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  She listened as his voice trailed off and then came back. He was calling to remind her about the party in honor of Dr. Richards, the retiring reptile expert. She glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. Less than two hours to get ready. She really didn't care to go to the party or to talk to the reptile expert, but she hoped that the elusive Dr. Moore would be there to discuss the day camp.

  If you asked her, they could close down the entire reptile exhibit if they wanted to. She would stand in line to attend a party as a means to that end. But someone else was taking over. Someone who as of yet had not returned her calls or responded to her memos.

  "I guess you'll have to wait," she said to the ice cream as she pushed the freezer door closed.

  The last thing on her mind was trying to find a date for Martin's party tonight. If he hadn't been her husband's favorite uncle, she would have declined the invitation. She felt like she had to be there, though, for Brian. Lately, she realized she had been doing a lot of things for Brian.

  That guilty feeling gripped her again. She had lost the sound of his voice. She knew that his image would fade from her mind if she ever dared remove any of his pictures from her walls. Sometimes it would for a second or two and then she would find herself concentrating, stopping everything until it came back. Each time, she didn't picture him in an actual real life scenario. Instead, she envisioned him exactly as he appeared in the photographs.

  She may be forced to deal with that reality, but she wouldn't let him down. She wouldn't lose his dreams. He died too young, and she was bound and determined to do whatever it took to make his dreams come true. Even if it meant running a day camp at Martin's zoo.

  Josie made it a point to get to know the kids who would be coming. They were all from the local Boys and Girls Club where they went every day after school. She had been hanging out there for the past three weeks observing them so she would know how to put this camp together. Using the advice from the counselors there and Brian's notes, she managed to pull together a rough idea about what needed to be done. All that was left was to put everything into play.

  So far, everyone at the zoo responded to her requests for information. All but one. She thought back to the mysterious Dr. Moore, the man who was taking Dr. Richards' place. He had been on staff at the zoo for six months, but she had yet to meet him. Partly because she was too busy trying to get things ready for the summer. The other was her lack of desire to set foot in his personal domain. He ran the rattlesnake research lab, a place she carefully avoided.

  However, Martin assured her that he was a professional and there was nothing to worry about. Her overactive imagination told her another story. All she could do was worry. Especially since he was basically a recluse, not really associating with anyone at the zoo other than Paul Mills, the head of the alligator habitat.

  Of course, Josie wasn't known for her social butterfly status, either. That title belonged to her sister-in-law, Sharon, before she and her husband moved away last year. Josie knew everyone at the zoo by name, but not necessarily by sight. She was more of a behind-the-scenes person.

  She played back Martin's message for good measure. Then she boxed up her notes again, knowing she wouldn't be looking at them when she returned home tonight. She'd like nothing more than to get smashed at the party and wake up a whole new person, but she knew that wasn't likely to happen. But she did know she wouldn't be getting any more work done tonight.

  After putting the notes away, she searched through her closet for an appropriate dress. Four years ago, she would have cringed at the sizes burnished on each one, but she wasn't as worried about her hips now as she had been at one time. She was a voluptuous, full-figured woman. To hell with the men of the world who wanted stick thin models. She wasn't one, never would be and had no inclination to be.

  And just because she was going solo didn't mean she couldn't wear a knock-'em-dead dress. The little black number near the back of the closet had always been a favorite of hers. Even if she hadn't had much occasion to wear it lately. There was that one date last year, which ended in disastrous results. She hadn't dated since, having felt too guilty about the whole thing anyway.

  Josie loved Brian. She reminded herself of this every day, every night. She knew she loved him during the three years they had been together. Now, four years after his death, she realized she had been without him longer than she had been with him. She wondered how long she needed to cling to his memory, how long she would have to live with the guilt that he was dead and she wasn't.

