Hot Item (Hot Zone 3)

She rubbed her aching temples at the thought. Because in all probability, Riley could have just as easily substituted one of the flight attend

ants for her. The thought stung and stayed with her, hanging over her shoulders like a bag of rocks.

Sophie had a business to save and her uncle’s partner to find. She needed to focus and she needed a plan. Instead, she’d been distracted by the athlete who thought with his—

“Which one’s yours?” Riley asked.

She glanced at the luggage slowly coming around on the belt and pointed to the black bag with the hot pink string that identified the suitcase as hers.

Riley hefted the bag as if it weighed nothing, then grabbed an older-looking duffel before turning her way. “We’re good to go?”

She nodded. “I arranged for a rental car. All we have to do is check in over there.” She pointed to a large green neon sign. “A bus will take us to the lot with the car and we can be on our way.”

“Sounds good. Any idea where we’re going?”

“I printed out directions from MapQuest on the Internet. We should be all set.”

Half an hour later, they were settled in the rental car on their way to Spencer’s sisters’ in Fort Lauderdale. Sophie shifted restlessly in her seat, the air-conditioning doing nothing to cool off the heat surging through her body. The tingling awareness reminded her of what had transpired between them in the bathroom of the airplane.

Still she tried for normal conversation. “So what do you know about Spencer’s Florida family?” Sophie wanted to enter the situation as prepared as possible.

“Not a damn thing.” A muscle ticked in Riley’s jaw.

Obviously she’d hit a nerve.

“What about you? You’re the one who said he’s like family. What do you know about his sisters?”

“About as much as you.”

“In my experience, in Atkins’s world, family loyalty runs one way only.”

Sophie didn’t reply, because she wondered if Riley didn’t have a point. For all the years she and her sisters had known Spencer Atkins and for all the holidays he’d spent with her family, Sophie now understood they didn’t know the man at all.

She heard the anger in Riley’s voice and saw the rigid way he held his body as he drove. She studied his strong profile and could only imagine the tension brewing inside him.

“I guess we’re on this fishing expedition together.” She reached out and covered his fingers with hers.

He jerked in surprise but didn’t move his hand away. She didn’t have to wonder if his skin tingled as much as hers, if he was as affected as she. One glance at his lap answered that question. He wanted her, all right.

“We’re here. If you can tear your gaze away from my—”

“Okay!” She cut him off before he could phrase the words that would make her blush even more.

She scrambled out of the car and preceded him up the walk leading to a small patio home. The entire community was comprised of similarly styled houses painted in pastel pinks, yellows and blues. A warm breeze blew around her. There was a serenity to the community that Sophie wasn’t feeling at the moment and she hoped they’d find Spencer quickly so they could be on their way.

Riley jogged up beside her. “You know there’s nothing wrong with two people being attracted to one another.”

“There is when one of those people flirts with anyone in a skirt, which means the other one could be any woman for all it mattered. Oh, and especially when the two people are all wrong for one another.”

He chuckled, a masculine sound that said I know better. She hated that he found her feelings amusing.

Without warning, he tangled his fingers in her unruly, humidity-messed hair. The light tugging sensation was stimulating. She trembled despite her internal warnings to protect herself from his charm.

His lips turned upward in a grin. “You’re mistaken—not about the flirting, because I do enjoy that.”

She stiffened.

“But you’re by no means any woman. You’re unique, Sophie Jordan.” His voice deepened to a husky rasp. “And as for being wrong for each other, well, that depends whether you’re looking for sex or commitment, sweetheart.”