Born to Be Wilde

Chapter Twelve

"WOULD you stop fidgeting already?"

Joel grunted in response and shifted in his seat once more, wishing like hell that one, Lora would stop fussing over him, and two, she wasn't standing in between his wide-spread legs, her full breasts right at his eye level. The pink bra top she wore, encrusted with faux jewels, lifted those full mounds like an offering, and his mouth watered just thinking about how all that creamy skin tasted, and how her nipples could pucker so sweetly against his tongue.

He swallowed back a groan and tried not to move again as she cuffed the sleeves on his stark white T-shirt, which seemed so glaring in comparison to the black shirts he preferred. He hadn't so much as touched her since the night she'd gotten attacked, but his awareness of her couldn't have been more keen, and the reality of that made him cantankerous and easily provoked.

Just like with every other woman he'd slept with over the years, he would have thought that after making love to Lora and slaking that lust and need that had been riding him hard since the moment he'd met her, that maintaining his distance and keeping his focus on protecting her would be a cinch. No such luck, because this woman had the opposite effect on him. Now that he'd had her warm and soft and willing beneath him, now that he'd experienced how she came alive when he was deep inside her, he craved her even more.

And now, it didn't help matters, or his unruly libido, that she was currently scantily clad in a genie costume for The Electric Blue's Halloween bash, and all he could think about was asking this particular genie to grant a few of his most erotic wishes.

He exhaled a rough, serrated breath as she began applying gel to his hair, to slick back the long strands and make him look more like one of those greasers from the 1950s. "Is all this really necessary?" he asked grumpily, enjoying way too much the feel of her fingers running against his scalp.

"Yes, it's really necessary," she mimicked him, laughter in her tone. "If you don't dress up for the Halloween bash, you won't be allowed inside the bar. No exceptions. Not even for you, so stop being such a grouch about it."

"I'd prefer that we not go at all," he replied gruffly.

"Sorry, but that's not an option, either." Finally, she moved away to wash her hands in the kitchen sink, giving him some much-needed breathing room. "Besides, tonight is going to be a great night for tips, and right now money is a priority."

Despite their discussion about her enabling Zach, Joel knew Lora was driven to save as much cash as she could to hand over to her brother to help pay off his debt. Except Zach had made himself very elusive and unreachable lately. He wasn't answering the daily messages that Lora left on his cell phone asking him to call her, and while that didn't bode well for the entire situation, Lora refused to believe that anything bad had happened to Zach.

Joel wanted to believe that, too.

So far, there hadn't been any other attempts against Lora, but that didn't mean those men weren't out there lurking, watching, and waiting for the perfect chance to strike again. But between Lora being more cautious and aware of her surroundings and Joel making sure she was protected at all times, there hadn't been any opportunity for those thugs to get her alone to assault her, or worse.

Unfortunately, Joel had to let Lora out of his sight when she was at the spa, because he couldn't follow her from appointment to appointment and stand in the corner of the room while she gave a client a massage or facial. Because Lora had been adamant about working at the hotel spa, he'd called his sister-in-law, Ashley St. Claire, to request another huge favor. Since Joel was unable to be by Lora's side during those daytime hours, he'd asked Ashley to make sure that Lora was only scheduled guests of the hotel, preferably women, and no one from off the street. That, at least, reduced the possibility of one of those men getting to her through the spa.

After drying her hands on a paper towel, Lora turned back around and headed toward where Joel was still seated on a kitchen chair, his gaze drawn to the enticing sway of her hips and the veils of fabric fluttering all around her half-naked body. The genie outfit exposed all of her soft stomach, and the waistband of the pants, if you could even call them that, rode way below her navel. Other than the bikini-type shorts she was wearing, the rest of the bottoms were sheer and slit down the sides to her ankles. The flowing, gossamerlike material swirled around her bare legs when she walked and made him think of an Arabian harem girl. And that thought made his mind spin off into more provocative scenarios that included her as his private love slave.

His groin tightened and he gritted his teeth, "You have way too much skin showing."

The corners of her pink, glossy lips twitched with an amused smile. "It's just a Halloween costume, Joel."

One he wanted to rip right off her body so he could have his wicked way with her. Right here. Right now. And if he was having those kinds of depraved thoughts, there was no doubt that other guys at the bar would be contemplating the same thing. The very idea sent a possessive streak surging through him.

"I'm sure there will be more scantily clad women at the bar than me." She picked up his black leather jacket, which he'd draped over the back of a chair earlier. "I'm not going to change or cover up, so deal with it."

Stubborn, independent woman! "Fine," he bit out irritably.

Satisfied that she'd won the argument, she snapped open his leather jacket and held it out for him. "Now stand up so we can complete your costume."

He did as she ordered and let her slide his jacket up his arms to his shoulders. She fussed with the collar, smoothed a hand down his plain white shirt and made sure it was tucked nice and neat into his blue jeans. With his hair slicked back and looking like a throw-back to the '50s, Joel couldn't help but feel ridiculous, and was eternally grateful that his friends weren't going to be at The Electric Blue to see what a fool he looked like.

Just as he'd had enough of Lora touching him, which was starting to arouse him all over again, there was a knock on the front door, then it opened and from the other room a young girl's voice called out.

"Aunt Lora, it's me, Cassie," she announced.

"Come on in, sweetie," Lora replied. "We're in the kitchen."

Right after Lora's attack, Joel had made it very clear to everyone close to Lora that her front door would remain locked twenty-four/seven, and that Sydney and Cassie were to use their keys to get in. And also to make sure they made their presence known right away so Joel didn't end up scaring the crap out of them thinking they were an intruder. So far, his rules had been very effective.

Cassie walked into the kitchen, looking literally like an angel. She wore a pretty, white, ankle-length dress with long flowing sleeves that gave her the appearance of an ethereal heavenly creature. Gold cording crisscrossed at her slender waist, and the iridescent wings attached to her shoulders fluttered as she walked. Completing the ensemble was a golden halo set atop the auburn hair she'd left in loose curls instead of straightening as she normally did. With her green eyes lined in a soft shade of kohl, and her lips a shiny peach hue, she easily looked eighteen years old, instead of the young fifteen that she actually was.

Lora had told him about the dynamics between Sydney and her daughter, and since he'd spent the past week at Lora's apartment and Cassie visited her "aunt" on a regular basis, he'd gotten to know the teen fairly well. Tonight they were dropping Cassie off at her party on the way to The Electric Blue, since Sydney had gone to the bar earlier that afternoon to make sure everything was stocked, set up, and ready for the huge crowd she was anticipating for the Halloween bash.

Cassie grinned as she gave Joel's quick, homemade costume a once-over. "Hey, Joel, you look tight."

Joel raised a brow. "Tight?" He had no idea if that was good or bad.

"Don't worry, it's a compliment," Lora assured him. "It's teen-speak for cool."

"Ahhh." He adjusted the black leather jacket across his shoulders, then zipped it halfway up, still feeling silly despite Cassie's enthusiastic endorsement. "Well, in that case, thank you."

"What do you think of my outfit?" Cassie asked, and did a cute little pirouette in front of them that made the skirt of her dress billow out around her legs. Her angel wings shimmered beneath the kitchen lights, as did her halo.

"Definitely tight," Joel said, testing out the new word he'd just learned.

Cassie laughed, her eyes bright and happy, and Joel knew why. According to what Lora had told him, attending this Halloween party with her high school friends was a big deal for Cassie, and Lora suspected that a certain boy was the reason for the young girl's excitement and exuberance. As of yet, though, Cassie hadn't confirmed Lora's hunch.

"I think you look absolutely gorgeous," Lora said, a bit of melancholy in her tone as she straightened one of Cassie's wings. "You really are growing up way too fast."

Cassie rolled her eyes, then checked out Lora's genie attire. "I wish my mom would let me wear a costume like yours," she said enviously.

"Don't push your luck, honey," Lora said on a drawl. "I think your mother let you choose that angel costume you're wearing for a reason, and as it is, I'm sure you're going to have the boys clamoring for your attention."

Cassie actually blushed, and Joel quietly agreed with Lora's assessment. Cassie was a very beautiful girl, with a pretty face and peaches-and-cream complexion, and a body much too mature for a fifteen-year-old to handle. Undoubtedly, most of the teenage boys at her school weren't able to walk past her without their gazes dropping to her chest. If Cassie were his daughter, he'd keep her dressed in a potato sack until she turned twenty-one, so it was easy to understand Sydney's concerns regarding Cassie.

"I'm glad your mother came to her senses and decided to let you go to the Halloween party," Lora said as she brushed a stray curl back from Cassie's cheek.

"Me, too."

Lora gently grasped the young girl's shoulders in her hands and met Cassie's gaze, her expression both loving and stern. "Giving you permission to go to this party wasn't an easy thing for your mom to do, so don't do anything to make her regret her decision, okay?"

Lora's meaning was very clear, and Cassie nodded her haloed head in understanding. "I won't. I promise."

"Good." With that light lecture out of the way, Lora grinned. "We have a few more minutes before we have to leave. I have some pretty sparkle powder that we can dust on your cheeks and your collarbones, and add a little to your makeup, if you'd like."

"I'd love that," Cassie said eagerly.

The two girls headed off to Lora's bedroom to do some last-minute primping, and Joel went into the living room and sat on the couch to wait for the duo. The cell phone clipped to the waistband of his jeans vibrated, and he checked the caller ID before answering the unit.

"Hey, Mia," he said, greeting his younger sister.

"So, you are alive," came her sassy reply.

