“You’re naked,” Brandi said slowly.

Sebastian looked down at himself in mock surprise. “I guess I took my clothes off to shower. That’s usually the way it’s done, isn’t it?”

She carefully licked her lips, her gaze now glued desperately to his. “You’re…awfully big.”

Chuckling, he replied, “Hmm. And I’m not nearly so impressive as I can be.” He’d been relieved to see it was true—he didn’t want to scare her off.

She shook her head. “I wasn’t talking about that. I meant you are just so massive. All over.”

“I know. I was teasing you.” Damn. He couldn’t very well stay unenthusiastic if she continued to stare at him this way. He had to distract himself, so he moved to the sink and grabbed his razor.

As Sebastian went through the familiar motions of shaving, Brandi watched in fascinated silence. He couldn’t help himself any longer—his body stirred with her interest. And she looked absurdly amazed at the sight.

He tried to grin, but failed. He had to believe she would be his soon. Very soon. Or he’d never survive this vacation.

Fantasy
Lori Foster

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To Judy Flohr, Carolyn Dietsch and Barb Smith,

dedicated readers and dedicated friends.

Your friendly faces always make a book signing better,

and I can’t tell you how much I enjoy our lunches afterward!

Thank you, ladies.

Dear Reader,

Though not everyone will admit it, we all have fantasies, from the tame to the risqué. Some people get to realize their fantasies, most don’t. But for Brandi Sommers, the heroine in my story, sexy Sebastian Sinclair is determined not only to discover her fantasies but to fulfill them as well. And he does—with great skill and tenderness.

I had so much fun writing this book. I’ve often been told I push the boundaries, both in theme and with my explicit love scenes. Hallelujah! I want to push. Life is real, love is real…fantasies are real. To write about them without total honesty would be to cheat my characters, and my readers.

I hope you’ll enjoy reading Fantasy as much as I enjoyed writing it. I hope all your fantasies come true.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

Bonus Features

CHAPTER ONE

“GOING ONCE…going twice…”

With anticipation thick in the air, the announcer called out, “Sold!”

And Sebastian Sinclair watched as the man just purchased was led off the stage to the sounds of raucous feminine cheers. Soon it would be his turn.

How the hell did I get myself talked into this? he wondered. Wearing a suit, watching huge amounts of money change hands with no consideration of the cost, being the center of attention—he hated it all. It reminded him of his youth and the fact that he had nothing in common with these shallow blue bloods.

Most of all, he hated the idea of being bought like an expensive toy for the amusement of rich women—regardless of the cause.

He seemed to be the only male not thrilled with the prospect of displaying himself. The others, in ages varying from late twenties to early forties, were smiling, flaunting their wares, so to speak, and generally getting into the spirit of the thing. Only one man remained in line before Sebastian now and judging by the brawn of the guy and his rough-whiskered chin, he wouldn’t last long. The women were really going berserk on the macho ones.

Which was probably why the construction workers had on very snug, tattered jeans and T-shirts too tight for men half their size—an adjustment for their female audience, no doubt. There was absolutely no way a man could work comfortably in a shirt that tight.

Likewise, the landscapers wore their work boots and jeans, some of them with no shirts on at all. And the carpenter—he had a heavy tool belt hanging low on his hips. The ensemble was complete with wrenches, a nail pouch, and the largest hammer Sebastian had ever seen, no doubt a pitiful attempt at symbolism. Sebastian shook his head and tried, without much success, to mask his amusement.

The announcer, a woman with a very wide, toothy smile, led a man around the stage by one finger hooked in his belt loop. The audience roared, then roared again when she had him turn, showing him to advantage. The spotlight moved over his backside and feminine shrieks filled the air.

Sebastian wondered if any of these rich people realized the seriousness of the benefit, the purpose the money would serve in assisting abused women. He doubted it. To them, it was a lark, not a humanitarian deed to build shelters and help those in need.

To Sebastian, it was much more personal.

The brawny guy ahead of him bounded onstage, anxious for his turn to titillate the giggling masses, and Sebastian was left with a female attendant, waiting for his cue.

As he’d guessed, the bewhiskered fellow went quickly, the last bid coming on a crescendo of womanly squeals and bawdy jests. The attendant took Sebastian’s arm and directed him forward.

As he reached the center of the stage, hot lighting flooded over him. He stared out at the audience, satisfied with their reckless spending, but thoroughly disgusted by their careless attitudes. None of them gave a thought to where the money would go or how badly it was needed. They were all the same, full of glitz and shine; shallow, frivolous, concentrating only on their own pleasures. He was disdainful of them all.

And then he saw her.

She stood alone, a small dark-haired woman with huge eyes that dominated her face and expressed her fascination. She didn’t smile as he met her stare. She didn’t yell out suggestions or a bid as the other women were doing. She didn’t laugh or joke; she didn’t do anything but watch him. He no longer heard the announcer, no longer felt the heat of the bright lights. His boredom and disinterest seemed to melt away. Her face was upturned, her lips slightly parted, as if in surprise. And he knew—she couldn’t look away. Somehow he held her physically by the connection of their gazes.

Sebastian didn’t dare blink. She seemed awestruck and innocent and he found her utterly irresistible. For some insane reason, because something inside him had stirred and heated at the sight of her, he had no intention of letting her go.

Maybe he wouldn’t berate Shay after all. He just might end up thanking her.

SHE WANTED HIM.

Brandi stood in the middle of the floor, right beneath the stage. The men had been coming and going, none of them overly remarkable to her mind, but then, she wasn’t here to buy a man. She was only attending this benefit to support her sister, Shay. In truth, she avoided gatherings like this one, where the testosterone filled the air so thick you could choke on it. And there were any number of ways she would have preferred to spend her birthday.

But none of that mattered at the moment. The man onstage was incredible, and once her gaze locked with his, she couldn’t stop staring. She felt an irresistible connection to him, and she couldn’t seem to find the wit—or the will—to walk away.

The woman handling the bids chuckled at some jest Brandi had missed, then turned to catch the man’s arm. Holding a microphone in one hand, she gripped his arm firmly with the other and cuddled up to him. “Such a generous bid!” she called out sounding very excited, though Brandi, deeply involved in her own scrutiny, hadn’t heard the exact amount offered. “He’s worth every penny, ladies! Come on now, don’t be shy. This one is quite a specimen.” She squeezed his upper arm, testing his muscle, then made an “oohing” expression to the audience.

The man didn’t look overly complimented. He looked disdainful, and rather than work toward drawing more attention to himself as the other men had, he merely crossed his arms and braced his long legs apart. He seemed impossibly tall and strong and masculine in his rigid stance. As impenetrable as a stone wall. Almost barbaric in his strength. And he continued to look at Brandi.

The announcer struggled to gain his cooperation. She tried to force him into a turn, wanting to display him as she had the others in order to raise the already astronomical sum they’d collected. He resisted her efforts with ease. The announcer couldn’t budge him a single inch.

And the women loved it. They called out more bids, made explicit suggestions on what they’d do with him and haggled amongst themselves.

Brandi’s fascination built. Never before had she felt it, at least, not in eight long years. And before that, she’d simply been too young. But there was no denying the interest surging inside her now. She’d made a decision earlier that day, a decision that would change her life—hopefully for the better. But this? Could she really consider bidding on a man? On this man?

In answer to her own thoughts, she shook her head no.

The man gave her a slight, devastating smile that stole her breath—and then slowly nodded his head yes, as if to encourage her. Embarrassed color flooded her face. He couldn’t possibly know what she’d been thinking! She shook her head again, more emphatically this time, but that only made his smile widen until he gave her a full-fledged grin.

God, he was gorgeous.

And big. Too big. Much, much too big and imposing and… Brandi felt her heartbeat trip, felt heat wash over her, as if someone had opened an oven. She tried to step back, to break the invisible connection between them, but she couldn’t manage it. Never in her life had she been the object of such masculine notice. Her sister Shay was so striking—tall and pale and beautiful beyond words—Brandi naturally faded beside her, becoming a mere shadow to Shay’s impressive height and inexhaustible energy.

