Seized by Seduction--A Compelling Tale of Romance, Love and Intrigue

by Brenda Jackson

  He closed his eyes again and drew in a deep breath, absorbing her scent into his nostrils. She smelled so damn good. Citrus, jasmine, roses, violets—hell, he wasn’t sure what. All he knew was that her aroma was a boner builder.

  Memories of last night washed over him, filled him with a state of contentment he hadn’t felt in a long time, if ever. What had started in his kitchen had continued here, in his godmother’s bedroom. By rights, it was his bedroom now, and he was here in bed with the sexiest woman alive.

  Quasar opened his eyes and stared at her sleeping peacefully. He fought the urge to wake her and start again what had ended with an orgasm so powerful his thighs shook remembering it. All through the night, her need had matched his own, giving, taking and then giving again. He could vividly recall when he’d knelt behind her, skin to skin, flesh to flesh, and poised in position to mate. She had tossed her hair back, glanced over her shoulder with desire shrouding her gaze and whispered, “Tómame duro o házmelo sentir duro.”

  He’d lost it and had thrust into her hard, just like she’d asked him to in Spanish. Like a jackhammer he kept driving into her hot, wet heat, pounding relentlessly. It seemed that every ounce of desire he had for her had pulsed through his engorged penis. That particular mating session had gone above and beyond his expectations.

  “You’re smiling.”

  His gaze moved over her face. “So are you,” he countered.

  “Yes,” she agreed. “Your lovemaking was off the charts, but then that phone call from Agent Riviera definitely put the icing on the cake.”

  It certainly had. According to Riviera, the agent they’d suspected of being the mole had taken the bait. He’d passed false information about Randi’s whereabouts to Levan Shaw. As they’d hoped, Shaw decided to take care of Randi himself and had shown up unaware of the setup. Determined not to give up without a fight, Shaw had opened fire, and in the exchange he’d been killed. Two FBI agents had gotten injured in the battle. Both had been treated at the hospital and released. During his interrogation last night, the mole had confessed to everything.

  “So it’s over,” Randi said.

  His smile widened. “Yes, it’s over. You no longer have to look over your shoulder. You’re safe now.” He pushed the thought out of his mind that being safe meant she no longer needed him to protect her.

  “Thanks to you, a gang war was averted and a dangerous criminal was taken out,” he added. “According to Riviera, they gave Shaw the opportunity to be taken in alive, but evidently that’s not what he wanted.”

  Randi drew in a deep breath. “You can’t give me all the credit. Agent Riviera and his men as well as Detective Sutherland, worked with me. I could not have done it without them. They believed in me, and that made my job easier.”

  Quasar frowned. “Sutherland didn’t at first. He was an ass.”

  She chuckled. “Yes, but he came around and even apologized.”

  “Yeah, and in the same damn breath he hit on you.”

  She eased closer to him and draped her arm across his shoulder. He still felt her velvety sex against his thigh, and now he could tell she was wet. Just as wet as he was hard. “Doesn’t matter. You’re the only man I want to hit on me. And hammer into me.”

  Her nails began grazing a slow, seductive path up and down his shoulder, while thoughts of hammering into her now took over his mind. They lay there staring at each other, and whenever she inhaled and exhaled, the sound of her raspy breaths made his erection thicken even more.

  She claimed she couldn’t read his mind, so he figured her thighs parted of their own accord. Just like his penis automatically slid into the wet folds of her womanhood. It was then he realized he hadn’t put on a condom. He was about to pull out of her when her next words stopped him.

  “I’m taking injections, and I’m healthy and safe.”

  He groaned at the feel of her inner muscles clamping him as he began sliding deeper inside her instead of pulling out of her. “And I’m healthy and safe, as well,” he said, beginning to move in and out of her in slow, languorous thrusts.

  “Then I guess that settles it,” she said as she began rocking her hips in perfect rhythm to his strokes.

  Before lowering his head to hers for the kiss he so desperately wanted, he whispered, “It most certainly does.” He loved the feel of being skin to skin with her in the most intimate way. “We agreed after everything was over that we would stay a few days and enjoy the beach,” he reminded her in a deep, throaty voice.

  “And enjoy each other,” she added in between moans when his thrusts became steadier and harder.

  “Yes, and enjoy each other.”

  He leaned in and captured her mouth with his.

  * * *

  THE WOMAN STARED at the television. The FBI had called a news conference to report that a man who’d been on the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list was dead. That man was Levan Shaw.

  She fought back both tears and anger, barely listening to the details the FBI director was providing about Shaw’s sinister plot to cause a gang war in order to gain control of their territory. The director also mentioned Shaw’s two attempts on the psychic’s life. The same psychic they’d brought to LA to help solve the case.

  A photo of the psychic flashed across the television screen. The director praised the psychic’s assistance as well as the hard work of his men and the LAPD.

  Already the woman was remembering a promise she’d made. A promise she intended to keep. She would succeed where Levan had failed. The psychic’s days were numbered, and she wouldn’t leave Los Angeles alive.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  RANDI GLANCED ACROSS the room at Quasar. They’d rented several movies with plans to curl up on the sofa, eat popcorn and watch a few later tonight. He was stacking the movies in the order the flicks would be seen. After much sensual coaxing, he had agreed a chick flick would be first, followed by an action thriller and then a comedy. They would keep rotating in that order until all the movies had been watched.