Joel grinned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, it's been a few weeks since I've heard from you, so I thought I'd take the direct approach with your cell phone to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine," he said, not certain what his sister was getting at. He'd gone long periods of time without talking to her, so her comment confused him. "Were you supposed to hear from me?"

"I left you a message on your machine at home, and I sent you an invitation in the mail for my gallery opening next weekend. You're the only one in the family that hasn't RSVP'd yet."

He winced, because he'd known that big day was coming up, and how much it meant to Mia. In the midst of everything with Zach and Lora, he'd honestly forgotten about the opening of her stained glass art gallery.

"Sorry 'bout that," he said apologetically. Since Lora preferred to stay at her apartment where all her things were, Joel hadn't been home in the past week to check his piled-up mail or go through messages. Obviously, he needed to make time for that this weekend. "I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to make it."

"Why not?"

His sister's disappointment traveled through the phone line, and Joel hated that he was responsible for Mia's crestfallen tone. Out of all his siblings, he related the most to Mia, and was closest to her. They'd both been adversely affected by their mother's death, in ways that had bonded them and made each of them understand the other's wild, adventurous behavior over the years.

Luckily, his sister had found a man to settle down with. A man who accepted Mia, flaws, smart-mouth, and all. She seemed so happy and content with Cameron Sinclair, secure in herself as a woman and an artist, yet Joel being at the gallery opening meant more to Mia than he'd realized.

Torn, he scrubbed a hand along his jaw. "I'm on assignment right now."

"Are you out of state?" she asked.

"No. I'm in Chicago, but I'm standing in as a bodyguard for a friend's sister, and I have no idea what the situation will be like by next weekend." He'd like to hope that Zach's predicament would be settled somehow by then, but Joel wasn't holding his breath for any quick and easy resolution.

"Why can't you bring her with?" Mia suggested. "Squeeze in a bit of fun around business if you can. It would mean so much to me to have you there."

It was difficult for Joel to resist those words. Even more difficult to say no to his sister. "Okay. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you," she said, and he heard the relief and pleased tone of her voice.

"So, how are you doing?" he asked, wanting to make sure that everything was going well for her.

"I'm busy with the gallery opening, but overall, I'm good."

He smiled. "Does Cameron still want to marry you?"

She laughed at his teasing question. "Of course," she said confidently. "The guy knows a good thing when he's got it."

Joel chuckled, though he knew the feeling was mutual, that Mia realized how lucky she was to have found a man like Cameron. He loved seeing his sister so happy and mellow. So content with her life. Just like the rest of his siblings and cousins. Being the only single one left in the family, Joel was beginning to feel like the odd man out.

After a few more minutes of conversation, he said good-bye and promised once again to do his best to be at the gallery opening. Just as he snapped his cell phone shut and stood up from the couch, Lora and Cassie exited the bedroom-with Cassie more sparkly than before.

"Okay, we're ready to go," Lora announced, her sexy genie costume wreaking havoc with his best intentions all over again.

He led the way to the front door and prepared himself for another long night at the bar-made more so because now, with that peekaboo outfit she was wearing, he had to worry about fending off all those unruly frat boys who drank too much, then decided the waitresses were fair play.

And he absolutely hated when other men touched Lora.

LORA made her way through the growing crowd of customers entering The Electric Blue and stopped at a table to take a drink order. Though it was still early, the atmosphere was already loud and festive, with the strobe lights flashing above, black and orange streamers fluttering overhead, and the Halloween song "Monster Mash" blaring through the speakers. A fog machine pumped out plumes of gray mist that rolled across the dance floor and added a graveyard feel to the bar, while rubber bats and big, fat spiders swung from the ceiling.

Everyone was dressed in some kind of costume, from the basic witch, devil, and Playboy bunny, to a fireman, jailbird, and even Elvis. There was a guy dressed as the tooth fairy, and another as Batman with Catwoman as his sidekick. Then there were the typical scary outfits, such as a zombie, Hannibal Lecter, and other gruesome masks that were straight out of a horror movie.

Currently, Lora was stopped at a table with a vampire, Cleopatra, and a mermaid. "Can I get you guys something to drink?" she asked over the noise and music.

A sumo wrestler bumped into her as she was jotting down the table's order, his big, cushy stomach causing him to bounce from her to another customer, who laughed at the man's wacky choice of costume. The vampire ordered a Bloody Mary, the mermaid asked for a blue Hawaiian, and Cleopatra requested a Screaming Orgasm.

After collecting a few more drink requests, Lora headed back to the bar, set her tray on the counter, and placed her order with Sydney. Her friend looked like a sexy wench in her very provocative pirate costume, and the roguish outfit suited her personality perfectly.

"I've been meaning to ask if you noticed anything unusual when you dropped Cassie off at the Halloween party." Sydney asked oh-so-casually as she started mixing Lora's drinks.

Lora unloaded the dirty glasses she'd cleared off a table and glanced back at Sydney, who was way too anxious and worried about her daughter's fun night out. "Unusual how?"

Sydney frowned at her, clearly annoyed that Lora was making her spell things out. "You know… did any certain boy rush up to greet her when she arrived?" she asked as she grabbed two bottles of beer, uncapped them, then set them on the bar top for Lora. "Were the parents there at the house like Cassie said they would be? Did you see any evidence of any alcohol one the kids might have snuck in?"

Lora shook her head and laughed, truly amazed at how a fifteen-year-old could shake her best friend's normally cool, calm, and collected composure and make her a basket case.

"What's so funny?" Sydney demanded, much too defensively.

Lora added fresh napkins to her tray. "You are."

"Yeah, well, I'm glad you're so amused," Sydney retorted in a mocking tone as she poured the liquor for a Screaming Orgasm. "I'm just trying to be a responsible parent."

More like overbearing and too protective, Lora thought, but kept that observation to herself. "There was no particular boy ogling her," she finally said to put her friend out of her misery. "And yes, I met the parents, who seemed to be good, decent people. And if any of the kids brought alcohol, they didn't leave it out for the adults to find."

Sydney made a face at her, the jaunty set of her pirate hat on her head making her look all the more comical. "Gee, thanks, I feel sooo much better now."

"It's a Halloween party for high school kids, Sydney. There's no predicting what's going to happen. All I know is that you did the right thing by letting Cassie go, and trusting her. I haven't seen her that excited about something in a long time."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," she admitted reluctantly, and dropped a celery stalk into the Bloody Mary she'd just made. "But I don't have to like it."

That was fair enough, Lora supposed.

As Sydney started in on a blended drink, Lora added a wedge of lime to the rim of the tomato-based cocktail and glanced across to the other end of the bar, where Joel now sat on a nightly basis, rather than at a table out in the middle of the crush of people. He'd told her that he felt more in control, and more at an advantage, being seated up at the bar, where he could see everything going on around him. And, quite honestly, she felt safer, too.

He'd taken the seat next to Daniel, and over the past week the two had become friends as Joel alternately watched over her and carried on a conversation with Sydney's new guy. And despite Joel's numerous complaints and protests about dressing up for the Halloween bash.

Lora had to admit that Joel looked gorgeous and incredibly sexy in his simple '50s costume, like her own personal James Dean.

Then there was Daniel's outfit as a swashbuckling pirate, complete with a parrot perched on his shoulder, which made him and Sydney a perfect pair.

"Don't you and Daniel look cute," Lora said when Sydney finally turned off the blender. "Did you plan on matching costumes?"

"Of course not," she said with a shake of her head as she poured the frozen, frothy piña eolada mixture into a tall glass. "Daniel asked what I was dressing up as, and picked his outfit to match mine." She cast a quick glance over her shoulder at the man in question, a slow smile kicking up the corners of her lips. "I do have to say, he looks damn good with an eye patch."

Lora garnished the fruity drink with a slice of pineapple and a paper umbrella. "Ummm. I take it you're having wild and wicked fantasies of being ravished by a pirate?"

"Don't I wish." Sydney's tone was wry, and borderline annoyed. "I swear, I've never been so frustrated and sexually on edge in my entire life. I've been on three dates with Daniel, and I've made it very clear that I'm game for sex, yet we've barely made it to second base. He's driving me crazy."

Lora laughed, because it was so much fun to see her best friend so tied up in knots over a man, instead of the other way around. "Yet you keep going back for more, don't you?" That she hadn't dumped Daniel spoke volumes about just how much Sydney liked the man.

"Hey, at this point I'm counting on a huge payoff when we finally do the deed." She cleared off the empty glasses and put them into the sink behind the counter.

Lora couldn't help but wonder what kind of payoff Daniel was hoping for. Having gotten to know the guy a bit over the past few weeks, she was guessing that Daniel wanted the real deal with Sydney, and was willing to wait until she came around to his way of thinking-to accept that their relationship wasn't just about quick, temporary sex, but something deeper and more lasting.

"You know what I think?" Lora asked as the "Monster Mash" song segued into a beat-heavy number that had people heading toward the dance floor.

"No, but I'm sure you're going to enlighten me."

"I think Daniel Barnett is a good influence on you and your wild ways." Before Sydney could come up with some kind of smart-ass comeback, Lora picked up her full tray and headed back toward the sitting area to deliver her orders.

Over the next few hours, The Electric Blue swelled to capacity. The Halloween bash was a huge success, with a long line of costumed patrons waiting outside for customers to leave so they could enter and join the party. After a few drinks, the people inside lost inhibitions and grew rowdy and raucous, which made it difficult for Lora and the other bar waitresses to take and deliver orders, not to mention trying to squeeze their way from one end of the establishment to the other.