But now a man—this incredible mountain of a man—had latched on to her with his bold gaze and he wouldn’t release her. She felt both alarmed and pleasantly flustered.

At that moment, Shay reappeared at her side. Her slim eyebrows lifted in a question. The man’s gaze automatically reverted to Shay, who towered over Brandi.

It wasn’t quite jealousy that Brandi felt—she and Shay were very close—it was more like resignation. She had no business staring at a man, inviting his interest when she had no intention of returning it. She couldn’t return it, not yet, and certainly not with a man like him. Her resolution to start this birthday off differently hadn’t yet been implemented. And it never would be with a man like him.

Now that he wasn’t looking at her, she could look away, too, and did—with a deep, regretful sigh.

Shay heard that sigh and smiled. “He is gorgeous, isn’t he?”

Burdened with her own thoughts, Brandi turned to look up at Shay and asked stupidly, “Who?”

“The man you’ve been ogling.” Then Shay took her arm and led her away from the center of the floor. “Every woman here has been doing the same. But then, he’s not exactly the type of man any red-blooded female would fail to notice.”

“He isn’t enjoying being on that stage.”

Shay chuckled. “No, I don’t think he is. But did you see how the women are reacting to his disinterest? They’re going wild for him.”

Feeling choked, Brandi said, “Then I suppose he’ll bring in a good amount for your charity auction.”

“That’s what I’m counting on.” Shay slanted Brandi a look. “I could make you a loan, you know.”

Brandi stumbled but quickly righted herself. “Good grief, Shay! You’re not suggesting…?”

“Why not?”

Such a ridiculous question hardly deserved an answer, but it irritated Brandi enough to give one anyway. “You already know why. Did you look at him? He’s bigger than a barn and dark as Satan. Even wearing a suit, the man looks like a disgruntled savage. And so far, he’s only smiled once.”

“Yes, but that smile almost knocked you on your can. I watched the whole thing. Admit it, Brandi, you like what you saw.”

Trying to be reasonable, Brandi explained, “He makes my insides jumpy. That’s not a good sign.”

Shay’s face lit up. “Are you kidding? That’s a fantastic sign!”

“No.”

“But…”

“No buts.” Then Brandi softened her tone. She knew Shay only had her best interests at heart, and she wanted to put her at ease. “I made a decision this morning to get my life in order, to start…circulating again.”

“Circulating? As in dating?” There was both caution and elation in Shay’s tone.

Brandi smiled. “Yes. I’ll probably make a fool of myself, and I’ll have to start out with someone safe, someone I know well and can trust and who isn’t too pushy or overbearing. But it’s past time I got on with my life. I’m going to start acting like a normal woman again if it kills me.”

Shay grinned. “Well, I don’t think death will actually be a by-product. And I’m thrilled with your decision, I really am. But since you already like the guy onstage—”

They both turned as the announcer began responding to a volley of bids. Things were winding up. He’d be sold any second now. Sadly, Brandy shook her head. Shay didn’t understand. No one in her family did. She tried her best not to burden them, so she kept her lingering difficulties to herself and merely replied, “Fine,” whenever they chanced to ask how she was doing. So far, that seemed to satisfy everyone.

Brandi turned away from the stage, unwilling to witness the final bid. “I’d never buy a man, Shay. I couldn’t do it. You know that.”

Shay stared down at her, then straightened to her full, impressive height. “Well, I certainly have no problem with it.”

And before Brandi could stop her, before she could get a single word out of her suddenly dry mouth, Shay raised her arm and in a loud, carrying voice called out a bid well above any other they’d heard that night.

Stunned silence followed that astronomical bid, quickly replaced by loud complaints and feminine groans. But no one could go any higher. And after a moment, the announcer banged her gavel with obvious satisfaction. “Sold! To Shay Sommers, and pound for pound, he’s a hell of a bargain!”

THE VAGARIES OF FATE were often rather hideous.

Brandi closed her eyes a moment, denying her own despair.

“Well,” Shay said, her tone incredibly dry, “that was taken care of rather easily, wasn’t it? No one even bothered to counter with a higher bid.”

Brandi opened her eyes with that bit of nonsense. “Are you crazy, Shay? Have you totally lost your mind? You can have any man you want, any man! You certainly don’t need to pay for them.”

“But I wanted that man.” Then Shay waved an elegant hand, avoiding Brandi’s gaze. “This is my event. My project. Everyone expected me to make a purchase.”

Brandi made a choking sound.

“Oh come on, Brandi. It’s the same as donating the money directly. Only this way, the men on stage get to advertise their businesses to all the press that’s here, displaying themselves as concerned businessmen, and the shelter will benefit since every company represented has promised to donate free labor. They’ll do painting, concrete work, landscaping…whatever, to help get the newest shelter up and running. They get great publicity and we get free labor. Everyone is happy.”

Except me, Brandi thought, feeling categorically unhappy. She wondered what Shay’s man would contribute, but in the next instant, decided she didn’t want to know. One could only guess what a big, unsmiling barbarian like him did for a living.

“It’s a business venture,” Shay continued. “Everyone will come out ahead—even the travel agency that donated the Gatlinburg prize packages because it’s fabulous publicity for them. And a lot of the people using the packages will be repeat customers. But most of all, needy families will get housing. Do you realize how much money we’ve made?”

Brandi understood Shay’s enthusiasm. Ever since she’d been widowed, Shay had done her best to become involved in the elite Jackson community of Tennessee, trying to pull resources from the wealthy to help those in need. She had her husband’s money, which gave her a lot of clout, and she had the energy and wit to put it to good use. Unfortunately, Shay didn’t fit the part of the matronly widow, not with her exceptional looks and outgoing personality. Many of the men refused to take her efforts seriously, and many of the women chose to see her as a personal threat.

Brandi knew her sister wanted desperately to find a purpose in life, some way to make use of the fortune her husband had left behind. And Brandi wanted to support her in every way she could.

“Shay,” Brandi said, not wanting to dim her sister’s overwhelming exuberance, “You don’t owe me any explanations. If you want to buy a man…well, you can certainly afford it and I had no business questioning you. I apologize.” She was sorry—sorry she’d ever come here tonight. Now all she wanted to do was go home, eat her birthday cake in private and forget she’d ever seen him.

Shay grinned. “I just wanted to make certain you understood my motives.”

Brandi nodded. She did understand. They’d made a bundle tonight, but then she’d never doubted they would. Whenever her sister set out to do something it got done, in a big way.

This time Shay had bought herself a very expensive man.

Without really meaning to, Brandi asked, “But why him?” There were any number of men Shay could have chosen and each and every one of them would have been thrilled with her as purchaser. So why had she chosen this particular man? The one man Brandi wished she’d had the nerve to buy for herself.

Not that it mattered. Brandi instinctively avoided men like him. He was too large, too dark and too imposing. Even under his suit, she’d been able to see all that hard muscle. The man was a damn behemoth, a huge warrior looking ready for battle. Brandi had no idea what she’d do with him if she had him.

But several ideas, vague in nature, flitted through her mind.

Shay only smiled. “You saw for yourself how incredibly sexy he is.”

Sexy didn’t even come close to describing him. He’d looked at her, and she’d gone warm and nervous and breathless all at the same time. He hadn’t flexed or winked or done any of the things the other men had done. He’d merely stood there, looking magnificent.

And Shay had bought him.

Catching Brandi’s hand and dragging her along, Shay led her to where the men were being introduced to the women who’d had the final bids. Brandi tried to hold back, but Shay wouldn’t allow it.

“Come on, Brandi. Our guy should be somewhere at the end of the line. He was the last one sold.”

