The Heart Breaker

Lisa's head came up proudly as she stared at the man that would be her cousin's husband in the next few days declaring his love for her "I never thought you would," she replied

Drake yanked her forward and kissed her. "You must have thought it once Lisa, I always want you" He whispered and kissed her again

Before that instant Lisa had thought he stood aloofly by and observed life from the sidelines, she discovered then that she was mistaken. For there was nothing detached about his hungry mouth moving over hers, nothing aloof about the powerful grip of his arms on her back as they pressed her forward into the heat of his body, or in his blunt fingers, tangled in her hair, grasping her skull, and his intensity laid to waste her powers of reasoning.

He had pulled her to him so quickly, that she had hardly had time to react. Automatically, she raised her hands to push him away. But, for just an instant, she was caught up in the contrast of how things as they appeared to be and as they were could be so devastatingly different.

For instance, Drake's mouth appeared hard and stern, but, Lord help her.....it was soft. Strong. Hot. But not hard-not hard at all. The only remotely harsh element of his kiss was the heavy beard of his unshaven jaw, abrading the tender skin of her face.

Having hesitated for even that brief an instant, she forgot exactly to which it was she had been going to object. Being

manhandled again, maybe. Or Something like that. She didn't remember and she didn't care. Any objection she might

raise was swamped beneath a wave of sensation. Drake's mouth kept opening over hers. Restlessly,

he slanted his lips over the fullness of hers. When she didn't open up to him immediately, he raised his head, stared into her eyes for a moment, and then came at her from another direction, using the hand in her hair to tilt her face to accommodate him. He widened his mouth around her lips and then

slowly dragged it closed, tugging at her lips.

She didn't even think twice. Lisa's lips simply parted beneath his, and Drake made a wordless sound of satisfaction

deep in his throat.

His tongue was slow and thorough. It slid along her bottom lip and explored the serrated edges of her teeth. Releasing his grip on her head, Drake pulled her closer into the heart of his body, moving his pelvis against her with suggestive need. His tongue rubbed along hers. Nerves Lisa

hadn't even known she was flamed to acute, throbbing life. Her tongue surged up to challenge him, and she arched against him, sliding her arms up to wrap tightly around the strong column of his neck, plunging her fingers into his crisp hair. She was aware of every muscle in his body as he pressed against her. He pulled her closer.

She wanted him.

He tilted her chin up and searched the unblinking hazel depths of her eyes. She was so innocent. That was the only contrary ripple in the tidal wave of certainty that rushed over him. Too innocent to know what was best for herself. She's off-limits, But he ignored that ripple. He wanted her.

No, it was more than that. He needed her.

"Lisa."He murmured her name against her lips

"Drake."

One syllable, yet he'd never heard anything so erotic. His name in her low, breath voice.

"Ah, damn," he muttered. He was well and truly lost. His wearing fled, replaced by full_blown desire. Her breasts. Pressed soft and warm against his chest. Yielding. Her supple waist fitted the curve of his arm

and her mouth

Her sweet, luscious mouth was Created for him his pleasure. Innocent and Seductive her lips met his slant to fit better and opened to accept the greedy thrust of his tongue.

He wanted to devour her, to consume her for his selfish pleasure. At the same time, he was determined to make her burn with a desire for him.

Somehow he moved them to the seat, sitting down with her on his lap. Her arms circled his shoulders: her fingers tangled in the hair at his nape. He shifted her so that her legs draped over the arm of their seat and tilted

her backward in his embrace. She was his for the taking, his to sate his ravenous hunger upon, and then to savor

a second, a third-an infinite number of times.

In his jeans, his arousal demanded more, and he thrust against the warm fullness of her bottom.

Her answer was to kiss him as he'd been kissing her, to explore the depths of his mouth with increasing boldness, increasing demand. It was a demand he was fully

prepared to meet.

He slid her off his lap. She flexed to accommodate him, and without even pausing for a breath, he layover

her upon the narrow seat.

Beneath him, Lisa felt the change, like a shift in the wind, like a tilt in the axis of the earth. Up to now, she had wielded the power. Sort of. Now he held it

Or maybe he'd always held it. Maybe it had been her delusion, thinking she could say yes or not to this man and control the restless beast he'd loosened inside her.

