Wilde Thing

Chapter 2

Liz was coming to realize that Steve Wilde was a take-no-prisoners kind of guy, especially when it came to seducing women. Her, to be exact.

He sat casually in his office chair, so utterly male, so intensely sexual without trying to be, while waiting for her to obey his command. The arrogance in his gaze was entirely un-apologetic, as if he had every right to be confident. As if he knew she found his calm self-assurance not only a challenge but a huge turn-on as well.

He was right.

She could only imagine what he had in mind for her, but she was ready for anything. Anticipation swirled low in her belly, and unable to resist his allure, she moved across the space separating them and settled herself across his lap. His thighs were firm and muscular beneath her bottom, and the denim material of his jeans scratched the backs of her bare legs in an arousing way.

Even though she wasn't used to playing such impulsive sexual games with a man, she was determined to be as bold and confident as he was. After all, if she intended to become a phone sex operator, didn't she need to become a brazen, fearless vixen?

Slipping one arm around his neck, she splayed her other hand on the soft cotton T-shirt covering his wide chest and met his gaze. This close, she could see flecks of gold in his hot blue eyes, could smell the heady warmth of his own arousal, could feel his deep, even breaths beneath her palm.

He countered her advance by placing his big hand just below where the hem of her skirt ended. The heat of his long fingers branded her flesh while his callused thumb swept slowly, tantalizingly across the smooth, sensitive skin of her inner thigh.

"Kiss me," he said simply, and left the next move up to her.

She'd instinctively known he wasn't a man who'd let her go on her way with a politically correct, chaste handshake. Not after they'd brought their attraction out in the open and she'd all but told him she wanted his hands on her. It appeared Steve was a man who enjoyed the chase, as well as issuing outrageous dares. And right now, he apparently expected her to put her money where her mouth was and give him physical proof of her desire for him.

Surprisingly, she didn't feel as though she was compromising her virtue-or anything else, for that matter-because she wanted him, too. After three years of being sensible, practical, and celibate, she was beyond ready to indulge in a little excitement and adventure-a sexy, temporary fling that would end as soon as they tracked her wayward cousin.

Lowering her head, she touched her lips to his warm, firm mouth-soft, slow, and sweet. He didn't seem inclined to deepen the kiss, and confusion and uncertainty made her draw back to assess his expression.

He appeared unimpressed by her initial attempt to seduce him. "Is that the best you can do?" A lofty smile quirked the corner of his mouth.

She should have been insulted, but she saw his taunting comment as the direct provocation he meant it to be. He was testing her to see how far she'd go with him, how willing she'd be to satisfy his every whim. She'd craved him for so long, she was eager to experience whatever he had to offer. And she intended to demonstrate that she was game for anything and everything he tossed her way, and that she wasn't about to be a passive partner to his more assertive nature.

Threading her fingers through the thick, silky hair at the nape of his neck, she curved her other hand along his strong jawline and pushed his chin down with her thumb so that his lips parted for her. This time when her mouth met his, she bypassed all slow, coaxing preliminaries and went straight for hot and devouring. Her tongue swept into his mouth and tangled with his, and she tasted the pure, unadulterated sensuality that was so much a part of him. She shivered, unable to stop the slow, sultry ache spreading through her belly, or the slick moisture settling between her thighs.

Certain she'd given him more than enough proof of her enthusiasm, she started to pull back, only to have him thwart her attempt. He cupped the back of her head in his palm to hold her in place, and with a low growl she felt rumble up from his chest, he slanted his mouth across hers and took control of the embrace.

Presumptuous and dominant, he kissed her with potent male heat. Branded her with the strength and depth of his passion. Excited her with the heated stroke of his hand on her bare thigh, and the promise of forbidden, illicit pleasures to come.

His unmistakable erection pressed against her hip-long, hard, and thick, fueling her imagination of what it would feel like to have that impressive, solid length filling her. Stretching her. Pumping deep inside her in a grinding, full-bodied rhythm.