Our guy? The heels of her low black pumps left marks on the tile floor as Brandi dug in, refusing to move another inch. “Now wait just a minute, Shay! I don’t know what you’re up to, but he’s not our guy.”

With a tug, Shay got her moving again. “You’re right. He’s yours.”

CHAPTER TWO

“YOU CAN STOP right now, Shay. I want no part of this.”

“Now Brandi,” Shay whispered, leaning way down to reach Brandi’s ear. “The press is everywhere, just as I’d hoped. You don’t want to give my charity event a bad name, do you? You know how much trouble I already have getting these stuffy old snobs to accept me and to take part in the benefits. If Phillip hadn’t left me a very wealthy widow, none of them would even speak to me. And if it wasn’t for something so outlandish as an auction, not one of them would have parted with a single additional dime. They couldn’t care less about the needy, you know that, but they do love to have their fun. I had to find a way to give them that in the name of charity—to entice them. You know how crowded the women’s shelters are here in Jackson. We need this auction to succeed. But if my own sister acts appalled, I’ll never be elected to spearhead another event.”

Brandi ground her teeth in frustration, but had to admit Shay was right. It was important to show her support, which was why she’d attended the auction in the first place. Ever since Phillip’s death, Shay had thrown herself into other activities, but this was the first time she’d made much headway. And the auction was an undeniable success. It would be the event that would open future opportunities for Shay. She wanted to help; she needed to help.

The very idea of women purchasing men had all kinds of connotations attached, just as Shay had predicted. Which was why an abundance of reporters had also attended, titillated and ready to produce a story that would give the auction the publicity it needed.

Brandi couldn’t begin to imagine what Shay had in mind for her man. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know. For some reason, the idea of Shay alone with him on a quiet, romantic getaway disturbed her. And as much as she hated to admit it, as much as she loved her sister and wanted her to be happy, she felt envious.

“Come on, Brandi. You’ll enjoy this.”

Extremely doubtful, she thought but it was difficult to take your sister to task when she was so incredibly tall. Compared to Brandi’s five feet four inches, Shay’s six feet could be rather persuasive.

They finally stopped beside a large crowd of women waiting to claim their “purchases.” Brandi looked around, seeing men and women pairing off while photographers captured every move. The women postured, showing off their elegant gowns and jewels, and the men smiled, looking sexy and confident and proud of their success. They were all so natural, so outgoing…so different from her.

Her gaze skimmed the room, taking it all in. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

All but one man.

Brandi froze, her gaze glued to that intense, unsmiling face. Size alone distinguished him from the other men. But there was also the darkness about him, his straight black hair, his tanned skin. Only his green eyes seemed bright, and they were like fire—watching her.

Already he’d loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top of his white dress shirt. Dark curling hair showed in the opening. Brandi wondered if he was that hairy all over, then flushed with the thought.

Lounging, with one broad shoulder propped against the wall, he affected a casual pose, but Brandi suspected there was nothing casual about it. A panther tensed to attack his prey was a better comparison than casual negligence.

He might as well have been on the stage again, he so completely dominated her vision, her thoughts. A touch of thrilling excitement swirled in her belly.

And then it hit her.

He was now Shay’s companion for the next five days, but was singling Brandi out by staring, stalking her with his eyes. Brandi stiffened and let her own black brows draw down in a frown. The man must be a complete cad! Of course, she was searching for reasons to dislike him, to make the situation more tolerable, but still, she had a valid point.

The corner of his mouth quirked in amusement for a split second, then leveled out again. His green gaze, brighter now, but still so very warm, slid over her face, then over the rest of her.

She remembered that look, knew what it meant, though it had been years since she’d experienced it. Experiencing it now made her stomach flip and her muscles tighten. She wondered if her plain black shift disappointed him. It fell to just below her knees, then met with her black stockings. With a barely scooped neck and elbow length sleeves, the dress exemplified her life—plain, uncomplicated, quiet.

Just as she had wanted it to be.

Several women were attempting to speak to him, but he ignored them. He pushed himself away from the wall and started toward Brandi. She considered making a hasty exit, leaving Shay to fend for herself. Watching the two of them get acquainted wasn’t something she could anticipate with any degree of outward indifference.

But Shay turned then and followed Brandi’s gaze. She placed a restraining hand on Brandi’s shoulder, and as the man reached them Shay embraced him with her free arm, kissing his cheek with familiar affection. Brandi could only gawk.

“Sebastian, you did wonderfully—our biggest attraction! For a moment there, I was afraid my bid would cause a brawl. Some of the ladies were very disappointed to be put out of the running.” She laughed, then added, “I was right—you are a natural.”

“A natural idiot for letting you talk me into this,” he said easily, his gaze swinging down to Brandi. He studied her, and his tone dropped to an intimate level. “I don’t think I’ll thank you for making that last bid, Shay.”

Brandi’s eyes widened. Was he insinuating that he’d wanted her to bid? She opened her mouth to…say what? She had no idea, but then he glanced at Shay again.

“I’d appreciate an introduction,” he said, “since you two seem well acquainted.”

Shay grinned, making no effort to hide her satisfaction at his interest. “Not only well acquainted, but related. Sebastian, I’d like you to meet my little sister.” She pressed Brandi forward. “Sebastian Sinclair, meet Brandi Sommers.”

“Sister?” He looked surprised and his eyes narrowed on Brandi’s face, scrutinizing her every feature. Brandi knew he was drawing comparisons between her and Shay, and she was bound to come up lacking. She stiffened her spine and scowled at him.

Shay forged on, intent on some course that eluded Brandi. But somehow Brandi knew, she wasn’t going to like it.

“Sebastian is a good friend of mine,” Shay said, then added with a burst of wary enthusiasm, “Happy birthday, honey! I bought him for you.”

SEBASTIAN’S FIRST THOUGHT was that the woman would faint dead at his feet. She’d gone deathly pale and her mouth had dropped open. Yet when he reached for her, she jerked back and there wasn’t a single ounce of uncertainty in her expression.

Her glare said plain enough that she wanted nothing to do with him.

His sense of indignation rose, but he was unsure what to say. He couldn’t pull his gaze away from her face, regardless of her obvious rejection. Up close, he could see her huge eyes were a very soft blue, ringed with thick black lashes. Her nose tipped up on the end and her small stubborn chin was slightly pointed. There were hollows beneath her cheekbones giving her a very delicate appearance, but her jaw was firm. Her lips…she had a very sexy mouth, he decided, lush and well defined, even if she refused to smile, even if her expression now was more shocked than pleased. She wasn’t pale like Shay, but rather her skin had a dusky rose hue, and her midnight black hair…it was wildly curly, cut short and framing her face…untamable. He found himself suffering a severe case of instantaneous lust. And yet the woman looked appalled at her sister’s generosity. Well, hell.

“I’d never have guessed you were related,” he said, trying for an ounce of aplomb in the awkward moment. “You two look nothing alike.”

Shay grinned. “I’m adopted, didn’t you know? I guess I never told you about that.”

“I guess you didn’t.”

She surprised him with that, enough that he could actually take his eyes off Brandi’s face a moment to stare at Shay. “You’re not kidding?”

“Nope. My stepparents thought they couldn’t have kids, so they took me in. And they’ve always treated me like their first child.”

“You are their first child,” Brandi muttered, frowning up at her sister.

“But shortly after my adoption was final, Mom got pregnant.” Shay beamed down at Brandi. “She’s like a miracle child.”

“Hardly a child now,” he said, his attention resting on Brandi’s pursed lips for a few seconds. He envisioned kissing that mulish expression off her mouth, then had to force that image away before he embarrassed himself.

Brandi rolled her eyes, then crossed her arms over her breasts—small perfect breasts, he couldn’t help noticing. She barely reached his collarbone, but she managed to look imposing nonetheless. “You’ll have to forgive my sister, Mr. Sinclair. She gets carried away with her generous intentions on occasion. But I don’t want…that is…” She fumbled for the appropriate words, which gave Shay a chance to offer more arguments.

