I’m waiting for you. Make me yours.

Melodie’s provocative words echoed through Cole’s head, and he nearly groaned as every muscle in his body responded to her brazen invitation. Her flattened palms traveled along his shoulders and around his neck, causing her soft, lush breasts to rasp across his chest and her thighs to press against his. One step closer and she’d have ample proof that he was ready, willing and able to indulge in carnal pleasures with her.

Unable to take another moment of her bewitching seduction, he grabbed both of her hands to regain control of the situation and backed Melodie up against the wall behind her.

“Dammit, Mel,” he growled, his low, rough tone threaded with frustration and desire. “You’re playing with fire.”

Cole had expected her to back off, but this sexy new Melodie was proving to be more than he bargained for.

Instead of retreating, she let out a deep breath and rubbed her breast against his chest. Looking up at him with a challenge in her gaze, she said, “But Cole, maybe I want to get burned….”

Dear Reader,

I think most of us are good girls at heart, with urges to be impulsive and naughty at times. And Melodie Turner, the heroine of A Shameless Seduction, is no exception. She’s lusted after her boss, Cole Sommers, for years, and she’s finally decided that she’s going to shed her sensible image and have him, no-holds-barred. What ensues is a shameless seduction filled with erotic encounters, provocative fantasies and enough heat to singe your fingertips! Cole doesn’t stand a chance against this female’s methods of persuasion. So turn the page and discover just how far Melodie will go to get her man.

I hope you enjoy Cole and Melodie’s sizzling story. And don’t miss the fireworks when lady-killer Noah Sommers meets his match in The Ultimate Seduction, a November 2002 Blaze title. You can check out my Web site at www.janelledenison.com for updated information on both books.

Enjoy the heat!

Janelle Denison

P.S. I love to hear from my readers. You can write to me at P.O. Box 1102, Rialto, CA 92377-1102 (send a SASE for goodies!), or at janelle@janelledenison.com.

Books by Janelle Denison

HARLEQUIN TEMPTATION

759—CHRISTMAS FANTASY

799—TEMPTED

811—SEDUCED

832—SEDUCTIVE FANTASY

844—WILD FANTASY

HARLEQUIN BLAZE

12—HEAT WAVES

33—A WICKED SEDUCTION

A Shameless Seduction

Janelle Denison

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This is dedicated to all the good girls out there who’ve taken chances, seduced the man of their dreams…and lived happily ever after.

And to Don, for letting this good girl take a chance on him. You’re my happily-ever-after.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Epilogue

1

“I NEED A WOMAN.”

“You most certainly do. Maybe if you got laid every once in a while you wouldn’t be so uptight at the office.”

Cole Sommers shot his younger brother a tolerant look from across the expanse of his polished oak desk. “Ha-ha, very funny, Noah. You’re a laugh-riot.”

Noah chuckled despite Cole’s unhumorous tone. “Hey, it’s the truth. Sex does wonders for a guy’s attitude. Take me for example. I’m always in a great mood.” His trademark bad-boy grin made an appearance, making his blue eyes gleam with satisfaction and purpose. “And judging by your surly attitude lately, I’d say it’s been a while since you’ve blown off some…steam, among other things.”

Cole grunted in reply. Reclining in his chair, he rolled his shoulders, inwardly admitting that he had been tense and restless lately. He just wasn’t sure if it was a result of not getting laid, or rather the culmination of some unstimulating sex. The last brief affair he’d had nearly six months ago hadn’t been all that mind-blowing and had left him feeling like something crucial had been missing…like an emotional connection. As a result, he’d become more discriminating when it came to dating and sexual relationships, which had narrowed the field of women considerably and left him celibate and even more irritable than normal.

But with no woman constraining him he could concentrate full-time on his true love. His P.I. firm was his mistress, and Sommers Investigative Specialists was demanding enough to occupy his days and nights.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Noah said, breaking into his thoughts. “Does that mean I’m right?”

“Hardly,” Cole drawled. “Love ’em and leave ’em is your motto, not mine.”

“Hell, you don’t even love ’em.” Noah stretched his long, jean-clad legs in front of him and clasped his hands behind his head. “That’s the whole problem, Cole. For you, work comes before pleasure. It’s always been that way.”

“I’ve had my share of relationships,” he refuted. But Noah was right about his dedication to his work. The wealth of responsibilities he’d taken on at a very early age was all he’d ever known. He wasn’t complaining. He loved his job and career. So, at the age of thirty-three, he’d pretty much resigned himself to being a confirmed bachelor, and he was fine with that status. Work and past obligations had consumed him, a single-minded trait that stemmed from the bitter divorce of his parents, his mother’s tragic death and then the loss of the one man he’d always looked up to and thought of as his own personal hero.

Unerringly, his gaze shifted to the eight-by-ten picture of his father hanging on the wall in his office. In the candid photo, his dad was dressed in his police uniform and Cole was standing next to him, a beaming young teenager without a care in the world. That had been years before his father had been shot in the line of duty and Cole’s entire life and future had shifted in a way that he’d never, ever expected.

Cole’s strict work ethics had been borne out of sheer preservation—for him and his younger siblings. Yet despite the burden and duties he’d accepted as his own, he’d never resented the choices he’d made. He’d like to believe that the past had made him a stronger, better man—albeit one without as great a sex life as his carefree brother.

“If you’ll remember correctly, I was left with a family to support at the age of twenty-one,” he reminded Noah. “That didn’t exactly leave a whole lot of time for play.”

The mention of their father’s death sobered Noah and softened his features. “You did a damn fine job with me and Joelle. And you’ve spent the past ten years building this investigative firm into a reputable agency. Hell, we’re all gainfully employed because of you. So maybe it’s time you put a little fun and excitement into your life and enjoy whatever comes your way.”

Cole grinned wryly. “Is that your answer to everything?”

“Most things, yeah,” Noah admitted unabashedly. “The fun balances out the stress. Wanna place a bet here and now that I live longer than you?”

“Because of all that great sex you’re having?”

Noah’s grin broadened. “I’m telling you, Cole, you really ought to give it a shot—on a regular basis, that is.”

A frustrated breath eased out of Cole. “Do you think we can get past dissecting my sex life?”

Noah smirked. “You mean your nonexistent sex life.”

“Thank you for reminding me of that. Repeatedly.”

“Hey, us guys have to stick together. You’ve spent a whole lot of years looking out for me, so I’m trying to repay the favor.”

Cole shot his brother a pointed, direct look. “Can we get back to the original discussion?”

“Sure.” Noah sat up straighter in his chair, affecting a serious demeanor. “Let’s see, you need a woman and you think I can supply one for you. Is that it?”

Cole cringed when his secretary, Melodie Turner, walked through his open office door just in time to hear Noah’s outrageous comment. Her deep brown eyes grew wide with surprise, which quickly ebbed to curiosity as her gaze slid from Noah to Cole. She studied him with a look of feminine interest that made his skin prickle and the heat of awareness settle deep in his belly.

