Praise for New York Times bestselling author
LORI FOSTER

“Lori Foster delivers the goods.”

—Publishers Weekly

“This fantasy plays out with sexy innuendos and steamy love scenes throughout the book.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews on Jude’s Law

“Filled with Foster’s trademark wit, humor, and sensuality.”

—Booklist on Jamie

“Foster supplies good sex and great humor along the way in a thoroughly enjoyable romance reminiscent of Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ novels.”

—Booklist on Causing Havoc

“Foster executes with skill…convincing, heartfelt family drama.”

—Publishers Weekly on Causing Havoc

“Suspenseful, sexy, and humorous.”

—Booklist on Just a Hint—Clint

“Fans of Foster’s sexy romantic comedies…will find much to like here.”

—Booklist on The Secret Life of Bryan

Lori Foster
Scandalous

CONTENTS

SCANDALIZED!

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

SEX APPEAL

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

SCANDALIZED!

CHAPTER ONE

SHE WAS THE PERFECT WOMAN to have his baby.

Tony Austin continued to stare, analyzing her features, considering the construction of her body. He’d already done so, of course, but now he was more thorough. She wasn’t beautiful, but that was okay, because beauty wasn’t essential to his plan. And she was striking, even arresting in her presence, her confidence and poise.

Though he tried to stop himself, his gaze was repeatedly drawn to her, and finally Olivia Anderson caught him looking. The small, curious smile she sent him took his breath away, but he shook his head, deciding his reaction was excitement for his plan and nothing else.

That was all it could be.

As always, she looked elegant. She wore a simple black dress and black heels, but that had little to do with his heightened interest. He had made a decision, and she was deeply involved in that decision whether she knew it yet or not. He rubbed his hands together, feeling his anticipation build.

He’d been acquainted with her for three years now as a business associate, and he knew she’d only attended his party as a means of furthering that association. Nothing in their relationship was of a personal nature—and he intended to keep it that way.

Just two days ago, she’d presented him with a proposal to expand her business that would add one more of her novelty lingerie shops to another Austin Crown hotel. He hadn’t given her an answer yet, but he would. Tonight. And then he’d have a question of his own to present.

For the first time in a very long time, he felt nervous on the verge of making a business proposition. Then Olivia started toward him with her determined, long-legged, graceful stride and all he could think of was what a beautiful baby they could create together.

He welcomed her with a smile.

HE’S GOING TO GIVE IT TO ME.

Olivia tingled with anticipation. Tony had been watching her, almost studying her, all evening. And there could only be one possible reason for that. The sense of impending victory thrilled her.

His gaze held hers as she neared. There was that slight tilting of his mouth—an unaffected sensual look that she knew got all the single women and even the not-so-single women excited. But Olivia would only get excited if he gave her the news she wanted.

Her business was her life, and she didn’t allow herself the time or the desire for anything else. She was certain he didn’t, either. At least, not with her.

She was well aware of Tony’s reputation with other women, and it was the women building that reputation. They claimed he was a spectacular lover, though how many had firsthand knowledge she couldn’t guess. He appeared very circumspect to her. He never spoke of his relationships. In fact, he seemed oblivious to the talk.

She tried to be oblivious as well; her only interest in him was business related. But she had to admit there were occasions when she couldn’t quite stop her mind from wandering…

She stood mere inches from him and at five-eleven or so with her heels on she nearly looked him in the eye. They stood by the balcony doors, no one else within hearing distance, the ambience soft and intimate. Olivia dismissed her wayward thoughts and lifted her glass of soda to him in a mock salute. “Tony.”

“Hello, Olivia.” His voice was deeper than usual, his gaze more intent. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

He seemed almost watchful, and anticipatory, not wearing the cool persona he usually assumed in her company. She looked around at the newly decorated offices, pretending an interest she didn’t feel. This party was to launch the renovation of his massive downtown hotel, which had been standing for decades. With its new upscale furnishings and classy decor, it was positioned to compete with other hotels where price was no obstacle. “Everything is lovely, Tony. Why wouldn’t I enjoy myself?”

His lazy smile deepened, his gaze became probing. “I don’t think you’re much for parties. You seem preoccupied.” He tilted his head slightly. “Anxious to get back to business matters?”

Olivia swallowed her immediate response and the last sip in her glass. She allowed her gaze to follow a passing couple, then said, “I was wondering if you’d come to a decision, yet. Of course, a party isn’t exactly the place to discuss such things, but…” She looked back at him and caught him watching her closely. Again. “If you’d care to enlighten me?”

Tony chuckled and ignored her question. He excelled at business games, but then, so did she. “Would you like something else to drink?”

“No, thank you,” she replied.

“Had too much already?”

“Of soda? I think I can handle it. You however…” She circled his thick wrist with her fingers to bring his glass toward her and then she sniffed. But she didn’t detect the fumes of alcohol. She frowned.

“I don’t drink, either. Too many of my associates do, and I think someone has to stay sober to oversee things.”

Olivia didn’t want to show him her surprise, but she found herself doing just that. “So you never indulge?”

“An occasional glass of wine with dinner. Very occasional.”

“I’m a teetotaler.”

“Personal reasons?”

Olivia hesitated. It was funny how you could know a person for years and never say or do anything outside the realm of related business, then suddenly be discussing very intimate, personal topics. She didn’t really mind, though. She’d always believed the better you knew your business associates the easier it would be to deal with them. It was her fondest wish to do a great many deals with Tony Austin. She finally nodded and answered, “Very personal. I detest alcohol.”

“Maybe someday you’ll tell me why.”

“Maybe.”

Tony was silent a moment. He appeared to be studying her drop-pearl earrings until suddenly he asked, “Do you have a five-year goal for yourself, Olivia? Or some long-term destination that you’re working toward?”

Again, Olivia felt that touch of excitement and tried to quell it. He was showing an interest he’d never shown before, and that could only mean he approved her business management. Tony Austin was the epitome of business excellence. A person could learn everything she needed to know from him.

It was said Tony had doubled the Austin Crown hotel chain within three years of his father’s death. Under Tony’s guidance the hotels had grown from mediocre to posh and exclusive. Every upscale business convention around wanted to be on the receiving end of Crown’s special treatment.

Tony Austin’s employees loved him and praised his leadership. As a pioneer in the business world with one of the fastest growing hotel chains around, he was regularly featured in business magazines. Austin Crown hotels were located throughout the country and probably would soon be around the world.

Olivia watched now as he propped himself up against the wall, the breadth of his shoulders visible even beneath the elegant cut of his dark suit. He was a well-built man, she admitted to herself, in his early thirties, with more energy and determination than anyone she knew. Right now his brown hair, darker and richer than her own and with a spot more curl, had fallen forward over his brow, and his green eyes were intense on her features.

Olivia smiled. “Of course I have a plan. A very substantial plan. If you’d like, I could outline it for you.”

To her surprise, Tony caught one of the servers milling through the crowd. “Miss Anderson and I will be in the inner office. Please bring us refreshments, nonalcoholic only, and see that we’re not bothered unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

The server nodded, took their empty glasses and walked away. Olivia felt her nerves tingle. He’s going to give it to me. She hadn’t expected this, hadn’t expected Tony to want to discuss business tonight, but still…

Tony took her arm and began weaving through the crowd. Several people noticed, but she ignored them. Tony merely nodded to anyone who stared too long, but he was used to this. It was a fact he drew regular gossip from outsiders. After all, he was the local boy made good and there were always busybodies hoping to pick up a scrap of dirt. But they were in Willowbrook, Indiana, on Tony’s home ground, and anyone who really knew him paid little heed to the rumors.

Olivia rehearsed her speech in her mind, preparing what she would say, how she would convince him to her way of thinking. She was busy wondering if she’d be able to shorten her five-year goal with his cooperation, when he tugged her into a dimly lit room that smelled of rich leather and Tony. Which, to her at least, was the scent of raw excitement. In this room she might get the break she’d been waiting for. All she had, all she would ever have, was her business. She’d given it everything she could, and it had given back all she had hoped for. Watching the business expand and grow was almost the same as having the life she really wanted. Almost.

TONY CLOSED THE DOOR and leaned against it. It was funny, but before tonight he had never really noticed how lovely Olivia Anderson could be when she was excited, when she smiled…. Of course, he’d made note of and approved each one of her individual features. But he’d never before put them all together, taken them as the whole, and understood just how tempting an appearance she made.

Tonight she had her soft dark brown hair pinned back in an elegant twist, though he knew it was nearly straight and fell to the tops of her shoulders. Olivia always looked elegant. She had more style and class than any woman he’d ever known. And it didn’t matter that her eyes were dark brown, not green like his own. He liked her eyes. They showed her emotions clearly, showed the depth of her character and her passion. Passion for her work, that is.

He stepped away from the door and flipped on a single lamp that added a vague glow to the expansive room. It was cowardly of him, but he preferred to keep the lighting dim, to allow himself the cover of shadows while he presented her with his proposal. He said abruptly, “Have you ever been married, Olivia?”

She looked stunned by the question, but thankfully, not insulted. She shook her head. “No. Nor do I plan any such alliance in the near future.”

“Alliance?” He found himself smiling again. She had the strangest way of looking at things, as if everything was a business venture.

Shrugging her shoulders, Olivia turned to find a chair, and sat down in one of a matching pair of chairs that sat adjacent to his massive desk. “My work is my life. I’m content that it stays that way.”

Tony eased himself into the chair across from her, thoughtfully rubbing his chin. Though that was the answer he’d expected—anticipated—from her he was still a little disturbed. It wasn’t right that a woman with her attributes, with her intelligence and personality, should spend her life alone.

“How old are you?”

She blinked, but she answered readily enough. “Twenty-six. Actually my five-year plan was only formulated last year. By the time I’m thirty, I hope to have created a very substantial business with at least three more shops.”

He waved that away. “You don’t leave yourself much room for a husband or children or any other personal pursuits.”

Frowning now, she surveyed him with a wary eye. Tony knew he needed to retrench, to give her a bit more room. The thing was, he’d never been a patient man. When he wanted something, he wanted it now.

And he wanted a baby.

He reached out to take Olivia’s hand, but she snatched it back, then looked embarrassed that she’d done so.

“I don’t understand the need for such personal questions. I assumed you were satisfied with our business dealings…”

“More than satisfied. You run a very profitable business and your two existing shops have already benefited my hotels. I don’t see any problem in expanding them.”

Olivia let out a breath and gifted him with a beautiful smile. “Thank you. Obviously that’s what I was hoping to hear. I’ll admit, though, you threw me with all that personal stuff. I know it’s important to understand your associates, to make certain they won’t suddenly change their priorities and let their businesses flounder. If that was your worry, let me assure you—”

“I’d like to have a baby.”

His timely, or not so timely, interruption, left Olivia with her mouth hanging open and her brows lifted high. It was a nice mouth, full and soft. He could see her tongue, pink and moist and…She also had beautiful skin, which of course would be a plus, along with her excellent health and unbelievable ingenuity.

She cleared her throat, and with a small, nervous laugh, said, “I believe that might be an anatomical impossibility.”

“Not if I can find the right woman to carry the babe.”

She fell back in her seat, her hands braced on the arms of the chair, her mouth once again open. Right then, Tony decided to stop noticing her enticing mouth.

He was saved from having to say anything by the knock on the door. Tony waited until the server left the room and softly closed the door behind him before meeting Olivia’s eyes again. She still looked stunned.

“I can practically hear your brain working, Olivia, and I want to assure you, before anything else, that this has nothing to do with your business. The third shop is yours, regardless. I’ll sign the papers Monday morning and have a courier deliver them to you.”

Olivia’s mouth opened twice before she managed to say, “Thank you.”

He poured her a glass of soda and handed it to her. “However, I would like to discuss something else with you.”

“I gathered as much.”

He grinned at her dry tone. “As I said, I want a baby. I have excellent people who can see to the daily running of my business now, so I no longer need to put in such long hours. I can more than afford to raise a child with every privilege, but not so many that the child is spoiled or doesn’t understand the value of work. I’ll be very careful to make sure the babe is raised with good morals and strong convictions, and—”

Olivia leaned forward in her seat and touched his arm. Tony liked her touch, felt it all the way to his stomach, and immediately cursed himself for reacting in a way he’d forbidden. Olivia, thankfully, seemed unaware of his plight.

“I have no doubt you’d be an excellent father, Tony.”

He felt warmed to his soul by her praise. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. But what does all this have to do with me?”

His gaze flickered from her hand on his arm, to her face. “Why…I want you to be the mother.”

He didn’t get quite the reaction he’d expected. She covered her mouth with one graceful hand, and after a long, stunned pause, a nearly hysterical laugh emerged. Tony stood, caught her forearms and lifted her from her chair. “Olivia! Are you all right?”

She shook her head, and another giggle escaped. “Didn’t I just make myself clear? Didn’t I just say that my business was my life? I can’t get married, certainly not to—”

“Married? Good God, I don’t want to marry you!” He immediately realized how horrid that sounded, and quickly explained, “I just need you to carry my baby. After you’ve delivered it, you’re free to do as you please. I’ll make certain you can relocate any place you choose, but of course, you would have to relocate. I don’t want any interference with raising my child, and neither of us would want a scandal. I thought the northwest would serve your purposes.”

“You just want me to…”

“Carry the baby.” He was still holding her arms and felt the way she tensed, the way her body trembled. He forced himself to release her. “As you said, it’s anatomically impossible for me to do so, not that I have any desire to suffer through such a thing. God in all his wisdom knew men weren’t cut out for such a trial. And I don’t want you to think I’m being…well, untoward. There are medical procedures that would guarantee the planting of my sperm. Everything would be…”

She staggered back as if he’d struck her.

“I’m really messing this up, aren’t I?” He ran his hand through his hair, then shrugged. “Believe it or not, this is the first time I’ve been uncertain of myself while presenting a business proposition. And that’s exactly what this is, Olivia. A business deal.” He waited, but when she remained silent, her eyes huge, he added, “Well? You could make this a little easier by saying…something.”

“I would. If I had any idea what to say.”

He nodded, then slowly drew a deep breath. “You need time to think it over. Why don’t we sit back down and I’ll go over all my reasons for choosing you, all the benefits that will be yours if you agree, how I intend to handle the legalities involved, and—”

“That’s an awful lot of ground to cover, especially considering it’s near midnight. I put in a full day already, and plan to visit the office tomorrow morning.” Her voice still sounded shaky, but she did resume her seat. Tony let out a short sigh of relief. She wasn’t crying sexual harassment, she wasn’t storming out. No, Olivia, bless her, was a reasonable woman. It was one of the qualities that had drawn him to her.

“First of all, you please me very much, Olivia. Not as a wife or for any other personal relationship, but as a gene donor. Your intelligence sometimes staggers me, especially given what few advantages you had in the world. The way you’ve excelled—”

“Excuse me?”

Tony lifted his brows, silently asking for clarification to her interruption.

“How, exactly, would you know anything about my advantages or disadvantages?”

