Eli’s gaze roamed up and down her body before returning back to the one leg he still held in his firm grip.

He smiled at her ankle bracelet. It did something to enhance the look of her leg, made it appear even sexier. He caught one of his fingers in the thin gold chain and gently rubbed it back and forth against her skin. “Nice.”

He picked up on her ultrasoft moan and knew she was getting aroused from him rubbing her leg that way. She hadn’t seen anything yet. Her response to what he was doing sent shivers all through his body, and caused a throbbing ache in his groin that was so intense, he knew he had to get out of his clothes now or suffer irreparable damage to that part of him later. The way his erection was pressing against his zipper was no joke.

“Eli?”

“Hmm?”

“What are you doing to me?”

He held her gaze. “Something called foreplay. At least the start of it anyway.”

“There’s more?” she asked.

“Definitely. As much as you can handle.”

BRENDA JACKSON

is a die “heart” romantic who married her childhood sweetheart and still proudly wears the “going steady” ring he gave her when she was fifteen. Because she’s always believed in the power of love, Brenda’s stories always have happy endings. In her real-life love story, Brenda and Gerald, her husband of thirty-eight years, live in Jacksonville, Florida, and have two sons.

A New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy-five romance titles, Brenda is a retiree from a major insurance company and now divides her time between family, writing and traveling with Gerald. You may write to Brenda at P.O. Box 28267, Jacksonville, Florida 32226; her email address WriterBJackson@aol.com; or visit her website at www.brendajackson.net.

A Steele for Christmas
Brenda Jackson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dear Reader,

You have to love those “Bad News” Steeles!

When I introduced the Steeles with Chance’s story five years ago, little did I know that I would be writing beyond Donovan’s story. But the more I wrote about that family, the more I knew I had to tell you about their cousins—those other Steeles who live in Phoenix. They are the ones known as the “Bad News” Steeles.

There are six brothers. Last year, Galen Steele’s story debuted in Hidden Pleasures. While writing Galen’s story, I just knew I had to write about his brother Eli Steele here in A Steele for Christmas.

Eli is such a no-nonsense guy who always thought he knew just what he wanted. He loves his job as an attorney and his favorite pastime is enjoying women. Little does Eli know that he’ll become a present for some woman under her Christmas tree. Wow! Can you imagine a Steele for Christmas? Read between the covers to see how it all turns out!

Thank you for making the Steeles a very special family. I look forward to bringing you more books of endless love and red-hot passion.

Happy reading!

Brenda Jackson

To the love of my life, Gerald Jackson, Sr.

This year marks my 16th anniversary as a published

author and I want to thank all of you for your support.

To those readers who I got to meet during my book

tour this past spring, this book is especially for you!

To my cast and crew of Truly Everlasting, the movie.

Thank you for a job well done!

For none of us lives for ourselves alone,

and none of us dies for ourselves alone.

—Romans 14:7

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Epilogue

Chapter 1

E li Steele’s looks should be outlawed.

Stacey Carlson couldn’t help reaching that conclusion each and every time she saw him. She had been in town less than a week when she’d heard about the six Steele brothers—mainly from the feminine whispers at the health spa she’d joined. At the time, she had merely rolled her eyes in the sauna room thinking the women had to be delusional. No men could look that good.

She was proven wrong a few months later when she ran into the “Bad News” Steeles at her brother Cohen’s birthday party. That’s when she met all six of them. All it took was one look and she had to admit they were the most gorgeous men she’d ever encountered in all twenty-five years of her life. And with their Smokey Robinson green eyes, chiseled lips, long eyelashes, dimpled cheeks, sculpted jaws and mahogany-colored skin, they were definitely hotties of the most arousing kind.

There was Galen, the oldest of the group, who’d gotten married six months ago. At thirty-five he’d made millions as a video game creator. Tyson was thirty-four and a gifted surgeon. Eli, at thirty-three, was a prominent attorney in town. Jonas, who was thirty-two, owned a marketing business. Thirty-one-year-old Mercury was a well-known sports agent, and Gannon, who had recently turned thirty, managed the million-dollar trucking firm he’d taken over when their father had retired.

The five single Steeles had a reputation for being womanizers and came with a banner a mile long that warned—Get pleasure now but expect severe heartbreak later. Stacey didn’t find the thought at all amusing while she studied Eli out of the corner of her eye as he browsed her gift shop.

Technically, it was his shop since he owned the space. To be more specific, he owned the entire high-rise building, all twenty floors of the Steele Building in downtown Phoenix. She was a tenant and he was her landlord. Her gift shop was on the ground floor, a perfect location that drew both in-house and outside traffic. It was worth the amount she paid each month for the lease.

The only drawback was Eli’s daily visits to purchase a copy of the Wall Street Journal. She would open up at nine and, like clockwork, he would walk into Stacey’s Gift Shop at nine-fifteen. The only exceptions were those mornings when he had an early court appearance.

With nothing more than a terse “Good morning,” he would grab his paper and place the exact amount for his purchase on the counter before walking out with the male scent of him following in his wake and leaving her all but drooling.

Lately, he had gotten into the habit of returning every day right before the lunch hour rush to take his time to browse. She shouldn’t complain since he would always purchase something, even if it was only a pack of gum. Still, the fact that he was in the shop was unsettling, mainly because the man was so darn pleasing to the eyes that it was hard to keep her gaze off him. He was so stunning, he could snatch a woman’s breath right from her lungs.

She hated admitting that she’d been lusting after him for months. She should be the last person to have that sort of reaction to any man considering the fix Wallace Flowers had left her in seven months ago. Even now, it was hard for her to believe that her fiancé had called off their wedding a mere week before it was to take place. He’d told her he wasn’t in love with her and had wanted to marry Stacey’s friend Gail instead.

Heartbroken and humiliated beyond belief, she had quit the computer programming job she’d hated anyway, packed up her belongings and left Memphis far behind when Cohen invited her to come join him in Phoenix. And it had been her brother who’d convinced her to do something she had always wanted to do, which was to go into business for herself.

After stocking several items on the shelf, she glanced up in time to see Eli walk toward the counter. She pulled in a deep breath and told herself that regardless of the fact he was so brutally male, she would not be attracted to him, especially when she knew better. Eli Steele was a known heartbreaker and she had already gotten hurt by one of his kind, in the worst possible way.

As usual, he was dressed in a business suit that seemed tailor-made for his body, especially for his broad shoulders and all those sculpted muscles. Like the other five Steele brothers, he was tall, six-four at least, and had a suave, smooth walk. No one would doubt the magnitude of his success. He exuded confidence and borderline arrogance.

He placed one of her shop’s newest items, an antique brass jeweled picture frame, on the counter. She couldn’t help wondering whose picture he would place inside the 5x7 frame. She then asked him the same question she asked all her customers at checkout time. “Did you find everything you needed?”

“Yes.”

“Will this be all then?” she asked.

“Yes.”

She broke eye contact when her pulse rate increased. Drawing in much-needed breath, she forced her hands underneath the counter to retrieve some tissue paper. “Do you prefer a bag or a box?”

“Box.”

“Would you like it gift wrapped?”

“No.”

