PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE
NICOLA MARSH

NIGHTS OF PASSION

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

EPILOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

THE minute Kate Hayden saw Tyler James again, her world turned upside down.

Okay, maybe nothing quite so dramatic, but it sure seemed as if her axis tilted way off kilter as the gut-wrenching desire that had been a feature of their brief relationship eons ago was back, overwhelming in its intensity.

It had been six, long years since she’d last seen him so why were her hormones going haywire at the sight of him now?

She’d gotten over him a long time ago.

She’d prepared for this.

She’d psyched herself up for weeks ever since she’d seen his name on the list of ‘Odd Bods’, the rather quaint name given to the charity man auction the magazine was sponsoring, and known she had to see him.

So she was curious? No big deal. She’d been nosy her whole life and the trait served her well in her job, giving her a head-start on the next big story, helping her make a name for herself.

But this insatiable curiosity about Ty was different and she’d known it the minute her tummy had tingled at the sight of his name on the auction list.

This wasn’t just the natural curiosity of an investigative journalist. Uh-uh.

This was the intense burning curiosity of a woman who’d walked away from the best thing that had ever happened to her.

First loves weren’t supposed to last and she’d moved on a long time ago, but somehow seeing his name on that list had brought back a rush of memories, all good, and she had to see him.

She’d hoped he’d be shrunken and balding and his muscles had wasted away. Although where would the fun be in that?

She sipped her champagne, hoping the bubbly liquid would ease the sudden dryness of her throat as the guy she’d once thought she’d spend the rest of her life with strutted across the stage.

Oh, my.

The champagne momentarily soothed her thirst but it did nothing for her erratic pulse, which skipped all over the place at the sight of the sexiest guy she’d ever met standing on display to a room full of women as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

Ty looked incredible, far hotter than she remembered—and she remembered a lot! If anything, the years had enhanced his rugged good looks. Fine lines radiated from the corners of his blue eyes doing little to detract from the tanned, hard planes of his face, his high cheekbones hinting at arrogance. Rich brown hair streaked blond by the sun, cut in the traditional short-back-and-sides he favoured. And those finely shaped lips…

Oh, yeah, she remembered those lips all too well, seducing her with their skill, giving pleasure, wreaking havoc.

The memories still lingered, imprinted on her brain, branded there, utterly indelible. She’d deliberately blocked them over the years, concentrating on her career, trying to build a life for herself in a new country.

Leaving Sydney for LA had been a huge decision for a twenty-one-year-old. But meeting Ty shortly after she landed in the US had made that transition a lot less scary; in fact the guy had lit her world back then.

Squirming in her chair, she took another sip of champagne. This wasn’t the time to get caught up in memories of Ty. She had to focus her attention for the next ten minutes, at least till she’d given her speech. Senior editors needed to be cool and poised, not hot and bothered while practically drooling over an old flame.

‘So, without further ado, ladies, I present our last Odd Bod for the evening. Though from where I’m standing there’s nothing odd about this particular bod!’

A soft twittering swept the room as all eyes turned to the stage. Kelly Adams, the glam local TV station presenter, gestured to the man on her right as she continued her spiel.

‘I know you’ll like what you see, ladies. Tyler James is a Navy SEAL instructor. By the way, SEAL stands for Sea, Air and Land, for those of you who don’t know, and they’re an amazing bunch of Special Forces guys. Tyler stands at six feet four with muscles to die for, has amazing blue eyes, is equipped to handle anything and likes to take charge!’

Catcalls and whistles filled the air while the man in question squared his broad shoulders and grinned, not in the least embarrassed.

‘So, what am I bid for Tyler? Come on, ladies, dig deep. The Ramirez Orphanage is a good cause that needs your help to stay open. Besides, who wouldn’t want this man doing their odd jobs for the next week? Perhaps a spot of gardening? Car washing? Cooking? Housework? Your call, ladies. I’d bid myself though I think my husband would have something to say about it. Who’ll start the bidding?’

As Kelly’s announcement sank in Kate pondered his change in career. Ty had become an instructor? When they’d first met he’d been a proud SEAL, resplendent in his uniform and bristling with macho ideals. No behind-the-scenes action for that guy. He’d been committed and passionate with a genuine love for his career. Why the change of heart?

She stared at the man on stage, questions swirling through her head.

Why hadn’t they given it a go?

Had chasing their careers rather than following their hearts been worth it?

Had growing up changed them?

Needing a distraction from her futile questions, she glanced around the table and noticed every woman’s attention riveted to the stage. Not that she could blame them, considering what was on show up there.

They were a great bunch of girls to work with, all highly talented in their own right: journalists, editors and photographers. Diane, her personal assistant, had organised this gathering in support of the magazine’s sponsorship of the orphanage. In fact, Di had been in charge of choosing this year’s worthy cause and had taken care of every detail and all she’d had to do was turn up.

As if sensing her gaze, Di turned towards her.

‘Why don’t you put in a bid, Kate? About time you had some excitement in your life.’

Excitement? Her? No way. Been there, done that and still had the SEAL scars to prove it.

To her mortification, the rest of the girls turned to look at her so she schooled her features into her best ‘I’m too busy to have fun’ look.

‘Sorry to disappoint, everyone. No time for excitement. What would I do with an Odd Bod anyway?’

Though her voice remained steady the idea of Ty trailing after her for a week did strange things to her insides.

Things she shouldn’t be feeling…or remembering…

‘My point exactly,’ Di smirked. ‘If you don’t know what to do with a total hunk like that you need more help than I first thought. Why don’t you live a little and show us you’re human after all?’

The rest of the table joined in, goading her into bidding and she shook her head, chuckling at their enthusiasm.

So Di had a point. She did bury her life in her work, determined to show that effort and dedication were the keys to success. However, being a workaholic had its downside and she hadn’t had any fun in ages. She’d been fun and impulsive once, and she was too young to be living the sensible ‘all work no play’ life. Maybe a brief catch-up off-stage with an old ‘friend’ could be an antidote to that?

What harm could placing a bid do? It wasn’t as if she’d be the only one. Just one look at Ty and every woman in the room would be reaching for their cheque books.

‘Okay, okay. I’ll do it. Sheesh.’

She held up her hands in surrender and grinned as the girls cheered. Downing the rest of her champagne in two gulps, she raised her hand high in the air and waved it like a cheerleader on a caffeine high.

‘Five hundred dollars,’ she yelled, buoyed by the alcohol and a sudden rush to do something completely out of character.

Pin-drop silence followed and rather than sinking into her chair with embarrassment she straightened her spine, head up, waiting for the moment Ty laid eyes on his bidder, eager to see his reaction, wondering if they still had a spark.

She had her answer in the next loaded second when Ty focussed that too-blue gaze of his on her, the shock of recognition registering in the imperceptible widening of his eyes across the room as they stared at each other, neither backing down, locked in an invisible battle of wills so reminiscent of the past.

Maybe it was the champagne, maybe it was the number of women packed into the room, but while Kate sat trapped under the intensity of Ty’s stare she broke out in a sweat as her body temperature sky-rocketed and she could barely breathe.

‘Do I have any further bids?’ Kelly queried, surveying the room with a grin on her expertly made up face.

Please. Someone…anyone…

Kate’s silent plea preceded complete and utter bedlam as the ladies—and she used the term loosely—in the room erupted.