Uh-oh. He could tell by the mulish set to her chin that he’d pricked her temper. He quickly thought about lying, then just as quickly discarded the idea. As he’d said, she was very intelligent. “I had you investigated. Now, just hear me out, then you’ll understand how necessary it was for me to do so.” He waited, and when she simply watched him, he began reciting his findings. “I know your parents, of moderate, low middle-class income, died in a river accident during a flood when you were only sixteen. I know you carried a full course load in college and kept a job at the same time, that you gained everything you now own by your own wits, without a single smidgen of aid from family or friends. In fact, there was no real family, and as far as I could discern, no close friends.”

He continued, seeing her hold herself silent and still. She managed to look both proud and violated, and he lowered his tone even more, feeling his heart kick against his ribs. “You’ve never been involved with a man for any length of time other than during business to further your goals, you live a modest, understated lifestyle, apparently with quite a substantial savings account, and you keep to yourself. The only social gatherings you attend are business related.”

She was quiet a long moment, and he felt regret, then determination.

“You’ve been very thorough.”

“I had to make certain you would suit, Olivia. Please, try to understand. I don’t want a woman who, after conceiving, will decide she wants to keep the baby, me, or both. Everything I learned about you proves you have absolutely no interest in tying yourself down right now or anytime in the near future. It was completely necessary that I find evidence to prove you wouldn’t want a baby or a husband. And you don’t, do you?”

She turned her head away to stare at the far wall. “That’s right.” After a shuddering breath, she glared at him again. “But I also have no interest in putting myself nine months behind. Carrying a child right now would sorely interrupt my schedule, not to mention what it would do to my reputation. I’d be gossiped about endlessly.”

“Not so. Not if I promised to advance your five-year goal in one year. Not if I promised my backing to make certain you got a better start than you could ever have hoped to achieve, even in five years. Not if I have you relocated immediately, or provide for you to take an extended leave of absence.”

“And you’d do all that?”

She was incredulous, but he didn’t hesitate. “Of course. I’m very serious about this. I can afford to be generous, and I want the baby. Now. My birthday is November 14. Little more than a week away. By my following birthday, I want to be holding my own child. I’ll be thirty-five then.” He hesitated, a bit vulnerable in his feelings, but also knowing he needed to explain his desire fully to her.

“Thirty-five is getting up there. If I’m going to have a baby, it needs to be now. I’m still young enough to keep up with a toddler, but old enough to make wise decisions about the child’s future. If I wait, even another year or two, I’ll be close to forty before the child is born. I have to think long-term, of how my age will affect the child during his or her teenage years, when I’ll be needed most.”

She looked incredulous again, and her voice was strained when she asked, “You’re worried about your…your biological clock?”

He felt disgruntled with the way she’d put it, but he nodded. “I suppose that’s one way of looking at it.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you want a child so badly? Why not just get a wife and do things the conventional way? And most of all, why me?”

Since she was still discussing it with him, Tony decided that was a good sign and took heart. He would win her over. After all, he had the advantage, being a man, and a more accomplished business dealer. He’d wrangled tougher deals than this when he’d first taken over the business.

But also true, he’d met few associates as tough as Olivia. It was one of the reasons he’d chosen her, one of the many things he admired about her.

He propped his elbows on his knees, leaned forward and forged on. “I want a child now because both my younger brother and sister have children. In fact, my brother only recently got his third child, a little boy, and it made me realize how much I was missing out on, how much I’ll miss forever if I don’t act soon. Don’t get me wrong. I love being the doting uncle, getting to spoil the children and having them shout and jump around whenever I show up. It’s good for the soul to be loved by a child, probably the biggest compliment a person can ever receive.

“But I have no real influence on the kids. And that’s as it should be. I’m not their father, I’m only an uncle, good for bringing gifts and giving occasional unimportant advice. I want to be the one doing the raising, leaving a part of myself behind.”

Olivia smiled. “You’re feeling your mortality?”

“I suppose. But that’s not all of it. Being business minded, forming a successful company and being respected by your colleagues, that’s nothing compared to raising a child. My brother and sister chose not to get too involved in the business, but they’re raising wonderful, loving, beautiful children. And that’s a much greater accomplishment than mine. I want to do something that matters that much.” He faced her, holding her gaze, then added, “And I want to be loved the way they are. Unconditionally, completely.”

“But no wife?”

“The kind of relationship my brother and sister have with their spouses doesn’t come easy, I’m finding.” He was so relieved she hadn’t mocked him that he smiled. It was proving much easier to talk to Olivia than he had thought. Without thinking about it, he’d bared his heart as he had never done with any other person. “It’s almost like they’re one with the other. They share everything, support each other, and they have fun together. Honest, guilt-free fun. They seem to know each other’s thoughts sometimes, they’re so in tune.

“It amazes me. At times, I’m even jealous. I think it would be unbelievable to have that kind of relationship, and after seeing it, I don’t think I could settle for anything less. But I haven’t found a woman who would suit, and to tell you the truth, I’m sick of looking. Most women can’t tolerate the amount of time I dedicate to the business, unless they’re businesswomen also. But then, most of them are so wrapped up in company policies, in proving themselves in the male-dominant corporate world, they don’t have time for me, much less a child.”

He saw her flinch, and realized she’d taken the criticism personally. “Olivia. I don’t mean to condemn. I realize it’s more difficult for women than men, that the same rules seldom apply. And I understand the need to get ahead. I was the same way until recently.”

“Until your business no longer required quite so much attention.”

“That’s right.” He wouldn’t apologize for accomplishing his goals. He’d earned his time off. “You know, there’s a downside to being successful. I always get the feeling women are sizing up my bank account instead of me.”

Olivia gawked. “Don’t you have any idea how attractive you are? How personable you are?” She waved a hand in the air. “How…sensual you are? Believe me, with or without your hotel chain, you’d have women chasing after you.”

Settling back in his chair, he whispered, “Not you.”

Olivia looked as if she wanted to bite off her tongue, but no way would Tony let her take the words back, nor would he fill the silence for her. He suddenly felt predatory, and she was his prey. He could feel the surge of energy her words had given him, supplying an interest he hadn’t felt in too long. It was invigorating, though he did his best to ignore the feelings and concentrate on his goals. Her compliments weren’t necessary to his plan—but they did fill him with male satisfaction.

He waited, his expectation extreme, to see what she would say next.

Her gaze never wavered. “Well, no. As I said, I have other goals in mind besides chasing down a man, regardless of his appeal.”

Tony narrowed his eyes, watching her squirm as he pondered her words, then he smiled. “That’s one of the reasons I chose you. Not once have you ever looked at me in a sexual way.”

Olivia blinked again. “I don’t think…”

“You know what I mean. I don’t have to worry about you accepting my proposition with ulterior motives of trapping me, because you don’t particularly want me.” He waited, then asked, “Right?”

“Ah…right.”

“But you are perfect to suit me. As I said, I admire your intelligence. With the two of us as parents, I know my son or daughter won’t be lacking in that regard. You’re also possessed of a great deal of savvy, something else to admire. You’re healthy as a horse. I checked back as far as the last two years, and you haven’t missed a single day of work. You have a kind and generous nature—everyone who knows you said so. And you’re suitably built.”

“Suitably built?”

She sounded as though she were strangling, and his gaze dropped to her legs. “Attractively built,” he explained, allowing his gaze to linger for a moment. “Your legs are shapely, your shoulders squared, your back straight. You’re large boned, not overly frail, but still very feminine. You’re not prone to excess weight, but you are…sturdy. If I had a daughter, I wouldn’t have to worry about her being too tiny, something I abhor in women. But she would make a very nice appearance. You always do.”

Without his mind’s permission, his gaze moved to her breasts, outlined so nicely by the black knit dress she wore. Tony heard her say, “I’m small busted.”

He managed a shrug when at the moment he felt far from indifferent, then had to force himself to look up at her face. Her look was challenging, and he grinned at her small show of vanity. “Not at all. You’re…fine. Besides, if I have a son, it certainly won’t matter, and if I have a daughter, I won’t have to worry about all the young men chasing after her before I’m prepared to deal with it.”

She gave an uncertain smile at his wit, then looked away, as if considering all he’d said. He felt his stomach cramping in anxiety. And something more. It was so damn ridiculous, but the more he talked with her, the more he liked her. She hadn’t reacted as most women would have, she hadn’t reeled in shock or shouted in dismay. She hadn’t looked particularly insulted, either. She did look a bit disoriented, though. And somewhat contemplative.

He didn’t want to, but he said, “Why don’t you think about it? Take the weekend, and get back to me on Monday. If you agree, we can contact the doctor I’ve spoken with and have everything taken care of well before my birthday.”

She winced. “A clinical procedure, you said?”

“Yes.” He hastened to reassure her. “But from what I understand, it’s not bad. I deliver my sperm—”

One slim eyebrow quirked. “Deliver your sperm?”

“Yes.” He knew his face was heating and felt like a fool.

“How exactly is that accomplished?”

“Never mind.” The order was ground out from between his teeth, and she chuckled. He’d never before seen her sense of humor; usually it was her determination to get ahead that she presented at a business meeting. He felt a touch of warmth at the sound of her laughter, then gave her an exasperated look and continued. “I deliver my sperm and they…well, I suppose it’s much like visiting your gynecologist. Only instead of doing whatever it is they usually do, my sperm will be artificially planted—inseminated, it’s called—and then we’ll wait to see if it takes.”

Olivia chewed her lips, then said slowly, “It sounds rather distasteful.”

“I’ll admit it isn’t quite the way nature intended a woman to be impregnated, but it is certainly less personal, which is the main objective.”

“Why?”

Her pointed look and bald question confused him. “Why what?”

“Why does it have to be so impersonal? Why can’t you just…do it?”

“Do it?”

She made a sound of disgust. “Just impregnate the woman of your choice by nature’s design.”

He knew what she was asking, and felt an instant, unwanted tightening in his loins. Lust, damnable lust. He swallowed. “I want this to be as much of a business dealing as possible. Getting naked…” He felt himself harden and had to clear his throat. “Making love to a woman isn’t at all a business proposition. It’s very personal.”

Olivia seemed relaxed now, arrogantly so, and somehow determined. Tony knew she was aware of his unease, and planned to take advantage of it—as any good businesswoman would do. She nodded, a pseudo show of understanding. Then she smiled. “I see.”

He felt a twinge of anger at her for prodding him. “I should hope so.”

“I believe I’ll take your advice and think all this over. You said you don’t want to hear from me until Monday?”

“I…” He had no idea what had come over her. She wasn’t acting the way he’d expected, she wasn’t even acting in a way he could have guessed or anticipated. He felt stymied. “You don’t have to wait if you come to a decision before then.”

“I think I probably will make up my mind before then. How about if I give you my decision tomorrow evening?”

He nodded, stiff-backed now, and forced a smile. He knew by her amused expression that she wasn’t fooled, and that she was thoroughly enjoying his discomfort. “I’ll give you my home number.”

“No. I got the feeling you didn’t want the fertile woman who would serve your needs to intrude on your life.” He started to speak, but she forestalled him, her tone not nearly so sarcastic now. “Why don’t I just give you my number instead—my privacy isn’t nearly as threatened as your own. You can call me. Say, seven o’clock tomorrow?”

With her small chin raised, her straight nose in the air, she looked as proud and gutsy and almost as arrogant as he. She looked magnificent to him, and he merely nodded, distracted by thoughts of her feminine body rounded by his babe. They would make a beautiful, healthy child together. He reached out and touched her chin. “I wouldn’t mind if the baby was a boy or a girl. I don’t remember if I told you that.”

She smiled, and seemed to relax again despite herself. “You didn’t. But I had the impression it wouldn’t matter.” Then she went to his desk and picked up the gold pen from the marble holder and scrawled her home number across the desk pad.

“I had your number in my files.”

“This way, you won’t have to look it up.”

He felt awkward now, but Olivia didn’t seem to be suffering any such problems. She gave him a small salute.

“I’ll be going home now. It’s getting late, and I do have quite a bit to think over.”

“I’ll be a good father, Olivia.” He hadn’t meant to say that. He hadn’t planned on trying to convince her what a good person he was. But he wanted the baby so badly, now, before he got any older, before he was left all alone in the world.

Again, she didn’t mock him.

“I never doubted it.” She looked almost sad, which didn’t make any sense. “Tomorrow at seven, Tony.” And then she was gone.

CHAPTER TWO

OLIVIA LAY IN BED that night, despising herself. She was a fraud and a manipulator and the worst kind of person for taking advantage of another. Tony had no idea the type of woman he was dealing with.

She’d known since she was sixteen that she would never have children. For her, it was physically impossible.

In the hospital, only hours before Olivia’s mother had slipped away, she had explained about the condition that robbed her daughter of that particular function. Olivia wasn’t a whole woman, could never lead a whole life. Having children was as beyond her as it was for Tony. And so she’d made her business her life. It was the only life she’d ever have.

Swallowing hard, Olivia felt the sting of tears as she recalled going to the hospital as a very young girl, her belly cramping painfully, the bleeding. It had been horrible, being examined by a male doctor. Beyond the pain, she’d felt violated and mortified. And then there were the days after when her mother and father had been so quiet, so withdrawn. She hated hospitals now, and she wouldn’t go to the doctor unless it was absolutely necessary.

She thought she’d successfully put the past behind her, that she’d buried the wishes that couldn’t come true. But now, with Tony’s proposition, they all came flooding back. She wanted to be loved, to have children, to be desired by a special man who would accept her as a sensual woman.

She couldn’t do anything about the first two wishes, but the third was a possibility.

It was rumored that Tony was an exceptional lover. She couldn’t deny that the information had given her a few private fantasies of her own. After all, despite everything, she was still a woman, and on occasion, she’d seen him strictly as a man. But intimacy was something she’d neither expected nor wanted from Tony.

Until she’d heard his plan.

And now it was all she could think about. Tony obviously admired her, and that was something. It wasn’t love, but it was a far cry from a totally detached sexual experience. She cared about Tony, thought he was a beautiful person and a very sexy man. And he wanted her as the mother of his child.

That was a precious gift all on its own, the highest of compliments.

Tony didn’t have to know that she’d never be able to conceive a child, that she was infertile. She could insist on doing things the “natural” way, allow him to try his manly best for a couple of weeks, then confess it wasn’t happening. He’d go on his way, none the wiser, find another woman, and have his baby by his designated time. She had not a single doubt of his eventual success. There were numerous women out there who would be more than willing to oblige him.

But he’d approached her, and she couldn’t quite send him on his way. Not yet. Hearing him discuss his sperm in such a casual way, and talk of impregnating her as if he was referring to buying her coffee, had been somehow very arousing. Long dormant feelings had seemed to swell without her consent, and when she’d pictured him “supplying” his sperm, pictured the process necessary to such a deed, she’d felt a sexual heat at the image, along with an emotional tenderness that he wanted a child so badly. Together, the two feelings had conspired against her better sense.

