Love on the Run

Book 0: Morgan Men

by Zuri Day

Genres: Romance; Thrillers

Synopsis

Zuri Day has been much heralded for her pulse-quickening tales of romance. Love on the Run shines the spotlight on the eldest of the Morgan brothers, confirmed bachelor and sports-management hotshot Michael. His newest client, Shayna Washington, is a record-breaking sprinter whose fleet feet are outpaced only by her ravishing looks. But when Shayna’s past comes back to haunt her, she turns to Michael for support - and he soon realizes that Shayna is the one prize he’ll do anything to win.

Release date: October 24, 2011

Publisher: Kensington Books

Print pages: 352

Sample

On a warm, overcast day in late September, the forever-grooving-always-moving female magnet Michael Morgan found himself spending a rare day both off from work and alone. After sexing her to within an inch of her life, he’d sent his latest conquest—all long hair (still tangled), long legs (still throbbing), and . . . well . . . perpetual longing—on her melancholy yet merry way. As usual when his mind had a spare moment, his thoughts went to his business—Morgan Sports Management Corporation—and the athletes he wanted to add to this successful company’s stable. At the top of the list was former USC standout and recent Olympic gold medalist Shayna Washington, a woman he’d been aware of since her college days who he’d learned had just lost the mediocre sponsor who’d approached her two years prior. When it came to business, Michael was like a bloodhound, and he smelled the piquant possibility of this client oozing across the proverbial promotional floor. Along with his other numerous talents, Michael had the ability to see in people what others couldn’t, that indefinable something, that “it” factor, that star quality that took some from obscure mediocrity to worldwide fame. He sensed that in Shayna Washington, felt there was something there he could work with, and he was excited about the possibility of making things happen.

The ringing phone forced Michael to put these thoughts on pause. “Morgan.”

“Hey, baby.”

Michael stifled a groan, wishing he’d let the call that had come in as unknown go to voice mail. For the past two months, he’d told Cheryl that it was over. Her parting gifts had been accompanying him on a business trip to Mexico checking out a local baseball star, a luxurious four days that included a five-star hotel suite, candlelight dinners cooked by a personal chef, premium tequila, and a sparkly good-bye gift that, if needed, could be pawned to pay mortage on LA’s tony Westside. Why all of this extravagance? Partly because this was simply Michael’s style and partly because he genuinely liked Cheryl and hadn’t wanted to end their on-again off-again bedtime romps. But now, several years into their intimate acquaintance, she’d become clingy, and then suspicious, and then demanding . . . and then a pain in the butt.

Michael could never be accused of being a dog; he let women know up front—as in before they made love—what time it was. Michael Morgan played for fun, not for keeps. Fortunately for him, most women didn’t mind. Most were thankful just to be near his . . . clock. He loved hard and fast, but rarely long, and while it hadn’t been his desire to do so, he’d left a trail of broken hearts in his wake.

Broken, but not bitter. A little taste of Morgan pleasure was worth a bit of emotional pain.

But every once in a while he ran into a woman like Cheryl, a woman who didn’t want to take no for an answer. So when entanglements reached this point, the solution he employed was simple and straightforward: goodbye. But sometimes the fallout was a bitch.

“Cheryl, you’ve got to quit calling.”

“Michael, how can you just dump me like this?”

Heavy sigh. “I didn’t ‘just dump you,’ Cheryl. I’ve been telling you for months to back off, that what you’re wanting isn’t what I’m offering. This has gotten way too complicated. You’ve got to let it go.”

“So what did that mean when we began dating ‘officially,’ when I escorted you to the NFL honors?”

This is what I get for being soft and giving in. If there was one thing that Michael should have known by now, it was that mixing business with pleasure was like mixing hot sauce with baby formula. Don’t do it. Any minute she’s going to start crying, and really work my nerves. As if on cue, he heard the sniffles, her argument now delivered in part whine, part wistfulness. Michael correctly deduced that she was sad, and very pissed off at his making her that way. “You’ve been my only one for years, Michael—”

“I told you from the beginning that that wasn’t a good idea—”

“And I told you that I didn’t want anyone else. There is no one for me but you. I can’t forget you”—Michael heard a finger snap—“just like that.” Her voice dropped to a vulnerable-sounding whisper. “Can I please come over just for a little while, bring you some of your favorite Thai food, a few sex toys, give you a nice massage . . . ?”