“I can afford him, Brandi. And he’s the perfect gift!” Brandi stared at her sister, and Shay grumbled defensively, “Well, he is!”

With her face bright red and her posture rigid, Brandi appeared more than determined to send him on his way.

Sebastian interrupted before she could do just that. “When you say ‘little’ sister, you aren’t exaggerating.”

Shay grasped the change of topic gratefully. “Brandi looks like the family. Petite and dark. I’m afraid with my gawky height and fair hair, it’s me who’s the oddity.”

“Ha!” Brandy now had her hands on her narrow hips. “A beautiful oddity and you know it.” To Sebastian, she said, “Shay is the reining matriarch of the family. She does her best to boss us all around, and usually we let her because she enjoys it so much. It gives her something to do and keeps her out of trouble. But this time…”

He didn’t want to be dismissed, so he held out his hand to Brandi and quickly interrupted. “So I’m a birthday present, am I? I suppose I’ve been worse things in my line of work.”

She put her small hand in his large one, gave it two jerky, firm pumps, then mumbled, “Nice to meet you.” And in the next breath she asked with a good dose of suspicion, “What exactly is your line of work?”

Shay poked Brandi in the ribs, causing her to jump. As Brandi rubbed her side, scowling, Shay explained. “Sebastian owns a personal security agency and he does a credible job of taking care of people, watching out for them, protecting them from danger of any kind. It’s one reason for all the brawn you noticed.”

Brandi’s eyes flared and her cheeks flushed. So she’d noticed him to that degree had she? Excellent.

She stuttered a moment, then ended with, “I’m going to kill you, Shay.”

Shay looked totally unconcerned with the threat. She fluttered her manicured hand in Brandi’s direction as if to fan away the anger. “Sebastian has to stay in top shape. His job can be, at times, very physical. But he’s up to it. He’s real hero material, he just doesn’t realize it.”

“I do my job the same as anyone else, Shay. There’s nothing heroic about it.”

“You see what I mean?” Shay asked Brandi, then added in a stage whisper, “Actually he’d be a perfect male if he wasn’t such a chauvinist. But Sebastian thinks of all women as delicate and frail and he wants to save them all.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Oh, I don’t know about that, Shay. I certainly wouldn’t term you as delicate. Tough as shoe leather maybe, but not—”

Shay smacked at him, laughing. But Brandi frowned as if she didn’t quite trust him, regardless of her sister’s romanticized declaration. Then she turned to Shay, and though she lowered her voice, he heard every word. “I don’t know what you’re up to here, Shay, but it won’t work, so stop it right now. You bought him, you can just keep him.”

“I don’t want him!” Shay said, frowning now herself. “He’s a great guy, but we’re too much alike. We’d kill each other within twenty-four hours. Besides, I’ve already been this route and don’t intend to go it again.”

“But I should?”

Shay shrugged. “You know how it is about a path never traveled. Your weeds are growing tall, Brandi. Pretty soon you won’t be able to find the path anymore.”

“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Brandi muttered. “That’s the dumbest bit of argument you’ve ever come up with.”

Sebastian was beginning to feel like a stray mutt. Not since he was twelve years old and had begun gaining his height and physical structure had a woman showed such disinterest in his company. He wasn’t vain, but then, he wasn’t stupid, either. He’d had women argue over him before, plenty of times actually—but never to see who had to be stuck with him. More often than not, women chased him.

But now Brandi wasn’t chasing him—she was trying to chase him away. Perversely, he was determined to hang around.

Shay had her hands on her hips, mimicking Brandi’s stance, and she looked every bit as determined as Brandi. “I wanted to give you something special for your birthday, Brandi, but I was at a loss. I couldn’t think of a single suitable gift. Then, well, you mentioned your new plans, and inspiration struck.”

Sebastian bit his upper lip. He didn’t understand the part about “new plans,” but inspiration was apparently the way Brandi had stared at him while he was onstage. Her sister had interpreted that eat-him-alive look as interest, so maybe he hadn’t misread her after all. Maybe it was that her interest hadn’t quite encompassed five days alone with him, as the prize package specified. He didn’t understand why—but he was already determined to find out.

Brandi waved a small dismissive hand—the same as her sister had done earlier, only this time it was aimed in his direction. “He wasn’t part of my plans.”

“He’s perfect for your plans! You’re twenty-six today and you never have any fun. Sebastian is fun.” She glanced at him and demanded verification. “Aren’t you fun, Sebastian?”

“A laugh a minute.” But he didn’t feel like laughing. He felt like telling Shay to be quiet and stop pushing her sister. Hell, Shay was practically forcing him on Brandi, and she was resisting admirably. It was a new experience—and he didn’t like it one bit.

Brandi closed her eyes, then opened them again. “No.”

“Now, Brandi…”

It was most likely male pride that motivated him, because he didn’t like being rejected any more than the next guy. Especially not after Brandi had managed to intrigue him so thoroughly with her blatant, wide-eyed, somehow innocent staring. He should just forget about the whole thing. He didn’t have time to take away from his other commitments. He was in the middle of screening new help for hire at his office, and each room in his home was in some stage of renovation. His free time these days amounted to nil.

But he found himself stepping in front of Brandi and Shay, hiding them from the crowd. That damn no had sounded entirely too final, and he’d already determined not to let her say no.

“I’m sorry you’re not happy with the arrangement, Miss Sommers,” he said, not quite able to keep the annoyance out of his tone, “but the fact is, neither of us has any choice at this point. The press is ready to snap a shot of anything that even remotely looks suspicious. If you hesitate or look as if you’re being coerced, Shay’s publicity will suffer. My business will suffer. The women’s shelter will suffer.”

Turning very slowly, Brandi stared up at him. “You’re exaggerating.”

“We’re next in line for photos. If you look unwilling or unhappy you can imagine how the text will read below the picture. They’ll slaughter your sister’s intentions, and my business will be given a bum rap. They’ll somehow twist it so that you had reason to refuse my company on the trip. This whole event will end up looking like a disreputable scam, and the efforts to provide housing for battered families will lose ground.”

After spewing that nonsensical garbage—all of it exaggerated, just as she’d claimed—Sebastian waited. If Brandi Sommers was anything at all like her sister, she wouldn’t want to jeopardize the success of the auction. He waited, holding his breath and feeling ridiculous for letting her decision matter so much to him.

After a calming breath, she looked at Shay. “What will happen now?”

A look of relief crossed Shay’s features, then she smiled. “Your prize package includes a short trip to Gatlinburg, with all expenses paid.” When Brandi started to protest again, Shay added, “You’ll be going to a very quiet resort. I picked the place myself. You’ll love it.”

Reaching out, Sebastian clasped Shay’s shoulder, giving her a silent signal to desist. If he was to be forced on Brandi, he preferred to do the forcing himself. Somehow it seemed less demeaning. “Look at it this way, Miss Sommers. Like it or not, you own me for the next five days.”

Her eyes grew so large he had to struggle to hide his grin. That little reminder had certainly gained her attention. “You’ll be the one calling the shots. If you want to sit in the cabin the whole time and brood about your pushy sister here, that’s your business. I’m just there as an escort if you want or need one.” Then he added innocently, “Or for whatever purpose you assign me.”

That notion had promise, even though Brandi was proving to be a contrary little wretch. She might be cute, and her unwavering gaze could set a man on fire, but she wasn’t the most warm or welcoming woman he’d ever met.

Strange, but for some reason that fact wasn’t deterring his interest in the least.

Brandi did look slightly intrigued by the idea, but then she shook her head. “I don’t know….”

“Take your time and think about it.” He added with a nod at the reporters, “But until we’re out of here, it’s important that you play along. At least pretend to be an excited, willing participant.”

Brandi hesitated again, but she did give in. “Fine. I’ll…think about it. But let’s get this part of it over with, please. I’d like to get home.”