She’d read every article she could ever find on him, and they were numerous. She’d tried to follow in his footsteps, as impossible as that seemed, because he was too dynamic, too overwhelming. And also, he loved his family, when she didn’t even have a family to claim.

He was a good man, in every sense of the word. And she planned to corrupt him for her own purposes.

She was a fraud, but she wouldn’t actually be hurting anyone. Other than herself.

IT HAD PROVED to be a long night and an even longer day. By seven o’clock, Olivia was so nervous her heart threatened to beat right out of her chest. When her phone rang, a good three minutes after seven, she jumped a foot. She forced herself to wait through four rings, feeling juvenile but determined not to look overanxious, and then she answered. “Hello?”

“Olivia? It’s Tony.”

Just that, nothing more. She cleared her throat. “Hello.” Her voice squeaked, but she didn’t hang up. She could do this; she would grab the opportunity. But of course, she wouldn’t accept anything from him, other than the additional shop he’d already agreed to. She would suffer no guilt for taking monetary advantage of him. She would only use his body, and only for a brief time.

“Hi.” There was a long pause. “Have you made up your mind?”

She bit her lip, then took a deep breath. “I have. But I…I have a few stipulations I’d like to discuss.”

She heard his indrawn breath. “Does that mean you’ll do it?”

“Yes. But with a few—”

“I heard you. A few stipulations. Whatever it is, it’s yours!”

His joy was impossible to ignore. The man was thrilled to be getting what he believed would eventually be his baby. Olivia swallowed her guilt and girded herself. “You probably ought to know what I want before you agree to it.”

“I can afford whatever it is. I know you’re not a greedy woman. You won’t leave me bankrupt.”

“I want to forget the doctor.”

Deathly quiet. “Excuse me?”

Olivia knew she had thrown that out there awfully quick, but if she hadn’t, she might never have said it at all. “I don’t want to go through a doctor. I want…I want to do things naturally.”

“Naturally?”

He sounded completely stupefied, and she nearly growled in frustration. “Yes, dammit! As in you and me, together, the way nature intended.”

Not a single sound now. “Tony?”

“I’m here.”

Olivia waited. Strangely enough, she could hear Tony trying to sort his thoughts as clearly as she could hear her own heart pounding.

Finally he said, “Would you mind telling me why?”

Olivia shook her head, realized how stupid that was and closed her eyes. “Of course not. I just…”

“No, wait. This isn’t a conversation for the phone. Are you busy?”

“Now?”

“Yes, now. Believe me, I don’t want to have to sleep on this without understanding.”

“Of course not.” Olivia looked around her apartment, hoping for inspiration, but found only the same quiet environment that always surrounded her. “I could meet you somewhere.”

“No, I’ll pick you up. I know where you live. It’s—”

“It’s in your records.”

“Yes. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

The phone clicked in her ear, and to Olivia it sounded like the beginning of a drumroll. Oh boy, too late to change her mind now. Then, because she had no idea how far away Tony was or how soon he would arrive, she rushed from the room to find something appropriate to wear.

When she reached her closet, she stopped, feeling ridiculous. What in the world would be considered proper dress for telling a man you’d agree to have his baby, but only if he’d pleasure you in the bargain?

Especially when you knew you were cheating him, and he wouldn’t get a damn thing out of the deal, least of all, what he really wanted. A baby.

TONY STARED AT HER apartment door, started to knock, then lowered his hand. Dammit all, why couldn’t women ever do anything the simple way? He’d offered Olivia a straightforward, up-front deal, and she’d had to go and muddy the waters by asking that he actually attend her. Not that it would be a hardship, but he didn’t want to get involved. He’d made his plans and he didn’t want to deviate from them.

Still, Olivia Anderson—business barracuda and proprietor of two sensual, sexy lingerie shops—wanted to make love with him.

Who would have ever thought she’d ask for such a thing? She was always an enigma, a mix of styles and personalities, but even so, this development had thrown him for a loop. He’d sometimes wondered, when he’d been in her shop and seen the very stimulating garments she carried, if she ever wore any of those little bits of nothing, if she spoiled her body with silks and lace. It hadn’t seemed likely. But now…

She had him totally confused, and he didn’t like it one bit. He also didn’t want to have to start looking for a new mother. Time was running out. He wasn’t getting any younger, and if he didn’t act soon, he’d be past the age of thirty-five when he brought his baby home.

No. He’d chosen her, dammit, and he wouldn’t give up without at least trying to reason with her.

He ran a hand through his hair, then knocked sharply on the door. Immediately three doors opened. Olivia and two neighbors stared at him, the latter with narrowed eyes and curious expressions. Just what he needed, an engrossed audience.

Olivia tried for a smile, but it wasn’t her best effort. “Come on inside.”

“No.” He shook his head, glaring at the neighbors. An elderly couple now stood at one door, and a younger woman with curlers in her hair at the other; they glared right back at him. Tony turned his gaze back to Olivia. “Let’s go for a drive instead.”

Olivia hesitated, seemingly oblivious to the onlookers, then finally said, “All right. Just let me grab my jacket.”

Tony cursed under his breath. This was exactly what he’d wanted to avoid. He didn’t need anyone speculating on his relationship with Olivia, because he’d never intended to have a relationship with her. In his simple, uncomplicated, male-inspired plan, he would have given her the address of the doctor and then heard from her later to learn if she’d conceived. He certainly hadn’t intended to stand in her doorway providing entertainment to the masses. Not that three people could be considered a mass, but with their eyes glued to him, he felt very uncomfortable.

Olivia finally produced herself. She stepped outside the door, turned to make certain it was locked, then dropped her keys into her pocket. “I’m ready.”

Then, as if on cue, she turned to the neighbors and nodded to each one in turn. “Hello, Hilda, Leroy, Emma. This is Tony Austin. Hopefully I’ll be opening another of my shops in his hotel chain. Isn’t that marvelous?”

Everyone nodded, their suspicions visibly dissipating and en masse they began to sing Olivia’s praises. Tony did his best to make an exit, but he had to spend several minutes nodding in agreement before he could leave.

As they walked out of the building onto the street, he said, “That’s the last time for that.”

“What?”

“Meeting at your apartment. It gives rise to too much speculation. If we’re not careful, we’ll have that scandal yet.”

He opened the door to his car for Olivia, but she didn’t get in. “Does that mean you intend to meet with me again? You will agree with my terms?”

Pushy woman. Why had he never realized before just how pushy she could be? Savvy was one thing, pushy was another. He summoned his most noncommittal tone. “We’ll see.” He practically tossed her into the passenger seat, before going around to his own side.

“There’s really not a whole lot to see, Tony. I don’t like the idea of the clinical approach, that’s all. If you can’t see your way clear to actually touch me, then there’s nothing to talk about.”

He clenched his hands on the steering wheel. He clenched his teeth. He even clenched his thighs, but still, her words affected him. Touch her? He’d like to touch her all right—now, this very minute, with his hands, his mouth, his entire body. But he wouldn’t. Oh, no. Touching was bad. Touching would only lead to more touching, and then he’d be in over his head and…

“Tony?”

“How about doing me a favor, Olivia? How about keeping your thoughts to yourself for a few minutes until we get off the road and then we’ll discuss your…terms.”

“All right.”

She sounded too damn agreeable and that rankled, but at least she kept her words behind her teeth for all of five minutes, giving him a blessed chance to gain control of his libido. Then she asked in a very tentative voice, “Have you considered the possibility that I won’t conceive? After all, there’s no guarantee that I’ll prove to be…fertile ground for you to…plant your seed. How much time are you willing to devote to trying to get me pregnant?”

Fertile ground? Plant his seed? Tony’s five minutes of calm were suddenly shot to hell. How was it such bland, ridiculous terms sounded sexier than the most erotic whispered words he’d ever heard? Perhaps it was because of the envisioned result. He’d never before considered a woman carrying his child, and that must be the reason every word out of her mouth aroused him to the point of pain.

He cleared his throat and kept his gaze steady on the darkened road. “The doctor mentioned that several attempts may be necessary before the insemination takes.”

“But doing it naturally? Is there a projected time span on that?”

He felt strangled. “I never actually asked him that.”

“Perhaps you should.”

Out of sheer necessity, he pulled the car off the main street and onto a small dirt road that led to a dead end. When Tony was younger, he and his brother had come here to make out with girls. In those days there was a wide cornfield, but it had been replaced by a small park with a street lamp. Obviously things had changed, but the premise was the same. Isolation.

Despite the fact that he was sweating, he left the car running, for it was a cold night in early November. He killed the lights, though, giving himself some illusionary concealment. When he turned to face her, he already had his mouth open to start his argument, but he was brought up short by the picture she presented.

Moonlight poured over her, revealing the sheen of dark hair, the shape of her ears, her high arched brows. Her eyelashes left long feathery shadows on her cheeks and shielded her eyes from his gaze. Her hands were folded in her lap. She appeared somehow very unsure of herself…vulnerable. It wasn’t a look he was used to, not from her. She lifted her gaze to his face, and once again he felt that deep frustration.

It wasn’t that Olivia was beautiful. She was by far the most elegant woman he’d ever known, but she wasn’t classically beautiful. He had dated more attractive women, made love to them, had long-standing affairs with them that had left him numb. But Olivia was the only woman whose personality, intelligence and disposition were attractive enough to entice him into asking her to carry his child. That was something. More than something, actually, when you figured it was usually looks that drew a man first, and the other, more important features of a woman that kept him drawn.

When he remained quiet, she said, “I know what I’m asking seems absurd. After all, you could have any woman you want, and after knowing you for so long, it’s obvious you don’t particularly want me. That’s okay, because up until you mentioned your plan, I hadn’t really thought about wanting you, either.

“But you see, I’ve made my career everything.” Her hands twisted in her lap and her voice shook. “Just as you don’t want any involvements now, neither do I. That’s why the idea seems so perfect. I haven’t taken the time or the effort to get to know very many men, and almost never on an intimate level. These days, only an idiot would indulge in casual sex. But starting a relationship isn’t something I want, either. So I thought, maybe we could both get what we wanted.”

Tony searched her face, feeling dumbfounded. Surely she wasn’t suggesting what he thought she was. “I want a baby. What is it you want, Olivia?”

She turned her head away from him and looked out the window. Sounding so unlike herself, she whispered in a small voice, “I want a wild, hot, never-to-be-forgotten affair. For two weeks. If during that time I conceive, the baby will become yours, and we’ll go on with the rest of your plans. If I don’t conceive, I’ll be on my way and you can find another woman who, hopefully, will prove more fertile. You won’t owe me a thing. In fact, I’ll consider myself well paid.”

“Well paid? As in sex? You make yourself sound like a…”

“Like a woman who’s desperate? I suppose I am.” She finally met his gaze, her eyes huge and so very dark in the dim light. “I want to know what it’s like to be with a man. But it has to be a man I trust, both with my safety and my health. I’m afraid you fit that bill.”

The way she’d worded that had him frowning. “Olivia, you’re not a virgin, are you?”

“No, but close.” She held up two slim fingers.

“You’ve had sex with two different men?”

“No, I’ve had sex twice. With the same man, or boy rather. Neither time necessarily inspired an encore, but the second time I allowed myself to be convinced. I suppose I was hoping he’d improved from the week before, but he hadn’t.”

Tony found himself smiling. Olivia wanted to have sex with him, but she planned to keep a score card? “What did he do that was so wrong?”

“I’m not certain I know what was wrong, since I haven’t yet experienced it right, but we were both practically fully clothed, cramped into the backseat of his car, and he grunted a lot. And by a lot, I mean for all of about three minutes. Continuously.”

“Well…” Tony suppressed a laugh and tried to look serious. “I suppose I can improve on that, anyway.”

“I should certainly hope so.”

Tony couldn’t help but chuckle at her serious tone. “I can’t recall ever having a woman come right out and ask me to perform to her satisfaction. You’re downright scary, do you know that?”

“I don’t mean to be. And I don’t mean to belittle that guy. We were in college, and he was majoring in football. It was probably my fault for not being more discriminating my first and second time, but even then I was very involved in getting ahead. Choosing an ideal mate simply took more energy than I wanted to give. At the time, it hadn’t occurred to me to tell him specifically what I did and didn’t like, which probably would have made things better. But now, since you’ve presented yourself on the proverbial silver platter, I can hope the results will be much more to my liking. After all, you have a reputation for fulfilling such expectations.”

Reputation? He didn’t even want to get into that with her. If she’d been listening to gossip…Well, at least the gossip appeared to have been flattering. He gave a groan that was loud and rife with confusion. “I just don’t know, Olivia. I mean, this could all backfire.”

She was all business, not moved in the least by his dramatic display of frustration. “You’re afraid I’ll be privy to your awesome technique, decide I can’t possibly live without it or you and want to stake a marital claim?”

Actually she was pretty close to the mark. Not that he believed his technique was really all that awesome. But he knew women too often associated sex with love. He’d have to make it clear to her…

“I understand how you feel, Tony. I was concerned also, only for opposite reasons. Right now, you only want a baby, but as you see the woman who will give you your child grow, as you see the changes in her body—from you and your baby—are you certain you won’t transfer your affection for the child to the mother?”

He stared stupidly. “I hadn’t planned to watch any changes.”

“No? But I understood, from books I read long ago, that the changes were the most fascinating part. You won’t want to feel your baby kick? You won’t want to be in on any prenatal pictures taken? I saw a documentary on TV once that was incredible. The ultrasound showed every small movement the baby made. You could even count toes and fingers.”

His head began to pound with the growing complications. “I think…I think I may have more to think about.”

“I’m sorry. Now I’ve confused you.”

“You haven’t confused me. It’s just that I hadn’t even considered prenatal observation. All my thoughts had been directed solely on the baby after its birth. But of course I’d want to see and feel the changes.” He studied her closely. “You wouldn’t mind?”

“Mind what?”

“If I watched you closely? If I observed all the changes in your body while my baby grew and if I examined those changes, took part in them?”

She was silent again, her fingers worrying the edge of her coat. Then she shook her head and in a hushed tone, she replied, “No. I wouldn’t mind. If that was what you wanted—and if I got pregnant.”

“Olivia, there’s no reason to doubt you will. You’re a healthy young woman, in the prime of your childbearing years. I’ve already been checked, and the doctor assures me I should possess sufficient potency to see the job done.”

Olivia drew a deep breath and then held out her hand. “So. Do we have a deal?”

He was so aroused, he knew his hand would shake like the skinny branches on the naked tree shadowing the park, but he took her small palm in his anyway. His voice was little more than a croak when he said, “A deal.”

“When do we start?”

She may as well have said, when do you want to see me naked and touch me and come inside me, because the effect was the same. He had trouble drawing a breath as images too erotic to bear shot through his already muddled brain. It took all his masculine power to bring himself back in order. “I suppose you should find out when you’re…” He gulped, then forged manfully onward. “When you’re most fertile. Do you, ah, keep track of such things?”

