Twice the Temptation

“No. I’m too busy to eat out much. And I had no idea that he was even in L.A. until he mentioned it this morning.”

“I don’t think we can ignore the fact that he’s in Los Angeles and someone is upset that you’re there, too.” Mac studied her for a moment. “Why’d he end things between you?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. It was two weeks before graduation. We’d talked about going somewhere together to celebrate. Then one day he came to my apartment before class and told me he’d changed his mind. He wasn’t in love with me and he had his career to think about. That had to come first.”

Mac sat down on the edge of the tub and took one of her hands. “I think I will beat him up for you.”

Her lips curved slightly. “It was a long time ago. And it all turned out for the best.”

“So you’re completely over Charlie?”

“Way over. And if someone tried that on me today, I’d beat him up myself.”

Humor flashed briefly in Mac’s eyes as he continued to study her. “Then why is he here? There has to be something that you’ve forgotten. Or that you didn’t pay attention to at the time. Last night when you were in the bar talking to the sheriff and Avery, you mentioned you keep scrapbooks.”

“Yes. They’re up in the tower room.”

“It might be worth a shot to look at some pictures or mementos from your Paris days. They might trigger a memory.”

She took a sip of tea and set it on the marble ledge of the tub. “Before we do that, there’s something else I want to talk about. Earlier, when you kicked the box, you were going to leave, weren’t you?”

There was a flicker of surprise in his eyes when they met hers. “I was going to come back, Reese.”

One of the tight bands of tension inside of her eased.

He set his own mug down. “I needed to shower, get a change of clothes.”

“I’m not asking for an explanation. It’s just that we never got around to discussing any of the details of this fantasy thing once we took that test drive.”

He narrowed his eyes. “What are you saying?”

She frowned a little. “I didn’t think I wanted this. I came back here to prove to myself that I didn’t have to get caught up in this fantasy thing. When I saw you and decided that I did—that I wanted you—I never got beyond that.”

He sat down on the edge of the tub and cupped her chin in his hand. “I don’t think there’s an ounce of pretence in you.”

Reese felt color rush to her cheeks. “I’m not so sure about that.”

Leaning down, he kissed the tip of her nose. “I am. Once I saw you, once I understood the parchment, I couldn’t seem to think beyond the fantasy. That’s not like me. But it’s one of the reasons I was going back to my room. I thought that if I put some distance between us, some time, I could think. Figure this out.”

As he smiled, Reese felt another band of tension inside of her ease. “We don’t have to think right now. We have the whole weekend to figure it out.”

He hesitated.

“What?” she asked.

“You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know all I need to know.” She pushed some of the bubbles aside. “And it seems to me that I’ve got a boy toy and almost an hour to kill before Avery and the sheriff arrive. Why don’t you come and play with me, Mac?”

Those burning blue eyes remained on her as he stood and began to strip out of his clothes. She could feel the heat of them as she let her own eyes once more feast on him—the broad shoulders, that long, lean body and the wiry muscles she’d only had a taste of.

Then her gaze was trapped by the one part of his anatomy that had drawn her attention before. “I can see exactly what I want to play with.”

“Me, too.”

He had one foot in the tub when he scooped up his jeans and removed the condom. Using his teeth, he ripped the foil packet open and set it on the wide marble edge.

“Thanks. I never seem to remember that kind of detail.”

“We boy toys take our cue from the boy scouts. Be prepared.”

As he lowered himself into the water, their legs immediately tangled. She reached for the condom. “Maybe I can—”

He cut her off by hitting her in the face with a handful of bubbles. “You did say you wanted to play.”

Laughing, she wiped her eyes clear and scooted forward until she was straddling his legs. “I do want to play, but I have a particular toy in mind.”

Slipping her hand beneath the waters, she closed her hand around the long, hard length of him. “I think I’ve found it.” Then she watched those glorious eyes darken as she caressed his shaft, once, then again. “I really didn’t get enough playtime earlier.”

“It could be a very short game, Reese.” He reached for the condom, but she beat him to it.

“It’s my toy and I want to see it more clearly.” Reaching behind her, she pulled the plug, letting the water drain until it merely lapped at their thighs. “I’m not willing to share yet.” When she slipped the latex over the head of his penis, his breath hitched and triggered a dark thrill inside of her.

“How about this?” Slowly, meticulously, she sheathed him, delighting in the way he said her name on a gasp, glorying in the sensation when he trembled. Each separate response added a deeper layer of pleasure.

Then suddenly, his hands closed over hers. “My turn, Reese, or play time will be over.”

Before she could protest, he gripped her waist and set her back far enough that he could capture one of her feet. Even as he rubbed one thumb over the sole of her foot, his other hand scooped up a bar of soap.

“Do you like this?”

“Mmm.” She closed her eyes because she was certain she’d felt them cross. What was not to like about the way he was massaging her toes with those slick fingers?

“Or do you prefer this?”

As he ran those clever hands up her calves, the water suddenly became so hot, she was certain she felt the beginning bubbles of a boil.

“Or this?”

He traced patterns up and down her thigh.

“Well…” Everything inside of her melted. Including her brains cells because she was finding it difficult to concentrate. To even breathe.

“What do you think?”

Think? Somehow he’d shifted position so that they were lying side by side in the tub. One of his hands had palmed her breast, the other was still busy on her inner thigh. But through the drugging ripples of sensation, she could hear the amusement in his tone.

Opening her eyes, she looked into his and managed, “If this is a pop quiz, I’m checking all of the above.”

“Let’s try this.”

He dipped his head and closed his teeth on her nipple at the same time that he slipped two fingers into her heat. Then he withdrew them and plunged them in again.

She arched up, straining, and felt a climax begin in the soles of her feet and tear through her.

Mac raised his head and watched, lost in her, as she rode the climax out.

As he shifted and plunged into her, she wrapped her arms and legs around him. “Breathe,” he murmured before he crushed her mouth with his and took them both over the edge.

THE KNOCK ON THE DOOR was loud, the rhythm staccato as Mac ran out of the bathroom. He slicked his damp hair back, then checked the peep hole before opening and stepping back.

Avery gave him a head to toe look before he strode into the room. “Nate’s on his way, and I’ve got the scrapbooks.” He glanced around the room. “Reese?”“Getting dressed.”

Nodding, Avery turned and directed his gaze at Mac’s feet. “And your shoes?”

“They’re around.” But he hadn’t been able to find them yet. He took a step forward. He’d discovered earlier when he’d called Avery to fill him in on the flowers that the man knew who he was. “Look, you need to know I’m not the person sending these notes and flowers.”

“Why would you do that?” Avery asked. “And why would you want to punish Reese for being in L.A.? She’s the latest star you’ve hitched to your wagon. Where’s your motive?”

Mac nodded. “Exactly. The thing is Reese doesn’t know who I am yet.”

Avery frowned. “Come again?”

Nervous now, Mac began to pace. But if he was ever going to explain it to Reese, he’d best take a practice run with her guardian angel. “We’d never met until yesterday in the lobby. And I didn’t intend for that to happen. She wasn’t supposed to even be here.”

He paused when he reached the balcony doors. The sun was up now and through the glass, he could see the staff setting tables in the courtyard below.

“Why didn’t you want to meet her?”

Mac turned back to Avery. “Because I always keep a professional distance from anyone associated with one of my projects.”

Avery let his gaze run over him again, and Mac was very much aware of what he looked like—rumpled jeans, T-shirt, wet hair. And no shoes.

“How’s that working out for you this time?” Then Avery raised a palm. “You can take that as a rhetorical question. I strongly suggest you tell her who you are before she figures it out for herself. She’s a smart woman.”