THE SWEETEST TABOO (BENNETT SERIES 2.5) Read online

  Love, Passion and Promise

  An Imprint of the Madaris Publishing Company

  www.madarispublishing.com

  LOVE, PASSION AND PROMISE books are

  published by

  The Madaris Publishing Company P O Box 28267

  Jacksonville, FL 32226

  Sweetest Taboo / Copyright by Brenda S. Jackson

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher.

  Love, Passion and Promise is a trademark of the Madaris Publishing Company. The Love, Passion and Promise logo is a trademark and registered trademark.

  Acknowledgements

  Prologue

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Epilogue

  Other Books

  Special thanks to the love of my life, Gerald Jackson, Sr. who was, and still is, the wind beneath my wings.

  And to my Heavenly Father, who loves me and gives me the talent to write and the desire to reach my full potential.

  To my readers, who after reading THE SAVVY SISTAHS, wanted Mike and Sonya’s story.

  This one is for you.

  As charcoal to embers and a wood to a fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

  Proverbs 26:21

  Sonya walked into the lobby of the exclusive Saint Laurent Hotel thinking it comical that the hotel Jesse Devereau had chosen was one that belonged to a very good friend of Carla’s. Chances were he wasn’t even aware of that fact.

  She strutted over to the station where a courtesy phone sat and picked it up. Moments later a hotel operator came on the line. “Could you please ring Jesse Devereau’s room? Yes, I’ll hold.”

  A few minutes later the operator returned to the line and advised her that Mr. Devereau was not answering his phone. Sonya raised a brow as she glanced at her watch. It was barely eight in the morning and she wondered if perhaps he’d come down to the restaurant for breakfast and decided to check out that possibility.

  Moments later she walked into the restaurant. It wasn’t hard picking out Jesse Devereau from what she remembered three years ago. Even from his side profile she could tell that time had definitely been kind to him. He was still a very good-looking man.

  She frowned. He was dining with someone and wondered if perhaps he was holding a business breakfast meeting. Well, as far as she was concerned that was too friggin’ bad. Whatever business he was conducting had to wait. Carla came first.

  She started toward his table. The blond hair, blue-eyed man who was sitting with Jesse Devereau looked up and gave her a smile. For a heart-stopping moment she was tempted to smile back then decided she didn’t want him to think she was flirting, since she was a woman who’d never been curious to know if it was true blondes had more fun.

  “Mr. Devereau.”

  Jesse looked up from his meal and Sonya knew the moment recognition hit. Both men stood. “Ah, yes, Miss Morrison. Sonya Morrison, right?” Jesse asked giving her one of those charming smiles that she remembered so well. But the smile wasn’t working on her this morning.

  “You do remember me?’ she said coolly, accepting his handshake.

  “I don’t think I could forget.” He then motioned to the man also standing. “And this is my very good friend, Mike Kelly. Mike, this is Sonya Morrison. I met her father a few years ago during my last visit to Orlando, and he was gracious enough to invite me to Sonya’s birthday party while I was in town.”

  “Nice meeting you, Mike,” she said, offering the other man her hand.

  “Likewise, Miss Morrison.”

  Sonya frowned as a sharp sensation shot through her the moment she and Mike’s hands touched. She knew he’d felt it too and appeared just as startled.

  “Would you like to join us for breakfast? We’re just getting started,” Jesse asked, sitting back down to continue eating, leaving her and Mike standing, still holding hands like two dimwits.

  She quickly dropped her hand from Mike’s and gave Jesse her full attention. “What I would like is to have a private conversation with you if that’s possible.”

  Jesse shook his head. “That’s not possible if you’re here to discuss your best friend. If so, then we have nothing to talk about.”

  Sonya pulled out a chair and sat down. “That’s where you’re wrong. We have a lot to talk about since I’m the one responsible for you getting that letter.”

  “You’re the one who sent it?”

  Sonya lifted a brow. Mike, not Jesse had asked the question. Evidently Mike Kelly was privy to Jesse’s business so she decided to answer. “No, I didn’t send that letter, but I know who did, and I feel responsible because the person who sent it got the information from someone I told. I’d promised Carla that I wouldn’t tell anyone the name of Craig’s father and I broke that promise.”

  Jesse stared at Sonya, long and hard. What she’d said verified that Carla’s child was his, but he wanted to hear it from Carla. She owed him the courtesy of that. “As far as I’m concerned, it should never have been a secret. I had every right to know I had fathered a child. The least Carla could have done was be upfront with me when I asked.”

  Jesse’s words pissed Sonya off. “Carla would have told you when she first found out she was pregnant had you not lied to her that night about not being involved with someone else. She found out the truth.”

  Jesse stopped chewing his food and glared at her. “Involved with someone else? If that’s what she told you, then she’s the one who lied.”