In addition to his good looks, she’d also discovered he was a man of few words, which made her wonder how he’d won all those court cases she’d heard about. His reputation as a corporate attorney was well-known, and she knew he represented several local powerhouse businesses in Phoenix. She’d heard his law firm took up the entire twentieth floor. Regardless of the amount of words he spoke, his deep, husky voice still stirred everything within her.

She accepted his credit card and tried to downplay her reaction when his hand brushed hers in the exchange. She quickly glanced up and found his gaze on her. Had he felt the same sensation or had it been a figment of her imagination? She wasn’t sure and at that moment, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from his.

The tinkling of the bell indicated another customer had entered her shop. Only then did she break eye contact and finalize his purchase. She was careful how she handed the credit card back to him, making sure their hands didn’t touch again, and did the same thing when presenting the sales slip for him to sign.

“Thanks,” she said, handing a copy of the signed sales slip back to him.

Instead of responding, he nodded before turning to walk out of her shop. It was only then that she was able to release the breath she’d been holding.

“Good morning, Mr. Steele.”

Eli glanced over at his secretary. Melanie Larson was a fifty-six-year-old grandmother of five who had come highly recommended. Her work ethics were so outstanding he couldn’t help wondering where she had been all his life. She had been just what he’d needed after his affair with his last secretary had ended badly.

He should have taken his brother Tyson’s advice and not gotten involved with Liz Baker. Although her administrative skills had left a lot to be desired, she’d owned a pair of legs he couldn’t resist. And he’d made getting between them a top priority. Problems arose when he got ready to move on to the next pair of legs. Liz wasn’t feeling it and got downright possessive by monitoring his calls and deliberately sabotaging his dates. He hadn’t wasted any time uttering Donald Trump’s famous words, “You’re fired!”

“Good morning, Ms. Larson,” he said as he entered his office. When it came to women he was a leg man. That was his one weakness. A woman with a gorgeous pair of legs could get to him each and every time. Like Stacey Carlson for instance, the woman who owned the gift shop on the ground floor. Her legs looked better than Liz’s ever did. Due to that fact alone, he knew if he didn’t keep his head on straight—both the one on his neck as well as the one in his pants—he could end up in a world of trouble.

After placing his briefcase aside, he sat down behind his desk. Leaning back in the chair, he pulled the picture frame he’d just purchased from the box. What in the hell was he going to do with it? He could give it to his mother or to his sister-in-law, Brittany. But the main thing was that he’d purchased it with no intended recipient in mind. And why? Because he had needed an excuse to drop by that gift shop and see Stacey again. It wouldn’t be so bad if it was just the legs that allured him, but the woman was a looker as well.

He had been easily drawn to her beauty the first time he’d seen her at her brother’s birthday party. It wasn’t the kick-you-in-the-gut beauty of some of the women he’d dated, but it was the kind that would definitely grab a man’s attention. And it had done so, in a way he hadn’t been used to.

There had been something about the depths of her brown eyes, the mass of dark curly hair that framed an oval-shaped face, the smooth and creamy texture of her cocoa-colored skin and what he thought of as a pair of delectable lips. The short blue dress she’d worn that night had fit her sleek and curvy body perfectly.

A smile quirked the corners of his lips. Cohen would probably beat the crap out of him if he knew Eli was lusting after his sister, and his friend’s actions would be justified. He and his brothers had met Cohen Carlson around three years ago when he arrived in Phoenix to work alongside Eli’s brother, Tyson, as a surgeon at Phoenix Baptist Hospital.

The Steele brothers had liked Cohen immediately and now considered him like a part of the family. They’d known he had a sister but hadn’t known what a looker she was until she’d moved to town a few months ago.

Eli was aware of the reason she’d left Memphis. He’d heard the story from Tyson. Her fiancé had called off the wedding to become involved with a woman she’d considered a friend. Although he was certain she’d taken the betrayal pretty hard, the attorney in Eli inwardly argued the point that whether Stacey Carlson wanted to accept it or not, she was better off without the jerk.

But Eli couldn’t imagine any man wanting to give up their bachelor status to marry…period. He would admit his brother, Galen, seemed happy enough and his own parents’ marriage was still holding strong after thirty-plus years. In fact, they were still so much in love it was enough to make a person gag if he was around them for too long. But he and his five brothers were used to them, and were smart enough to know the love affair between Drew and Eden Steele was not the norm. And he could say the same thing about Galen and Brittany. He knew it wouldn’t be that way for him, and to be quite honest, he didn’t want it that way.

Eli opened the bottom drawer to his desk. He shook his head before placing the picture frame inside to join other items he’d purchased at the gift shop over the last couple of months just because it gave him a few moments to be in Stacey’s presence without being so outright obvious about it. Damn, it looked like he had purchased enough chewing gum to last for the next twenty years. He wondered what she thought of some of the items he’d purchased from her shop. She probably assumed he had been buying gifts for his lover, but he didn’t have one currently—and he intended to keep it that way for a while.

He would be the first to admit that the ordeal with Liz had left a bad taste in his mouth. Hell, he wasn’t sure if he trusted women any longer. It seemed they all had hidden agendas. He was a man used to romantic entanglements of the steamiest kind, so quite naturally, lately, his mind had begun filling up with a number of horny thoughts. But what could he say when he was one of Drew Steele’s boys. Everyone from Charlotte, North Carolina, all the way to Phoenix, Arizona, knew just what a ladies’ man his dad used to be before his mother had put her stamp all over him. So in their defense, neither he nor his brothers could help their playboy ways. It was in their blood. Even his mother would admit to that. But then she was known to let every hair on her sons’ heads stand up by predicting that just like she’d brought Drew to heel, there was a woman out there who would do the same to her six sons.

Galen had proved her right when he fell—hook, line and sinker—for Brittany Thrasher. And now his brother, who had once been one of Phoenix’s number one players, had easily moved into the role of a doting husband. It was enough to make Eli and his other brothers jump off the tallest building in Phoenix.

The only saving grace was that they all liked Brittany. And having her around had kept their mother off their backs. Eden Steele was too busy spending time building a relationship with her daughter-in-law that she pretty much left her unmarried sons alone for the time being. A person couldn’t ask for more than that.

Eli closed the drawer and was about to open the file in the middle of his desk when his buzzer went off. “Yes, Ms. Larson?”

“Your mother is here, Mr. Steele, and she wants to meet with you.”

A frown settled on Eli’s face. Apparently, he’d spoken too soon.

Chapter 2

S tacey glanced around the restaurant and smiled when she saw Cohen. He had already grabbed a table for them and she moved in his direction. He had called that morning asking that she meet him for lunch because he had some important news to share with her. She couldn’t help wondering what it could be.

She was proud of her brother, the gifted neurosurgeon, who had kept his deathbed promise to their mother that he’d make sure Stacey got a college education. She knew it hadn’t been easy for him with his own student loans but he’d done so without a single complaint.

At thirty-five, Cohen Carlson was ten years older and had always looked out for her. Normally, he was an easygoing individual. The one and only time she’d seen him really get mad was when he wanted to do Wallace in for treating her so shabbily.

“I hope you haven’t been waiting long,” she said, giving her brother a huge hug before taking the seat across from him.

