Nancy Warren - Aftershocks

The eighth book in the Code Red series, 2005

Internal Memo: Courage Bay City Council

From: Mayor Patrick OShea

Re: Increased Funding to Emergency Services

The recent aftershock that struck Courage Bay has brought home to me once again the urgency in gaining councils approval for increased spending for the citys emergency services.

As you know, I spent many years as a firefighter for the city, but never before has the need for extra funding been illustrated so clearly to me as the night of the aftershock. My administrative assistant, Briana Bliss, and I spent almost ten hours in a disabled elevator waiting for rescue. We requested that we be placed on low priority because we knew we were in no immediate danger. However, as you know, not all citizens of Courage Bay were as fortunate that night.

It is my belief that extra funding to our emergency services would result in quicker response times and a decrease in casualties. This past year has been a tough one for our city. Weve had storms, forest fires, earthquakes and mudslides.

The police, fire and medical services have all been pressuring the city for larger budgets. It is hard for me to understand how anyone who loves this city as much as I do could think twice about increasing the funding. If we delay any longer, more lives will be lost. Now is the time to act.

Dear Reader,

This is my first ever continuity, and I have to say its been a wonderful experience. As an author, I found it a real challenge to write about characters I hadnt created and a plot that wasnt my invention, but the minute I met Patrick and Briana, I knew we were going to have some fun together.

The other thrill about writing for the Code Red continuity was having a chance to work with authors I love, whether they normally write for the Intrigue, Superromance or Blaze line. It was a fun, supportive group. I hope you enjoy your time in Courage Bay as much as I enjoyed mine.

Hearing from readers is one of the best parts of my job. If youd like to drop me a line, come visit me on the Web at www.nancywarren.net.

Happy reading,

Nancy

PATRICK OSHEA wanted the one thing he couldnt have.

The knowledge burned inside him from nine in the morning until five in the afternoon every weekday-which were the hours his admin assistant, Briana Bliss, worked, plus a whole load of overtime.

It was Briana he wanted. Even admitting to himself how badly he lusted after her was dangerous. She was out of bounds. Verboten. Untouchable.

Yes, untouchable. And he wanted to touch her so badly that their constant proximity was torture.

The last time hed wanted a woman this badly hed married her. Patrick glanced at the picture on his desk, at the smiling face of the woman hed loved faithfully for more than a decade, including the three years shed been gone.

Are you laughing, Janie? he asked softly, tightening his tie and slipping on his suit jacket. At first when hed started talking to the framed photo, hed thought grief might be making him insane, but now he realized it was his way of staying in touch with his memories. Janies laugh had been light and quick, and he imagined shed laugh now if she could see him.

Here he was, finally registering signs of vitality in that part of his anatomy hed thought had died with his wife, and the woman whod brought them rushing back was the one woman he couldnt have. Not without going against his principles and destroying his career, his credibility and his reputation.

Honey, you never should have left, he told Janie, knowing that hed never have thought about Briana sexually if he were married. Janie knew it, too.

Shed been a warm and generous woman who would never want her children to remain motherless for long-or her husband a widower.

Maybe this is a sign Im ready to look around? Maybe lots of women would get to me this way?

Janie didnt reply, merely stared back, forever young, forever smiling.

A soft knock sounded, and the oak door of his office opened. He didnt have to turn to know who had entered. Every male atom in his body-and they were all male-quivered to attention.

He turned and, even though hed known it was Briana, was still slammed by the force of attraction. God, she was beautiful. Blond and green-eyed, she had a generous mouth and a determined chin. Her blouse wasnt tight or revealing, yet her spectacular curves made it seem both. Her skirt was straight and hung to below her knees, but he had enough imagination to sketch in what couldnt be seen.

At six foot three, he was used to looking down on women, but Briana was tall. Six feet, probably, when she wore those sexy high heels he loved. Like the ones she had on today.

Youve got to hurry, she told him with a quick smile. Dont want to keep the chief of police waiting for his dinner.

I hope Max is more worried about how to make this city safer than he is about whats on his plate, Patrick grumbled. Still, he patted his pockets rapidly to make sure he had his wallet, then grabbed his briefcase and headed for the door, holding it so Briana could pass through ahead of him. She stopped to pick up her shoulder bag on the way out, which meant she was going home, too. Good. Too often, it seemed, she worked more hours than he did.

The scent of her reached him. Not her perfume-he didnt think she wore any-but some kind of skin lotion that smelled like the sea air out here in Courage Bay right after it rained. Clean and fresh and bracing.

The scent wasnt remotely sexy, but it turned his libido inside out. He shook his head as he shut the door behind him. The door didnt fit perfectly into the frame and he had to shove it with his hip before he could lock it-one more reminder of last months earthquake. The way things were going, he doubted the city would ever get around to fixing the minor damage done to city hall. The mayors door was definitely at the bottom of the list.

At the top of Patricks list was increasing emergency crews and bettering response times. Thats what hed be discussing over dinner tonight.

He glanced at Brianas swaying hips as she walked ahead of him on those perky heels, and he wished like hell he was having dinner with her. The conversation would be a lot more fun, and so would the view. And then, maybe afterward

He shook his head as though he could shake his fierce attraction right out his ears. The rash of disasters and tragedies that had struck his town in recent months ought to have him thinking of something other than sex, but somehow, the added stress of being mayor of Courage Bay, California-which ought to be renamed Bad Luck Bay-hadnt lessened his desire for his assistant. As disaster after disaster struck, hed worked grueling hours, and Briana had worked right alongside him.

You learned a lot about a person during times of stress, and what hed learned about Briana was that underneath her megababe exterior was a focused, quick intelligence and a sentimental heart.

She was, in fact, as fine a person on the inside as she was on the outside.

Patrick normally ran down the three levels of stairs from his office to the main foyer of city hall, but a glance at those heels Briana was wearing had him punching the elevator button.

She was holding the printout of his schedule for tomorrow. Depending on how your dinner goes tonight, she said, tapping her pen against her chin, I can free up some time tomorrow for a press conference if you need it.