Shay gave her an apologetic smile. “You can’t leave any time soon. The photographers want pictures of the two of you together. There’s hors d’oeuvres, drinks. Dancing.”

Brandi stiffened up again. For whatever reason, she was determined to resist the attraction between them.

He was just as determined not to let her.

BRANDI CONTEMPLATED muzzling her sister. She was in fine form tonight, at her most autocratic. “We’ll do a few pictures, Shay. But you can forget the dancing and drinks.”

Shay looked annoyed, but Sebastian accepted her edict. “Fair enough. Are you ready?” He held out his hand to Brandi.

Ready? Good God, no, she wasn’t ready. But at this point, Shay had left her little choice.

She really didn’t want to touch him again. That one brief handshake had been enough to give her goose-flesh. Just looking at him made her heart beat faster. But she took his hand anyway. It was so large, it swallowed her smaller one. She noticed again that his palm was callused, his skin warm and dry. She actually liked touching him this way. Somehow, the gesture felt right. But she knew getting close enough to that big body to dance—to let him hold her—would be a mistake. She’d probably make a fool of herself and she couldn’t bear that. Not with him.

Better to discourage him now; it would save them both a lot of aggravation.

Shay had disappeared after the first picture—she was probably hiding. She’d dumped a volatile situation in Brandi’s lap with no warning, and though Brandi knew Shay meant well, Brandi was now in the unenviable position of turning down a sinfully gorgeous, sexy man.

“Mr. Sinclair…”

“Sebastian.”

She faltered just a moment, then nodded. “Uh, right. Sebastian.” She looked around the room, avoiding his direct gaze. “I can understand the need to protect Shay’s reputation by going through with a few harmless photos. But there’s no point in carrying this farce any further than that. The idea of a trip together is absurd.”

“No, it isn’t.”

She frowned at his firm disagreement, but he didn’t give her a chance to argue. He towered over her, his expression mild, his tone calm.

“Your sister has made me your gift. By now, everyone here knows it. If we tried to avoid the trip, someone would surely find out and the auction would lose its credibility.” He tilted his head at her. “Why are you so set against going?”

Since she couldn’t very well tell him the truth, she mustered up her most sarcastic tone. “Gee, let’s see. I’ve just met a total stranger and now I’m supposed to go off on a private trip with him.”

He only grinned at her, amused by her forced acerbity. Brandi sighed. Well, so much for insulting him. “Mr…. Sebastian. I don’t know you. I don’t know anything about you.”

“Funny, but with the way you stared earlier, I assumed you’d be pleased to have my company.”

She drew herself up, which was pathetic given the fact she stood at least a foot shorter than him. “You put yourself on a stage for just that purpose! Besides, I wasn’t the only one watching you.”

“But you are about the only one who’d cause such a fuss over a free vacation package! I think just about any other woman here tonight would be happy to go.”

“Maybe I should just give one of them my gift then, and you can both be deliriously happy.”

He stood glaring down at her for a moment, then his expression cleared and he chuckled. He had a nice chuckle…for a mountain. “Damn, I can’t believe I’m standing here debating this with you. Talk about a blow to the old masculine ego.” He took her arm and, without asking, led her toward a quieter corner. “I suppose if I must be abused, I ought to at least find some privacy so I can salvage a little pride.”

Now Brandi felt totally flustered. Abused? She certainly hadn’t meant to abuse him. But she also didn’t want privacy. She wanted to go home to her quiet apartment and pretend none of this had happened. But looking around, she realized they were drawing notice, so she allowed him to drag her away.

When they stopped in the corner Sebastian motioned for her to seat herself at a wooden bench there. She did, and then he sprawled beside her, taking up too much room, letting his thigh touch hers. Brandi stiffened. “Mr…. Sebastian. I’m sorry if I’ve insulted you in any way. Really. That was never my intent. It’s just that I don’t like being forced into a corner.”

He stared at her for a moment before he seemed to come to some sort of decision. “I have to tell you, Brandi. Your attitude really surprises me.”

“Oh?” She didn’t want him delving too deeply into her attitude, so she said, “You’re used to strange women jumping at the chance to go off alone with you?”

“I wouldn’t exactly call you strange. A little different, maybe. But then again… No, don’t storm off in a huff.” He caught her arm and eased her back into her seat. “I was only teasing.”

His smile was so catching, she almost smiled, too.

“You know I’m your sister’s friend. I assume you trust her?”

“Of course I do. She’s my sister.”

“Then you know I can’t be a totally reprehensible character or Shay, who has no tolerance for unkindness in any form, wouldn’t have bought me for you. Correct?”

Exasperation overrode her annoyance. “Good grief. You aren’t exactly a packaged present, for heaven’s sake. It’s a donation is all. You make yourself sound like a toy to play with.”

He chuckled and Brandi felt her face turn hot as she realized what she’d said. He reached out and touched her cheek with his knuckles, softly, just brushing her skin. Brandi almost shot off her seat.

“I don’t know how much playing I’m up to, Brandi, but I’ll try not to aggravate you too much.”

His mere presence aggravated her, but not the way he assumed. She cleared her throat. “I didn’t mean to insinuate…”

“I know.” He took his taunting knuckles away. “Now, back to dissecting my character. Shay told you I own a personal protection agency. People, the majority being politicians or those with high-profile positions, hire me as a bodyguard, or to keep watch over various functions where they might expect trouble. But I also take on other, more personal cases, with endangered women or children. It never ceases to amaze me how men can so easily brutalize someone smaller than themselves.”

Brandi shivered. There was a savagery in his eyes as he spoke that unnerved her. She had no doubt of the contempt he felt for bullies; but then, she shared that contempt.

He seemed drawn into his own thoughts for a moment, then he continued. “I was trained by the military. Spent eight years with Uncle Sam on special assignments that included keeping guard over some big government officials. Then I bailed out, worked for a firm for two years, and now I own my own business. I don’t like people who hurt or frighten other people. So I’ve made it my job to stop people who do.”

“How?”

“Excuse me?”

She had to ask. She had to know. “How do you stop them?”

His teeth closed over his upper lip and he pinned her with his gaze, refusing to let her look away. “However I have to. Without violence whenever possible. With extreme violence when necessary.”

She shuddered, but otherwise hid her reaction. For some reason, having him give her the unvarnished truth lessened the impact of his ruthless words. Brandi glanced at him, then muttered, “At least you’re honest.”

“Always.”

The drop in his voice nearly did her in. It was almost as if he suffered the same confusing mix of emotions that she did. Of course that was impossible. Her situation was unique to women; a man wouldn’t understand.

“I’ll always be honest with you, Brandi. As you get to know me—”

“I don’t want to get to know you.”

“—you’ll learn that I never lie.”

She wanted to growl in frustration. No man had ever so diligently pursued her. She’d given him options, offered to let him out of the absurd situation. Yet he remained insistent. “What do you get out of this, Sebastian?”

“Other than your sterling company?”

There was that touch of mockery again. She lifted her chin. “Yes. Why would you allow yourself to be sold in the first place? You seemed…disgusted by it all.”

“I was, a little.” Then he smiled. “Actually, a lot. I’m not one for rich crowds. Especially since my job usually keeps me in the shadows. And throwing money away—”

“On a very good cause.”

“I agree. But the battered women’s shelter wasn’t the motivation for most of the bids. Even without the cause, those people would have been comfortable tossing away thousands of dollars. To them it was no more than a lark, and the waste of it sickens me.”

“So, why would you do it if you hated it so much?”

“Because the money is desperately needed. Because the number of battered women and abused children rises every day. I see it in my job, I live with it. And I knew, with Shay in charge, the auction would be a success. She refused my check because she needed bodies to fill the stage. And when Shay sets her mind on something, she can be pretty damn persuasive.”

