Beautiful Force

Beautiful Force

The Scarlet Rose Diaries

by

Ella Quinn

BEAUTIFUL FORCE

Published by Ella Quinn

Copyright © 2012 by Ella Quinn

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Ebook Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to your favorite ebookstore and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Dedication

To those who believe in second chances.

He saved more than her life...he saved her future.

Beautiful Force

Chapter one 

Jace planted his lips where her necklace closed. Her back was smooth as silk, pale like the color of pearl. His eyes moved down her lean neck as he counted nine homemade dainty stars trailing along the sharp edge of her pale shoulder blade. He wondered what they stood for. Nine lives were all that he could think of.

“You’re so beautiful, Allison,” Jace whispered as he examined a lock of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. His warm, delicious breath enveloped her, causing tingles to race down her spine.
 

“Oh, stop,” she pleaded with a smile, waving him away. “You’re such a sweet man.”
 

“No, it’s true. You take my breath away.” He turned her around and pulled her into his defined chest.

The scent of his cologne and the heat of his pheromones sent her mind reeling, again.

“Hmm,” she murmured, “I’m just glad things went so well today.” Affection flooded her eyes. She placed the palm of her hand flat-out against his chest. “Are you going to be okay?” she asked sincerely.
 

“Yes, of course. I believe you have changed my life,” Jace implored. His full mouth straightened into a tight line that spread into an edible smile, at least that’s how Allison saw it. He looked deep into her bright green eyes, “I don’t know how to thank you.”
 

She bit her bottom lip, pulling them together to form a perfect circle and winked at him. Inside her body tremble
d, and her knees wobbled. This was not like Allison. She was never affected emotionally let alone physically by the likes of a man.

Men were usually the ones that were intimated by her gorgeous features, her success at a young age, and her ability to walk away if they got too close. She managed to make them believe they couldn’t play in her league. Most of them pick-up up their balls, literally, and went to play in another field before the game began with her.

Allison experienced a few dark events at a young age, the loss of her mother, rejection from her father and running away from home. When it came to men, she knew the score. The circumstances never played in her favor.

There was a time Allison believed in happ
ily ever after, she had big dreams, but those dreams came crashing down around her years ago. Since then, she’s blocked out the dark images that used to haunt her mind every time she closed her eyes. A victim of post-traumatic stress and now she had no idea that a dark event once had happened to her. It’s tucked away deep in her subconscious mind, dormant. The memories are cloaked over by the veil of her success and no longer exist. They belonged to someone else.

“No, thanks necessary. Damn, as unprofessional as this may sound, I need a strong drink. Do you mind?” Allison asked.

Her breath sent small listless sighs into the air as she unlocked two cabinet doors that were located beneath a crowded bookcase.  

“Help yourself
, but don’t forget about me,” Jace said, suggestively. His eyes darted to the stash of liquor. 

Allison
’s thick mane swung across her shoulders as she flipped her head back toward him, smiling broadly.

“Never,” Allison replied with a hint of a promise in her tone.
She bent over seductively at the waist, purposefully, or so it seemed, raising her derriere high into the air as an attempt to create sexual tension in the room and taking back her control.

She shuffled through the glass bottles. Her movements were concise as if she was looking for something very special.

“Wow,” he murmured, “It has been a while since I’ve seen such a sight.” Jace’s tone filled with anticipation. “I mean...you know.”

“I know what you meant,” she replied, and her voice trailed, pausing for the space of a heartbeat. “Hope you like what you see,” Allison gushed confidently and poured the caramel colored liquid into two crystal snifters.
 

The room was relatively quiet. The sound of soft music mixed with the alcohol trickling into the glasses.

“Oh I did,” he said in a deep baritone voice.

“And, so did I,” Allison responded. Her eyes appraised him slowly, closing for a fraction of a second and then opened alluringly.

The light in the room captured the yellow flecks in her green eyes. A sexy grin splayed on her face, and her narrow hips swayed from side to side as she padded barefoot across the floor.

Jace gauged her up and down as she moved toward him.
 

“Remember, there’s more where this came from...just say the word,” Allison purred and handed him a glass. Their eyes locked. “A lot more,” she confirmed, suggestively raising her glass to the center of her breasts. “I think we have a good reason to celebrate.”

“I agree,” he affirmed.

Jace raised his glass to hers, tapping the rims together and then downed the entire shot of Grand Marnier.

“You sure are thirsty, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Drained to say the least,” Jace admitted as he licked his lower lip. Allison quickly retrieved the dark liqueur and poured him another shot, then placed the bottle down on the dry bar nearby.
 

“Yes, I can understand that. I have to admit today was the most intensive session I’ve ever performed and you did great too.” She giggled, winking provocatively. Her eyes flashed at his drink. “Bottoms-up.”
 

Jace quickly inhaled the entire contents of his glass. “If you don’t mind,” he said, grinning devilishly. He held his glass up toward her, gesturing another round as his other hand snaked up behind her hips, grasping a handful of Allison’s round ass.

She placed her free hand over his that caressed the fullness of her behind. “Easy, Tiger,” she purred.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—” Jace said, pausing. A wryly look rose to his face.