She shuddered at the thought and groaned. Oh, God, it had been so, so long…

Her breasts swelled within the confines of her bra, and she shifted restlessly on his lap, wanton and needy as his lips and tongue continued their lush, hungry assault on her mouth and senses. Knowing their relationship was nothing more than a temporary diversion and purely for the sake of mutual pleasure gave her the freedom to let go of inhibitions. To give generously and take greedily. To grasp and enjoy one last provocative fling with an untamable bad boy before she turned her sights on a man more straitlaced and ordinary. A steadfast man who'd make her aunt and uncle proud of her choice and make up for the huge disappointment Travis had turned out to be.

With that thought filling her mind, and her body desperate for a more physical contact, she released three of the buttons on her blouse, then reached for the masculine hand still on her thigh. Lifting his long, warm fingers to her neck, she flattened his hand against the erratic pulse in her throat and brazenly skimmed his palm down to the slope of her breast, silently telling him what she wanted. What she needed.

He effortlessly took over from there, slipping his fingers into her stretch-lace bra and molding them to her feminine curves. A delightful sigh escaped her as he cupped and kneaded her soft flesh in a firm, sensuous caress.

The hand at the back of her head pulled her closer, and he continued to kiss her, damp lips melding and silky tongues mating intimately. He plucked at her sensitive nipple, rolled the stiff crest between his fingers, and she moaned into his mouth and shamelessly arched into his touch, begging for more.

Abruptly he ended their seductive interlude and buried his face against her throat, his breathing coming as fast and ragged as her own. "Christ," he muttered in awe, the one word summing up just how fiery and intense their attraction was.

She laughed huskily, understanding just how dazed he felt. "I need to go," she said, trying to hang on to a semblance of rational thinking.

He lifted his head from the crook of her neck, his lashes half-mast and a sinful grin in place. "Yeah, you do, before you end up sprawled on my desk with your skirt up around your waist and me between your thighs." He gave her breast a possessive squeeze.

Her cheeks warmed at his blatantly sexual statement, and while temptation beckoned, other more immediate responsibilities demanded her attention-the kind of duty and obligation that took precedence over her desire for Steve.

"I don't want to be late for my interview at The Ultimate Fantasy," she reminded him.

"You're right. We'll have plenty of time to finish this later." Slowly he withdrew his hand from her breast, buttoned up her blouse, and lifted his gaze to hers. "And just for the record, your second attempt was much better than the first, sweetheart. I like a woman who isn't shy or modest about taking what she needs-or giving me what I want. You do both quite well."

The compliment boosted her confidence in a way nothing had in a long time, and she couldn't resist flashing him a quick grin. "Thank you." She slid from his lap and straightened her skirt, doing her best to smooth out her appearance and regain her composure.

He stood, too, and grimaced as he adjusted the noticeable bulge straining against the fly of his jeans. Then he grabbed the keys on the corner of his desk and started for the door. "Come on, let's go."

Confused, she caught his arm as he passed her, forcing him to stop. "What do you mean, 'Let's go'?"

"Since I'm officially on this case, I'm driving you to the interview," he replied simply.

She frowned. "Steve, I don't need a chauffeur. I'm more than capable of driving myself."

In a split second, his demeanor turned commanding, his expression reflecting a compelling amount of authority that made it clear who was in charge. "Look, in order for this partnership between us to work, when it comes to your involvement with The Ultimate Fantasy, you need to trust my judgment and reasons without questioning them. I need to stick close to your side whenever possible, especially where this case is concerned. I also need to know where the offices for The Ultimate Fantasy are located, and while you're in your interview I can get a gut feeling for the establishment and decide whether or not I need to put the place under surveillance."

Unable to argue his valid point, she nodded and reached for her purse. "You're the boss." She turned back around, startled to find that he'd moved directly in front of her.

He clasped her upper arms in his big hands, his eyes direct and darkly sensual. "And I'll advise you not to forget who's in charge," he said gruffly. Pulling her to his muscular frame, he kissed her-a hot, deep act of possession that left her weak-kneed and light-headed.

Once he released her, she skimmed her tongue along her lower lip, growing used to the arousing taste of him and his aggressive nature. Both thrilled her. "What was that for?"

"Because I wanted to," he said, most definitely staking a claim on her and letting her know he was a man who took what he wanted-sometimes without asking. "And since you're mine for the time being, you might as well get used to enjoying a bit of spontaneity."