He shook off the subtle reaction and damned Noah for putting thoughts of sex into his head. Dressed in a conservative navy dress that covered her from neck to calves, and with her hair in a neat and tidy French braid, his prim and proper secretary was the last woman to inspire lustful thoughts. Or so he’d been trying to convince himself for the past few months.

She was pretty enough in a fresh, wholesome kind of way, but she wasn’t even close to being the type of woman he’d favored since graduating from college years ago. Melodie was too sweet, innocent, and nurturing for his tastes. A quintessential good girl who looked prime for the prerequisite 2.5 kids, dog and house in the burbs. After raising his brother and sister, he wasn’t in a hurry to repeat the process with kids of his own, if at all. Cole had no desire to be tied down. He liked his freedom—to come and go as he pleased, to stay as late as he wanted at the office—the only responsibilities being those he inflicted upon himself.

If his own personal credo wasn’t enough to give him a much needed jolt of reality, then there was the important fact that he’d hired Melodie two years ago as a favor. His efficient secretary was the only child and daughter of Richard Turner, who’d been his father’s sergeant and best friend, and had become Cole’s mentor after his dad’s death. The elder man had been grateful that his little girl had accepted the position at the Sommerses’ agency and was working for a man Turner highly respected and trusted.

Cole stamped that as a mantra in his brain, certain Richard wouldn’t appreciate knowing he’d entertained a fantasy or two of peeling off those buttoned-up dresses from his daughter’s body and finally getting an eyeful of the curves he suspected hid beneath the loose material. He’d often wondered if her breasts were as full and lush, and her legs as long and sleek, as he suspected. And did she wear serviceable cotton underwear, or lacy, silky lingerie that hinted at a softer, feminine side?

His brother cleared his throat, intruding on Cole’s private musings. He jerked his gaze back to Noah, who wore a goofy grin on his face.

Cole shifted in his seat, realized he was semi-aroused, and experienced a moment of disgust. What the hell had gotten into him? Christ, maybe he did need to get laid as his brother had suggested—especially since provocative thoughts of his secretary were beginning to distract him more and more lately.

He’d left his door open because his conversation with Noah wasn’t what he’d consider a private one. Melodie had been in his office plenty of times when he’d discussed a confidential case with his brother or Joelle. Her knowledge of his clients and cases was what made her such an exceptional, proficient secretary.

Keeping that in mind, he did his best to ignore her presence as she walked across the room to his oak cabinet to put away a client file and other paperwork. He figured she would become familiar with the Russell case quickly enough. As soon as he talked to Noah, he planned to hand over the contract and initial statement he’d taken from Elena Russell, so she could type up the report for him before he began the investigative process.

Inhaling a deep breath to clear his mind, he refocused on his brother. “Let me give you the details of the case from the beginning, so you quit jumping to wrong conclusions,” Cole said meaningfully. Leaning forward, he opened the file on his desk and scanned the information he’d jotted down earlier that morning. “My client, Elena Russell, owns a shop in Pacific Heights which deals primarily in selling antique jewelry and rare collectibles she’s acquired from collectors and estate sales.”

“Pacific Heights?” Noah interrupted, then followed that up with a long, low whistle. “That’s a ritzy part of town. What’s a rich girl like her doing hiring a middle-income agency like ours?” he joked.

Cole had asked Elena the same thing, albeit a bit more tactfully. “She wanted someone outside of her social set to make sure her request for investigative services was kept as private as possible.”

“Did you tell her that’s why we’re called private investigators?” Noah drawled with amusement.

Cole rolled his eyes. “I figure if she wants to throw her money our way, who am I to question her reasons?”

“Point taken. What’s the name of the shop?” Noah asked, his own P.I. instincts kicking into gear.

“Heritage Estate Sales. Considering where the business is located, Elena has built quite an elite, wealthy client base over the years and has earned a reputation for the quality of the antiques and collectibles she sells, and for being fair, reliable and honest…until now.”

“I take it someone is trying to besmirch her reputation?”

Cole nodded. “Yes. That would be her ex-lover, Jerry Thornton, a real estate magnate. According to Elena, during their one-year affair Jerry gave her an antique, five-carat European diamond ring that was appraised at over twenty thousand dollars. When the relationship ended, he asked for the ring back. She’s holding on to the trinket claiming it was a gift, but Jerry is saying that she stole it from his collection of vintage jewelry, and he’s just filed a lawsuit to that effect. He’s been very public and vocal about his accusation, which has affected Elena’s business and her reputation.”

Noah rubbed a hand along his stubbled jaw as he mulled over the information he’d been given. “Maybe she did steal the ring.”

“Maybe,” Cole agreed, not discounting anything. “Except Elena says there’s a personal letter that Jerry wrote to her that says he gave her the ring as a gift, and states that it’s hers to keep forever as a token of the love they shared.”

A deep chuckle escaped Noah. “A real romantic, eh?”

“Romance didn’t even come close to what the two obviously indulged in. Apparently Jerry and Elena were fond of writing explicit love letters to each other, and it was in one of these erotic exchanges that he promised her the ring.”

“No doubt, in the heat of the moment,” his brother commented with sexual humor, which gained a small grin from Cole. “I take it she doesn’t have the letter on hand.”

“No, and she needs it to prove she’s innocent and clear her name.” From the corner of his eye, Cole watched as Melodie closed the cabinet drawer, then headed toward his desk with a stack of papers in her hand.

He absently flipped through the notes in the Russell file as she stopped beside his chair, sorting out the credit reports, invoices and contracts that needed to be reviewed and signed. She shifted and reached, and Cole caught a whiff of a soft, floral scent that wrapped around his senses and wreaked havoc with his concentration—and restraint. Her hip brushed his arm, inciting another damnable rush of heated desire he was hard-pressed to ignore.

He clenched his jaw and continued where he’d left off. “Elena claims the letter is at Thornton’s hilltop mansion, tucked safely away in a monogrammed leather box she gave him for his birthday. The last she saw of the box, it was in his library.”

“And she wants you to break into Thornton’s house and find it?” Noah asked incredulously.

“No, she doesn’t want me to break in,” he shot back, his tone more irritable than was warranted. He inhaled deeply, which did little to soothe the racing pulse that Melodie’s nearness had incited. “Two weeks from this weekend, Thornton is hosting a charity auction at his place for the rich and richer, and she managed to get ahold of two tickets to the formal affair. Since Thornton wouldn’t appreciate her attending the event in his house, it gives me the perfect cover to get in and find that letter.”

Noah shrugged. “Sounds easy enough.”

Yes, at least that part of the case was uncomplicated, Cole thought. Unfortunately, Elena’s other request wasn’t as simple.

Finally, Melodie slowly moved away from him and headed for the door. He breathed a sigh of relief. “This part of the case brings me around to needing an experienced, sophisticated woman who can play up the sexy siren act as my date. A one-night, no-strings-attached kind of deal.” Before his brother could issue another smart-ass remark about his sex life, he explained the stipulation Elena had insisted upon. “Since the letters Elena exchanged with Thornton are risqué and suggestive, and she’s uncomfortable with a man reading what she wrote, she requested that a woman read the letters to find the one that mentions the ring as a gift.”