It was also strange to Lora to see everyone dressed in a costume, and while most of the outfits were fun, outrageous, and even eccentric, it was the customers who wore masks over their faces that bothered her the most. The gorilla, funky chicken, and Darth Vader all made her feel uncomfortable, and then there were the more gruesome disguises like Chucky, Freddy Krueger, and Jason from Friday the 13th that completely unnerved her and made her think of those two men who'd attacked her-both of whom had been wearing ski masks.

She tried not to think of that awful night as she cleared tables and attempted to keep up with the demanding crowd. But as a jester with a painted face bumped into her, then a werewolf with a hairy mask trapped her between himself and a guy dressed as a skeleton, she started to panic and wonder if those men were here tonight wearing masks, just waiting for the chance to get her alone again.

She was jostled from person to person, and each masked costume seemed to mock her. Too many people were touching her-a hand grazed her bare back, then another slid down her arm, and she shuddered, trying desperately to keep her growing anxiety at bay. Someone pulled on one of the veils attached to her costume and the opening of her genie pants caught on something, nearly yanking her off her feet. Her tray slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor, but she couldn't bend down to pick it up since she'd been pushed out to the middle of the dance floor, with an evil clown bumping and grinding against her, his depraved, leering grin sending chills down her spine.

Everything closed in on her and she suddenly couldn't breathe. With the thick fog curling around her and the strobe lights flashing, she felt as though the room was shrinking in size, and she had no way to escape. As she was shoved against a man wearing a Bart Simpson mask, and he caught her by the arms in a firm grip, adrenaline and terror spiraled through her.

It was all too much, and more than she could handle mentally. She'd been so strong since her attack, so determined to live her life as normally as possible and not let trepidation and fear rule her every thought or every move she made. But now, tonight, it all came to a head and she could no longer hold back all those emotions and feelings she'd bottled up tight inside of her.

Her heart pounded hard and fast in her chest, and she struggled out of Bart Simpson's grasp. Struggled to find a way out of the crush of people pushing and shoving and suffocating her with their bodies and masked faces. She started to sweat and gulped for air, but oxygen seemed in short supply, and she couldn't seem to inhale a sufficient amount into her lungs. Her head spun, her vision blurred, and a dry, frightened sob nearly strangled her.

As she was frantically pushing her way toward the bar, and Joel, she felt an arm snake around her waist and haul her against a hard, solid chest. Then she was being dragged away. She opened her mouth to scream for help, but no sound emerged.

Oh, God, she thought. Not again. Please, not again.

She grew lightheaded and dizzy, her entire body tingling in cold, stark terror as she kicked and clawed and did everything she could to escape this man's steel embrace. It was no use. The more she fought, the more the person behind her tried to subdue her efforts-and he was much bigger, and more powerful, than she was.

"Goddammit, Lora," a familiar male voice growled into her ear. "It's Joel. Stop fighting me so I can get you out of here!"

Her relief was so profound that her entire body went weak, and she let Joel pull her out of the thick mass of party revelers and into Sydney's office, where her best friend was waiting for the two of them to arrive. The whole scene had an odd sense of déjà vu to Lora, reminding her too much of the night she'd gotten attacked, and how Joel had come to her rescue then, as well.

Once they were safely inside the room, Sydney let her worry spill forth. "Jesus, Lora!" she said, her own voice shaking. "Are you okay?"

Lora couldn't answer. Couldn't talk. The pressure in her chest was still so painful, her throat raw and just as tight as she struggled to take big gulps of air and breathe normally.

"She'll be fine," Joel finally answered calmly, though Lora heard the concern in his voice, too.

The next thing Lora knew, Joel was pushing her onto a chair. Once she was seated, he cupped the back of her neck in his large hand and guided her head down between her legs. Then he crouched in front of her so he remained close by.

"Breathe slow and easy through your nose, sweetheart," he instructed in a low and gentle tone of voice. "Close your eyes, try to relax, and concentrate on taking deep, even breaths."

His voice was so soothing in the midst of her scare. Knowing she was well and truly safe, Lora did as he ordered, inhaling slowly, despite the rapid beating of her heart.

"What's wrong with her?" Sydney asked, pacing beside Lora's chair.

"She's hyperventilating." Joel's fingers stroked the back of Lora's neck, comforting her with his warm touch, his presence. "She'll be okay in a few minutes."

True to Joel's word, Lora's pulse gradually returned to a normal pace. When she finally felt as though her anxiety had subsided and she could breathe without feeling as though she was going to pass out, she lifted her head and stared into Joel's dark blue eyes. His jaw was clenched tight, his gaze narrowed as he searched her face for any other signs of trauma.

"Are you okay?" he asked, tipping her chin up with his fingers to get a better look at her.

Still unable to speak, she moistened her dry lips with her tongue and nodded. Minutes ago she'd been sweating and hot. Now, her skin felt cool. She shivered and wrapped her arms around her bare stomach, suddenly wishing her costume was more substantial than the bra top and sheer material it was made out of.

Joel straightened back to his full height, shrugged out of his leather jacket, and draped it over her shoulders, instantly enveloping her in his warmth and male scent. "Did anything happen out there?" he asked her. "Did anyone try and hurt you?"

His voice was neutral in tone, but the tension radiating from his body and the steel glint in his eyes told her that he'd charge right back into the bar in search of anyone who'd dared to harm her.

She shook her head. "No…" Her voice cracked and she swallowed to ease her parched throat so she could explain. "It was just me. I felt suffocated and closed in with all those masked people crowding around me. I kept thinking that any one of them could be those guys who attacked me, and I completely freaked out." Even now, the thought of going back out into the bar, and being surrounded by so many people, made her stomach twist into knots all over again.

"Well, you certainly scared the crap out of me," Sydney cut in, and fisted her hands on her hips, swathed in a striped pirate sash. Then she pointed a finger at Lora. "You are so done here at the bar. You're not working here until this thing with your brother is over, do you hear me? Because if something happened to you again while you were here working, I'd never forgive myself." Her stern voice softened toward the end, her caring and concern tangible.

Lora didn't have the energy to argue, so she managed a half smile and attempted to lighten the moment. "Are you firing me?"

"I will if I have to." Sydney was completely serious, and Lora knew her friend would have no qualms about following through on the threat. "Whatever it takes to make you start thinking about yourself, and your safety, for a change. I have to get back to tending the bar before things get totally out of control, but as of right now, you're on a forced vacation, which has been long overdue, anyway. This place is off-limits for you. Got it?"

Sydney's curt attitude left no room for negotiation over the issue, which was what made her such a good boss and businesswoman, Lora knew. "Yes, ma'am," she murmured.

Clearly surprised by Lora's too-easy assent, Sydney stared at her for a long moment. When Lora said nothing more, her friend spun around and left the office, closing the door behind her.

"She's right, Lora," Joel said once Sydney was gone and they were alone, backing her friend's decision one hundred percent. "I don't like you working here at the bar, either. Now you know why. It makes you too much of a target, whether you like it or not. And it makes my job of protecting you difficult as hell."

She burrowed deeper into the warmth of his jacket. "You did just fine tonight," she said gratefully.

His lips flattened into a grim line. "Yeah, well, getting to you through that thick mob of people wasn't an easy task."

At the time, Lora had felt as though she'd been trying to wade her way through quicksand, so she could only imagine how hard it had been for Joel to reach her so quickly. Which brought up a curious question. "How did you know that I wasn't okay?"

"Because it's my job to know." It was that simple and straightforward for him. "I've done nothing but watch you the past few weeks, and I've pretty much learned and memorized every one of your facial expressions and what they mean. Trust me, it was easy to recognize the fear in your eyes, and when I realized that something was wrong, I couldn't get to you fast enough."

Suddenly, she saw the entire situation from Joel's perspective, and just how difficult she'd made things for him by insisting she keep working at the bar. Was it really fair to put him through that tension, and to expect him to be responsible for her safety when she was the one putting herself in the direct line of danger?

The answer came easily. No. She'd been so stubborn and adamant about not letting Zach's predicament affect her life, but the truth was, it did affect her life, on many levels. And until Zach was out of trouble, she needed to be careful, and far more cautious.

But how long would it take for this nightmare to end? Another week? Another month? Longer? The thought made her stomach roil, and brought on a healthy dose of resentment and anger.

She was so tired of constantly looking over her shoulder, waiting and wondering when the next attack would happen. That slight bit of fear was always in the back of her mind, and she hated when it played tricks on her psyche, as it had tonight.

"I want this to be done and over with," she said, frustration getting the best of her. "The more time that passes without knowing where Zach is or what's going on, the more anxious I'm getting." Tonight proved it.

"You and me both." Joel leaned against the office desk behind him and crossed his arms over his chest. "But until we know something, or we hear from Zach, laying low until this is over is the best thing to do."

And Lora knew that the waiting, and the not knowing, was going to be the hardest part of all.

LATER that same night, Joel waited until Lora was asleep to make some phone calls and put an idea into action. After tonight's incident at the bar, and witnessing Lora's distress over Zach, he'd decided that something had to give.

And that something was Zach.

It was time for him to stop being so self-centered and be the kind of man the Marine Corps had trained him to be. A man who was honest and loyal and unafraid to face the consequences of his actions. A man willing to step forward, admit mistakes, and make amends. Considering what Zach had put Lora through, he owed it to his sister to make that attempt.

But even as Joel set up the clandestine meeting and contacted his partners at ESS for a conference call to line up a way out for Zach if he had the guts to take it, he wondered if Zach was capable of that kind of redemption. Or was Zach so far gone that he'd completely and irrevocably turn his back on the one person who loved him unconditionally, despite the fact that he'd sold her soul to a loan shark?