Anytime, anywhere. She read the tantalizing message in his eyes and accepted his challenge. Spontaneity and impulsive acts, she could handle. It was what she craved, to add some spice and excitement in the current sensible, straitlaced life she'd led for the past three years.

And she was depending on Steve Wilde to deliver on both accounts.

From behind the dark lenses of his Oakley sunglasses, Steve casually surveyed the five-story brick building that Liz had disappeared into for her interview-which looked like every other building in the general vicinity of downtown Chicago. According to the directions the receptionist at The Ultimate Fantasy had given to Liz, the business occupied the entire third floor. He counted up three stories, but the tinted, reflective film on the windows protected the company's privacy and hid their secrets well.

Over the course of the next twenty minutes he kept a low profile in his black SUV, situated in the back section of the parking lot. He watched people come and go from the building-some dressed in business suits and carrying briefcases, and others in casual wear. There was nothing out of the ordinary that caught his attention, or anything to indicate that an illicit sex operation dominated the third floor of the building.

Setting up surveillance was unnecessary, he concluded. If The Ultimate Fantasy hosted swinging, wild erotic sex parties, he was positive they didn't take place here, in an openly public district. No, most likely there was another private, secluded haven in which their elite clients explored sexual fantasies and other illegal dealings. And it was up to Liz to gain them access to that exclusive world of sin and iniquity in order to find out more information on Valerie's whereabouts and on the boyfriend who'd accompanied her to a previous party.

But first, Liz had to get hired on as a phone sex operator, and he had no doubt she'd be successful in obtaining the position. She had determination and sass aplenty, along with an innate sensuality about her that would no doubt appeal to her employer-just as she'd stirred his baser male instincts from the first time he'd laid eyes on her.

As the minutes dragged on, he kept his gaze locked on the front entrance of the building, but his mind wandered to Liz's enthusiastic participation in the kiss they'd shared earlier. They'd all but caught fire from that sizzling embrace, confirming that everything about their agreed-upon affair would be an equal give-and-take of untold pleasures. Hot, satisfying sex- lots of it, and any way either of them wanted it.

Despite the sampling he'd taken in his office, he was still hot and hard for her. Arousal buzzed through his veins, making him too damned restless and reminding him just how long he'd been without a woman.

Oh, he'd had plenty of offers, but there was no one else he'd wanted in his bed other than Liz. For the past month she'd played a starring role in the nightly erotic dreams that taunted him. Now those wicked fantasies were going to become reality. Soon he'd have Liz stripped naked beneath him, her voluptuous breasts and nipples all his to lick, suck, and feast on. Soon he'd be able to inhale the feminine scent that clung to her skin and taste all her hottest, sweetest places. Soon he'd finally get to bury his cock deep inside her and feel the tight clasp of her body around his sex as they drove each other to completion.

His groin throbbed in anticipation, and he shifted in his leather seat with a harsh exhale, which did nothing to ease the fierce erection making itself known. Soon. He needed to be patient and bide his time. First and foremost, their main priority was to locate her missing cousin and ensure her safety. Their affair and mutual attraction was merely a bonus they'd indulge in after hours, when there was nothing to concentrate on but each other.

Giving himself a firm mental shake back to his present situation, he resumed his watch for Liz. Five minutes later, he released a grateful stream of breath when she emerged from the double glass doors, giving him something other than his unruly, sorely neglected libido to focus on.

She wasn't alone. A petite brunette accompanied Liz out of the building, with the two of them carrying on a conversation until they reached the other woman's car. They talked for another minute or so, then went their separate ways, with Liz heading toward his vehicle, hips swaying and a light bounce in her step that captivated him-as did everything about her.

She slid into the passenger seat, shut the door, and flashed him a bright smile. "I got the job," she announced, looking extremely pleased with herself.

Her exuberance made him grin, too. "I had no doubt that you would," he said, and turned the key in the ignition. He drove out of the parking lot and headed back toward his office. "Tell me how the interview went."

