Hot Property (Hot Zone 4)

“Her stage name is Cassandra Lee.”

Amy’s eyes lit up. “From the movies Maiden Lane and On Sandy Shores! My mother is a huge fan and took me to her movies all the time when I was growing up!”

“That’s her,” Roper said. “These days she’s too vain to accept the more mature roles, so she’s settled into living her life with me supporting her. Not that I mind, since she worked hard to take care of us while I was a kid.”

“It must be hard aging in Hollywood.”

“There are plenty of better-known actresses who’ve handled it. Sharon Stone, Meryl Streep, Annette Bening. Mom has truly made Poor Me into an art form. But I’m used to it by now.”

Amy finished her meal, leaving nothing on her plate. She wasn’t one of those women who pushed the food around instead of eating, and that pleased him.

She raised her glass and sipped her champagne. “What about your father? Is he still alive? Mine isn’t. He passed away a few months after I started junior high,” she said, her tone wistful.

“I’m sorry.” He wanted to squeeze her hand, but she didn’t seem to want or need sympathy.

She finished her champagne and smiled.

He poured them both another glass. “My father is still alive. He just wasn’t ever much of an influence in my life, except for the fact that I inherited my baseball talent from him. Eduardo Montoya. He was a big-time player in his day. And before you ask, Roper was my mother’s name before she had it changed.”

Amy inclined her head. “I’ve never heard of him, but that isn’t saying much.”

He nodded. “It’s kind of nice that you don’t know the professional me.”

She nodded in understanding. He couldn’t get over how much he’d revealed to her tonight. Other than with Micki, he never discussed his famous parents with anyone. He didn’t need another reason for people to be impressed with something about him that had nothing to do with who he was inside. Amy was different. She was easy to talk to and genuinely interested in him, unlike the usual women he dated, ones who were more interested in his career, status and what he could buy them. Before now, all he’d wanted from his companions was a good time, in bed and out. Yet here was a woman he could talk to….

Unwilling to think about that, he rose and started to clean up. Amy helped and in the process, they managed to finish the bottle of champagne. Once the plates were in the dishwasher, and the kitchen was sparkling, he finally led Amy into the family room and turned on the big-screen TV to watch the ball drop in Times Square. He’d have offered to take her home, but he was enjoying her company too much and he didn’t want to ring in the New Year alone.

She snuggled into the corner of the couch and didn’t object when he eased in close beside her. From the way she’d tripped once on her way into the den and giggled a few times over a joke he hadn’t made, Roper knew the champagne had gone to her head.

She was adorable to watch, and he liked having her in his home. Another first.

She narrowed her gaze at the TV screen depicting Times Square. “I can’t believe all those people are standing outside in that freezing-cold weather. It was awful when we were there and it wasn’t by choice!” She shivered at the memory, giving him just the excuse he needed.

“Spoken like a true Florida girl.” Roper pulled her close at the same time the countdown to the New Year began.

“Know what I was doing last year at this time?” Amy asked him, her eyes wide, her face close to his.

“What?”

“Breaking up a fight between two men who wanted to kiss Aunt Darla first once the ball dropped,” she murmured. “It’s been ages since I spent New Year’s with someone my own age.”

“Oh, yeah? And when was the last time you were kissed?” he asked, staring at her moist lips.

“Way too long,” she said as her eyes flu

ttered closed.

He knew she had to be slightly tipsy, because he couldn’t imagine her letting her guard down this easily otherwise. Still, she’d seemed willing enough earlier in the evening before they were interrupted by the telephone.

He had every intention of taking that next step with her now.

AMY’S STOMACH FLUTTERED as she waited, delicious ripples of anticipation licking at her from deep inside. Roper’s eyes darkened and he lowered his head, slowly dragging out the anticipation until finally his mouth came down on hers.

The initial touch set off more sparks. Spiraling whirlpools of desire started slowly and built larger, filling her from inside out. His kiss was silky smooth, the stuff of sensual dreams as he drew his mouth back and forth over hers and lulled her into a hazy stupor of wanting. She lifted her hands and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, something he seemed to appreciate because he slid his tongue over the seam of her lips, teasing her back and forth until she opened her mouth and let him inside.

Her tongue tangled with his, matching every fantasy she’d ever had of him and providing even more. He ran his thumbs over her cheek, gently caressing her face while he ravished her mouth. She didn’t need food, not when she had this. Wanting to taste more of him, she curled her hands into the hair at the nape of his neck, then tilted her head back, giving him better access. He swept his tongue one last time around her mouth, then began a warm, wet trail of kisses down the side of her face, her neck, her throat, until his head came to rest on her chest just above her cleavage.

Her heart pounded and her breasts felt full, her nipples tightening into hardened peaks at the thought of his wicked mouth suckling her hard. Moisture pooled between her legs, dampening her panties as desire pulsed through her body.