Spark: Book 1 (The Heat Series) Read online

  Spark

  Book 1

  MJ Masucci

  MJ Masucci

  Contents

  Title Page

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  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  There’s More!

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  SPARK

  BOOK 1

  MJ MASUCCI

  2016© MJ Masucci

  Cover Art by Kellie Dennis at Book Cover by Design

  www.bookcoverbydesign.co.uk

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is entirely coincidental. Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of the information contained herein, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for damages that may result from the use of information contained within.

  All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without prior written permission of the publisher, except in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to my husband, Lawrence. Without his love, support and encouragement, I never would have embarked on this journey.

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  Get First Spark-A Companion Guide, The City That Sparked The Story of Ava and Xander

  Visit www.mjmasucci.com

  Would You Be Kind Enough to Leave a Review of My Book?Reviews are the air that I breathe. Without the feedback you provide, I would not be able to improve my books, nor would I be able to make my new books better.

  Reviews are also what make others buy my books. I appreciate and welcome any and all feedback.

  Thank you,

  MJ Masucci

  Chapter 1

  Ava Keene sat at her desk chewing on the end of her pen. It was a bad habit that she couldn’t seem to break. She was deep in thought when her desk phone rang. David Townsend, her boss, wanted her to come to his office. A wave of fear went through her. Had she done something wrong?

  “Sit down, I want to discuss something with you,” David said as she entered his office. “I’ll get right to the point.”

  Ava felt a lump in her throat and swallowed hard.

  “In a few weeks, the firm will be bringing in a few new attorneys. As you know, I will be working part-time for the next several months. You are a wonderful assistant, and I think any of the new attorneys would benefit from your help.”

  She smiled at the compliment, but she was so shy and didn’t relish working for someone else. David had taken her under his wing when she arrived five years ago, and she had worked for him ever since. Yes, it was her Uncle Daniel’s law firm, but he felt it would be better if she worked for someone other than himself or her cousin Jacob. Since his wife was diagnosed with cancer, David was cutting down his workload. He would not need a full-time assistant anymore.

  She was one of the best legal assistants at the firm. She had attended New York University for pre-law and was considering attending law school. Her father, uncle, brother and cousin all were attorneys; she had just been accepted to two area law schools, NYU and Columbia. Though she was a legacy at both universities, her undergraduate grade point average ranked her as Magna Cum Laude and her LSAT scores were among the highest in her class. She would rather go on the merits of her academic achievements then be accepted based on her family ties.

  “Ava, are you listening to me?”

  Ava snapped out of her daydream. “Yes, David. With whom will I work?”

  “I don’t know. Maggie in HR will be assigning staff.” The buzzer on his phone rang.

  “I need to take this call.”

  She rose from the chair and closed the door as she left, smiling at his secretary, Elise. She was an older slim woman in her mid-sixties with bright blonde hair and brown eyes.

  Ava walked back to her cubicle. Her cell chirped, and she glanced at the text, from her coworker and (best friend), Samantha, asking how her meeting was with David. Ava explained that she would be moved to a new attorney in a few weeks. Samantha hoped they will still be on the same floor and then asked if she wanted to go out that night since it was Friday.

  Ava paused deciding on her answer. Samantha could be a bit crazy when she had some drinks. Several times Ava had to drag her in and out of a cab, sometimes Samantha spending the weekend with a colossal hangover on Ava’s couch. She told her she would let her know.

  Ava had no intentions of going out at all. Uncle Daniel had asked her to dinner at his home that night, but she had declined. She wanted just to relax, read and maybe indulge in the ice cream she had bought earlier this week. For a young woman of twenty-three, she spent far too much time by herself. Her experience five years earlier had turned her into a raging introvert. She was shy and the incident, (as she called it) had ruined any chance of her fully coming out of her shell.

  She was guarded and insulated herself from most people except her close family as well as a few choice friends. She had brief relationships over the past five years and had a few dates with a handful of others.

  She was a bit clueless about her beauty and the effect it had on the opposite sex. She was blessed with a petite body and gentle curves that were complimented by her long wavy auburn hair and green eyes. She preferred to dress conservatively, but her cousin Rachel, (an up and coming fashion designer) took care of her. She dressed Ava in her designs that complimented her assets. Rachel would say “you got it, so I’ll help you flaunt it.”

  Ava arrived home to her large one bedroom apartment near NYU. She was comfortable here and saw no reason to move. She had lived here for almost the past four years, purchasing the apartment a year after she started attending college, which was just after beginning her sophomore year in New York. Initially, she had lived with her aunt and uncle for a few months, but she wanted to live on her own.