"It certainly wasn't your typical kind of interview," she said, her tone wry. He'd left the windows rolled down, and as he turned onto the freeway and picked up speed, the wind ruffled her silky blond hair around her head and plastered her blouse against her breasts. "Once I checked in with the receptionist, she led me to a large private office, where a man named Antonio Cardenias introduced himself as one of the company's partners. He briefly glanced over my application, but he didn't seem interested in my references or past employment record, which excluded any mention of The Daily Grind."

Steve's grip tightened on the steering wheel as he imagined the kind of credentials Antonio might require in potential female employees whose main talent would be based in sexual experience. "What was he interested in?"

"The sound of my voice, since that would attract and keep a client on the phone." She smoothed her hair away from her face and shrugged. "He said I had a soft, sexy voice that would turn men on."

"You do," he said gruffly, knowing how that husky voice of hers could turn a man inside out with wanting. Rolling up the windows, he turned on the air-conditioning, needing a blast of cool air on his heated skin.

"What else?" he prompted.

"He wanted to know if I had any fantasies or fetishes that I refused to discuss with a caller, or any sexual situations I considered off limits."

"Do you?" he asked, curious to know what her personal boundaries were when it came to sex.

"I told him I wouldn't take calls requesting anything to do with pain and torture, bestiality, rape, or incest." She visibly shuddered at the same time he winced in reciprocal disgust. "Antonio said that was fine, that they had other operators who handled those kinds of requests-enjoyed them, even."

"Well, I'm right there with you, sweetheart." Stretching his arm across the back of her seat, he curved his fingers along the nape of her neck. "I don't get off on any of those perverse fixations, either."

"That's good to know." She smiled indulgently. "Other than those lewd fetishes, I think I can handle just about anything, or fake my way through it."

He glanced from the road to narrow his gaze at her, then realized she couldn't see his expression hidden behind his sunglasses. "Don't expect to fake anything with me."

She rolled her eyes, somehow containing the laughter he saw glimmering in the green depths. "That's such a man statement."

He traced the soft skin of her throat with his thumb and felt her shiver, watched as her nipples puckered tight against her blouse. "What do you expect," he drawled good-naturedly. "I am a man."

She arched a blond brow his way, seemingly trying to maintain her composure even while her body's arousing response to his touch gave her away. "A very arrogant one, at that."

"Yeah, I'm confident when it comes to pleasuring my partner," he admitted unabashedly, wanting her to know exactly what she was in for.

"I like everything about sex," he went on, "especially foreplay and the hot, frenzied buildup to an explosive orgasm. And the best part of being with a woman-being with you-is going to be making sure you're having a good time, too. Turning you on turns me on. And when it's the right time, I'm going to enjoy making you come, feeling you come, against my fingers, my tongue, and around my cock. Those inner contractions and the way your body clenches in the throes of climax is something no woman can fabricate."

She squirmed in her seat and cleared her throat, which didn't quite camouflage her whimper of longing his words evoked. "I don't think faking it is going to be an issue between us."

"Didn't think so." Now he sounded arrogant, and like he didn't give a damn.

"Umm, back to my interview," she managed, her voice still breathless with the sexual tension he'd instigated between them. "Antonio also talked about promotions and opportunities to advance within the company if I 'performed well' and established a steady, repeat client base. There are monetary bonuses given for keeping a caller on the line for more than fifteen minutes."

He nodded but remained quiet as she continued.

"He also mentioned private, by-invitation-only parties that were available to their most requested operators and their regular clients, but didn't elaborate on what those parties consisted of. He said we'd discuss those extracurricular activities more later, when I've built more than a casual rapport with a caller and I'm ready to advance to that next level."

"Which I'll make sure happens, with me."

She looked relieved and grateful. "You're the only one I'll attend those parties with, so let's include that in your services, too."

"That goes without saying, sweetheart." Now that she was his, there was no way he'd allow another man to accompany her to one of the fantasy parties. "When do you start?"

"Tonight, believe it or not, which is fine with me. The sooner I get in there and get acquainted with the other operators, the sooner I'll be able to get some information on Valerie." Her fingers absently traced the hem of her short skirt, drawing his gaze to her tanned thighs while she talked. "I told Antonio that I worked another job and I was only looking for something part-time, so he gave me a nine-to-midnight shift. But this does mean I'll have to reschedule my employees at The Daily Grind to close up the shop."

