Smoldering Desire Read online

  Smoldering Desire

  by

  Desiree Day

  PUBLISHED BY:

  Desiree Day

  Smoldering Desire

  Copyright 2012 by Desiree Day

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  CHAPTER 1

  Shepherd Pushing held a hand-size mirror up to her face and sighed. A thin layer of white smelly gook covered her face; her light brown eyes peered at her friends, Jada, Mackenzie and Farrah, all who had the same type of mask on their faces. She could tell by their glares that they were just as unhappy as she. Shepherd didn’t so much mind the tightness of the mask than she did the stench; it smelled like she had smeared her face with rotten eggs. “You know that I’ll only put this crap on my face for you, don’t you?” she asked Farrah.

  “It’s not like I’m torturing you, it’s for my wedding,” Farrah quipped.

  “Ah, yes the wedding,” Mackenzie retorted, they all were on wedding information overload. For the past eighteen months all Farrah talked about was her wedding. It had gotten to the point that whenever Farrah began a sentence with my wedding, Mackenzie tuned her out. After talking to Shepherd and Jada, she had learned they did it too. They couldn’t wait until it was over.

  “It will be the wedding that you all will be talking about for years. It’s going to be fabulous and so romantic,” Farrah said, then beamed at them.

  “Yeah, I believe that, a seven-day cruise, that’s going to be very romantic,” Jada chimed in.

  “So is Markus moving in with you?” Shepherd asked, while glancing around Farrah’s pristine home. There wasn’t any indication that she was moving out.

  “Yep, we agreed,” she began and Shepherd, Mackenzie, and Jada rolled their eyes. They knew that Farrah probably cried and pouted until Markus relented. “Since my place is bigger, he’ll move here and rent his out.”

  “Cool,” they all murmured.

  “When can we wash this off?” Shepherd grumbled to Rita the make-up artist. Farrah had hired her to do the make-up for all the bridesmaids. Being a stickler for detail, Farrah had arranged for Rita to give the bridesmaids, who lived in Dallas, facials and apply their make-up so then she could take pictures to get an idea of how they would all look when photographed.

  “Just give it a couple more minutes,” Rita replied soothingly. After fifteen years of specializing in skin care and applying make-up she was used to impatient clients. “Just think how soft your skin is going to be once the mask is off.”

  “That’s right Shepherd,” Farrah chimed in. “Your skin is going to look fabulous.”

  “You owe us big time,” Jada added. “This is mine and Paul’s get it in time.”

  Farrah laughed. “You guys have a time?”

  Jada snorted. “Don’t laugh, after you and Markus have your first child you’re going to start looking forward to those little strips of time.” After being married for five years and having a set of four-year-old twins, a boy and a girl and a one-year-old girl, they approached lovemaking with the precision of drill sergeants and the energy of a couple of seventeen-year-olds. “That’s why I’m so looking forward to your wedding; we can get it in without worrying about a child overhearing us.”

  “Who’s going to be watching them while you guys are gone?” Mackenzie asked.

  “His parents. They’re looking forward to it, they enjoy spoiling them.”

  “Don’t you guys go crazy and make another baby,” Shepherd teased and was met with silence, if she had been able to she would’ve arched an eyebrow. “Jada?”

  “I think I might be pregnant again,” Jada whispered.

  “What? Again? You just had the baby?”

  Jada sighed. “I know, I know, but a couple of months ago the kids were all asleep at the same time, a rarity, trust me. We had some wine and then…”

  “I don’t understand why you won’t go on the pill, it looks like the pull out method isn’t working for you,” Farrah chimed in, and Jada frowned. Sometimes Farrah said things that didn’t reflect her age. There were times when she acted like she was twenty-two instead of thirty-two.

  “It’s not the pull out method,” Jada snapped. “It’s the rhythm method and it has a very high success rate…when used properly.”

  “Have you taken a test yet?” Shepherd asked.

  Jada shook her head. “Not yet. I’ll take one before the trip.”

