Sweet Seduction Sayonara Read online

  Sweet Seduction Sayonara

  Sweet Seduction Book Nine

  Nicola Claire

  Contents

  Copyright

  About the Author

  Free Download

  Also by Nicola Claire

  A Message From The Author

  Description

  Dedication

  1. And Suddenly There’s Nowhere Else I’d Rather Be

  2. I’m Thirsty

  3. Three Times In As Many Hours

  4. Close Call

  5. You’re Safe

  6. Fuck, My Life Is Good

  7. It’s Worse

  8. Strawberries And Fuckin’ Heaven

  9. In My Heart

  10. And Has A Shitload Of Test Pot Paints

  11. You Might Leave Footprints

  12. And When I Think Of Them, I’ll Be Somewhere Safe

  13. The Room Spins

  14. And Make Our World Red

  15. And She Doesn’t Say No

  16. My Wife Has Mad Hacker Skills

  17. And I Never Back Down

  18. That’s All I’ll Ever Need

  19. Thank You

  Epilogue

  Another Message From The Author

  Review Request

  Free Download

  Copyright © 2016, Nicola Claire

  All Rights Reserved

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organisations is entirely coincidental.

  All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.

  ISBN: 978-0-473-36759-6

  Created with Vellum

  About the Author

  Nicola Claire lives in beautiful Taupo, New Zealand with her husband and two young boys.

  She's tried her hand at being a paramedic, bank teller and medical sales representative, (not all necessarily in that order), but her love of writing keeps calling her back.

  She has a passion for all things suspenseful, spiced up with a good dollop of romance, as long as they include strong characters - alpha males and capable females - and worlds which although make-believe are really quite believable in the end.

  There's nothing better than getting caught up in a compelling, intriguing and romantic book.

  When she's not writing or reading, she's out on her family boat at Lake Taupo, teaching her young boys to fish, showing them the beauty that surrounds them in nature and catching some delicious trout for dinner.

  Creating rich worlds with dynamic characters and unexpected twists that shock and awe has been pure bliss for this author. And just as well, because there's a lot more story yet to tell...

  For more information:

  @NicolaClaireNZ

  168567699926093

  www.nicolaclairebooks.com

  [email protected]

  Free Download

  Sign up!

  Get your free copy of Nicola Claire’s Starter Library!

  Three free books to get you started!

  Starter Library

  Also by Nicola Claire

  Kindred Series

  Kindred

  Blood Life Seeker

  Forbidden Drink

  Giver of Light

  Dancing Dragon

  Shadow's Light

  Entwined With The Dark

  Kiss Of The Dragon

  Dreaming Of A Blood Red Christmas (Novella)

  Mixed Blessing Mystery Series

  Mixed Blessing

  Dark Shadow (Coming Soon)

  Sweet Seduction Series

  Sweet Seduction Sacrifice

  Sweet Seduction Serenade

  Sweet Seduction Shadow

  Sweet Seduction Surrender

  Sweet Seduction Shield

  Sweet Seduction Sabotage

  Sweet Seduction Stripped

  Sweet Seduction Secrets

  Sweet Seduction Sayonara

  Elemental Awakening Series

  The Tempting Touch Of Fire

  The Soothing Scent Of Earth

  The Chilling Change Of Air

  The Tantalising Taste Of Water (Coming Soon)

  H.E.A.T. Series

  A Flare Of Heat

  A Touch Of Heat

  A Twist Of Heat (Novella)

  A Lick Of Heat (Coming Soon)

  Citizen Saga

  Elite

  Cardinal

  Citizen

  Masked (Novella)

  Wiped

  Scarlet Suffragette Series

  Fearless

  Breathless (Coming Soon)

  Blood Enchanted Series

  Blood Enchanted

  Blood Entwined (Coming Soon)

  Lost Time Series

  Losing Time (Coming Soon)

  ***

  44 South Series

  Southern Sunset (Coming Soon)

  A Message From The Author

  This really is the end.

  ♥ Nicola

  Description

  This one is straight from the heart and because you asked so nicely. A final look at the guys and gals from Sweet Seduction. A dangerous and delicious short novel all about love at first sight and how it can lead to such beautiful, wonderful, unexpected things. This is Finn’s story, but it’s not just Finn’s story to tell. Because every guy has a great bunch of mates behind him, and if they’re anything like the guys at ASI and ADK, then they’re going to get involved, place their lives on the line, and do whatever it takes to help you out.

  “I should stay away. She’s warned me. Her life is too complicated and my name’s not on her dance card. I should stay away. But I don’t."

  Finn Drake is an ordinary guy. He’s good at what he does. Cares about his mates. And fights his battles through contracts and in sky-rise offices. He’s not a kick-butt ninja warrior. But sometimes that’s just what it takes to win the girl.

  Especially when there’s Triads and drug dealers and Yakuza and tattooed thugs and all manner of people after them. Not to mention the girl's father and brother, who happen to think she belongs to someone else.

  If it wasn’t for his friends, where would Finn be?

