Allaire West threw away her marriage when she bedded the handsome and powerful Devon Mercer. Pregnant with Devon’s twins, she tries to pass them off as her husband’s, only to have the ugly truth end with a gunshot.

Allie finally admits the man she loves and wants to spend the rest of her life with is Devon. She secretly attends Devon’s Halloween masquerade party and they share a sizzling reunion.

Allie’s life is turned upside down again when she is kidnapped after the party and held for ransom by two drug-crazed, ex-convicts. She endures starvation, isolation, and drug addiction. With time against him, Devon makes a deal with the devil to find his beloved.

EXCERPT

The white apron on Allie’s costume cinched her small waist. She’d dyed her blonde hair a glorious chestnut color and swept it up to accentuate her bare shoulders and graceful neckline, two things Devon found irresistible. She shivered as though she could feel his slender fingers already caressing her there. Green contact lenses hid her blue eyes behind a glittering half mask. Her petticoat skirt softly swished as she walked through the fogged foyer and Allie hoped no one could see anything above the tops of her silk garters.

Men asking her to dance or to share a drink hampered Allie’s progress into the party. She gave them a charming smile and squeezed by. She focused on finding Devon before she lost her nerve.

Strobe lights flickered eerily in the crowded room while ghoulish sounds piped through the sound system. A DJ chattered at the costumed crowd and took requests from dancers in the great room. Laughter floated above the din from guests who seemed to be having a raucous good time.

Allie scanned the great room. What would he be wearing? Dracula? No, not his style. Too many reminders of his father. James Bond? Possibly, but hell, he already looks like James Bond 24/7. Spiderman? He would look good in a tight red costume. Maybe not. There he is!

Disguised as Erik from Phantom of the Opera, Devon held a Can-Can dancer in his arms. Allie almost choked at the irony of seeing Lauren’s costume. He moves with such grace and elegance on the dance floor. They laughed together and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Allie’s resolve started to crumble.

“May I have this dance?” Batman asked her.

Before she could answer, Batman swept Allaire into his arms and onto the dance floor. Knowing Devon couldn’t hear her, she made small talk with her masked partner while they danced. Batman’s eyes kept dipping to her revealing décolletage and Allie soon realized Devon also noticed the sultry French maid dancing ever nearer to him.

Batman’s lips loomed precariously close to Allie’s plump earlobe.

“How would you like to come to the Bat Cave afterwards and turn down my bed?” he whispered.

“I’m allergic to bat caves.” She wrinkled her nose in disgust. “The guano thing…”

Allie abruptly left Batman standing there and went to get a drink to steady her nerves.

She stood next to a life-sized Dracula and sipped pear-apple wine. Devon and Lauren joined a small group across the noisy room. Allie sipped her wine and gave herself a pep talk. When she looked around again, Lauren was dancing with Bill Clinton and Devon vanished. Her eyes darted around the room. For gosh sakes, where did he disappear?

A voice breathed near her ear, “Looking for someone?”

Allie whirled around to find Devon standing there.
He extended his hand. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Erik, I mean, Devon"this silly mask thing. I’ve always hated costume parties.”

Allie’s heart thudded so loudly she was sure Devon could hear it. She curtsied, leaning slightly forward to give Devon an even better view of her generous bust line. She rose with an alluring smile on her face and finished the rest of her wine.

Devon seemed intrigued at her non-verbal response.
Allie took his hand and led him to the dance floor as Closer began to play. The sexy salsa rhythm was just what Allie needed to captivate Devon and she took full advantage of the opportunity. Her hips swayed provocatively with the music and she swung in and out of Devon’s arms.

She’s magnificent. So familiar. If I could just hold her longer, I know I will remember who she is. I could never forget a woman so delectable.

They breathed rapidly from the exertion of the dance but also the excitement of touching each other in this classical way, in this primitive sexual foreplay. The song’s lyrics beckoned their hearts; compelling them it seemed, to obey…”come closer, she said…I just can’t stop, I just can’t stop!”

The smooth skin exposed on Allie’s bare shoulder mesmerized Devon. He gave into the temptation to kiss it. She gasped softly as Devon began to make love to her neck, shoulder, and ear but didn’t stop him. His tongue flicked in anticipation of his lips against her silky smooth skin.

Lavender. She smells like spicy lavender.

Devon enjoyed the erratic beat of Allie’s pulse beneath his kisses. He briefly warmed a diamond earring and her delicious, plump earlobe in his mouth. She tilted her head back further to allow him to kiss his way to her other shoulder.

Devon ran his tongue along Allie’s slender throat, ending with a soft kiss just below her chin. Her eyes remained closed; her cheeks flush with the glow of passion barely realized. He cradled the back of her head and returned to her creamy shoulder and graceful neck.Allie’s grip on Devon’s body tightened with every stroke of his tongue, every branding kiss, until the song ended.

Slowly Allie opened her green-tinted eyes to find Devon intently gazing into them. She reached behind his head to pull his lips to hers. A tentative kiss quickly deepened into a French kiss that threatened to explode into unbridled passion on the dance floor.

Devon gently pulled away and murmured, “Darling, as much as I want to continue kissing, and do other delicious things to you, I believe we are causing a scene.”

“Devon? Devon! Who is this woman you are kissing?” Can-Can Lauren shrieked. Her voice jarred the moment like fingernails on a chalkboard. “Who are you, you harlot, and get your hands and the rest of your body off my man,” she ordered.

Neither Devon nor Allie answered.

The piercing look in Devon’s hazel eyes told Allie everything. He knows. Her heart gave a joyful leap.

“Is one of you going to answer me?” the over-painted dancer demanded.

Allie straightened her costume. She ran a gloved finger under Devon’s chin while delivering a smoldering invitation with her emerald green eyes. Then she turned and walked away.
“Devon Mercer, how dare you embarrass me like this in front of all our guests?” Lauren screeched.

Lauren came more unglued by the second. As she continued her tirade, Devon only noticed the ugly way Lauren’s mouth moved while she ranted. His mind remained on the mysterious maid. She must be Allaire. No other woman ever makes me feel the way she does.

Finally Devon dragged himself out of his reverie and flatly stated, “Lauren, I believe you are causing more of a scene with your caterwauling than I did with a harmless kiss. If you’ll excuse me.”

Devon dropped his mask to the floor, turned, and left Lauren standing there, slack-jawed and on the verge of a total meltdown.

If the maid is actually Allie, there is only one place she would go.