He glanced back at the road and made a turn onto the side street where his offices were located. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"No. I'm certain my two main employees will welcome the full-time work and extra hours, since I've had to cut them back in order to keep costs down."

Once again he was intrigued. Her comment coincided with her not being able to afford much when it came to his fee, despite running what appeared to be a very successful cafe.

"If there's something that my employees can't handle, I've got Mona at the bookstore to help out," she went on. "But I trust the people who work for me. Most have been there for over a year, and right now I'll do whatever it takes to find my cousin." Her tone was adamant.

He maneuvered his SUV into his parking space, killed the engine, and turned toward her. "By the way, who was that woman you walked out of the building with?"

Liz gathered up her purse. "Her name is Roxanne, and she goes by the call name of Roxie. She was very friendly and seemed willing to talk about the ins and outs of the business with a 'virgin,' as she called me, since this is my first foray into the world of phone sex. Oh, and before I forget to tell you, Antonio signed me up under the call name of Sindee, spelled S-I-N-D-E-E, which I have to use for anything business-related as a precaution to attracting any wackos who know my real name. And here's the phone number you need to call."

"Sindee it is." He grinned, accepting the business card she handed him, with THE ULTIMATE FANTASY emblazoned in bright red, and a prefixed number followed by the appropriate call word Ultimate. "As for Roxanne, she seems like someone you can easily befriend. When the time is right and you feel you have an opening, you can mention that you're a friend of Valerie's and she's the reason you applied for the job. You can ask about Valerie, maybe mention Rob's name and that you haven't heard from her in a while, to see what Roxanne says. But keep your questions about your cousin casual, to a minimum, and discreet. Let Roxanne do the talking so she doesn't feel like you're interrogating her."

She nodded and sighed, the soulful, weary sound affecting him on a basic emotional level. She had a load of concern weighing on her conscience, and he'd even seen flashes of guilt in her eyes today that he didn't fully comprehend. Steve hated that Liz's irresponsible cousin had her so upset. He hoped Valerie knew how damned lucky she was to have such a caring family member who was willing to go to such lengths to find her, to ensure her safety.

He wished he could make Liz promises to ease her worries, wished he had the right to tell her everything was going to be okay, but he wasn't one to offer false hopes. And no way was he going to bank on his gut instincts with Valerie's frivolous behavior until he had more evidence to back up his theory.

Startled by the sudden urge he experienced to reach out and comfort her, he opened the driver's-side door to dispel the sensation. "Come on, I'll walk you to your car," he said, and exited the vehicle.

She followed, and side by side they silently made their way to her silver Celica that was at least ten years old and in need of body work and a paint job. Obviously not a priority for her. Once they were there, she turned to face him, and he caught a barely perceptible flicker of nervousness in her eyes before she blinked it away. "I guess I'm all set for tonight, then."

Sensing she was overwhelmed by the true realization of what she was getting herself involved in, he gave in to that impulse to reach out and skim his knuckles down her cheek in a reassuring caress. "I'm sorry that you have to go through all this crap."

She visibly relaxed, and a small smile turned up her too-tempting lips. "I would have done it without your help, but I have to admit that I'm grateful that we were able to work something out. It's nice to know I'm not going into this situation alone."

"No, you're not." Withdrawing a business card from his wallet and asking her for a pen, he jotted down his home phone beneath his cell and pager numbers. "If you need me for anything, day or night, I'm only a phone call away."

Accepting the card, she tucked it into her purse, then adjusted the strap over her shoulder. "Thank you."

"No thanks necessary. It's all part of my services." He wasn't about to tell her that he'd never given his home phone number to a client before. "And I'm sure you'll do just fine tonight."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." A good amount of her initial worries seemed to have faded away, though some concerns still lingered. "I'm not used to talking about down-and-dirty sex to just anyone, and I have to do better than fine if I want to stay hired on long enough to ask around about Valerie."

