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  “Did I bruise you?” she asked, almost hoping he would say yes, or at least rub his arm.

  “No, but that was better. Did you feel the difference?”

  “Yes, but I still wouldn’t want to be a boxer.”

  “Probably for the best. You’d get your nose broken.”

  She dropped her arms to her sides. “I wouldn’t want that.” She leaned closer. “Have you had your nose broken?”

  “A couple of times.”

  She peered at his handsome face. “I can’t tell.”

  “I was lucky.”

  She put her hand on his chin to turn his head. He looked away, giving her a view of his profile. There was a small bump on his nose. Nothing she would have noticed.

  “You couldn’t just play tennis?” she asked.

  He laughed, then captured her hand in his and faced her. They were standing close together, his fingers rubbing hers. She was aware of every part of him, of the way jolts of need moved up her arm to settle in other parts of her body.

  The knees he’d told her to bend went a little weak. Her mouth went dry. She shivered slightly, but from cold. His eyes darkened slightly as he seemed to loom over her. For the first time in her life, she understood the statement “getting lost in his eyes.”

  His gaze dropped to her mouth. He swallowed.

  “Annie.”

  The word was more breath than sound. She heard the wanting in his voice and felt an answering hunger burning inside her. There were a thousand reasons she should run and not a single reason to stay. She knew that she was the one at risk, knew that he wasn’t looking for anything permanent. But the temptation was too great. Being around Duncan was the best part of her day.

  He reached for her and she went willingly into his arms. He kissed her deeply, claiming her. She responded by parting her lips, wanting all that he offered. He slipped his tongue inside. She met him stroke for stroke, feeling the waves of shivers washing through her. Even as his mouth claimed hers, his hands were everywhere. Tracing the length of her spine, squeezing the curve of her butt, sliding up her hips to her waist.

  There was a confidence to Duncan, a sureness that allowed her to relax. His strength made her want to surrender, because being around him was inherently safe.

  She raised her hands to his shoulders, feeling the smoothness of his shirt against her palms. She brushed the back of his neck, then slid her fingers through his short dark hair. When he moved his hands up her sides, toward her breasts, she tensed in anticipation.

  There was no fumbling, no hesitation. He cupped her curves in his palms, then used his thumb and forefinger to gently tease her tight nipples.

  Sensations shot through her. As he brushed her nipples again and again, she found it difficult to breathe. She sucked on his tongue, then plunged into his mouth, taking as well as giving. She moved her hands up and down his back, feeling his strength. There were muscles everywhere. She supposed she could have been afraid, but she wasn’t. Not of him.

  He found the zipper to her dress and drew it down. She pulled back enough to shrug out of the short sleeves. The dress pooled at her feet. Wearing nothing but bikini panties and a low-cut bra, she gazed into his eyes. The fire there, the raw wanting, gave her courage. She looked lower and saw his erection.

  Annie had always been a shy lover. She preferred the lights off and not a lot of talking. She hoped for the best and was understanding when the man in question seemed confused about what to do for her. She’d never found the act of making love anything other than…nice.

  Watching Duncan’s face tighten with need gave her a courage she hadn’t realized she had. Holding his gaze with her own, she reached behind her and unfastened her bra. When it fell, a muscle in his cheek twitched. She reached for his hands, took them in hers, then brought them to her bare breasts.

  The sensation of skin on skin made her gasp. Even as he caressed the sensitive skin, he bent down and took one of her nipples in his mouth. He sucked deeply, pulling until she felt the answering tug between her thighs. He moved to the other breast.

  Back and forth, licking and sucking, arousing her until every inch of her skin was on fire. She was ready to be taken, right there in the living room, on the sofa, the kitchen counter. At this point, she wasn’t picky. Anything that would relieve the building pressure inside her.

  As if reading her mind, Duncan moved a hand across her belly, then to the edge of her panties. He tugged at the elastic. The scrap of fabric fell and she stepped out of it.

  Naked except for her shoes, she stood before him. She expected him to lead her to the bedroom. Instead he stunned her by dropping to his knees in front of her. He reached between her legs and gently parted her, then bent toward her and kissed her intimately.

  It was a kiss unlike any other, she thought, her eyelids sinking closed as perfect pleasure swept through her. The hot, warm friction of his tongue on that one sensitive spot made her tremble. She had to hold on to his shoulder to keep from falling. Over and over he stroked her, licking that single place again and again.

  The steady pace caused her to tense. He seemed to know exactly where and how often and just the right pressure. She had trouble breathing. She wanted to part her legs and press against him, but told herself to stay in control. Only, control seemed impossible.

  Back and forth, back and forth, he moved his tongue against her. Her muscles tightened, she strained toward a heat, a force she couldn’t understand and didn’t want to stop. Her heart pounded in her chest. Then he slid one finger between her legs, pushing into her and rubbing her from the inside in perfect rhythm with his tongue.

  Her climax exploded without warning. She opened her legs wider, wanting to feel all of it. The pleasure flooded her, making it difficult to stay standing. Her body shook and trembled, her legs threatened to give way. She called out his name and hung on as the pleasure slowly faded.