“No, it’s okay. I should’ve given you some of my best an hour ago,” she said, her tone was playful. Her heart began to pound erratically; quickly she reared out of his grip, leaving his arm to fall limp at his side when she pulled away.

“I thought you did,” he said pointedly.
   

“It gets better with time,” she affirmed, biting her lower lip, appearing child-like. Her eyes flashed on his empty glass. “If I didn’t know any better...it appears you are trying to drown yourself in my expensive booze.” Allison’s lips tightened to a full-on smirk. “You should slow down, relax and take it easy.”

“Yes, you’re right,” Jace said, then began singing the chorus to
Take It Easy,
by the Eagles. “Take it easy...take it easy…don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy. You may lose and you may win, but you may never be here again…” His words trailed into a chuckle. Clearly it was an embarrassing moment for him.

“Wow, I didn’t know you could sing,” she said, thoroughly amused. “Don’t stop you have a great voice.”

“Thanks,” he replied. “I guess the lyrics fit the occasion.”

“I suppose they do,” Allison whispered. “I always liked that song.” A short beat passed between them, then she sang, “
Don’t let the sound of your own wheels make you crazy.” She added, “Definitely words to live by.”

“Definitely...you know there are many things you don’t know about me,” Jace said in a challenging tone.
 

“Oh really? I think I know quite a bit about you and then some.” She stared hard-pressed into her empty glass and then stretched over the arm of the sofa, reaching toward the dry bar. “I need another drink,” Allison said.
 

Jace gauged her every move. There was a gracefulness to Allison’s movements as she effortlessly slinked toward her goal. Her thin fingers coiled around the neck of the liquor bottle. She poured him a healthy third shot and a second dose for herself.
 

“I was wondering if you like the necklace I gave you?” Jace inquisitively asked as he took a sip of the liquid courage.
“You never mentioned otherwise.” 

She was slow to answer, and he noticed. Jace watched her eyes stray to the corners of her temples and upward, stopping on the clock that hung over the sofa.

“This is good stuff.” He coughed slightly. His face reddened, most likely from the warming effects of the alcohol. “It’s okay, you don’t have to answer.” 

“Yes. Of course, I love it.” She paused, surprised that she used the word love; it rarely passed through her lips. Maybe it never did. “Honestly, I like it a lot. Thank you. But you didn’t have to, Jace.” She winced, massaging her fingers against the smooth silver pendant. “When I was eighteen, I saw a similar design in a window of a store on my way to Hollywood—hum, I never quite made it out there,” she paused for a long moment, gazing into space. Her eyes clouded, appearing lost in a memory.

“Are you okay?” Jace inquired as he rolled the ice cubes around in his empty glass. “I want you to know that I didn’t give it to you because of—I bought it for you a long time ago. Long before, well, today. I never expected—” His words were labored as he held up the glass, gesturing that he was ready for another round. 

“Shshh, I think you’ve had enough,” she whispered, planting her index finger against Jace’s full lips. She winced, when doing so her brows marr
ed the faint lines between them.

Jace’s fingers grazed against the shiny pendant that was dangling from her neck. “Are you sure you like it?” he asked, exhaling. “I’ve seemed to upset you.”
 

“No, I’m not upset at all. Of course, I adore the necklace,” she answered, moving from his reach as she crawled into the corner of the sofa. “It’s just getting late. I have a few patients on my mind and a busy day planned for tomorrow,” she whined. “I’m sorry. I’m feeling distracted—and got lost in the past for a moment,” she said, apologizing for drifting away, and then she downed her drink to its last drop, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
 

“May I ask...why didn’t you stay in Hollywood?” Jace’s tone filled with curiosity.
 

“I didn’t m
ake it out there—I came to that fork in the road as we all do, instead of going forward, I made a U turn, headed back home and went straight into college. And here I am almost ten years later,” she said, rubbing the necklace as if she was making a wish on a magic bottle. Her eyes grew distant again, perhaps reminiscing on another memory.

“I see...sorry things didn’t work out.” His eyes darted to the framed photo of a very good-looking older man, hanging on the wall.
Should I
, he thought. Then asked, “Is that your father?” 

Allison glanced upward at the photo, and her brows dipped, pulling tightly together. “Yep, good old Dad,” she said, acknowledging the man in the picture and then turned to Jace.
“Wait. You know who my father is. Why would you ask me that?” 

“I don’t know. I guess he looks different there,” Jace murmured, his tone sounded nervous. “So, are you dating anyone?”
Jace asked, trying to change the subject.

“Once in a while, I see a man named Dick. It’s nothing serious.” Allison grabbed a pen and note pad from the side table and doodled as they continued to exchange banter.
 

“Do you like him ?” he asked inquisitively.

“Who, Dick? He’s okay. Dick is dick, right?” she said nonchalantly, twisting and sucking on the end of the pen. 

Jace let out a throaty laugh, asking, “Is it?” A coy arrogant smirk spread across his face.
 

Allison looked up at Jace, rapidly tapping the tip of the pen between the space of her top and bottom teeth, contemplating her answer. Her eyes narrowed into his gaze. “I suppose not always.” She giggled.
 

Jace asked, teasingly, “So does that pen taste good?”