“Of course. All women do, if they don’t want to be taken by surprise. How about if I let you know, then we’ll see what works for both of us?”

It irritated him no end that she could speak so calmly after practically ordering him to pleasure her, to make certain he loved her in a way she would never forget. His brain was busy concentrating on the myriad ways he’d see the job done; he could barely form coherent words, damn her. “That’s fine.”

“I’ll look at my calendar, find out exactly when I’m most likely to conceive, and then I’ll call you.”

“And you will take my home number now, Olivia. I don’t want to miss your call if I’m not in the office when…when you’re ready.”

Her smile now was confident and made his insides twist. “Whatever you say, Tony.”

Tony merely gulped, wondering if she would say that when she was naked beneath him, her thighs open, her womb ready to receive him and his sperm, her body his. He kept silent, words well beyond him, and determined to see the job done as quickly as possible. It was the only way to save his sanity.

OLIVIA SPENT THE REST of the weekend boning up on fertility procedures. Though she didn’t really have a regular cycle that could be timed and knew there was no chance she’d get pregnant, she thought it would still be easier to do things in the proper course, just so Tony wouldn’t get suspicious. She had to be able to claim a day her period would be due, so Tony wouldn’t think they’d been precipitous in their efforts.

When she decided to claim her best time would be that weekend, she suffered through a mixture of anticipation, guilt and plain old self-doubt. But she shook off her insecurities. Monday, after the new contract arrived, just as Tony had said it would, she used it as an excuse to get in touch with him.

She rushed the contract past her lawyer, insisting he give it top priority. If he thought her request unusual, he didn’t say so. He returned it, with a few minor changes, the next day. Olivia forced herself to take another day to look it over, but she okay’d it without her usual relentless perusal, then picked up the phone to set up a business luncheon through Tony’s secretary. It was only Wednesday morning, four days after she’d gotten Tony’s agreement, and already it felt like forever since the deal had been made.

Just as she hoped, his secretary came back with the news that Tony could make time to see her at their usual restaurant. They’d met there before to discuss business, but today was different. Olivia left her office with the contract in her briefcase, along with a book on fertility and an anticipatory smile on her face.

TONY WAS ALREADY SEATED when she arrived. He’d chosen an isolated table at the back of the restaurant, away from prying eyes and ears. Olivia silently approved his choice, and forced herself to greet him in a normal, businesslike manner. Tony stood until she was seated, his eyes never leaving her, then waited while the waitress handed them menus. Very few things, including excitement, ever dampened her appetite so she ordered a lunch of rich soup and a salad.

Tony surveyed her a moment longer, then asked, “You have a problem with the agreement I sent you?”

Olivia waved away his concern. “We only made a few minor alterations.”

“You always have alterations, Olivia, but I’d rarely call them minor.”

She grinned. He was right, after all. She was a shark, but proud of it. “You can’t expect me to blindly accept rules of your making, now can you, Tony? The revised contract will suit my purpose much better, as you’ll see.”

He gave her a small smile. “I don’t doubt I’ll approve it. I seldom win with you.”

The way he said that, with a touch of pride, confused her. Could he have been telling the complete truth, not just trying to gain her acceptance of his plan? Did he truly admire her business skills? She felt warmed by the very idea, especially since most of her other male associates either seemed intimidated by her or resentful of her confidence.

She sent Tony a cheeky grin and said, “You win all too often, anyway. Losing on occasion is good for your character.”

“But winning’s more fun.” Then he held up a hand. “In this case, though, you didn’t have to bother your lawyer. I already told you I’d give you whatever you wanted.”

“No.”

“Beg your pardon?”

Olivia wanted to make her point perfectly clear. Her conscience was nagging her enough about manipulating him emotionally. She certainly couldn’t do so professionally, too. “I want this latest agreement to stand on its own, Tony. It doesn’t have anything to do with…the other. Look over the agreement, judge it the same way you would any other, then get back to me.”

“And you’ll relent if I don’t approve of your changes?”

“Absolutely not.” She gave him another grin. “But I fully expect to have to work for them if they’re not to your liking.”

He looked amused, his chin propped in his palm, his elbow on the table. Then his gaze dropped to his napkin and he said, “Do you have anything else to discuss with me, Olivia?”

It was more than obvious what he was asking. She set down her salad fork and then pushed her plate to the side. After hefting her briefcase into her lap, she pulled out a slim volume on fertility and flipped the book open to the page she had marked.

Tony merely stared, his slouched position not so slouched now.

“I’ve been reading up on our latest subject, and it seems this weekend will be my most promising time. According to this book, I should be ovulating on Saturday, give or take a day.”

“So you’re due in two weeks? Right at the end of the deadline you set?”

Her two week time limit. Get her pregnant by then, or the deal was off. She almost groaned at her own audacity.

“That’s right. Two weeks exactly.” Actually she’d pulled that ridiculous number out of the air, just as she’d done with the deadline. She wouldn’t conceive, not with only one ovary. And her periods were irregular, often nonexistent, so there was no true time frame. You couldn’t get pregnant if you didn’t ovulate, which was a fact she’d been living with for a very long time.

It was pure coincidence that she’d set up her most fertile time to fall precisely within her deadline. She glanced up and wished she wore reading glasses, just to provide her with a bit of camouflage. But despite her embarrassment, she was determined to follow through. Tony had been more than a little reluctant to agree to her terms, and if this was to be her one big romantic rendezvous, she wanted his wholehearted involvement. She needed his wholehearted involvement. As with any deal, success required planning. And Olivia had formulated her plan well. By the time she was finished with him, Tony would be beyond ready; he’d be anxious.

She braced herself and said, “I think I can get a few days away. How about you?”

“A few days?”

“Well of course.” Olivia frowned at him. “According to the book, an extended amount of time might be necessary. Listen to this. The couple should have intercourse at least twice with an interval of six hours between. You see? There’s no reason to do it if we aren’t going to do it with proper enthusiasm. Things like this can’t be rushed.”

“I, ah…”

“There’s something else, too.”

Tony raised his brows, not deigning and frankly not able to verbalize at this point.

Olivia forged on. “It also mentions you should do without sex until then to allow your sperm count to build to a higher level.” She paused, taking a small sip of her tea, then pinning him with her gaze. She felt horribly deceptive, but determined just the same. This was to be her time, and hers alone. “You should be celibate until we’re together. Will that be a problem?”

“Olivia…”

She hurried to explain, wanting him to understand the supposed reasoning behind her request. It wouldn’t do for him to know her remarks were prompted by a possessive attitude, rather than a legitimate concern. “You don’t want to deplete your sperm, Tony, now do you?”

“No.”

“Good.” Olivia didn’t want to admit to the relief she felt, and she certainly didn’t want Tony to witness it, so she busied herself by smoothing back another page. Tony looked down and his eyes narrowed at the number of lines she’d highlighted. Olivia quickly tried to close the book, but Tony’s finger got in the way.

“What’s this? Other interesting facts you’ve made note of?” His voice sounded deeper than usual, and a little hoarse.

Olivia was very careful not to look at him. “A few.”

“They apply to us?” When she only nodded, he said, “Please, enlighten me.”

“Perhaps it would be better to wait until later—”

“But I’m dying of curiosity.”

His mocking tone brought her head up. “All right.” She held the book before her and made a show of clearing her throat. She’d bluffed her way through more than one difficult situation without losing her poise. “It also says, For further assurance of success the woman should lie still on her back for several minutes, preferably with the man still inside her, with her legs bent at the knee to allow a pool of sperm to remain near the cervix.”

Tony had just taken a sip from his glass as Olivia began her discourse. When he choked, spewing water across the small table, Olivia leaned over and pounded on his back, nearly unseating him. He caught her hand and stared at her, his face turning ruddy, until she finally subsided and pulled away.

Olivia felt satisfied with his reaction. If she could keep him off guard, he wouldn’t stand a chance of dissecting her motivation and discovering her perfidy. “Surely you know all this already? It was your idea after all.”

“No.” He vehemently shook his head. “My idea did not include staying still inside you for several minutes.”

“You find the idea repellent?” She did her best to look affronted, knowing his problem now didn’t stem from distaste, but rather from the intimate level of the conversation—and possibly his response to it. “You would prefer, of course, that I lie on a sterile table while a damn white-coated doctor probed me with a syringe?”

“Olivia…” He reached across the table and took her hand again. “I don’t think you have any idea how all of this is affecting me. I’m only a man, you know, and I’m not accustomed to this sort of conversation.”

His hand felt warm and dry and very large. Olivia closed her eyes, then experienced another wave of guilt. She was twitting him mercilessly for her own benefit, and he was having difficulty surviving it. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t carry on. The truth is,” she added, hoping just a touch of honesty would help smooth over the situation, “I’m a little uncomfortable, too. I’m trying to be as straightforward and open about this as I can, so that we can look at it in a purely businesslike fashion.”

“I know, and I understand.” He hesitated, then released her fingers and leaned back in his chair. His gaze seemed hot, and very intense. “But I don’t think it’s going to work, Olivia.”

CHAPTER THREE

HER HEART SKIPPED A BEAT and a swelling sensation of near panic threatened to suffocate her. Had she pushed him too far? “You want to call it off?”

“No!” He abandoned his casual pose and was again leaning toward her. “No, I just don’t think I’m going to be able to look at this as anything but personal. I’ve thought about it a lot over the past few days and I don’t believe it’s at all possible to sleep with a woman—a woman I know and admire—and pretend that it isn’t the least bit intimate. I do think we can get past that, though, if we both try.”

“I’m not sure I understand.” At least he wasn’t canceling on her, and that was all that really mattered.

“I think we should look at this as something of an adventure. So long as we limit our socializing to the…ah…process, we should be able to keep things in perspective.”

“I see. No friendly visits between appointments.”

“Exactly. We’ll meet when we have to in order to see things through, but the rest of the time our relationship, such as it is, will remain the same.”

“Which is strictly business.”

“Yes.”

Olivia toyed with her fork. For some ridiculous reason she felt insulted. Her tone was a touch acerbic when she remarked, “That serves my purposes just fine. I’ll enjoy you while you employ all your manly skills to impregnate me.” A mental image formed with her words, and she had to catch her breath. “As to the rest, if you’ll recall, I don’t have time for frivolous dating.”

He curled his hand into a fist and searched her face, looking as if he wanted to say more, but then he shook his head, and said, “All right, we’re agreed then. And this weekend is fine for me, also. Should we begin Friday evening?”

“I’ll be at the Southend location that day, but I’ll finish up about six.”

“That’s good for me.” He reached out to straighten his knife and fork, and Olivia saw that his hand was shaking. She shook, too, in impatience. “I’ll make arrangements for us somewhere private, then meet you there. That way, no one will see us together, which I think is important. We need to maintain our social distance.”

It was the physical closeness that interested Olivia, not the social distance, so she nodded. “I’d just as soon no one suspected us of enhancing our relationship, too. I don’t want to start any nasty gossip and end up in a scandal.”

He chuckled. “At least you wouldn’t have to worry about your folks catching wind of it. My entire family lives nearby, and they all think they need to straighten out my life. Anytime the mere hint of a scandal surfaces, I find them all at my door ready and willing to butt right in.”

“And what we’re conspiring to do goes beyond the ‘hint’ stage. It defines the word scandalous.”

“Which means my family would have a field day.”

Olivia was fascinated. She’d often wondered what kind of upbringing Tony had, especially in light of the fact she had no family at all. He was such a good person, she supposed his family had to be pretty good, too. “So they have no idea what you’re planning? I mean, with the baby and all?”

“Hell no. My family is old-fashioned. They definitely believe in doing things in the right order.”

“Marriage first?”

“Yep.” He grinned again, that ready grin that made all the ladies of his acquaintance smile in yearning. “They’ve been very diligent in trying to get me married off. Every damn one of them has produced at least three prospective brides. I can’t make them understand that I’d prefer to do the choosing myself when I decide the time is right.”

Olivia suddenly realized they’d already broken their new set of rules. Learning about Tony’s family definitely went beyond business and was dangerous besides; the more she knew about him, the more fascinating he seemed. It had taken her no time at all to become accustomed to wanting him, to accepting him as a desirable man. Every day, every minute it seemed, her feelings for him grew. She began to wonder if those feelings hadn’t been there all along, waiting to be noticed.

It was a very scary prospect. She couldn’t afford, professionally or emotionally, to get overly involved with him. So she changed the subject, away from his family, and tried to dwell on something less intimate.

Their soup was delivered and throughout the rest of the lunch they discussed Olivia’s new shop and Tony’s proposed agreement. To his credit, Tony argued fiercely, but Olivia wore him down. The meal ended with Tony promising to have his lawyer okay everything and return the finalized papers to her very soon.

They stood on the curb outside the restaurant, the lunch-time crowd flowing around them, and Tony touched her arm. “Friday at six.”

“I’ll be ready.”

He started to move toward his car, then halted and turned back to her. “I hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself into.”

Olivia never wavered. As with all her decisions, she didn’t allow room for regrets. She held his gaze and nodded.

“Good. Because I think we’ll barely make it inside the door before I’ll lose my control. You’ve pushed a lot on this deal, lady, more than any before. You’ve demanded that I give you pleasure, and that I spend a great deal of time doing it.” He reached up and flicked a finger over her cheek, so very briefly. “Friday night, you’re liable to find I have a few demands of my own.”

Olivia watched him stride away, and then as a smile spread over her face, she whispered, “Oh, I do hope so, Tony, I really do.”

DISGUSTED WITH HERSELF, Olivia knew she wasn’t going to get any real work done. She’d spent Friday afternoon having her legs waxed and her nails manicured, then left the shop early to go home and shower and change. She’d meant to get back in time to do some inventory, but she’d lingered over choosing an outfit, trying to find something simple and attractive, while not wanting to display too obviously her wish to be appealing. By the time she returned to the shop, she had only a little time before Tony was due to pick her up.

After saying good-night to her store manager, she settled down to look over the most recent batch of applications for new jobs, thanks to Tony. She’d already decided to promote one woman to manager of the new store, but then she had to fill that woman’s position. Olivia was fortunate in always having found excellent employees. She’d learned from Tony that you got what you paid for, and she’d always been generous with her benefits.

As soon as thoughts of Tony entered her mind, she started daydreaming again. She should have bought a new outfit for today, she thought, looking down at her simple beige wool skirt and matching tunic. The top had a row of pearl buttons that started just above her breasts and ended at the hem. As she imagined Tony undoing those buttons, one by one, she shivered.

She’d tossed aside her normal panty hose in favor of silky stockings with a pale rose satin garter, a big seller for the shops. She had even dabbed on perfume in very naughty places. Her pumps were midheeled and made her legs extra long and shapely. To balance the effect, she’d left her hair loose, parted in the middle, and it fell to rest against the top of her shoulders. She was so nervous, she’d long since chewed off any lipstick she might have applied, and decided against fussing with more.