  The three days they’d spent here at his home in Malibu had been outrageously idyllic. More than once she’d pinched herself just to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. They would wake up each morning wrapped in each other’s arms and enjoy an early-morning walk on the beach before returning for breakfast. Then it was back to bed, and they’d wake up in time for lunch. Yesterday he had taken her to LA to purchase a swimsuit. While downtown they decided to do some sightseeing near the Fashion District.

  When they returned to Malibu, she had tossed a salad—something he’d shown her how to do—while he grilled steaks. As he tended to the meat, he’d told her about the family he still had in Cuba, some he had yet to meet. She noticed he’d said nothing about his family right here in LA. She’d shared more tidbits with him about her own family. He seemed interested in knowing about her paternal great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother from whom she’d inherited psychic powers. First, she told him about her great-great-grandmother, Minnie Farley, who was said to be clairvoyant and psychic. Her great-grandmother, Mattie Farley Dennison, was born the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter. Although she never claimed to be a psychic per se, she would admit to having the ability to read strong emotions in people.

  “Are you ready for your swim?”

  Quasar’s question returned her thoughts to the present, and she saw he’d finished arranging the movies for tonight. They usually headed for the beach early in the day while the water was still moderately warm. Although he didn’t get into the water, he would change into his swim trunks, sit by the water’s edge and watch her swim. She was hoping that one day his love for swimming would return. “Yes. I need to change into my swimsuit. I also need to call my parents back. They called when we were at the concert.”

  The concert she was referring to was a noonday musical featuring several popular R & B, jazz a
nd pop music groups performing at the Staples Center. They had gotten tickets compliments of the mayor of LA as a way to thank Randi for her assistance with LA law enforcement.

  Thirty minutes later, she and Quasar were walking on the beach while holding hands. “How’re your parents?” he asked her.

  “Fine. They’re back in the States now. Everyone is gearing up for Trey’s birthday celebration next weekend.” She was quiet a moment and then asked, “Would you like to attend with me?”

  She had no idea what his response would be. Although she thought she’d done a pretty good job with all her seduction attempts, she had no idea if they were breaking down any of his walls. So far he hadn’t given any indication that he wanted more than they were sharing now. Namely a bed. As far as she knew, when they parted company this weekend, she would go her way and he would go his.

  “I’d love to go to your brother’s birthday party with you.”

  She smiled. His words gave her hope. “Thanks.”

  “And now I’d like to invite you to go somewhere with me.”

  She lifted a brow. “Where?”

  “A wedding. Striker and Margo have set a date. It’s the fourth Saturday next month.”

  Randi’s smile widened. She knew how close he and Striker were. To ask her to attend with him meant something, didn’t it? “A June wedding. How wonderful.”

  Quasar nodded. “Yeah. He’s found true love, and I’m happy for him and wish him the best. It could not have happened to a more deserving guy.” He paused before adding, “But then, he’s never had a woman break his heart. If he had, I doubt he would be so quick to chance it again.”

  His words tore into her heart. Their time together in Malibu, all her seductive efforts, hadn’t done anything to change his mind about love. Had all her efforts only shown him the physical side of a relationship and not the emotional? Regardless of his feelings for her, she was convinced she loved him more today than she had yesterday. Her love for Quasar increased daily. Every hour, minute and second.

  When they reached the water, he plopped down to sit in the sand. “I love watching you swim,” he said, gazing up at her.

  She chuckled. “Is it that or the skimpy bikini I have on, especially when wet?”

  “I admit that it’s both.”

  She laughed. “At least you’re honest. Okay, here goes,” she said, removing her wrap and loving how he tilted up his aviator sunglasses to gaze appreciatively at her. What made her swimsuit even more special to her was that when they’d gone shopping, this was the one he selected, saying he thought it would look good on her.

  “Just remember, Randi. I am watching you.”

  She smiled. “And I hope you enjoy doing so.”

  “Trust me, I love every inch of everything I see.”

  Randi tossed her head back to laugh, and then she raced off toward the cool ocean waters. It did something to her knowing he was sitting there, watching her every move.

  She started off doing backstrokes, breaststrokes, the butterfly, sidestrokes and freestyle. From the look of admiration in his eyes, she could tell that he was impressed with her swimming skills. A short while later, she swam over to him.

  “You’re good,” he said, smiling.

  “Thanks.” Deciding to be mischievous, she splashed some ocean water on him.

  “Hey, you’re getting me wet.”

  “That’s the idea,” she said, dousing him again. “If you can’t get the man in the water, then you bring the water to the man.”

  He grabbed at her, but she was too fast and took off running along the water’s edge. “I’m going to catch you.”

  She glanced over her shoulder while laughing. “No, you’re not.”

  At least she had gotten him to move deeper into in the water, she thought, running from him. Even while walking on the beach, he had refused to wade. Thinking of that made her slow her pace, and the next thing she knew, he’d grabbed her.