Maybe her initial bid had been a tad on the high side considering the average guy had gone for around three to four hundred all night. But she’d wanted to prove a point to the girls, show them she could lighten up when needed. Unfortunately, she hadn’t counted on the speculative gleam in her ex’s eyes or the competitive nature of her fellow bidders.

‘Five-fifty!’ shouted a boppy blonde.

Kate rolled her eyes. Blondes were so not Ty’s type.

‘Six hundred,’ yelled a willowy redhead who looked like Nicole Kidman, her smug smile indicating she thought she’d won.

‘Six-fifty.’

Kate sat up and took notice of the third bidder, a sultry brunette reminiscent of Catherine Zeta-Jones with breasts that could take out a guy’s eye at a hundred paces.

Now she was Ty’s type.

Di leaned over and muttered behind her raised hand. ‘Hey, are you going to let these amateurs beat you?’

Suddenly, Kate knew that was out of the question. Fuelled by a fierce competitive streak she’d had since birth, she downed her newly topped-up glass of champagne and jabbed her hand high in the air.

‘One thousand dollars!’

Chaos ceased as curious eyes—and several eyes shooting daggers if she counted the blonde, Nicole and Catherine—focussed on her and she clenched her fists under the table, her heart pounding.

‘Going once? Going twice? All done?’

As the gavel in Kelly’s hand hit the podium with a resounding thud Kate jumped.

‘Sold. To Kate Hayden, whose magazine is our major sponsor today. Well done, Kate. Why don’t you come up here and claim your prize?’

‘You go, girl,’ Di laughed, slapping her on the back. ‘Didn’t know you had it in you.’

Numbness flooded Kate’s body as she walked towards the stage mechanically putting one foot in front of the other as thunderous applause rang out, almost succeeding in drowning out the pounding of her heart, which still reverberated in her ears.

Well, wasn’t this just peachy?

She’d envisaged a brief catch up with Ty tonight, but not like this. A short, impersonal meeting off-stage had been her goal, not an up-close-and-personal encounter in front of the whole room.

As she dragged her feet up the steps she looked Ty in the eye and tried not to crumple into a pathetic heap at his feet. Up close he was even more handsome if that were possible. His vivid blue eyes, the spectacular colour of the Pacific Ocean at Malibu on a fine day, had a quizzical edge as his glance raked over her, setting her body alight.

Damn, he was hot. Hotter than hot and she was burning up from the inside out just being this close to him.

‘You’re looking good, Katie. Long time no see.’

His deep voice flowed over her in a warm caress just as it used to and her knees wobbled, an instant reminder of her foolishness when it came to this guy.

Rattled by her reaction, she aimed for cool. ‘Yeah, it has been a long time. Amazing what I’ll do for charity, isn’t it?’

The momentary warmth in his eyes sparked into fire, the same fire that had scorched her with its brilliance on more than one lucky occasion.

‘Now, now. Is that any way to talk to your fiancé?’

‘Ex,’ she muttered, unable to keep her mouth from twitching at the teasing glint in his eyes.

Those incredible eyes…she was convinced they had the power to make her do crazy things. Why else would she be standing here like a hypnotised chook unable to look away?

Kelly’s head swivelled between them, her catlike eyes glowing with interest.

‘Well, well. Seems like these two are going to get along famously. They’re already chatting. Why don’t you say a few words, Kate, before we wind things up?’

Kate tore her gaze away from Ty’s mesmerising stare and strode to the podium, hoping that her professionalism wouldn’t desert her while her mind was a useless jumble of unexpected memories.

‘As senior editor for Femme magazine I’d like to thank you all for attending our Odd Bod Man Auction here tonight.’

Glancing at the piece of paper thrust into her hand, she continued, ‘Thanks to your generosity we’ve raised over ten thousand dollars for the Ramirez Orphanage. Well done, ladies.’

Particularly well done to her considering she’d contributed one tenth of that money to ‘purchase’ the guy she had every intention of cutting loose once this evening was over. The money didn’t irk nearly as much as the fact he now knew she’d outrageously overbid to beat every other woman in the room to have him, not once, but twice.

The smattering of applause died down and she forced herself to concentrate on finishing up the speech.

‘I’d also like to thank the men who generously volunteered their time tonight and for the next week. I’m sure the ladies will be more than thrilled to have personal Odd Bods for the week ahead. I know I am.’ Not.

There, that last remark should show him that he hadn’t affected her. Not much, anyway.

Squaring her shoulders, she turned to Ty and flashed him an uneasy smile. Once again loud applause filled the room as he blew her a kiss.

Damn it, her knees wobbled again. All it took was one stupid little gesture and she was acting as she had when they first met: star-struck, smitten and totally unable to control her reactions to him.

Leaning on the podium for support, she fixed a bright smile on her face and turned to the audience.

‘Thank you, ladies. We hope to see you at our next fundraiser.’

As she stepped away Kelly grabbed her arm.

‘Not so fast, Kate. Have you forgotten what the last step is after a successful bid?’

Her heart plummeted. She’d been hoping to escape the final humiliation every other woman who’d purchased an Odd Bod had gone through. The goofy friendship bracelets bearing a strong resemblance to handcuffs to shackle the Odd Bods to their bidders were tacky to say the least. And it looked as if she’d have to grin and bear it.

‘Come on, you two. Don’t be shy. Kate, you can remove this any time you want…if you’re game.’

With that final remark, Kelly snapped the bracelet onto her wrist, the other end already securely fastened to Ty’s, and dropped the key into his jeans pocket.

‘You’ve got to be kidding,’ Kate muttered, silently vowing she would never drink champagne again.

Though deep down she knew it wasn’t only the alcohol that had made her bid for Ty. One look into those gorgeous baby blues after all this time and she’d lost it.

Though she didn’t have feelings for him any more the thought of some other woman having him trailing after them for a week performing goodness knew what duties had been incentive enough to make her commit the ultimate folly, that ludicrous bid to end all bids.

‘No joke, I’m afraid. Looks like the fun’s just beginning,’ Ty said, swinging their bound arms into the air in a victory salute.

The applause crescendoed, accompanied by raucous hooting and laughter, and light bulbs flashed in a continuous wave as the contingent of photographers lapped up the opportunity. Kate clenched her jaw and grinned, determined to appear in control when in fact she wanted to bolt.

‘Yeah, I’m having a real ball,’ she said through gritted teeth, keeping her smile in place and giving a subtle yank on the chain binding them.

‘Just a little longer. Plenty of time to get reacquainted later.’

His subtle, husky emphasis on ‘reacquainted’ set her pulse racing and she took a deep breath, knowing the faster they got off-stage and unlocked, the happier she’d be.

She lowered her arm forcefully, pulling his down, and Ty tugged on the chain linking them, reinforcing the fact that if he hadn’t wanted to lower his arm she wouldn’t have succeeded in moving him one inch.

‘Let’s go.’

She marched off the stage, leaving him no option but to follow.

Now was her big chance.

To do what?

Exchange pleasantries? Make small talk?

Chewing her lip in frustration, Kate picked up the pace. For someone who spent her life making decisions over which words sounded better or which articles went where, she hadn’t thought this through at all.

Seeing Ty on stage was one thing, having him attached to her up close and personal another.

She’d wanted to catch up? Well, looked as if she had her opportunity considering she’d spent a small fortune to have him bound to her for a week.

Not that she’d hold him to it. They’d have a quick catch-up backstage and she’d let him go.