Michael loved to play with Cheryl and her toys. And when it came to massages, he gave as good as he got. And then there was the sincerity he heard amid her tears. He almost relented. Almost. . .but not quite.

“Cheryl, every time you’ve asked, I’ve been honest. Our relationship was never exclusive. I never thought of us as anything more than what it was—two people enjoying the moment and each other. I’ll always think well of you, Cheryl. But please don’t put us through this. You’re a good woman, and there’s a good man out there for you who wants what you want, the picket fence and all that. That man is not me. I’m sorry. I want the best for you. And I want you to move on with your life.” He heard his other cell phone ringing and walked over to where it sat charging on the bar counter. Valerie. “Look, Cheryl, I have to go.”

“But, Michael, I’m only five minutes from your house. I can—”

You can keep it moving, baby. I told you from the beginning this was for fun, not forever. Michael tapped the screen of his iPhone as he reached for his BlackBerry. “Hey, gorgeous,” he said into the other phone.

“Hey yourself,” a sultry voice replied.

“Michael!” Oh, damn! Michael looked down at the iPhone screen to see that the call from Cheryl was still connected. “Michael, who is that bit—” Michael pressed and held the End button, silently cursing himself for not being careful.

“Michael, are you there?”

“Yes, Valerie.”

“Whose was that voice I heard?”

“A friend of mine. Do you have a problem with that?” Michael had never hidden the fact that when it came to women, he was a multitasker, especially among the women he juggled. But the situation with Cheryl had him very aware of the need to make that point perfectly clear, up front and often. If a woman couldn’t understand that when it came to his love she was part of a team, then she’d have to get traded.

“Not at all,” the sultry voice pouted. “Whatever she can do, I can do better.”

That’s how you play it, player! “No doubt,” Michael replied as his iPhone rang again. Unknown caller. He ignored it. Sheesh! Maybe I’m getting too old for this. Just then, his house phone rang. “Hello?”

“Hey, sexy!”

Paia? Back from Europe already? “Hey, beautiful. Hold on a minute.” And then into the BlackBerry, “Look, Valerie, I’ll call you back.”

“Okay, lover, but don’t make me wait too long.”

“Who’s Valerie?”

The iPhone again. Unknown caller. Michael turned off the iPhone. Cheryl, give it a rest! “Look, Cheryl—”

“Ha! This is Paia, you adorable asshole. Get it straight!”

Michael inwardly groaned. How could he have forgotten his rule about keeping his women separate and him least confused? Rarely call them by their given name when talking on the phone. Baby was fine. Darling would do on any given day. Honey or dear based on the background. Even pumpkin or the generic yet acceptable hey you were all perfectly good substitutes. But using names, especially upon first taking a phone call, was a serious playboy no-no. Yeah, man. You’re slipping. You need to tighten up your game. He’d just promoted this beauty to the Top Three Tier—those ladies who were in enviable possession of his home number. He and Paia were technically still in the courting stage—much too early for ruffled feathers or hurt feelings. At six feet tall in her stocking feet, Paia was a runway and high fashion model, an irresistibly sexy mix of African and Asian features. They’d only been dating two months and he wasn’t ready to let her go. He even liked the way her name rolled off his tongue. Pie-a. No, he didn’t want to release her quite yet. “Paia, baby, you know Mr. Big gets lonely when you’re gone.”

“Uh-huh. Because of that snafu you’re going to owe me an uninterrupted weekend with you and that baseball bat you call a penis. You’d better be ready to give me overtime, too!”

“That can be arranged,” Michael drawled. “Where are you?”

“I just landed in LA. But we have to move fast. I’m only here for a week and then it’s back to Milan. So whatever plans you have tonight, cancel them.”