He chuckled. “No, and I feel bad about hogging your lunch hour.”

She flashed her hand to wave off his concern. “It’s nice to get out of the building for a while, especially since it’s usually slow in the afternoons.

“Besides, since I know you’re picking up the tab I get to order whatever I want, instead of settling for a snack out of the vending machine,” she added.

He laughed and she loved hearing the sound. She could pay for her own meal but she knew her big brother had no intention of letting her do so. And she meant what she’d said about needing the time out of the building. She was still reeling from having seen Eli Steele again today. She should be used to the man’s visits by now, but each and every time he dropped by her shop he managed to leave something behind. Usually it was his scent. But today, in addition to his scent, he’d left a reminder of how he’d looked at her when he’d paid for his purchase. Her stomach was still quivering at the memory of those green eyes aimed right at her.

“And you’re sure I’m not keeping you from making money?”

“I’m positive.”

She usually would put the out-to-lunch sign up between two and three every day anyway, when the helper she’d hired for the lunch rush left, so coming to meet him was no big deal. She owed her brother big time anyway. When she had moved to Phoenix, she had stayed in his condo a month or so until she’d gotten her own place. And he’d been the one who’d told her about the vacancy in the Steele Building and had approached Eli on her behalf with the idea of leasing the space to her to open a gift shop.

“So what’s this news you’re so eager to tell me about?” she asked, seeing the huge smile on his face.

With her question, the smile dimmed somewhat. “I consider it both good news and bad news. The good news is that I’ve been selected as Chief of Surgery.”

Before she could jump from her seat in excitement, he reached across the table and placed his hand on hers and then added, “The bad news is that it’s a hospital in Florida, which means I’ll be leaving Phoenix.”

His words hit her like a ton of bricks. But she quickly recovered and replaced her look of shock with one of excitement. She knew why Cohen thought the latter was bad news. Moving meant leaving her behind again. The last time he’d taken a job promotion and moved to Phoenix, he’d left her behind in Memphis and in no time she’d hooked up with Wallace. Well, he didn’t have to worry about such a thing happening again. As far as she was concerned she was through with men. It wouldn’t bother her if she never dated again.

“I don’t see anything bad about you moving to Florida, Cohen. It’s a wonderful opportunity and I really hope you’re not having misgivings about it because of me.”

“I am and that’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Stace. I want you to move to Florida with me. You’ve only lived in Phoenix for four months. It’s not like you have roots or anything here,” he said softly.

In other words, he was saying she didn’t have a life. She knew it but to have him spell it out for her was another matter. “I have my gift shop and it’s doing very well,” she said proudly.

The first month she’d barely made enough to make ends meet, but once word got out that she was open, customers began pouring in, especially during the lunch hour. And business hadn’t slacked since. And with the holidays approaching and the new items she intended to have in stock, she was anticipating an increase in business.

“I won’t feel comfortable leaving you behind, Stace.”

“But you must and you will. I like it here and I refuse to let you give up this opportunity. I can visit you when the weather here is bad. I’d give anything to spend time in Florida, Cohen, but only as a visitor. My home is here now and regardless of what you think, I do have roots. I might have come here because of you, but I now have made a life of my own. I like it here.”

She smiled softly. “I’m going to miss you and all, but I’ll visit. I promise.”

He studied her carefully. “Do you know what you’re asking me to do?” he asked in a low tone.

“Yes. I’m asking that you respect me as the twenty-five-year-old that I am. I know I made a bad mistake in judgment with Wallace.”

“What happened wasn’t your fault,” Cohen said in an irritated voice, letting her know Wallace’s actions were something he hadn’t forgotten. “My only satisfaction is that you’re better off without him.”

“Yes and I’m a lot wiser and moving cautiously. You know the saying, ‘I can do bad by myself?’ Well, I plan on doing good by myself.”

She saw the relieved expression in his features. “And you’re sure you don’t want to move to Florida with me?”

“I’m positive, Cohen. You still have friends here and I’m sure just like I’ll be visiting you in Florida, you’ll return to Phoenix to visit.”

“Of course,” he said, leaning back in his chair as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. And she figured it probably was. Being named Chief of Surgery of any hospital was a great opportunity, especially for someone his age. But she knew her brother was a gifted surgeon. The beauty of it, as far as she was concerned, was he worked hard and deserved it.

“Do you have any idea when you’ll be leaving?” she asked.

He nodded. “They want me in Jacksonville in two weeks. There is an immediate need for my presence there and Phoenix Baptist has agreed to release me at the requested date.”

She nibbled on her bottom lip. She hadn’t expected him to be leaving so soon. “Two weeks won’t give me enough time to plan anything.”

“You don’t have to do that, Stace.”

“Of course I do. Like I said earlier, you have a lot of friends here and they’ll want to see you off and celebrate your good news. Have you told anyone else yet?”

He shook his head. “No, I wanted you to be the first to know.”

She plastered a smile on her lips, determined not to let him know how she really felt. She was missing him already. “Okay, now that I know, I want to work on your guest list for the party.”

His eyes glinted with amusement. “You’re really going to go all out, aren’t you?”

Her smile widened. “Of course. You’re the only brother I have and I’m extremely proud of you, so yes, I am going all out.”

Eli leaned back in his chair and built a steeple with his fingers as he listened to his mother. He’d heard all of it before, so he decided to let his mind wander. And for some reason, his thoughts shifted to Stacey Carlson and he wondered what she was doing. Usually she closed the shop around two every day for lunch. Had she gone out or had she grabbed a snack like she normally did?

And why did he give a royal damn?

The only reason he knew about her eating habits was because one day he’d gotten to her shop around two, only to find the out-to-lunch sign posted in the window. Through the glass door he could see her sitting at the counter eating a bag of chips and drinking a diet soda while paging through a magazine. He had stood there staring at her longer than necessary. And as if she’d felt his presence, she had glanced up and he was hit with an intense moment of potent attraction. Before she could get out of her seat to see what he’d wanted, he had quickly moved on.

“Eli, are you listening to me?”

He blinked. Knowing he’d been caught, he could only smile across the desk at his mother. There was no need to lie and claim he had been listening. Eden Steele had the uncanny ability to know when each one of her sons was not being completely honest with her. He and his brothers were convinced she had a sixth sense about that.

“Not really,” he said, and immediately felt the heat of her glare.

“Then why did you let me continue talking?”

He raised a brow. Had she really expected him to tell her to shut up? Her? Eden Tyson Steele? The former international fashion model whose face graced magazine covers the likes of Vogue and Elle? The woman who reminded them often that she’d given birth to six males and for as long as they lived she would always be their mother? He knew that didn’t mean she didn’t respect the men they’d become because they all knew she had.

But…

And with Eden Steele there had to be a but in there somewhere. He figured she should be happy. For years she had complained about not having any daughters-in-law. Now she had one and she was still whining. Good grief! Was Brittany not enough? Evidently not.

His parents had sons who’d appreciated the opposite sex from early childhood. They had grown up as womanizers, all six of them. And it amused them to no end that there was barely a year between their ages. That meant his mother had gotten pregnant every year for six years. Knowing his father, Eli wasn’t surprised.

