Bound Temptations: Stories of Temptation and Submission Read Online Free PDF Page A

been looking for you. Although in that get-up, you're
rather hard to miss."
    "Well, I like to make a
statement." Rocki smiled. She studied Mara's dress and said, "I
suppose I could try something like that, but I doubt it would work
on me."
    "Your boobs would runneth
over, no doubt," Lacey said, grinning. "That sort of thing works
best on the boobless and hipless. Oh, no offense, Ms.
O'Keily."
    Mara's smile went colder,
sharper. "Oh, none taken." She glanced around. "So, I heard your
designer Lush is supposed to be here tonight. Has she made her
appearance yet?"
    "She has," Lacey said.
"She's been around most of the night."
    Rocki wanted to kick Lacey.
Damn it. Mara's gaze zeroed in on Lacey and she arched a blonde
brow. "Oh? Perhaps you can introduce me?"
    "Hmmm. I could, but Lush is
going to be on the stage in a few minutes," Lacey said, making a
face of mock disappointment. "You'll just have to try and catch her
after. I never stay past the auction, I'm afraid."
    "I see." Mara looked at
Rocki. "Are you going to be in the auction...oh, wait, you're
married. Where is your husband, Mrs. Monroe? I bet he's quite a
catch."
    Lacey went rigid next to
her. Rocki reached out and rested a hand on her friend's shoulder.
"Lacey...calm down," she said softly, glancing away from the woman
in front of her. Lacey was all but vibrating with the urge to do
something violent. "Mara doesn't exactly know me, after all. She
doesn't know about Brant."
    "I guess that means she also
hasn't taken three minutes to read anything about the benefit she's
attending, huh?" Lacey said, her voice harsh and cold.
    Just then the music changed,
going to a low, rhythmic Celtic ballad.
    As harp music filled the
air, the lights went low and on the far wall of the restaurant, a
reel of images started to play. As Brant's smiling face appeared,
Rocki looked at Mara. "The benefit is in my husband's memory, Mara.
He died five years ago."
     
     
     
    For reasons he couldn't
quite explain, Cole hadn't left after the little explosion with
Mara. Part of it was because of the way she'd looked—that
expression never boded well. So he hung around and watched,
waiting.
    Another reason he hadn't
left was that he wanted to see Rocki again.
    Yeah, he had an unnatural,
unhealthy obsession with a beautiful, married woman. But he'd just
ended an unhealthy relationship with a beautiful woman. Obviously
he had a handle on when to end unhealthy relationships, right? Even
one-sided ones.
    Sighing, he stared out at
the crowd, his gaze automatically seeking out Rocki. She was
impossible to miss. She was tall, probably close to five ten. And
with that hat and the heels she wore tonight, she stood out like a
goddess.
    A married one.
    Turning away, he looked for
something to occupy his mind and absently grabbed one of the
rose-colored flyers that had been handed out at the door in
exchange for his "generous donation." There was a picture on it, he
noticed absently.
    A guy. Black hair, a wide,
easy grin.
    Below the
guy's picture, it read: Jacob Brant
Monroe .
    Monroe...
    In loving
memory .
    What the...?
    Music started to play. Sad
and poignant, filling the air like a liquid sob. Lifting his head,
he found himself seeking out Rocki with his eyes, yet again. And he
found himself watching, entranced, as she made her way to the small
stage that had been set up near the back of the
restaurant.
    With pictures of her
deceased husband flashing on the wall just over her shoulder, Rocki
smiled out over the crowd. "It's hard to believe just how fast time
can pass." She glanced over and everybody watched as the images
flickered to a halt.
    A wedding day.
    Her wedding day.
    Her voice was husky as she
murmured, "We would have been coming up on our tenth anniversary
this year."
    The images sped back
up.
    "Brant was a good husband. A
good man." She smiled and even from where he stood, Cole could see
the tears glinting in her eyes. "And he was a good cop."
    The images slowed down once
more, pausing on one