“Ah, man! I can’t do that—new client. But I’ll call you later.” Michael looked at the Caller ID as an incoming call indicator beeped in his ear. “Sweet thing,” he said, proud that he was back to the terms of endearment delivered unconsciously. That’s right, Michael. Keep handling yours. “This is my brother. I’ve got to go.”

“Call me later, Michael.”

“Hold on.” Michael toggled between the two calls, firing back up his iPhone in the process. “Hey, bro. What’s up?” Just four words in and said phone rang. Jessica! Unbidden, an image of the busty first-class flight attendant he’d met several months ago popped into his head. Was it this weekend I was supposed to go with her to Vegas? “Darling,” he said, switching back to Paia, “we’ll talk soon.” He clicked over. “Gregory, two secs.” He could hear his brother laughing as he fielded the other call. “Hey, baby. I’m on the other line. Let me call you back.” He tossed down the cell phone. “All right, baby, I’m back.”

“Baby?” Gregory queried, his voice full of humor. “I know you love me, fool, but I prefer bro or Doctor or Your Highness!” Michael snorted. “You need to hone your juggling skills, son. Or slow your player roll. Or both.”

Michael smiled and nodded as he walked from his open-concept living space to the cozy theater down the hall. “What’s up, Doc?”

“Man, how many times do I have to check you on that old-ass corny greeting?”

“As many times as you’d like. Doesn’t mean I’m going to stop saying it, though. Plus I know it gets on your nerves and you know how much I love that,” Michael confessed.

“If all of those skirts chasing you knew just how corny you truly are.”

“A long way from those grade school days, huh?”

“For sure,” Gregory agreed. “And girls like Robin . . . what was her last name?”

“Ha! Good old Robin Duncan. Broke this brother’s fifth-grade heart. And that was after she took my Skittles and the Game Boy I bought her.”

“Using that word bought rather loosely, don’t you think?”

“Okay, I borrowed it from the store.”

“And never took it back. Some might define that as stealing.”

“Hey, I pay them back every year by donating, generously I might add, to their turkey giveaway. Not to mention my anonymous donation after that arson fire destroyed part of their storefront last year.”

“Payback? That’s what you call it? Ha! If Mr. Martinez was still alive I’d tell on you myself. But at least you’re letting your conscience be your guide.”

“No doubt. Say, how is it that you have time to bug me on a Friday night? You work the early shift?” Michael walked over to an oversized black leather theater seat, sat down, and opened up the chair arm console. A moment after he punched a series of buttons, a track meet video appeared on the screen.

Gregory, an emergency medical doctor, was rarely off on weekends, normally pulling twenty-four- to forty-eight-hour shifts between Friday and Monday and often unavailable for calls. “We’re training a new intern. Believe it or not, brother, I’ve got the night off.”

“You don’t say. So who’s going to enjoy the pleasure of your company?”

“I thought about calling the twins. You up for a double?”

The twins Gregory spoke of were longtime friends who’d grown up in the same Long Beach neighborhood as the Morgans. As childhood cohorts, they’d made pinky promises to marry each other. Unfortunately for Michael, one of them was trying to hold him to that bull.

“No, man, that’s a code orange. I’m going to have to pass on that.”

“Code orange? Lisa still bugging you to make her an honest woman?”

“We both know what Lisa’s doing . . . trying to snag a big bank account. I introduced her to Phalen Snordgrass, told her that he was going to be picked back up this year.”

“Talented brother right there. I’m surprised she didn’t go for it.”

“Man, Lisa picks men more shrewdly than I pick clients. She’s looking for someone who has more time left in the NFL than two, three years. I told her she was getting too old to go after the new drafts, that she should stop being so choosy before all of her choices were gone.”

“You can handle Lisa’s bugging. We haven’t hung together for a while. Let’s go out.”

“No can do, bro.”

“Why? What are you doing?”

“Right now I’m watching the female version of Usain Bolt,” Michael replied. “And this country’s next athletic superstar.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees—as if he had to change positions to view his television screen. His latest electronic purchase was so large that someone manning the space station could see it.

“Is that so? Is she a new client?”

“Just signed her last week. She’s coming over for an informal chitchat; we’ll just kind of hang out and get a feel for each other.”

