He…was…gorgeous

Not too much hair on his chest. And he had to be into lifting weights to get rounded pecs like that. Such perfection couldn’t be achieved any other way.

The hard ground sloped to the edge of the river, though not as much as Karrie would’ve liked for privacy. Rob found a small boulder and drew her behind it, the surface hot with the desert’s broiling sun.

“You gonna take that off?” Rob asked, cocking one eyebrow, indicating her T-shirt.

“Silly me.” She returned his smile and pulled up the hem of her shirt, but then teasingly dropped it again.

Rob laughed. “So that’s how it is.” He caught her around the waist.

Giggling, Karrie twisted and wiggled, but couldn’t stop him from getting hold of her top and pulling it over her head. She stumbled backward but caught her balance, still chuckling.

But Rob wasn’t laughing anymore. His hungry gaze roamed her breasts, her bare midriff. By the time his eyes met hers, her nipples had tightened.

“Come here” was all he had to say….

Dear Reader,

Wow, has time flown by!

This is my sixth Blaze novel. Meanwhile, it feels like only last month that I first learned of the sexy, hot new series being introduced by Harlequin. It took me all of two seconds to say I wanted in. And I quickly put my imagination to work. What I’ve enjoyed most are the strong, confident, “bring-it-on” heroines I get to write about. In Good To Be Bad, which is set in my own backyard of Las Vegas, my heroine, Karrie Albright, knows what she wants—her former professor. Once she’s set her sights on him, he doesn’t stand a chance. Sheesh, if only I’d been that confident….

I hope you enjoy Karrie and Rob’s adventure!

Best,

Debbi Rawlins

Good To Be Bad
Debbi Rawlins

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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This one’s for Vicky, Iona and Karl, my inherited family and the best stepchildren I could have. But just remember, y’all are too old to call me Mom.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Epilogue

Prologue

KARRIE ALBRIGHT LOOKED AROUND the crowded living room of the impeccably decorated SoHo brownstone and wondered again what the hell she was doing here. Another Friday night, another party with meaningless chitchat, vague passes from men who’d sell their own mothers for a decent day at the brokerage and scathing looks from women who wouldn’t be caught dead in anything less than designer labels.

The saving grace was, of course, that she was here with Madison. Karrie had never quite figured out why the two of them kept getting invited to these soirees, given that neither of them were terribly hip, they preferred jeans to Dolce & Gabbana, and they weren’t in the same hemisphere when it came to income, but about two years ago, they’d hooked up with marvelously witty book editor Nancy Kragen, and they’d been included ever since.

It was great to have a regular social outlet, and they’d met some terrific women and a few nice men, but lately, the parties had been, well, getting stale.

“You don’t believe in this nonsense, do you?” Madison asked, her gaze focused on the door to Sonya’s bedroom.

“Of course not.”

The door opened and Karrie ducked to get a look at the infamous Madam Zora. Last month, one of the girls had had a candle party, the month before that, Madison’s friend Elizabeth had thrown a roll-your-own-sushi night. But this had to be the weakest get-together of the year. A psychic? Please. “Are you going to sign up for a reading?”

Madison rolled her eyes. “I’m not wasting my time.”

“As if you have anything better to do.” Karrie cast a dismal gaze around the room. Women outnumbered the eligible men by three to one. She loved Manhattan but this was getting old. “Come on. We’re here. I can’t bear to go home yet. You know what night this is, right?”

“Ah, yes. The ever-popular Mr. Warzowski’s night for screaming at his wife as he goes through two cases of Rolling Rock beer.”

“You’ve gotta love three-floor walk-ups with paper-thin walls.”

“That are more expensive than most five-bedroom houses in any other state.”

“But at least the heat doesn’t work in the winter and there’s none of that noisy air-conditioning in the summer.”

Madison nodded and had another big sip of martini. “Girlfriend, it’s tough for us young, gorgeous career gals.”

Karrie’s eyebrows rose. “Gorgeous?” It was true for Madison, of course, with her willowy figure and stunning blond hair. Karrie herself never considered her own looks to be anything more than passable. Her saving grace was that she didn’t have to fight the weight battle too much, and that her hair wasn’t a disaster, but her mouth was too big, her eyes not big enough, and of course, being around the professionally beautiful women in New York could bruise anyone’s ego.