Yeah. That was exactly what she would do. Simple.

Then why did she feel as if fate was chuckling and the joke was on her?

Tyler shook his head. Still the same old Kate: proud, gorgeous, independent, with those bewitching hazel eyes that got him every time.

He’d enjoyed teasing her during their brief relationship, the golden flecks in her eyes sparking whenever she reacted to his banter. Those flecks had also glowed when she’d been aroused, as he remembered all too well.

He’d been floored when their gazes had locked across the room, her presence at the auction a sucker punch to the gut when he’d least expected it, and try as he might he’d found his gaze drawn to her repeatedly while she’d acted as if he didn’t exist.

Then what had that crazy bidding been about?

Damned if he knew.

‘Keep up,’ Kate said, giving a none-too-subtle yank on the chain binding them, and he bit back a grin.

She hadn’t changed at all, still the same determined woman who wasn’t going to wait for anyone, as she picked up the pace.

His gaze travelled to her butt and the way the black linen skirt clung to every sexy, provocative curve. She didn’t merely walk. She strutted and then some on long legs, showgirl legs, sensational legs that had wrapped around him so many sweet times.

The great thing about her height was it didn’t detract from her curves one iota. In his experience, tall women were usually lean with small breasts and few curves. Kate, however, was the antithesis of this stereotype. For a woman about five-ten, her voluptuous breasts and narrow waist would put an hourglass to shame.

She was a knockout, pure and simple.

He wrenched his gaze away from her butt and his mind out of fantasy land and focussed his attention on her hair, admiring the sleek, new style. Shorter hair suited her. The burgundy highlights in the chocolate-brown depths drew attention to the shiny mass that now brushed across her shoulders and he itched to run his fingers through it.

Unfortunately, it seemed moving his view higher hadn’t dampened his growing desire. If anything, the thought of her luscious locks trickling like soft silk through his fingers inflamed him further.

Looked as if he still had it bad. No great surprise there.

How many nights had he lain awake dreaming about her, wishing he could reach out and touch her? In fact, the fantasies about Kate had been one of the few things that had kept him sane during the agonising year-long knee-rehabilitation programme two years after their split, when dreary days had merged into pain-filled nights as he had tried to come to terms with the fact his knee was bust, no amount of exercise could ever repair the damage and he’d be off Team Eight, removed from active duty permanently.

Life had sucked big-time back then.

Now, it looked as if his fantasy had come to life again. So what was he going to do about it?

From the first minute he’d caught sight of her sitting at a table surrounded by beautiful women yet standing out anyway he’d been stunned. She’d been staring at him, her luscious mouth a perfect little pout, and he’d had difficulty breathing. In fact, his first glimpse of Kate after six long years had been worse than a case of the bends, and no amount of hyperbaric chamber treatment would fix what he had for her.

Lust, pure and simple, had slammed through his body, making him want to leap over tables, grab her and lock his mouth to hers, tasting her, possessing her, reminding her of how damn good they’d been together in the bedroom.

He stumbled and she cast a pitying glance over her shoulder while he sent her a cocky grin.

Staring at his sassy ex strutting in front of him had him remembering exactly how great they’d been together. Perhaps spending seven days trying to resurrect old times before facing the life-changing appointment next week wouldn’t be such a bad thing?

Yeah, that sounded like a plan.

And like any good SEAL, he always stuck to the plan.

CHAPTER TWO

KATE didn’t speak till they reached the confines of a dressing room backstage. With Ty’s stare boring holes into her back, it took her a while to figure out what to say.

Her plan to have a quick chat and catch up had sounded good at the time. However, now that she actually had him all to herself her plan had hit a snag. A big one.

She hadn’t banked on the familiar zing between them, that special something that had prompted her to propose to him in the first place. Back then he’d thought it had been a bit of a laugh and she hadn’t disillusioned him.

She’d played it down, they’d joked about being engaged, he’d attributed it to her crazy sense of humour, but deep down she’d known it hadn’t been real. They were two crazy kids in love, him fresh out of SEAL training, her fresh off the plane from Sydney. Vegas had been a hoot, hooking up with the fun-loving SEAL even more so, and it had seemed natural to move in with him back in LA.

But life wasn’t just about fun and they’d both had places to go, careers to pursue and they’d done the right thing in splitting up.

Hadn’t they?

Kate closed the door behind them, determined to make their catch-up short and sweet. Either that or succumb to a sudden hankering for a fix of seal and it sure didn’t involve going to the zoo to get it.

‘Look, I know this must seem crazy to you, me bidding and all. But I just wanted to catch up. Basically, I’ve no intention of holding you to this odd-jobs stuff. I’ll happily donate the money to the orphanage and we can call it quits, okay?’

He remained silent, a speculative gleam in his blue eyes with the barest glimmer of a smile playing about his sexy mouth.

Disconcerted by his silence and the look in his eyes, she rushed on. ‘It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Guess I just got curious, wondering what you’ve been up to. Six years is a long time.’

Could she sound any more pathetic?

Standing this close to Ty, having that intense blue stare focussed solely on her, was short-circuiting her brain. Not to mention the nerve-endings firing through her body.

‘It is a long time.’

His cool tone was at odds with the banked heat simmering in his eyes and she shivered despite the warmth of the room.

‘So a quick catch-up before cutting you loose isn’t so bad, right?’

She forced a fake laugh, expecting him to join in and agree.

‘No.’

Typical Ty: short, sharp, to the point and the opposite of what she expected him to say or do.

‘What?’

‘I said no.’

‘No, you don’t want to catch up or no, you don’t want to be cut loose?’

Oh-oh, why did her voice have to do that, go all soft and low and husky? As if she were baiting him? Tempting him?

It was his fault. Less than a few minutes in his company after six years and she’d fallen into flirt mode automatically.

He shook his head, a slight frown appearing between his brows, accentuating the age lines that fanned from the corners of his eyes. Though little could detract from his good looks Ty looked older, weary, as if he’d fought a thousand battles.

‘I don’t want a quick catch-up.’

‘Oh.’

She couldn’t stand this. He was confusing the heck out of her just as he’d always done by keeping his emotions under tight control while burning her up with those ‘come get me’ eyes.

‘I want a long one. I want to hear everything you’ve been doing. Everything.’

His eyes darkened to the colour of her favourite stone, a deep blue sapphire, and the comparison disconcerted her. She didn’t want to compare him to anything as precious as her grandma’s heirloom ring.

‘It’s been way too long, Katie.’

His smooth, steady tone did little to placate her as she tried to ignore the way her heart thumped when he said her name in that familiar way.

‘Uh-huh,’ she said, wishing she could think of something witty to say rather than standing here captured in the intensity of his stare, wondering if he knew the effect he was having on her after all this time.

‘So what do you want to do?’

Fling myself at you?

Tear your clothes off?

Have my way with you?

She had to think of something sensible to say, something to break the tension.

‘What do you want to do?’

Rather pathetic but at least she’d put the onus firmly back on him. Let him make the decision. She couldn’t think straight and control her impulse to jump him at the same time.

‘This.’

His husky tone sent a shiver of anticipation skittering down her spine and before she knew what was happening he had tugged on the steel links binding them, hard.

She fell against his body, the wind knocked out of her, reaching for him to steady her as his head descended, blocking out the harsh glare from the mass of light bulbs around the mirrored walls.