  “So you want to get me wet, do you?” he asked, bringing her dripping body close to his.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck. “And why not? You get me wet all the time,” she said, smiling at him, knowing he understood her play on words.

  “Let me see if I can make you wet now,” he murmured huskily, leaning in and capturing her lips. At that moment, she forgot everything except his taste and his touch. All she could do was concentrate on how his tongue was taking over her mouth. This was the kind of kiss that could spiral her straight into ecstasy. It had happened a number of times they’d been together. He’d made her come just from his kiss.

  She wasn’t sure how long they stood in the waist-deep water, kissing like it would be their last time to do so. When he finally released her mouth, she felt rapid sensations of need infiltrate her entire body.

  Evidently he was experiencing the same sensations, because he leaned close to her lips to whisper, “Me vuelves loco.”

  He might think she was driving him crazy, but he was definitely doing the same to her. She loved him and knew she would always love him.

  “Come on. Let’s head back,” he said, draping his arm over her shoulders as they began walking.

  He stopped halfway to the house, turned and pulled her into his arms to kiss her again. She had a feeling he enjoyed devouring her mouth, kissing her with an urgency and greed that had quakes of desire rushing all through her.

  “Maybe we shouldn’t watch any movies tonight,” he suggested after breaking off the kiss and taking her hand to continue their walk toward his home.

  “Quasar! Quasar! Is that you?”

  They both turned at the sound of the feminine voice to find a blond-haired woman walking quickly toward them. The first thing Randi thought was that she was model material. Simply gorgeous. Even in the afternoon heat, there didn’t appear to be a strand of her hair out of place. Definitely not wet and limp like hers was now.

  The woman was wearing a pair of white shorts showing long, tan legs and a short blue midriff top that nearly matched the color of her eyes. She was also wearing a huge smile on her attractive face.

  When she got within a few feet of Quasar, she released a loud shriek. “It is you!”

  And then, nearly knocking Randi out of the way, the woman threw herself into Quasar’s arms.

  * * *

  QUASAR PRIED HIMSELF out of the woman’s embrace and took a step back as a smile touched his lips. “You’re getting all wet, Kendra.”

  “I don’t care. It’s so good seeing you again. It’s been years.”

  “Ten exactly,” he said. “And you look the same. Beautiful as ever.”

  “Liar, although I will accept your compliments. I heard you were back.”

  He lifted a brow. “Did you?”

  “Yes. You remember Ms. Marion who lives a couple of doors down? She mentioned that she thought she saw you on the beach.”

  “I see.” Quasar glanced at Randi, who was standing to the side. It hadn’t gone past him that Kendra was deliberately ignoring her. Typical Kendra. Some things never changed and her wanting to be the center of attention was one of them. She was beautiful but spoiled rotten to the core.

  “Randi,” he said, reaching his hand out to her. “Come here a minute, mi tesoro.”

  Randi tried keeping the look of surprise from her face when Quasar referred to her as his treasure. She took the hand he offered. “Randi, I want you to meet an old friend. Kendra Biltmore. Kendra, this is Randi Fuller.”

  As expected, she and Kendra exchanged polite pleasantries. Although Randi couldn’t get a read on the woman, she didn’t miss Kendra’s close scrutiny of her. A part of her felt immediate resentment from the woman. Why? Randi knew about Quasar’s past relationship with Lilly. Was this someone he’d conveniently not mentioned? Another old girlfriend, perhaps?

  But t
hen Randi had to admit she was doing her own scrutinizing. She’d already accepted the woman’s beauty. However, up close she noted signs of Botox. Also, she hadn’t missed the wedding ring on Kendra’s finger.

  “Randi, you look familiar. Are you from around here?” Kendra asked as she studied her features.

  Randi pasted a smile on her face. “No, I’m from Virginia.”

  “Oh.” The woman continued to stare at her, and then her eyes lit up. She said, “Wait a minute. You’re that Randi Fuller. The psychic. A photo of you has been plastered all over the television this week. You helped the FBI and LAPD catch some hideous criminal.”

  Quasar pulled Randi closer to his side while draping his arm around her shoulder. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Yes, she did.”

  “Wow. It must be kind of weird going through life doing stuff like that. Sounds pretty bizarre and creepy.”

  So Kendra thought she could jab at her that way, did she? “Weird? Bizarre? Creepy? No, it’s not really,” Randi said, forcing a smile. “In fact, I feel lucky to have been chosen to have such an extraordinary gift. Some people live their lives each day with nothing to show for it. No real purpose. I’m glad I don’t have that problem.”

  Quasar placed another kiss to her forehead. “Well said, which is why I think you’re the most terrific woman I’ve ever met.”

  “But she goes around predicting people’s futures, forecasting stuff and reading people,” Kendra accused.

  Randi laughed. “I’m not that good or else I would have won the lotto many times over. However, I do confess that on occasion, I can read some people, but not everyone. I can’t read you. Usually that’s the case when there’s too much negative energy. I’m sure with you, it must be something else.”

  Randi didn’t miss the daggered look in the woman’s eyes. “Yes, it must be something else, since I’m the most positive person you’ll ever meet.”