He breathed out a deep sigh. As far as he was concerned, Eden needed to count her blessings for Brittany and be satisfied because if she was waiting for him, Tyson, Jonas, Mercury and Gannon to follow in Galen’s footsteps, then she had a long wait coming. A very long wait.

“You don’t think there’s a woman out there who’s good enough for the suave, debonair and charming Eli Steele, do you?” she asked in what he detected was an irritated tone.

He shrugged. “I didn’t say that, but since you brought it up…that possibility has crossed my mind a time or two.”

In truth, it hadn’t, but he liked getting a rise out of his mother every once in a while. She would go home and complain to the old man, but honestly, what could Drew say? Especially considering the skirt chaser he’d been before settling down and marrying Eden. Eli and his brothers had heard the story of their father’s past enough to know he made the rakish of rakes look like innocent choirboys.

“You know what I’m hoping for, Eli?”

He saw the gleam in his mother’s eyes and decided not to ask, but then he figured what the hell, she was going to tell him anyway. “No, Mom, what are you hoping for?”

“That some woman comes along who’ll knock you off that high horse you’re sitting on. And I hope when you tumble that you’ll fall head over heels in love with her.”

Eli frowned as he gazed into eyes that were identical in color to his and his five brothers’. Now his mother was being downright cruel. He forced a smile to his lips. “It won’t happen. I’m more like Dad than any of my brothers. Sorry.”

In a way, he was sorry, not for himself but for his mother who was hell-bent on marrying off all six of her sons. She had her work cut out for her. She might eventually break down Tyson, Jonas, Mercury and Gannon, but not him. He liked his freedom too much and could never bind himself to an exclusive relationship.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “And just what do you have against marriage, Eli? Haven’t your father and I set an example of how good a marriage can be?”

He smiled again. “Of course. I know you and Dad have a great marriage, are deeply in love even after thirty-plus years and are extremely dedicated to each other. But Drew Steele’s saving grace was you, Mom. You’re beautiful. There’s not another woman out there who can make a Steele want to give up his freedom.”

“So how do you explain Brittany?”

“Britt’s beautiful as well. I can definitely see why Galen fell in love with her.”

His mother leaned in closer. “Are you saying you don’t know any beautiful women?”

Eli’s chest tightened as the image of one particular woman flashed in his mind. He forced it back. “Of course I do. But she has to have more than just a pretty face. She has to have a degree of intelligence.” Stacey Carlson’s face forced its way back into his mind once again and he pushed it right back out.

His mother straightened in her seat. “Well, I’m glad that at least you’re not stuck on just a pretty face. There’s more to it than that. That might be what snarls a man in the beginning, but he needs to know the woman has other things going for her than just good looks. They need to be compatible in a number of other things as well. Your father and I have lasted this long because we’re also the best of friends.”

Eli knew that to be true. His parents were partners in all things. More than once while growing up, he and his brothers had tried pitting their parents against each other when they wanted something one parent refused to give them. They soon discovered Drew and Eden stuck together like glue.

“You do know they refer to you and your brothers as the ‘Bad News’ Steeles, don’t you?”

Yes, he knew but he wondered how she’d found out about it. “Who told you that?”

“Sandra Tompkins. Mercury dropped her niece like a hot potato after a couple of dates and she wasn’t too happy about it.”

Eli smiled. “If you ever saw her niece you’d know why.”

Eden’s eyes narrowed. “Then why did he become involved with the girl in the first place?”

Eli didn’t respond. He figured not responding would provide his mother with an answer. When she slowly raised an arched brow and gave him a disapproving glare, he knew she fully comprehended the reason.

“Is that all you and your brothers ever think about?” she asked in disgust.

He wondered what she expected. After all, they were Drew’s sons. They may have her eyes but the looks and genes were definitely from their father. They had the Steele charm and the high testosterone level that came with it. Shrugging massive shoulders, he said slowly, “I can only speak for myself, Mom, and I doubt my answer will make you happy, so I’ll plead the fifth.”

And before she could respond to what he’d said, he quickly asked, “So, where’s your next stop?”

She glanced at her watch and then back at him. The glare was still in her eyes. “I think I’ll pay Mercury a visit.”

A slow smile touched Eli’s lips. He didn’t envy his brother one bit.

Chapter 3

S tacey glanced at her watch. It was seven o’clock already. How had time gotten away from her so fast? When she had reopened her shop after having lunch with Cohen, things had gotten busy, which helped keep her mind off the fact that her brother would be moving away to Florida.

Their father had gotten killed in a work-related accident a week before her tenth birthday and her mother never remarried. The insurance policy due to the accident had helped financially, although it hadn’t replaced James Carlson in their lives. She’d loved her father but his death had affected Cohen the most since the two had been so close.

Her mother had tried being both the father and mother they needed and both she and Cohen appreciated that. They had started getting their lives back together when two years later, their mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. Five years after that, she was gone. By then Cohen had left for college and she was sent to live with an aunt in Memphis. Aunt Maggie had forbidden Cohen from dropping out of college to help take care of Stacey. Instead, she’d convinced him to go on and become the doctor his parents always wanted him to be.

And he had.

Stacey sighed deeply thinking of her aunt Maggie who’d died two years ago. Stacey had tried staying in Memphis after her aunt’s death and had been content until Wallace had messed things up for her. When it seemed she would run into him and Gail just about everywhere she went, she’d known putting distance between her and Memphis was the best thing.

Refusing to think about her heartbreak in Memphis, she glanced down at the boxes that had been delivered a few hours ago. Excitement raced up her spine knowing her Christmas merchandise had arrived. She looked forward to putting the items up on display next week.

“You’re still open?”

Stacey swirled around and threw her hand to her chest. She thought she’d locked the door when she’d closed up at five. Evidently not since Eli Steele was standing in the middle of her shop and looking good enough to eat.

Keep those lusty thoughts out of your head, Stacey Carlson.

Only God and she had to know how she usually failed to do that whenever she saw him. Eli Steele wasn’t the friendliest of people and was nothing like Tyson, the first Steele she’d gotten to know since he was Cohen’s best friend. And all the other brothers seemed pretty friendly as well. Why did this one have to be so uptight and unfriendly?

“I closed a couple of hours ago. I just forgot to put out the sign and lock the door. Was there something you wanted?” she asked.

She suddenly began nibbling on her bottom lip wondering why on earth she’d asked that. But then why shouldn’t she when he was in her shop? She’d merely asked if he wanted to purchase something and was not inquiring about anything else. Then why did his eyes darken? It had to be a figment of her imagination. Of all the women in Phoenix, she would be the last one he’d want.

He proved her right when he said, “No, I just noticed the open sign still up when I know you’re usually closed by the time I leave each day.”

She knew exactly when he left each day since she would watch him pass by her shop. Usually he didn’t as much as glance her way. He’d look straight ahead with that masculine “turn-a-girl-on” strut of his. She’d overheard a conversation between Tyson and her brother once, and Tyson joked about how Eli spent a lot of time in his office eyeing the penthouse fitness center across the street. He’d pick out the woman who could kick her legs up the farthest and she would be the one he hit on for the week.

“I got kind of excited about the delivery that came a while ago. It’s my Christmas merchandise,” she said as a way of explanation.