Oh, wow…

His lips crushed hers, frantic, hungry, but oh-so-sweet. Her mouth burned beneath his as his kiss demanded and she gave without thought, without reason.

Pure, blind need shot through her body as she responded to him on some kind of instinctive level.

This can’t be happening, flickered through her mind as his tongue nudged her mouth open, urgent, exploring, begging her to match him for pleasure. Not again.

Her stomach dropped away as his commanding kiss deepened, logic fleeing as his tongue ran along her bottom lip, driving her crazy with longing.

She’d missed this, missed him more than she’d realised, and as his teeth followed where his tongue had been, nibbling and nipping with precision, she realised the strange whimpering sounds filling the air were coming from her.

‘Ty.’ She whispered his name, lost in waves of electrifying sensation as her body trembled under his expert touch, currents of desire shooting every-which-way.

No other man had ever made her feel this way. Only Ty.

And it had been six, long years.

She strained against him, encountering hard evidence of how much he wanted her. Her eyes flew open and she turned her face away, staring at their reflected embrace in the mirrored walls. Reality sank in as she watched him rain kisses up her throat and she pushed him away, barely able to tear her gaze away from the mirrors. He followed her stare, a lazy smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

‘We still look good together, huh?’

His words roused her from the sensual fog that had enveloped them as reality crashed in.

What was she thinking, responding to him like this?

She was a big girl now, not some love-starved, naïve tourist who’d landed in a new country and ended up staying.

‘Dream on,’ she muttered, hating how she’d melted into a mushy marshmallow under his hot kiss, hating that he was right even more.

They did look good together. Too good. A picture she’d believed in six years ago before realising it was a mirage and mentally ripping it in half.

He chuckled, tracing a finger from her cheek to her jaw-line with torturous patience.

‘Maybe I was out of line with that kiss but I think you wanted it as much as I did.’

Damn him for knowing her almost better than she knew herself.

‘I’m tired. I responded without thinking.’

Yeah, and she practically melted into a heap at the feet of the nearest sexy guy whenever she was exhausted—which happened to be often considering the office hours she kept. As if.

He grinned. ‘Great response. Maybe this catch-up was meant to be? Maybe your subconscious prompted you to buy me because you still want me? Maybe—’

‘You’re full of it,’ she said, mortified by how easily he could read her, by how that one kiss had resurrected a whole host of sensual memories she’d assumed long forgotten.

The impulse to be fun and spontaneous had not been one of her brightest ideas. She’d end this now if she could get her brain to slip back into gear and her heartbeat back under control.

Ty ran his free hand through his hair, the usual short-back-and-sides that suited him so well, and for an irrational instant she had the urge to do the same.

‘Insult me all you want but I’m not going anywhere. Though can we catch up some other time, maybe tomorrow? I’ve had one helluva week on the job and I’m beat.’

He did look tired and as a grimace of pain distorted his handsome features and his posture stiffened she wondered what he’d had to face over the last few years. When they’d first met he’d been fresh from BUD/S, the intensive training to become a SEAL, and as fit as a Mallee bull back home. Now he looked dead on his feet.

‘Besides, I need some sleep if I’m to perform all those odd jobs you probably have lined up for me over the next week.’

Kate heard the teasing lilt back in his voice and sighed, ignoring his innuendo. She’d had a long week meeting killer deadlines at Femme and she didn’t want to prolong this. Seeing Ty again had her more wound up than she’d anticipated, and as for that kiss…

‘You want to go through with this? Are you insane?’

‘Not like I used to be.’ He grinned, the same smile that had captivated her so many times in the past. ‘And, yeah, being your Odd Bod for a week could be interesting.’

Sighing, she said, ‘It’s not going to happen but we’ll talk about this in the morning. I don’t have the energy to argue with you right now. I think you’re crazy, you don’t, so let’s agree to differ till I sort you out and we go our separate ways. Now, unlock me, please.’

‘Sorry, you’ll have to do it.’

‘Come on, give a girl a break. No more games. Give me the key.’

His grin widened. ‘I can’t. In case you haven’t noticed, my left hand is connected to your right and the key is in my left pocket. At the risk of dislocating my right shoulder, I think you better do the honours.’

She stared, annoyed at the twinkle in his eyes and the devilish smile, sure that he could remove the key if he really tried. However, he didn’t move an inch and continued to watch her as if he was enjoying every minute of her discomfort.

‘Well, what’s it to be? Do you prefer being linked to me indefinitely or rummaging around my pockets and seeing what pops up?’

Ignoring his laughter, she struggled with the decision. Sink or swim time. Either way, she’d always been lousy in the water.

‘You’re such a child.’

Kate delved her hand quickly into his pocket; thankfully the key wasn’t too deep and she didn’t have to feel around. Though it could’ve been fun.

‘Not half as childish as you.’ Ty chuckled. ‘I’m not the one pouting.’

She thrust the key into the lock and turned. Typical of her luck this evening, it stuck.

‘I’m not pouting. Help me with this, will you?’

She jiggled the key to no avail and his chuckles turned to laughter.

‘If you’re not pouting you must be limbering up those lips for another kiss. They’re looking rosy and full and very, very sexy.’

Her patience snapped and heat seeped into her cheeks as his smooth words recalled her attention to the crazy way she’d responded to his unexpected kiss moments before.

‘Cut the suave act, sailor boy. I’m not in the mood. Let’s open this damn lock so I can get out of here.’

‘Here, let me try.’

As his hand enclosed hers she couldn’t ignore the heat. It sizzled through her body every time he touched her, even at the innocuous touch of his hand trying to open the lock.

She’d lied. She was definitely in the mood.

‘There. You’re a free woman.’

I wish.

Unfortunately, seeing Ty tonight, swapping banter with him, even getting mad at him for that presumptuous kiss had woken her up.

She wasn’t as free as she’d like to think.

She might have got over him a long time ago and moved on with her life, but it hadn’t taken much more than a kiss to snap her emotions back to attention and right now they were firmly focussed on the sexy SEAL.

The lock snapped open and the bracelet sprang apart, clattering to the floor at their feet, and Kate winced as her wrist freed. She’d been so engrossed in her reaction to Ty turning on the charm that she hadn’t realised the hard plastic and steel had bitten into her soft flesh.

‘Thanks.’

She glared at him, wishing he didn’t look so darn appealing when he smiled, absent-mindedly rubbing her wrist.

‘Let me do that.’

Before she could protest, he reached over and captured her wrist between his hands, slowly massaging till the circulation returned to her aching flesh.

‘Mmm…that feels good,’ she murmured, her eyes drooping with fatigue.

However, as the pain in her wrist eased a deeper, more demanding ache increased, an ache she’d determinedly ignored for years. His hands were warm, firm, attuned and she imagined them leaving her wrist, travelling up her arm to her tight shoulders and then sliding down the rest of her body.

‘Better?’

Her eyes flew open as he relinquished her wrist and her gaze locked on his, questioning, hungry, reflecting the need she knew must be visible in her own. That all-seeing blue stare that had captured her so long ago, mesmerising her in the blink of an eye.

‘Would you like a lift home?’

She shook her head, knowing the last thing she needed right now was to be holed up with him in the confines of a car.

‘Thanks, but I’m fine. I came with the girls and we’re headed back to the office.’

He glanced at his watch. ‘We’ve been here a while. Maybe they’ve gone?’