So she accepted the hard masculine weight pressing down on her, and she gloried in the knowledge that

Drake Andreas wanted her, Lisa Gray. He could have any woman he wanted, but he wanted her because, despite their differences, at heart they were alike. He cherishes her.

As if to prove her right, he began a trail of kisses, warming her neck, heating the shell of her ear, rousing a fire of epic magnitude in the nether reaches of her belly.

Drake," she moaned, moving restlessly beneath him. Wanting things from him, she could not rightly put them into Words.

But he knew. He knew, and he answered her silently. Please with a touch here, a caress there. The inside of her elbow. The palm of another hand. The place beneath her ear had no name. When did these common, every day, parts of her become so sensitized?

Then one of his knees parted her legs and pushed between her thighs. It was a Strange, invasive movement Possessive. Thrilling. At the same time, one of his hands skimmed up her waist and ribs then palmed the side of her breast.

Oh, yes. Don't stop, was her shameful, greedy response.

He heeded that too, sensing it though she could not form the words. Then he smoothed his thumb over the crest of her breast, and someone groaned. Could that be her?

When he did it again, using the tip of his thumbnail to tease her nipple to excruciating awareness, she again

groaned.

"Lisa, he said, murmuring her name against her lips, against the curve of her neck, and the hollow of her throat. And all the while he increased that sweet torturing of her breast until she was panting with need, a human inferno thrashing beneath him, churning on the inside and threatening to explode from the violence of her emotions.

When a surge of cool air swept over her legs, she felt one blessed moment of sanity. The lower half of her was entirely bare. How had that happened?

She had her answer when his palm, hot and bold, curved behind her knee. But that sensual, wholly improper caress felt too right for her to bid him cease.

this was lust, she feared she would never deny it again.

When he ground his hips against hers she thrust back in instinctive acceptance. How had she ever thought this is a repulsive act? How could she have disdained it? Feared

it? Dreaded it?

He shifted to one side and his hand moved higher She sucked in a sharp breath when he reached the apex of her parted legs. Fear and longing pounded through her veins as he cupped that most private part of her

Fear. Longing. Need. She needed to know the rest of this.

Maybe she should stop him.

But then he parted the curls down there

and touched her, and any thoughts of stopping these wondrous feelings burned right out of her head

Oh yes. Oh, there. Oh, this is wonderful. .marvelous

... unbelievable...

He made a tiny circling movement, as he'd done with her nipple. Only this little circle was so much closer to the boiling center of her longing. Of her lust. He circled her and it felt hot and wet-and then she erupted.

Yes. Yes." She heard her cries over and over as her body arched in spasms beyond her keenness. He urged her on, stroking until it was unbearable until she was sobbing

her face wet with unknown tears. That's when he moved his finger farther back, someplace deeper, filling her with

new feelings even as the tremors still rippled through her. He thrust in and out, rousing her anew. Though the

Sensations were the same, they were somehow different. For just a moment he stopped, just long enough for her to gasp for breath. Had she died? Was this heaven

Then once again he shifted over her, and she felt a new probing, harder and larger.

Lisa opened her eyes to find out it was just a nightmare

Lisa's heart beat wildly, responding to the fragment of a dream turning in her mind.

"Stop it!" she told herself fiercely, " Drake is marrying my cousin in the next forty-eight hours." please stop!"

She took several deep breaths, bringing herself under control, telling herself that she had to stop treating her nightmare as though it was real. It wasn't.

The nightmare was simply a creation of another make-out session she had with Drake a few months after he took her out. It had been her dream to become Drake's wife and have him all by herself before her cousin showed up and ruined everything for her. Now her dream had turned into her erotic nightmare.

When the phone rang, Lisa was almost relieved. Though it was before dawn, she was wide awake. And she needs a distraction from this frequent nightmare.

"Hello," Lisa said, keeping her voice steady with an effort.