  She’d barely found her way back to normal when he stood and swept her up in his arms. No one had carried her before, but she was too boneless to do anything but hang on.

  He took her to the other side of the condo, into a large master suite. Light spilled in from the hallway. She had a brief impression of a large bed, a fireplace and more tall windows, although these were covered. He lowered her to the bed.

  Somewhere along the way, she’d lost her shoes. Naked, she sat up to watch him quickly undress. When he pulled off his shirt, she saw the muscles she’d only felt before. He was as big and powerful as she’d imagined. He kicked off his shoes, pulled off his socks, then removed his pants and briefs in one quick movement.

  His erection was impressive and a little scary. He pulled a box of condoms out of the dresser drawer, then slid next to her on the bed. But instead of going into his arms, she sat up so she could look at him. She put a hand on his chest and felt the sculpted muscles there. She traced the length of his thigh, smiling as his arousal jumped slightly as she moved by without touching. She explored the hair angling down his belly and ran her fingers along the outline of his six-pack.

  Once again she was aware of his physical power. That he could crush her without breaking a sweat. She looked into his eyes, then reached for his erection and stroked the length of him. His mouth curved in a satisfied male smile.

  “Want to be on top?” he asked.

  “Next time.”

  What she really wanted was to feel him over her, moving in her. She wanted to run her fingers across his shoulders and arms, reveling in the force and power of him.

  Without warning, he shifted. Suddenly he was kneeling over her and she was on her back. He put on the condom, then eased open her thighs.

  She reached down to guide him in. He pushed into her, moving slowly, steadily, stretching her, filling her until the pressure was beyond exquisite. He braced himself and thrust in her again.

  She lost herself in the sensation of him inside her. She gave herself over to their lovemaking, wrapping her legs around his hips and hanging on for the ride. Happy nerve endings c
ame to life again. She’d wanted to watch his face as he got closer, but found her eyes slipping closed as the pleasure filled her, taking her beyond where she’d ever been before.

  Seven

  Duncan stood by the coffeemaker. He’d already showered and dressed. On a normal morning, he would have left for work by now. But nothing about this morning was normal.

  Annie had spent the night.

  There were several problems with that statement. Usually he preferred to be at the woman’s place so he could control when he left. But between the twins, Kami and what he would guess was a small, girly bedroom, his place made more sense. There was also the fact that last night hadn’t exactly been planned. When he and Annie had set up their deal, he’d promised her he wasn’t interested in sex. Apparently he’d been lying.

  While making love with her had been pretty damned great, he was concerned about what happened next. Annie wasn’t like his usual women, nor was she the affair type. Would she read too much into what had happened between them? Would she expect things? He also didn’t want her to get hurt.

  He heard footsteps in the hall. She walked into the kitchen, wearing the same cocktail dress she’d had on the night before. Her hair was still damp from the shower, her face free of makeup. She looked pretty and innocent and not at all the woman who had surrendered so passionately just a few hours before.

  “You’re looking tense,” she said as she picked up one of the mugs he’d left on the counter and poured coffee. “Afraid I’m expecting a proposal?”

  Shocked, he quickly said, “No.” Proposal? As in…

  She smiled. “I was thinking that a simple ceremony would be best, under the circumstances. The twins and Kami will want to be bridesmaids, of course.”

  He’d thought she might be confused or upset or even embarrassed. He’d been wrong on all three counts. It had been a long time since a woman had surprised him in a good way.

  He crossed to her and took her free hand in his. “Will you wear white, my darling?”

  She sighed. “I was trying to make you nervous.”

  “I was playing along.”

  “You were supposed to be scared.”

  He kissed her. “Maybe next time.” He released her hand.

  “You’re too in control of every situation,” she complained, then sipped her coffee. “While you were snoring away, I had to stumble through a conversation with Jenny, trying to explain why I wasn’t coming home without mentioning the fact that we’d had sex.”

  He looked at her. “Why would she have to know anything?”

  “Because everyone would have noticed my empty bed and been worried.”

  “Life is easier without family.”

  “You’re too cynical. One phone call is a small price to pay for having the girls in my life and don’t pretend you don’t understand that.”

  He did understand but didn’t agree the price was worth it.

  She smiled. “Now you have the thrill of them knowing about your sex life.”

  Something he could have lived without. Not that he didn’t like the girls, but didn’t this fall under the category of too much information? “Tell me they didn’t ask any questions,” he muttered.

  “Only if you’d used a condom.”

  Annie kept her chin high as she spoke, but he saw the flush on her cheeks. She was an interesting combination of shy and determined, bossy and yielding.

  “What did you say?”

  She cleared her throat. “I said you had…. All three times.”

  He held in a grin. “And?”

  “Jenny hung up.”

  They laughed together.

  Annie looked good in the morning light. The riot of still-damp curls seemed to glow, like a halo. Her mouth was full, her cheeks still pink. Hers was a quiet beauty, he thought. One that would age well. She would be even more striking in her fifties. If he’d met her before he’d met Valentina, he would have been intrigued by the possibilities. Or maybe not. Maybe the appeal of the bad girl would have been too strong. Maybe he’d needed to be burned to learn his lesson.