“Hey,” Madison said, “if we can’t play pretend, I really am leaving.”

“Which is exactly why we’re going to see Madam Zora.”

“Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes. You and I. Together.”

Madison shook her head. “I don’t know what Sonya was thinking.”

“Probably trying to take our mind off the fact that we have a better chance of winning the lottery than we do of getting lucky tonight.” Karrie sipped her peach martini and watched a tall woman with dark waist-length hair and red lipstick emerge from the room. Her dramatically made-up eyes widened when Nancy, who looked ravishing, damn her, in a Prada wrap, asked her what happened with the psychic.

“She’s amazing. Totally awesome.” The woman, who’d never been to one of the regular shindigs, shook her head, her expression a haze of disbelief. “She knew everything about me. Even that I’m engaged.”

Madison poked Karrie in the ribs, then nodded at the rock on the woman’s finger.

Karrie hid a smile. “Come on, you chicken. What can it hurt?”

“Don’t make me do this. I hate this kind of stuff. You know I break out in hives when I’m exposed to too much schlock in one evening.”

Karrie laughed, but she wasn’t about to ease up on her friend. “Madison, don’t be such a wet blanket. Who knows, maybe she’s going to see a tall, handsome stranger in your future.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Okay, so she won’t. But do it anyway. Please?”

“Fine.”

“Okay, then.”

Madison caught a passing waiter and exchanged her empty glass for another martini.

“You’re really not nervous about this?”

“Of course not. It’s all nonsense.”

Karrie grinned. “Good. Because I put our names down an hour ago. We’re next.”

Madison glared at her at the same time the door opened and Camilla, of candle party fame, emerged, her face flushed, the sparkle in her eyes an odd mixture of fear and excitement. Which was strange, because Camilla wasn’t the type to be snowed by a con game.

Karrie suddenly had second thoughts. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea. What if Madam Zora predicted something bad about Karrie’s job? Like that she wouldn’t get promoted to Public Relations Director when her boss retired at the end of next year? Or that she’d lose the apartment on Sixth, even though she’d been on the waiting list for over a year.

Her thoughts suddenly turned to her brother, stationed in Germany. If Madam Zora…

No, it was all twaddle. Pure guff. Nothing but the science of watching people and playing the odds. Psychics kept things so general the facts could fit hundreds of people. Even if Madam Zora guessed Karrie had a brother, she wasn’t going to know anything real about him. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t called him in too long, and that was her bad.

Regardless of psychic predictions, his job as an air force pilot wasn’t without risk. Like her, he’d been desperate to leave Searchlight where they’d grown up and he’d joined the service the day he was eligible.

Karrie had used a college scholarship to escape the small desert town, and since their mother had remarried and left five years ago, neither of them had returned to Nevada, or the shabby trailer that had provided no privacy, only a lot of shame.

She swallowed and turned back to Madison, who was busy nibbling a blini with a dollop of sour cream and a smidge of caviar. “You don’t think she’d predict anything bad, do you?”

Annoying amusement lifted Madison’s eyebrows. “Like what?”

“I don’t know. Like a death, or something.”

“And ruin Sonya’s party? Don’t be droll.” Madison frowned. “But if she says anything negative about my next photo shoot, I’ll kill myself.”

“Which one?”

Madison grinned slyly. “For Today’s Man.”

“No way. Which issue?”

Her smile broadened.

Karrie stepped back. “The sexiest man layout?”

“Yep.”

“Oh my God. That’s terrific! When were you going to tell me?”

“I got the call this afternoon. I still can’t believe it myself.”

Karrie raised her glass. “Congratulations, girlfriend.”

“Save the kudos until I get the man-of-the-year cover.”

Karrie sighed. “Would you chill out long enough to enjoy the moment? This is major. World class. How many photographers vie for that shoot each month? And you got it.”

“Yeah, but—”

“Nope.” She held up a hand. “I’m not listening to any ‘yeah buts.’ You’re too hard on yourself. You’re a damn good photographer, and you deserve the assignment. Period. Which state are you covering?”

“New York. I’m shooting right here in Manhattan.”

“Cool. Who’s the guy?”