  That statement angered Sonya even more. “One thing Carla doesn’t do is lie which is why your name is on Craig’s birth certificate instead of the phony name I told her to use. I know for a fact you were involved with someone when you told her you weren’t because I read it in the newspapers while on a business trip to L.A less than a couple of months later. Carla was crushed when I brought back a copy of the newspaper for her to read. She couldn’t believe you were nothing more than a gigolo and were the lover of some old wh-”

  Sonya stopped, quickly remembered her audience and amended what she was about to say. “That you were the lover of some wealthy, old woman.”

  Both men stared at her for the longest time and said nothing. She saw blatant anger in Jesse Devereau’s eyes and what appeared to be amusement in Mike’s, which confused her.

  That confusion was cut short when Jesse stood and threw his napkin on the table. “I refuse to sit here and talk to you a minute longer, Miss Morrison. It’s Mike’s business if he wants to stay and listen to what you have to say, but personally, I’ve heard enough. Have a good day.” Without waiting for her to respond, he angrily walked off.

  Sonya watched his retreating back until he was no longer in sight. Sighing deeply, she then turned to Mike Kelly. “Damn, he’s pretty upset, isn’t he?”

  Mike Kelly laughed. For some reason he liked this woman. She had plenty of spunk. “Yes, I guess you can say that he is. He tried on two occasions to get Miss Osborne to talk to him and she refused to do so which was unfortunate. Now he intends to take drastic steps to force her to tell him what he wants to know.”

  Sonya frowned and tried not to be drawn in by the deep blue of Mike’s eyes. “By taking away her company?”

  “Yes, for starters.”

  Sonya sat up straight in her chair. “For starters?”

  “Yes. Like you said, he’s pretty upset right now and you pretty much confirmed Miss Osborne’s child is his, so he’s angrier than before becaus
e he feels she should have told him. There’s no telling how far he’ll go now.”

  Sonya instinctively reached across the table and grabbed Mike’s hand. She almost let go of it when she felt that same sizzle of awareness she’d felt earlier. “Then we have to do something.”

  Mike raised a brow. “We?”

  “Yes. He and Carla need to sit down and talk.”

  Mike shook his head. “Like I said, Jesse tried talking to her, but Miss Osborne refused to have anything to do with him. In fact, she had him kicked off Osborne Computer Network’s property. He won’t make another attempt to see her. Instead he’ll let their attorneys battle it out and it won’t be pretty.”

  Sonya sighed. “You’re his friend, Mike. Can’t you get through to him and try deflecting some of his anger?”

  Mike met her gaze. “And Miss Osborne is your friend, can’t you get through to her as well?” he countered, smiling.

  “I’ll try.”

  “And so will I.”

  Sonya returned his smile, but it faded the moment she noticed that they were still holding hands. She quickly pulled her hand back and decided it was best to address this attraction between them before he got any ideas. “Just to set the record straight, I’ve never liked vanilla.”

  “It’s straight,” he said grinning at her. “Because I’ve never developed a taste for chocolate.”

  She nodded and thought, good. Just so they understood each other.

  So let it be written; let the story begin

  Two years later

  Sonya figured she had more to do with her time than to involve herself with an arrogant man; especially one who was too handsome for his own good. Then why was she sitting at the bar waiting on a particular one to show up? Namely, Mike Kelly.

  He had left a message on her cell phone and asked that she meet him here at five o’clock. His message had been both brisk and brief and she didn’t have a clue what he wanted. The only reason she had bothered to show up was because two years ago, he had joined forces with her–although grudgingly so–and helped to patch up things between Carla and Jesse. Carla was her best friend and Jesse was his. And she and Mike shared the roles of godparents to their two adorable kids.

  She smiled thinking about the couple who were now happily married and the parents of another child, one-year-old Jessica, who like her four-year-old brother, Craig, had inherited their father’s gorgeous hazel colored eyes.

  “Is that smile for me?”

  Sonya glanced up to meet another set of gorgeous eyes, blue ones belonging to none other than Mike Kelly. She felt her body tense and then slowly start to simmer. Sensations she always fought around him began moving around in her stomach. She wouldn’t lie about it. She was intensely aware of him just like she knew he was intensely aware of her.

  Sexual chemistry had been prevalent between them since their first meeting and nothing had changed. Desire was a constant variable for them, even now. She could look into his eyes and tell. They seemed to always darken around her, have an aroused look in their blue depths. She was thirty-four and pretty well versed when it came to men. She was too attuned to them not to recognize the signs of when one wanted her. And he did, with a passion.

  Just like she wanted him.

  The hardening of her nipples pressed against her lace bra proved that. Always did. What they constantly encountered whenever they came within five feet of each other was a case of full-blown desire; a craving of the most potent kind. For them it was no longer a mere case of sexual chemistry at its most volatile point. It had become a battle of wills, of control, a test to see which of them would fall victim to lust first and to what degree.

  Especially since after their initial meeting they had unceremoniously informed each other there could and never would be anything between them. It was a taboo. One they would both admit was of the sweetest kind…as well as the most torturous. He could probably charm the panties off most women. But then she wasn’t like most women. She knew the score. Hell, she had her own little black book!

  Deciding she would finally give him a response to his statement, a flippant one - which he had come to expect from her, she said, “Not on your life, blue eyes. I was just thinking about my date last night and how well it went.”