In a few days, Joel would find out exactly what kind of man Zach was. And so would Lora.

Once he'd finalized his plans and secured his partners' approval, Joel called Zach's cell phone, which went straight to voice mail. No big surprise there. Joel left him a detailed message, and had no problem playing on the other man's conscience, or using guilt to get the results he wanted. At this point, Joel was willing to do whatever it took to make this reunion happen and offer Zach the chance to get the help he needed for his addictions.

The big question was, would Zach show up? Or would he take the coward's way out?

Only time would tell.

Chapter Thirteen

THE man could cook, and that was a huge point in Daniel Barnett's favor.

Meeting his gaze from across the dining room table at his house, Sydney leaned back in her chair and placed a hand over her full stomach. She couldn't believe how much she'd eaten, but the pecan-crusted chicken he'd made, along with buttered green beans and roasted herb potatoes, had tasted so good she hadn't be able to resist a second helping. The man kept impressing her at every turn, with his culinary talents, his dedication to his job as a math teacher, and the seemingly effortless way he resisted her sexual advances.

Yeah, especially that, damn him.

Even last night, after she'd closed down the bar following the Halloween bash and the rest of her employees had gone home the place had been cleaned up, she'd hoped to have a little fun with Daniel and their pirate costumes.

Except he hadn't cooperated. Oh, she'd managed to get some hot and heavy kissing out of him, more than enough to get her juices flowing, but that had been it, despite her protests for more.

So when he'd invited her over to his place for dinner the next night, she saw it as the perfect opportunity to fire things up between them, in a way he wouldn't be able to refuse.

Seduction and satisfaction were the goals for the evening.

"I take it you liked dinner," Daniel said, his tone pleased. "Either that, or you were being very polite with that second helping."

She laughed, enjoying his humor. Heck, she enjoyed most everything about this man. More than she ever would have anticipated. "Trust me, I don't waste good calories on second helpings unless it's truly worth it. Dinner was delicious. In fact, if I didn't see you prepare and cook the meal yourself, I would have thought you had it catered in," she teased.

"Not a chance." His caramel-hued eyes were warm and mellow with his own brand of playful flirtation. "I told you I love to cook."

She reached out and strummed her fingers along the stem of her wineglass. "Yeah, well, when a guy says that, it usually means boxed potatoes, canned green beans, and chicken on the barbeque, not this gourmet meal you put together."

He winked at her. "Stick with me, sweetheart. I have all kinds of tricks and talents up my sleeve."

Oh, she was hoping so.

The term of endearment he'd used, along with the husky tone of his voice, sent a pleasant warmth seeping through her that had nothing to do with the expensive wine he'd served with dinner, and everything to do with him. "So, what's for dessert?"

"Something chocolate and absolutely decadent."

"Mmmm." She let the sexy sound roll up from her throat in a tantalizing purr. "I like the sound of that."

He laughed deeply. "Does everything have a sexual connotation to you?"

"Only when I'm being sexually deprived," she retorted sassily.

"Awww, poor baby," he crooned, though his eyes held a devilish glint that told her he wasn't at all sorry for his part in her sexual frustration.

Releasing a breathy sigh that snagged his attention from across the table, she lifted her hand to her throat, then slowly skimmed her fingers along the opening of her blouse, and was immensely gratified when his gaze followed the trail. Her nipples puckered from her own caress, and he noticed that, too.

She wet her bottom lip with her tongue, a long, slow swipe that would hopefully add to his own arousal and discomfort. Or, at the very least, make him think of all the wicked ways she could use her mouth and tongue on him. She was more than willing, given the chance.

His eyes grew dark with desire, and she smiled. "You know, there is more than one way to put me out of my misery." Hot, hard sex was her preference, but hell, at this point she was willing to settle for some heavy petting and a few orgasms.

"What, and spoil all this fun between us?" he drawled. He thought for a moment, then shook his dark blond head. "Nahhh. I'm having way too good a time just the way things are."

He stood to clear the dining table, and she joined him, deciding that the man was the female equivalent of a cock-tease. Amazing. She was used to dealing with aggressive men who couldn't keep their hands off her-until they got what they wanted. And here she was offering it up to Daniel, and he'd just politely turned her down. Again.

She placed her utensils on her plate, and when she reached for his dishes across the table, he stopped her.

"I'll do this," he insisted, taking the plate from her grasp. "Why don't you go ahead and make yourself comfortable in the living room while I clean up the kitchen real quick. I'll be there in five minutes, max."

"Okay."

She headed into the adjoining room, and instead of sitting down on one of the brown suede couches to wait for Daniel, she strolled over to the wall unit and casually scanned the items on the shelves. There were hardbound books, most of which were spy novels, along with the James Bond novels he'd told her he collected. There was a nice stereo unit and a stack of CDs ranging from jazz and country to rock, but what drew her attention the most was the array of framed photographs he had on display.

She smiled at the picture of Daniel with two little boys dressed in baseball uniforms-his nephews, she guessed. And it was obvious by Daniel's affectionate grin and the way he was ruffling one of the boys' hair just how much he adored them. Another photograph showed him with another man his age, who possessed similar looks but appeared very serious in nature, and a beautiful woman caught laughing at something just as the snapshot had been taken. Siblings, she assumed, and moved on to another picture of an older couple who were clearly his parents.

His father was handsome, with distinguished features and the appearance of a well-established doctor. In the photo, his mother was wearing a designer summer outfit, and the left hand resting on her husband's chest sported a huge rock of a diamond and an equally impressive diamond tennis bracelet. They were standing next to a new Jaguar, with a two-story estate home in the background, confirming what she'd known all along-that despite the modest salary he no doubt made as a high school math teacher, Daniel Barnett came from a wealthy, upscale, and classy family.

And Sydney was as far from classy as a woman could get. Considering her checkered past and the things she'd done to get to where she was today, there was no way that she'd ever fit in Daniel's world beyond a brief fling. And he had to know that, too.

It was time to be assertive, to heat things up, get the deed done, and move on before she got any more involved with Daniel than she already was.

With that plan in mind, she scanned the stack of CDs and chose The Fray and slipped it into the disc player. Seconds later a rhythmic beat filled the room, along with the lead singer's smooth, rich vocals. Closing her eyes, she inhaled a deep, relaxing breath and let the seductive cadence invade her mind, her body, and her senses.

"Nice choice of music," Daniel said from behind her.

Blinking her eyes back open, she turned around and gave him a slow, sultry smile. "I'm glad you approve."

He sat down on the couch and met her gaze from across the room. "You never did say how everything went with Cassie and the Halloween party she went to last night."

It figured that the man wanted to talk. He probably assumed they'd spend the next hour or so just chit-chatting, as they had on all their dates thus far. But not tonight. She'd allow him this one last question, and then it was show time.

"She was in bed asleep when I got home from work." she said, and started a slow dance by herself, with her hips swaying oh-so-subtly, and her gauzy skirt swirling enticingly around her legs as she gradually strutted her way closer to him. Her fingers toyed with the top button on her blouse, which effectively drew his gaze to her chest. "This morning she told me she had a good time and everything seemed fine, so I'm going to have to trust that it was."

He shifted on the couch and forced his gaze back up to hers. "See, letting her go to the party wasn't so bad now, was it?"

"No," she admitted, and unfastened the first button on her blouse, then another, as he watched. Truth be told, she was starting to relax with Cassie, just a little. Her daughter had given her no reason to worry or suspect that anything had happened outside of normal teenager fun, and she was trying to take Daniel's advice and not go searching for trouble unless there was a good reason to.

Another button slipped open, giving Daniel a quick, seductive peek at the pink and white lace push-up bra she'd bought a few days ago, specifically for an occasion like this. The cups were lined, and while the bra showcased the full mounds of her breasts to their best advantage, it also left enough covered to stir his imagination.

His gaze darkened as she neared, his irises like rich, burnished gold. "Sydney… what are you doing?" His tone was an interesting combination of curiosity and desire.

"I'm taking things between us to the next level." With a practiced roll of her shoulders, her blouse slid down her arms and off. She let it fall to the floor, then brushed her fingers across the bare skin of her abdomen until they reached the elastic waistband of her skirt.

"It's called a relationship," he said huskily.

She smiled and inched the skirt over the swell of her hips, teasing him from only a short distance away. "It's called an affair," she corrected him, because it was important to her that he not read more into this connection between them than there was. A relationship implied that there was a commitment and emotional ties involved, and that kind of intimacy wasn't something she was willing to give to any man.

Sex, however, was all about mutual pleasure, and that was her goal tonight. "Ever had a personal, private lap dance?" she asked.

He shook his head, still looking way too calm and casual, when most guys at this point would be panting for more. "Can't say I have, but I suppose there's a first time for everything."

She laughed, liking the idea that she was going to be Daniel's first. With a slight shimmy of her hips, her skirt fluttered to the plush carpet around her feet, leaving her scantily clad in the bra and a pair of matching lace bikini panties designed to make a man drop to his knees and beg. Then there were the high heels she was wearing, which did great things for her legs as she picked up the beat of the music once again.

His breathing, she noticed, had deepened, and he didn't look so casual and relaxed anymore. She held back a triumphant smile and lifted her hands to her hair, striking a very provocative pose. "You know, when I was a stripper, private lap dances were where I'd make all my big money."

Daniel did his absolute best not to outwardly react to that comment, because he knew that's exactly what Sydney was angling for. To shock him. To force him to see and think of her as nothing more than a physical object, as other men did. And admitting to what she perceived as a scandalous past was the equivalent of her putting up barriers around her emotions, and in her mind made this thing between them all about the physical.