“I don’t know for sure yet but I think—”

“Hey, Karrie, Madison.” Sonya waved them toward the bedroom. “Madam Zora is waiting for you.”

“Great,” Madison muttered as she finished off her drink.

Chuckling, Karrie led the way, although she wasn’t quite as enthusiastic about the reading as she had been a few minutes ago. Her heart started to race as soon as she stepped into the dimly lit room. Sonya had put up some curtains to hide her bed, and made the area for the reading intimate and exotic, especially given that the only light came from the soft glow of twin candles. At the far end of the room sat Madam Zora. She wasn’t quite the perfect stereotype of a parlor psychic, but she came close.

Her eyes and short hair were so black that she seemed to blend into the draped walls. Even the caftan she wore was black but still couldn’t hide her large, languorous form as she lounged on a burgundy velvet love seat. Giant gold hoops glinted from her ears, tugging at the misshapen lobes with their weight.

Behind them, Sonya closed the door making Karrie jump.

“Do not be nervous, child. Come. Sit.” Madam Zora motioned them to the two chairs opposite her, her smile displaying the flash of a gold tooth.

Karrie sat first, and then gave Madison the eye when it looked as if her friend might bolt.

Madison didn’t even try to hide her reluctance as she finally sank into the other chair. She slid Karrie a look of barely disguised repugnance.

Madam Zora laughed softly. Hard to tell her age. Her skin was smooth but she had old eyes. Kind eyes that immediately put Karrie at ease.

“Tell me why you’ve come to see Madam Zora,” the woman said, looking at Karrie.

She shrugged, and said bluntly, “This isn’t something I’d normally do. I don’t really believe in this stuff, but I figured that since you’re here and I’m not paying for it…”

Madam Zora laughed again. It was a surprisingly soothing sound. “You needn’t fear me. You have a very bright future.” She leaned forward and reached for Karrie’s hand.

Karrie jumped just a little at the first touch, but Madam Zora’s fingers calmed her as no words could.

“Work is going well for you,” the psychic said with her low, slightly accented voice. “A promotion is in your future. I see—” She stopped, briefly closing her eyes.

Karrie slid a peek at Madison, who still looked as if she was at a tent revival and Madam Zora was the snake.

“B.A.” Madam Zora’s lids lifted. “You know someone with these initials, yes?”

Karrie nodded slowly.

“Brian?”

“Yes.” Her heart somersaulted. How could this woman know her brother’s name? Sonya couldn’t have told her. She didn’t know. “What about him?”

Madam Zora squeezed her hand. “Not to worry. He’s fine, and happy to soar like a bird.”

Karrie coughed, her gaze flying to her friend. Madison knew Brian was a pilot and she looked a little taken aback, too.

“Why do you bring him up?” Karrie asked.

“He is someone close to you and he’s on your mind.” She shrugged her thick shoulders. “Just as your job is.” She stopped, frowning. “Who is R.P.? Your boyfriend?”

Karrie shook her head. “Me? Boyfriend? Uh, no.” Madam Zora looked surprised, and then she closed her eyes. “You know this man. From long ago. But you will soon cross paths again.”

Not likely. Karrie sighed. She rarely met eligible men in Manhattan, much less someone from her past.

Madam Zora, her eyes still closed, started fanning herself. Perspiration beaded above her upper lip. Yet it wasn’t hot. In fact, cool April air slipped in through an open window.

“Oh, my, child. It will be hot when you meet again. Very hot. But you are used to the desert heat, yes?” Her eyes opened, her gaze spearing Karrie with a knowing look.

She straightened. This was very bizarre. Someone had to have told the woman Karrie was from Nevada. She rubbed a palm over her jeans, suddenly feeling too warm in her blazer. The thing was, she had no intention of ever returning to the Southwest.

At least the spell had been broken, and she could see the psychic for the fraud she was.

Karrie forced a polite smile, wishing the woman would turn her attention to Madison.

No such luck. If anything, Madam Zora’s interest intensified. After staring at Karrie for another minute, she closed her eyes, amusement lifting her lips as if enjoying a scene playing out in her head.

“What?” Karrie asked in spite of herself.

The woman took her time, making Karrie squirm. When she finally opened her eyes, her wary look had Karrie swallowing hard.

“It will not be an ordinary affair you will be having with this man.”

