FullDisclosure by Nikki Soarde

sense of awe and infatuation for who he was and what he represented. It wasn’t true love. The closest she had come to that before going to prison had been—no. She couldn’t go there. Couldn’t even think about him. She had someone else to focus on.
    She smiled as she thought of Jake again. He had dashed every image and every stereotype of the “ambitious male” that she’d ever had. He was successful and dedicated to his career and his business, and yet despite being devilishly handsome and, no doubt, able to land any woman he desired, he’d remained sweet and giving and so blessedly not full of himself. He was so generous, in fact, that it almost scared her. She would pay him back for all this, she resolved again. She would find a way.
    “Okay, enough,” she said to her image. “Enough procrastinating. It’s time to get this over with.” She’d done all she could, pulled out all the stops and used every trick in her bag. She’d even learned a few new ones down at the beauty salon that day. Who would’ve guessed that so much could change in the world of makeup in five short years?
    She sighed. Was that really all it had been? Sometimes it felt as if an entire lifetime had passed since she’d lived in a mansion and sipped wine with every dinner. Then again, in some ways, it had been.
    With one final adjustment of the black silk halter and flowing skirt, with one final wiggle of her perfectly plum toes in her new silver slingbacks and a glance to make sure her faux pearls hung just right…she stepped out of the bedroom and into Jake’s appraising gaze.
    He stood by the patio doors, gazing out across the water toward the blooming sunset. Caught in the golden half-light, he looked so handsome in his tan sport jacket and chocolate-brown slacks. And so sophisticated with that glass of pinot noir cradled in his palm.
    He stared at her, wide-eyed and unblinking. Damn, but a girl could lose herself in those eyes.
    She pursed her lips together and fiddled with her skirt. “Is it…or I mean…am I all right? Do I look okay for the restaurant?”
    “Okay? Okay? ” He set down his glass and crossed to her, taking her hands in his and spinning her around as if she were a doll. “You do have a gift for understatement.” He laughed and she relaxed instantly. “You were beautiful before, but now…now you’re breathtaking.” Suddenly he slipped his hand around her waist, hugged her in tight and then it was she who was having trouble finding her breath. His face was so close to hers, his eyes so intense that for a moment she almost thought he was going to kiss her. And she realized at that moment that she wanted him to—desperately.
    But then he took her right hand in his left and raised it high and began to waltz her around the living room. “In fact you look so amazing that I don’t think dinner will be enough. How would you like to go dancing?”
    She laughed aloud, a sound that had become far too strange to her ears. “I’d love to.”
    “Good.” He waltzed her over to her purse and the lightweight silver shrug that he’d bought her as a surprise. Much to her disappointment he released her, but only to help her on with the jacket.
    As they headed to the door she was pleased to feel his hand slip around her waist once again. She’d missed that, the feeling of a man’s warm, strong hand on her body. The sensation of being cared for and protected. The sense of being wanted and desired. She missed that more than she could say.
    “You’re going to spoil me,” she observed as he opened the door for her and ushered her through.
    “Baby, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

    Evan stirred the pot of spaghetti sauce for the umpteenth time and glanced at the clock for the thousandth time. Rachel was late—much later than she’d ever been before, and contrary to his advice to her mother, he was beginning to worry. A lot.
    He told himself it was silly, she was barely a half an hour past their usual dinner