When he didn’t say anything or acknowledge her in any way, she smiled and added, “I guess you’re thinking that it doesn’t take much to get me excited.”

If she wasn’t sure about the darkening of his gaze before, she was definitely certain about it now. She could kick herself. Why did she say such outrageous things around him? Words that could easily be taken out of context?

And then when she saw his lips quirk into a smile, she almost lost her balance. The man was actually smiling. Gracious. This was the first time she’d ever seen him do so and thought he should do it more often.

Then she quickly decided that no, he should not. A stern-faced Eli Steele was sexy enough. A smiling one was too hot to handle.

He surprised her even more when a low, husky rumble that she figured to be a chuckle eased from his lungs. She felt her stomach quivering when he said, “I’m sure there are other things that could get you a lot more excited, Stacey.”

His green eyes locked with hers and she could feel air get trapped in her lungs. That was the first time she’d heard him say her name and the word off his lips sounded almost sinful. Definitely erotic. How had he managed that?

“Do you need any help?”

She blinked. He’d said something else. Actually asked her a question. This was the most he’d ever said to her. “Need any help with what?” she asked, afraid he might tell her.

“The boxes.”

“The boxes?” For some reason she couldn’t follow him. She was too overcome with the nearness of him—and that wasn’t good. Especially when his gaze was zeroing in on her with such intensity. No man had affected her this way since Wallace. And if she was completely honest with herself, she would admit Wallace had never given her this degree of a sensual high.

His smile widened. “Yes, the boxes. Unless there’s something else I can assist you with?”

That question had been more than a subtle come-on. Was he flirting with her? No, he wouldn’t dare, especially knowing Cohen was her brother. She figured that was why those “Bad News” Steeles always handled her with kid gloves. They worked in the same building so she saw him more than any of the others. He would drop by, make a purchase and keep on moving right out the door without a backward glance. Now he was holding a conversation with her. He was smiling. And he was looking at her like he wanted to get with her. And this time she was sure she wasn’t imagining it.

“No, I don’t need help with anything,” she said.

He nodded slowly. “You sure?”

“Positive.”

He stood there and his gaze slowly ran down the length of her body. It was as if he had X-ray vision and could see what she was wearing beneath her slacks and blouse.

She lifted her brow and figured two could play his game. Returning his stare with the same boldness, she checked him out. Boy, did she check him out. Her gaze roamed up and down his hard, muscular frame, appreciating every part of him her eyes touched. He looked good. So good that blood was rushing fast and furious through her veins. The man had such a perfect physique. Definitely impressive. She wasn’t aware that many muscles made up a masculine body. And he was still fully clothed.

She knew she should pull back, accept the fact that the man was way out of her league. But for some reason she couldn’t do that. She’d never acted so outright naughty with a man before and she was playing with fire doing so with this one. But she refused to back down.

Dazedly, her mind registered that he was slowly walking toward her. Something warned her that she should back up, escape behind her counter, but she couldn’t move. Her feet seemed glued to the spot. Moments later he came to a stop in front of her. She tilted her head back. She’d known he was tall but she hadn’t realized how tall until he was there, right in front of her without the counter between them.

“Why were you looking at me like that?” he asked.

How dare he ask her that after he’d all but undressed her with his gaze first. “And just what way was I looking at you, Eli?”

She saw something flash in his eyes when she said his name. It was the first time she’d ever done so. And just like when her name had flowed from his lips for the first time, he reacted instantly. It was as if saying each other’s names had demolished an imaginary divide that had separated them. Now with that divide gone, they were headed for forbidden waters.

He hesitated. Paused as if he needed to really consider if he should answer her question. And then, as if he decided to go for broke, he took a step closer to her. She felt her back press against one of the tables.

“In a way I suggest that you don’t,” he said, bracing against a wall, neatly easing her into a corner and blocking them both from anyone passing by her shop.

Good suggestion, she thought. And if she didn’t have that Carlson stubborn streak that would raise its ugly head sometimes, she would have kept her mouth shut. But there was something about the green eyes staring down at her that sent an arousing chill up her body. And then there was his mouth. A mouth that her gaze would connect to each and every time he came into her shop. A mouth that looked so doggone kissable, she could imagine not only kissing it but doing a lot of other things with it.

“You’re doing it again, Stacey.” His voice lowered and it sounded huskier than it had ever been. His frown should have been another warning. Again, she didn’t take it.

She crossed her arms over her chest. There was no reason to pretend she didn’t know what he was insinuating so she said, “So are you, Eli.”

Eli watched the way Stacey crossed her arms over her chest, making the way her breasts pressed against her blouse a total turn-on. He drew in a deep breath. What in the hell was she doing? This wasn’t just any woman he wanted to toss between the sheets. This was Cohen Carlson’s sister. He liked Cohen. He respected him. And definitely considered him a friend. The last thing Eli needed was to have the hots for his sister. Too late.

It had started the night he’d seen her at Cohen’s birthday party and escalated the day she had walked into his office to sign the lease agreement. He’d heard about Cohen’s sister, but hadn’t expected her to be such a stunning shock to his male senses. And a part of him hadn’t gotten over it or her since then.

She was right. He was staring at her, thinking that if given the chance, a perfect opportunity, he wouldn’t hesitate eating her alive. But he knew better. Drew and Eden didn’t raise a fool. He recognized warning signs when he saw them. But still, there was something about those luscious glazed lips she was nibbling on that got him right in the gut in the most arousing way.

“It’s getting late,” she said softly.

He definitely knew what time it was and forging into forbidden territory was not smart. But he couldn’t help it. He could stand there and stare her down for the rest of the night, take in all the lushness of her curves, the firmness of her breasts and the beauty of her face. And speaking of her breasts…

He looked down at them again and thought he would love to see her in a clingy T-shirt. A wet clingy one. Better still, he would love to see her naked. “You’re a beautiful woman, Stacey Carlson.”

He watched her expression and knew his compliment had tilted her off balance. The narrowing of her gaze indicated she didn’t like it. He inwardly smiled. She had spunk, though he really shouldn’t be surprised. After all, she was Cohen’s sister. But beauty and spunk together could be lethal in a woman. And if you threw in a gorgeous pair of legs, then a man could definitely find himself in serious trouble.

“Thanks,” she said as if annoyed with his words instead of appreciative. Did she think he was feeding her a line? Evidently she did.

“You’re right, it’s getting late. The building’s almost empty. I’ll walk you out,” he said smoothly.

He saw the panic in her eyes when she quickly said, “You don’t have to do that.”

For some reason he liked seeing her rattled. “Sure I do.” He wondered what fragrance she was wearing and thought on any other woman, the scent just wouldn’t be the same.

She opened her mouth as if to argue with him, then as if she thought better of doing such a thing, she closed it shut. He watched her draw in a deep breath before saying, “Fine. I’ll set the alarm and lock up for the night.”

Her words should have been his cue to step back. Instead, he stepped forward, which all but put him up against her body, he was so close. Too close. He could feel her tremble and knew it wasn’t from fear. It was from desire. Desire so keen and sharp it was dominating his senses.

And in that instant, he totally lost his mind and lowered his head and captured her mouth.