"Lisa," Alana said "how was your night,"

"good," she said simply, but deep down herself, it's not good

"Okay, just calling to check on you, and to tell you that I may not be able to come to the office this morning, I may be a little bit late ...Am taking

Mackenzie and Shana to the dentist for a checkup."

"Sure."

"See you then." bye....'

"Bye..."

kicking aside the tangled sheets, Lisa turns towards her bathroom to prepare for the day.

After her bath, she walked into the kitchen. with hands that wanted to tremble, she plugged in the coffee pot, scrambled two eggs, and buttered a piece of toast. She forced herself to eat and drink, then clean up, and go to her office

The column of figures blurred before Lisa's misty blue eyes, and with a sigh of disgust she slammed the ledger shut and pushed it aside, she might as well accept the fact that the next two days were going to be pure agony and stop trying to convince herself that she could endure them and still carry on with business as usual. She realized now that she should never have allowed herself to be persuaded to take part in the wedding.

The wedding. She winced an automatic reaction that occurred every time it was mentioned. In just forty-eight hours she was going to have to stand by with a bright smile and watch the man I'd lived with for sixteen years, since she was eight, marry another woman. And not just any other woman. Jessica Gray, who though four years older than her, had always been one of her best friends. Though self-centered, she does what pleases her and gives a damn if someone gets hurt.

Lisa thought of her father, Jimmy Grey, a great artist, a well-known man, and many people were coming to the studio, especially during his exhibitions show to buy pictures, she had her father's trait in artwork, which he always admired and said she will do better than him. After their mother's death, Jimmy took the role of mother and father in making sure that his children didn't rack anything or miss her. Lisa always worked in their father's studio when she was a kid planning to take up his part. Her elder brother Devin never showed any interest in their father's artwork, he had his goal and always focused on his studies. He had few friends, but one day he brought one home. Drake Andreas. She likes him, always following around whenever he comes to their house, he always bought her gifts, though he's from a rich family, a Greek. He always thought of her as his younger sister, he was always looking out for her even when she was in high school, ready to kill anyone that bullied her. This made her fall head over heel in love with him, but it had been her little secret, she kept it to herself, because of him, her interest in artwork was gone, she studied business in school since he was a genius in the business world, she always wish to be his girlfriend, but she's off-limits because of my brother's friendship with him...

She closed her eyes and the picture that seemed to be engraved inside of her kids came to life. Drake Andreas, all six feet two inches of him, a dark-eyed Viking who still looked like the football star he'd been in college, with his wide shoulders that tapered down to a proportionately slender waist and hips, every inch muscle.

He'd been her older brother Devin's roommate during their four undergraduate years at Michigan State, and she'd been captivated since the first time Devin

brought him home. In the intervening years, her feelings had progressed from childish hero worship to adolescent infatuation, to deep and abiding love, all without his knowledge, consent, or participation.

A voice speaking to her startled her out of her reverie, and her eyelids flew open as her gaze focused on a buxom woman with strawberry blond hair, brown eyes, and freckles sprinkled across her pert nose. Her sister-in-law and business partner, Alana Gray. She called her earlier in the morning to tell her she couldn't make it this morning.

The expression on Alana's pretty face was one of concern.

"Lisa, are you alright? You looked so--oh honestly, you never should have agreed to be Jessica's maid of honor. If she'd had a shred of sensitivity she

wouldn't have asked you."

Since Alana was the only other person on earth who knew about her misplaced love for Drake Andreas, and

then only because she had become overconfident the year before when Drake had finally discovered that

she'd grown into an attractive young woman and had begun taking her out. Not that the relationship had ever

developed into much of a romance, but after several months of dating with the inevitable good-night kisses and a few sessions of making out, she'd developed a glow of happiness that could no longer be hidden from Alana when they worked so closely together in the boutique every day, Alana had teased her gently, and she'd confessed her longtime passion for her elder brother's billionaire friend.

She'd sworn Alana to silence and Alana had honored her vow. She hadn't even told Devin, her husband So it was to Alana that she had turned for comfort.

When Jessica returned to Detroit from New York City three months before and ignited the fires of passion in Drake that made him forget everything but his desire for the tall willowy photographer's model with dark hair, black eyes flecked with a dark and white tan complexion. It was Alana whose shoulder bore the brunt of her tears, and Alana who had kept her humiliating secret.