  She shook the thoughts from her head. Maybe her shrink was right. Maybe she was just using Brian as a way to hide from life. If she continued to mourn him, at least in theory, then she wouldn't have to move on. She wouldn't have to live a life with no direction, no focus. She could just pick up where he left off and pretend that she was fulfilled.

  She was fulfilled, she argued as she drew a bath and plugged in her hot rollers. So fulfilled she was spending a whole summer with a group of kids--and she hadn't so much as babysat before. Or completely overcome that fear of snakes...

  Snakes were a delicate subject. She had been deathly afraid of them for most of her life. She knew that a bad encounter with one early on could set in a long lasting fear. That was the only reason why she was planning to include the snakes anyway. She wanted the seminars to be informative, cautionary and friendly. The kids needed a healthy respect for the snakes with a touch of fear. But she didn't want them to have an intense phobia like the one she harbored.

  She sank into the water and let it envelop her. What had happened to her? More and more lately, she was thinking that what she needed in her life was a hot fling. No one would deny her that. Two years ago, everyone around her--Martin, Sharon, and Brian's brother, Will--had all told her she needed to move on. She just hadn't done it yet.

  She smiled. I'll add that to my list of things to do. Get a life. Get over Brian. Run this day camp.

  A good fantasy would be better than any reality she could come up with. She was sure of that. She hadn't even seen a man in the past four years that resembled fling material. And she wasn't likely to find one at the zoo. She pretty much had two age groups there. Forty and up and eighteen and under. Very few people there were her age, and most of them were married.

  She let her mind wander. He'd have to be tall. And smart. And would have to be a good dancer. She let herself sink to the bottom of her garden tub and then come up for air. Water dripping from her head, her fantasy man took over. He'd have a good, Southern drawl. A cowboy from Texas with hands like silk.

  She bit her bottom lip. She could almost see him standing in front of her right now, hand outstretched, offering to take her out of her boring life and into a world of sex and adventure--but mostly sex.

  She eyed the shampoo bottle that sat on the edge of the bathtub. Her pussy was already quivering with wanting. May as well give it something to quiver about. Her fingers shook as she took the bottle into her hand. Masturbation was not her strong suit. She had never really learned how to pleasure herself. To tell the truth, there had been very few occasions this past few years when ice cream couldn't cure whatever ailed her. But tonight, she needed more.

  She slipped the bottle into the hot water and moved it near her aching pussy. She could do this, she coaxed herself. It wouldn't take much. Just slide it in. Like that. The bottle broke through the barriers and slid into her wet hole. She slipped down into the water further, raising her knees out a little.

  "Ah, yeah," she moaned when the bottle went in as deep as it could. She held it there for a few seconds, letting her pussy adjust to the feeling of being filled so completely and so suddenly. She'd like a lover like this. Someone who would take her quickly, without warning.

  She leaned her head against the tub pillow and began working her pussy around the bottle, sliding it in and out. It felt good. Almost incredible. Her pussy squeezed against it, spasming with every movement of her wrist. She wondered how her cowboy would take her. Would he bend her
over a chair? Take her from behind like a wild animal? Or would he be a tender lover who would look deep into her eyes as his dick slid in and out of her wet, dark hole?

  She pulled her legs out of the water and braced them on the sides of the tub. Her chin was wet now, the water lapping up around her face as she rocked back and forth to the rhythm her body was setting with the shampoo bottle.

  She wanted to make herself come. In all her years making love to Brian, she'd never had a real orgasm. She was satisfied. Everything felt good. But an intense, mind blowing, screaming orgasm? No. Not even once. Making love to the shampoo bottle felt as intense. She knew she was on the edge of something but had no idea what it was. Or how to get there.

  Her cowboy would show her. He would guide her hands to where they needed to be, guide her body. Play her like a guitar, strumming, coaxing until she twanged with wanting and release.

  No. She couldn't come. Her pussy tried. It took the bottle in and out fiercely as if it were hungry for something, needing to be filled. It quivered; it shook. But it didn't come. In the end, she let out a frustrated sigh and removed the bottle, feeling emptier than she had before. And wishing for a good fuck.

