cedric didn’t. “I’ve already stated my position, so there’s no need for me to repeat it.”
“Yeah, I know. There isn’t a woman alive that can make you change your bachelor status.” Lorenzo gestured around the yard. “Take a look at all our cousins. They all said the same thing and were adamant about remaining single. Hell, I even said it.” Lorenzo had been put off relationships for a long time after his ex-girlfriend had stolen money from him and hidden drugs in his home. “And look at me now—I wouldn’t trade what I have with Desiree for anything.”
“That’s all well and good, but I simply like being single.”
Jeremy smiled. “So do I, until I meet Mrs. Right, but I guarantee there’s going to be a woman who’ll make you change your mind.” He pulled out his wallet. “A hundred dollars says you’ll be ready to take that walk down the aisle by the end of the year. That’s roughly nine months. Care to take the bet, big brother?”
Cedric snorted. “If you want to waste your money, fine.”
“Two hundred says he’ll be a goner by summer,” Lorenzo said.
“Whatever.” Cedric pivoted on his heel and stalked off.
“Everybody, it’s time for cake,” his mother called out.
The family gathered around the tables. Cedric’s grandmother sat as regally as a queen at a table that had been decorated in her favorite colors, pink and green, to represent her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. After Cedric’s mother gave the count, the family sang happy birthday, then boisterously broke into the Stevie Wonder version, complete with dancing. Cedric watched in amusement as his grandfather helped his wife to her feet and the two joined in. “Go, Grandma!” She didn’t look a day over sixty and could still get her groove on. Once the noise died down, his mother and two aunts coordinated cutting and serving the cake and ice cream.
Cedric took his cake and sat at the table across from his cousin Morgan. She and her pro-football-player twin brother, Malcolm, were the youngest of their generation in the Gray clan. “How’s the sports agenting world?”
Morgan adjusted her toddler son on her lap. “It’s good. This one right here keeps me so busy, I’m not adding any more clients right now.” She’d left her job as an attorney for their family’s home safety company to pursue her dream.
“How many clients do you have now?” Cedric ate a bite of cake.
“Seven.” She fed Omar Jr. a piece of cake and he grabbed the fork.
Cedric chuckled. “I guess you’re not moving fast enough.” Before he could say anything else, his cell buzzed. He fished it out of his pocket and frowned, not recognizing the number. “Let me answer this, Morgan.” He connected. “Hello.”
“Hello, is this Cedric Hunter?”
“May I ask who’s calling?” Before the man on the line could answer, Cedric’s phone chimed, alerting him that an alarm had gone off at the strip mall site.
“This is Detective Brian Warner from the Sacramento Police Department, and I’m calling to let you know there’s been a fire at one of your construction sites.”
Cedric’s heart almost stopped. “Excuse me? What?” He jumped to his feet and scanned the yard for Lorenzo. He spotted him on the far side and waved him over, still listening to the detective. “Thank you. I’ll be right there.” I don’t need this right now.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s a fire at the strip mall site.”
Lorenzo’s eyes widened and he muttered a curse. “Let’s go.”
Cedric quickly explained to his father and his uncle what had happened.
Uncle Russell rose to his feet.
“We got it, Dad,” Lorenzo said. “Let everybody know and we’ll be back as soon as we can.”
Cedric and Lorenzo got into Cedric’s car and sped off. “We haven’t even started the wiring,” Cedric said. “Only the foundation and frame have been completed, so I can’t understand how a fire got started.” This would put them behind schedule, and there’d be the added cost of replacing materials, not to mention the hassle of dealing with the insurance company. They would also need to contact their client, but Cedric wanted to wait until he saw how much damage the building had sustained. He gripped the steering wheel tighter. The closer he got to the site, the more his gut began to churn. His cousin’s tight jaw let Cedric know Lorenzo was feeling the same turmoil.
When they arrived at the construction site, Cedric could only stare. They had seen the smoke several blocks away and all he could think about was the amount of time and money they’d spent going down the drain. Police cars and fire engines surrounded the area and he had to park halfway down the block. The flames looked to be under control but almost a third of the building lay charred. It wasn’t until he felt the tightness in his chest that he realized he’d been holding his breath.
“I can’t believe this,” Lorenzo muttered. “Who could’ve done this, and why?”
Cedric had no idea, but he knew it hadn’t been an accident. “I wonder if some punk-ass kids were out here playing stupid games.” Along with the acrid smell of smoke, he detected the unmistakable scent of gasoline. He and Lorenzo started toward the site but were stopped by a police officer.
“I’m going to
need you to stay back.”
“My name is Cedric Hunter and this is my cousin Lorenzo Hunter. This is our site. A Detective Warner called me.”
The man nodded. “Wait right here and I’ll get him.”
Cedric scrubbed a hand down his face. “I don’t even want to think about what Preston is going to say.” Preston Davies was a millionaire real estate developer who owned several commercial buildings.
Lorenzo nodded in agreement. “He’s not going to be happy. I just hope it doesn’t take them too long to release the site. The quicker we can get this cleaned up, the better off we’ll be.”
Cedric glanced over at the half-burned building again and sighed. How had they gotten in? A metal fence surrounded the property.
“Mr. Hunter?”
Cedric and Lorenzo turned at the sound of a man’s voice. “Yes,” they both answered.
The man divided a glance between the two. “Which one of you is Cedric Hunter?”
“I am.” Cedric stuck out his hand.
“I’m Detective Warner,” the man said, shaking the proffered hand.
“Can you tell me what happened? Who did this?”
“We don’t know. We’ve canvassed the neighborhood, but so far no one has seen anything. Have you had any problems on the site recently?”
“None.”
“Any disgruntled employees?”
“No. You think someone working for us did this?”
“I’m just covering all the bases.” The detective asked several more questions. “It looks like whoever did this cut through the fence over there.” He pointed.
That answered the how question, but still not the who. “Any idea how long it’ll be before we can start cleaning up after they put out the fire? This is going to set us back and I’d like to avoid further delay.”
“You’ll have to take that up with the fire investigator.”
“Any way I can talk to him now?”
A slight smile tilted the corner of Detective Warner’s mouth. “I’ll see what I can find out from Randi.”
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