  She got undressed and put on her fuzzy flannel pajamas that were just right for the chill of early April. It was still early in the evening, but she wouldn’t be going anywhere. Ava wanted to snuggle up on the couch and read. She probably would be doing that for the entire weekend except to go and work out at the gym.

  She checked her phone and noticed several text messages from Samantha. She wanted Ava to come out with her tonight. Ava didn’t want to deal with going out and told her she was busy. But Samantha knew better and told her that she had spoken to her cousin Jacob at the office and knew that Ava had declined her uncle’s dinner invitation. Ava was caught in a lie, and her face grew hot. Sam kept pressing her to join herself and her boyfriend Justin at a club. Sam told her that Justin’s roommate, Liam, was with them and very much interested in meeting her. She had said that if Ava didn’t agree to meet them, she was coming to get her. Ava felt trapped; she didn’t want to spend another disastrous evening with a guy she barely knew.

  Ava put he
r phone on silent and opened the refrigerator. Riley, her cat, was rubbing against her leg. She grabbed a can of food out of the cupboard and filled his bowl. He was a gray tabby that she had found on the street when he was a kitten almost a year ago. His fur was full of tangles back then, and he was so thin that his ribs were visible. She took home and nursed him until he fattened up. Now he spent his days laying in her picture window sunning himself.

  While he ate, she perused the food she had in the refrigerator. She had a variety of leftovers but settled on a small half eaten container of Kung Pao chicken. She sat on the couch with the carton and a set of chopsticks reading through her mail as she ate. When she was done, she cleaned up and was ready to settle on her bed with Riley. Her phone for the lobby desk rang. Why was the front desk ringing her? She wasn’t expecting anyone.

  Sam was waiting for her to give the okay for the front desk to let her upstairs. She groaned internally and told them to let her up. When Sam arrived at her door, she told Ava to get dressed and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Apparently, Justin and Liam were waiting for them at Club Olé. She tried to convince Sam to leave without her, but it was no use. Sam went into her closet and pulled out several outfits she could wear. She reluctantly chose a short black dress with a plunging neckline and matching four-inch stilettos. Ava was a shoe fanatic, and she especially loved stilettos that helped accentuate her legs. She was only 5’3”, and she could use all the height she could get.

  Samantha insisted on doing her makeup with a smoky eye that she paired with a light blush lipstick. She needed only minimal makeup to enhance her natural beauty. Ava put on a pair of pear shaped diamond earrings her father had bought her for her sixteenth birthday, and she kept her auburn hair down, its natural waviness set free. When she was done dressing Samantha twirled her around and told her she was a knockout.

  “He won’t be able to keep his eyes off of you.”

  Ava secretly hoped that wasn’t the case. She didn’t do well in social situations. She grabbed her long cream colored wool coat, purse and pushed Sam out the door. They hailed a cab and told the driver the address of a trendy club that was usually packed on Friday nights.

  Ava was lost in her thoughts when Samantha pulled at her arm. They had arrived. The line was long, but Samantha was a regular, so the bouncer gave her quick entry. Justin had texted her and told her they were sitting at a table in the back. They checked their coats and started to look for them.

  Samantha Poulos was the exact opposite of Ava; it was a wonder they were friends. She was tall, with shoulder length straight black hair, dark eyes, and a bubbly personality. She wouldn’t take shit from anyone and was quick with her words. She didn’t need to work since she was given a large monthly stipend from an inheritance from her grandfather but her father insisted. He owned an import/export business with his two brothers. He had come to the United States from Greece as a child and tried to instill the same drive he had to succeed in all of his children.

  Samantha had told him that she had wanted to be a poet. She had studied Literature at NYU (where she had met Ava) but had faltered at her aspirations. Instead, she took a job with Keene, Ashburn, and Wilder working as a legal proofreader. She would not gain full control of her inheritance until she was twenty-seven, so she lived off her salary and the nice sized monthly stipend her grandfather had provided. Her apartment was five times the size of Ava’s, and she often asked her to be her roommate. But Ava preferred her solitude; It was part of her introverted nature.

  As they made their way to the table, Ava could feel eyes on her, both men and women. The room was packed tight, and she was knocked off balance by a tall blond man carrying a bottle of champagne. He reached out and grabbed her elbow before she ended up on her backside. She thanked him, and he offered to buy her a drink. She declined just as Sam came over and told him to back off.

  “Hey, I was only being…” Sam cut him off before he finished his sentence and pushed Ava ahead of her. When they got to Justin’s table, he was sitting with Liam. Justin Ellis was the light to Sam’s dark. He had blonde hair, dark blue eyes, and a strong chin. He was full of humor most of the time and very easy going. He was sitting while standing next to him was a tall dark-haired man.

  “Ava Keene, this is Liam Chapman.” Liam was handsome with spiky black hair and smoky gray eyes. He extended his hand to her.