"Just take it one step at a time and do whatever feels right." Taking off his sunglasses, he tucked them into the collar of his shirt. "And when it comes to fraternizing with your coworkers, act open to anything. Also, it's important that you dress and look the part of someone willing to play around."

"I guess I'll be raiding Valerie's closet, because my wardrobe is a bit outdated when it comes to looking like a sophisticated party girl." She touched her hair, as if considering how to transform her sleek, conservative look into something wilder as well. "So, where do you come in on all this?"

"I'll call in at about eleven-fifteen, and the best part is, you get to talk dirty to me." He bobbed his eyebrows teasingly, doing his best to keep things light, to keep her anxiety about her new job at bay.

She laughed and shook her head, amusement dancing in her vibrant green eyes. "Oh, I can't wait."

"Neither can I," he said, and meant it. While her lip service was for the sole purpose of finding her cousin, there was no reason why he couldn't use their phone sex conversations to his advantage by sharing their own personal fantasies.

Seconds passed, filling the air between them with subtle expectations and deeper desires. He stared at her, enthralled by the way the sun behind her highlighted her shoulder-length blond hair with gold streaks and kissed her smooth skin with a glowing warmth that he wanted to skim with his mouth and taste with his tongue. If he hadn't had a few cases he needed to follow up on, he would have persuaded her back to his place for a lazy afternoon of hot, satisfying sex.

Instead, he decided he'd have to settle for a kiss to get him through the long hours until they were together again-and alone, so they could indulge in something far more intimate and satisfying.

Slowly stepping toward her, he backed her up against the driver's-side door and braced his palms on the edge of the low roof on either side of her shoulders, securing her between the heated metal of the car and the hard, muscled length of his body.

She didn't seem to mind being trapped. With her gaze locked brazenly with his, she countered his move with one of her own. Hooking her fingers into the belt loops on his jeans, she pulled him closer until their bellies, hips, and thighs were intimately aligned and his thickening shaft found a home at the welcoming notch between her legs.

A blissful sigh escaped her, and she whispered silkily, "I like the way you feel against me. We fit perfectly together."

"Damn," he murmured, singed to the core by her honest admission and inflamed by a reciprocating need he couldn't hold back. He rubbed himself against her mound, which made him even more painfully erect, with no relief in sight. "Imagine how good it'll feel when we're both naked."

"I already have," she divulged, her candid words and soft, dreamy expression sending his libido straight into orbit. "You've been a fantasy of mine for the past month."

Upon that shocking revelation, her lashes fell to half-mast, and a pale pink color swept over her cheeks, as if she wasn't used to being so sexually outspoken with men but liked the power and control that came with being forthright in what she wanted.

Sliding her hands from his waist to his lower back, she splayed her palms against the muscled slope of his spine, the heat of her touch seeping through his shirt. Her chin lifted in an amusing- and arousing-display of daring. "You know that hot, frenzied buildup you mentioned earlier today?"

He groaned, realizing that she somehow intended to use his own seductive words against him, which was nothing less than he deserved. "Yeah, I remember," he managed around the knot that seemed to have tightened his vocal chords.

Her lips skimmed his jawline, teasing his senses. "Well, just so you know, a month is a very long time to lust after one particular person, and my anticipation level is already near to bursting."

His breath left his lungs in a tight exhale. Scorching heat curled inside him at the thought of her body primed and ready for his. The notion threatened his restraint, making him burn to give all that confined excitement within her a proper and very provocative kind of release.

God, she was so damned sexy, she made his insides ache and his palms sweat-a feat no other woman had ever accomplished. She was a beguiling witch, a temptress who would undoubtedly hold her own when it came to fulfilling his sensual and erotic demands in the bedroom.

Lifting one of his hands to her face, he cupped her cheek in his callused palm, dragged his thumb along the curve of her jaw, and addressed that anticipation problem of hers. "I guess we'll just have to make sure we do something about all that pent-up desire of yours," he drawled.

Unable to hold back the rampant male instinct firing his blood or to resist the hot female invitation in her eyes, he lowered his head, and she eagerly met him halfway. Her lips parted beneath the coaxing pressure of his, and his tongue swept inside, slow and teasing, then gradually taking possession of her mouth in a deep, wet, ravenous kiss that was unmistakable in its carnality and sexual intent.