“Ahh,” Noah said in understanding. “Now I get it.”

Closing the Russell case file, Cole clasped his hands on top of the folder. “Considering the bevy of females you know, I figured you could help me out. And if I could have my choice, I’d prefer if the woman who accompanies me to the charity function isn’t a complete airhead.”

“So you want sexy, stunningly beautiful, and intelligent.” A grin quirked the corner of Noah’s mouth. “Man, you don’t ask for much, do you?”

Cole glanced past where his brother sat, noticing that Melodie had paused at the door. One slender hand rested on the frame and she’d cast a glance at him from over her shoulder. She’d obviously listened to the end of his conversation with Noah and was watching him in a way that made him feel way too warm. Their gazes locked, and she dampened her bottom lip with her tongue in a slow, sensuous glide that contradicted her wide eyes and guileless expression.

He felt the stroke of her tongue in places too long denied. With effort, he banished his train of thought before his body betrayed his work ethic to keep business separate from pleasure.

“Did you need something, Mel?” he asked just as the office phone rang out in the reception area.

She shook her head, causing her tidy braid to slap against her shoulder blades. Still, she didn’t leave, and there was a feminine kind of longing in her soft brown eyes that added to the growing sexual awareness pulsing through his bloodstream.

“Uh, the phone’s ringing,” he said in a neutral tone, which finally pulled her from her daze and got her moving down the hall.

Noah sat up straighter in his chair. “That woman has it bad for you, Cole,” he said in a low tone of voice.

Startled by Noah’s comment, Cole frowned fiercely at him and attempted to brush off his claim. “Melodie is like a sister to me, for God’s sake.”

Noah laughed, a low, devilish sound. “Well, I can guarantee that she doesn’t think of you as a sibling.”

“How would you know?” Cole asked, keeping his composure calm and unruffled.

“You really don’t see it, do you?” Noah shook his head in disbelief. “God, for a trained P.I. you sure are obtuse sometimes.”

Cole didn’t appreciate the insult, and refused to be baited into revealing anything his brother could use against him where Mel was concerned. “See what?” he asked, very interested in finding out what, exactly, his brother had observed.

Noah stared at him for a long, penetrating moment. “Let’s see, where do I start?” He lifted his hand and began ticking off each point on his fingers. “Mel arrives early, stays late and brings you lunch when you don’t go out and get something for yourself. She picks up your stuff at the dry cleaners while she’s at it, runs personal errands for you and is at your beck and call for the ten or more hours a day she works at this office. Figure it out for yourself.” Noah stood, once again adopting that devil-may-care attitude of his. “As for that woman you need, give me some time and I’ll see what I can do for you.”

“Thanks,” Cole murmured as Noah exited his office.

Once he was gone, Cole jammed his fingers through his hair and dragged his palms down his face. Despite his own reaction to his secretary, and the fact that for months now he’d denied the growing attraction making itself known, he was completely shaken by his brother’s observation about Melodie. And how had he missed the overt clues of her feelings toward him?

Cole shook his head in amazement. Obviously, his subconscious had put blinders on when it came to his secretary’s interest in him.

“And they’d damn well better stay in place,” he muttered to himself. Because there was no way in hell he’d ever get personally involved with Richard Turner’s daughter.

IF COLE WAS in the market for a woman, then Melodie wanted to be the one to fill that role…in any capacity he might need. Even if she had to settle for a temporary, one-night date for the sake of business. Unfortunately, she had no idea how to convince her boss that she was the right woman for that job, or more importantly, the right woman for him.

“Dream on,” she muttered to herself as she sank dejectedly into the chair behind her desk in the reception area of the firm.

She shook her head as she realized the irony of her remark. Gorgeous, sexy Cole Sommers had been a part of her dreams and fantasies for more years than she cared to recall. She’d met him for the first time when she was sixteen and her father had brought him home for dinner one night after his dad, John Sommers, had been killed. She could still distinctly remember the butterflies that hatched in her stomach whenever he glanced at her with those dark, velvet-blue eyes of his, the way her entire body tingled whenever he was near, and how her heart skipped a beat when he talked to her in that deep, smooth voice of his.

Twelve years later and he still had that same sensual effect on her. And she was still smitten, still dreaming, still fantasizing of him—and he was oblivious to her, other than her position as his faithful, efficient secretary.

Not only did she want Cole to notice her as a woman, but she’d spent the past two years at the firm trying to prove her capabilities in the P.I. business beyond her secretarial duties. She’d been intrigued by the various cases from her very first day on the job and enjoyed helping Cole, Noah and Joelle research cases—doing background checks, and learning the ins and outs of the business. Now, she was ready to take that next step, ready to show Cole that she could handle more than front-end paperwork.

Noah entered the reception area from Cole’s office, and Melodie sat up straighter in her chair, shoved her personal secrets away for the time being and started thumbing through the payables she needed to process.

“Hey, sweet stuff,” he said, calling her by the flirtatious nickname he’d christened her with the first week she’d come to work for the firm. “I’ll be out tomorrow for most of the day working on a case, so if you need me for anything important, just give me a page.”

She smiled, having always genuinely liked Noah. He was one of those men who had charisma aplenty and liked all women. He was, undoubtedly, a “chick magnet” as his sister was fond of saying, though Melodie had never thought of him as anything more than a friend and surrogate brother. “Will do.”

He glanced at his wristwatch. “It’s almost five-thirty. Why don’t you take off early?” he teased, knowing full well she usually didn’t leave the office until well after six most nights. “You deserve the break.”

Take off early and do what, she wondered. Her nights were so routine and boring it was pathetic—pick up fast food on the way home, eat it while watching Entertainment Tonight, take a shower, slip into comfy pj’s, check in with her dad, then watch TV or read a book until she fell asleep. Occasionally, on the weekend, she’d go out to dinner and movie with a friend, nothing overly exciting or wild. Then again, having been raised by a police sergeant, she’d never strayed from what was expected of her—discreet, proper behavior, in public and in private.

“Even Joelle enjoys the benefits of leaving on time,” he said, gesturing to the office with its lights out for the evening.

“Joelle has a handsome husband to go home to,” she countered.

Noah feigned a shocked look. “You mean to tell me that you don’t have some hot guy waiting for you to get home at night so he can ravish you?”

Didn’t she wish. She rolled her eyes at his exaggeration. “Hardly, and you’re a big tease.”

“Well, here’s a little tip for you.” He leaned close, as if sharing a well-kept secret, and gave the tip of her braid a mischievous tug. “You’re not going to find Mr. Right spending all your time here.”

Melodie blinked, unsure whether to take his remark as a subtle warning about his brother, a little friendly advice, or if he was just humoring her with his usual fun-loving nature.

He strolled toward the front door. “No matter how you spend the evening, have a good one, sweet stuff.” With a playful wink over his broad shoulder, he was gone.

