Seducing His Heart

SEDUCING HIS
HEART

Manhattan Dinner Club,
2

Jean C. Joachim

Contemporary
Romance

Moonlight Books

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A Moonlight Books Novel

Sensual Romance

Seducing His Heart

Copyright © 2014 Jean C. Joachim

Print book ISBN:
9781517

First E-book Publication: February 2014

Cover design by Dawné Dominique

Edited by Tabitha Bower

Proofread by Renee Waring

All cover art and logo copyright © 2015 by
Moonlight Books

ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED:
This literary work may not be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part,
without express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are
fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is
strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER

Moonlight Books

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Homer, my rescue
pug. He is my muse, my constant companion and my friend. He has
listened to the stories of every book I’ve written and finally made
it into this one. Thank you, Homer for your patience and
loyalty.

Acknowledgment

Many thanks for your help and support in the
creation of this book: Larry Joachim, Marilyn Lee, Kathleen Ball,
Sandy Sullivan, my Tuesday Tales friends, JJ’s Book Buddies, my
editor, Tabitha Bower, my proofreader, Renee Waring, Sandy
Sullivan, and to my readers.

Other books by Jean C.
Joachim

FIRST & TEN
SERIES

GRIFF MONTGOMERY, QUARTERBACK

BUDDY CARRUTHERS, WIDE RECEIVER

PETE SEBASTIAN, COACH

DEVON DRAKE, CORNERBACK

THE MANHATTAN DINNER
CLUB

RESCUE MY HEART

SEDUCING HIS HEART

SHINE YOUR LOVE ON ME

TO LOVE OR NOT TO LOVE

HOLLYWOOD HEARTS
SERIES

IF I LOVED YOU

RED CARPET ROMANCE

MEMORIES OF LOVE

MOVIE LOVERS

LOVE’S LAST CHANCE

LOVERS & LIARS

His Leading Lady (Series Starter)

NOW AND FOREVER
SERIES

NOW AND FOREVER 1, A LOVE STORY

NOW AND FOREVER 2, THE BOOK OF DANNY

NOW AND FOREVER 3, BLIND LOVE

NOW AND FOREVER 4, THE RENOVATED HEART

NOW AND FOREVER 5, LOVE’S JOURNEY

NOW AND FOREVER, CALLIE’S STORY(series
starter)

MOONLIGHT
SERIES

SUNNY DAYS, MOONLIT NIGHTS

APRIL’S KISS IN THE MOONLIGHT

UNDER THE MIDNIGHT MOON

LOST & FOUND DUET
(with BEN TANNER)

LOVE LOST & FOUND

DANGEROUS LOVE, LOST & FOUND

NEW YORK NIGHTS
NOVELS

THE MARRIAGE LIST

THE LOVE LIST

THE DATING LIST

SHORT STORY

SWEET LOVE REMEMBERED

SEDUCING HIS
HEART

Jean C. Joachim

Copyright © 2014

Chapter One

The ding of the elevator startled Bess
Cooper. The doors opened, revealing a man and woman in a heated
clinch, kissing as if the end of the world was imminent. Bess
cleared her throat. The handsome man cracked an eyelid open and
turned his head slightly. He eased the woman he was smooching away
and cast a sardonic look at the Bess.

“
Who the hell are you? If
you’ve come to see the apartment, it’s been sold,” he said,
straightening up.

“
I live here. Who the hell
are you?” Bess rested her fists on her hips.

“
I live here, too.” The
man pulled his tie loose and unbuttoned the top button of his
shirt.

“
So, you’re the new owner
of fifteen B?”
Tall, lean, gorgeous black
hair. And those eyes. Wow. Familiar face.

“
They told me a little,
old lady lived in fifteen A.” He pulled a handkerchief from his
pocket and wiped his mouth.

“‘
They’ is a real estate
agent?”

He nodded.

“
Big surprise. An agent
who lies,” she sniffed, shifting her weight. “You’re my new
neighbor?”

“
Guilty. And you’re the
little, old lady?” His cool gaze traveled her length and back in a
heartbeat. A slow grin curled his perfect lips. “Remarkably
well-preserved.”

Bess chuckled in spite of herself, covering
her mouth.

“
Hey, Whit…” The brunette
in the elevator tugged on his lapel.

“
Whit? Now I remember
where I’ve seen you. Whitfield Bass. You do the news,
right?”

He smiled and executed a half bow. “Again,
guilty as charged.” He placed his palm on the lower back of the
woman with him, and they stepped out. “This is Candy Wayne. And you
are?” At the mention of her name, the rail-thin woman with short,
dark hair snaked her arm around Whit’s waist, moving up against
him.

“
Bess Cooper.” She
extended her hand.