‘Don’t worry about it. If they have I’ll take a taxi.’

Kate knew she sounded petulant but couldn’t bear being this close to him one second longer. If he took her home she’d be tempted to ask him in and, considering her reaction to his kiss, she knew exactly where that could lead.

Her sex life had been one, continuous dry spell since her last brief relationship had ended eighteen months ago and she had no intention of letting Ty be her drought breaker.

He laid a hand in the small of her back and guided her to the door. ‘Let’s check it out. It’s no problem, really. Where do you live?’

‘Beverly Hills.’

‘Pretty impressive.’ He looked at her with admiration and pride filled her.

‘My grandparents built the place. We hooked up after you left. They welcomed me with open arms, then died within a few months of each other shortly after our reunion. Amazingly, they left the house to me. Pretty special, huh?’

It had been a beautiful gesture and she liked to think they’d come to love her as much as she’d loved them in the short time they’d had together.

‘Sure is. I’m glad you had someone to look out for you.’

He dropped his hand and insanely she missed his warm touch.

This wasn’t good. Curiosity was one thing, kissing him and opening up to him about her grandparents was in another realm. She needed to get home before she really lost it and told him a few other deep, dark secrets.

‘Look, I really have to go,’ she said, her voice harsh and cold considering they’d just been making small talk.

‘What’s wrong?’

He stared at her and raised an eyebrow as if he couldn’t fathom what he was looking at and she hated the traitorous leap of her heart that the hint of concern in his voice might actually mean he cared.

‘Nothing, why?’

‘You’re wound tighter than a spring. You used to be spontaneous and eager and able to laugh at yourself. What happened? Did inheriting the family jewels change you?’

She clenched her fists, barely registering the sting of fingernails biting into her palms when all she felt like doing was kneeing him in his family jewels.

‘I’m just tired. Besides, you don’t know the first thing about me any more.’

He straightened and she had to tilt her head to look up at him. ‘That’s where you’re wrong. We used to have a connection and I intend to use the week ahead to catch up.’

Catch up.

Two simple words that held a staggering array of connotations, of the various ways in which they could catch up, and her heart flipped in a perfect somersault with double pike at the thought.

Sighing, she followed him to the doorway and, before they walked through it, reached out and touched his arm.

‘Why are you doing this, Ty?’

He stopped and swivelled to face her, his features softening. ‘You haven’t called me that in a long time.’

‘It’s been a long time,’ she responded, suddenly saddened by their lack of contact over the years. ‘Now answer my question.’

He shrugged. ‘A week isn’t all that long and I’m a sucker for a good cause. The orphanage is home to those poor little kids and they deserve a chance in life.’

She’d meant why was he doing this to them, insisting they spend a week together when they’d been finished for years.

However, she let it slide for now, the sadness creeping across his face telling her how much he sympathised with the orphans.

‘Still the same old Ty? Always out to save the world.’

‘It’s what I do. Why do you make it sound like I’m on an ego trip or something?’

‘Aren’t you?’

He swore softly and she changed tack. ‘Are you on leave?’

‘Yeah, one week.’

‘Why didn’t you just donate money rather than giving up your week?’

The thought had niggled since she’d seen his name on the list of prospective guys for sale. His job had always come first and she doubted that would have changed. After all, it was one of the things that had driven them apart.

He shrugged and looked away. ‘I thought the auction might raise more money than I could give.’

He was lying.

She knew it the minute he glanced away. Ty was as straight as they came. He always looked a person in the eye and called a spade a shovel, which made his reticence to discuss this all the more intriguing. He’d been a stand-up guy when they’d first met, too much so if his blunt declaration their marriage would never work with one absentee partner all the time had been any indication.

‘There’s more to this. You’re hiding something.’

‘Still the snoop, eh? You won’t find your next story here.’

This time he looked straight at her, something akin to challenge etched in the darkening depths of his eyes.

If there was one thing she thrived on it was a challenge and sailor boy knew it.

‘Maybe not, but you can’t blame a girl for trying. Perhaps I should just let it all go and agree to this crazy scheme, and then use it to my full advantage.’

Not that she’d seriously contemplate spending the week with him, but it was nice to gain the upper hand with Mr Confidence.

His voice dropped, low and husky, eliciting a whole host of visceral reactions she’d rather not decipher.

‘Now you’re talking. If you let it all go this week could be more fun than I thought.’

He ran his hands lightly over her upper arms in a soft caress and her legs trembled, her desire needing little to rekindle. One touch. That was all it took to make her burn for him just as she used to.

So much for gaining the upper hand.

‘Goodnight, Ty.’

She spun on her heel and strode away, eager to put as much distance between them as possible.

His taunting laughter followed her down the long corridor. ‘You can run but you can’t hide.’

‘Wanna make a bet?’ she mumbled as she lengthened her stride and hoped to God that Di had waited for her.

CHAPTER THREE

‘AREN’T you the dark horse? Fancy waiting to the end to bid and snaffling the best of the lot.’

Kate had been grateful Di had waited for her after the auction. And, clearly realising her boss needed some space on the trip back to the office, Di hadn’t asked her any questions. Apparently now, though, she was fair game.

‘Don’t you have work to do?’ Kate shuffled papers around, hoping to get rid of Di pronto.

Predictably, it didn’t work. The woman had an inquisitive nature worthy of an up-and-comer in the publishing business.

Di perched on the edge of her desk and shoved aside the papers Kate had been fiddling with. ‘Nothing that can’t wait. Come on, spill the beans. Where did you two disappear to after the show? In a cosy little friendship bracelet, no less.’

Kate sighed, pushing the thought of Ty’s dynamic kiss to the far recesses of her mind.

‘There’s nothing to tell. We unlocked ourselves, had a chat to establish boundaries and that was it.’

Di pounced on her. ‘Aha! I knew it. Why would you need to establish boundaries? Did something happen between the dishy SEAL and my intrepid boss?’

‘Ex-SEAL,’ she corrected automatically.

‘How do you know that?’

Great, she thought. Slip up number two in less than a minute. Di was no slouch, which was why she’d hired her.

She could’ve fluffed her way out of it and rambled on about the announcer saying he was an instructor these days, but she knew Di wouldn’t let up until she had nothing less than the truth.

‘I know Tyler James.’

A deafening silence followed her revelation till Di let out a squeal. ‘Ooh, I knew there was more to you than meets the eye. Here I am feeling sorry for my workaholic old boss and she’s out there running around with hot sailors.’

‘Hey! Enough of the old stuff and I’m not running around with anybody. I met Tyler about six years ago when he was a SEAL. He isn’t just an instructor. He’s had his fair share of action.’

Both in and out of uniform and lucky for her she’d been privy to Ty at his best.

‘I just bet he has,’ purred the younger woman.

‘For heaven’s sake, get your mind out of the gutter.’

‘Why, when it’s so much fun?’

Di slid off the desk and wandered around the office, trying to look nonchalant and failing miserably. ‘Is that why you put in a bid, boss? Looking for a little action?’

Kate threw a pencil at her. ‘Out. Now. Get back to work before you’re fired.’

‘You wouldn’t dare. I’m your right-hand gal.’

Di smirked and flounced out of the room, her bright orange skirt swishing around her ankles.

Kate sat back and laughed. Di was right. She was the best PA she’d ever had and, what was worse, the young woman knew it. However, why did she have to be so accurate in her assumptions about Kate’s nonexistent love life?