Sweet. The word grated on her sensible nerves, and her lips pursed as if she’d just swallowed something sour. She was tired of being thought of as sweet. Sure, being polite and courteous had its time and place, but she was beginning to realize that being amiable had gotten her absolutely nowhere with men. She’d always been prudent and modest, and as a result her life was boring, tedious and so very predictable.

She was tired of being good, of always doing the right thing and making levelheaded choices. She had nothing substantial to show for her exemplary behavior and discerning ways—no social life other than a few close friends, no steady dates and certainly no sex life, either. At twenty-eight, she definitely wasn’t having fun. She was turning into an old maid while wishing she had the nerve to be hip and contemporary, someone worldly and wise when it came to men and relationships.

Bracing her elbows on her desk, she propped her chin in her palm and allowed a smile to curl the corners of her mouth as she imagined how much fun being bad would be for a change. To break out of the monotonous pattern her life had become. To assert herself and go for what she wanted. No holds barred.

What she wanted was Cole Sommers and the chance to show him how much she’d learned about the business over the years, and the perfect opportunity had presented itself in the form of him needing a woman. She might not be sexy or a stunning beauty, but she was intelligent and knew the investigative business better than most. Certainly being familiar with the Russell case had to account for a few extra points in her favor, as well.

Excitement and anticipation rolled through Melodie as a plan formed in her mind, and when Cole entered the reception area a few moments later, she was mentally prepared to fight for this case—and her man.

“Here’s the new file on the Russell case.” Stopping in front of her desk, he set the folder in an empty wire basket, his demeanor strictly business. “Once you have the initial report and client invoice typed up, I’d like the file back. This evening, if possible. I have a few things I need to follow up on early tomorrow morning.”

“Consider it done.” Another late night at the office—by her own choice, she knew. It was a precedent she’d set of her own accord, so she couldn’t blame Cole for assuming what had become routine on her part. She loved her job, but there was no denying she craved more excitement and adventure than typing up a report could provide.

He turned back around to leave, and she abruptly stood up before she lost the nerve to address him. “Cole?” His name escaped her on a breathless note.

Slowly, he faced her again, regarding her with a casual kind of directness she’d grown used to. Yet there was something in the depth of his blue eyes that made her heartbeat quicken in her chest and her knees feel weak.

“Yes?” he asked, his curt tone dissolving whatever awareness and warmth she’d seen in his expression a moment ago.

She’d never felt intimidated by Cole’s size, but his presence in front of her suddenly seemed very overwhelming. He was a tall, powerfully built man and possessed a potent combination of virile strength, rugged allure and understated confidence. Lean and muscular, he was all male—from his thick, tousled sable hair, to the knit shirt that molded to his broad chest, and fitted khaki trousers that defined his hard thighs and long, sturdy legs. Definitely a candidate for the strong, gorgeous, silent type, and attracted her like no other.

A bout of anxiety knotted in her belly and her throat closed up tight. She swallowed hard, reminding herself that nothing risked equaled nothing gained—words she planned to embrace from this moment on if she didn’t want to live the rest of her life like a nun. “I heard you and Noah talking about the Russell case and your comment about needing a woman to accompany you to Thornton’s charity auction.”

He blinked, his features taking on a curious edge tinged with a bit of caution. “Do you know someone in the business who could help me out?”

“Well, sort of.” Her fingers twisted together at her waist, a nervous habit she’d developed as a young girl, and she consciously pried her hands apart and set them at her sides. “I do have a solution to your problem.”

“You do?” he asked in surprise, his rich tone dropping an octave.

She nodded succinctly, inhaled a deep breath to bolster her fortitude, and blurted, “Let me be the woman you need.”

His dark brows rose a good half inch on his forehead and his entire body grew tense. “Excuse me?”

Her face flushed warmly at her slip. She hadn’t meant to sound as though she was propositioning him. “For the charity auction,” she rushed to clarify.

He shifted on his feet, the suggestion seemingly making him very uncomfortable. “I don’t think so.” His voice was low and thick.

“Why not?” She’d been taught by her father never to question or dispute a voice of authority, and while a part of her was shocked at her own out-spoken behavior, she couldn’t deny that the freedom to be assertive felt liberating.

Bracing his hands on his lean hips, he frowned at the subtle challenge in her tone. “Because I didn’t hire you to work on cases.”

“What if I want to work on this case?” she argued, shocking herself yet again. She pulled back her shoulders to maintain an air of confidence. “I know the business, and I’m familiar with the case. Besides, how hard can it be to pose as your date and read love letters? You need a woman for the job, and the last I checked, I definitely fulfill that requirement.”

His gaze fell to her chest, and she realized that, with her shoulders back, the material of her dress was pulled tight across her breasts. To make matters worse, his heated stare caused her nipples to pucker in reaction.

He lifted his gaze back to her face. A muscle in his cheek ticked, and a harsh sigh unraveled out of him as he pushed his fists deep into his trouser pockets. “Melodie…I don’t think your father would appreciate me putting you in a potentially dangerous situation.”

She inwardly cringed at his placating tone, feeling anything but calm and mollified. She knew her father echoed Cole’s sentiments, believing she belonged in a safe environment, free from any outside negative influences. He had, after all, suggested that she go to work for Cole as a secretary because Sommers Investigative Specialists was a respected firm run by a man her father knew and trusted. It was bad enough that she’d grown up with a father who’d spent too many years trying to shelter and protect her from any adverse situations; she didn’t want or need that same attitude from Cole, or anyone else for that matter.

With that in mind, she asserted herself once again. “As a grown adult, I can take care of myself and make my own decisions. And if it makes you feel any better, my father would never have to know about me and the case.”

He shook his head, causing a lock of sable hair to swipe across his forehead. “I can’t take that chance…with you.”

Because she was Richard Turner’s daughter, she knew with a sinking feeling in the pit of her belly. As if she didn’t have enough problems getting his attention, he was using her father as a barrier between them. And Cole was principled enough to stand by that decision for the next fifty years. The man was steadfast and true, and, while she admired that quality about him when it came to his job, at the moment, his tenacity frustrated the heck out of her.

She started around her desk toward him, refusing to give up or back down from what she wanted for a change. “Cole—”

He held up a hand, halting any further debate. “I’m sorry, but I won’t change my mind. Your talents are better suited in this office, not out in the field. End of discussion.”

She knew he hadn’t meant his words to be condescending, but his backhanded compliment about her “talents” stung her feminine pride, especially since she knew that Cole depended on her for more than her secretarial skills. She thrust her chin out as he turned and walked back to his office. The two of them were far from finished, this issue between them far from over.

If Cole didn’t have faith in her ability to be the woman he needed, she’d just have to figure out a way to prove him wrong.

2

MELODIE ABSENTLY PUSHED her lunch around on her plate with her fork, her mind too preoccupied with replaying yesterday’s conversation with Cole for her to concentrate on eating the food the waitress had just delivered. While she was ready to break out of the plain-Jane, good-girl existence she’d lived all her life, she had no idea how to go about transforming herself into the kind of woman who’d catch Cole’s eye.