Whit shook it, but Candy remained glued to
his side, treating Bess to a frosty stare.

“
Nice to meet you both,”
Bess said.

“
I’ve seen you before.”
Whit stroked his stubbly chin.

“
I model. What do you do?”
Candy asked.

“
I cook,” Bess
replied.

“
Oh, you’re a
housekeeper.” The brunette looked down her nose at Bess.

“
Got it!” Whit snapped his
fingers. “Not a housekeeper, a baker. On TV.
Baking with Bess
, right?” His face
lit up.

Bess blushed. “Guilty.”

“
Aren’t you a little
chubby for TV?” Candy raised thick, fake, black lashes to shoot a
disapproving glance at Bess’s hips.

“
Not according to my
producer.” Bess entered the elevator and pushed the button for the
lobby.

“
You don’t look chubby to
me,” Whit commented, resting his gaze on her chest. “Just right,”
he said, as the doors closed.

Bess chuckled as the car descended. When she
reached the first floor, her favorite doorman, Crash, was manning
the desk.

“’
Morning, miss.” He
tipped his hat.

“
Got a new neighbor.
What’s your opinion, Crash?” She sidled up to the man in
uniform.

"Not too friendly. Dates those fashion
models. Just another celebrity to me, miss.”

“
Is he a serial
dater?”

“
Yeah. This guy gets
around.” Crash blushed at his own words.

Bess cocked an eyebrow. “Doesn’t surprise
me. Famous newscaster. Handsome guy.”

“
Now, don’t you go falling
for him, Miss Bess. He’s a player. You’re a nice gal. Hate to see
you get hurt by his type.”

She patted his arm. “Thanks, Crash, that
means a lot. I’m immune. Besides, I’ve got Terry, and I’m not a
serial dater.”

He chuckled. “No, ma’am. You stick to one
guy. At least one guy at a time.”

Now, it was Bess’s turn to flush. “I try,
Crash.”

“
This guy. The cop. He’s
okay. I like him.”

“
Glad you approve. I’m off
to buy groceries. See you later.” Crash smiled and tipped his hat
again. Bess stepped out into the pleasant, mid-September, morning
air.

Her brow furrowed as she
wondered what it would be like sharing the hallway with a man who
had hot and cold running women.
Probably
at all hours, too.
While the image of his
straight jaw, clear eyes that seemed to strip her naked, and great
body swam through her brain, an alarm sounded.
He’s a womanizer. Stay away.

She straightened her
shoulders as she proceeded up Central Park West to
81
^st
Street then West to Zabar’s.
I have
Terry. I don’t need him. Whitfield Bass, you can keep your
womanizing ways. Don’t darken my doorstep.

Entering the gourmet food store, she headed
for the coffee section. After buying small quantities of several
brands, she picked up an assortment of teas. She had filled two
grocery bags by the time she was finished.

Bess picked them up,
surprised at how light they were.
Tea
weighs nothing.
She marched down the
street, lost in thought about what to make with each
beverage.

Crash opened the door to The Wellington, and
Bess nodded to him as she continued on her way upstairs. Her mind
on her baking, she didn’t see Candy Wayne barreling toward her
until the model had landed. The skinny young woman plowed into
Bess, knocking her bags to the ground, the contents scattering.

“
Broken heel,” Candy said,
holding up half of a four-inch spiked pump before she teetered onto
the elevator. When Bess swore under her breath, her pug, Dumpling,
began to bark.

She looked disheveled, top half-tucked in,
skirt askew. “Sorry. Sorry,” the model mumbled as the doors shut.
The elevator went on its way. Bess heard scratching at her door as
the one down the hall opened. Whit, wearing nothing but a fluffy
white terry robe, stuck his head out.

“
What the hell is that
racket?”

“
My dog. When she hears
me, she barks.” Bess was on her knees, sweeping boxes of tea and
bags of coffee together.

“
What have you got in
there? A Rottweiler? A shepherd?”

Bess laughed. “A pug.
She
thinks
she’s
a Rottweiler.”

“
A pug?” He chuckled. “Do
you need a hand?”

“
I’m fine.”

“
Did Candy do
that?”

Bess clamped her lips together into a fine
line and continued to scoop her purchases up. Dumpling kept
barking.

Whit padded barefoot out of his apartment
and knelt down next to Bess. He picked up several items and read
the labels. “Chai tea, Kona coffee, Loganberry jam…”

Bess plucked each container out of his hand
one-by-one and whisked it into the bag. “I’m doing some research on
coffee and tea.”

“
How interesting. My
research involves sifting through dry, boring article after dry,
boring article on the Internet.”

“
That’s why you do what
you do, and I do what I do.”