Stacey raised her arms to push him away. She was certain that was the reason she had lifted them. Instead, she found them wrapped around Eli Steele’s neck while his mouth devoured hers in the most decadent way. She’d been kissed before but never like this. The man was lapping her mouth raw. This was way beyond anything she’d ever experienced before.

And she could feel every single lick all the way down to her toes. This had to be too indecent for a first kiss and way too immoral for a last one. But Eli Steele was doing more than just proving what a great kisser he was. He was showing why he was considered one of those “Bad News” Steeles. Why he was one of the hottest bachelors in Phoenix and why, from what she’d heard, women would drop their panties for him in a heartbeat.

Stacey didn’t think it was possible but he deepened the kiss, increasing the pressure and doing some outlandish things to her tongue. If he kept it up she would be dropping more than her panties. She could see herself dropping to her knees and—

She forced the wicked thought from her mind when his body shifted and the kiss deepened even more. She felt the hardness of him pressed against her middle. It wouldn’t take much for him to hoist her onto the table, spread her legs and have his way with her. And it would be just like in her dreams. Those forbidden dreams of him she’d been having for weeks. The ones that took her from a blissful slumber straight into an erotic fantasy. But she would be the first to admit that those hot fantasies were nothing compared to this scorching dose of reality. Things couldn’t get any steamier than this. She wouldn’t be able to handle it if they did.

When he slowly pulled his mouth from hers, he had to wrap his arms around her waist to keep her knees from buckling under her. And he gave her time to catch the breath his kiss had snatched from her. Moments later when she was able to fully stand and breathe on her own, he relaxed his hold and she gazed into his eyes. They were sharp, keen and caused all kinds of sensations to overtake her.

“Why did you kiss me?” she asked, as she continued to regain her sanity, reclaim her common sense.

In a voice that was just as serious as his expression, he replied, “Why did you let me?”

She could not have answered his question even if her life depended on it. Why did I let him?

“Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.”

His voice, along with his words, recaptured her attention. “It’s not dark outside,” she said.

“I know, but there’s no telling how much longer you’ll hang around here if I don’t make sure you leave.”

She would have laughed if he hadn’t looked so serious. Why did it matter to him how long she stayed at her shop? As long as he got his monthly lease payment, who cared? The man had barely said five words to her since meeting her months ago. And today he had almost kissed her mouth off. What was going on here?

She figured she needed to go home and ponder that question. She would definitely be thinking about it a lot. She was used to calling the shots and other than Cohen at times, she didn’t let men boss her around. But this time she would relent and do what he asked. The sooner they parted ways, the better.

“I’ll set the alarm and lock up for the night.” And this time when she said it, he took a step back.

She moved around him knowing he was watching her every move and feeling the heat of his gaze on certain parts of her. Her pants and blouse failed as a barrier against his intense perusal. However, she was determined not to let Eli unrattle her any more than he already had. So, they had kissed. Big deal. She tried playing it off as insignificant, but as much as she tried, it wasn’t working. She figured it wouldn’t, not as long as she could still taste him on her tongue.

With the alarm set, the only thing she needed to do, other than grab her purse, was to lock the door. She did both while trying to ignore Eli’s presence, which was hard to do. There was no doubt in her mind that women would pause when he walked into a room.

“Ready?” he asked when she slid her purse straps on her shoulder.

“Yes.”

He stepped closer to her side and automatically she trembled in response to his proximity. She needed to get herself together. She hadn’t responded to a man this way since… She couldn’t remember when or ever. But she did know she hadn’t responded to Wallace this way.

When they got to the door he reached behind her and flicked off the lights. He then walked ahead of her so she could lock the door. When they stepped into the lobby, she realized he’d been right in saying the building was almost empty. Most of the tenants had gone home. In a way, that was a good thing because if anyone were to see them walking out together they would assume they were an item. Lovers at least, especially with the Steeles’ reputation. Should that bother her? It didn’t because she couldn’t be held responsible for what people thought. But she could be held responsible for the way she carried herself. So to her way of thinking, the kiss was way out of line. But so darn enjoyable.

She glanced over at the man walking beside her. At first it had been hard to keep up with his pace and he’d eventually slowed down his stride to accommodate her. He wasn’t saying anything. It was as if he was in deep thought. Had he regretted his actions?

She had broached the subject before when she’d asked why he’d kissed her and he’d countered with a question of his own. One that she hadn’t answered because she couldn’t. Why had she let him kiss her? Considering her history with Wallace, why hadn’t she been able to resist the charms of Eli Steele when she knew exactly what kind of man he was? A man who wouldn’t know the meaning of commitment.

She stopped when they came to her car and she turned to him and quickly noticed the brooding expression on his face. He held her gaze for a long moment and she couldn’t help wondering what he was thinking.

She cleared her throat and said, “Thanks for walking me to my car. You really didn’t have to do it.”

“Yes, I did.”

She decided not to argue with him as she unlocked her door and quickly slid onto the seat. He stood there while she snapped her seat belt in place and then rolled down her car’s window. “Well, I’ll be seeing you, Eli.”

He simply nodded before taking a step back. She turned the car’s ignition and eased forward. When she got clear across the parking lot she glanced in her rear-view mirror. He was still standing there and it was apparent he was going to stand there and watch her car until it was no longer in sight.

She shivered inside, not knowing the reason for his actions. The only thing she could and would agree with was that Eli had had a profound effect on her. And she didn’t like it.

Chapter 4

H e should have heeded the warning signs, Eli thought, opening the door to his Mercedes sports car. He slid onto the seat not believing how he had lost control with Stacey. He, Eli Steele, the man his family thought was some kind of control freak, had royally lost it and kissed the one woman who should be off-limits to him.

There was no doubt in his mind that he had needed to pull back and regroup when he first saw the warning signs. But before he could do so, he was kissing her with a hunger he had felt in every muscle of his body. And he knew that even now, if given the chance, he wouldn’t hesitate to kiss her again.

And that was the root of his problem.

He had liked her taste. Too much. Had it been anyone else, the remedy would be a simple fix—he wouldn’t see her again. But given the fact she spent Monday through Friday, nine to five, inside the very building he owned, that was not possible. Still, he was determined to try.

First of all, he would take measures not to patronize her shop. It wasn’t like he had to go there. Although he passed by the place to get to the bank of elevators, he would make it a point to look straight ahead and keep walking. She wouldn’t be the first woman he’d kissed and then completely ignored afterwards.

He wasn’t concerned how she felt about the kiss. She would accept what happened as an attraction between them that had flared and fizzled. They had made a mistake in losing control and kissing. He had been wrong to kiss her and she was wrong to have let him.

Hell, it was so easy to try and place blame or to come up with excuses for what had happened a few moments ago between them. But there was no blame or excuses. Especially not now when his mind was drifting places and thinking things that he shouldn’t. Like how it would be to taste more than just her lips. He could envision himself dragging his mouth from hers to trace a path down her chest to capture a dark nipple into his mouth. Then he would proceed to wrap his tongue around it and begin sucking on it like he had every right to do so.

And he wouldn’t stop there.

He would completely strip her naked and then he would taste her all over. The thought of doing so was enough to make his erection press tight against his zipper.