“Don’t tell me you aren’t hungry,” Joelle, Cole’s younger sister, said in disbelief. “You’re the only woman I know that has a healthy appetite like mine—I’d hate to lose that rare bond we share.”

Melodie smiled at her friend and coworker from across the restaurant table. “Your appetite has doubled since you’ve become pregnant, Jo. I can’t keep up with you and your regular bouts of hunger.”

Jo rubbed her belly, which was still disgustingly small considering she was nearly five months pregnant. She wore leggings and long shirts, and hadn’t even graduated to maternity clothes yet. “I have to say that being pregnant is a wonderful excuse to eat, but Dean has become such a worrier about me taking care of myself and making sure I’m eating all the right things for the baby. It’s hard for me to splurge like I really want to.”

Melodie laughed when Jo rolled her eyes in exasperation, but there was no mistaking the love and affection between the couple when they were together. The two had met under unconventional circumstances when Jo had taken Dean into custody in a case of mistaken identity. During the course of establishing his innocence, they’d fallen in love, though it had taken time and compromise to make their relationship work. Now, the two shared a tangible devotion and passion Melodie envied.

An exaggerated sigh escaped Jo. “He insists on making me breakfast every morning and dinner every night, with something included from all the five food groups and a huge glass of milk to top it all off. So the only time I get to satisfy my real cravings is when I don’t go out to lunch with him.”

Melodie twirled fettuccini noodles around her fork and stabbed a piece of tender chicken. “If the way he takes care of you is any indication, Dean will make a great daddy.”

Blue eyes, identical in color to Cole’s, softened with agreement. “Yeah, I know he will.”

They both worked on eating their lunches, and after a few minutes of silence Jo looked back up at her and tipped her head inquisitively. “You seem distracted today, at the office and here at lunch. Is everything okay?”

Melodie took a bite of her fettuccini and debated whether or not to pull Jo into her dilemma with Cole. She desperately needed someone to talk to—a qualified, knowledgeable female who’d understand and empathize with her inexperience with the opposite sex. Melodie’s mother had died before she’d ever really known her, and her father had never re-married, so she’d grown up without a steady feminine influence in her life. She had girlfriends from school she still kept in touch with, but no one she felt comfortable enough with to discuss her lack-luster seduction skills.

As for Jo, well, she had a deeper insight to the man Melodie had her sights set on, so any advice she volunteered on her brother’s psyche might help Mel better understand what kind of obstacles she was up against. Ultimately, she trusted Jo as a friend and confidante.

Melodie swiped her napkin across her mouth, pushed her half-eaten lunch aside and took Jo up on her offer to express what was bothering her. “Can we talk, girl to girl?” she asked, then rephrased her question. “Or rather, woman to woman?”

A grin quirked Jo’s mouth and interest glimmered in her eyes. “Sure. What’s on your mind?” She finished off her burger and washed it down with the last of her soda.

Melodie paused a heartbeat, then said, “I was hoping you could give me some advice on attracting a man’s attention.”

Jo’s light, good-natured laughter rang between them. “What in the world makes you think I’m qualified to dole out advice on men?”

Propping her elbows on the table, Melodie laced her fingers together and rested her chin on top. “You snagged Dean, didn’t you?”

“There were extenuating circumstances,” Jo replied, brushing a wisp of blond hair off her cheek. “I certainly wasn’t on a manhunt when I met him.”

Melodie felt a blush sweep across her skin at the insinuation that she was interested in trawling for men. As in plural. “There’s only one man I want,” she clarified.

Leaning back in her padded chair, Jo regarded her thoughtfully as the waitress cleared their plates. The other woman mentioned dessert, momentarily distracting Jo with more important matters as she ordered herself a slice of chocolate cake. Melodie passed on the offer of sweets, opting instead for a refill on her iced tea.

Once the server was gone, Jo returned to her subtle analysis of Melodie from across the table. “If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say it’s Cole you’re after.”

Melodie opened her mouth, then closed it again, unable to deny the truth. “Yes, it is,” she said, relieved to finally admit her feelings to someone. “Am I that obvious?”

The waitress delivered Jo’s cake and she dove right in to the dessert. “Let’s just say that you have a way of wearing your emotions on your sleeve.”

“Does Cole know?” she asked tentatively.

Jo shrugged. “I have no idea, though I have to say that Cole tends to shut out the things he doesn’t know how to deal with. You could be one of those things,” she added with a smile.

A frown settled on Melodie’s brows. “That doesn’t sound very encouraging to me.”

“Knowing my brother all too well, he’s probably avoiding the attraction, and if you want his attention you’re going to have to force him to acknowledge it.” Jo took another bite of the rich, creamy-looking chocolate cake, and took a long moment to savor the taste. “So what brought all this on, anyway?”

Melodie explained about the Russell case, along with Cole needing a woman to accompany him to the charity auction. “I made the suggestion that I go with him to the affair so I can read those erotic love letters for him. I know the case, and I’ve worked for him for two years doing extended background checks and researching case information. The next logical step would be for me to help him on this case, but he’s adamant that my talents are better suited in the office and not out in the field.”

Jo chuckled in amusement. “Oh, that’s a good one.”

She cringed as she remembered his unflattering comment, but wasn’t about to let it deter her from her purpose. “Also, he claims he doesn’t want to put me in a potentially dangerous situation, yet he’s willing to use another woman as a decoy. If all that’s not bad enough, he’s using his close relationship with my father as an excuse to make sure he keeps me safe and out of harm’s way, as if it’s his duty to shelter and protect me. Between the two of them, I’ve had enough of being watched over.”

“Wow, can I ever relate to that,” Jo murmured in understanding. “Cole has always been the same way with me. He’s only eased off since I married Dean. Being protective of the people in his life has been ingrained in my brother since the day my parents divorced, and that trait only intensified after our father died and he had to raise me and Noah. Cole takes his responsibilities very seriously.”

“The very last thing I want is to be an obligation to Cole,” Melodie said, swirling her straw through her iced tea.

Jo ate another sliver of her chocolate cake, her eyes lighting up with an idea. “If you really want to be the woman on his arm at this charity auction, then why don’t you give him what he wants?”

Uncertain what Jo was getting at, she asked, “Which is?”

“A woman who fits his vision.” Jo licked off remnants of frosting from her fork as she thought for a moment. “What, exactly, did Cole tell Noah he wanted again?”

“A sexy, sophisticated, intelligent woman.” The prerequisite was burned in her memory.

A disarming grin curved Jo’s mouth. “Then that’s exactly what you give him.”

“Take a look at the woman sitting in front of you, Jo,” she said, her tone dry. “I’m not exactly sophisticated, sex kitten material.”

“No, but you most definitely have the potential to be,” Jo countered confidently. “If this is what you really want, you’re going to have to be willing to play the part to the hilt. You’ll need to learn to walk the walk and talk the talk, and shed a few inhibitions along the way. Think you can handle that?”