Brandi drew a sigh, then shook her head. He was a likable man, whether she wanted to like him or not. He was mostly polite, even with his arrogance, and his motivations certainly weren’t suspect. If anything, she had to admire his sense of obligation. “Shay has always been a bully. I swear, when she wants something, there’s no stopping her.”

“She’s pushy, but she’s also a shrewd business-woman.”

“You know my sister well?”

“I thought I did. But that bit about adoption threw me. She never let on.”

“Shay doesn’t think about it all that much, none of us do. She’s my older sister. My parents’ first child. Besides, it’s not something you’d bring up in idle conversation.”

“I suppose.”

“How did the two of you meet?” Even as she asked it, Brandi knew she was putting her nose where it had no business being. The notion that Shay and Sebastian might have once had a relationship was irrelevant to her. Or at least it should be.

But she didn’t retract the question.

“Shay and I’ve been friends a little over a year now. I had a case where a man threatened his wife. He’d beaten her before, and the hospital had records of the times she’d been in. But she had two kids, no money and no place else to go. Shay had just started work at the shelter. I got the mother and children settled there, then I worked with a few friends on the police force to get the guy locked up. I would have preferred a more personal vengeance, but that wouldn’t have solved the problem long-term. As it turned out, we discovered he was dealing drugs, too, so he’s out of the picture for a good long while. Anyway, Shay was great, making the family comfortable. We’ve had joint interests ever since.”

Brandi’s heart thudded against her ribs. He’d just given her incredible insight into his character, showing her his morals and his priorities. It was amazing, but she suddenly trusted him. This man was a protector, a man of honor.

And he’d offered to let her be the boss. It was such an intriguing notion—one that worked nicely with her plan to take charge of her life and move forward. She knew now, without a single doubt, he’d abide by her rules.

She hadn’t figured out exactly what her rules would be yet, but she had time to worry about that. With a burst of unusual confidence, she decided to take the chance. She thrust her hand toward him and waited.

He looked at her, then at her hand. One glossy black eyebrow lifted, and there was amusement in his green eyes. He took her hand. “What are we shaking on?”

“I’ll go to the resort with you.”

“Ah.” His grin was wide, putting deep dimples into his lean cheeks. “It was the lulling sound of my voice that brought you around, wasn’t it? The practiced way I repeat a story? No? Then you were convinced by the way I sprawl so elegantly in a seat?”

She gave him her own grin, feeling somewhat smug. “Actually, Mr. Sinclair, I understand now that you can be trusted to stick to your word. You said I’d be the boss, and that for all intents and purposes, I own you for the next five days. I realized I couldn’t possibly pass up such an opportunity. But I won’t let you forget, I’m the one in charge.”

His dark lashes lowered until she couldn’t see his eyes, but his grin was still in place. “Believe me, honey. I won’t be able to forget.”

CHAPTER THREE

THINGS WERE MOVING too quickly. The plane wasn’t at all crowded, especially in first class where Shay had put them, but the emptiness only added to Brandi’s growing anxiety. Looking out the window, Brandi could see a light rain falling. She hated flying at night. She hated flying, period, but at least this was a rational fear shared by millions.

Which offered her not one bit of comfort.

Flexing her shoulders, she tried to relieve some of the tension, but that only caused her to bump into Sebastian. The man took up too much space with his large frame and even larger masculinity. When he was there, he was…there, and it simply wasn’t possible to ignore his presence.

Shay hadn’t given them much time to prepare for the trip, presumably because she thought Brandi might chicken out. Not that she would have. She was determined to see things through. But Shay wasn’t taking any chances. She’d seen to every single detail—and she’d gone overboard in the luxury department.

She’d sent a retainer back to Brandi’s house to pack her bags and bring them to the hotel where the auction had been held. The flight had been scheduled only a few hours after Brandi agreed to go. A limo had taken them to the airport, and a limo would await them when they landed, to whisk them off to the resort. There would be a rental car at their disposal.

Sebastian had planned on leaving the auction with a woman, so he’d brought his luggage with him. Before they’d left, he’d changed into a pair of khaki slacks and a black polo shirt. Brandi had been too flustered at the rush to pay much attention to his new attire at first. But now, with nothing to distract her from the impending flight, she looked him over.

His biceps were massive, stretching the short sleeves of the shirt. The dark color caused his green eyes to look even greener and the fit emphasized his broad muscled chest. The pants, stretched taut by his sprawl, emphasized…

Brandi jerked her gaze upward. A black-banded watch circled his thick wrist, and the shadow of his beard was now more pronounced. She jumped when he said her name.

“What?”

He opened his hand palm up on the elbow rest. “Nervous?”

She didn’t accept his gesture. She couldn’t. To do so would have been admitting to a weakness. And she’d gotten too good at denying her fears to admit to one of them now—not even a small one. “About what?”

“I don’t know.” His voice was quiet, calming, his expression very intent. She had the feeling he knew exactly how to soothe a person; his movements were too practiced and perfect. “Everything—me, the trip, the flight.”

Twisting in her seat she looked at him more fully. Many of the other passengers were napping and had turned out their lights. His face was shadowed, exaggerating the sharp cut of his jaw, the high bridge of his straight nose. The deep awareness in his green eyes.

There was absolutely no chance of Brandi falling asleep.

She frowned in suspicion. “Shay told you how I feel about flying, didn’t she?”

“Yeah.” He stared down at her. “It’s no big deal. I have my own store of phobias. Maybe some day I’ll tell you about them.”

This hulking mass of muscle was admitting to fears? The mountain had phobias? Brandi couldn’t quite believe it. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope.” He wiggled his fingers. “Now give me your hand. It helps, I swear.”

The plane began taxiing toward the runway and Brandi hastily slipped her hand into his. His skin felt incredibly hot against her chilled fingers. She looked down in surprise.

Sebastian smiled. “Your fingers are like ice.”

“It’s cold in here.” Dumb, to sound so defensive about such a ridiculous thing. But his heat was seeping into her, making her tingle, making her breathless. She tried to moderate herself and take a more reasonable tone. “I can’t believe you’re so…hot.”

Oh, great going, Brandi. Now she’d amused him. She could tell by his slight smile and the teasing glint in his eyes. Still, he didn’t provoke her. When he spoke, his words were soft and even. “Most men naturally have a higher body temperature than women. Probably has something to do with muscle density.” He flexed his hand, turning it over so that his was on top. “I’ve always loved a woman’s hands. They’re small and delicate, but usually pretty damn strong.” He squeezed her hand gently. “Yours is nice.”

Brandi stared at him. That low rough voice of his could be lethal, and she suspected he knew it. He examined her hand as if he’d never seen one before. All that attention was making her stomach jumpy again, although now, the feeling was somewhat pleasant. “What are you up to?”

He chuckled. “You think I’m trying to seduce you?”

She blanched. He could fluster her with a look, but the things he said… Feeling like a fool, she shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not…used to this sort of thing.”

He smiled. “Actually, I was only trying to distract you while the damn plane got off the ground. And it worked, didn’t it?”

Stunned, she turned to look out the window, and found only endless black sky. She drew a deep breath and faced him again. “Yes. Thank you.”

“Good.” He turned to look at her more fully, unhooking his seat belt with one hand and glancing around to make certain no one could hear them. Since most everyone was sleeping, they had some measure of privacy. Brandi released him to undo her own belt, all the while watching the way he moved, the way his shoulders flexed, how his straight dark hair brushed his collar and fell over his brow. She’d never been so intrigued by a man, by his smallest movement or gesture.

She wanted to hold his hand again. In fact, there were other places she wanted to touch him besides his hands. But it could be so risky….

“Now, about seducing you…”

Good lord, it wasn’t a topic to discuss. “Sebastian, really, there’s absolutely no need…”

“Yes, there is. I want you to understand that I won’t pressure you in any way. I know this vacation is set up to be romantic, but it doesn’t have to be if that’s not what you want. We can do whatever you like. Take walks, play chess, hell, you can tell me to leave you completely alone if that’s what you want. But if you decide you want anything from me—”

“I won’t!” The protest sounded panicked even to her own ears.

