WHAT LIES BETWEEN LOVERS
Tao had not really thought past getting Monique home safely. Sure, he had immediately noticed how hot she looked that night, with her bare back exposed and the thrust of her uncovered breasts teasing the fabric of her top. He had even had the chance to admire the sexy length of her legs in her very high heels. But, it had only been a natural appreciation of a beautiful woman. Not once had he really thought about holding her or kissing her. But now, standing just inside her house while she looked up at him with eyes more open and honest than ever before, her lips slightly parted, it was all he could think about.
Tao didn’t hesitate to pull her close with a gentle hand behind her head. He placed his mouth on hers. It started out as a simple kiss, meant to test her interest in something more. But the second he brushed his lips across hers, it felt like pure electricity. Tao pulled back in surprise, hovering only an inch from her, trying to understand the jolt that hit him somewhere below his navel. Then, he kissed her again with no questions or hesitation.
Also by Sophia Shaw
MOMENT OF TRUTH
A RARE GROOVE
SHADES AND SHADOWS
DEPTHS OF DESIRE
Published by Kensington Publishing Corp.
WHAT LIES BETWEEN LOVERS
SOPHIA SHAW
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com
In memory of my father,
Arnold Jackson
August 29, 1941 to March 1, 2008
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
It’s been a crazy year! I want to take a moment to thank all of my special friends and family who made it possible for me to survive it and be stronger in the end.
To my sisters, Gloria, Deon and Natasha—you were always there to listen patiently and give me the advice I needed. I couldn’t have chosen better sisters and best friends.
To my brothers, Roland and Wayne—I can’t thank you both for everything you have done for me and the girls. I can’t think of a way to repay you, but I’m working on it!
To my friends, Rossana and Beverley—you knew exactly when I needed a good laugh or the hard, painful truth. We’ve been through so many ups and downs together over the years and I know I can survive anything because you both have my back.
To Trung—you asked for an Asian lover, and here he is! Thanks for sowing the seed.
To my mom, Dr. Iris Thomas—thank you for worrying about me, praying for me and the girls, and sharing your good advice. You are my inspiration and I love you.
To my agent, Sha-Shana Crichton—I want to thank you for your work and guidance over the years. You have been instrumental in making my dream come true.
To Keith—thank you for raising the bar. You inspired so many parts of this story, and I hope I have motivated you to finish yours.
To all the other important and influential people in my life, including my readers and supporters—I can’t possibly mention all of you here, but I appreciate everything you contribute to my life and success.
Sincere regards,
Sophia
Inspire
I remain—
Uninspired by pavement
Glass and steel
Show me the sun
Reflected in the waves
Sparkling across the snow
Shining in my daughter’s eyes
I remain—
Uninspired by conflicts
Debates and politics
Show me the deer
Dancing across the meadow
Chasing white tails
And butterflies
I remain—
Inspired by love
A woman’s touch
And sometimes—
by pain
Keith Shier
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 1
Did you ever end up in a bad situation, and have no clue how you got there? Did you spend hours wondering how things went so wrong, and why you did not see it coming until it was too late? Monique Evans had been asking herself the same questions for weeks now, and was still waiting for the answers.
She was fully engrossed in a few stolen moments of brooding when she heard her name mentioned somewhere off in the distance. It dragged her attention back to the penthouse-level conference room and to the dozen or so faces staring at her, waiting for her response to a question that she had not heard within a discussion she had not been listening to.
Monique blinked a few times, and then put a thoughtful look on her face. A little flutter of panic rose in her throat as several seconds ticked by and no appropriate answers came to mind. With the calculated practice of a seasoned salesperson, she searched for clues within the white boards and open presentations about what her clients wanted to hear. The silence stretched to the point where the coworker sitting beside her started to fidget in his seat.
“I want to make sure I understand your question before I go into detail,” Monique finally stated while glancing at the most vocal participants in the meeting. “Can you put it into context for me?”
She was relieved when Robert Tomlin, the head of asset management for the Broadline Logistics, nodded with understanding.
“We would like the new system to have some open source code so that our own developers can customize the software as needed. Then, we need to understand how those customizations will affect your product guarantee.”
Everything clicked for Monique at that moment. As the Director of Sales at Sector Asset Solutions, she was responsible for making sure their top clients, like Broadline, were happy with their software. This meeting was to close them on a full system upgrade, a project worth up to ten million dollars. Before her mind had wandered