Applying for Passion (Capture, Inc.) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Loose Id Titles by Jade James

  Jade James

  Capture Inc. 2:

  APPLYING FOR PASSION

  Jade James

  www.loose-id.com

  Capture Inc. 2: Applying for Passion

  Copyright © November 2013 by Jade James

  All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  eISBN 9781623005825

  Editor: Maryam Salim

  Cover Artist: Valerie Tibbs

  Published in the United States of America

  Loose Id LLC

  PO Box 809

  San Francisco CA 94104-0809

  www.loose-id.com

  This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning

  This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id LLC’s e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

  * * * *

  DISCLAIMER: Please do not try any new sexual practice, especially those that might be found in our BDSM/fetish titles without the guidance of an experienced practitioner. Neither Loose Id LLC nor its authors will be responsible for any loss, harm, injury or death resulting from use of the information contained in any of its titles.

  Prologue

  The cosmopolitan Isabel Lancaster drank had caused a warm buzz in the pit of her stomach. But it was the man with the black, shoulder-length hair who eyed her with such fire in his gaze who created the heat sizzling in her blood. He leaned against a wall, occasionally drinking from the glass in his hand. But not once did he remove his gaze from her. He had to be at least seven or eight feet away from her, but from this distance, she surmised he was at least six feet tall. She couldn’t tell the color of his eyes, but the goatee that framed his chin had her wondering what it would feel like against her flesh.

  Even from where she sat, she admired the sleek muscles outlined by the expensive suit he wore. She wondered how good he’d look naked. He was an impressive sight—mesmerizing, commanding—and it had been a long while since someone held her attention so completely. And for a few minutes, he made her forget how much more careful she tended to be, and how she’d give anything to have the courage to walk over to him and ask him on a date. Or, better yet, have the nerve to proposition him and simply head over to her place for some hot, lust-filled sex.

  She licked her lips and turned her head to focus on her sister, before she did something ridiculous like stroll up to him and lead him to a dark corner so she could beg him to fuck her. She shook her head, pushing the thought away. This was her sister’s wedding reception, and with all the stress in Isabel’s life, the last thing she needed was a lover.

  Ariel looked beautiful dressed in a white floor-length gown as she danced with John. Her sister and John had been together for a year before they’d decided to make it official. Finally her sister was happy, and the road to getting there hadn’t been easy. But Ariel deserved the love she had found, and Isabel had a feeling her sister and John would beat the odds and make it last. John was a good man who wanted the best for her sister, and Isabel couldn’t ask for anything more.

  Isabel stood and quickly glanced around, searching for her mystery man. The wall where he’d stood was empty, and the sexy specimen she had been admiring was gone. It was just as well. But she couldn’t help but be a little unnerved by her feeling of disappointment. She wished she’d had the courage to find out his name.

  She grabbed her glass and downed the second apple martini she’d been working on. She reached for her bag and made her way to the ladies’ room.

  Isabel pushed the door open and gasped as someone from behind thrust her inside. Just as she was about to scream, a hand covered her mouth. Oh God!

  “Easy…easy.”

  Even though she didn’t know who it was, it wasn’t his voice. The ridiculous thought calmed her. This voice was deep but smooth, with a little Southern accent. The arm slid from her waist, and the hand uncovered her mouth. She turned, and it seemed like her heart froze for a second before resuming its furious beating.

  It was him. The gorgeous male who’d watched her minutes ago, and she instinctively retreated until her back hit the wall. She realized quite quickly there was nowhere else to go. It wasn’t fear that had her backing up, but her overwhelming response to him. He made her feel lust, and that wasn’t something she had felt in a long time. Up this close, she could see that his eyes were gray. They were enhanced by the dark shade of his hair. With his gaze alone, he captivated her.

  “Who are you?”

  “My name is Jack.”

  His voice was a caress against her nerves and set her clit pulsing. “You do realize this is the ladies’ room.” She swallowed and hoped he didn’t hear the nervousness in her voice. “The men’s room is right next door. If you’d like, I can show you where.”

  He smiled, displaying bright white teeth, and shrugged. “I am perfectly aware of where I am. But I wanted to capture your attention.”

  He had her attention from the start, but she wouldn’t let him know that. “A simple hello would have done it.”

  He reached up and rubbed his thumb against the corner of her mouth. “It would have, but I’ve been known to cause a more thorough and lasting effect. With you, I wanted to make a more memorable impression. What’s your name?”

  “Isabel…Isabel Lancaster.”

  He arched a brow. “The bride’s sister?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, that puts an interesting spin on things.”

  What in the world was he talking about? “An interesting spin on what?”

  “Let me clarify. You are a beautiful, stimulating spin on things.”