He’d wanted women before but never like this. Definitely never with this intensity.

And that’s why he knew he had to take whatever steps necessary to make sure it stopped now. He drew in a calming breath, trying to force any and all thoughts of Stacey Carlson from his mind. Not even Liz had affected him like this. He couldn’t recall any one woman who ever had.

He was about to turn the corner toward the interstate to head home when his cell phone rang. He turned up his car’s speaker knowing it was probably one of his brothers. He just wasn’t sure which one. Besides his parents, they were the only ones who had his private number. “Yes?”

“Come join us. We’re celebrating.”

It was Tyson, the doctor in the family. “Celebrating what?”

“Cohen’s promotion to Chief Surgeon in a hospital in Florida.”

Eli pressed the brakes to keep from ramming into the back of the car in front of him. “What? Cohen’s leaving town?”

“Yes, in two weeks.”

Eli’s stomach dropped. Two weeks? With Cohen leaving town, that meant his sister would do the same. The only reason Stacey was even in Phoenix was because she had joined Cohen after her wedding had been called off. He should be elated if she left. Her leaving town definitely solved his problem. He wouldn’t have to ignore her since she wouldn’t be around.

So why wasn’t he smiling? Why wasn’t he eager to pull over and park just to do a happy dance? Mainly because he couldn’t get her or that kiss out of his mind, and the thought of not seeing her whenever he wanted, especially on his terms, was unacceptable. In his mind, Florida could just as well be on the other side of the world.

“Since he’s taking his sister with him, I guess I should be concerned about a broken lease,” he said, just in case Tyson started wondering why he hadn’t made a comment.

“Will you think of something other than the possibility of losing money, Eli? And for your information, Stacey is staying here. She’s not moving to Florida with Cohen.”

Eli hit his car’s brakes again. “What do you mean she’s not leaving?”

“Just what I said, she’s not leaving. She likes it here. So don’t worry about any loss of revenue. Are you joining us or not?”

Eli’s head felt like it was spinning. Stacey wasn’t moving away after all? She liked it here? Why was he releasing a deep sigh of relief? Why did he feel the need to wipe sweat from his brow?

He gathered himself enough to answer his brother. “Yes, I’m coming. Where’s the celebration being held?”

After getting the name of the sports bar from Tyson, he made a quick u-turn at the next corner. He wanted to know why the hell Cohen was leaving town and wasn’t taking his sister with him.

“Hey, Stace, where are you?”

Stacey heard the excitement in her brother’s voice through her cell phone. She could also hear a lot of noise in the background. “I’m on my way home.”

“You’re late, aren’t you?”

She smiled. “Yes. I got several late deliveries and I wanted to go through the boxes. They were new items for the holidays.”

“Well, how about coming here? I’m at Ireland Bar and Grill. My promotion has been announced and a couple of friends from the hospital are buying drinks. I want you here, but if you’re too tired then…”

“I’m on my way.”

She clicked off the phone and smiled. As far as family went, she and Cohen were all that was left after Aunt Maggie had died. And if he wanted her there then she would be there. Besides, what else did she have to do once she got home?

Other than continue to think about the kiss she had shared with Eli.

It was Friday evening and while most women were planning their weekend curled in a man’s arms, she was planning to spend hers curled up with a good book. Between the covers of a book was safer than between the bed covers with a man, she rationalized.

At least she had a Halloween party to go to this weekend. It was for charity and she was going solo. She had purchased the tickets from one of her customers and since it was for a good cause, she figured she would get out of the house and have some fun.

Stacey made a right at the next corner, grateful she wasn’t too far away from where Cohen and his hospital friends were celebrating. She could just imagine what Eli Steele was thinking about now. Was he assuming that kiss would be the first of many? Was he setting her up as his next conquest? There was no doubt in her mind he probably had big plans for the weekend. Womanizers always did.

The thought of Eli and his arrogance only made her get mad at herself for succumbing to his charms. So why had she done it? She knew the answer without much thought. Eli got next to her on a sensual level. He had the ability to make every single nerve ending in her body chime to the sound of his low and husky voice. The chemistry she’d always imagined she felt between them was very real. They had proven it that afternoon in her shop. And it hadn’t ended there. When he’d walked her to her car and she had glanced at him one last time before getting inside, she had seen the heated desire still simmering in the depths of his green eyes.

And her body had responded in kind.

She drew in a deep breath trying to remember the last time she had made love with a man. She and Wallace had decided a year before the wedding to stop sleeping together to make their special day that much more memorable. At least that’s what he’d suggested to her. At the time, she hadn’t known about him and Gail. He had stopped sleeping with her to start sharing a bed with a woman she’d considered a friend. Some friend.

She had heard from her friends in Memphis that the couple was talking about getting married in the spring. How ironic was that? The woman who had helped to ruin Stacey’s own spring wedding was now planning one of her own. In a way, Gail had done her a big favor. She now saw that marrying Wallace would have been a huge mistake.

Just like kissing Eli had been another mistake. She could handle the passion; in fact, she would even go so far and admit that she had enjoyed it tremendously. But sexual pleasure wasn’t worth the pain she’d one day experience from a man like Eli Steele. Unless… Unless she could play the game like him. Could she? Could she enjoy passion with a man like Eli and not let her emotions get involved? Men did it all the time so why couldn’t she? She’d tried the love-forever-after way of thinking and it hadn’t worked. So what was next for her?

She didn’t want to sound cynical, but Wallace had definitely opened her eyes. Men were not to be trusted when it came to a woman’s heart so why put it in their hands?

Then she thought about Eli Steele’s hands. She’d seen them numerous times when he would give her his credit card. They were big hands, strong hands. She could just imagine how those same hands would feel touching her body all over. The thought made heat thrum slowly through her, made her nipples strain tight against her blouse.

She forced all thoughts of Eli from her mind when she reached Ireland, a local hangout near the hospital. She was determined that no matter how sad she was about Cohen leaving, she would put a smile on. She had no choice.

Eli knew the moment Stacey entered the restaurant. It wasn’t just the scent of her perfume that gave her away. It was as if he had a built-in radar where she was concerned. He had been talking to his brother, Jonas, when he’d lifted his glass to take a sip of his drink and glanced across the room. Their gazes connected when they saw each other at the same time. He could tell she was surprised to see him there. He hadn’t expected to see her, either. He could tell by her expression that his presence was affecting her, just as hers was affecting him.

“I see Stacey has arrived,” Jonas said, recapturing his attention.

He glanced back over at his brother. “You knew she was coming?”

If Jonas thought the question odd, he didn’t let on. “Yes, I was with Cohen when he called her. She was on her way home.”

Jonas then looked at him and lifted a brow. “Is she behind in her lease payments or something?”

Eli frowned. “No.”

“They why do you have a problem with her being here?”

Eli thought Jonas was too perceptive for his own good. “What makes you think I have a problem with her being here?”

Jonas, the Steele brother who was barely a year younger than him and who had eyes that were shrewd and assessing, tossed him a sly grin. “Because I know you, Eli. I didn’t miss your reaction when you saw Stacey walk in. It was as if you’d preferred being somewhere else.”