“You’ll have to tell me. What we’re doing now, talking and getting to know each other, that isn’t about sex, okay? It’s about getting comfortable with each other. I know you didn’t want to come on this trip, but I’m glad you did. So if I do anything or say anything that in any way makes you uneasy, I want you to tell me. Agreed?”

Again, she chewed her lip, then nodded. He was touching on a topic she hadn’t expected to have to face. Especially not this soon. Now that he’d brought it up, though, she couldn’t help thinking, wondering what he’d think if he knew precisely why she’d been so resistant to the vacation.

He wanted her to tell him if she wanted anything? She’d never have the nerve. But now she really wished she did.

SEBASTIAN’S ARM WAS NUMB, but he didn’t mind. He liked having her sleep against his side. The limo rode smoothly, the air was quiet and he liked seeing her this way—relaxed, without those impenetrable mental shields to protect her.

He looked down at her, carefully tucked a wayward curl behind her ear, then touched her smooth warm cheek. Being asleep, she didn’t jump away or show her displeasure over his touch.

Having her this close was playing havoc with his libido. She had one leg tucked beneath her, so her dress had hiked up, her knees were peeking out at him and he could see a bit of pale thigh. The sight held his attention for a long moment. One of her shoes had fallen off and he pondered how tiny that foot looked next to his own size fourteens. Her foot was slim, high arched… Good grief, he could hardly believe such a thing could arouse him, but there was no denying the stirring of desire.

He was in bad shape when a woman’s foot turned him on.

Warm breath bathed his throat as she sighed deeply in her sleep. Her nose touched just below his jaw, her unruly hair tickled his cheek and one small plump breast pressed into his ribs.

The stirring grew until he had a devil of a time ignoring the reactions of his own body. But she was tuckered out, poor little thing, probably as much emotionally as physically, and he had no intention of waking her. The plane ride had been difficult enough; she didn’t need to know how much he wanted her. Especially since the feeling didn’t appear to be mutual.

They’d only been in the limo for a little over fifteen minutes when she’d passed out. She didn’t fade out gradually like most people did. No, when Brandi went to sleep it was like watching someone faint dead away. One minute she’d been sitting stiff at his side and staring out the window at the moon-shadowed scenery, the next she had slumped into him, giving him all of her slight weight.

He wanted to pull her into his lap, to cuddle her…to kiss her. She was by far the most intrinsically sensual woman he’d ever known. And when she suddenly wakened, stretching along his side like a cat and yawning hugely, he couldn’t stop himself from giving her a light hug.

Her eyes snapped open and she jerked away from him. Well, he’d expected as much. She was sexy, but she wasn’t interested in him.

Sebastian forced a smile. “I hope the nap helped.”

“How long have I been sleeping?”

Her eyes were huge, wary, almost accusing. “About forty minutes. We should be at the lodge soon.”

She fussed beside him, smoothing down her hair, tugging at the hem of her dress, rubbing her hands together. Watching her made him want her, so he looked away.

“Are you okay?”

The hesitant question had him turning toward her again. “I’m fine. Why?”

“I don’t know. You seem…tense.”

Tense and aroused and…almost needy. She’d tied him into more knots tonight than he’d ever experienced while growing up dirt-poor. He’d suffered plenty of rejections as a child and he’d grown accustomed to them. But as an adult, he hadn’t allowed anyone to make him feel this way. He gave assistance, he didn’t need it.

But now he wanted a woman who didn’t want him back. The idea didn’t sit well with his adult pride. So he gave her only a partial truth.

“I’m not comfortable with all this luxury. The first-class tickets, the limo. The money could have been better spent elsewhere.”

For once her expression softened and the look she gave him had him struggling for breath. He had to swallow back a groan. The driver of the limo was silent behind his privacy window, set on his course. The shadowy darkness of the car and the quiet of the night only added to the intimacy of the whole enterprise. And if she didn’t quit looking at him like that, he’d lose control.

Brandi didn’t appear to notice his trouble. “I’m sure our vacation plan is more extravagant than anyone else’s. But then that’s Shay—extravagant to a fault, especially with the people she loves. I knew the minute she decided to involve me in the trip, she’d take a personal interest. I wouldn’t be surprised if everything was top of the line.” Then she tilted her head. “Does it really bother you so much? Most people would love to be pampered with a limo and such.”

Undecided on how much to tell her, Sebastian hesitated. It was a rather personal topic, and not the easiest thing for him to talk about. But then Brandi touched his wrist and when he looked at her, his entire body tightened.

“It’s all right, Sebastian. I didn’t mean to pry.”

He went down without a whimper. He wanted to talk to her, to gain her trust. And this was as good a place to start as any. Leaning his head back against the soft leather upholstery of the seat, he said, “I grew up poor.”

“I see.”

He chuckled. “No, you don’t. I’m not saying we couldn’t afford a new car, I’m saying we barely afforded food. Half the time the electricity was turned off. Back then, hot water was a luxury, and in our neighborhood a peek at a limo would have been considered prime entertainment.”

Brandi watched him, comprehension in her wide eyes. “So, wasting money still bothers you?”

“Bothers me? Yeah, it bothers me. I guess I learned to be especially thrifty—I had to, in order to make the food last. Now, even though money isn’t an issue with me anymore, squandering it, even if it isn’t mine… Well, it makes my stomach cramp. The only thing I’ve ever been extravagant with is my house. It gives me a kind of security I can’t get anywhere else.”

He waited for her reaction. He’d never before trusted a woman enough to share those personal thoughts. Admitting to such a weakness might have detracted from the image women had of him, and could have disillusioned anyone.

But Brandi didn’t pull away. Instead, she took his hand, entwining her fingers with his. That one small gesture was so full of understanding, so full of giving that he was prompted to go on, knowing that she wouldn’t be disillusioned by him or his truths. He wasn’t certain why he knew that, but he did.

“My mother was incredible, trying so hard to make everything work. But she’d come home so exhausted from the extra hours at below minimum wage that she wouldn’t even think of food. I tried to make certain she ate, but there were times when she was just too tired. There were also times when I couldn’t find food to offer her.”

“What about your father?”

He made a rude sound and Brandi squeezed his fingers. She was a tiny woman, half his size, but she had one hell of a grip—he felt it all the way to his heart.

“My father was a drunken, abusive bastard who only drank up what money my mother did make.” He smiled, but it wasn’t a nice smile. “He was the same type of man who keeps the women’s shelters crowded. He wouldn’t work to better his life. Hell, with the way he drank, he couldn’t have kept a job even if he’d wanted to. So he was miserable. And rather than work toward fixing things, he’d turn around and…take out his anger on my mother.”

“He hit her?” Brandi sounded appalled, but Sebastian had been pulled into his own memories, so he just shrugged. “I can’t even count the number of times I got woke up with my father cursing my mother and her crying. It would last for hours.”

Brandi sucked in a trembling breath and pulled away from him. He looked down at her, and froze. Her face shone pale in the dark interior of the car and her hands were fisted in her lap. She didn’t look merely shocked—she looked livid. Without thinking, Sebastian said, “Damn it, I’m sorry.” And he tugged her close. She was stiff, resisting his comfort, but he needed it as much as she did so he didn’t loosen his hold.

“I shouldn’t have gone on like that. Hell, I don’t even think about it all that much anymore, except for the waste of money. Brandi?” He cradled her head between his palms and turned her face up to him. “Are you okay?”

Nodding, she touched his cheek with a trembling hand. But her dark brows were still lowered and she looked almost ferocious. “I’m sorry, Sebastian. You shouldn’t have had to go through such an awful thing.”

“Me? It was my mother who had to put up with him.”