Seeing Ty had awakened her dormant hormones in a big way; her skin still tingled at the memory of his hands rubbing her wrist. No man had ever affected her as he did.

He’d been a dynamite lover, her first, but despite that mind-blowing kiss earlier she had no intention of revisiting that part of her life.

Though in all honesty if she hadn’t been bound at the time there was no telling what her hands would’ve been tempted to do and she squirmed in her seat at the recollection. For a twenty-seven-year-old at the top of her game, her little ‘let’s get reacquainted’ experience with Ty had hot-wired her libido and how.

The phone ringing brought her back to the present.

‘Kate Hayden speaking.’

‘So, you did go back to the office. I thought that was just an excuse to escape.’

Ty’s husky tone did little to calm her racing pulse. If anything, the sound of his deep voice fuelled the fantasy she’d just been indulging in. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

‘You think I was trying to escape?’

His low chuckle fired her nerve-endings. ‘Oh, call it a feeling. You weren’t exactly falling all over me earlier this evening.’

She kept her voice deliberately cool, trying to ignore the erotic memory of their entwined bodies reflected in the mirror that leaped to mind. If that wasn’t falling all over him she didn’t know what was.

‘It isn’t every day a girl acquires an Odd Bod. Perhaps I was just nervous?’

She doodled on the pad in front of her, almost falling off her chair when she realised she was drawing large hearts with the initials K.H. and T.J. intertwined.

‘Yeah, right. The Kate I know is never nervous. Confident and bossy maybe. Nervous? No way.’

‘You forgot gorgeous,’ she murmured, wondering where the breathy voice came from.

She shouldn’t flirt with him, she really shouldn’t, but somehow he brought out that side of her without trying and she heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line.

‘That goes without saying.’ He paused for a moment. ‘Are you flirting with me, sweetheart?’

The endearment thrilled her, though she knew it was a game with him and suddenly, just like the old days, she joined in with gusto.

‘What if I am? I’m a woman, you’re an Odd Bod. Why not?’

‘Lady, you’re a chameleon. One minute you can’t get away from me quick enough, the next you’re sounding like Mae West. Why don’t I come up and see you some time?’

She leaned back in her leather chair, crossed her ankles and stared out at the twinkling lights of downtown LA, spread out like a fairyland forty storeys below. She adored this view, loved the hip city vibe, yet somehow sitting here chatting to Ty inspired her more than the vista she admired on a daily basis.

Playing with him was fun, even if she had no intention of following through, and it had been so long since she’d had any fun. How far could she push him?

‘What are you doing right now?’

Once again, silence greeted her.

‘Ty, still there?’

‘Yeah. Where did you say your office was?’

His voice dropped lower, reminding her of the intimacy they’d shared all those years ago when she’d hung on his every word.

‘I didn’t. Though if I let it all go like I mentioned earlier, I could invite you for a coffee at my place…’

Yeah, like that was going to happen. There was only so much her hormones could take and teasing him like this, flirting with him, was bad enough.

‘Do you mean coffee…or coffee?’

A delicious tingle ran up her spine and she knew for a fact he would give her a better buzz than any caffeine fix: rich, warm, addictive. And the high would last a heck of a lot longer.

‘Boss, I’m leaving.’ Di’s voice startled her as she stuck her head around the door.

Kate sat up straight. ‘Can you hold on a sec?’ she said into the receiver and covered it with her hand.

‘Sure thing, Katie,’ he murmured, sending heat flooding into her cheeks.

‘Who’s that?’ mouthed Di.

‘Nobody important. You head off.’

‘Whatever you say, boss.’ With a wink and a blown kiss, Di left the office.

Kate took a steadying breath, almost relieved at the reprieve, and removed her hand from the phone. ‘Sorry about that.’

‘So, I’m nobody, huh? Nice.’

She smiled at the thought of bruising Ty’s ego. ‘I didn’t mean it like that.’

‘What did you mean, then? If I’m not nobody I must be somebody?’

His probing question sent doubt spiralling through her. What was she doing encouraging him when she’d already made up her mind to ditch him first thing tomorrow morning when she’d had time to gather her wits?

Damn it, he’d always had the power to do this, to tie her up in knots till she couldn’t think straight.

‘Look, I’m tired. It’s been a long night and I’ve got one more article to edit before I leave. We’ll catch up tomorrow, okay?’

His silence did little to soothe her frazzled nerves.

‘Ty?’

‘You’re running scared.’

She swallowed, trying to ease the sudden dryness in her throat. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

He chuckled, deep and low, the familiar sound skittering across her skin, raising tiny goose-bumps.

‘Yeah, you do. Shame. I thought you might want to pick up where we left off.’

‘You wish.’

The image of their parting six years ago flashed into her mind. It had been touch and go; he’d touched her all over her body, initiating her into pleasures she’d only dreamed about before pulling away from her by running back to his precious job, and she’d gone the same way, burying herself in a new job as far away from him as she could get.

Now he was back. Just as gorgeous, just as charming and just as dangerous to her peace of mind as ever if she was foolish enough to let him in.

‘Oh, yeah, I wish.’ He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. ‘By the way, why are you working after eleven?’

‘The usual. Deadlines to meet. Nothing out of the ordinary.’ She sounded weary, even to her ears.

‘Don’t you have a life?’

Her brittle laugh echoed around the empty office. ‘This is my life.’

She didn’t add that it was about all she had.

‘You really need to get out more. I’m going to make it my personal goal to ensure you live a little over the next week. Deal?’

‘It’s not going to happen.’

Her brisk reply sounded strained and, though the thought of Ty helping her to ‘live a little’ conjured up some wild images, she’d done enough fantasising for one evening and had to put an end to this ASAP.

He ignored her rebuttal, his low chuckles sounding way too confident.

‘I’ll call you tomorrow. Pleasant dreams, Katie.’

As the dial tone hummed she knew that dreams would be impossible tonight. She needed to sleep in order to dream and she seriously doubted that she could nod off after the evening she’d just had.

Tyler James was her history.

Then why did he feel startlingly like the present?

Tyler was too wound up to sleep. Shrugging into a bomber jacket, he picked up his keys and headed out the door.

Living near the base had its advantages. Dropping into the rec hall for a drink meant he was bound to run into someone he knew and, though usually reticent, he felt like company tonight. Perhaps trading a few jokes with the boys might take the edge off?

He doubted it. Only one thing could take the edge off and she was buried in some uptown office, her nose to the grindstone.

Kate’s hot little act on the phone had pushed all his buttons. If only her assistant hadn’t interrupted he could be holed up in her house right now sharing more than coffee.

And, boy, did he need it.

Seeing her again had him remembering all too well the contours of her curves beneath his hands, the eager sounds she made during sex, the way she made him feel as if he were the only man in the world for her.

Unfortunately, that couldn’t be true. He wasn’t a total idiot and a vibrant woman like her would have had a string of guys panting after her since they’d parted.

He clenched his hands into fists, hating the irrational surge of jealousy stabbing through him. He’d moved on and hadn’t exactly lived like a monk himself in the last six years so what did he expect—for a stunner like Kate to sit around twiddling her thumbs?

Gritting his teeth, he picked up the pace and entered the rec hall. He didn’t need this complicating his life. Never had.

