A pink piece of paper, about the size and shape of a Post-it note, slipped out and fell to the floor beside her. Cade bent to retrieve it, his gaze lingering on her shoes. The shiny four-inch black heels were tied to her ankles with satin ribbons. He’d never had a thing for women’s footwear, but he sure as hell liked the idea of binding Lucia’s legs to his bedposts.
“I can do better than that, Ms. Lewis,” Mr. Schwartz said. “I’ll fly you out to New York.”
“That’s kind of you, but I don’t travel much. This trip is something of an anomaly,” she said.
Cade stood, Post-it in hand, and watched as the art dealer tucked her card into his wallet.
“I’ll be touch with the pictures. And I hope you change your mind.” With that, the art dealer walked away.
“You didn’t mention that you’re a famous artist,” Cade said once the other man was out of earshot.
“I’m really not that well-known. Back home in Tennessee, I spend most of my time working with children. I’m more art therapist than artist.” She plucked a dark chocolate square from a platter beside the fountain. “And you weren’t here for the art.”
“I’m taking an interest.” He glanced down at the Post-it as he held it out to her. “Here…”
The words “you dropped this” vanished from his vocabulary as he read the small block letters. Top Four Fantasies for Las Vegas.
“Where did you get that?” she demanded, snatching the paper from his hand.
“It fell from your purse.” He could hear the husky note in his voice. “Your to-do list for your trip, I take it?”
“I wrote that…well, I never planned to share it…it’s for later.” She stumbled over the incoherent explanation.
He saw the alarm in her brown eyes. “Later with whom?”
“You. Maybe. I hope,” she murmured. The flirty bravado she’d displayed earlier vanished. And for the first time, he saw a hint of the woman who fit Natalie’s description. Shy, vulnerable, and in need of someone to protect her.
He stared into her eyes. Panic, hope, maybe a hint of embarrassment—it was all there. The longer he looked, the more he wanted to be that man.
And break my fucking promises.
He’d been sent to watch over her, damn it. He was on a mission to keep her from finding someone to fulfill her fantasies. Making her naughty dreams come true? Not part of the job.
But he couldn’t let her walk away. The thought of her searching the masked crowd for another man—
Hell, no.
That wasn’t happening. Not tonight.
“What’s on your list, Lucia?” he asked, knowing he needed to play the part of her mystery seducer even if he couldn’t be the man to make her dreams come true.
“Number one.” She drew a deep breath. “Number one is…well, it involves…”
“Tell me, gorgeous.” He glanced at her purse, fighting back the urge to take the Post-it back and read the list himself. “What are your fantasies?”
“I want an irresistible man tied to my bed,” she said softly. “That’s number one.”
The concrete reasons to keep his hands off Natalie’s little sister headed for the exit. Cade heard those words—an irresistible man tied to my bed—and he didn’t want to do the right thing. He wanted to be Mr. Irresistible and help her cross off every item on her list.
“What’s number two?” he demanded.
“A man willing to…” She pressed her lips together, her fingers toying with the clasp on her purse. The bag opened with a click and she reached inside, withdrawing the pink note. “I can’t say the words. Out loud.” She held out the Post-it. “Here.”
Cade took the small piece of paper, his fingers brushing hers. He glanced down and read the second item.
2) A man willing to go down on me until I come so hard I forget my own name.
Desire knocked his reservations out of the building. The reasons he should stick to the plan and keep his hands off Lucia would be waiting for him in the morning. But tonight he needed to cross off the items on her Post-it.