  “Yeah, that way you’ll know if you can get wasted,” Mackenzie said.

  “I really appreciate you all coming over and doing this,” Farrah said, pulling the attention back on her. “My wedding is a week away and I want all my girls to look fabulous.”

  Rita tapped Shepherd on the shoulder. “Come on; let’s get this stuff washed off.”

  “Thank goodness.” Shepherd stood and followed Rita to the kitchen.

  “Hey, I’m the bride-to-be. I should go first,” Farrah shouted.

  “Yeah, you should, but she’s the one who made the most noise,” Rita retorted. “I’ll do you next.”

  Thirty minutes later they had washed their faces and were sitting in the living room waiting to get their faces’ made up.

  “So is Devin bringing someone?” Shepherd asked in what she hoped was a nonchalant tone, but her friends saw right through her, they all chuckled.

  “Nope, just himself,” Farrah said and Shepherd suppressed a grin. “Now you can bring your little bikini.”

  “I will not be dressing for him,” Shepherd protested but she mentally packed all her sexy clothing.

  “When was the last time you saw him?” Jada asked.

  “Ten years ago…at graduation.”

  “Wow! That’s a long time. Are you ready to see him again—you know—after everything that happened?” Mackenzie asked.

  Shepherd hesitated before answering, the image of his infidelity occasionally popped up in her head; while it was somewhat fuzzy it was still powerful. It had happened during winter break, she had returned to campus a week early. He had stayed at school to take a class; his constant calls telling her that he had missed her had tugged at her heartstrings. Wanting to surprise him, she had burst into his dorm room only to be the one who was surprised. He was in bed with another girl.

  So shocked by what she had seen, she had stumbled out the room, down to her car, where she made the four-hour drive back home. So devastated by his betrayal, she had a week-long crying and eating fest. When she had returned to campus a week later, she, Jada, Mackenzie, and Farrah took everything Devin had given her and burned it all. After dating exclusively for three and a half years, she had a lot of stuff. Fortunately they graduated five months later. She stayed to pursue her master’s degree and he moved on.

  “Oh, I’m ready,” she said quietly.

  CHAPTER 2

  Devin Toole strolled into his father’s barber shop, Mr. D’s. His shop was a constant fixture in the neighborhood. Having been in the same location for over thirty years, people treated it with the same reverence that is usually reserved for historical landmarks. He settled in a chair. Because it was Tuesday morning, it was just him and his father in the shop, the other barbers and their customers usually trickled in around noon. Mr. D draped a smock over his son’s clothing before starting on his hair.

  “Getting pretty for Shepherd?” he teased.

  “I’m not sure,” Devin said honestly. Ever since he heard they were going to be in the wedding together and spending seven days on a cruise, he had been nervous and excited, new feelings for him. Growing up, his father had always been h
is confidant, he would solicit advice from him before he went to any of his friends and that was still true today.

  “What’s up?”

  “I’m nervous,” he admitted. “I have no idea how Shepherd is going to react to me. I don’t know if she’s going to ignore me or even worse, go off on me.”

  Mr. D shook his head. “I don’t think Shepherd will ignore you. Not the Shepherd I know. Now she might go off on you, but she won’t ignore you,” he said chuckling. He had met Shepherd when she and Devin were dating and he had come to love her as though she was his daughter. He was upset when he had learned what his son had done to her.

  Whenever Devin thought about the type of man he was ten years ago he got sick. “I know; I deserve whatever she gives me. I was such an ass to her.” He had tried to apologize to her on numerous occasions, but whenever she had seen him heading in her direction she had turned and walked the other way. Shepherd had also kept herself surrounded by a wall of friends that he wasn’t able to penetrate, no matter how hard he had tried. Because of that she had spent the entire spring semester ignoring him and he never got the chance to apologize to her.

  “Yes you were,” Mr. D responded, not biting his tongue.

  Devin caught his father’s eyes in the mirror. “I think she was the one,” he admitted. “I have yet to meet anyone like her.”