  She didn’t understand any of his comments but filed it away mentally to dissect later. She was suddenly aware of his closeness and the fact that if he took one more step, his body would be pressed against hers. It had her nipples tightening against the fabric of her dress, and her pussy spasmed. She instinctively knew he was a man used to having his way and getting what he wanted. His whole aura was dominating, take-charge. And that turned her on more than anything. He was a delicious piece she wanted a bite of.

  She licked her lips. “What do you want?”

  He closed the distance between them. “A taste for now.”

  There was no mistaking his intentions, though she wanted him to clarify what he meant. But then he closed the gap between them and took her lips in a hot, bone-melting kiss. She moaned and opened her mouth, allowing his tongue to slide in. He tasted of cranberry mixed with a s
light tang of vodka. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed herself even tighter against him. His kiss permeated all the way to her womb.

  She’d never felt anything like this…never done anything remotely close to this spontaneous act, but not really knowing Jack didn’t change the fact that she wanted him desperately. She rose on her tiptoes, noting that even though she wore four-inch heels, he still had three inches on her. She gripped his hair, marveling at the silky strands and how soft his lips were. He swiped his tongue against hers, and she moaned, wondering how it would feel against her pussy. God, this man already felt like a drug to her, an addiction she wanted more of.

  The kiss seemed to go on forever, and then suddenly he pulled back, reached down, and pressed her nipple between his two fingertips. Electricity raced through her womb, and cream flowed to her panties. She was wet, and she wanted to rub herself against him to see if she could come that way. The urge to tear her strapless dress from her body was strong. And she could easily imagine shoving him to the floor and riding him till they both came in a torrid heat of combustion. “What are you doing?” she whispered, upset that he had pulled away from her.

  “Our first time will not be in the ladies’ room.” She detected a hint of anger in his tone, but his hand betrayed his words as he lifted her dress, and pulled her thong to the side. He slipped a finger inside her, and she moaned as he slowly thrust in, then out. She was already so close to coming, she was sure it would take just a few more strokes of his hand to send her right over. He swirled his finger in her juices, then rubbed her clit, and she was helpless to do anything. This mysterious man named Jack had her in the palm of his hand, and there was no other place she’d rather be. She felt free in this moment, more than she ever had.

  He touched her breast and kissed her once more, his tongue tangling with hers as she closed her eyes. He massaged her clit, and a jolt of fire slammed into her, her orgasm causing her to cry out his name. She came so quickly it sucked the breath out of her, and she rode the wave, helpless to do anything else.

  By the time she caught her breath and had some semblance of control, she heard the soft click of the bathroom door closing, signaling his departure.

  * * * *

  He watched through his peephole as Isabel entered her apartment, looking elegantly surreal, dressed in a green gown. Watching her lasted only seconds, before she inserted her key, then disappeared into her home alone. He knew she’d been out and had waited up hours for her.

  He’d have to punish her for that.

  The urge to force his way inside was strong. He wanted to take her away from this place forever. He was getting tired. She was always meant to be his.

  He’d been watching Isabel ever since he moved into the building, but she had never seemed to notice him, other than to utter the occasional hello. But that would never be good enough for him. She was simply perfection beyond words. He’d known from the moment he saw her that they would be together.

  And he’d wait just a little while longer, until the right time, and he’d get her to see they would end up together for eternity.

  Chapter One

  One Month Later

  The opportunity to purchase fifty percent of Capture Inc. had been too much of a temptation for Jack Riley. The previous owner, his longtime friend and former navy buddy, John Martinez, knew it, and so when he made his offer, Jack signed the deal within two weeks. The new venture spurred his decision to move from California to New York. Not only had Jack considered it a good investment, but Capture Inc. intrigued him. The company’s premise of providing a fantasy to certain clients who applied was unique. And even though Jack considered it purely an investment, he had the fleeting thought of going after Isabel this way.

  Isabel. Her name had his cock hardening, his balls drawing up tight, and desire swirling hot in the pit of his stomach. He wanted her, and the hunger to possess her in every way possible pounded through him.

  He had watched her at the wedding reception, intrigued by her golden-brown hair cascading down her back in straight, sleek lines. The mixture was such a contrast against her soft, rosy skin, he was instantly captivated and couldn’t have moved his gaze from her for the life of him. Her blue eyes were the soft color of the sky, and he’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life.

  Following her to the bathroom and surprising her had been an easy decision. His intention of making a lasting impact had been a good idea. But it was he who couldn’t keep her out of his mind, he who dreamed about the many ways he would take her. So he had used the company’s background resources to pull her history. And now he knew where she worked and lived.