She’d probably feel more confident, she thought, if she’d worn something daring, something sinful and sexy. Her selection of underclothes often gave her confidence, especially when no one knew she was wearing them.

She walked to a rack and picked up a teddy that fairly screamed enticement with rosette patterns of lace across the breasts and between the legs. She fingered the material, feeling it slide through her hands. She drew in a deep, shuddering breath imagining it sliding through Tony’s hands.

When she heard the bell over the door chime, even though the Closed sign was up, she jerked, then quickly spun around to face the door.

Tony walked in, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his dress pants, and she could only stare. His gaze connected with hers, and he started forward with a steady, determined stride. He didn’t stop at the counter, but came to the rack where she stood, her lips parted, the teddy still in her hand.

His eyes moved over her, lingering on the teddy, and he asked, “Are we alone here?”

She nodded. “I was just finishing up—”

He laid a finger against her lips. There was no smile on his mouth, no welcome in his eyes. He looked intent and determined and very hungry. He slid his hand into her hair and cupped her head, stepping closer until his pant legs brushed her skirt. And then he kissed her.

ITHAD BEEN WORTH THE WAIT.

He couldn’t remember ever feeling so anxious for a woman. It was the teasing, he was certain, that had brought him low. Olivia, in her usual forceful, decisive way, had seduced him most thoroughly. Odd, but he hadn’t ever thought of her business manner carrying over into something so personal. He knew so damn little about her personal life.

Such as whether or not she really ever wore a garment as sexy as the teddy in her hand.

That was something he could soon find out. Because it was obvious she used the same tack of gaining what she wanted whether it was business or pleasure. And she wanted him.

That thought had plagued him all week, and it had been all he could do to maintain a touch of control over himself. What he needed, he thought, was a long, hot, intimate evening alone with her. And then he’d be able to get her out of his system and put her, and his purpose for being with her, in proper perspective. But damn, she tasted good.

He knew he should pull back, give her time to catch her breath, but she wasn’t fighting him, wasn’t behaving in a particularly shocked manner. She merely stood there and gave him free rein. He slanted his mouth over hers again, then lightly coasted his tongue over her bottom lip. She groaned.

Apart from the one hand he had in her hair and his mouth, Tony didn’t touch her. Olivia’s hands remained at her sides, almost as if she was afraid to move them. He leaned back and stared down at her face. Her dark brown eyes were half closed, the thick lashes seeming to weigh them down. Her lips were still parted, and her cheeks were flushed. He liked that.

“We’re going back to my house.”

She blinked twice, then cleared her throat. “I assumed you’d rent a place…”

“My home is very private. And I don’t want to be running around town. Too many people know me. Besides, today is my birthday. Someone might decide to surprise me with a bottle of champagne or some such nonsense, and once we’re alone, I don’t want to be disturbed.”

Her eyes widened. “Happy birthday. I didn’t realize…You should be celebrating with someone special.”

He started to tell her she was special, almost too special, but he bit back the words. “It’s okay. More than okay.” He bent to kiss her very quickly. She looked disappointed when he pulled away. “I can’t think of a better way to spend the day. You’re giving me the best gift imaginable.”

No sooner did he say it, than he realized she might misunderstand. So he quickly clarified, “A baby, I mean.”

“I knew what you meant.”

But he was lying, to both her and himself. Right now, he wanted her so much, thoughts of conception were taking a backseat to good old-fashioned lust. He still wanted his baby, very much, but he found himself hoping it would take a couple of tries before they found success. He wanted—needed—to expend all his desire for her so he could concentrate on other, more important things.

Olivia looked slightly rattled, which was new for her. She reached behind herself to feel for a hanger, then slipped the teddy onto it and back on the rack. Tony looked around, taking in the ambience of the shop. He’d been in them all, of course, but still, she never ceased to amaze him with her organization and natural ability for merchandising.

She did a remarkable amount of business, and it was easy to see why.

Everything was displayed in a way that bespoke intimacy with a touch of class. Mannequins were shyly posed in every corner, their perfect forms draped in soft pastel shades of silk and satin, musky scents filled the air from the perfume rack and the shelves of sachets. Every inch of space was utilized to the best advantage, so nothing looked crowded or busy.

Olivia cleared her throat, drawing his attention. “I was thinking of ordering more of these,” she said, indicating the teddys. “I knew they’d be a big seller, but this week we went through more than even I had anticipated. They’re just so comfortable.”

“And incredibly sexy?”

She nodded. That Olivia felt the need for small talk proved her nervousness, and Tony didn’t want her nervous. He also couldn’t stop himself from asking the question of the day. “How do you know they’re comfortable, Olivia? Do you wear these things?” He reached over and caught at the lace edging the leg of the teddy, then rubbed his thumb over it.

Straightening her spine, a gesture of defiance he was beginning to recognize, she nodded. “Of course I do. I’ve personally tried everything I sell.”

Tony took another quick survey of the shop, and this time his gaze landed on a midnight black bra and panty set, the bra designed to merely cup the fullness of the breast, leaving the nipples exposed, and the panties with a very convenient open seam. He felt his stomach constrict, and knew he had to get her out of the shop before his libido exploded. “Are you ready to go?”

Appearing as flustered as he felt, she nodded and reached behind the counter for her coat. Tony helped her slip it on, then took her arm to guide her out. She was trembling, and he wanted to reassure her somehow, but as she locked up the shop, he saw that her nipples were peaked against the soft wool of her tunic, and any coherent conversation escaped him. He wanted to touch her breasts, to see if they felt as soft as they looked. He wanted to taste her, all of her, and he wanted to give her the pleasure she’d requested.

At first, it had seemed like a tall order, and a bit intimidating. No woman had ever come right out and told him to give her the level of satisfaction she expected. It was enough to shrivel many a man. But he wasn’t a man to cower under pressure, and the more he’d thought of it—and ways to see the job done—the more excited he’d become by the prospect. Going head-to-head with Olivia during business always exhilarated him. Doing so in bed would be even better. He felt challenged for the first time in a long time, and what red-blooded male could resist a challenge?

Besides, he decided, as they drove from the parking garage, if he didn’t get it right the first time, he’d have plenty of time to keep trying. That thought brought a grin.

“What?”

He glanced at Olivia and realized she was watching him. She looked wary now, and a little self-conscious. “Hey, you’re not having second thoughts, are you?”

“No, but I’ll admit that grin of yours is a little unnerving.”

He heard the slight tremor in her tone and reached over to take her hand from her lap. “I’m just…”

“Eager?”

“That’s a very appropriate word.” He grinned again. “What about you?”

She drew a quavering breath, then whispered, “Yes.”

Tony had to put both hands on the wheel. Never had one simple word affected him so strongly. He wanted to speed, to race to his house, but the streets were congested with holiday shoppers. With Thanksgiving less than two weeks away, it seemed as if everyone had a reason to be out on a Friday evening. Curse them all.

“How far do we have to go?”

“It’s about a twenty-minute drive.” Twenty minutes that would seem like two hours. “Are you hungry?”

“No.”

“Are you sure? I could stop at a drive-through.”

She glared at him. “No. I am not hungry.”

He liked the idea that she was as anxious to get under way as he. They stopped at a traffic light and he said, “Well, then how about scooting over here and giving me another kiss? It’s the truth, I desperately need something to tide me over.”

Her chest rose and fell in several deep breaths, then she scooted. Tony caught her mouth, pressing her back against the seat and this time skipping the teasing. He slid his tongue into her mouth and stroked her deeply. Olivia’s hands came up to rest on his shoulders, and then curled to pull him closer.

The light changed, and at a snail’s pace, traffic moved.

They continued to kiss and cuddle and touch at every opportunity, and Tony knew they were making each other just a bit crazy. But he didn’t call a halt to the touching, and finally, after excruciating frustration, he pulled into his long driveway. It had taken twenty-five minutes, and every minute had been a form of inventive foreplay. Olivia had her eyes closed and appeared to be concentrating on breathing. Her coat laid open, her knees pressed tightly together, and her hands, where they rested on the seat on either side of her, shook.

Tony said very softly, “We’re here.”

She slowly sat forward and surveyed his home through bleary eyes. She was quiet for long seconds, then whispered, “Oh, Tony. It’s beautiful.”

He was pleased with her praise. “I had it built a few years ago. I made certain as many trees were left as possible.”

“It almost seems a part of the landscape.”

That had been his intention. Built of stone and wood and slate, the house blended in with the background, sprawling wide with only one level, and surrounded by oaks and pines and dogwoods. “Now, with the trees bare, you can see the house better. But in the spring and summer, it’s nearly hidden.”

He hit the remote to open the garage door, then drove inside. The four-car garage held only one other car, and was very quiet.

When he opened Olivia’s door for her and she stepped out, he couldn’t help but kiss her again. And this time, since they were assured of privacy, he gave his eager hands the freedom to roam. His palms coasted over her back, feeling her warmth even through the thickness of her coat, then scooped low to cuddle her soft rounded buttocks.

Olivia sucked in a deep breath and moaned when he brought her flush with his body. He knew she could feel his erection, knew she was reacting to it, and with every rapid pulse beat of his body, he thought: this is Olivia, the cool businesswoman, the shark, and she’s pressing against me, trembling and wanting more. It was wonderful and strange and so exciting he almost couldn’t bear it. He felt his body harden even more, felt himself expanding, growing. He felt ready to burst.

He back-stepped her toward the door leading into his house. Now that he was this close, he certainly didn’t want to make love to her in the garage. But when he lifted his head, his eyes were immediately drawn to her heaving breasts, and he saw again her stiff little nipples. Her coat was open down the front, and he pushed it farther aside, then gently cupped her breasts, shaping them, weighing them in his palms. She was soft and warm and her nipples were pressed achingly against the fabric. She tilted her head back against the garage wall and made a small sound of pleasure and need.

Before he could give his mind time to approve his actions, he unbuttoned three small pearl buttons, and peeled aside the soft wool material. Her bra was lace and satin, a pale coffee color, but so sheer he could see the entire outline of her. It nearly sent him over the edge. He brushed his thumb over her nipple, gently, teasing, and watched her tremble. He lost control.

He growled low in his throat, pulled the bra down so it was cupped beneath her pale breast, pushing her up, seeming to offer her to his mouth, and then he brushed his thumb over her again. She panted as he toyed with her, building the suspense, the excitement.

“Tony.”

It was her small, pleading voice that brought him around. He couldn’t wait much longer to taste her, but neither should he be rushing things. He kept his eyes on her beautiful body, on the breast he’d bared, then wrapped his arm around her waist to guide her inside. He reached for the doorknob and turned it, then jerked when he heard a screamed, “Surprise!”

He looked up and saw his entire family, balloons in the background, streamers floating around. It took everyone a second to realize the misfortune of the entire scene, and then little by little, expressions changed. He saw his mother gasp, his grandfather chuckle. His brother was now wearing a wide grin.

His own face must have looked stunned, and he couldn’t find the wherewithal to move. Both he and Olivia seemed frozen to the spot. Then he saw his six-year-old nephew turn his gaze to Olivia, and watched as his sister-in-law rushed over and slapped both hands over her son’s eyes. Tony came reluctantly to his senses. He slammed the door shut, then tried to get his mind to function in some semblance of order so he could figure out what to do.

“Oh my God.”

He glanced down at Olivia, her hands covering her face, her shoulders shaking. She said again, “Oh my God.” Her breast was still uncovered, and more than anything, he wanted to taste that small pink nipple. He wished his family elsewhere, but when he heard the sudden roar of hysterical laughter inside, he knew not a single damn one of them would budge. Meddling bunch of irritants.

“Oh my God.”

Tony frowned, his gaze still on that taunting nipple. He was beginning to feel like Pavlov’s dog. “Are you praying or cursing?”

She peeked at him from between her fingers, her expression as evil as any he’d ever seen. Through gritted teeth, she said, “You promised me privacy, Tony. There must be fifty people in there.”

“No. If everyone’s present, and I suspect by the low roar that they are, there’s ten, maybe twelve total. It only seems like more because a portion of them are kids. Noisy kids.” She dropped her hands and glared at him. She seemed totally oblivious to the fact that her body was bared. Tony, still retaining a death grip on the doorknob in case anyone tried to open it, reached over to cup her with his free hand. She jerked.

“Tony.”

How her voice could change from cold and angry to soft and pleading so quickly, he didn’t know. “One small taste, Olivia, okay? Then I can sort the rest of this out.”

She didn’t appear to understand, which was probably the only reason she didn’t protest.

Tony shook his head, then bent down and slowly drew his tongue around her nipple. She gasped, and he gently sucked her into his mouth, holding her captive with his teeth. Her flesh was hot and sweet and her nipple was so taut it pained him. He licked his tongue over her, flicking, teasing, making her nipple strain even more. When she moaned, he suckled, holding her close to his body.

Olivia’s hands settled in his hair just as a discreet knock sounded on the door. “You might as well come in, Tony. I sent the kids into the kitchen for some punch.”

Tony cursed, dropped his forehead to Olivia’s chest, then felt himself rudely pushed aside as she frantically tried to right her bra and button herself up. “Calm down, Olivia, it’s all right.”

From the other side of the door, he heard his brother say, “Yeah, Olivia. It’s all right. We’re glad you’re here for the party.”

Tony growled. “Go away, John!”

“All right. But I’ll be back in two minutes if you don’t present yourself. Both of you.”

Now that she was decently covered, Olivia sent her gaze searching around the garage, and Tony realized she was hoping to find a means of escape. “Forget it. They won’t let me leave, therefore, you’re stuck, too.”

“But you don’t want this,” she wailed, her hands twisting together at her waist. “This is your family, Tony, part of your private life, and I don’t want to intrude. We both agreed I wouldn’t intrude.”

Tony sighed, knowing she was right, but also accepting the inevitable. “I’ll find some way to throw my family off the scent. Just play it cool. As far as they need to know, we’re business associates and nothing more.”

Olivia’s look told him how stupid she thought that idea was. “Play it cool? After what they saw us doing?” She shook her head. “No. I’m not going in there.”

“Olivia…”

“They saw us!”

He shrugged. “It’s none of their damn business. If anyone gets impertinent with you, tell them to bug off. Or better still, just tell me, and I’ll handle them.”

She didn’t look at all convinced, and Tony touched her face. “I’ve seen you at work, lady. You can easily handle a few curious relatives. You’re a shark, remember? Now pull yourself together.”

She drew a deep breath and gave an uncertain nod. Tony dropped his gaze to her mouth, then had to swallow a curse. His fingertips slid over her lower lip. “Do you have any idea how frustrated I am right now? How badly I’m hurting?”

Olivia seemed to regain some of her aplomb. “No more than I am, I assume. After all, this was my idea. You, as I recall, were very reluctant to agree.”

“I was an idiot.” He turned to the door again. “I suppose I can suffer through a few hours. How long can a family birthday party last anyway?”