Now she found it necessary to defend Jessica.

"Alana, I appreciate your loyalty, but that's not fair. Jessica has no idea how I feel about Drake. I don't think she even realizes that we were dating on a fairly regular basis before she came back. She's been living in New York for the past ten years, ever since she graduated-

from high school. She didn't even know Drake until I introduced them. When she asked me to be her maid

of honor there was no way I could refuse without arousing suspicion. Jessica and I were very close all the time we were growing up, even though she was older. She hasn't any sisters, so I was a natural choice for the position of honor in her wedding."

Alana shook her head. I don't agree. "You don't owe Jessica or Drake anything. Jessica is too self-centered to think

of anyone but herself, and Drake is an idiot. How he could prefer her to you is beyond me. She'll never settle down and be the kind of wife he's looking for."

She picked up a pencil and tapped the eraser on the desk, Drake is thirty-four years old, she said impatiently, "He knows what he wants, and he wanted

Jessica. Sure she has flaws, but so does he. So do I. None of us is perfect, so they'll learn to live with each other

imperfections." She managed a weak smile. "I'll be sure you found out that Devin has a nasty temper,"

Alana laughed. "I sure did, and he discovered that have one to match it, but we love each other enough to

control our tantrums and not let them leave scars. I doubt that Jessica will ever love anyone enough to give up

her selfish ways. She always gets what she wants no matter who gets hurt in the process. Eventually, she'll

hurt Drake."

she shivered. Alana was right. Jessica is the only child, who had been the center of her parents' universe, the Sun around which they evolved. They had been so anxious for her to be happy that they had never denied her anything. She'd been a willful, spoiled but captivating youngster, and she'd grown up to be a willful, spoiled but incredibly beautiful woman who never doubted that anything she wanted was hers for the taking. "I hope you're wrong," she said. "She seems to love Drake. Maybe now that she's getting married she'll settle down and be a good wife and mother."

Alana snorted. "Settle down? I've been a member of your family for eight years now and Jessica has never been in love with anyone but herself. She's not in love, she's getting old and scared and has headed for the nearest shelter, which happens to be Drake."

"Old!" she laughed mirthlessly. She's only

twenty-eight."

"That's old for a photographer's model. She's been modeling for ten years, and she's never lived up to her early potential, Oh, she's worked steady enough, but she never hit it huge, and now her time's running out, and she knows it, and besides Drake is a big fish, eligible bachelor, with all him money and charms it's really hard for anyone to say no to him her shoulders slumped These conversations were getting too painful to continue. She looked at her watch. "Didn't you say something about needing part of the morning off to take my two baby nieces to the dentist for their checkup?

Alana glanced at the clock. "Oh! "Baby nieces! You'd better start looking at them a little closer, Aunt Lisa. Mackenzie's seven and Shana's six, and they grow out of their clothes on an average of every two weeks. You're right, though, I'll have to hurry to pick them up at school and get them to their appointment on time...."

She noticed that Lisa was absent-minded, she moved closer to her, tapping her shoulder gently, Looking at Lisa with deep concern.

"If you're afraid of speaking up your mind concerning this maid of honor of a thing, If you can't stand watching the man you loved for many years marry to another woman, you can count on me. You know, I could make up a good story as an excuse."

"Oh! No, Alana." "It's not fair, honestly I can manage."

Alana looked at her questioning. "I don't see you like someone that can manage Lisa, since the day they announced their marriage, I am seeing another Lisa, it affects you automatically, emotionally and otherwise. Just look at you turning to someone else, sometimes I wonder why nobody sees this, especially your precious cousin, of course, she's too busy to notice. Haha.... busy my foot!"

Lisa knew that Alana was saying the truth, the wedding has affected her from all angles, especially in her sleep. She dare not to tell Alana about her dreams, she had to keep them secret, to save herself, and her loved ones, she didn't want to hurt anyone, and she didn't want to be selfish either, she had to let go like an edge said, she's going to support them, she's not backing out no matter what...