In a way, Jonas was right. But what his brother didn’t know was that he really preferred being someplace else with Stacey. And that was the crux of his problem. “Well, you read me wrong. I don’t have a problem with her being here. Why would I?”

Jonas chuckled. “I don’t know how your mind works, Eli, and I truly don’t want to know. But all I have to say is that if Stacey is lodged anywhere in that brain of yours, get her out of it. I heard that Cohen asked Tyson to look out for her after he leaves town, and you know what that means. If Tyson even thinks you’re sniffing behind Cohen’s sister he will kick your you-know-what.”

There was no doubt in Eli’s mind what Jonas said was true. Tyson could get possessive when something was left in his protective custody. To change the subject, Eli got Jonas talking about the marketing firm he owned and the initiatives that Jonas’s firm was presently working on.

Eli and his brothers were successful and they had their parents to thank for that. His father had started a trucking company years ago—the same company his brother, Gannon, now ran. Tyson was the doctor in the family and Mercury was the former NFL quarterback turned sports agent. Galen had made his millions creating video games.

Although Eli was hearing what Jonas was saying, he really wasn’t listening. His attention was drawn to Stacey as she stood across the room talking to Roland Whiterspoon, another doctor at the hospital where Tyson and Cohen worked. He wondered what the hell that was about when everyone knew Whiterspoon’s reputation as a womanizer.

Eli refused to even consider that his opinion of the man’s exploits was like the pot calling the kettle black. It was the principle of the thing. He knew how far to take things with Stacey, whereas Roland wouldn’t care one iota. Then again, was kissing her like he’d done earlier today knowing how far to take things? Had he crossed the line? Was he any better than the likes of Whiterspoon?

Still…he’d never cared much for Whiterspoon and the thought of her spending any amount of time in the man’s presence annoyed the hell out of him.

“What’s this I hear about you wanting to run for president of Phoenix’s Business Council?”

Eli took a sip of his drink. He had been a member of Phoenix’s elite group of businessmen for years—right after opening his first law practice. He figured it was time to step up and do more than just sit on the sidelines. He had everything going for him. He was an astute businessman who owned a sky-rise in downtown Phoenix, he was on the board of several local companies and he was known to chair numerous charitable fundraisers each year. As far as he was concerned, that presidency position all but had his name stamped all over it. The other man who was interested, Samuel Nesbitt, didn’t have nearly as much going for him as Eli felt that he had.

“Yes, but running is just a formality since I feel certain I’ve got it in the bag. Over the years I’ve done everything I needed to do to stay in good standing with the other local businessmen. All you need to do is make plans to attend my inauguration party.”

“Pretty damn sure of yourself, aren’t you?” Jonas asked, rolling his eyes.

“And there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be,” Eli said smoothly. “Like I said, I’ve been eyeing that position for years. I’m the best person for the job and they all know it.”

Jonas laughed. “You don’t have a short supply of confidence, do you?”

Eli took a sip of his drink, deciding not to waste his time acknowledging what Jonas had said. Instead, he fixed his gaze on Stacey when she walked off from Whiterspoon to head toward the snacks table. The owner of Ireland had given them a private room. And because most in attendance were some of the man’s most loyal customers from the hospital, he had even prepared a tray of finger sandwiches for them.

“Excuse me a minute, will you?” he said, already moving away and not waiting for his brother’s reply. He needed to talk to Stacey. He wasn’t sure what he would say to her when he did talk to her. But as he crossed the room toward her, he knew he would think of something.

The closer he got, the more he realized that, except for what he’d been able to glean from his brothers without them getting suspicious, he knew very little about Stacey Carlson. And for some reason, which he didn’t fully understand, he intended to remedy that.

He was headed in her direction.

She felt her hand holding the small plate of food begin to tremble and forced her composure to strengthen. After all, Eli Steele was just a man. But what a man he was.

Not able to resist a moment longer, she released a deep sigh and then turned her head to look at him. The features returning her stare were so intense they almost took her breath away.

She met Eli’s steady gaze when he approached her, grabbing his own plate to fill it as if he hadn’t deliberately sought her out. “I’m surprised to see you here, Stacey.”

She heard something in his voice. Was it an arrogant gloat? After the kiss they’d shared, had he expected her to go home and daydream about it? Hide out behind locked doors and pant until the next time she saw him?

“I’m surprised to see you here as well, Eli,” she decided to say. She’d bit into a tasty sandwich earlier but nothing, she thought, was tastier than her memory of his kiss.

“I get around,” was his quick comeback.

“So do I,” was hers.

He chuckled dryly. “Why do I feel that we’ve gotten off to a bad start?”

She wondered why he was trying to make it seem as if they hadn’t met months ago or hadn’t kissed earlier. The attraction had been there in the beginning. She would even admit feeling more than a tinge of something that night at Cohen’s birthday party when they’d been introduced. At least she could definitely claim that was when he’d begun invading her dreams.

She inclined her head. “And what makes you think we’ve gotten off to a bad start?”

He smiled, as if admiring the little bit of spunk she was trying to bolster. That was good, she thought. He didn’t have to know that although she might be trying to display a tough facade, she was all mushy inside and was somewhat annoyed by the vulnerability she felt around him. And it was the type of weakness and defenselessness she had no business feeling around any man. All it took was a memory of what Wallace had done to remind her that all men were a liability she could do without.

But Eli was different. Not only was he different, he was even more dangerous than any man she’d ever known. Never before had she been so attracted to a man, desired him so much. She was even entertaining thoughts of getting into his pants and ruffling his usually cool demeanor. Thinking about how fine he was could make her pant for days, but actually seeing him in the flesh would be enough to give a woman heart failure.

“Us getting off to a bad start was just my take on things,” he said quietly.

“Then let me assure you that your take is wrong.”

He looked at her and she wished he hadn’t done that. The last thing she needed was for those green eyes to be trained directly on her. “Possibly,” he said softly. “But you know very well why I think that way.”

Yes, she knew. But she needed to make him think, get him to assume what would go down as the best kiss of her life was nothing she intended to lose sleep over. “Then rest assured you shouldn’t think that way. It was only a kiss.”

He didn’t have to know it had been a kiss with the power to curl her toes and make her stomach quiver. The less Eli Steele knew of her innermost reactions to him, the better. He didn’t have to know that even now, despite his reputation, she wouldn’t mind going somewhere to jump his bones.

He moved closer, as if he wanted to try one of the sandwiches on the tray in front of her. Instead, he leaned into her and his thick-lashed green eyes made her heat up all over. In a low, gruff voice, he said, “I’d love to prove it was more than that, Stacey. And let me give you fair warning that one day, I will.”

Chapter 5

I t was Wednesday morning and Stacey had just finished waiting on the last of her early morning customers when her cell phone rang. She smiled when she recognized the name showing up on her caller ID. It was Deidre Lewis, the woman who’d been her closest girl-pal since high school.

She clicked on the line. “Hey, what’s going on, Dee?”

In return she got her friend’s warm, vibrant laugh, with the smile Stacey knew she could not see. “Not a thing, but if little Tommy Fielder pulls Melissa Simpkins’s hair one more time to cause her to cry, I’m going to give him a taste of his own medicine and pull his.”

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