OLIVIA TRIED FOR A serene smile as Tony’s family lined up to meet her. Tony waited until he had everyone’s attention, then said with astounding sincerity, “Everyone, this is Olivia Anderson. She’s a business associate. She owns the lingerie shops Sugar and Spice in the hotels, and today we were working on finalizing the placement of one more.”

Olivia held her breath, but no one called him on the obvious cover-up. Then Tony began pointing out people, too many of them for Olivia to keep straight, though she was usually very good with names and faces. The men seemed inclined to leave her be, their interest caught by a football game someone had turned on. Other than a wave in her direction when Tony introduced her, and a few ribald comments to Tony and the kind of business he conducted, they stayed on or near the family-room couch and the large-screen television.

The women, however, hovered. They were anxious to talk to her, and Tony, with little more than an apologetic glance, abandoned her when the men called him to watch a play. Sue, Tony’s mother, invited her to join the women and children in the kitchen.

To Olivia’s surprise, no one was the least bit unpleasant, despite what had happened. “I’m sorry if we’ve upset your plans,” Sue said. “Tony, of course, didn’t know we’d planned a party. And we didn’t know Tony had made other arrangements.”

Tony’s sister, Kate, and sister-in-law, Lisa, both chuckled. Kate said, “If you could have seen his face! Well, we certainly did surprise him.”

Olivia couldn’t help but smile. Both women were very adept at keeping busy in the kitchen, and dodging the kids who ran in and out. “It was rather awkward.”

Lisa laughed. “For us, too. Of course, John is just like Tony, and never lets a chance go by to goad his brother.”

“And they both goad me. Endlessly!” Kate shook her head. “But now I have enough ammunition to twit Tony for a good month.”

Olivia decided, even though their comments weren’t malicious, it was time to change the subject. She didn’t want to have to explain her business with Tony. “Could I help you do something?”

Sue was arranging ham slices on a platter, Kate was putting glasses and napkins on a tray, and Lisa was trying to balance a tiny infant in one arm and dish up potato salad with the other. She turned with a relieved smile when Olivia made her offer.

“If you wouldn’t mind holding the baby, that would be a big help.”

Olivia balked. “I, uh, how about I help with the food instead? I’ve never held an infant before.”

“Piece of cake, believe me. And he’s such a good baby, he won’t give you any problems.”

Before Olivia could form another denial, the baby was nestled in her arms. His mother had wrapped him in a soft blue blanket, and other than one tiny hand and a small, pink face, the child was completely covered. Olivia cuddled him carefully when he squirmed, settling himself with a small sigh that parted his pursed lips and made Olivia smile.

She felt a pain in her chest that had nothing to do with physical ailments and everything to do with a breaking heart.

One by one, the women left the kitchen to carry the trays into the dining room, and Olivia welcomed the privacy. She couldn’t recall ever holding such a small baby before, and her curiosity was extreme. She carefully pushed the blanket back from the baby’s head, then rubbed her cheek against his crown. So soft, she thought, wondering at the silky cap of hair. And the scents. Never had she smelled anything so sweet, so touching, as a baby. She wanted to breathe his scent all day. She had her nose close to him, gently nuzzling him, when Tony walked in.

“What are you doing?”

Olivia jerked at the alarm in his tone. She didn’t have time to answer him, though, not that she would have told him she was smelling the baby. Lisa came back in then and thanked her. “I’ll put him in his crib now that the other kids are all sitting down to eat. I worry when they’re all running around that they’ll wake him up. You know how kids are.”

Olivia didn’t know, but she could see Tony hadn’t liked her holding the baby. Lisa left the room, and Tony whispered, “Do you think it’s a good idea for you to do that?”

Olivia knew exactly what he meant. He was concerned she’d start wanting a baby herself if she held one. She could have told him it was too late for that worry, that it didn’t matter. She could want forever and never get what she wished. At least, she couldn’t get a baby. Now passion, it seemed Tony was ready to give her that in huge doses. What she’d felt during the ride and in his garage…It was almost everything she’d ever wanted with a man. Everything but the real emotion. Everything but love.

It angered her that he was pushing her and worrying about something that would never be, but she held in her words of resentment and instead, she shrugged. “Would you have rather I’d refused? What excuse would I give?”

He tunneled his fingers through his hair, then looked toward the dining room. “Come on. They’re waiting for me to eat.”

“This is going to be impossible, isn’t it, Tony?”

“No. Everything’s fine.”

He didn’t sound at all convincing, and Olivia had to wonder if John or Kate had already been teasing him. When they entered the dining room, Olivia looked around. She hadn’t had the chance to actually see the inside of Tony’s house, but now that she could look, she wasn’t at all surprised. Everything, every dish, every piece of furniture, the wallpaper, all showed excellent taste, but without the blatant stamp of wealth. Tony never flaunted his financial success, and other than the size of the sprawling house, it showed only a sense of comfort and functional ease.

The house was very open. Each room seemed to flow into the next, and there were windows everywhere. The furniture was all highly polished mahogany. As little Maggie, who Olivia guessed to be around three, walked to her seat with one hand on the buffet, she left small smudge marks in her wake. Tony only scooped her up and tossed her in the air. The little girl giggled, wrapped her pudgy arms around Tony’s neck and planted a very wet kiss on the side of his nose. He pretended to chew on her belly, then sat her in her booster seat and took his own chair next to Olivia. The rest of the children yelled for his attention.

The pain in her chest intensified.

She so desperately wanted this one sumptuous, sensuous affair. The whole purpose was to help her fill a void, because her life was destined to be a lonely one, without children and without a man who loved her. But she was getting more than she bargained for. She hadn’t wanted to be shown all she was missing, to find more voids, to have firsthand knowledge of what could never be hers.

As she watched Tony laugh and play with the children, she knew it was too late for her. Perhaps this would yet turn out to be the wild fling she’d anticipated, but it would also leave her lonelier than ever before.

Dinner was a wonderful, riotous affair with children laughing, grown-ups talking and food being continuously resupplied. The kids quickly realized Olivia was a new face and, therefore, easy to entertain. Despite her growing melancholy, she laughed at their antics, listened to their stories, and when one child came over and tugged on her skirt, she didn’t even flinch over the stain left behind. The child wanted to be lifted, and Olivia obliged. But the small hand was still holding her skirt, and when the child went up, so did her hem.

She hurried to right herself, pushing her skirt back down. But it was obvious everyone had seen the top of her stocking and the paler strip of flesh on her upper thigh. John grinned, Lisa gave him a playful smack to keep him from speaking, and Sue quickly began talking about Christmas shopping.

Olivia glanced at Tony and saw he had his eyes closed, looking close to prayer. Despite his brother’s chuckles, it took him a few moments to collect his control. And then he sent Olivia a smile that made promises and threats at the same time.

After that, Tony did his best to deflect the kids from her. Olivia understood his reasoning, but no one else did. And all in all, everyone accepted her. They attempted to make her a part of their family, and for the short while it could last, Olivia loved it. Every few minutes, someone stood to check on the sleeping infant, whose crib they could see in the family room through the archway. The men took more turns than the women did, and Olivia saw that Tony, more than anyone, was interested in peeking in on the little one.

Olivia was being smothered by the sense of familial camaraderie. As welcoming as they all were, she felt like an interloper. And when she spied the pile of gaily wrapped birthday presents in the corner, she knew she couldn’t stay.

She excused herself, asking directions to the powder room, then quickly located a phone. It happened to be in Tony’s bedroom, or so she assumed judging from the open closet door and the lingering scent of his cologne…and his body. Again, she found herself breathing deeply, then shook her head and forced her mind to clear. She perched on the side of the bed to call for a cab.

She was still sitting there minutes later when Tony found her.

CHAPTER FOUR

TONY SLIPPED INTO THE room and quietly closed the door. Olivia looked up and their gazes touched, hers wide, his narrowed. He crossed his arms over his chest and kept his voice very low. “Hiding?”

“What do you think?”

“No. I don’t think you’d hide. So what are you doing?”

Olivia came to her feet, feeling like a fool, like a sneaky fool. But she refused to be intimidated. “I called a cab. I think it’s past time I went home.”

Tony didn’t say anything at first, just leaned back against the door. Then he closed his eyes and groaned. “You’re going to make me wait another day, aren’t you, Olivia?”

Her heartbeat jumped at the husky way he said that, and at the restrained hunger she heard in his tone. “This…this isn’t the right time, Tony. You know that. Right now, I feel equal parts ridiculous and embarrassed.”

His gaze pinned her, hot and intent. “I could make you forget your hesitation real fast, honey.”

I’ll just bet you could. It wasn’t easy, but Olivia shook her head. “If I leave now, they might not suspect anything—”

“Olivia, they saw me kissing your breast. I think they’re already a bit suspicious.”

She felt the blood pound in her veins, but kept her gaze steady. “You weren’t kissing my breast.”

“I wanted to be.”

Olivia curled her hands into fists and tried to calm her breathing. “They might decide that was just a temporary loss of control if I leave now. If I stay until they’re all gone, they’ll assume we’re spending the night together, and that’s what we wanted to avoid.” She gentled her tone and asked, “No speculation, no gossip. No scandals. Remember?”

“Yeah, but—”

A knock sounded at the door, and John’s jovial voice called out, “Everything okay in there?”

Tony closed his eyes, a look of annoyance etched in his features. “I’m going to kill him.”

Olivia thought she might help.

“We’ll be out in just a second, John. And if you dare knock on the damn door again, I’m going to knock on you.”

“Hey! I just wanted to tell you they’re ready to cut the cake.”

“So you told me. Now disappear, will you?”

Olivia rubbed her forehead, knowing she’d fumbled again, that she’d only made matters worse. Good grief, Tony’s brother was fetching them from the bedroom. “How that man produced such a beautiful, sweet baby, I don’t know.”

To her surprise, Tony laughed. “John’s all right. Believe me, if he understood the situation, he wouldn’t be hassling me.”

“No?”

Tony slowly shook his head, then went to her and pulled her against his chest. “No. He’d be sympathetic as hell.” He tilted her head back and growled, “I want you, Olivia.”

Her stomach curled at his words. “Tomorrow?”

Tony placed damp kisses across her cheek, her throat. He touched the corner of her mouth with his tongue. “Early? You’re not going to make me wait until evening, are you?”

Olivia thought she might agree to anything with him stroking her back and kissing her so softly. “Where?”

“Hell, I don’t know. But I’ll think of something before morning, okay? I’ll pick you up. About ten o’clock?”

“That’ll be fine.” She forced herself to forget how sensual and romantic everything seemed with Tony, and to concentrate on their purpose. She had to keep in mind that this was temporary, that Tony didn’t really want her, not for keeps. He only wanted to use her, just as she would use him. “I don’t want you to worry, Tony. We still have time. I’m supposed to be very fertile for the next couple of days.”

She’d barely finished with the words before he was giving her a real kiss, his tongue moving against her own, his teeth nipping. It was a kiss meant to last her through the night. Unfortunately she could still feel the heat in her cheeks when she was forced to walk back into the dining room. She was grateful that the lights had been turned out, and the candles on the cake were lit. She saw John standing by the light switch and knew he was responsible for the darkness. John gave Tony a wink, and Olivia decided he might not be so bad after all.

Kate’s two girls, Angie and Allison, ages four and five, fought over who could sing the loudest during the requisite “Happy Birthday,” and John’s son, six-year-old Luke, wanted to cut and serve the cake. Though Olivia explained that she had to leave, they all insisted she eat a piece of cake first and enjoy a scoop of ice cream. Olivia couldn’t remember the last time she’d had, or attended, a birthday party. It might have been fun today if she’d actually been a part of it, rather than a reluctant intruder.

She didn’t want anyone to know she’d called a cab. She thought it might seem less awkward if everyone thought she was driving herself home, so she had her coat on and her purse in her hand when she saw the cab’s lights coming down the long driveway. To her surprise, the kids all wanted to give her hugs goodbye, the parents all uttered enthusiastic wishes to see her again soon, and to her chagrin, Tony’s mother invited her to Thanksgiving dinner. Olivia muttered a lame, “Thank you, but I’ll have to see,” along with something about a busy schedule, and then she rushed out the door, wanting only to escape the onslaught of emotions. Tony caught her on the last step of the porch.

“I’m sorry, Olivia. I know this wasn’t easy for you.” He glanced at the cab and cursed. “I should be driving you home.”

“I don’t mind the cab, Tony, and you can’t very well leave your own birthday party.”

He reached for his wallet, and she narrowed her eyes. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“At least let me pay for the cab—”

“Absolutely not and I won’t hear another word on it.” She used her most inflexible tone, the one that got contracts altered and had suppliers promising early deliveries. “I’m not your responsibility.”

His sigh was long and filled with irritation. “Will you do me a favor then, and at least call me when you get home?”

Olivia stared. She was used to taking care of herself and his request seemed more than absurd. “Why?”

“So I know you made it home okay.”

“Tony, you can’t start feeling responsible for me. That’s breaking one of the rules, isn’t it? I’m a big girl, and I know how to manage on my own. So don’t worry.”

“Call me.”

He was insistent, using his own invaluable, corporate tone, and she could tell by his stubborn stance he wasn’t going to relent. She didn’t think it was a good idea, but she gave in anyway. “Okay. But only this once.”

“Thanks.” He was grinning hugely.

“You’re not a gracious winner, Tony.”

“I haven’t won yet. Hell, I’ve still got a whole room full of relatives who are going to burst with rapid-fire questions as soon as I step back inside. Now that you’re gone and therefore can’t be offended, they’ll revert to their normal unrestrained selves.”

She knew he was teasing, knew he was very close to his family, and for that reason she suffered not a single twinge of guilt for leaving him to his fate. She stepped into the cab, and Tony came to lean inside, ignoring the cabdriver and giving her a quick kiss.

“Tomorrow, Olivia. Then I’ll win.”

He was taunting her, but she only grinned. It was in her nature to give as good as she got, so when he started to pull away, she caught his neck and drew him back for another kiss, this one much longer and hotter than the first. And while he was trying to catch his breath, she whispered, “We’ll both win.”

Tony chuckled. But as he stepped away from the cab, they both looked up. And there at the front door, huddled together as if for a kindergarten class picture, stood all of Tony’s family. And even with only the moon for light, Olivia could see the wide grins on all their faces.

TONY GLANCED AT THE CLOCK, but it was only seven in the morning, and he had no real reason to get up, not when he wouldn’t be seeing Olivia until ten. So he lingered in bed, thinking about her, about all that had happened the night before. Her vulnerability around his family stirred feelings he didn’t want to acknowledge—especially when concentrating on the lust she engendered was so much more satisfying.

Not one single minute had passed during the night when he could completely put Olivia and her allure from his mind. It was ridiculous, but he wanted her more now than he’d ever wanted any woman. Of course, she was so different from any other woman he knew. She made demands, but she also gave freely of herself. She was a veritable shark whenever they did business, but she ran her business fairly, and with a generous hand toward her workers. It was a belief he subscribed to: Treat your employees honestly, and you get honesty and loyalty in return.

They actually had a lot in common.