  Who was she kidding? She could think about going out all she wanted to. She could fantasize about the perfect man. None of it would change the fact that she wasn't going to be dating anyone anytime soon. And she certainly wasn't going to be living out any wild fantasies.

  Chapter Two

  Jake managed to contain his excitement over the party. His mood would have been a hell of a lot better if he had been able to find a date. Most of his coworkers were virtual strangers. All his fault, he knew. If he hadn't been so wrapped up in his research, he would be able to do a lot of things he'd pushed aside lately. One of them was find a date.

  He gave himself one last glance in the mirror. He cleaned up nicely, if he did say so himself. He pulled his long hair into a respectable ponytail, unlike the wayward one he usually wore. In his black dress suit and cowboy hat, he looked ready to step out at a top notch Texas club. Instead, he was going to a retirement party at a zoo. Fate had a sick sense of humor.

  Like all of Martin's affairs, this one was bound to be over the top. He wished one last time that he'd brought a date as he entered the reception area in the back of the main house. It was basically a large enclosed veranda surrounded by windows from the floor to the ceiling. One side was open, overlooking an antique rose garden. The wooden floor was pristine and designed to be a dance floor. It was already littered with several couples.

  An alcohol bar was set up in one of the corners of the room. Jake planned to make this his first stop. He would have preferred a buffet style dinner, but all of the tables were arranged just so around the perimeter of the dance floor, and each one had place cards on it.

  He groaned and searched for a familiar face. Not finding one, he went with Plan A.

  "What can I get for you tonight, sir?" the young bartender asked.

  "Whiskey," he said dryly, leaning on the bar, still scanning the room.

  "Goes pretty fast," the bartender suggested. "You want something to chase it?"

  "How 'bout one on the rocks, too."

  "Sure thing, cowboy." He slid the shot glass and the tumbler to Jake.

  Jake held the shot up in salute and downed it, feeling the smooth liquid slide down his throat. "Thanks, man," he called, pushing himself away from the bar. Mingle, Jake. Or at least find your table, he thought.

  Jake watched the couples move around the dance floor and wove in and out of them as he searched for his seat. He couldn't believe all these people were associated with the zoo. After working there for six months, he only knew about six people. He knew he was a workaholic, but still, someone should at least look familiar.

  He felt out of place even if he shouldn't. His western style black suit and cowboy hat didn't reek of Texas oil the way Martin's white suit did, but he still felt like a redneck amongst a sea of educated people. Everyone he met was usually genuinely shocked that he spoke fluent English--on occasion--and that he was a doctor to boot. His long hair and devil-may-care attitude were as much a reason as his style of dress.

  He was about to give up his search and head back to the bar when a brunette walked up to Martin. Jake very rarely stopped in his tracks when it came to women, but this one was a knock out. Her brown hair was swept up into a loose knot and was streaked with blonde highlights. They made him instantly wonder what she would look like in a bikini. He could even swear that he saw a hint of a tan line at her neck near the halter top of her dress. He let his eyes travel down her voluptuous frame. Good God, now that's what he called a woman! She was well proportioned, he decided, taking in the shape of her breasts, the curve of her hips and those shapely legs.

  Jake was a firm believer in love at first sight. Hell, it happened to him often enough. It was the best kind of love. Instant attraction, short courtship, instant satisfaction, everybody leaves happy. He watched her smile and couldn't help but wonder how she'd look with that hair spread around her, smiling up at him.

  "Well, Jake the Snake strikes again," Paul bumped into Jake's shoulder, interrupting his thoughts. He had his arm draped around his fiancée's shoulder and looked as if he had already visited the bar a couple of times.

  "Paul," he nodded his head at his friend and then gave Sarah a once-over. Fresh as a Georgia peach, he thought, noting her soft red hair and yellow gown. She was a lovely girl, but the one in the black dress outshined everyone else he had seen tonight. "Sarah, you look beautiful." He took her hand in his and kissed it, hoping the mystery woman didn't disappear while he was distracted.

