Suddenly Sexy

Julie bunched her hands into fists at her sides and took a deep      breath. “I want to be a decoy.”

“I said no.” She could keep saying it, and he would give her      the same answer. “And knowing your aptitude for self-defense, my alternate      answer is not in this lifetime.”

“Fine.” She turned and headed for the door. “I’ll just have a      little chat with Perry.”

“No way.” Eric was there, flattening his hand against the door      so she couldn’t open it.

“He won’t say no,” Julie informed him as she tugged at the      doorknob.

That was what he was worried about. Perry had a soft spot where      Julie was concerned. “He’s not in charge of this. I am.”

Julie hesitated, as if she were trying to come up with a new      tactic. She let go of the doorknob and slowly, almost reluctantly, turned      around.

When she tilted up her face, her lips were just inches away      from his. A tremor swept through his body as his mouth went dry. He was very      tempted to brush his mouth against hers. Taste her sweetness and feel her soften      against him.

“Tell me the real reason why you won’t let me be a decoy. Do      you think I’m smart and sexy?” she said in a low tone. She looked him in the eye      and then her gaze skittered away.

This was dangerous territory. “I think you’re reckless,” he      answered gruffly. He’d seen how she would jump into a project with unrestrained      enthusiasm.

Her eyes gleamed with determination. “I can be cautious.”

Eric rolled his eyes.

“And I can do sexy.”

Just the way her voice got rough was sexy as hell. His body      tightened with anticipation. “But you can’t seduce a man.” He wasn’t going to      let her seduce a stranger. Not on his watch.

“Yes, I can.”

Eric shook his head. “And you’re not the type who could seduce      a man you’re not interested in. You’re too honest.”

Julie thrust out her chin and narrowed her eyes. Why was she      taking offense over that statement? “I can seduce anyone when I set my mind to      it.”

Eric lifted his hands as if he were surrendering. “I’ll take      your word for it, but you still don’t get the job.”

She pressed a finger against his chest. “I could seduce you if      I wanted to.”

The room suddenly went quiet. Eric’s muscles locked as the      blood roared through his veins. He wanted to take that as an invitation, but he      knew Julie didn’t mean it that way. He swallowed roughly. “Do you want to?”

The tension arced and shimmered between them. It coiled around      them, drawing tighter and tighter until he thought it would spring wildly.

Julie dropped her hand and the tension shattered. She took a      step away and winced when she bumped against the door. “For a chance to become a      decoy?” she asked in a high voice. “Sure.”

Eric took a deep breath as the heavy disappointment pulled at      him. Of course she wouldn’t go after a guy like him, unless it was to prove      something. “You plan to seduce me to show you can be a decoy?”

She crossed her arms protectively in front of her. “I think      that should give me enough qualification.”

What was that supposed to mean? Eric studied her expression,      but he couldn’t get a good read. Did she think he was a hard catch, or did she      think he was some kind of man-whore? He didn’t think he wanted to know. “But I      know what you would be up to,” he pointed out.

She gave an arrogant shrug. “That will make my

seduction      of you all the more successful.”

Eric could see that Julie was giving this proposal serious      consideration. This was bad. This was real bad. He was torn with wanting her to      give it her best shot and wanting to get out of target range. “Forget it,” he      said angrily. “This is ridiculous.”