Chapter One (29 page)

Jack closed his briefcase and clicked off the light on his He knew they were flirting, noticed the way her gaze desk at his home office, then rubbed his tired eyes. What a lingered on him when she thought he wasn’t looking. But a guy goddamn long day. He glanced at the clock and rolled his eyes.

couldn’t miss a beautiful woman watching him. If he hadn’t been so damned busy these past few months he’d have asked 134

Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

her out sooner. She even moved outside the counter sometimes when he took the time to sit at one of the tables and read the paper before he headed into the office. She’d clean the tables and pick up a few things, giving him a chance to watch her.

She made his dick hard, with her curvy body and sweet, rounded ass. Even in her loose fitting coffee shop uniform he could tell she had a body he wanted to get his hands on. A real body, not the waify, ghostly women that frequented his normal social circles. Callie was all woman and he wanted her in the worst way. He just needed to take that first step by asking her out, like today by mentioning the invitation to the pool.

Actually, he still hadn’t asked her out. He’d tossed his business card and phone number at her as if he’d expected her to do the calling.

“Dumb ass,” he whispered to himself. “Should have asked for her number. Some gentleman you are.”

He wanted her. Wanted to see her outside the coffee shop. He needed a life besides working fifteen hours a day. It was time to redirect some of his projects to the associates and work on his social life.

It was time to go after Callie.

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Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

Callie grasped Blair’s hand and squeezed. “I’m glad.

You deserve this.”

“Thank you. So do you. Which brings up the topic of our luncheon today.”

Callie swallowed. “Uh oh. It’s my turn, isn’t it?”

Abby grinned. “Yep. Sure is.”

“Okay, ladies, what have you got for me?” Callie leaned back in the chair, not sure whether she was eager or

“Engaged! Oh, my God, Blair!” Callie leapt from the terrified. Since she didn’t date and hadn’t since Bobby died, sofa and threw her arms around her friend.

she had no idea who Blair and Abby had chosen for her.

“I can’t believe it!” Abby said, doing the same.

Maybe they wouldn’t be able to find a guy for her at all, and They enveloped Blair in a huge group hug.

she’d escape having to fulfill her part of the bet.

“It’s true,” Blair said, blinking back tears and laughing.

Yeah, right. Like her two friends would let that happen.

“I can hardly believe it myself, but Rand and I are getting No way would she get out of her sex-filled weekend. They’d married.”

find someone for her, of that she was certain.

After the squealing celebration, they settled back in the

“Blair has a great idea,” Abby said, pulling her knees living room at Callie’s house and Blair filled them in on the up to her chest and grinning.

details of what transpired between her and Rand. By the time

“Uh oh. Am I going to like this?”

she was finished, Callie had tears in her eyes.

“Probably not,” Blair said, examining one of her

“That man really loves you, Blair. I think he always perfectly manicured nails. “But you’re going to do it anyway.”

has.”

Callie sighed. “Okay, hit me with it. Who’s the guy?”

Blair grinned. “Yeah, he does. And I love him too. God,

“Jack Fellows.”

it’s so incredible to be able to say that about someone. For the Callie’s blood went cold. “No.”

first time in my life, I’m in love.”

Blair’s lips curled in a wicked smile. “Oh, yes.”

“Took you long enough,” Abby said.

“I don’t even know him.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m a little stubborn.”

“Sure you do. Blair says he’s a regular at the coffee Callie laughed. “A little?”

shop.”

“Okay, a lot. But that’s in the past now. Rand and I are

“For coffee, not for me.” Callie gripped the arms of the moving forward at a fast clip and making up for all the years of chair. “I honestly don’t know much about him.”

lost time.”

“Well, I do,” Blair said. “I took the liberty of doing a little investigating. He works at Walters and Little, one of the 136

Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

biggest law firms in Silverwood. He’s a partner and very close his part. He did seem to flirt with her a lot, but she thought he to making senior partner. A real go getter and hasn’t lost a case was just being nice. Jack was rich, successful, a powerful man yet. He bought a house last year at Silverwood Lakes, is a in the community. What would he want with her?

member of the club and on the board of directors.”