  "Jake, it's nice to see you." She blushed under his approving gaze. "Where is your date?"

  "He couldn't get one. All of his women are onto him. They know he's a one hit wonder." Paul grinned, taking a sip of the champagne he was holding.

  "Am not," he argued, searching through the crowd for the woman he had seen earlier. She was nowhere to be found.

  "Tell it to someone who doesn't know better." Paul slapped him on the shoulder. "We're off to mingle. Don't get too drunk tonight," he warned before disappearing into the crowd with Sarah.

  Jake didn't envy Paul, he swore to himself. The same woman night after night. How boring. Predictable. He was a scientist. He lived with the unpredictable. Chemistry. Biology. Hormones. A man couldn't control those things. A ring on a finger wouldn't stop them from happening. Why pretend it would? Sure, some snakes mated for life, but most of them did what nature intended. They slept around.

  * * * *

  Josie hadn't felt his eyes on her at all. But when she looked up, she could tell that he had been staring at her. There was something familiar in that stare. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Something that made her stomach do a little flip-flop. She felt her hand begin to shake. She was grateful that she was sitting down, otherwise she might faint. She squared her shoulders. Josie Wyatt didn't faint. And neither would Josie Mitchell.

  She swore that the goose bumps crawling up her arms had nothing to do with his rugged good looks. He couldn't be anything more than an animal wrangler in that cowboy get up of his. Still, she couldn't help but notice how those tight black pants clung to his thighs or how his long blond ponytail nearly touched the back of his belt. There was something in his swagger demanding her attention. He diminished everyone in the room, and they practically parted for him to pass.

  He wasn't massive, just commanding. Probably around six feet or so. And his shoulders weren't that wide. Arnold Schwarzenegger wouldn't be out of a job any time soon. His hairstyle might be 1980s, but his mustache and goatee combo was very stylish. He had the most sensual mouth she had ever seen from across a room. She could see just a hint of his lips peering out from the golden blond hair and couldn't help but wonder how soft they would feel. The black Stetson was pulled down over his eyes, but from the heated feeling in her belly, she could sense he was coming her way.

  It had been a l
ong time since she saw someone from across a crowded room and felt tongue-tied. She gripped her wine glass with her right hand and then took a big sip as she noticed he was approaching, his eyes locked onto hers.

  Recognition dawned on her.

  She let out a haggard breath, "Jake the Snake."

  "The one and only," he flashed a devilish smile. Jake's reputation often entered a room long before he did. Tonight must be another case of the rumor mill at work. Especially since she knew him on sight.

  Josie looked up at the man standing before her and third grade came flashing back instantly. That little boy with the wild blue eyes and closely cropped sandy blond hair still had the same eyes, but his hair was darker, longer. His skin was still golden and his smile was still as mischievous as it had been so long ago. The man, it would seem, was still full of himself. "Let us hope there's only one," she bit sarcastically.

  "Darlin', I don't know what you've heard, but I swear I ain't that bad." He perched in the chair next to her, letting his gaze travel down her body one more time. It was nice to take her in from this close.

  "I assure you, you are," she argued, trying to ignore that heated feeling in her belly as his eyes ran over her. He looked like one of his damned snakes about to strike. Worse, he didn't remember her.

  She could tell he was scanning his memory, trying to place her. It figures. The one man she'd never been able to forget. The one man who brought her closer to any kind of physical release than she'd ever felt before didn't even remember her name.

  "So tell me, honey, how do you know me?"

  Josie folded her arms and stared at him for a long minute. Right now, she had the advantage over Jake Moore, an advantage that she had never held before. If she were bolder, she would play this to the hilt and pretend to be someone else. If it didn't hurt so much that she was no longer a size three. It's the weight, she decided. That had to be why he didn't remember.