A spark of excitement flared within her. This was exactly what she needed—a friendly shove to break out of the straitlaced, conservative lifestyle she’d led for too long. “I’m certainly willing to try.”

“Oh, this is going to be fun.” Jo’s eyes glowed with mischief. “Tomorrow’s Saturday. What do you say you and I plan a girls’ day out and do the works, from head to toe? Haircuts, manicure, pedicure and a few new outfits?”

Melodie’s spirits lifted as she envisioned the new and improved her. “Just so long as Dean doesn’t mind me monopolizing your day.”

“Are you kidding?” Jo brushed off her concern with a wave of her hand. “He’ll reap the benefits.”

She exhaled a deep breath. “Then consider it a date.”

Jo leaned across the table, her expression filled with glee. “Come Monday morning, you’ll knock Cole’s socks off.”

Among other things, Melodie hoped. She grinned at Jo and said, “Let the transformation begin.”

BY SUNDAY EVENING Melodie decided that being sexy and sophisticated entailed a whole lot of hard work. Talented beauticians had managed to transform her into a woman she hardly recognized as her former self—from the cut, color and style of her hair, to her subtly made-up face, all the way to the pale pink polish on the nails of her fingers and toes. Salesladies with an eye for flattering outfits had given her a whole new look. Coupled with Jo’s approval and coaxing, her wardrobe now consisted of the kind of form-fitting and stylish clothes she’d always admired on other women but had never bought for herself.

Outwardly, she had to admit she looked like a whole new woman, the kind of worldly, wise and attractive date Cole needed on his arm in two weeks. Now she had to work on the “inner her,” and all the personality traits that came with being bold, confident and assertive.

Luckily she’d been blessed with a good amount of intelligence, she thought wryly as she crawled into bed, or else she’d be in big, big trouble, because she doubted there was a trained professional she could hire to implant a quick dose of brilliance. And to her credit, she already knew the P.I. business, and the details of the Russell case. So, she figured she was as ready as she’d ever be.

Fluffing her pillows against the headboard of her bed, she propped herself up, made herself comfortable and grabbed the book she’d left on her night-stand the previous evening. The book was chock-full of sexy, provocative advice on being aggressive and uninhibited. The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad covered everything from walking the walk and talking the talk, as Jo had put it, to how to tease, flirt and seduce a man with a glance or a touch. The book was all about breaking good-girl rules and embracing sensual, bad-girl pleasures. Later chapters included advice on enjoying every aspect of hot, erotic sex with the man of her choice, and how to make him a slave to her every desire.

She absorbed every page, every written word, and put it all to memory. By the time she’d finished the book it was nearly midnight, and there was no doubt in her mind that bad girls had the market cornered on fun. She’d also realized how to use an erotic letter of her own to show Cole she was a grown, sensual woman who could handle the Russell case, as well as him.

A smile curled her lips. Her fun would start tomorrow morning at the office, and she couldn’t wait to see the expression on Cole’s face when he laid eyes on her.

COLE WALKED INTO the office Monday morning and came to an abrupt halt in the reception area when he caught sight of a woman going through the case files in the drawers behind Melodie’s desk. Startled, he cast a quick glance around the area for his secretary, but she was nowhere in the vicinity.

Frowning, he quietly moved forward, wondering what the woman was up to—was she searching for information on a client case? And where was Melodie? He’d seen her car parked outside, so she had to be in the building somewhere.

His mind considered the odd scenario while more masculine instincts took note of the way the woman’s fitted lavender skirt clung to her trim backside. The hem ended midthigh, drawing his gaze to long, shapely legs covered in pale, shimmery stockings. He’d yet to see the woman’s face, but there was no denying she was a knockout from the neck down.

Banishing those wayward thoughts, he stopped in front of Mel’s desk and cleared his throat to get the other woman’s attention. “Excuse me, can I help you with something?”

She whirled around and pressed a hand to her chest in surprise. “Cole!” Melodie exclaimed breathlessly. “I didn’t hear you come in!”

Cole stared at the gorgeous vision before him, unable to believe his prim, proper and very reserved secretary had somehow metamorphosed into this head-turning, stunning creature. His mind reeled and his body felt as though he’d been delivered a punch to his midsection.

Gone was the long, tidy braid his secretary always wore, replaced by a tousled, shoulder-length cut that framed her face in soft waves and looked sexy as hell. Cinnamon-hued highlights had been added to her brunette hair, causing the silky strands to shimmer with the simplest movement of her head. The subtle application of makeup on her face brought out threads of bright gold in her brown eyes he’d never noticed before, and her lips were slick with a glossy shade of lipstick that reminded him of a succulent peach—one he wanted to gently sink his teeth into and taste…badly.

The knot in his stomach tightened, yet he couldn’t stop staring. The cream silk blouse she wore clung to her full breasts in a way her other outfits never had and was buttoned just low enough to give him a glimpse of a creamy swell of flesh. She’d tucked the hem into the trim waistband of her lavender skirt, giving her a sleek, sexy, well-put-together kind of look. The woman had the kind of lush curves that warranted a second glance, and all these years she’d hidden them beneath loose dresses and conservative outfits.

Still shocked, his mouth opened to say something, anything, but no words emerged.

She laughed, the soft, throaty sound unlike anything he’d ever heard in her tone before. “What’s the matter, boss?” she asked as a slow, sensual smile lifted her lips. “Cat got your tongue?”

The proverbial cat not only had his voice, but his groin seemed to be just as affected by her transformation. If he’d thought he’d been fighting his attraction to her before, he currently felt as though she’d launched a full-out assault on his libido, and his restraint!

He shook his head, hard, and tried to regain his composure. “What’s with…” Unable to grasp the appropriate word when his mind was muddled with arousal, he gestured from the top of her head to the three-inch heels on her feet with an impatient wave of his hand. “Everything.”

“It’s the new me,” she replied, and twirled around, giving him a 360-degree view of her very feminine assets. “I was in the mood for a change. What do you think?”

The problem was, he couldn’t think, at least not with any part of his anatomy located above the belt. Mind-blowing was the first word that came to mind, followed by provocative. With that crushable hair, those luscious lips and those endlessly long legs, she was his most carnal fantasy come to life.

Although it seemed crazy, he wondered if their conversation last week about her not accompanying him to the charity auction had instigated this radical transformation in her. Not that he had any intention of changing his mind about her doing the job.

He swallowed to ease his parched throat. “You look…” Amazing, tempting and too damned beddable. “Really nice,” he forced out blandly.

Some of the confidence glimmering in her gaze dwindled, and he experienced a mixture of relief and regret for bursting her enthusiasm. But the last thing he wanted to do was encourage her brazen behavior in any way. He was already having a difficult enough time with his body’s response to this new and sensual Melodie.

So, instead, he focused on business. “Any calls this morning?”

She hesitated for a moment, then straightened her shoulders once again, as if attempting to rebolster her fortitude. Reaching across her desk, she gathered a few pink message slips and handed them his way, her movements slow and unhurried instead of quick and efficient, as was her usual manner.