Looking up at Alana she said, "I appreciate your concern for me in this situation, but please..... don't let anyone know about this, let it just be between the two of us, and I promise you, I'll be the lively Lisa you used to know."

Taking a deep breath, Alana said "promise,"

"I promise," Lisa said, placing one on her chest and raising the other one up

"Oh! Come here, you silly girl."

Lisa stood up and they hugged.

Wiping away her tears from the corner of her eye, Alana's side. "I would like to see you in the evening looking more beautiful."

"Oh really!" she said as she was working her way to the door. "Like Queen of

England Elizabeth."

"Exactly!" Alana replied.

Lisa laughed. "Please start leaving before you are let out for your appointment."

"See you then,"

"bye..."

It was almost noon when Jessica phoned Lisa at the boutique. She never identified herself when starting a telephone conversation. There was no need; no one else had such a husky, sexy voice. Only this time it was more

harsh than sexy. "Lisa, I need to see you at once. Meet me at your apartment in an hour, and for God's

sake don't be late. This is important."

She hung up without giving her a chance to answer.

Fifty minutes later, she stepped off the bus on East Mc Nichols Road and started to walk the two blocks to her apartment house. The noonday sun was

shining brightly, but the January breeze was frosty and penetrated even through her gray wool slacks, long-sleeved sweater, and heavy, quilted, full-length Brown Coat. she wore a cream-colored knit cap pulled over her ears and her shoulder-length black hair, matching knitted gloves, and knee-high boots to make walking in the hard-packed snow less hazardous

She didn't own a car. It was too great a luxury in a city the size of Detroit, where it could cost more to park for a month than to rent an apartment. The public transportation was excellent in my part of the city, and on stormy days she and the other three working women in her apartment house shared a taxi. Also, her father lived less than a mile from her and was always willing to transport her on errands if necessary.

As she turned the corner she noticed Jessica's new red ferries, a gift from Drake, parked at the curb of the big old house that had been converted into four small

apartments, one of them hers. Jessica was never bothered by trivial things such as premium parking rates

or the lack of a steady income. She always assumed that everything would work out, and somehow for her it al-

ways did.

As she walked toward the car, the door on the driver's side opened and Jessica stepped out. She felt the familiar stab of envy at the graceful way she moved

all five feet nine inches of her. It was the result of the ballet and acrobatic dancing lessons she'd had as a child

and teenager, and she always felt coltish beside her.

Jessica called to her, and her tone was impatient. "If you'd buy a car like everybody else it wouldn't take you forever to get places. Hurry up, I've got a lot to say and not much time in which to say it."

She joined her, and together they went into the house and up the stairs to her apartment. she turned up the thermostat and took Jessica's silver-fox fur

coat to hang in the closet, then went into the kitchen to make coffee. Jessica paced around the three small rooms,

and she knew that this was more than just a case of bridal nerves. Jessica looked tense, Strained, but there was

also an air of suppressed excitement about her that seemed at war with her anxiety.

her anger at being summoned so regally and then left with no means of refusing began to wane, This wasn't likened. Jessica was always cool and in control

She knew at all times where she was headed, how she would get there, and what would be waiting for her at the

end of the journey. What could have happened to upset her so?

"Jessica, '' she said as she poured the hot, freshly brewed liquid into thick mugs, "for heaven's sake calm down and tell me what's happened. It can't be too much of a disaster the dressmaker has your dress finished, pressed, and ready to put on, the caterers are preparing

the buffet luncheon for the reception, and you'll never convince me that Drake has changed his mind. So what's the problem? That couldn't wait until we see each other tonight at the rehearsal?" Jessica opened the cupboard door, found a bottle of whiskey, and liberally laced her coffee with it, then took a swallow before she spoke, "I had a call from my agent

in New York this morning," she said, and the excitement Lisa had sensed vibrated in her voice.

"Lisa, I've been offered The face of Queen's assignment."

she blinked. "The what? I don't understand,

"The face of Queen's assignment. You know, the cosmetic company. They are restarting a new ad campaign featuring the face of a Queens girl. Sort of the all-American glamor girl type that every woman dreams of being. Well, I'm it! The head of the ad agency called my agent and offered me a contract. It's to be a world-

wide promotion, and they? 'll be photographing me at all the exciting and glamorous landmarks. The Eiffel

Tower in Paris, St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, the Parthenon in Greece..."