And yet there was a multitude of reasons why he couldn’t get overly involved with her. The very things he admired about her made her most unsuitable for an emotional relationship. He wanted a baby, pure and simple, someone to love him, and someone he could love without restrictions or qualifications. The baby would be his, only his, and Tony planned to smother the child with all the love he had inside him.

Olivia wanted a thriving business. She’d admitted she had no desire, no time for a family. She’d agreed to have his baby as part of a business deal, and while her agreement thrilled him, it also reemphasized the fact that business was still her main objective in life, while a baby was now his. He’d have to do his best to remember that.

The house was chilly when he finally rose and went to put on coffee. Naked except for a pair of snug cotton boxers, he felt the gooseflesh rise on his arms, but he ignored it. He needed a little cooling off if he was to deal with Olivia in a rational way.

He went into the bathroom and splashed water over his beard-rough face, then brushed his teeth while he waited for the coffee. Today, he thought, staring at his own contemplative expression in the mirror, he would get this business with Olivia back on an even keel. No more mingling with family, no more seeing her with a baby cuddled in her arms and an expression on her face that tore at his guts. He would view her with a detached eye and a reminder in his brain that she was a means to an end. They’d made an agreement, and it could be nothing more.

Not if he expected to escape this ordeal completely intact, with his heart whole and his mind sane.

He’d just poured his first cup of coffee when the doorbell rang. Padding barefoot into the living room, he leaned down to peer through the peephole and saw Olivia standing on his doorstep. A quick glance at the clock showed it to be only seven forty-five, and his first thought was that she was here to cancel, that something had come up and she had to go out of town; it wasn’t uncommon in her business. Every muscle in his body protested.

He jerked the door open, forgetting for the moment that he wasn’t even close to being dressed. Olivia took a long moment to stare at his chest, then down the length of his body before she lifted her gaze to his face.

“You’re rather hairy, aren’t you?”

“I’ll shave.”

Her lips quirked in a quick grin. “Your chest?”

If it would keep her from canceling. He only shrugged.

Tentatively she reached out and touched him, laying her palm flat where his heart beat in unsteady cadence. She stroked him, feeling him, tangling her fingers in his body hair. With a breathless whisper, she said, “I like it.”

Tony didn’t answer. He wasn’t certain he could answer. And then she looked up at him, her eyes huge and bright. “I couldn’t wait.”

He felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. His hand shook as he set the cup of coffee on the entry table, then reached for her and pulled her inside. He needed to make certain he’d understood. “Olivia?”

She started to chatter. “I know you said ten, but we’re both off today, right? And I’m really not used to this, being aroused and yet having to wait. It’s terribly difficult. I couldn’t sleep last night…”

“Me, either.”

He couldn’t believe she was here, looking shy and determined and he wanted her as much as he’d ever wanted anything in his life. Everything he’d just been telling himself about keeping his emotional distance vanished. He couldn’t quite pry his hands from her shoulders, couldn’t force himself to take an emotional step back. He felt her softness beneath the coat, the way she straightened her shoulders to face him. Ah, that small show of bravado, so like her, so endearing. So damn sexy.

The brisk morning air coming through the open door did little to impress him. As he felt himself harden, his pulse quicken, Olivia pushed the door shut behind her, then set an overnight bag on the floor. His gaze dropped to it, and she rushed to explain. “I…Well, I felt a little risqué this morning. And it stands to reason your house should be safe now. I mean, lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same spot, right?”

He had no answer for that, not when he could see the heated need in her eyes, the way her lips trembled.

She swallowed hard. “I don’t want you to think I’m intruding for the whole night, but I needed to bring something to wear for later…If we’re going to spend the whole day together.”

Before he could reassure her, she shook her head and started again, her tone anxious. “I’m making a mess of this. Remember, the book said we should wait a few hours then try again, and I thought…”

“Shh.” He could barely restrain himself from lifting her and carrying her to his room. She had this strange mix of timidity and boldness that made him crazy with wanting. “Let me shower real quick and…”

“No.” She shook her head and her dark hair fell over her shoulders, looking soft and silky. “I’ve waited long enough, Tony. I don’t want to wait a single second more.”

She was staring down at his body, her gaze resting on his blatant erection clearly defined within his soft cotton boxers. Another quarter inch, one more soft sound from her, and the boxers wouldn’t cover him at all. He wanted her to touch him, he wanted…Feeling desperate, he said, “I have to at least shave, honey. I don’t want to scratch you.”

For a reply, she began unbuttoning her coat, and as each button slid free, his heartbeat accelerated. First he saw soft pale flesh; her throat, her upper chest, the gentle swells of her breasts. But as the coat began to part, he realized she wasn’t dressed at all, that she was covered only by the teddy he’d admired the day before in her shop.

He’d had to know, he thought frantically, staring at her body, more perfect than any mannequin. She had a gentle grace that was made to wear such feminine items. He’d questioned whether she really wore the articles she carried, and now she’d proven to him that she did—with perfection. And suddenly it was too much.

Gripping the lapels of the coat in his fists, he shoved it over her shoulders and let it fall free to land unnoticed on the floor, abruptly ending her slow unveiling. Drawn by the sight of her, cheeks flushed, eyes anxious, he scooped her into his arms. He felt her slender thighs against his forearm, her soft breasts against his chest, her lips touching his throat, and he groaned. The bedroom was definitely too far away and he took three long steps to the living-room couch and landed there with her tucked close to his side. His mouth was on hers before she could protest, if that had been her intent. And his hands began exploring every soft swell and heated hollow. He moved too fast, he knew it, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself.

She shuddered when his palm smoothed over her silky bottom, sliding between her buttocks, exploring her from behind. He dipped between her thighs to frantically finger the three small silver snaps there. They easily popped free at his prodding, and then his fingers were touching her warmth, gliding over softly swelled flesh, over crisp feminine curls. He stroked, feeling her wetness, her growing heat. The feel of her made him wonder why he didn’t explode. He could hear her rapid breathing in his ears, feel her fingertips clenching tight on his shoulders.

He groaned, moving his mouth from hers, wanting to taste her skin, to breathe in her scent. She was soft everywhere, from her loose hair that brushed over his cheeks, to her arms that held him tight, to her slender thighs that willingly parted as he continued to cautiously explore her, exciting her, readying her.

Finding a puckered nipple beneath the sheer material of the teddy, he dampened it with his tongue, then looked at his handiwork. She showed pink and erect through the material. He suckled, flicking with his tongue, and Olivia arched her back, her panting, urgent breaths driving him on. He nipped and she gasped. With his big hand still between her thighs, he slid one long finger over her, again and again, finding her most sensitive flesh and plying it in much the same way he did her nipple, then pressing deep inside her, stroking. She made a high, keening sound. She was tight and wet and so hot Tony couldn’t stand it another moment; he knew she was ready.

With frenzied motions, he shoved his shorts down and situated himself between her thighs. For one moment, their gazes met, and her look, that unique look of vulnerability and need and demand, pushed him over the edge. He covered her mouth with his own, thrusting his tongue past her lips just as his erection pressed inside her body.

There was a small amount of resistance as her body slowly loosened to accept his length, his size. And then with one even, rough thrust he slid deep, and even that, something beyond her control, appealed to him, made him that much more anxious to reach his final goal. He began moving, driving into her and then pulling away, hearing her panting breaths and feeling the way she tried to counter his moves, though the couch didn’t allow her much freedom. He felt things he’d never felt before, as if he were a predatory animal, dominant, determined to stake a primal claim.

Pinning her beneath him so she couldn’t move, he slid one hand beneath her hips and lifted, forcing her to take all of him, giving her no way to resist him at all. He briefly worried when she groaned raggedly, but then she squeezed him tight, her muscles clamping around him like a hot fist, and she was slick and wet and she wanted him—wanted him enough to demand that he make love to her. His explosive climax obliterated all other thought.

He knew he shouted like a wild man, knew Olivia watched him with a fascinated type of awe. He threw his head back, sensations continuing to wash over him, draining him, filling him, making his muscles quiver until finally, after long seconds, he collapsed onto her, gasping for breath.

Her arms gently, hesitantly slipped around his neck and her fingers smoothed through his hair. And when he felt the light brushing of her lips over his temple, a touch so unbelievably sweet and innocent, he came to the realization that he’d just used her very badly, that he’d totally ignored all her stipulations of the deal they’d made. He’d forgotten all about the damn deal. Hell, he hadn’t given her pleasure.

He hadn’t given her anything except a man’s lust.

OLIVIA FELT TONY TENSE, knew what was going through his mind, and tightened her arms. He relented enough that he stayed very close to her, but lifted his head. She felt ridiculously shy about meeting his gaze, but she forced herself to do just that, if for no other reason than to reassure him. She couldn’t quite prevent the small smile curling her lips.

He blew out a disgusted breath. “I’m sorry.”

Placing two fingers against his mouth, she meant only to silence him. But then he kissed her fingers, and her heart flipped and she ended up lifting her own head enough to kiss him in return. “Don’t ruin this for me by making unnecessary apologies, Tony. Please.”

She said the words against his mouth, and before she’d even finished, his tongue was stroking hers, his narrow, muscular pelvis pushing close again. She tingled all over, a renewed rush of warmth making her stomach curl.

“I already ruined things, honey. And you deserve much more than an apology.”

That was the second time he’d called her “honey” and she loved it. There had never been a relationship in her life since her parents’ death that warranted an endearment. She hadn’t realized that she’d even been missing it. But hearing Tony say it now, hearing the gentleness in his tone, the affection, she decided she liked it very much.

Since he seemed determined to talk about it, Olivia asked, “Why exactly are you apologizing?”

“Because I lost my head. I gave you nothing.”

“Not true.” Oh how she loved feeling his hard, lean body pressed against hers, the contrast of his firm muscles and his hair-roughened legs and his warmth. She tightened her arms and rubbed her nose against his chest, loving his morning musky scent. He always smelled so good, so sexy. So like himself. It made her dizzy and weak to breathe his delicious scent. “I’ve never made anyone lose their head before, Tony. I think it’s a rather nice feeling.”

He gave a strangled laugh, then tangled his hands in her hair to make her look at him. “I’ll take the blame, especially given the fact I’ve never made love to a woman without a condom before. Feeling you, Olivia, all of you, was a heady experience.”

She felt stunned by his admission. “Never?”

“Nope. I’ve always been the cautious sort, even when I was just a kid. But you’re to blame just a bit, too, showing up here in that getup.” He ran one large palm down her side, rubbing the material that was now bunched at her waist. His voice dropped to a low rumble when he whispered, “I almost died when you opened your coat, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to draw another breath without getting inside you first.”

And he thought he hadn’t given her anything? With her heart racing and her throat tight with emotion, she kissed him again, getting quickly used to the feel of his mouth on hers. When he lifted his head this time, she was very aware of his renewed erection and the way his arms were taut with muscles as he restrained himself, holding his chest away from her.

Tony watched her so closely, it was hard to speak, but she forced the words out, for some strange reason, wanting to tell him her thoughts. “I was half afraid you’d laugh, that I’d look ridiculous. Though I love wearing sexy things, no one sees me as a sexy woman.”

“You’re sexier than any woman has a right to be.”

“Tony…” The things he said made her light-headed.

“It’ll be our little secret, okay?” He began tracing the small red marks left behind from his morning whiskers. That long finger moved over her throat, her breasts. He stopped at her nipples and lightly pinched, holding her between his finger and thumb. He watched her face as he tugged gently, plucking, rolling her flesh until she groaned. Olivia wanted nothing more than to make love with him again.

But Tony was suddenly lifting himself away. “I have to shower and shave,” he said in deep, husky tones. “Despite what you say, I don’t like leaving burns on your skin.”

“No.” She tried to protest, to hold him near, but he only stood up then lifted her again. The way he cradled her close to his heart was something else she could get used to.

“You can shower with me, Miss Anderson, then I’ll see about attending you the right way.”

“I loved the way you did things.”

“You didn’t come.”

A flash of heat washed over her mostly naked body. He had such a blatant way of discussing things that excited her despite her embarrassment. “I…I enjoyed myself.” She sounded defensive and added, “But I’m supposed to stay still for a while.”

“I can promise you’ll enjoy yourself more when I do things properly.”

He seemed determined to fulfill her demands, when she now felt horrible for having made them. She didn’t want this to be only about base satisfaction, a series of touches meant to excite, with no emotion involved. It was the emotion that she’d been craving for so long, that felt so good now. But there was no way she could say that to Tony, not after she’d told him she wanted to be privy to his excellent technique.

An idea came to mind, and as he stood her inside the shower stall, she said, “Aren’t we supposed to wait two hours before doing this again? To give you time to…to replenish yourself?”

Tony stepped in behind her and began working the teddy up over her shoulders. When he finally tossed it outside the shower and stood looking at her completely bare, Olivia knew he’d have his way. He took a long time scrutinizing her, and that gave her a chance to look her fill also. He was such a gorgeous man, so solid, his body dark, his muscles tight.

She wondered if he enjoyed the sight of her near as much as she did him, but then he met her gaze and there was such heat in his green eyes, and more emotion than she could ever wish for, she forgot her own questions.

Tony inched closer to her until their bodies were touching from the waist down. His hard erection pressed into her belly, stealing her breath. His hands came up to cup her breasts. “You don’t have to watch the clock, honey. I promise you, it’ll take me at least that long to get my fill of looking at you and touching you.”

Her heart thumped heavily and she could barely talk. “Tony?”

“It’s called foreplay, Olivia. I intend to make up for the orgasm you missed—and then some. We’ve got all the time in the world.”

Thirty minutes later, their still damp bodies tangled in the covers on his bed, Olivia knew she’d never survive two hours worth of this. Tony was gently lathing one nipple while his fingers were busy drifting over her hip and belly, pausing every so often for an excruciating moment between her thighs to torment and tease her until she groaned and begged. He used her own wetness as a lubricant, sometimes pressing his fingers deep, stretching her, other times circling her opening, sliding over ultrasensitive flesh.

He laughed at her soft demands, his fingers gently plucking, rolling. “Easy, sweetheart. I promise, you’ll appreciate being patient.”

“No. No more, Tony. I can’t stand it.” There was a touch of tears in her voice, but she was too new to this, too unskilled to rationalize an ending that she’d never before experienced. Tony kissed her softly on her parted lips, then whispered, “Trust me now, okay?”

When she felt Tony’s cheek, now smooth from his shave, glide over her abdomen, the only thought she had was of finding relief. Every nerve ending in her body felt taut, tingling. There was no room for modesty, for shyness.

His hands curved around her knees and she willingly allowed him to part her thighs wide, leaving her totally exposed to his gaze. She felt his warm, gentle breath, the damp touch of his tongue. And then his mouth closed around her, hot and wet, and his teeth carefully nibbled.

No, she’d never survive this. She arched upward, again begging, feeling the sensations so keenly she screamed. He tightened his hold on her buttocks, holding her steady, forcing her to submit to his torment.