The distinctive, familiar rumbling sound of a sports car pulling into the parking lot penetrated the mind-numbing pleasure of the moment. Reluctantly he pulled back, preparing himself to deal with the consequences of putting his relationship with Liz on public display.

"Shit," he muttered, and at her startled, wide-eyed stare he explained, "It's my partner, Cameron. And I apologize ahead of time for putting you in the middle of an embarrassing situation."

Her cheeks were flushed with color, but she didn't seem the least bit ashamed or uncomfortable at their predicament. "You mean getting caught making out?"

The humor threading her husky voice relieved him and made him smile. "Yeah."

"Well, let's get something perfectly straight," she said, her gaze holding his as she boldly ran a hand from his shoulder to his chest. "I let you kiss me, of my own free will, and I wanted it as much as you did. So I can handle the consequences of getting caught if you can."

This woman never ceased to amaze him, and he liked having proof of just how adventurous she could be. He gave her a nod of agreement, stepped back, then turned to face his partner and best friend since college, who'd just unfolded his big body from his new metallic-blue Porsche Boxster. Cameron headed their way, his curiosity undisguised as he looked Liz over and obviously liked what he saw.

Steve's stomach churned with an uncharacteristic bout of male rivalry. He'd never been a jealous man, and he'd certainly never felt any competition from his love-'em-and-leave-'em partner, yet he couldn't deny the protective, possessive impulses making themselves known where Liz was concerned.

Cameron neared, and knowing an introduction was inescapable, Steve decided to do the deed and get it over with. "Liz, this is my partner, Cameron Sinclair. Cam, Liz Adams."

Liz politely held out her slender hand in greeting. "It's nice to meet you."

Cam shook her hand. "The pleasure is all mine," he said as an unmistakably charming grin slid into place.

Unaffected by his blond good looks and flirtatious attempt, Liz merely smiled and glanced back at Steve. "I really need to get going."

He agreed. The sooner she was on her way, the sooner Steve could set Cam straight about a few things, namely, that Liz was taken, and second, that she was a client as well.

Opening the driver's-side door for Liz, he waited for her to get settled in the seat and buckle herself in, knowing damn well that his partner was ogling her smooth, tanned thighs where the hem of her skirt had ridden up.

Steve stepped more fully in front of Cam, blocking the other man's view of Liz's assets. "I'll talk to you tonight," he said, and enclosed her in the small car.

As soon as Liz turned onto the main street, Cam asked without compunction, "So, who's the hot number?"

Steve knew what his friend wanted to know: beyond Liz's name, what was her connection to him, and what was the real scoop between the two of them? "She's a client, and someone I'm seeing, so I'd advise you to keep your eyes, hands, and thoughts to yourself."

Cameron's brows rose in surprise, and he held said hands out to his sides in supplication. "Whoa, what's with the territorial attitude?"

Feeling irritable and provoked, when he was normally so calm and collected, Steve scowled at Cam. "I'm just letting you know up front that she's taken."

"By you, obviously… judging by that kiss I interrupted and that boner you're sporting."

"Go to hell, Sinclair," he growled.

Cameron chuckled and slapped Steve on the back, unfazed by his foul mood. "I've been telling you for months now that you ought to get laid. I'm just glad to see you've taken the advice to heart with one hell of a sexy woman." Cam's affable disposition ebbed into a more serious expression. "But I do have to say, this is the first time I've ever seen you mix business and pleasure. What's up with that?"

Steve shrugged. "Extenuating circumstances." Along with the need to get one certain woman out of his system.

Cameron narrowed his gaze, obviously guessing that there was much more at stake. "Must be some case."

"It is." Steve rubbed his fingers against the throb beginning in his temple. The heat of the sun beating down on his head, along with Cam's line of questioning, was giving him a headache.

Knowing there was no avoiding the inevitable conversation to come-the discussion where he gave his business partner a rundown of the situation so that Cam was familiar with the dynamics of the case should he need to get involved, which was standard practice between the two of them-Steve headed back toward the office building.

"Come on; I'll explain everything inside."