  He admitted to himself, he was a complete bastard for finding out her personal information this way. And he acknowledged he was selfish enough to want to know as much as possible about her instantly, and he had the means and connections to do so.

  Before he’d gotten Mason Romero’s e-mail with her background attached to it, Jack had obtained her phone number through John after he’d spoken to him briefly about his interest in Isabel. But he hadn’t called her yet, simply because he was waiting for the right moment to present itself.

  A knock on the door forced him out of his thoughts.

  “Come in.”

  He looked up and watched as Sean strolled in and closed the door behind him. He took a seat in front of him, and Jack noticed the rigid lines of tension on Sean’s face.

  Jack, John, Mason, Cameron, and Sean were all connected, having known and fought side by side in the navy. They’d all kept in contact over the years and met up at least twice a year, reliving the past over beers and whatever sport was on television. It was also one of the reasons why he’d gone into business with Sean. He trusted both Sean and John and loved them as if they were his own kin. It was rare in life to meet people so trustworthy that you’d lay down your life for them.

  “What’s on your mind, Sean?”

  “As you know, Mason sent me the information you pulled on Isabel. As far as I can tell, she hasn’t taken the same route as Ariel and applied to Capture Inc. So that begs the question, why’d you do it?”

  Sean owned half the company, so it was no surprise all background checks their private investigator, Mason, conducted were forwarded to both him and Sean. “I have personal reasons for wanting to do so.”

  Sean arched a brow. “I trust you know what you’re doing.”

  He laid it on the line for his friend. “She’s worth getting to know. We first met at the wedding. She made a unique impression on me.” He grinned.

  Sean stood. “You could’ve gone the normal route and just asked for her phone number. I’m assuming John knows about this? She is his sister-in-law.”

  Jack nodded. “I agree it isn’t conventional. And yes, John and I spoke briefly about it. John gave me his blessing, with a distinct warning to never hurt Isabel attached to it.”

  “Then I wish you good luck in your pursuit of her.” His tone of voice held a sadness to it.

  “Sean, is everything okay with you?”

  “As fine as it could be, bro.” He left the office and closed the door behind him.

  Jack had clearly detected wariness in Sean’s tone. It was easy to surmise the why of it, but Jack thought Sean had moved on from Samantha. She and Sean had been dating for a year before she had suddenly up and left. The only thing she’d left Sean was a letter, but he’d refused to tell anyone what she’d written. It had been over a year since her departure, and Sean hadn’t spoken about it since, but Jack knew it had to hurt like hell. She was the one Sean had wanted to marry, and he’d often spoken about his love for her.

  Jack rose to his feet and stared out of the window in his office, his thoughts straying toward Isabel. He didn’t know what chances he had with her, or even if she was still interested in him, but their connection was something he wanted to explore. It had been a month since he’d seen her, because he’d wanted to be situated with Capture Inc., learning the ropes of his new company, before ful
ly focusing on going after her.

  And as he’d read the file on her, he came across the police report on her mugging, and hated the fact that she’d been attacked a little over a year ago. The bastard had dragged Isabel into an alley, and Jack wished to hell he’d been near her that night. He would have put the same fear into him that Isabel must have felt. He would have no qualms about putting his hands on the bastard now.

  Jack had reread the report several times, and two things stood out to him. The fact this criminal now had Isabel’s address. He’d stolen her license and other personal information in her bag. And what bothered him even more was how the perpetrator hadn’t immediately left once he’d stolen her purse.

  There wasn’t anything Jack could do about it, because according to Isabel’s statement, it had been too dark to see the criminal’s face. Still, Jack thanked God for the couple who had the sense to shout at the man and call the cops. But the police had never caught him. The fact worried Jack.

  But tomorrow was the first day of the weekend, and he intended to ease his presence slowly into her life, so she could get used to the fact and realize Jack wanted her with a fierce passion.

  * * * *

  Isabel closed her eyes as hot water enveloped her in its heat. Her stiff muscles loosened, and she moaned in relief. Work had been chaotic with customers outside of her bake shop lined up to purchase her goods. She had enough workers to cover the kitchen as well as the front, but to be a successful business owner, she had to be on top of every aspect. She was finally living her dream.

  Isabel’s Treats had been open for three months, and she was satisfied with what she’d accomplished, from baking the goods to decorating the shop into a neutral, peaceful palette where customers felt at ease purchasing her desserts.

  She reached for the soap and lathered her body. Her stomach roiled with tension at the thought of the call she’d received earlier. Isabel knew it was him—the man who had attacked her that night. The calls had started two days after the attack, and suddenly they had stopped. She thought she had nothing to worry about, hoping to hell whoever it was had simply decided to leave her alone.