  She saw his eyes darken even more. Jealousy was over-shadowing desire in them now. Good. Let him think that some other man was getting what he wanted but would never have.

  “Did it?” he asked, looking at her like he would like to place her between a slice of toasted bread. The desire in his eyes was back and it looked stronger, hotter than ever.

  “Yes,” she said, trying to ignore the look and not feel the heat. “But I wouldn’t want to bore you with all the luscious details. I’m sure you didn’t ask me to meet you here today for that.”

  “No, I didn’t,” he said, sliding his six–three frame onto the bar stool beside her.

  She tried not to notice how his thighs, firm and tight, looked in a pair of tailored slacks when he sat down. Her eyes automatically went to his zipper and her control almost faltered. He was aroused. She couldn’t fight her reaction to seeing him that way when an intense throb kicked in between her legs. It hadn’t been the first time she had seen physical signs of just how much he wanted her.

  “Sonya?”

  She pulled her gaze from his crotch and met his gaze. “Yes?”

  “I was about to tell you the reason I asked you to meet me here. But if you have other things on your mind then I’d be happy to oblige.”

  He’d caught her staring at a certain part of his anatomy and got his meaning loud and clear. “I think we made sure we understood each other the first time we met, Mike.”

  “You don’t like vanilla.”

  “Yes, just like you indicated that day that you never had a taste for chocolate.”

  He held her gaze. “And what if I said that I’m beginning to acquire a taste for it?”

  She forced a smile to her lips. “Then I would suggest you go to the nearest grocery store and buy a pint.”

  “Umm, not sure a pint will take care of my hunger. It’s pretty intense.”

  “Then buy a damn gallon. Hell, you can buy all the store has in stock.”

  “Or I can just sample you.”

  “Not in this lifetime.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. She took a sip of her daiquiri and thought the sound coming from his throat was way too sexy to be a laugh. But then she thought everything about him was sexy even the hair on his head. Blonde, straight and silky looking, and with a length that caressed his shoulders. His skin was white. Umm, not really, she thought, at least not today. He had a tan which meant he’d spent the day in the sun; probably on the golf course with Jesse. Orlando, Florida was probably one of the few places that could boast to having summer-like weather in January.

  Then, she thought as she continued to study his features, what made him knock-out-want-to-make- you-drool-handsome was his high cheekbones; eyebrows that actually matched the color of his hair; long lashes that were so perfect for his blue eyes; and the shape of his mouth. Never had she wanted to taste a pair of lips more.

  “You’re staring again.”

  His words made her blink. Then her body stiffened. “So, big deal.”

  “We can go somewhere now and make it a big deal.”

  Her lips stretched into another forced smile. “Okay, what is this, Mike? See how much I can get on Sonya’s nerves day?”

  He chuckled. “No, I just like getting a rise out of you.”

  She smiled and this time it was genuine. “Like I like getting a rise out of you?” she said pointedly before staring down at his crotch to let him know she knew exactly what she did to him.

  Her gaze returned to his face. She saw the way his lips thinned at the same time his eyes narrowed. Bingo. She had hit a nerve. Good.

  “I didn’t ask you here for this,” he said, in a tight voice. “One day you’re going to meet your match.”

  Her smil
e brightened. “You think so?” Without waiting for him to respond, she said, “And when that day comes, I will gladly give up my little black book. But so far, I haven’t met a man who was my match, not even one who comes close. I personally don’t think one exists.”

  She paused when the bartender came and placed a drink in front of him. Evidently, this was a place he frequented often enough for the bartender to have known exactly what he wanted. She watched as he downed his scotch as if it could wash away something that he found distasteful.

  He then looked at her. “Now, where were we?”

  She couldn’t help the smile that remained on her lips when she said, “You were telling me how much you wanted me.”

  He surprised her when he leaned forward and whispered low, very close to her right ear, “I could take you somewhere and show you better than I can tell you.” And he ended that statement by swiping a quick lick beneath her ear with his tongue. She immediately felt her panties get wet and wondered if he noticed her scent. Several men claimed that they could tell when she was good, hot and ready by her scent.

  She had a feeling he’d picked up on her ‘let’s-go- make-out’ aroma by the triumphant tilt of his lips. “You know it will eventually happen between us, don’t you?” he asked, his gaze penetrating hers.

  She knew what ‘it’ was. “Like I said, not in your lifetime. Besides, you couldn’t handle me,” she threw back at him.

  He reached out and touched her hand, curled his fingers around hers, and she saw the satisfied glint in his eyes when he heard her sharp intake of breath. “No, sweetheart, I don’t think you can handle me,” he said, accepting another drink the bartender placed in front of him.

  Her pulse quickened and her panties got wetter. She would actually admit, but never to him, that there were times when she herself doubted she could. And that said a lot. The thought of not being able to take him on always pissed her off. “Look, Mike, if the only reason you asked me here was to show how annoyed we can get with each other, then I have more things I could be doing with my time. I’m going to give you one minute to tell me what this meeting is about.”