What Kate did with her life and who she spent it with had nothing to do with him. He valued his independence and answering to number one suited him just fine and, despite the unexpected pleasure of having Kate reappear at this point in his life, he had no intention of getting sucked back into the confusing whirlpool their relationship had become towards the end.

Instead, he’d consider this chance encounter as a surprise gift dropped in his lap, one he had every intention of unwrapping and enjoying at his leisure over the next week before he had his annual physical and potentially had his career ripped out from under him.

‘Hey, TJ. What’s happening?’

He looked up, more than glad to see the big guy in front of him, and stuck out his hand. ‘Hey, Bear. What’re you doing here? Thought Team Eight was on leave at the moment?’

‘Nah, got called back last night. So much for a little R and R.’

Tyler laughed. ‘The Chief pushing you too hard these days, huh? Want a beer?’

Bear nodded and pulled out a chair, turning it backwards before sitting. He’d never seen his giant friend sit any other way.

‘Yeah, the Chief is always pushing for more. You know the drill.’

Tyler nodded and placed the drinks on the table. ‘Yeah, I do. Cheers.’

They clinked bottles and lapsed into silence. As Tyler took a long swig of icy cold beer he thanked the Lord that Evan ‘Bear’ Bridges had chosen tonight to walk into the rec hall. He could do with a friend.

‘What’s up? You look like hell, man.’

Tyler set his bottle down. ‘That obvious?’

‘Uh-huh. Tell old Bear all about it.’

He leaned back and crossed his arms. ‘It’s the orphanage. Looks like it’s going to shut down.’

Bear’s eyes widened. ‘No way. With the amount of cash you donate out of your wages each year the joint should be open into the next century.’

‘’Fraid not. Looks like the place is in trouble.’

‘Anything I can do?’ His friend reached towards his back pocket as if ready to pull out his wallet.

‘Not unless you can rustle up a quick half-million dollars.’

Bear shook his head. ‘No can do, bro. Sorry.’

‘I’m the one who’s sorry,’ he muttered, feeling helpless for only the third time in his life and not relishing the emotion one bit. The first time had been when he’d walked out on Kate, the second when he’d blown his knee, and he felt just as useless now.

SEALs were renowned for their innovation, their ingenuity, their persistence. So why the hell couldn’t he do more for the one cause that meant everything to him?

At that moment, their chief, Jack Crawford, strolled into the bar and headed straight towards them.

‘Howdy, Bear. Thought you were on leave, TJ?’

Tyler grabbed the proffered hand and shook it. ‘I am.’

‘Then what are you doing here?’

Tyler downed the rest of his beer. ‘Business.’

‘I bet.’

He couldn’t fathom the reason behind Jack’s sly grin.

‘Been to any auctions lately?’

Though the question seemed innocuous enough, combined with Jack’s smirk, Tyler knew his secret was out.

‘Ha, ha. How did you find out?’

Bear’s head turned from side to side as if watching a tennis match. ‘What are you clowns talking about?’

Jack’s grin widened. ‘Didn’t you hear the news? TJ’s latest mission involves being shackled to a woman for a week doing all her odd jobs.’

Bear guffawed loudly. ‘You’re kidding me, right? Why the hell would you do a fool thing like that?’

‘For charity, of course.’

Tyler glared meaningfully at Bear, hoping he’d get the drift. His friend was the only one who knew about his upbringing at the orphanage and he wanted to keep it that way. He’d had enough pity to last him a lifetime growing up, he sure as hell didn’t need any from his colleagues now.

Bear cottoned on quickly. He merely quirked an eyebrow and chugged on his beer.

Thankfully, Jack relented. ‘Yeah, I agree that the orphanage is a good cause. Though I reckon there’s more behind this, TJ. I reckon you like being at the beck and call of some fancy dame.’

‘Who told you she’s fancy?’ Tyler chuckled, envisaging how Kate would respond to being described as ‘fancy’.

‘Leila was at the auction. She just got home, bursting with the news about you and that magazine editor. Said that sparks were flying and that was before the shackles went on.’

Tyler’s gut tightened. The image of being bound to Kate did it. At least thinking about the orphanage had distracted him from her memory. For a good ten minutes, anyway.

He leaned back, trying to instil a measure of casualness into his voice. ‘I think Leila has a great imagination. There were no sparks. I’m just donating my time for a good cause.’

‘Yeah, right. So what if this editor looks like a supermodel? All part of the job, huh?’ Jack’s cheesy grin grew wider by the second.

‘Damn sure.’ Tyler pushed back his chair. ‘Sorry, guys. Much as I’d like to hang around, I have to go. Early start. O-six hundred.’

Suddenly, his need for company had vanished. He’d come here to erase Kate from his memory bank, not discuss her, and he knew the boys. Once they got started they would want to hear every last detail. He waved and walked away, leaving his two closest friends grinning in his wake.

‘See you in a week, TJ. If you survive, that is.’

Ignoring Jack’s final taunt, he headed out into the balmy Californian night. There was no doubt in his mind that he would survive. After all, he’d handled tougher missions and come out unscathed.

Once again, a vision of Kate’s gold-flecked hazel eyes flashed into his mind, closely followed by the memory of their searing kiss.

He just hoped this mission wasn’t about to become his nemesis.

Kate prided herself on being cool, organised and professional at all times. To do this she needed at least eight solid hours of sleep a night. Without it she turned into a monster, as all her staff knew. Unfortunately, last night hadn’t been conducive to sleeping and she was paying the price now. So would anyone else who crossed her path today.

‘Good morning, boss. Sleep well?’ Di strolled into her office, all blonde spikes and cheerfulness.

‘Is it? And no. Where’s that damn article on homeless shelters?’

She shuffled around her desk, sending papers flying in all directions while making a frantic grab for her take-out skinny latte.

What happened to organised and professional? Right now her desk resembled a second-grader’s with the writing strewn across it probably making about that much sense.

‘Didn’t sleep too well? Can’t blame you.’

Kate didn’t like the twinkle in her assistant’s eye. Besides, how could Di be so darn chirpy every morning? Didn’t she ever wake up with a sore head?

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

Kate finally stopped rummaging around and sat back, draining the last of her coffee, lobbing the cup in the bin and rubbing her temples. She rarely drank and the three glasses of champagne last night combined with the haunting image of Ty looking better than ever had kept her tossing and turning all night.

‘Oh, nothing.’ Di’s grin broadened. ‘Though if I had the prospect of some sexy sailor trailing after me all week I wouldn’t be able to get any shut-eye either.’

‘He’s not trailing after me,’ she snapped, her headache intensifying by the minute.

‘Oh, yes, he is. He’s just stepped out of the lift and is heading this way.’

Kate sat bolt upright in time to see Ty honing in on her office.

Great. Just great.

Di wiggled her fingers in a saucy wave and strolled away, giving Tyler a similar wave, and Kate tried to ignore the absurd jolt of jealousy that shot through her. Ty was her past and she shouldn’t have to remind herself of that fact.

He walked straight into her office as if he owned the place. ‘Hi. Got a minute?’

How dared he look so good at this hour of the morning? Faded denim jeans hugged his long legs and a white T-shirt moulded his muscular torso like a second skin, delineating every single layer of taut, hard muscle beneath it. The type of muscle she used to love running her hands over, caressing, skimming, relishing.

Okay, maybe good was an understatement. Try delectable and she struggled not to drool.

‘What are you doing here?’

Though she tried to keep her voice cool, it came out all high and squeaky.