She was struggling to keep up with her cousin's rambling and had only just begun to understand the implications of what she was saying. "Now just a minute," she interrupted, "you're marrying Drake on Saturday. How are you going to juggle an around-the-world modeling assignment and your responsibilities as area wife?"

Jessica took another long swig of her whiskey-laced

coffee." That's what I had to talk to you about. I'm not going to marry Mr. Andreas, Lisa".

she could only stare, open-mouthed and disbelieving. You're what?" she finally gasped, convinced she'd misunderstood.

Jessica looked away. "I can't marry Drake. He'd never agree to my taking this assignment, but it's the shot of

adrenaline that will save my career. Oh, don't you see,

This one assignment will open doors for me for years to come. To say nothing of the money. You wouldn't believe how lucrative something like this can be. I'll be a celebrity. Everyone will recognize The face of the Queen's girl?"

"But what about Drake ?" Lisa couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Jessica's expression changed to one of distress. "You know it breaks my heart to call off our wedding plans.

I love Drake ." That's why I've decided against marrying him. He'd never be happy with a dedicated career woman for a wife, and we both know that's what I'll always be. Now that I have this chance I couldn't possibly turn it down. It's what I've been working for all

my life. "

For just a moment she felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Jessica wasn't going to marry Drake after all. Was there still a chance for me?"

she banished the selfish thought and realized that she was trembling. She took a few steps to the yellow Formica table and sank onto one of the chairs.

Alana had been right. Jessica was self-centered and incapable of loving anyone. A wave of blind anger replaced her

stunned incredulity. "How could you?" she hissed.

"Dammit, Jessica, how can you do this to Drake? her voice was rising. "He loves you. I've never seen a man so much in love. If you walk away from him he'll be

shattered."

Jessica took another swig of her spilled coffee. "Do you think this is easy for me? I know he loves me. I know he'll be hurt, but there's nothing else I can do. I'm

I'm just glad the offer came before we were married. At least we won't have to go through the mess of a divorce. He'll get over it, Lisa, and someday a sweet, submissive woman who will clean his house and give him babies and be the perfect corporate wife. Then

he'll be thankful that I had the good sense to walk away and leave him."

"I just don't believe this," she raged. The

wedding is only two days away. The gifts have been received and acknowledged. The caterers will have to be paid whether the food is served or not. It's too late to

cancel the flowers, Jessica, how can you be so heartless?"

Jessica slammed her cup down on the counter. "Oh, come off it, Lisa. I'm not Cinderella and Drake's not Prince Charming. You always did believe in fairy tales, but you've got to grow up sometime. Drake and I haven't

exactly been waiting for the marriage vow to start the honeymoon. We've already started a lot of the passion we felt for each other. I'm not cheating him...he got what he wanted from me."

For the first time since she'd learned to talk, she was speechless. How could you appeal to the compassion of someone who had none? Jessica didn't even comprehend what she was talking about. She thought sexual desire and love were indistinguishable. She couldn't fathom the deep and abiding love that Drake had so trustingly offered her, and there was no way she ever could have returned it.

she felt a wave of sympathy for Drake that was agonizing in its intensity. He'd been instantly captivated by Jessica. Swept off his feet, as her mother would say. He'd showered her with expensive gifts and taken her to glamorous and exciting places where

They were spotlighted and talked about. The beautiful model and the handsome Greek billionaire. When she'd finally agreed to marry him he'd positively glowed with happiness. It would devastate him to lose her now.

she closed her eyes to try to shut out the painful thoughts. "Have you told Drake yet ?" she asked.

"Well-uh-no, not yet. Something in Jessica's tone made Lisa open her eyes. "That's another thing I wanted to talk to you about, Lisa. I was hoping maybe...I mean, you and Drake have known each other so long and are such good friends. What I'm trying to

Say, am I...I want you to tell him to me."