  “Nice to meet you.”

  His handshake was firm, but he handled her small hand carefully. The club music was loud with the bass thumping and Liam was yelling at her. She was trying to hide her annoyance from him since Sam, and Justin had taken to the dance floor and left her with this stranger.

  Liam leaned in and yelled near her ear “Would you like a drink?”

  “Oh, please. A Cosmo would be great.”

  Liam summoned the waitress with a wave of his hand. It took her a few minutes to get to their table through the crowd.

  “A Cosmo, three Heinekens, three lemon drop shots.”

  The waitress left, and Liam leaned in to talk to her

  “So how do you like living in Manhattan?”

  “What?”

  “How do you like living in Manhattan?”

  “Oh, it’s great. So much to do here.”

  The waitress came back with their drinks and Liam motioned for Justin to bring Sam to come back to the table. As soon as they sat down, Sam grabbed her first lemon drop and threw it back. She grabbed another, drinking it a little slower but finished that off, too. Taking a long pull of her Heineken, she kissed Justin and pulled him back to the dance floor.

  Ava slowly drank her Cosmo not knowing what to say to Liam.

  “Do you want to get out of here and get something to eat?”

  “What?”

  Liam leaned in, “Do you want to go somewhere and get some food and talk? I can’t hear myself think in this place.”

  Ava nodded rather than scream over the loud music. She couldn’t hear herself think either with this noise, and she was starving. The Kung Pao chicken she had eaten earlier had barely taken the edge off her hunger. Her stomach was growling, and she was glad for the music so Liam could not hear.

  He finished his beer and Ava watched as he snaked his way to the dance floor. She watched him lean in as he told Justin their plans. As he walked away, Sam licked her lips and blew her a kiss. Ava stuck her tongue out while Liam had his back turned. He reached for her hand, and they made their way to the coat check.

  The woman at the desk asked for their tickets, and she smiled at Liam. Ava imagined lots of women smiled at him because of his looks and physique. She handed them their coats, and he gave her a generous tip. He was a gentleman helping Ava on with her coat, and they went out into the early spring chill.

  “What would you like to eat?”

  “Anything.”

  There were several eateries on the same street as the club and Liam pointed out the Chinese restaurant, Lotus Flower. He had told her he had eaten there several times. She didn’t mention that she had Chinese food earlier. When they got to the door, the line was back to the vestibule. The manager took their names and said the wait would be at least an hour.

  “Do you want to wait or go somewhere else, or we could get takeout and go to your place?” Liam said.

  Ava was so famished that she agreed to get takeout. Liam seemed harmless, and he was so polite. Sam would never agree to someone dating Ava unless he treated her well. They waited in the restaurant’s bar, and she had another drink. The noise ebbed and flowed making it hard to talk, so they just sat and sipped their drinks. When their order was ready, Liam paid for it. Ava offered to go dutch, but he said it was his treat. He took the food and extended his hand to take hers as they made their way out of the restaurant. When they were outside, he hailed a cab, and she gave the driver the address. Finally, they were able to talk without booming music or a loud crowd.

  Ava told him about her job and that she was thinking of attending law school at either NYU or Columbia. He seemed imp
ressed that she was accepted to such prestigious institutions.

  She asked him where he attended college, and he told her that he attended Yale University for both his undergraduate and Master Degree in Finance. He said he had worked for Magellan Partners in the financial district for four years doing financial analysis but wanted to become a certified financial planner.

  The end of the cab ride cut their conversation short. Liam paid the driver, and they exited, heading into her building. Her anxiety started to rise as she entered the lobby of her building with Liam close behind. Why was she letting a man she barely knew come to her apartment? Maybe the two Cosmos had gone to her head, clouding her judgment.

  She led Liam to the bank of two elevators and pressed the button. They both watched as the lights on the elevator indicator counted down the floors. Fortunately, the car came quickly, and Liam held the door while she entered. Ava pressed the fifth-floor button. The conversation had not resumed between them, and Ava’s hands started to sweat. When the car reached the fifth floor, she got out, and he followed to her apartment, 5C. She fumbled with her keys, dropping them on the floor. Liam put down the food, picked up the keys and handed them to her. Again, she dropped them.

  Liam broke the silence. “Someone has the dropsies tonight. Here, I’ll unlock the door for you.”

  He reached around her, inserted the key in the lock and pushed the door open. She could smell his cologne; she was heady with it when they entered and shut the door behind them.

  As she walked into the living room, she heard her door open again.

  “Forgot the food,” Liam said.

  Riley came darting out of the bedroom and hopped on the counter, meowing.

  Liam petted Riley behind the ears, and the cat started to purr. He went to remove his coat, and Riley followed him to the foyer closet.