  Just as well his friends are professional investigators and hard nosed security experts, mostly ex-military.

  ASI comes to the rescue, helping Finn win his girl. Because as far as these men are concerned… once you see what you want, you set out to take it, claim it, and possess it, completely. Finn might have thought he was someone who looked in from the outside, but he soon realises he's just like everyone else. At least, he’s just like his mates at Anscombe Securities and Investigations.

  Because Finn Drake wants Momoko Tanaka, and he’ll do absolutely anything to make her his.

  This 55,000 word novel is set in the Sweet Seduction World, five years after the end of Sweet Seduction Secrets. It’s told mainly from Finn’s POV, but you’ll find something from Dom, Nick, Ben, Jason, Pierce, Drew, Eric and Adam in there as well.

  Last chance. Last call. For Sweet Seduction. And thanks, guys, for loving them as much as I do.

  For: Gayla Slusser,

  who entered into the

  NAME THAT NOVELLA

  competition on Facebook

  suggesting the perfect title for this book.

  Chapter 1

  And Suddenly There’s Nowhere Else I’d Rather Be

  Finn

  Five years later…

  I always feel a little out of place at these things. Like a gummy bear in the middle of a jar of M&M’s. I
stand out. But not in a good way. Because who would choose fruit candy over chocolate and peanuts? I wouldn’t. More often than not, I’m the one chasing after Red. But I don’t end up with chocolate, or peanuts for that matter, it’s usually Blue I’m stuck with.

  And almond is even more out of favour than fruit candy.

  Genevieve’s a Red. So’s Dom. I suppose like attracts like. Which makes my whole situation that much more unappealing.

  Even I’m not attracted to gummy bears.

  I sigh and take a sip of my Darjeeling. The flavour, while not almond, reminds me I’m the only one here drinking tea. Dom’s drinking an espresso. So’s Ben and Adam and practically every other Red here.

  I spy Koki, he’s sipping a soy latte, but I don’t think I can base my standards on him. He’s batshit crazy. I smile to myself, superimposing his perpetually angry face with a yellow M&M. A total nut-job.

  My gaze slips off Koki and moves on around the room. Sweet Seduction is shut to the general public this evening, so if you’re here, you’re one of the inner circle. I can lay claim to that auspicious title simply because I work with Dom. Third share of ADK, Anscombe, Drake & Kline, along with Drew.

  Who, incidentally, is drinking coffee. Not tea. And his wife is definitely a Red. Through and through. I watch absently as Kelly slips onto Drew’s lap, ruffles his hair and then leans in and licks up his neck to nibble on his ear.

  Red and proud of it.

  I move on. I’m not a voyeur. Even if it’s hard to ignore those two sometimes.

  Boy, am I glad I lost that bet.

  “Ollie, stop pulling your sister’s pigtail!” Dom suddenly shouts across the room. With the accuracy of a professional archer, the arrow finds its mark.

  “I’m not pulling it!” Ollie shouts back to his father. “I’m seein' if it’s grown any.”

  I smile. There’s a reason why I keep coming to these things.

  “Drawing tears is not ‘seeing if it’s grown any,’” Dominic argues. Good luck, Dom. That kid’s a chip off the old block.

  Arguing is second nature to an Anscombe.

  “She’s not crying, Dad,” Ollie points out. “She likes it. Why else she got pig’ails?”

  You tell him, Ols. He runs past me and offers up a high-five. I accept the greeting willingly, shooting Dom a smirk. His old man shakes his head disappointingly.

  “Egg-zach-y!” Harry Kline adds, in his usual outlandish four-year-old language skills, as his shorter, stubbier legs chase after Ollie. He offers up a fist-bump on the way past, making Dom mutter, “I give up.”

  The kids evaporate into the back of the store, losing themselves in the music cave to get up to God alone knows what.

  “Tell me you have this problem too,” Dom demands. It takes a second for me to realise who he’s talking to.

  Everyone’s dotted around the café, perched on overstuffed armchairs or garishly vibrant sofas. Not exactly facing each other, but close enough to hear what anyone has to say. Friday evenings at Sweet Seduction are a casual affair. Brook actually has his leg slung over the arm of his chair.

  It’s Charlie who answers. “Considering Paul’s still in pull-ups, I’d have to pass on that one, Dom.” She offers him a wide grin.

  Even Charlie, a former gummy bear, has transformed into a Red M&M.

  “Wait,” Dom threatens. “Just you wait.”

  “Charlie and Adam won’t have to worry about their kid being argumentative,” Kelly declares. “They’ll just have to worry about him cracking the code to the gun safe.”

  Charlie cringes. “That was one time, OK? He’s not even two. He got lucky. You gonna bring that up at every gathering?”

  This is my life now. Watching my friends find their happily ever after. Watching them become fat and engorged on love.

  Watching them start families. Mini-me’s everywhere.

  Kelly beams, reaches out to grab a darting Harry as he sprints by again, and brings him in for a quick hug and kiss, then release. He’s off in the next breath, chasing after the other kids, rounding the retro couches and dodging the hard-to-find CDs out to the back.