A smile tugged at the corners of his delicious mouth. ‘Still not a morning person, huh?’

She shook her head and wished she hadn’t as the pounding in her brain increased.

‘I’m surprised you remember.’

‘How could I forget?’

He flashed his trademark killer smile, the one that always made her knees go weak. Thankfully, she was sitting down.

‘So, what else do you remember?’

He closed the door and strode across the room in one lithe movement. She loved how he walked. Correction, how he stalked, all stealth and fluid lines, and her pulse accelerated in anticipation as he perched on the corner of her desk less than two feet away.

‘I remember plenty.’

He tipped up her chin, stroking her cheek with his thumb in the barest of touches as she stared, trapped beneath his scrutinising gaze, his thumb doing crazy things to her insides as it grazed her skin slowly, repeatedly.

‘Yeah, well, I do too.’

She leaned back, breaking the tenuous contact that was wreaking havoc with her senses. ‘But that’s all they are, just memories.’

His eyes narrowed to slivers of electrifying blue. ‘Yeah, but they were good. Damn good. And you know it.’

She glared, the jackhammering in her head intensifying as she tried to put words together in a coherent fashion, her brain befuddled by his closeness, his touch.

‘All I know is I’ve got a lot of work to do and sitting here talking about ancient history is wasting my time.’

Thankfully, his thumb had stopped stroking her cheek. On the downside, he re-established contact by trailing his index finger along her jaw-line, setting her nerve-endings alight.

‘What’s with the attitude? You said we’d talk in the morning. Aren’t you glad to see me?’

She pulled away from his blazing touch. ‘We’ll talk later. I haven’t got time for this now.’

He grinned, sending her pulse rate into overdrive. ‘You didn’t answer my question.’

‘About the memories, the attitude or being happy to see you?’

There was no way she would answer any of his questions. She’d made a fool of herself last night. Questions only led to answers and they led directly to trouble.

‘How about all of the above?’

‘Look, I’d love to chat but I’ve got important deadlines to meet.’

She tried to stare him down. It had been a game with them, a battle of wills to see who would look away first. She’d always lost but not today.

He sat back and folded his arms, looking way too cocky, the corners of his mouth curving into a tempting smile.

‘Surely Lois Lane can take a break for a few minutes?’

‘Nope, sorry, no can do. I’m busy.’

She picked up a few papers and rattled them for good measure, needing to look away from his intense stare and that sexy smile. He still had the power to reduce her to a blathering mess with just one look—not that she’d let him know that.

‘Aren’t you the least bit curious?’

‘About?’

‘Why I’m here. Where I’ve been. What I’ve been doing. You must be otherwise you wouldn’t have paid a small fortune to have me last night.’

Sighing, she pushed away from the desk, grateful to establish some distance between them. ‘You’re never going to let me forget that, are you?’

His smile couldn’t get any smugger if he tried. ‘Not on your life.’

Her heart clenched at the seductive glint in his eyes, the same twinkle that had prompted her to do all sorts of crazy things six years earlier.

He’d always had this power over her, teasing her, infuriating her, making her fall in love when it was the last thing she’d expected.

Unfortunately, it looked as if he still held that same power to make her contemplate all sorts of nutty things, like make her bid for him when the last thing she wanted was to have him trailing after her for a week.

‘Okay, you win. Let’s get this sorted now so I can get back to work. You really can’t be serious about wanting to go through with this odd-jobs stuff?’

He leaned forward, the depth of his blue eyes leaving her breathless as his voice dropped an octave lower. ‘Why not? It’ll be fun.’

She didn’t have time for fun. Maybe the girls were right, she was stuck in her ways and a workaholic: uptight, frustrated and alone.

Logically, she should never have attended the auction if she hadn’t wanted a confrontation with Ty and now that she’d had it, he’d kissed her silly and resurrected memories better left forgotten, she needed to get rid of him once and for all.

‘That may well be,’ she said, aiming for cool and botching it horribly when heat surged into her cheeks at his triumphant expression, ‘but I don’t think it’s a good idea.’

‘I do.’

He slid off her desk and sauntered towards the door, leaving her with a great view of the sexy butt she’d grabbed on numerous lucky occasions, turning to face her before he left. ‘It’s going to be great catching up. Just like old times.’

Kate stiffened.

Just like old times.

Images of fun-filled days at the beach and long, hot, sultry Californian nights spent making love on top of twisted sheets sprang to mind and she wondered if time had enhanced her memories or if it really had been that good between her and Ty.

‘Katie?’

‘My answer is no, Ty.’

She blinked several times, hoping he couldn’t read her thoughts as he used to.

‘I still want you too.’

With that he sauntered out the door, leaving her open-mouthed before she snapped her jaw shut, wishing she’d had the final word.

The guy was infuriating.

The guy was cocky.

The guy was right.

She did want him, with every cell in her oversensitised body, and the feeling was mutual?

Oh, boy.

‘You’re crazy,’ she muttered, sinking into her chair and picking up the overworked stress ball on her desk and squeezing as if her life depended on it. It didn’t help. The rubber ball looked a bit like her, worn out, frayed around the edges, with all the life crushed out of it.

She threw the ball into the bin and leaped to her feet. If she rushed after Ty she just might make it. He hadn’t accepted her refusal and she needed to ram home her point that the last thing she wanted to do was spend the next week with him.

However, as she yanked open the door she ran straight into her boss.

‘Whoa. Where’s the fire?’

Henry Kerr, Femme’s Chief Editor, settled her back on her feet. He always managed to catch her at a bad time. In fact, she was convinced he had radar for trouble and it was tuned in to her frequency.

‘Sorry. In a hurry.’

He quirked an eyebrow. ‘So I see. Got a minute?’

She knew by the serious look on his face that it wasn’t a question, it was an order. So much for chasing after Ty.

‘Sure. What’s up?’

He smiled and she knew she was in trouble. Her boss never smiled unless she’d done something wrong. ‘Come into my office and I’ll let you in on a secret.’

She followed him, slouching along in the same way she usually followed the dentist into his rooms, though she hoped her meeting with Henry didn’t involve anything as difficult or painful as pulling teeth. The memory of her first and last tooth removed as a nine-year-old still rankled.

Henry closed the door and gestured towards a chair. ‘Have a seat and we’ll get down to business.’

Here it comes, the injection and the drill.

Henry sat down behind his desk and rested his folded hands on his paunch. ‘Good work last night, Kate. Real good.’

Huh?

She smiled and nodded, not having the faintest idea what he was talking about.

‘Buying that Navy guy was a stroke of genius on your part. Unbelievable. Pure gold.’

Okay, now she knew something was up. Her boss was impressed with the stupidest thing she’d done in a long time?

Thankfully, she didn’t have to reply as Henry continued, ‘The publicity in the papers today is worth a mint on its own, but have you seen the pictures we’ve got? Amazing. Just what the magazine needs. A real-life story about one of its own. Good one, Kate.’

She didn’t like the sound of this. Clasping her hands in her lap, she counted to ten, slowly. ‘I’m an editor, not a news story.’

He chuckled, a deep belly laugh that caused his three chins to wobble in succession. ‘That’s where you’re wrong. Our phones haven’t stopped ringing all morning. All the reporters want to talk to our newest star and I’ve told them to back off. They can read all about it in the upcoming issue of Femme. Like I said, pure gold.’

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