Physically, yeah, he was aching and hard just watching her dance in front of him like temptation and sin, wearing nothing more than a skimpy bra, barely there underwear, and fuck-me high heeled shoes.

"I didn't know you were a stripper," he managed evenly, though he honestly didn't care about her past. It was the present, and the possibility of a future with this woman who intrigued him at every turn, that mattered to him.

"Yep, and a damn good one at that." To prove her point, she turned her back on him, and with her legs straight and slightly parted, she bent over and stroked her ankle and calf, giving him an up-close and personal view of her smooth, perfect ass. The position was uninhibitedly sexual, as was the coquettish way she glanced over her shoulder at him. "I had clients come in nightly and ask specifically for me."

He barely had enough blood left in his brain to think coherently. At least with his bigger head. He swallowed thickly and did his best to remain impassive about this brazen display of hers, when he knew she was doing everything in her feminine power to get a reaction out of him. "You were that good, huh?"

From her upside-down position, her gaze narrowed ever-so-slightly, then a sly smile curved her lips and she straightened, facing him again. She sauntered purposefully toward him, all long supple limbs, lush undulating curves, and a soft sexy tumble of auburn waves bouncing gently around her shoulders.

Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, and she touched her fingers to the upper swell of one breast, then traced the inviting curve of flesh to the deep V of her cleavage. "I think I ought to show you just how good I was," she said, a challenge in her low, naughty tone.

Okay, maybe he'd pushed her too far, goaded her just a little too much, but there was no backing down now. Her giving him a lap dance was going to test every bit of his control, possibly shatter his restraint when it came to her, but he had a feeling that's exactly what she was striving for. Which made him all the more determined to make sure this scenario didn't escalate into a physical encounter, not when she still wanted to believe that he was in this purely for sex.

Give it your best shot, sweetheart. "Please, do," he murmured, daring her right back.

She nudged his legs apart and moved in between, just as the song playing ended and another began. This one had a slower beat, and Sydney's body eased right into the rhythm, hips circling, thighs shifting, as her hands touched and caressed all that smooth, bare skin. Eyes closed, her head fell back on a sigh, and her torso undulated, slowly, sinuously-just inches away from his face. So close he could smell her soft, feminine scent, could see the tight points of her nipples straining against the fabric of her bra.

The urge to reach out and stroke her, everywhere, was strong, and he closed his hands into tight fists at his sides. Undoubtedly, this woman was every man's erotic fantasy, and that was part of the problem-he didn't want to be just another man in a long line of them, and he refused to fit into the same low class as all the other jerks in her life. He wanted more than Sydney's body, more than one night of hot sex, and convincing her of that, and his honest intentions, meant suffering through this sexual game of hers.

With an amazingly lithe move, she turned around in the V of his legs. Bracing her hands on his knees, she lowered herself toward his lap, slowly, leisurely sliding her bottom along his thighs and barely grazing the thick, aching erection pressing insistently against the fly of his pants.

His heart pumped hard and fast in his chest, and it was all he could do to hold in a deep groan as she added to the torture, grinding down gently against his crotch and adopting a forward and backward motion with her hips that increased the burning need surging through his veins. Just when he thought he wasn't going to last, she laid back against him in a full body slide. Her head came to rest on his shoulder, which gave him an unobstructed view of her gorgeous breasts, the slope of her belly, her slightly spread legs.

She took advantage of that fact, arousing herself, and him, with her hands. Her fingers dipped into her bra and cupped her breasts, while her thumbs played with the rigid tips. She moaned, wriggled against him, and glided her flattened palms over her stomach… then lower, between her thighs.

Lust and desire inflamed him, threatening to unravel not only his control, but all his good intentions, too. Knowing that watching her pleasure herself was going to be his undoing, which she no doubt was hoping for, he glanced away and started going through complicated math problems in his head… anything to keep his cool, which wasn't an easy feat when he had a near-naked woman rubbing up against him.

The music continued, and she rolled over gracefully so that she was sitting on his thighs facing him, with her knees straddling his hips. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she scooted closer until his constrained cock was nestled right up against the damp panel of her panties.

And still, he didn't so much as touch her.

He looked up into her face, which was flushed a warm shade of pink that continued down her throat and spread out toward her breasts. Her lashes were half-mast, but he could still see the soft, sultry green of her eyes, glittering with heat and hunger. Her lips were parted, her breathing as ragged as his own. Oh, yeah, she was thoroughly aroused, and the sudden determination that flashed in her gaze didn't bode well for him at all.

Neither did the wicked smile curling her lips as she smoothed her hands down over his chest. He was wearing a shirt, but her palms burned him straight through the thin material to his skin. Her slender fingers found his taut nipples, and she scraped over them with her thumbnails, eliciting a deep groan from him that seemed to give her a tremendous amount of satisfaction. Lower those sweet hands of hers traveled, until they reached the waistband of his trousers.

Before she could unfasten the first snap, he grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away. No words were spoken as they stared at one another in a silent battle of wills, but then again, none were needed. He was so damned close to surrendering, and she knew it, too. Sex was her goal, and there was no doubt in his mind, or hers, that if she released his shaft and touched him, stroked him, he'd be unable to resist her.

With her hands still firmly in his grasp and held out to the side-he wasn't about to let her go-she used other feminine wiles to get what she was after. She rolled her hips into him, subtly, skillfully, simulating the erotic grind and thrust of sex, and no amount of algebra equations could stop his body from responding. His own need kicked up a notch, pushing him closer to the point of no return.

She dropped her head back, arched into him, and moaned. Her breasts were inches away from his mouth, so tempting, and it took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to lean forward and taste her with his tongue… to push her down onto the couch and give her exactly what she was begging for.

Another rhythmic stroke against him and she gasped out loud. Again, and she shivered and started to come with a soft, unraveling moan, and he knew he was done for, too. Hell, he might as well have been deep inside her for the way she was gripping his hips with her thighs and pressing hard and deep against his cock. His own release grew and intensified, until he couldn't hold back any longer. With a rough groan, he climaxed right along with her.

After one last final shudder, she collapsed against him, her face buried into the curve of his neck and her warm, damp breath caressing his skin. He let go of her wrists and fully expected her to move off his lap and gloat at the fact that she'd managed to get a reaction out of him after all.

Instead, she cuddled into his chest, surprising the hell out of him with that unguarded gesture. But he took advantage of the moment and gently caressed his hands along her back, relishing just how soft this woman was, inside and out. That despite how rough and tough she tried to act, she did have a tender, vulnerable side. He smiled as he skimmed his fingers down her spine, and just when he thought that maybe, just maybe, he'd made some headway with Sydney, he felt a distinct change in her body language, as if she'd realized just how much she'd revealed by her relaxation.

Slowly, she pushed away from him, going from being sated and content and enjoying an intimate embrace to all sass and bravado.

Still sitting astride his thighs, she glanced down at his lap, then met his gaze with a satisfied, cocky grin. "Well, that settles that."

He arched a brow and played along, because it was clear she wasn't ready for a deep, emotional conversation about the two of them. "What settles what?"

She ran a playful finger down the middle of his chest.

"I was beginning to think you were impotent, but that's clearly not the case."

Unable to help himself, he laughed. "Everything functions quite well, as you can see."

"Then why are you making this so difficult? We could be having hot sex right now." A slight edge of frustration vibrated in her voice, then was replaced with sarcasm. "Oh, wait, don't tell me you're one of those guys who won't have sex until they're married?"

"Hell, no." She was trying to push all his buttons, possibly angling for an argument to make sure she distanced herself from him, but he wasn't going to let her take the easy way out. "But I'm not into casual sex, either, Sydney."

And that, too, seemed to piss her off-probably because she understood the underlying connotation to his comment. That sex, for him, was an intimate and personal connection. And for her, it was all about the physical.

Her lips pursed in annoyance. "Okay, whatever," she said, dismissing the entire incident with a wave of her hand. Then she moved off his lap and started picking her clothes up off the floor. "I think it's time I went home."

Knowing that they'd just reached a stalemate, he didn't try and convince her to stay. He could only hope that in time she'd come to realize that he wasn't like all the other men she dated. That he wanted more than just her body or a quick lay.

He wanted all of her, and he'd accept nothing less.

LORA had no idea where Joel was taking her, and quite frankly, she didn't care. He'd told her they were heading out of the city for a few days, so she could rest, relax, and regroup. She appreciated the gesture more than he could know. After falling apart at The Electric Blue during the Halloween bash, she was forced to admit that she was more on edge about Zach, and the situation he'd gotten her into, than she'd realized.

On the long drive, they made a stop for lunch at a roadside café, then again at a market to pick up groceries, which made Lora all the more curious to find out where they were going. But with each mile that passed between Chicago and their destination, she felt the tension that had been crowding in her chest ease. She decided that if Joel was making the effort to take her out of the city and away from the stress in her life, then she was going to enjoy the time away with him.

She cast a glance at the man sitting beside her in the car, his gaze pointed straight ahead as he drove. Now if only she could get Joel to lighten up, they could have a great time together. But so far, he was still in "bodyguard" mode-way too serious and all business.

A while later, they passed a sign that read KANKAKEE RIVER STATE PARK, and Joel turned off the highway and began following a paved road that eventually gave way to a dirt path. All around them, they were surrounded by large overhanging trees, lush foliage, and craggy rocks. She caught sight of a large creek with flowing crystalline water just as they rounded a bend and Joel brought the vehicle to a stop in front of a cabin that was located, quite literally, out in the middle of nowhere. There was nothing around them but nature for miles, which made the place a perfect hideaway retreat.