  Devin went through his mental rolodex of the women he had dated, some stood out. There was Stephanie, the pharmaceutical sales representative who was gorgeous, but snored; Linda, the hair stylist who cried at the drop of a hat; Tai, the freak, who he had a ménage a trois with her and her best friend; Mia, the Christian who attended church every Sunday and Bible study every Wednesday, she kept her legs glued together tighter than a nun; and finally Sahara, who could cook, didn’t snore was a freak and a Christian, but he never connected with her beyond the superficial level.

  His list of exes was a mile long. He had either broken up with them or he had intentionally pissed them off forcing them to break up with him. It took him years to realize what was missing, Shepherd. He didn’t connect with any of them the way he did with Shepherd. He had been thinking of her over the years, but he had been too nervous to reach out to her.

  Mr. D focused on cutting his son’s hair, even though he had been cutting it for the last thirty years, and knew Devin’s hair as well as he knew his own; he was giving Devin time to think. Mr. D pulled off the cape and brushed the stray hairs from his son’s neck. “So what are you going to do?”

  “I have six nights and seven days to convince her to give me a second chance.”

  “Are you sure this is what you want? It’s been years since you’ve seen her, maybe she’s married.”

  Devin automatically gave his reflection a passing glance; he knew that his father had done an exceptional job on his hair. “I’m sure and she’s not married and she’s not seeing anybody. I double-checked with Markus, the groom-to-be.”

  “Well, son if I know one thing about you, it’s that you can do whatever you put your mind to.”

  “Thanks Dad. I hope I can do this.”

  CHAPTER 3

  Shepherd and Mackenzie sat on their chaise lounges and watched the people around them. The ship had been sailing for a couple of hours and people were already getting wasted. It seemed like everybody was drinking something, including her. Shepherd held her head up and let the ocean breeze ruffle her curls. She took a sip of her strawberry margarita. “Did I tell you how happy I am to be here?”

  “Only a thousand times,” Mackenzie said dryly.

  Shepherd pointed to the stage, she noticed that the cruise director was recruiting passengers for a dance contest. “Come on let’s show these people how to dance.” She grabbed her friend’s hand and pulled her toward the stage.

  “You gonna dance with the drink in your hand?” Mackenzie asked while she and Shepherd inserted themselves in the growing crowd of dancers.

  “Of course, it’s what I do!” Shepherd replied. “Get ready to see poetry in motion.” She twirled, without spilling her drink.

  “Girl please, I out danced your butt in college, two years ago at Marlene’s wedding and just last week at Farrah’s house, while I had a sore toe.”

  “Really Mack? A sore toe? Stop clowning. You’re going down. I’m going to win the trophy.” Some of the people who were within hearing distance smiled at Shepherd’s and Mackenzie’s competitive spirit.

  “What trophy?”

  “There’s always a cheesy plastic trophy involved in these things.”

  “It’s mine,” Mackenzie said confidently.

  Shepherd snorted. “Yeah right. Now be quiet, they’re telling us the rules.”

  Mackenzie rolled her eyes at her friend but listened intently to the cruise director. As soon as he was done, Brick House by the Commodores began playing.

  “Oh, this is me. I got this,” Shepherd said and began dancing; everybody disappeared as she immediately lost herself in the music.

  Twenty minutes and five songs later Shepherd clutched the coveted plastic trophy. “Told you,” she said to her friend, gloating.

  “You got lucky. I’m just warming up. We have six nights left, so be prepared to lose.”

  “Ha! I doubt it.”

  “I see you still like to dance.”

  Shepherd froze at hearing the familiar voice, it’d been ten years, but she would recognize it anywhere. He still has that sexy country drawl, she thought before turning around to face her ex-boyfriend. “Hey D,” she replied casually.

  “Hey Devin.” Mackenzie leaned in for a hug. The old friends embraced.

  “Hey Mack, looking good.”