  The sweet freedom of the cave. Part of me wishes to join them.

  Katie comes over, then, snagging my attention. She’s always snagged my attention. Since Dom and I were in law school, I’ve had a crush on his sister. You’d think a guy approaching forty would have stopped having crushes by now.

  She’s got a bottle of milk in one hand and a fussing George in the other, and I watch as she settles into the couch beside an extremely proud Jason.

  And suddenly I’m remembering why I don’t crush on her anymore. Jason already suspects I’m way too friendly.

  “I don’t think any of our kids have a hope in hell of being normal, darling,” Katie offers.

  “Speak for yourself,” Nick argues, from across the way. “Ours are little angels.” Everyone groans at his pun. Even I do.

  “Of course they are,” Abi agrees. “Getting sung the latest country hits as they drift off to sleep each night is bound to make any child compliant.”

  “Makes Nick compliant,” Adam adds.

  “It’s not the songs,” Nick drawls.

  “Better not be, cowboy,” Eva says with a wink as she slips onto his lap. He offers her a wide grin back, but doesn’t argue the point. How can he? Eva, like the rest of the women here, has her man wrapped around her little finger.

  And suddenly my tea tastes bitter.

  The banter continues, Pierce and Marie joining in the gentle ribbing, the words, like the love, bouncing back and forth across the room. But I tune it all out, my eyes staring unseeing out of the shopfront windows. Though the scene outside is distorted by the rounded glass, I try to make sense of the imagery.

  Just like I’ve been trying to make sense of my life, lately.

  “Guess what!” Abi suddenly declares, drawing me back into the land of the living.

  “Red, we doin’ this now?” Ben asks, sounding a little amused.

  “Why not? We’re all here. This is Family Friday. What better time than now?”

  “OK,” Ben agrees, somewhat reluctantly. “But don’t blame me if the booze comes out and you can’t have any.”

  She huffs a breath, blowing blonde strands of hair out of her eyes and then turns to the room at large.

  “Well, I guess the cat’s outta the bag now,” she grouses.

  I suddenly don’t want to be here. Or maybe the thought isn’t a new one. Maybe I’ve been quietly pining for something new. Something that doesn’t remind me I had this once and now I can’t seem to find it again. Something precious and hopeful. Something when taken away leaves only a hollow.

  “Tell us,” Gen urges, keeping me present, even when all I want is to float away. To leave.

  “Go on,” Kelly adds. “That’s half the fun.”

  “We’ll pretend we haven’t guessed a thing, darling,” Katie offers, completely seriously.

  I think my heart aches.

  “You old dog,” Nick says on a chuckle, slapping Ben on the back.

  “Nicholas Anscombe!” Amber scolds. “Let the woman have her moment, for crying out loud.”

  “You tell him, babe,” Eric says, stifling a laugh when Nick looks a little sheepish.

  I’ve got to get out of here.

  “OK!” Abi shouts. All eyes turn back to the blonde. Mine as well, although reluctantly. She swallows. And then smiles. The most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen. Big and proud, full of love and relief, and astonishment.

  I can’t breathe.

  “We did it,” she whispers. “We got the results back today. It worked.” Ben moves in, wrapping an arm around his woman, just as her eyes fill with tears and she drags her bottom lip between her teeth. “We did it.” The last is lost in amongst a soft sob.

  Maybe I’m not the only one who’s had trouble breathing.

  Ben clears his throat, lays a loving kiss amongst Abi’s hair, and lifts shining eyes to the rest of the room.

&n
bsp; “Yeah,” he says. “We’re finally pregnant. Now we get to complain about our kid, too.”

  Everyone sucks in a breath of air, realising their banter over the past few years has clearly had sharp claws and they hadn’t known it. For a moment, they feel their pain. And then the cheers go up, and the clapping starts, and shouts and cries of congratulations are yelled across the small space, and someone brings out a bottle of champagne, the cork bouncing off one of the hidden cameras up in the rafters.

  My eyes meet Ben’s across the raucous crowd. I nod my head in congratulations. He holds my gaze for longer than necessary.

  Ben’s a Red. So’s Abi. But that doesn’t mean he can’t see the gummy bear in their midst.

  For a moment I don’t feel quite so out of place.

  And then the kids all rush back in, being chased by Daisy, and pandemonium unleashes.

  I lose sight of Ben and Abi, in the celebrating crowd, and head toward the front of the shop, needing air. Needing space. Needing to get my shit together.

  The cold air blasts my cheeks as soon as the door swings shut behind me. Small whorls of debris lift off the ground, scurrying along the gutters of High Street. I pull out a pack of cigarettes and light one. Then lean back against the lingerie shop’s frontage.

  High Street is quietening down for the day, but the odd store still has lights on inside. Industrious employees locking down their merchandise for another day. Saturday is High Street’s big day. Sweet Seduction will be packed from the moment its doors open until they close again. This small window out of time is all we get to enjoy our haven without interruption.