“Lance Keesling returned your call from Friday,” she said, and even her voice sounded lower, huskier, to his ears. “Jonas Goodwin would like an update on the Williams insurance fraud case, and Bobby Malone will be stopping by later this afternoon with the information you needed on the MacGregor custody case.”

He nodded succinctly. Bobby Malone was a detective with the Oakland P.D., and also a good friend of Noah’s. The two of them traded professional favors on cases when needed, and Cole was waiting for crucial information on a prior felon embroiled in a custody dispute with one of his clients.

“Great,” he said, glancing back at her after reviewing the messages she’d taken for him. “Could you pull the Goodwin case file for me and bring it to my office, please?”

“It’s already on your desk,” she replied efficiently.

“Thank you.” At least some things hadn’t changed, he thought gratefully. Despite Melodie’s new attitude and alluring appearance, she was still the same old reliable, conscientious secretary he’d come to depend on in the office.

And that’s all he cared about, he told himself firmly.

“Good morning, everyone,” Noah’s deep, cheerful voice sounded from behind Cole as he entered the reception area, followed by a quick inhalation as he obviously caught sight of Melodie. “Holy sh—” he cut himself off. Cole turned to see his shocked outburst replaced with a wolfish grin. “Who in the heck is this impostor? Certainly not our sweet Mel!”

A pink blush swept across her cheeks, but something much more mischievous flickered in her eyes. “Maybe I’m her naughty twin.”

“Oh, I like that,” Noah said with a too-charming laugh that grated on Cole’s nerves. Noah circled around the desk, grabbed Melodie’s hand, spun her in a circle for a full inspection, then made a low, growling sound of approval and appreciation. “You look incredible. I think I need to modify ‘sweet stuff’ to ‘hot stuff.”’

She beamed up at him. “That would definitely go with my new image.”

“Hot stuff it is,” Noah confirmed, winking playfully at her.

An odd tension settled down the nape of Cole’s neck and he was loath to acknowledge its source. Noah had always been a shameless flirt when it came to all women, yet Cole didn’t care for the way his brother was eyeing Mel’s newly revealed attributes he, himself, had ogled earlier.

He clenched his jaw in frustration and issued a stern internal lecture. He’d never been a jealous man when it came to the opposite sex, and he didn’t intend to start now with a woman he had no business lusting over.

“I’m glad you came in early, Noah,” he said, drawing his brother’s gaze back to him. “Can I see you in my office for a few minutes?”

Noah let go of Melodie’s hand and nodded. “Sure.” He followed Cole down the short hall to his office, then dropped into one of the chairs in front of his desk. “What’s up?”

Taking his own seat, Cole rolled his shoulders to ease the taught muscles stretching across his back. “Do you have time this week to do some surveillance work?”

“Yeah, I can wing it. What do you need?”

“It’s for the Russell case. I’d like you to tail Jerry Thornton and see if he’s involved with another woman and uncover whatever you can regarding his credibility.” Withdrawing a piece of paper from his blotter, he pushed it across his desk toward Noah. “Here’s his home and work address and a photo, along with other pertinent info.”

Resting an ankle over the opposite knee, Noah gave the notes a cursory glance, then slanted Cole a furtive look. “Speaking of the Russell case, your sexy, sophisticated, intelligent candidate for the charity auction is standing in the other room.”

“Who? Melodie?” he asked, his tone infused with a plausible amount of incredulity—he hoped.

Noah smirked. “No, her naughty twin.”

“Forget it,” he told his brother firmly. “I refuse to cross that professional line with my own secretary.”

“In order to cross a professional line you need to be attracted to her,” Noah drawled, insinuating as much. “Come on, Cole, she’s perfect for what you need.”

Cole’s needs were making themselves known with a vengeance. Since the moment he’d laid eyes on Melodie’s newly revealed bottom and long legs, his body had been clamoring for a more physical kind of contact. A languid dose of desire had settled beneath his skin, a nagging ache he feared would get much worse if Melodie continued her beguiling performance.

“And it’s not as though you have to sleep with her,” Noah added wryly.

Oh, but he wanted to, Cole thought, no longer shocked by his sinful thoughts where Melodie was concerned. Too easily, he could envision her sprawled on his king-sized bed, his own aroused body covering hers as his fingers sank deep into her silky hair and his mouth tasted her lips, her neck, her breasts. Oh, yeah, he wanted, and there was no sense in blatantly tempting himself with what he couldn’t have.

“Look, I refuse to put Melodie in that kind of position.” Or himself for that matter. “If, for some reason, something on the case goes wrong, I don’t want to risk losing a damn good secretary.”

Noah looked as though he was struggling not to burst out laughing at Cole’s ridiculous excuse, but managed to keep his expression composed. “Whatever you say.” Standing, he pocketed the information Cole had given him on Jerry Thornton. “I’ll get right on the surveillance and let you know what I find out.”

Cole nodded succinctly, grateful that he was no longer under his brother’s scrutiny. “Thanks, I appreciate it.”

Once Noah was gone, Cole deliberately buried himself in follow-up work on current cases to keep himself occupied and busy. Unfortunately, his secretary had more distracting matters in mind. Every time she walked into his office to deliver paperwork or discuss a case report with him, his gaze strayed unerringly to her swaying hips and shapely legs as she glided toward his desk in a slow, tantalizing stride. More times than he cared to admit, he caught himself staring at the soft roundness of her breasts beneath her blouse and had even witnessed a sensuous glow in her eyes when he dared to meet her gaze. Hell, even his ears perked up when she answered the phone, just so he could listen to her speak in that soft, husky tone of voice that matched her alluring packaging.

He was completely and totally aware of Melodie, in every way imaginable. Just as she’d intended, no doubt. And with every inviting smile she cast his way, coupled with a few accidental brushes of their bodies as they passed in the hallway, she added fuel to the fiery flame burning deep inside him.

By the end of the workday, he was tied up in knots, and so mentally and physically aroused he was ready to come out of his skin with a mere whisper of a touch.

The now familiar swishing sound that accompanied Mel’s approach down the hall to his office put his unruly hormones back on full alert. With effort, he tamped down his eager response, and by the time she’d entered the spacious room, he’d schooled his features to reflect casual interest.

It had been blessedly quiet for the past hour. At a quarter after six, the front-end phone was silent, and both Noah and Jo were gone for the evening—which left him all alone with Melodie. His muscles tensed at the realization. Normally that wouldn’t be a cause for concern, considering more often than not she worked late with him, but that was before she’d turned herself into an impudent minx.

“Can I run something by you, Cole?” she asked, her tone as serious as her expression.

Ahh, business he could handle. A piece of paper in her hand legitimized her request and made his shoulders relax again. “Sure. What is it?”

“A letter.” Instead of taking one of the chairs in front of his desk, she came around to where he sat and settled herself on a cleared spot of polished mahogany to his left. “One I’d like to read to you, if that’s okay.”