"Whose place is this?" she asked curiously. She'd been expecting a hotel somewhere, possibly a small town off the beaten path, but not a secluded cabin. "Does it belong to one of your connections?" she teased.

"You could say that." He cut the engine, withdrew the keys from the ignition, and briefly met her gaze. "The cabin belongs to my aunt and uncle." He opened the door and headed around to the back of the SUV to unload their stuff.

She followed from the other side. It was early afternoon, and while the sun was shining overhead, the air was crisp and cool, making it an absolutely gorgeous day. "It was nice of them to let you use it."

Lifting the rear door, he reached in and handed her a few of the grocery bags filled with food and other necessities, then grabbed the small duffel bags they'd packed. "They'd never tell their favorite nephew no."

She laughed in amusement. "Don't you have two brothers?"

A hint of humor lurked in his bright blue gaze as they walked side by side toward the front steps leading to the cabin's porch. "Yeah, but I'm their favorite."

"Well, you can certainly be charming when you put your mind to it."

Though, admittedly, it had been way too long since she'd seen that playful side to Joel's personality, and she missed his sexy smiles and flirtatious comments, along with the comfortable, amicable companionship they'd shared. Then there was the undeniable awareness still simmering between them that he was doing his absolute best to avoid and resist.

He unlocked the front door and held it open for her to enter before him. She walked inside, admiring the small but cozy interior of the cabin. From the living room, she could see two individual bedrooms, a bathroom, and a compact dining area that adjoined the kitchen.

With her arms loaded with groceries, she headed toward the kitchen while Joel dropped their duffel bags off in separate bedrooms, making it very clear that this was a working vacation for him, and he wasn't about to allow any distractions-meaning her and their attraction-to change that.

She sighed as she shelved the canned goods they'd bought, then put away the items that needed to remain cold in the small refrigerator, which had been left on. There were already frozen meals in the freezer for them to use, and plenty of other dry foods stored in tightly covered containers.

Hearing Joel's footsteps behind her, she turned around and found him standing in the doorway, looking as gorgeous as ever dressed in all black. She tried not to think about that amazing body of his beneath those tight, dark clothes, and instead focused on what they could have for their next meal.

She grabbed a canned item, glanced at the label, and decided to keep things simple and easy. "How does navy bean soup and grilled cheese sandwiches sound for dinner?"

"Great." He absently pushed his fingers through his too-long hair and rubbed at the back of his neck with his hand, looking much too tense and on edge. "If you wouldn't mind putting away the rest of the groceries, then opening up the place to let it air out, I'm going outside to get some things done. I also need to chop some fresh wood for the fireplace. A storm is supposed to be moving in by this evening, so I want to be prepared."

Considering the nice weather she'd just encountered, she had to wonder if he was using an approaching storm as an excuse to keep his distance from her. "Sure. No problem."

Once he was gone and she heard the screen door shut behind him, Lora finished putting the rest of the groceries away, then opened the windows in the cabin to let fresh air in, as he'd requested. Before long, she heard the steady thump, thump, thump of Joel splitting logs outside, and found herself drawn to one of the windows overlooking the side yard where he was working.

He was wearing a T-shirt, but she could still see the play of corded muscles in his shoulders, back, and arms as he swung the axe downward, then lifted it once again to repeat the motion. Too easily, she recalled how all that firm skin felt beneath her hands, along with the heat and strength inherent in every inch of his body as he moved over her, inside her.

She felt the familiar stir of longing when it came to this man, the tug and pull of desire deep inside of her. A cool breeze blew outside, ruffling his long, inky hair around his head and at the back of his neck. Those thick strands, she knew, were silky soft as they sifted through her fingers, and it had been much too long since she'd enjoyed that luxury. Much too long since Joel had allowed her to get close enough to touch him in any way that might be construed as too intimate.

Sighing, she leaned against the window frame and continued watching Joel as he worked. Since the night of the first attack and his claim that their attraction was too much of a distraction when it came to keeping her safe, she'd been waiting patiently for him to come around, to realize that what they shared was more than a one-night stand. To admit that he was far more distracted, not to mention grumpy, denying what was so obviously between them.

But it was more than just sex that she wanted from Joel, and that was a huge revelation for her. When she'd first met him, she'd been so adamant about not allowing herself to get involved with any man-especially after enduring such a tumultuous and emotionally devastating relationship with Brent. Work and making a life for herself had been her main focus, along with her future goal of opening her own spa one day soon.

But she'd never expected to meet a man like Joel. He was everything that Brent hadn't been. Joel Wilde was the real deal, a man with honor and integrity. And unlike her own father, then Brent, and even her brother, Zach, Joel was a man she could depend on, trust, and give her whole heart to, if he'd let her. And despite his own warning that he didn't have any room in his life for commitments and promises, and that he didn't do love, she believed differently.

Maybe it was time to make him realize that for himself.

She watched him turn and toss a split log onto a growing pile. Just when he would have picked up another slab of wood and continued chopping, he caught sight of her standing at the window, staring at him. Their gazes met, and even with the distance separating them she could see the wanting and carnal hunger in his expression.

Her heart raced with that same blatant need. She didn't move or look away, refusing to be the one to put an end to that intimate moment between them. Not surprisingly, he was the first to break the visual contact.

She decided that she was done waiting for Joel to come around. She'd agreed to let him do his job without distractions while they were in the city, but they were a world away from Chicago and the threat lingering there like a black cloud. Out here, with just the two of them at a secluded, isolated cabin, there was no need for Joel's protection. No need to look over her shoulder for danger, or rely on him to keep her safe.

Now, they were just two people who were very attracted to one another, and as far as she was concerned, all bets were off.

Chapter Fourteen

IT didn't take Joel long to realize his monumental mistake in bringing Lora to the remote, secluded cabin. When he'd originally come up with the idea of setting up a meeting between Lora and Zach, his only thought was to make sure it happened somewhere far outside the city limits, at a place that was difficult to find or trace without specific directions, and his aunt and uncle's cabin provided the kind of isolation he'd been looking for.

He'd deliberately withheld the real reason why he'd brought Lora there. She believed it was for the sole purpose of taking a mini-vacation and being able to rest and relax without worrying about being attacked again. But the truth was, he didn't want Lora to be disappointed if her brother didn't show up, and considering Zach's track record thus far, Joel knew that was a huge possibility.

Tomorrow would tell.

In the meantime, Joel hadn't accounted for the fact that he'd be spending a whole lot of time alone with Lora.

Or that she'd view this time away together as an opportunity to rekindle their affair and put the heat back into their relationship. He should have known better, though. Despite the fact that he'd kept his hands, and other body parts, to himself since the night of her attack, the sexual tension between them had only increased to the point that one simple touch from her had the ability to short-circuit his brain and make him forget everything except the aching need to be deep inside her again.

Shit.

Annoyed at himself, and the entire situation, he slammed the axe down hard, splintering the last log into two clean pieces. He wished he had a truckload of wood left to chop to keep him busy well into the night, but no such luck. This was it. His current diversion was done, and sooner or later he was going to have to face Lora again.

After carrying a night's worth of wood into the cabin and stacking the rest in the corner of the porch to keep it dry, he came up with an idea to stave off the inevitable. Since they still had a few good hours of daylight left, he figured they might as well take advantage of the outdoors, and the decent weather while it lasted.

He found Lora inside, reclining comfortably on the sofa and reading a book that someone had left behind at the cabin. When she heard him walk into the living room, she glanced up from the novel and gave him a too-knowing smile.

"Are you all done outside?" she asked, much too innocently.

"Yeah." She was so on to him, and he felt the beginnings of an answering grin tug at the corners of his mouth. "I was thinking of going for a walk along one of those trails before it gets too dark. Care to join me?"

She snapped the book shut, sat up, and started putting her sneakers back on. "I would love to go on a walk with you, as long as you're willing to protect me from any snakes or wild creatures we might happen to run into. I so am not a Girl Scout."

He nodded. "I think I can manage that."

"Oh, and it would be really nice if you'd just relax around me, instead of being so serious and formal all the time. Especially out here." Standing, she approached him, her gaze turning a soft shade of green as she searched his expression. "And just so you know, I really miss the old Joel. You know, that fun, irresistible guy who took me to a coffee shop for our first date and used to flirt and tease. I know he's in there somewhere, and it would be nice if you could try and coax him back out, maybe just a little bit?"

He exhaled a deep breath and scrubbed a hand along the slight stubble on his jaw, forcing himself to relax and just enjoy being with her. He could at least manage that. "Okay. I'll do my best."

"Great." A sweet, enthusiastic grin lit up her entire face. "Can we take one of the trails along the creek?"

"Sure."

They left the cabin and headed toward a dirt path located near the flowing stream. All around them were a profusion of wildflowers, large trees, and foliage giving way to beautiful autumn colors. A cool, light breeze blew, and in the distance Joel could see clouds moving in, but there was still enough daylight left for them to kill a good hour or two outdoors.

As they strolled along the winding trail, he pointed out the poison oak fringing the edge of the trail so she didn't come into contact with the toxic plant. And luckily for Lora, the only wildlife they happened upon were a few twittering birds nestled in the tree branches overhead, and a raccoon ambling his way across their path. The furry animal stopped to look at them with beady eyes as they approached, then hustled off into the brush, which made Lora laugh.

A good half an hour passed, filled with easy, companionable conversation before they reached an open clearing with ragged rock formations and a clear view of the creek. They headed in that direction, and came to a stop at the edge of the stream, where the water was shallow and slow moving.