“Well?” Blair asked.

“Do you know what color underwear he wears? Boxers Callie shrugged.
Why not?
“I’ll go. We’ll see what or briefs?” Callie asked. “God, Blair, what don’t you know happens. I don’t think he’ll even give me the time of day, about him?”

especially at the club and at an event like that. The socialites

“Not sure on the underwear, but given enough time and will be hanging on him in droves.”

a little skulking, bet I could find out.” Blair grinned.

Abby laughed. “Those skinny little bitches have

“You know Blair,” Abby said, rolling her eyes at Callie.

nothing on you, honey. With that body and your sultry, exotic

“She knows how to get information.”

looks, you’ll stand out like Cinderella at the ball. One look at

“I’ll say.” Callie had to admit, she was impressed with you and no other woman will exist in Jack’s eyes.”

what Blair managed to find out about Jack. She was also a little

“Abby’s right,” Blair said. “Especially after we take embarrassed that Blair had gone digging. It was like an you shopping for a new dress, new shoes, get your hair and invasion of privacy.

makeup done, ooh la la. His dick will be hard and pointing

“It’s all public record, if you’re worried,” Blair said.

straight at you.”

“He’s written up in the society section of the paper a lot.”

Callie couldn’t help it. She laughed at the thought. “Uh,

“Oh.” That, at least, made her feel a little better about huh. We’ll see, ladies, we’ll see.”

what she’d discovered.

But she did like the idea of looking attractive for Jack,

“Now, for this weekend, the country club is sponsoring of thinking she might be able to catch his eye outside the coffee a benefit dinner and dance for the new hospital. Since Jack’s on shop. Maybe he wouldn’t even recognize her without her the board, he’ll be there. And so will you.”

uniform and apron. She smiled at the thought of dusty, dirt-

“Me? I don’t go to the country club.”

smudged Cinderella being transformed for the ball.

“This weekend you will. Seth got us all tickets,” Abby Oh, sure. Like that was going to happen. She might said.

wear a dress and wear her hair up, but she’d still be the same Callie looked at Abby and Blair, not sure what to say.

old Callie. And if he didn’t take the bait, it wasn’t her fault, Jack? She was supposed to fuck Jack? How would she even right? She wouldn’t be any worse off than she was now, living introduce the topic? They exchanged pleasantries at the coffee alone in her house and enjoying her fantasies.

shop, and that was it.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Then she remembered his business card and his At least they had a fun night planned for Saturday.

invitation. Maybe there was something there, some interest on Better than staying home and watching television.

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Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

“Thank you, darling,” Virginia said, placing her palm Spending Saturday night at a charity ball wasn’t exactly over his chest. “You will be saving a few dances for us tonight, Jack’s idea of a good time. Nevertheless, it was for a good now won’t you?”

cause and it was his duty. He hated wearing a tux, though, Not if he could help it. “Uh, sure.”

would much rather be in shorts and a sleeveless shirt, or even

“Are you two already monopolizing Jack?”

better, lounging by the pool outside and enjoying a swim Charlotte Daniels. Great. He felt like he’d just stepped instead of stuck in an air conditioned ballroom with three on a beehive. God save him. Fortunately, they were all so busy hundred other people.

jockeying for position they didn’t even notice he wasn’t paying Good cause, remember? Money. Auction. Fundraiser.

any attention to them. Which meant he could survey the crowd, That’s why he was here. It was only one night, and besides, at think about his next case, sports, whatever.

least there was an open bar. Which was right where he was His gaze caught a group who’d just walked in the door.

headed, for a cold bottle of beer. He smiled at the bartender, Recognition struck when he spotted a dark haired, golden slid a tip in the jar and took a long cold swallow before turning skinned gorgeous woman in a bronze strapless dress that around and surveying the packed ballroom.

showed off the color of her skin to perfection.