  “Thanks.” She turned to Shepherd, her back to Devin, she arched a questioning brow. Shepherd knew her friend would stay if she needed her to; all she had to do was give a signal.

  “I’ll catch up with you later,” Shepherd said freeing her friend.

  “Yeah, much later, there’s a cutie by the bar I want to talk to. Bye.” Mackenzie sauntered away.

  “I see Mack hasn’t changed,” Devin said.

  “And she’d better not; I love her just the way she is.”

  Devin chuckled. They silently regarded one another. “You’re looking good girl,” he said softly. And she did, when they were dating, she had gained the freshman fifteen and then some. After she graduated from college she had joined a gym and lost twenty-five pounds and after a decade she had kept it off. With her rigorous gym schedule she had a body that allowed her to wear practically anything and look stunning.

  “You too,” she said while admiring his muscled biceps and even though his shirt hung loosely on him, she could tell that his stomach was ripped. “Nice cut, it shows off your curly hair.” During college he had practically shaved it off; he didn’t want to be thought of as the pretty boy. But being bald only emphasized his phenomenal bone structure.

  “Thanks.” He nodded toward the small tables. “Wanna sit down.”

  “Sure.” En route to the table, Shepherd motioned for a waitress. “A strawberry daiquiri.” She glanced at Devin. “Want something?”

  “White wine.” Shepherd reached for her ship credit card but Devin was faster, and passed his to the waitress. “I got it.” They slipped into their chairs; Devin stretched his long legs out in front of him. “So what have you been up to?”

  “I’m a product manager at Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. It’s cool, busy as hell, but I like it, the pay is good.”

  “So you’re in Dallas…cool. I’m in Atlanta.” The waitress brought their drinks and Devin returned his card to his pocket.

  “What are you doing there?” Shepherd asked then took a sip of her drink.

  “Real estate. I buy homes then rent them. It’s cool, I have about twenty properties.”

  “That’s cool D, you were always an entrepreneur. During college you were always hustling.”

  They laughed at the memory. He took a sip of his wine, and studied her over the rim of his glass. He set it down
and stroked its stem. “I’m sorry to repeat myself, but damn girl you are looking good.”

  Shepherd smiled at him before bringing her glass up to her lips, and took a long drink. “Thanks D. I’d better go now,” she said. Shepherd stood up and suppressed a chuckle when she saw the shadow of disappointment that crossed his face.

  “So I’ll be seeing you again right?”

  “Of course, there’s the rehearsal dinner tomorrow then the wedding the day after that.”

  “I mean after all that, we’re going to be on the ship for seven days.”

  Shepherd shrugged nonchalantly. “We’ll see. Talk to you later.” She waltzed away and she knew with every fiber in her body that Devin was watching her. “Devin, have you changed or are you still the asshole that broke my heart?”

  CHAPTER 4

  Devin strolled into the small club, he had overslept which made him half an hour late for Farrah’s and Markus’s rehearsal dinner. It looked like they didn’t wait for him; everybody was working on their dinner, surf and turf. He gave an apologetic smile to Farrah who stopped chewing just long enough to glare at him.

  Devin made it to the middle of the floor then paused to look for an empty seat. His eyebrows shot up with surprise when he saw that the only free chair was at Shepherd’s table. He steeled himself then calmly made his way across the room and settled into the seat. Shepherd grinned at him; she had seen the murderous look Farrah had shot him. Moments later a waitress magically appeared and placed his surf and turf in front of him.

  As he ate, Devin studied his surroundings while trying not to look in Shepherd’s direction. He knew from personal experience that the space was used as a conference room or a reception area during the day and as a club at night.

  But no matter how hard he fought it, Devin eventually glanced at Shepherd, and once he started, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. Fortunately for him, all eyes were on Farrah and Markus. He unconsciously licked his lips while his gaze roamed over his ex-girlfriend. Devin took in her shoulder-length curly hair, her full lips slicked with gloss, and her sun-kissed bare shoulders.