“She’s coming there, to your house?” Michael was sure that this tidbit got Gregory’s attention. Michael was long known for not mixing business with pleasure, and bringing a potential client into his Hollywood Hills pleasure palace—revise that, a female client to where he lived—definitely sounded more like the latter.

“Yes.” Gregory was quiet, and Michael imagined how his brother looked while digesting the story behind that one word. The two men could almost pass for twins themselves with their caramel skin, toned physiques, and megawatt smiles. But Gregory was actually eighteen months younger than Michael’s thirty-one years, and two inches shorter than his sibling’s six foot two. And while Michael sported a smooth, perfectly shaped bald head, Gregory’s closely cropped cut gave him a distinguished look, one completely befitting a man in his profession.

“Shayna’s special,” Michael continued. “She has that ‘it’ factor, similar to a Michael Jordan, a Tiger Woods, or, in the world of track and field, a Carl Lewis. This country hasn’t seen the likes of her since Flo-Jo.”

Gregory knew that his brother spoke of the illustrious Florence Griffith-Joyner, a world-class track star who in the late eighties was known for her bright smile, long colored nails, and flowing mane. “Since when did you start focusing on track and field?”

“Come on, now. You know I never met a sport that I didn’t like.”

“You never met a woman you didn’t like either.”

“Aw, man. You wound me. I have very discriminating taste. But Shayna Washington is the real deal; on a good day she’s the fastest running female in this country.”

“Sounds like a winner, my brother. But I still don’t understand why she’s going to your home instead of meeting you at the office.”

“I thought it might help to loosen her up, have a more casual meeting. When she signed, her lawyer did most of the talking. Other times we’ve met, she’s answered my questions, but not much more than that. If I’m going to rep her, I need to get to know her; I need us to develop a camaraderie and trust. Plus, you know how the tabloids have been on me, ever since that last situation.”

“All the more reason not to have her at your house!”

“That’s just it. I spot them in or near the office almost every day and that’s cool, because security is so on point. But so far my residence is still off their radar.”

The downtown-LA skyscraper that housed the Morgan Sports Management offices boasted a very efficient and loyal security staff. And chances were that since it was Friday night, he could have suggested this penthouse spread with its 360-degree panoramic views and contemporary furnishings for their meeting. But he liked to play his cards close to his chest. The competition would know soon enough that he’d just landed the next track star sensation. This was what he told his brother.

“I guess I’ll have to roll solo then,” Gregory said.

“Look, if the meeting wraps up early I might join y’all for a drink. But if you have to take them both on, I’m sure that will be no problem for you.”

“Ha! No, that’s more Troy’s style.”

“Maybe,” Michael retorted to the comment about their baby brother. “But it’s probably been so long since you’ve had any that you need a double dose.”

“Mind your business, brother. The freak days are long behind me, and believe it or not, I’ve been thinking more lately about meeting that special woman and settling down.”

“Will you please tell Mama that so she’ll get off my back?”

Gregory laughed. “Better you than me. Look, I probably should let you go. I’ll take the twins to dinner, maybe even follow them to the latest Hollywood hot spot. I’ll send you a text on where we’re headed so you can maybe join us later. I’ve never known a woman who made you afraid.”

“Please. You know better than that.” A pause and then, “I’ll join you.”

“That sounds cool. Until then, have a good time with this new honey.”

“Shayna is my newest client. Period. End of story.” When the screaming silence transmitted his brother’s skepticism, Michael continued. “You just told me I needed to hone my juggling skills. With that being so, do you think I’d be adding yet another player to the roster? Don’t get me wrong, though. She is one fine specimen of a female.”

“Speaking of fine females, remind me to tell you about Troy’s latest situation. That boy’s a trip.” The youngest Morgan was a bigger playboy than Michael and Gregory combined: a fact on which all three brothers agreed.

“You met her?” Michael’s eyes never left the big screen. He smiled as Shayna crossed the finish line a full two strides ahead of the second-place winner.

“Not exactly. Stopped at the Ritz for breakfast and saw them cross the lobby. They were on their way out of the hotel.”

“How did she look?”

“Very happy,” was Gregory’s deadpan reply.