  And learn it he had. Trust no one. Don’t give away anything for free and never, under any circumstances, risk his heart.

  “You know this can’t be more than it is,” he said flatly.

  Annie sipped her coffee, then drew in a breath. “Is that your way of saying not to get my hopes up? That this is simply a business arrangement with benefits?”

  “Something like that.” Too late he remembered he’d promised that sex had no part in their bargain. “When the holiday season ends, so do we.”

  “I’ve never had a relationship with an expiration date,” she said, staring into his eyes, a faint smile on her lips. “It’s okay, Duncan. I know the rules and I won’t try to change them.”

  “I’m not sure I believe you. You’re a happy-ending kind of woman.”

  “It’s what I want,” she admitted. “I want to find someone I can love and respect. A man who wants desperately to be with me. I want kids and a dog and some hamsters. But that’s not you, is it?”

  “No.”

  Years ago, maybe. Now, the price was too high. Getting involved meant putting too much on the line. He only played to win and in marriage, there was no guarantee. Valentina had taught him that, as well.

  “You weren’t supposed to sleep with me,” she said.

  “I know.” He couldn’t figure out her mood. Was she teasing or pissed? “Do you want me to apologize?”

  She drew in a breath. “No. I want you to promise that when this is over, you won’t tell me you want to be friends. It will just be over. You have to promise.”

  “We won’t be friends,” he said, and then felt an odd sense of loss at the words. Annie was one of the few people he liked. He would miss her. But he would let her go.

  Annie spent the day trying not to grin like an idiot. She wasn’t worried her students would notice, but her fellow teachers certainly would. Then they would start to ask questions and she wasn’t that good a liar. Probably a good quality, she told herself as she drove into her driveway and got out of the car. Under normal circumstances.

  As she walked to the mailbox, she felt the lingering soreness in her legs and hips. Muscles not used to being stretched and used complained a little. Not that she minded. It was a good kind of ache—one that reminded her what had happened the night before. In Duncan’s bed.

  No regrets, she’d promised herself and that was how she felt. No regrets. Being with him had been spectacular. Her body had done things she hadn’t known were possible. The time in his arms had shown her what she wanted in her life. Not just a great love, but also great passion. With the two other men, she’d been settling. She hadn’t realized it at the time, but it was true. She would never settle again.

  “Big words for someone who isn’t even dating,” she murmured, picking up the envelopes and flipping through them. “Well, not real dating.” No matter how much she wanted him to, Duncan didn’t count.

  She reached the last envelope and winced. It was from the college, probably reminding her that tuition had to be paid. As she opened the envelope, she thought about her sad little bank account and wondered where she was going to find the money. Everything was so expensive. Maybe after the holidays she should get serious about finding a second job. One that…

  Annie stared at the single sheet of paper. The one that said the tuition had been paid for for the rest of the year. Not just the quarter but the year. Paid in full.

  Just looking at the total made her feel queasy. But the big “Paid” next to it wasn’t possible. She hadn’t and it wasn’t as if Jenny had suddenly come into a bunch of money.

  Annie walked into the house and looked through the mail again. There was also an envelope from Julie’s college. The letter said the same thing. Tuition was paid for for the rest of the year. In full.

  The shock made sense. The information, not to mention the action required, was unexpected. Before last night she might have been a little up
set but more grateful. Now she felt all twisted up inside. Confused and slightly tarnished.

  Dropping the rest of the mail, she returned to her car. The drive to Duncan’s office wasn’t far. His shipping empire was run out of a huge complex of buildings close to the Port of Los Angeles. She gave her name to the guard at the gate and had to wait while a series of calls were made. Finally she was given a visitor’s parking permit and directions to where she should park.

  She passed large warehouses and eighteen-wheelers waiting to be loaded. There were dozens of people walking and driving in every direction. Following the signs that pointed to the corporate offices, she managed to find the visitors’ parking spaces and make her way into the six-story building.

  It was an empire and a half, she thought as she stood in the lobby of Patrick Industries. A huge lit board showed a world map. Thousands of lights indicated the location of various company vehicles. Little icons indicated trucks, railcars and ships.

  Annie had always known Duncan was a rich, powerful man. But those were just words. They hadn’t been real. An intellectual understanding wasn’t the same as looking at that map and seeing how incredibly successful he was.

  She tugged at the sleeve of her oversize sweater, aware that the Christmas elves dancing across the front and back of it were great for a kindergarten classroom but a little out of place in corporate America. There was a big paint stain on her skirt and the back was wrinkled from the time she’d spent sitting on the floor while reading to her students.

  “Ms. McCoy?”

  Annie turned toward the speaker. A well-dressed woman in her thirties smiled.

  “Mr. Patrick is expecting you. If you’ll follow me, please.”

  Annie nodded.

  They took the elevator to the sixth floor and stepped out onto a quiet floor of conference rooms and offices. People in suits moved purposefully, barely glancing at her. She followed the woman to an open double door. Inside, a middle-aged woman nodded.

  “You can go right in.”

  Annie stared at the tall, wood door in front of her. It looked heavy and impressive. Unexpected nerves danced in her stomach.