Ever since Joel had spoken with Mia on the phone, he'd been meaning to bring up the gallery opening event with Lora and figured this was as good a time as any. "I've been wanting to ask you something," he said casually.

She glanced at him and tipped her head curiously. "Sure. What's up?"

He couldn't help but notice that her skin was flushed as a result of their hike, and her hair was tousled around her face from the breeze-reminding him too much of the sensual, disheveled way she looked after sex. He swallowed hard, looked away, and rerouted his thoughts back to the more mundane.

"My sister, Mia, is having a gallery opening this coming weekend and I'd like to know if you'd come with me." He squatted down, picked up a small, smooth rock, and ran his thumb over the flat surface. "I don't know if this situation with Zach will be over by then, so I wanted to be sure you wouldn't mind going."

"I'd love to go with you." She lowered herself down to his level and dipped the tips of her fingers into the clear, cold water. "She does the stained glass designs, right?"

"Yep. Except her designs have a bit of a twist to them." He wanted to make sure Lora knew that right up front, so she wouldn't be shocked when she realized how risqué some of Mia's designs actually were. "She creates these beautiful designs that seem ordinary at first glance, but when you look a little deeper, the design actually transforms into something else entirely."

"Such as?"

He pitched the small rock in his hand out into the creek and watched as it skipped three times along the surface before sinking. "Well, she made this gorgeous stained glass pattern of a peacock, and the colors were absolutely striking. But the longer you look at the original design, the more your eyes start focusing in on another image within the picture, usually of a couple in an intimate or erotic embrace."

She grinned in amazement. "How clever."

He agreed, and was incredibly proud of his sister and her accomplishments. "The concept is very remarkable, and she did well enough selling her pieces on consignment that she was able to open up her own gallery."

"I'm definitely intrigued, and I can't wait to see her designs." Cupping her hand, she brought a drink of the creek's fresh, clean water up to her lips to quench her thirst. After a few long sips, she glanced at him, her gaze turning inquisitive. "You and your sister… you're close, aren't you?"

He picked up another stone and weighed it in the palm of his hand. "What makes you say that?"

She stood back up, dried her damp palms down the front of her jeans, and shrugged. "It's the way you talk about her. There's a certain affection in your voice when you mention her name. It's enough to make me think you two have a special brother-sister kind of relationship."

And one she apparently envied, he thought, hearing the wistful emotion in her soft voice. "I think out of all my siblings, Mia and I relate to each other the best. We have similar personalities, so we understand one another pretty well."

"You're so lucky to have that connection with her." Smiling, she brushed back the strands of hair tickling her cheek from the breeze. "You mentioned that your mother passed away when you were a kid. What happened?"

He tossed the stone out onto the water with a snap of his wrist, giving it just the right spin for it to bounce five times before dropping to the bottom of the stream. His first instinct was to brush off her too-personal question, or attempt to change the topic of conversation, but something stopped him from doing either.

He couldn't remember ever talking to anyone about that part of his life-when his mother had died and the aftermath of that loss. Not with his family, and never with any of the women who'd tried to get him to open up about that part of his past, and that usually happened when they felt the end to their affair was near. He knew it was their way of trying to establish an emotional bond between them, yet it always had the opposite effect and made him feel stifled, and that only made it that much easier for him to break up with them.

But he knew that wasn't Lora's intent at all. She'd suffered similarly with the death of her parents, and he knew her well enough now to realize her question was based more on that mutual experience than any attempt to manipulate his emotions. Her interest was as real and genuine as she was, and that made it easy for him to tell her what she wanted to know. For the first time he wanted to open up to someone, and that was because it was her.

"My mother died in a car accident when she was visiting her sister in Florida," he said, and straightened to his full height. "It was a strange thing, actually, because one day she was leaving to go on a short vacation, and then we never saw her again. It was almost like she just never came back."

"I'm so sorry. That couldn't have been easy," she said softly. "But at least you had the love and support of the rest of your family to get you through that rough time in your life."

Which she'd never had. No, this amazing woman had taken on most of the burden of her parents' deaths, and then had gone on to raise her brother on her own. Alone. Without any help from anyone.

"Like with you, everything changed dramatically after my mother passed away," he said, thinking back to that difficult time. "My father was devastated, of course, and my sister, who was only five at the time, had a hard time adjusting to the fact that her mother was never coming back. My two older brothers, Scott and Alex, did their best to handle a lot of the family responsibilities, and their main focus was Mia, and making sure she was taken care of while my father was at work."

"And what about you, Joel?"

He wasn't certain what she was getting at, and he didn't want to assume anything. "What about me?"

"It sounds like everybody in your family was busy taking care of everyone and everything else." Her comment was insightful and incredibly intuitive. "Where did that leave you?"

"As the odd man out?" he said automatically, and even though his voice was tinged with a teasing quality, too late he realized just how much he'd revealed.

Her gaze met and held his, delving past those tough, guarded layers of his. "Yeah, I think it did," she said gently, and without an ounce of humor to indicate she was joking, too.

He inhaled a deep breath until he felt his lungs burn. How in the hell did this woman see past the surface and understand him so well?

"And, I also think that's a good part of the reason why you try and keep everyone around you at an emotional distance," she said, adding to her psychoanalysis. "You felt disconnected from the family, didn't you? Like you didn't have a purpose like your dad and older brothers did."

She wasn't even close enough to physically touch him, yet he felt as though she'd reached deep down into his soul and released years' worth of personal anguish. With anyone else, he would have told them they were over-thinking things, but he found that he couldn't deny the truth, not with Lora.

"Yeah, I guess I did feel that way." He stared across the creek at nothing in particular, then shifted his gaze to the dark gray clouds heading their way. "So, while my brothers were busy being responsible and dependable and trying to take care of Mia, who became quite rebellious after my mother's death, I did my own thing. Eventually both Scott and Alex went to work for my father's tile company, and when I graduated from high school and realized that there wasn't a place for me in the family business, I decided to join the Marines."

"They told you that they didn't need or want you in the business?" she asked incredulously.

"Well, no, not exactly." He didn't care for the harsh way her question sounded and tried to explain. "But everything was running just fine without me, even after my father remarried and retired from the company."

"So, you just assumed they didn't need you," she said, more a statement than a question.

He frowned. "I didn't belong there, Lora."

Even as he said the words, there was something about her comment that made him wonder if maybe, in his youth, he'd judged the situation too hastily, based on emotion rather than logic or reason. That maybe he'd come to his own conclusions without giving his father or brothers the opportunity to make him a part of the business. Or worse, they'd thought he wasn't interested, which now, looking back from an adult perspective, would have been understandable considering he'd always distanced himself from that part of the family.

It was a disconcerting notion, yet he'd never regretted his choice to join the Marines. He'd loved the sense of adventure the military had to offer, and even the risks and rush of adrenaline that came with the missions he'd been sent on. He knew he never would have been happy sitting at a desk pushing paperwork. For him, the tile business would have been too mundane, and he would have eventually felt too stifled.

It was difficult to admit that his lifestyle had been one of his own making, and not a result of anything his brothers and father had, or hadn't, done. That he'd cut himself off on many levels and especially with relationships, because it was so much easier than putting himself out there emotionally.

The sound of thunder rumbled in the distance, a distinct warning of the impending storm approaching them. Lora shivered at the sudden drop in temperature and rubbed her hands along her arms. "We should probably head back to the cabin before we get stuck in the rain."

He'd been so caught up in their conversation that he'd forgotten about the storm moving in. But it was definitely on its way, and judging by the dark, bloated clouds drifting overhead, it was going to be one helluva downpour. "I think you're right."

They were at least half an hour away from the cabin, and despite their brisk walk along the open trail, the rain quickly caught up to them. Large, fat drops fell, sporadically at first, then gradually increasing into a heavy deluge that soaked right through their hair and clothes.

With a low curse, Joel grabbed Lora's hand and picked up the pace to a light jog, searching for some kind of shelter until the worst of the rain passed. Behind him, Lora laughed at their comical situation, and he found himself chuckling, too-and had to admit the playful moment felt incredibly good.

Finding a large tree with long, thick branches and dense leaves, he pulled her in that direction, until they were finally beneath the large overhead canopy that protected them from the worst of the storm. She was still laughing as she gathered her hair over her shoulder and wrung out the dripping wet strands.

Her white blouse was thoroughly saturated-and now completely transparent, enabling him to see her bra and the tight, rosy-hued nipples straining against her top. The wet fabric clung to her luscious breasts and outlined her curves like a second skin, and all he could think about was how soft and lush the rest of her body was beneath those clothes.

Amusement shimmered in her gaze, and a drop of water dripped from her cute little nose. "Wow, what's with me getting caught out in the rain?"

At least this time there was no threat to her life. But still, Joel felt bad for getting them in this predicament and for not paying more attention to the changing weather.

"I'm sorry. We should have headed back sooner." And now, with the rain falling hard and steady around them, they'd be much safer waiting beneath the shelter of the tree for the worst of the storm to pass.

"I don't mind." She grinned at him, her lips wet from the rain. So pink and sweet and kissable. "If I'm going to be stuck out in a downpour, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather be stranded with."

As much as the situation lent itself to seduction, that wasn't what her comment was all about. No, she meant it in a way that implied that she truly appreciated being with him, no matter the cause or the reason.

God, she was unique, and so far removed from the normal high-maintenance women he dated who'd be pissed as all hell that the rain not only ruined their hair and clothes, but that they were stuck out in the wilderness indefinitely. But Lora didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, she appeared to be enjoying herself and the spontaneous change of plans.