Michael laughed. “Sounds like young bro is doing his thing. And speaking of, I need to get back to doing mine.” After again promising Gregory to meet him and the twins, Michael ended the call and got back down to work. Reaching for his beer before leaning back against his plush, custom-made, tan leather couch, he forwarded the Washington DVD to an interview she’d recently done on ESPN. While a bit timid for his liking, she was poised and well-spoken. Further, a certain kind of fire burned in her bright brown eyes tinged with hazel. For a split second, Michael wondered what it would be like to stoke her flame. He discarded the idea just as quickly. He would never again date a client. Ever. This lesson had been learned the hard way, when a determined baller with the LA Sparks had refused to accept that their passionate yet short-lived love affair was over. Just like Cheryl. He’d finally had to file a restraining order and she’d tried her best to sully his name. Dang, is Cheryl going to make me have to do that again? Thanks to his baby brother Troy’s top-rate investigative skills, the near-smear campaign barely got off the ground before it was extinguished. Instead, the security firm owner had pulled in a couple favors and the former female phenomenon had been convinced—in an intellectual rather than forceful way—that damaging the Morgan name was not in her best interests. Last he heard, she’d moved to Denver and was dating a Bronco. Ride on, b-baller, ride on.

Michael leaned forward once again as images from Shayna attending last year’s ESPY awards filled up the screen. She’d looked gorgeous that night: tight red dress on her stacked chocolate body, five-inch heels, and spiky short hair that highlighted her perfect facial features. Unlike many female track stars with strenuous workouts, Shayna’s chest was not flat. She still had her girls and they were perched against the low-cut dress in a way that almost made Michael’s mouth water. Never again, Michael thought, even as his mind conjured up his mouth and Shayna’s breasts in an up-close and personal get-to-know. This meeting is strictly business. He placed his legs apart and adjusted a rapidly hardening Mr. Big, repeating the words aloud this time. “Strictly business.” And then he worked very hard to believe them.

Yeah, right. Good luck with that.

Shayna eased off the gas as she reached the light at the famous intersection of Hollywood and Vine. She focused on the crowd of people crossing the street: obvious and not so obvious tourists blending with the obvious and not so obvious homeless, skateboarding teens, and harried businessmen, and a sidewalk preacher holding up a sign reading: JOHN 3:16. Glad for the diversion, Shayna silently mouthed the crudely written words: FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHALL—

The blaring horn from the car behind her propelled Shayna into action. Switching from brake to gas pedal, she looked into the rearview mirror and threw up an apologetic hand in the process.

What—or more specifically, who—she thought she saw behind the car that had blared the horn sidetracked her once again. Screeching brakes and another long horn blare, this one accompanied by curse words, filled the air as the SUV changed lanes to pass her, holding up the universal digital symbol to underscore his displeasure.

Yeah, buddy, I feel you. After everything Shayna had gone through in the past month, it was a wonder that her attitude wasn’t eff it all! But having that outlook would have been shortsighted because Shayna had things to be thankful for. Yes, even though her ex-personal-trainer-slash-former-classmate-slash-former-best-friend had turned into a playa-playa-play-on-slash-harassing-fool-who’d-lost-his-mind and turned her world upside down. But on the flip side, life was calmer since she’d paid a personal visit to his mother and pleaded her case, and his mother had told him to leave her the hell alone. Thank God that saga was over. Wasn’t it? Then why was her heart in her throat because of what she could have sworn she’d seen in her rearview mirror. A shiny black Beamer belonging to . . .

Calm down, Shayna. How would he know you’re in Hollywood, and why would he follow you even if he did? Dude is many things, but a stalker isn’t one of them. Girl, there are thousands of black Beamers in southern LA. Millions, no doubt. It was likely that a fair percentage of said black Beamers were driven by dark-skinned black men with squinty eyes and short hair. And what was that about everyone having a twin? Yeah, that’s it. Her crazy ex’s worldwide twin just happened to be on Hollywood Boulevard, just behind the impatient SUV whose driver had performed a flip-the-bird drive-by.

Then again, she could have been hallucinating because now, des. . .