And then it happened and she was only aware of unbelievable pleasure. Tony encouraged her, controlled her, and when the sensations finally began to ebb, he eased, soothing her until she calmed.

When she opened her eyes—a move requiring considerable effort—Tony was beside her again, his hand idly cupping her breast and a look of profound interest on his face. She blinked at him, not understanding that look, and he said without a single qualm, “You’ve never had an orgasm before, have you?”

Her only recourse seemed to be to close her eyes again. But Tony laughed and kissed her nose. “Don’t hide from me, Olivia. Talk to me.”

“We’re not supposed to be talking.”

“No? Well, don’t worry. We’ll get on to making love again soon. But answer me first.”

Disgruntled by his personal question and his persistence, she said, “It never seemed particularly important before. Besides, I told you my two attempts at this failed.”

“Your two attempts with a partner.” His voice gentled. “That doesn’t mean you couldn’t have—”

Her eyes rounded when she realized where this questioning was going, and it seemed imperative to divert his attention. “Aren’t you supposed to be…uh, excited right about now?”

His smile proved she hadn’t fooled him one bit. But to answer her question, he lifted her limp hand, kissed the palm, then carried it to his erection, curling her fingers around him. For one brief instant, he held himself still, his eyes closing as her fingers flexed. Then he gave a wry grin. “I’m plenty excited. But I’m also enjoying you most thoroughly.”

“You’re embarrassing me, is what you’re doing.” She said it with a severe frown, but he only chuckled.

“Why? Because I’m feeling like the most accomplished lover around? You screamed, Olivia.” He cupped her cheek and turned her face toward him. “Look at me, honey.”

There was that endearment again. She opened her eyes and stared at him. The tenderness in his gaze nearly undid her.

“I’m glad I could give you something you’d never had before. It makes this all seem very…special.”

“Tony.” She rolled toward him, wanting him again, right now, unwilling to wait another instant.

And then the doorbell rang, and she knew she might not have any choice.

Tony seemed inclined to ignore it at first, but the insistent pounding that came next had him cursing and rising from the bed. As he pulled on jeans, he surveyed her sprawled form, then cursed again. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

Olivia waited until he’d stomped out of the room before scrambling off the bed and wrapping the sheet around herself. She went to the door and opened it to peek, then crept down the hall enough to see who had come calling so early. Tony’s brother, John, stood in the entryway, the baby in his arms, and a very worried expression on his face.

Though they spoke in hushed tones, Olivia was able to hear every word.

“I know this is the worst possible time, Tony…”

“You have no idea.”

“Yes I do. I saw the car. I assume Olivia is here?”

Tony crossed his arms over his bare chest and said, “What do you want, John?”

“I’m sorry, I really am. And I swear I wouldn’t be here if there was anyone else. But Mom and Kate went on a shopping spree this morning and won’t be back for hours, and I have to take Lisa to the hospital. You know she wasn’t feeling great yesterday is why we left early. And she’s always so busy with the three kids, she stays exhausted. But she started running a high fever early last night, coughing and having a hard time breathing, and she’s gotten sicker by the hour. I’ve never seen her like this.” There was an edge of desperation in John’s tone when he added, “I can’t watch my three hellions in a hospital and be with her, too.”

Tony immediately straightened, then took the baby from his arms. “Is Lisa going to be okay?”

John looked almost sick himself. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her, hopefully just the flu, but…”

“Don’t give it another thought. Of course I’ll take the kids. Where are the other two?”

“Waiting in the car with their mother. I didn’t want to leave Lisa alone, and I wasn’t certain if you were home.” He leaned out the door and waved his hand to get the kids to come in. “I really appreciate this, Tony. I know you probably wish we’d all go…”

“Don’t be stupid, John. Just take care of Lisa and keep me informed, okay?”

As John stepped out to gather up a packed diaper bag and some essentials for the other kids, Tony rushed around the corner into the hallway and almost ran into Olivia. He had the overnight bag she’d brought in his left hand while he held the baby in the crook of his right arm. He didn’t question her snooping, only led the way into the bedroom. “You heard?”

Olivia could sense the worry in his tone and expression, and was reminded once again how close he was to his family. “Yes. What can I do to help?”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, babe. Here, can you get dressed real quick?” He no sooner handed her the bag than he was rushing to the living room again to relieve John of the children and send him on his way. Olivia closed the door and sighed. It seemed Tony was going to throw her out, which made sense considering he didn’t want her around his family. But it still hurt. While they’d been making love, she’d entirely forgotten everything else in the world, including their twice-damned deal and all the reasons she couldn’t feel what she was presently feeling.

Despite all her reasons for needing to stay detached from him, she wanted to stay and help; she wanted to stay, period. Very much.

Her body was still tingling, her heart still racing from Tony’s sensual torment, but she managed to get her slacks and sweater on before he reopened the door. The baby was still nestled in his bare muscled arm, but that didn’t stop him from coming toward her, then pulling her close with his free arm. “Damn, I can’t believe my luck.”

“Things do seem to be conspiring against us.”

He brushed a kiss over her lips, then surprised her by asking, “Can you stay?”

Olivia blinked, not certain what to say.

“I know our plans have changed, hell, we might even have the kids all night. But…I don’t feel right about all this. It worries me, Lisa coming down sick like that.”

Olivia cupped his cheek, touched by his concern, and warmed by the way he’d included her. “You don’t want to be alone?”

His jaw tightened and his eyes searched her face. He seemed reluctant to admit it even to himself, but then he nodded. “I guess that’s about it.”

“We’re friends, Tony. Despite any other agreements, I’d like to believe that. And friends help friends. You don’t have to worry that I’ll read more into this than exists.”

He stubbornly ignored her references to their situation, and asked, “Does that mean you’ll stay, Olivia? Please?”

At that moment, she would have done anything for him, but of course, she couldn’t tell him that. She looked up at him and smiled. “Yes, I’ll stay. For as long as you need me.”

CHAPTER FIVE

A LOOK OF RELIEF washed over Tony’s features, then he hugged her close again. “I believe the coffee is still in the pot. It might be a little strong now, but I could sure use a cup. And the kids are probably hungry. Kids are always hungry, right? So what do you say? You up to breakfast?”

At just that moment, two faces peeked around the door frame, and they were both very solemn. Olivia’s heart swelled with emotion for these two small people who were obviously concerned about their mother. She forgot Tony for the moment, forgot that she didn’t know anything about kids, and went down on her knees to meet the children at their level.

“Hello. Remember me?”

Six-year-old Luke stared at her with serious eyes, all the energy of yesterday conspicuously missing. “Sure we remember. It was just last night. You was kissing Uncle Tony in his garage.”

Olivia felt her face turn pink, but she smiled. “Actually it was the other way around. Your uncle was kissing me.”

Maggie, who at three seemed very small and delicate, popped her thumb from her mouth to say with great wisdom, “Uncle Tony likes kissin’. He kisses me lots, too.”

And just that easily, Olivia found a rapport. She reached out and tugged Maggie closer, and the little girl came willingly, wrapping one arm around Olivia’s neck while holding tight to a tattered blanket with the other. Olivia perched the little girl on her knee. “Are you two hungry? I think your uncle was planning on making breakfast for us.”

Maggie nodded, but Luke turned away. Tony stopped him with only a word. “Your mom will be fine, Luke, I promise.”

“Dad looked awful scared.”

Tony caught Olivia’s arm and helped her to stand, then began steering them all toward the kitchen. “Not scared. Upset. There’s a big difference. Your dad can’t stand to see any of you sick or feeling bad. The fact that your mom is sick makes him feel almost as bad as she does. He wants to take care of all of you, just as your mom does. But he needs time alone with her now, so he can make certain the doctors don’t flirt with her too much. He can’t watch her if he’s busy watching you two.”

Luke didn’t look as if he understood Tony’s humor. “Mom is awful pretty.”

“Yes, she is. And so you guys get to stay here with me.”

“For how long?”

Tony stopped to stare at Luke, pretending a great affront. “Good grief, boy, you’ll have Olivia thinking you don’t like me.”

Maggie twisted loose from Olivia’s hold to say in a very firm voice, “We do so like Unca’ Tony. We like him lots.” And Olivia couldn’t help but smile.

The chatter continued all the while Tony cooked, and with each second, Olivia became more enamored of Tony’s familial commitments. The kids, despite their concern, were happy and comfortable to be with him. There was so much love in the air, she could fill her lungs with it. And Tony proved to be as adept at holding a child while cooking as any mother. Olivia wondered if he did so because he enjoyed holding the baby so much, or because he didn’t want Olivia to hold him.

Unfortunately, as the day wore on, the latter proved to be true. Not once, even at the most hectic times, did Tony request her assistance with the baby. Not long after they’d finished breakfast John called to say Lisa had pneumonia and they’d be keeping her overnight. She was worn down from all the daily running she did, not to mention having given birth not that long before. And since she was staying at the hospital, John wanted to leave the kids with Tony so he could be free to stay with her.

Tony agreed, and surprisingly, once the kids were assured their mother would be fine and probably home the next day, they seemed thrilled by the idea of staying. Tony promised to bring in a tent that they could set up in front of the fireplace. Maggie asked, “Will Livvy get to sleep with us, too?”

It seemed Tony was caught speechless for a moment, then he said, “If she wants to. And it’s Olivia, sweetheart, not Livvy.”

“I don’t mind, Tony. Actually it’s a familiar nickname.”

“You look kinda funny, Olivia.” Luke watched her closely, and Olivia was amazed by the child’s perception.

“I’m fine, Luke, honest.” But hearing little Maggie call her by the same name her own mother and father had always used dredged up long forgotten feelings and left her shaken. And Tony seemed to notice. He held her hand and gave it a squeeze, then went to call his mother and sister to let them know what was going on. He hadn’t wanted to tell them Lisa was sick until he knew for certain she’d be all right. Olivia gathered by the one-sided conversation that his mother offered to come and take the children, but Tony only thanked her. He said they had already made plans, and she could have them in the morning, but not before their “campout.”

Finally, right after an early dinner, Luke and Maggie got bundled up from head to toe and went out back to play. Being children, they seemed impervious to the cold, but Tony insisted that it could only be for a short spell.

Even though the yard was isolated, with no other neighbors in sight, Tony still admonished both children to stay very close by. They could use the tire swing in the tree or play in the small playhouse he and John had built the preceding summer for just such visits. The infant, Shawn, lay sleeping on a blanket on the floor and Tony and Olivia were left relatively alone.

Tony dropped down beside her on the couch, then grinned. “Man, am I worn-out. Kids, in the plural, can really keep you hopping, can’t they?”

She knew he had loved every single minute, that he wasn’t really complaining. It had been there on his face, the way he smiled, the way he held the baby and teased Maggie and spoke to Luke.

She licked her lips nervously and slanted him a cautious look. “I would have been glad to help you out a little, you know.” She said it tentatively, hoping to broach the topic without setting off any alarm bells.

But all he did was pat her thigh in a now familiar way. “You help a lot just by being here. Pneumonia. Can you imagine that? Lisa always seems so healthy. But John said the doctor told him it could bring you low in just a few hours.”

“Will she have to stay in the hospital long?”

“No. She’ll probably get to come home tomorrow. And Mom and Kate are already making plans to take turns helping her out until she’s completely well again. John is swearing he’s going to hire someone to come and clean for her from now on, but he said Lisa told him to forget it. She’s funny about her house, likes to do things a certain way, you know?”

His statement didn’t really require an answer, and Olivia couldn’t have given him one anyway. “Your whole family really sticks together, don’t they?”

He seemed surprised by her question. “Of course we do.”

“I mean, even though Lisa isn’t really part of your family…”

“She’s married to John. She’s the mother of my niece and nephews. She’s part of the family.”

And that was that, Olivia supposed. It would be so nice to belong to such a family. She said without thinking, “When Maggie called me Livvy…It, well, it reminded me of when I was a child. That was what my mother and father always called me. But I’d forgotten until she said it.”

Tony wrapped one large hand around the back of her neck and tugged her closer. His lips touched her temple, and she could feel their movement against her skin as he spoke. “I figured it must have been something like that. I’m sorry, Olivia. You looked so damn sad.”

“No. Not sad really.” She tried her best to look cavalier over the subject, even so far as giving him a smile. “It’s been so long, I’ve forgotten what it’s like to miss them. I guess I’m used to being alone.”

It was a horrible lie, because who could actually get accustomed to spending her life alone? There was never anyone to share the triumphs, which made them seem almost hollow, and when the struggles to get ahead occasionally became too much, she had only herself to lean on.

Tony was staring at her in his intent, probing way and Olivia had the horrible suspicion he was reading her thoughts, knowing exactly what it was she concealed, and how empty she often felt.

He looked down at her hands, which were tightly pressed together in her lap, then covered them with one of his own. “Is that why you’ve isolated yourself?”

“I haven’t.”

His gaze snapped back to her face, as if struck that she would deny such an obvious thing. “Of course you have. You keep to yourself, don’t date, don’t form long-standing friendships. You put everything you have into the lingerie shops. It’s almost like you’re afraid of getting involved.”

“I am not afraid.” She didn’t know what else she could say. She felt defensive, as if she had to explain her choice of lifestyle, but that was impossible. She would never be able to give Tony the truth.

“It’s not natural for a woman like you to still be single, to not want some kind of commitment.”

Despite herself, she stiffened. “A woman like me? What exactly is that supposed to mean?”

Tony closed his eyes and made a sound of frustration. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. It’s just that…I never thought of you as you are. You always seemed pleasant enough, but so businesslike and…well, detached. And here you are, a very warm, caring woman, wearing sexy lingerie that makes me go a little crazy and looking so damn sweet and vulnerable at the most surprising times.”

“Tony…” She didn’t like being labeled vulnerable any more than she liked feeling defensive.

“I don’t understand you, Olivia, and I want to. I really do.”

“But why?”

He quirked a smile. “Don’t sound so panicked. I promise, I’m not asking for orange blossoms and golden rings. I just…I guess I like you more than I thought I would.”

“Sex has a way of making a man feel like that. Believe me, it will pass.”

He reached out to wrap a lock of her hair around his finger, then gently pulled until her face was closer to his. His tone was low, his expression heated. “Honey, you don’t know enough about men and sex to make that assumption.” He laid his palm warmly on her thigh, gently squeezing. “And I’d say that nasty little comment deserves some form of retribution, wouldn’t you?”

Olivia tried to pull away, but she couldn’t get very far. She wasn’t afraid of Tony, but she didn’t trust the look in his eyes. He was pushing, and there was too much she could never tell him.

“I didn’t mean it to sound nasty, exactly.” She was beginning to feel cornered, and that made her so very nervous. Then she went on the attack, hoping to force him to back off. “Dammit, Tony, we agreed not to get personal, right? And this discussion is getting very personal. You want a baby from me, not my life history. Why don’t we talk about sex instead?” Trying to be subtle, she leaned into him, allowing her breasts to brush against his chest.

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