She crossed one slender, stocking-clad leg over the other—in the same prim and proper way she’d done a hundred times before while taking notes for him on a case. Except she’d never sat on his desk in such a brazen manner, and she’d never worn a skirt so short it ought to be deemed illegal for all the wicked, decadent thoughts it inspired.

He leaned back in his leather chair to put much-needed distance between them. “Is this for a case?”

She appeared momentarily nervous, which quickly ebbed into an adorable look of perseverance. “Yes, it is.”

Curiosity edged out the caution nagging at his conscience. “All right. Let’s hear it.”

Her chest rose and fell as she inhaled a deep breath, then her thick lashes lowered and her gaze dropped to read what she’d written on the piece of stationery in her hand. “You’ve been in my thoughts all day long, and now we’re finally together,” she began, her soft voice at first quivering and unsteady. “I’ve caught you watching me when you think I’m not looking and it excites me to know that I’ve captured your attention, and that you might possibly want me as much as I’ve wanted you. Your gaze drifts over me, as soft as a caress and as warm as a sultry summer night, making me heady with breathless anticipation.”

Certain he wasn’t prepared to hear the rest of her letter that was taking on a very provocative slant, he offered up a protest to stop her. “Mel…”

“Shhh, let me finish,” she scolded gently, though there was no mistaking that reading her erotic letter out loud was taking a huge dose of courage on her part. She shifted on his desk and slowly recrossed her legs, the movement echoing the restlessness stringing his nerves and body tight.

“You’ve become my sensual awakening, and now my body hungers for the intimacy of your touch.” Lifting her hand, she feathered her fingers along the pulse fluttering in her throat and gradually skimmed her hand downward to the vee in her blouse as she continued to mesmerize him with her words and actions. “I ache to feel your strong hands stroking my cheek, my breasts and heating the soft skin along my stomach and thighs. My heartbeat quickens at the thought of experiencing such exquisite pleasure, and even now I’m trembling deep inside, waiting, hoping that you’ll be the one to ease the intense longing that grows with every passing second.”

She brushed loose tendrils of silky hair behind her ear, and her tongue darted out to dampen her bottom lip, making her mouth glisten like a ripe, juicy peach. “Wrap me in passion and desire, and I’ll expose my every need. Tease me, please me and make my fantasies come true.” She lifted her smoky gaze to his, her dark irises rimmed in brilliant gold. “I’m waiting for you. Make me yours.”

Cole was so caught up in her sensual monologue that, in his very vivid imagination, she was already his. And his invigorated body echoed the sentiment. There was no doubt in his mind that she was attempting to shake up his composure and shamelessly seduce his mind, his thoughts. And her ploy was working, considering he could only think of one thing: fulfilling hot, illicit fantasies. Hers, and his own. Together.

The temptation to touch her was overwhelming, and it took monumental effort to resist the urge to reach out and place his hand on her silky leg and smooth his palm up her thigh, then beneath the hem of her skirt. To find out if she was just as aroused as she’d made him.

He clenched his hand into a tight fist on the arm-rest of his chair and asked as calmly as he could manage, “Where did you get that letter?” His voice sounded gravelly to his own ears.

She tipped her head, causing her softly layered hair to sway over her shoulder and along her cheek, beckoning him to test the luxurious texture of those strands with his fingers. “I wrote it today, during my lunch break. What do you think?”

“You definitely earn an A for creativity,” he replied without thinking.

A satisfied smile made an appearance on her glossy lips. “It was easier than I thought to write the letter, even kind of fun, but I was more concerned about reading it.” Her gaze held his, pulling him into the guileless pools of deep brown staring intently at him. “Did I do okay?”

Any better and he would have embarrassed himself with how turned on she’d made him. “You did fine, Mel.” Feeling too damned stimulated, he stood up and paced to the window on the other side of his office, then turned to face her again. “Is there a point to why you feel compelled to read me such a personal letter?”

“Of course there’s a point.” She slipped gracefully from the surface of his desk and glided toward him, a mixture of nerves and determination mingling in her gaze. Stopping in front of him, she placed her hand on his chest, right over his rapidly beating heart, then slid her palm upward until her trembling fingers toyed with the collar of his shirt. “I’m trying to prove I can be exactly what you need.”

Oh, he needed all right. With a vengeance. In a way that was quickly zapping his common sense and rigid control. “Care to explain that comment?” he asked, shoving his hands deep into his pants’ pockets.

“I’m applying for the position of your date for the charity auction.” Her fingers grazed the opening of his knit shirt, scorching his flesh with her daring caress. “I know you could probably find someone sexier and more alluring,” she said, a bout of insecurity showing through her bravado. “But you already gave me an A for reading my erotic love letter. Considering that’s what you need a woman for on the Russell case, that skill has to count for something, doesn’t it?”

“So, that’s the reason for your metamorphosis and that letter you just read?” he asked incredulously. “The Russell case?”

“Partly, yes.” Her chin lifted, adding a willful air to her demeanor and a new, intriguing dimension to her personality—a strength and tenacity he couldn’t help but admire. “I’ve been sensible and accommodating all my life, Cole. A quintessential good girl, a perfect daughter and a quiet, dependable secretary. I’m twenty-eight years old. I want to have some fun and be a little wild and adventurous. And I want to find out what it’s like working on a case outside of the office. I’m more than qualified, and I can help you on the Russell case, if you’d just give me the chance.”

“No.” His response was automatic; it was also his last link to his own personal salvation when it came to her.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to prove I’m capable of handling this assignment. Anything at all.” Undaunted by his refusal, she stepped closer, and whispered daringly, “Tease me, please me and make my fantasies come true,” she recited from the erotic letter.

I’m waiting for you. Make me yours. The provocative words echoed through his head, and he nearly groaned as every muscle in his body responded to her audacious display. Her flattened palms traveled along his shoulders and around his neck, and she swayed toward him, causing her soft, lush breasts to rasp across his chest and her thighs to press against his.

Unable to take another moment of her bewitching actions, he grabbed both of her hands to regain control of the situation and backed her up against the wall behind her. He pinned her wrists beside her head with his splayed hands and glared down at her, doing his best to discourage her advances with his dark look.

“Dammit, Mel,” he growled, his low, rough tone threaded with frustration and desire. “You’re playing with fire.”

He’d expected his intimidation tactics to coerce her into backing off, but this new side to Melodie was proving to be more than he’d bargained for. Instead of retreating, she inhaled a deep breath and gazed up at him challengingly. “Maybe I want to get burned.”

Oh, hell. When and how had the focus of the conversation shifted to them? The flush of excitement on her cheeks backed her claim, yet he instinctively knew she hadn’t considered the repercussions of what she was asking for, or the fact that he wasn’t a forever kind of guy. One step closer and she’d have ample proof that he was ready, willing and able to indulge in hot sex and carnal pleasures with her. But work and personal ethics kept him from following through on the primal urges raging within him.

He bent his knees, lowering his face so he was looking directly into her eyes—putting him a breath away from kissing her. “You’re not ready for this kind of game,” he warned in a deep, gruff voice. “And if you’re not careful, you’re gonna end up getting hurt.”

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