She shook her head. “And you had to worry about both of them, didn’t you?” She sniffed past her anger, a single tear glimmering in her eye.

Her reaction seemed extreme to him. Hell, it had happened long ago. He searched her face, but he saw no pity, no revulsion. There was only complete understanding, which confused him more than anything. How could a woman who’d come from a wonderful loving family really understand the coarse existence he had led?

Slowly, she pulled away from him and moved a few inches over on the seat, putting space between them. She gave him an uncertain look when he continued to watch her. “Do you ever see your father now?”

He made a sound, something between a choke and a snort. “Not a chance. Not when I was the one who chased him away.”

“You?”

“When I was about twelve, I decided I’d had enough. I waited for my father with a chunk of broken lumber from the building site down the street. I considered it an equalizer. When he reached for my mother that last time, I stopped him.”

“Extreme violence when necessary?” Her voice was a soft, gentling whisper.

He shrugged. “I took a few licks myself that day, but since my father had been disgustingly drunk, I doled out more than my fair share, too. And to a man like my father, it just wasn’t worth hanging around if he had to take any abuse himself. He knew damn well, from that day on, he’d have to contend with me every time he showed up. So he left. And he never came back.”

“But you saved your mother.”

That was how Sebastian had consoled himself over the loss of his father, because despite everything, despite how absurd it seemed, he’d had feelings for the man. He had missed him when he’d just disappeared. For a while, it had been difficult, though those feelings had long since faded. “She never mentioned it, never said if she approved or disapproved. But she smiled more often after he’d gone. And knowing I’d managed to make a difference made me feel good too, even when I had an empty belly.”

“My father is the most gentle man you’d ever meet,” Brandi said softly. “He spoils us all, going overboard on gifts and affection. He can lecture a body crazy, but he’d never raise a hand against a woman in anger.”

“You’re lucky that your family is like that.”

“I’ve always thought so.” Then she said, “You must be very proud of all you’ve accomplished since then. You’ve overcome a very tragic background.”

“Not all that tragic, and really, not all that different from what a lot of families live through. But it is what helped me decide on my future. And why I have such a successful business now.”

“The personal protection agency?”

“Yes.” Sebastian was astounded by how incredibly easy it was to talk to Brandi. Already, she knew more about him than most people did. “I decided I needed a job to help out after my father left, even though we were probably better off without buying his booze and with one less mouth to feed. I’d gained most of my height by then and I was street tough, so I hired myself out.”

“You belonged to a gang?”

“I was my own gang.” He chuckled now, remembering how full of himself he’d been. “I was a teenager, but I thought I was as capable as anyone. If someone needed protection, I supplied it. I was a big kid and I’d learned to be mean the hard way, by necessity. But I was choosy. I worked as a defense, not an offense. I wouldn’t attack, only protect. And I made a bundle doing it.”

“Sebastian…” She hesitated, but when he waited, she finally said, “It sounds like you learned how to live with the bad, not how to get away from it.”

“True. It’s called surviving. But I did finally figure that out, though not before a few scrapes with the law and a few near misses with my general well-being. Which is why I joined the service. College was out of the question. I barely made it through high school by the skin of my teeth. I wasn’t dumb, just rebellious. And the service was structured enough to get me straightened out.”

“It’s incredible how you turned your life around.”

Startled, he looked down to see Brandi watching him, her blue eyes wide and intense in the darkness, only an occasional streetlight glimmering across her features. His heart still aching with the memories of his painful childhood, he wanted nothing more than to kiss her, to take comfort and give it. But the moment his gaze dropped to her mouth, she stiffened, and once again he accepted the rejection.

This would probably be the longest five days of his life. Brandi didn’t want him—might not ever want him—yet every minute with her, made him want her more. He felt an affinity with her that he’d never shared with another person. It didn’t make sense, not with Brandi so petite and innocent and sweet—so much his opposite. Yet he felt it, because he felt her understanding, her concern, her giving….

Though he’d had lovers and female friends, none of them had affected him this way. Never had anyone gotten past his guard so effortlessly. Sharing so much time with her alone would be a unique form of torture.

He laughed off the discomfort. He really had no choice. “I’m incredible? Now you’re starting to sound like Shay.”

She grinned. “Heaven forbid.”

When she continued to stare at him, her expression curious, he asked, “What?”

“You’re such a…big man. I can’t quite imagine you as a little kid. Do you look like your mother?”

“No. She was small, like you, but better rounded.”

Brandi chuckled. “Shay is always telling me to eat more. But I could gain twenty pounds and still not be rounded, at least not in the right places.”

“You’re fine just the way you are. Tell Shay to mind her own business.”

He’d said it in a teasing tone, but still Brandi looked embarrassed. “I’d like to meet your mother some day. I imagine she’s very proud of you.”

“She died years ago, Brandi. But my mother was always proud, even when I didn’t deserve it. She used to claim I was the only good thing she had to look forward to. Which, when I look back to my misspent youth, is really pretty sad.” Then he grinned, just so she wouldn’t see how the topic affected him—how she affected him. “It’s a parent’s duty to be proud, no matter how you screw up.”

In a voice so low he almost couldn’t hear her, she said, “My parents haven’t always been proud of me.”

He stared at her profile, at her downcast expression, and frowned. “That can’t be true. You’ve just said how your father dotes on you, and Shay brags about your mother all the time. They love you a lot.”

“Yes, they do. But I’ve made some pretty terrible mistakes.”

He wanted to know what kind of mistakes she was referring to. He couldn’t imagine Brandi doing anything irresponsible or reckless. She didn’t seem the type. But he also wanted her to confide in him freely. So he didn’t ask. His job had taught him patience, especially with women, and he knew that if he bided his time, if he let her get to know him, she’d learn to be more comfortable with him.

She wouldn’t look at him, and he had to cup her chin to turn her face up to him. “We all make mistakes, honey. That’s part of being human.”

“I can’t…” She hesitated, not another word forthcoming.

Sebastian gave her a small smile. “It’s okay. No pressure, remember?”

She drew a deep breath, then blurted, “I shouldn’t be here. You should have had this vacation with another woman. It was unfair of Shay to foist me off on you like this. But it’s not too late. Maybe we could—”

“Brandi.” She went still as a stone, then blinked up at him. “I didn’t want to be here with anyone else. I wanted to be here with you.”

“But you don’t understand.”

“Understand what?” His temper frayed a bit and he struggled to control it. “That you’re not interested in getting cozy with me? Believe me, I’ve figured that out already. And it’s okay. I’m still enjoying your company.”

“I fell asleep!”

“You were tired. I didn’t mind.”

“It was rude,” she grumbled.

His sigh was long and loud. “Do you realize I’ve told you more about myself than any of my friends even know?” Her eyes widened. “I don’t know why, damn it, I just felt like talking. You listened, so you’ve heard it all.”

“I’m glad.”

“And I’m glad you’re here with me.” He squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll make the best of it, okay?”

She drew another deep breath, something she seemed to do when she was nervous, then let it out in a sigh. She peeked at him, her gaze hesitant. “I…I wanted to come. I really did.”

“But?”

“I’m just not ready to do this.”

He didn’t know what this was, but several things came to mind. She might be in love with someone else. She might have had her heart broken, or maybe she wanted someone more influential, someone with her background. He didn’t care. Whatever the obstacle, he’d overcome it somehow.

He’d been in his business long enough to know what appeared on the surface wasn’t always the reality. Brandi seemed like such an enigma—bossy yet sweet, confident yet sometimes unsure. He had five days to learn more about her, to figure her out, and he was looking forward to every minute of it.

He smiled. “Are you forgetting you’re in charge of this trip? We do what you want, when you want and how you want.”

“I just…I don’t like taking chances.”

He didn’t understand that, either, but it didn’t matter, not at this moment. “I think you’re ready to take a chance. A small chance,” he added, just so she wouldn’t stiffen up on him again. “With me.”

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