And cringed as two women, dressed to the nines, Something was familiar about her, but he couldn’t quite slinked their way toward him with perfect smiles plastered on figure it out. Not until she and her group moved closer, under their faces.

the lights.

Kimberly Blaise and Virginia Marquette. Socialites.

And she smiled.

Social-climing-ettes. One brunette, the other blonde, though he Holy shit! It was Callie. Her hair was down around her doubted the hair color was original. Or anything else about shoulders, riotous curls all over the place, framing her beautiful their bodies. They’d wanted in his pants, or more appropriately, face. And her smile lit up the entire room. Her gaze flitted in his wallet, ever since he made partner at the firm. Them and around like she was looking for someone. She was with two several other single women at the club. Membership must other women who seemed to be escorted, but so far she didn’t’

come with a list of eligible bachelors and their financial seem to be with anyone. Maybe she was meeting her date here.

statements. He plastered on a polite smile.

Just his luck.

“Evening, ladies.”

“Jack? Jack, are you listening to me?”

“Jack,” Kimberly purred. “You look good enough to At the whiny pitch of Charlotte’s voice, he turned his eat.”

attention back to the group of women surrounding him.

Obvious much?
“You look lovely tonight, Kim. You Listening to them? Hell no he hadn’t been listening to them.

too, Ginny.”

He’d been mesmerized the moment smokin’ Cinderella had 138

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walked into the ball. “Uh, please excuse me, ladies. I have complemented her coloring perfectly, bringing out her skin some business to attend to.”

tone and making her eyes flash.

Date or no date, he could at least be polite and say Yeah, she looked hot tonight, all right. But next to all hello.

the women here dressed in designer clothes, their bodies

“Jack! Where are you headed in a such a hurry?”

perfect, their hair perfect, their social graces perfect, she felt

“Jack. You haven’t even stopped to see me yet.”

less than, well, perfect.

Christ. Two more of Silverwood’s socialites. Was he on She was educated and owned her own business, a radar or something? He glanced around their overly coiffed respected member of the community. She owned a home in a heads to see if he could track Callie, but he’d lost sight of her.

nice neighborhood, paid her taxes and led an ordinary life.

Dammit!

Okay, so she had a few private perversions, but no one knew about those. Other than that, she was normal. Average.

Callie craned her neck around the room, knowing she The people here were all wealthy, from high society, shouldn’t be looking for Jack, but unable to help herself. At and didn’t run in the same circles as she did. They were the least she wasn’t here alone, hadn’t been tossed in the front door blue bloods of Silverwood and she was just…average.

by her friends and left to fend for herself. They were here too, That word again. Nothing to make her stand heads along with their men. Abby had brought Seth Jacobs and Blair above the rest of the women.

had brought Rand McKay.

She spotted a group of them circling a man in the center It was so strange seeing her two best friends paired up, of the dance floor.

happy as could be with the men they loved. Satisfying as hell Her heart thudded as she realized who that man was.

to see them both so settled, but still strange.

Jack. Looking spectacular in a tux, as if he’d been born And she was alone. Not that it bothered her. She was to dress so fine. If she thought he’d look edible dressed down, used to it. Okay, maybe she felt a twinge of jealousy that she he was even more so dressed up.

was here alone, but it passed just as fast as it hit her. Especially And surrounded by some of the most beautiful women after Blair and Abby went to all the trouble to take her she’d ever seen. Well endowed, designer clothed, made up to shopping and helped her pick out this incredible dress that she perfection, these women looked like they could step out of a absolutely could not afford, that Blair had insisted on paying limo and onto the red carpet at any awards show and act like for, and Abby had done her hair in this wildly loose curls even they belonged there.

though Callie had vehemently denied having anything but Dayum.

disgusting tight, kinky curls.

Not a chance she’d ever get close to Jack tonight. She She had to admit, when they were finished putting her might look better than she’d ever looked before, but would together, she looked like one hot babe. The bronze dress Jack even notice her? Would she even get to talk to him?