Standing next to him, she shivered, obviously chilled. Gooseflesh rose on her skin, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "I should have worn a jacket."

Another roll of thunder shook the gray skies, and a brisk gust added to the cold, wet conditions. Feeling responsible for their situation, and knowing the best way for them to keep warm was sharing body heat, he grabbed Lora's arm and gently pulled her to him.

"Come here, so I can keep you warm," he murmured, even as she came willingly into his embrace.

Knowing they had a while to wait before the storm eased up enough for them to head back to the cabin, he moved back a few feet until he was resting against the thick tree trunk. Spreading his legs, he pulled her closer, so that his thighs bracketed hers and protected her from the wind. She snuggled into him, her hips aligned much too intimately to his, and her full breasts and tight nipples pressed against his chest in a way that had his lower body instinctively growing hard. Her head rested on his shoulder, and her face was nestled into his neck. Her nose was chilled from the elements, but her lips, when they touched his skin, were warm and soft-her breath equally so.

Arousal shot through his system like a drug he'd been craving for too long. He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep, steady breath that did absolutely nothing to curb the insistent ache in his groin.

She kissed his neck and somehow, when he hadn't been paying attention, had managed to pull his shirt from the waistband of his jeans and slip her hands beneath the damp material. Flattening her palms on his abdomen, she slowly stroked them up toward his chest, then back down again.

"How can your body be so warm when it's so cold out?" she asked as her lips nuzzled just below his jawline.

"I've always been warm-blooded," he said gruffly, and swallowed back a low groan when her thumbs grazed his taut nipples. "The cold weather doesn't bother me much."

She shifted closer, if that was even possible, and he felt her mouth curve into a smile as it traveled up to the shell of his ear. "Well, you definitely feel good to me, and I'm thinking there are plenty of other ways to generate some heat. Lots of rubbing and friction is always good for that. And kissing and making out, too."

This time he did groan, because the images that slipped into his mind were just too damn erotic to ignore. She was tempting him, driving him beyond crazy with lust and desire. And he had no doubt that was exactly her intent.

"We're out here, all alone, and there's absolutely nothing you need to protect me from while we're at the cabin," she whispered in his ear as she skimmed her hands around his waist and up the slope of his spine. "There's no reason why we should deny what we both want."

He wanted to argue the point, tell her that there was more at stake than him keeping her safe from Zach's thugs. There were already too many emotions swirling between them, bonding them in ways he'd never felt with any other woman, and that in itself was reason enough for him to keep his distance. Making love with Lora again just wasn't a smart idea, because the biggest threat of all was the possibility of breaking her heart when this job ended and he walked away.

And him walking away would happen. It always did.

Besides, realistically, there was no place for Lora in his life, a life that consisted of a hectic schedule and workload with Elite, and spontaneous assignments that were sometimes dangerous and other times grueling. She deserved a stable relationship with a man she could depend on on a regular, daily basis-not someone who'd never endured a long-term commitment with a woman and didn't know if he was even capable of doing so.

But Lora didn't give him the chance to say any of what he was thinking. Her mouth found his and she kissed him softly, nibbled on his lower lip, then teased the seam with her tongue, seeking an invitation to explore deeper territory. He'd spent days ignoring this sizzling attraction between them in order to stay focused on protecting her, and it had been fairly easy to do since she'd been on her best behavior, but how was he supposed to resist such a blatant sensual assault when she tasted so damn good, and felt even better in his arms?

A kiss… he could handle a kiss, he told himself, and it didn't have to lead to anything sexual. But what he wanted from her wasn't a sweet, playful kiss. No, if this was all he was going to allow himself to take from her, then he wanted something hotter, harder, and a whole lot more carnal and satisfying.

Bringing a hand up from where it had been secured around her waist, he sank his fingers into the damp strands at the nape of her neck, tipped her head to the side, and slanted his lips across hers in a demanding, open-mouth kiss. With a soft moan, she gave him exactly what he craved, responding like a woman equally starved for him. Their tongues mated eagerly, dueled aggressively and with a driving, passionate force that matched the storm raging inside them, and around them.

And just like every other time they'd touched or kissed, it wasn't nearly enough.

The tips of Lora's fingers stroked their way down his back, kneading skin and muscle with those talented hands of hers until she reached the waistband of his jeans. She strummed those same graceful fingers around to his bare abdomen, then slid them lower as she traced the stiff length of his erection confined beneath his button fly, making him swell and harden even more. Boldly, she cupped his cock in her palm and squeezed gently, but firmly enough to make him groan deep in his throat and forget everything but the hot need surging through him.

Then her mouth was gone, and before he had the chance to clear his head and realize what she meant to do, she was already down on her knees in front of him on the wet grass, her hands working to unbutton his jeans. Just as she hooked her fingers into the waistband of his pants and underwear and started to pull them down, he came to his senses and grasped her wrists, stopping her just inches from baring his aching shaft to her gaze, her touch, her incredibly sensual mouth.

"Lora," he rasped, the one word infused with a warning for her to stop.

She tipped her head back and looked up at him, her eyes dark with temptation and a little bit of sin. "I want to do this for you. Please. I'm not asking for anything in return."

He instinctively knew she wasn't referring to a reciprocal act of sex. but rather, she was making it very clear that she didn't expect any of those sentimental promises from him. She just wanted him, right now. Here. For the moment and while it lasted.

"Please, Joel. Let me," she whispered huskily, another soft plea, and this time when she leaned forward and kissed his stomach, then nipped at his flesh with her teeth, he let himself surrender to the undeniable need she inspired in him.

He released her wrists, and with a slow, gradually tug at his jeans and boxer briefs, he was freed. Seconds later, she had him in her hand, her fingers wrapped tight around his thick length. She caressed his shaft slowly, leisurely, drawing out the process and teasing him unmercifully-because she could. She glided her thumb over the sensitive crown, followed that with a lazy lick of her tongue, and smiled oh-so-seductively when he shuddered from the exquisite pleasure.

Just when he thought he couldn't take any more of her sensual torment, she parted her lips and replaced the snug grip of her hand with the liquid heat of her mouth. Exchanged the stroke of her fingers for the silken swirl of her tongue and the suctioning pull of her lips dragging up and down his cock.

The white-hot sensation jolting through him was so intense, he could barely remember to breathe.

With a ragged groan, his head fell back against the trunk of the tree. Closing his eyes, he reached down and slid a hand into her hair, gently grabbing a fistful of the damp strands as she took him slow and deep, using her tongue in incredibly erotic ways that inflamed him even more. Over and over, she drove him to the brink, only to ease back just enough to keep him right on the edge of what promised to be an explosive orgasm. She lingered and played, as if there was no other place she'd rather be than right there with him. As if they had all the time in the world and she wanted to make this last.

Her mouth enveloped him once more, all the way to the base of his erection, then back up again, sucking him harder, faster, deeper, and finally giving him the release she'd been withholding.

The coil of desire wound tighter and tighter inside him, and before long there was no holding back the pulsing orgasm rising to the surface. He tried to issue a raspy warning, tried to pull free from her mouth, but instead of stopping, she merely moaned and slid his shaft all the way back inside, until he reached the back of her throat. He felt her swallow around the head of his cock, and the tight, squeezing sensation was his final undoing.

A haze of pure ecstasy fogged his mind, and he uttered a curse as he fell headlong into a blissful kind of oblivion and his entire body clenched in the hottest, most intense and all-consuming release he'd ever had. It trapped the breath in his chest, nearly stopped his racing heart, and left him completely spent and shaken.

While he struggled to recover-he was eternally grateful for the support of the tree behind him-Lora rose back to her feet to face him. With his gaze still a bit unfocused, he took her in. She looked beautiful, triumphant. Her cheeks were flushed an alluring shade of pink and her green eyes glittered mischievously.

He couldn't ever remember a climax that had left him so dizzy and weak. So thoroughly wasted, yet undeniably sated. He opened his mouth to speak, but all he could manage was a hoarse, "Jesus, Lora."

She laughed, way too pleased with herself. "I guess it was good for you?"

Grinning, he pulled up his pants and buttoned them up, his movements still unsteady. "Good is just too tame a word to describe that out of body experience. I was thinking more along the lines of phenomenal."

He glanced around them, beyond the shelter of the tree, and realized that while it was still raining, the initial torrent had passed. But that didn't mean they were in the clear, and they needed to take advantage of the slight lull while it lasted.

"We really need to get back to the cabin before the storm and winds kick up again, or else we could be out here for hours, and it's starting to get dark." They had about half an hour of any kind of daylight left, and it was getting gloomier by the minute. "I say we make a run for it."

"You're on." He hadn't meant it as a challenge, but she took it as one and upped the ante. "How about first one there gets the shower, and the other one has to make dinner?"

"Sure," he agreed, and pushed away from the tree. "Just so you know, I like my grilled cheese sandwiches nice and brown and crisp."

She laughed at him, and his presumptuousness. "I don't know why you're telling me this, since I'll be taking a long, hot shower while you're making dinner."

She took off down the trail, and he started after her, figuring he'd give Lora a bit of a lead before passing her up. Except he didn't take into account how sluggish his legs would be after that draining, and amazing, climax she'd given him, and that closing the distance between them would take too much effort and work when he was actually enjoying the view from behind.

As he followed after her and kept her in his sight, he came to the decision that he wanted this one last night with Lora, no matter how selfish it might be. Because tomorrow, when and if Zach showed up, everything was bound to change, and not necessarily for the better.