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View All Titles by Lara Santiago

STORY EXCERPT

Zachary frowned at the nasty insinuation. He didn’t agree. He didn’t want to marry just anyone. He sought more in a mate.

“Once I’m the DA, my work load will increase. I don’t have time for a wife.”

“Make time. As a matter of fact,” Reynolds reached in his pocket and pulled out a tri-fold syntho-page, “here’s a list to help you in your quest.”

“A list of what?”

“Possible contenders for the future position of Mrs. Zachary Valetta.”

He took the list from Reynolds and scanned it quickly. Every female listed was from a political family and every one of them had gotten the memo on how to look like a plastic blonde Barbie doll. He’d seen three of them tonight. None of them did anything to entice him.

Zachary wasn’t interested in a plastic wife. He wanted someone to talk to, someone who understood the law and why he loved it.

Thinking about the beautiful siren he’d seen enter the party tonight, he crumpled the list and handed it back to Reynolds. “I can find my own wife, thanks all the same.”

Reynolds grabbed his arm. “Find one quickly or kiss the DA position good-bye.”

Zachary nodded and stepped away before he told Reynolds to shove the list up his ass. He searched the immediate area for his dark-haired beauty and nearly knocked her to the ground in his zeal to locate her.

“I’m so sorry.” Her sexy voice caressed him. She took a wobbly step, not completely finding her balance, and almost fell into his arms.

“It was completely my fault.” Zachary grabbed her elbow to steady her.

She was an absolutely gorgeous brunette, from the curly locks gracing her lovely shoulders to her sultry gaze giving him the once over. He stared at her, unblinking. Her smoky, seductive eyes trapped him for a moment. Glancing up and down her body once, he noted her curvy shape and long legs that ended in four-inch stiletto heels.

Her tanned skin was flawless, not a single freckle or beauty mark on her face. He paused too long on her lips. Her lush mouth had been crafted for long, lazy, sensuous kissing. Zachary had a sudden urge to lick her mouth and quelled it by lifting his ardent gaze to her eyes. He’d never experienced such a strong pull to a female before.

She shifted those exotically dark eyes to his and he was mesmerized. Her focus dropped to his chest and then to the meager floor space between them. “Thanks.” She gripped his arm tighter and lifted a foot. “I’m not used to walking in these heels.”

Zachary glanced down. She wiggled one ankle sporting the sexy black high-heeled pump.

“Impractical perhaps, but very attractive.”

She grinned. “Thank you.”

“Would you like to dance? I promise to keep you from falling.”

A trill of laughter escaped, displaying her even white teeth. “Well, as long as you keep me on my feet, then yes, I’d love to.”

Zachary deposited his glass on a nearby table and escorted her through several couples to the center of the dance floor.

Taking her into his arms in a practiced hold, resisting the urge not to crush her to his chest and inhale the fragrance from her hair, he said, “I’m Zachary Valetta.”

“Evie Marsh.”

“Pleased to meet you.” He swayed and stepped to the music, leading her effortlessly around the dance floor, completely enthralled by her exquisite dark eyes.

“Likewise. What do you do, Zachary?”

“I’m a prosecutor for Eastlake City.”

“Oh.” She nodded with interest. “That’s wonderful. My father was a lawman. He had a lot of respect for the prosecutor’s office. He taught me the sacrifices you must endure.”

He tightened his grip on her waist. “What do you do, Miss Marsh?”

“Call me Evie.” She moved a little closer. “I followed in my dad’s footsteps. I’m a lawman. I work at the Justice Center.”

Zachary grinned. “Is that so? I can’t believe I haven’t noticed you before. I’m in and out of the Justice Center almost every single day.”

Her expression sobered slightly. “I just moved here recently. My father passed away in the line of duty…” she paused and took a deep breath, “…and I guess I needed a fresh start.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Zachary turned them towards a quieter corner of the dance floor.

“My dad was a good guy and a dedicated lawman. I miss him. It was hard to stay with my old department after he was gone. Too many memories. So I moved here.”

Zachary nodded in understanding. “I’m glad you did.”

“Actually,” she said with a grin, “that’s how I got invited to this party tonight. Single women in the workforce are thought of as a problem to be resolved, especially in the ranks of the lawmen.”

“I’ll let you in on a secret.” He leaned closer. “Single men are regarded the same way no matter where they work.”

She laughed, squeezed his hand and hugged him a little closer. They whirled around the dance floor in perfect step. His hand slipped further around her back.

“You’re doing a marvelous job of dancing, by the way. Even with your high-heeled handicap, you move very well.”

“It’s only because I have you to hold on to. Let go of me and I’ll land on my butt.”

Catching her gaze, he said in a low tone, “Trust me, I won’t let you go.”

Her unique scent wafted past his nose almost with each step they took. Vanilla and lavender assaulted his senses. He was about to lean in a take a deep lungful, but a hand clamped down on his shoulder. Zachary turned. The tall blond man who’d followed Evie into the party attempted to step between them. Evie clasped him tighter and frowned at the intruder...

// // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // //  

Derek pulled his hands out of his pockets to cross his arms. A deadly expression washed down his face. “I have a new mission parameter to add for you.”

Evie didn’t think she would like it. “What?”

“I need you to seduce Valetta.”

Evie stared at Derek without blinking for several seconds and tried not to act shocked. “I’m sorry. Did you just ask me to seduce the most important Assistant District Attorney in the conservatively and politically rife haven of Eastlake city? Am I allowed to ask why?”

“He’s poised to be the next DA of this city. He can hold office for ten years before retiring, just like Alfred Reynolds has, and we already know what a reprobate he is. There are those who want to ensure Valetta is the right man for the job. And if he is a monster, they want to know that, too.”

“I thought I was sent in because they were worried he was a mole for ‘The Resistance.’”

“They want assurance all possibilities are accounted for. Make it clear you will do absolutely anything to keep him interested…even pre-marital sex.”

Evie focused her gaze on Derek’s intense stare. “And if he doesn’t succumb to my charms, what then?”

He grinned. “Then he’s obviously not corruptible. If he keeps all his ducks in a row, as expected, he’ll be the next DA…unless you seduce him, thereby convincing him ‘not’ to wait for a wedding vow.”

Evie remembered Zachary’s delectable kiss from last night and the several from a few minutes ago. She hoped her lips weren’t swollen from his ardent attention. “What makes you think I’ll be able to tempt him into an inappropriate pre-marital sexual relationship?”

“We’ve thrown two blondes and a redhead his way at various Family First parties with the same mission. He didn’t give them a second look. You’re the first brunette we’ve tried. Seeing him practically growl when I asked to cut in and dance with you last night makes me believe you have the best chance. Having him sock me in the gut for touching you sealed the deal.”

Evie huffed. “I told you we didn’t need to go through with the set up by the bathroom. He was already interested after we danced.”

“I disagree. Forcing him to fight for you increased his level of interest. Take my word for it. He wants you even more now that he’s fought for you.”

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