Madison chuckled and Karrie fought the urge to laugh herself. Madam Zora was so off base. Going back to the desert to have a hot and heavy affair? She thought of her work calendar and how booked she was clear into next year. Not a chance in hell.

“No, my dear. It’s not a joke. I see this quite clearly. Your relationship will be very physical at first,” the psychic continued, her eyes sparkling. “Very sexual, very raw. Primitive,” she whispered in a husky voice.

Karrie shivered and her smile died on her lips. Something about the woman’s voice, the way dark eyes flashed made her words almost plausible.

“You won’t be able to keep your hands off each other, even though you will both try hard to stay apart. But the chemistry between you won’t allow it. Even the desert heat will not diminish your passion.”

“I’m sorry,” Karrie said, ready to turn the focus of the session to her friend. “This is all very fanciful, but there’s definitely no desert heat in my future.”

“So you believe today.”

“I do.”

Madam Zora’s smile made Karrie’s heart beat a little faster. “It will happen sooner than you could possibly know. You will go back to the desert. You will meet this man once more. And you will try very hard to disbelieve your heart.”

“My heart?”

“That, my dear girl, will be the only thing you can truly count on. Remember these words.”

“I will.”

Madam Zora chuckled softly. “Yes, I know. Although you’ll try to deny it, but there are strong forces at work here.”

Karrie nodded as if she were serious, then decided to move things along. “I don’t mean to change the subject, but do you happen to see anything in my future about a new apartment?” Not that she’d believe her.

The psychic sighed, shook her head, making the gold hoops dance in the candlelight. “I’m sorry, there will be no new apartment.”

Karrie glanced quickly at Madison, then her gaze went back to the charlatan in front of her. “No?”

“But it will not matter.”

“Okay then,” Karrie said. “Thank you for the wonderful session. I know Madison is anxious to hear what you see in her future.”

Madison made a small choking sound, but Karrie paid it no heed. She’d had enough, and all she wanted now was to have another martini and see if there were any of those hors d’oeuvres left.

1

“YOU ASKED TO SEE ME?” Karrie stood tentatively at Malcolm Sandhill’s office door, waiting for him to look up at her with his ridiculously bushy graying eyebrows.

He frowned briefly at her before returning to leaf through the stack of papers in front of him. “Karrie Albright, from our PR department, right?”

“Yes,” she murmured, annoyed that the vice president of operations didn’t recognize her immediately. Although he really shouldn’t. After all, she was still a peon at Sanax, even though she’d been working there for two years. But the multinational corporation was so huge, and had its finger in so many pies, it was easy to get lost. At least after her boss retired next year and she became manager of the PR department, she’d be one more big rung up the ladder.

“Come in, Ms. Albright. Sit down.” He barely looked up from the piece of paper he studied.

She walked into the room, her gaze immediately drawn to the expansive windows and the awesome view of Central Park. She’d never so much as peeked into the plush corner office before, and she certainly hadn’t been summoned by Mr. Sandhill before today.

A little nervous, she sat on the edge of the brown leather chair and waited for him to say something. There was a scent to the room, despite its size and the immaculate neatness. It reminded her of her favorite bookstore where she often had coffee and read for hours on her days off.

The sound of papers shuffling brought her attention back to the senior vice president across the desk. His gaze narrowed on what she recognized as a company memo and she wondered why his wife didn’t get him to trim his eyebrows. “I understand you’re from Nevada. A town called Searchlight.”

Not something she necessarily liked to think about, but slowly she nodded, her curiosity skyrocketing.

“Our Nevada office has received a request from the University of Nevada Las Vegas to use some Sanax land located about two hours outside of the city near a place called Laughlin. Are you familiar with that area?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good.” He slid the memo across the desk toward her. “The archeology department wants to establish a dig on our property, and I want to examine the ramifications. I want all the specs on the land—possible uses, value, demographics. Make certain that if anything of significance is uncovered, it won’t hamper any potential revenue.”

It took her a moment to wrap her head around the direction of the conversation. It was so out of left field, but she wasn’t about to show Sandhill she wasn’t quick on the uptake. “I assume the dig is focusing on Paiute artifacts?”

She caught a hint of a smile, which disappeared so fast she might have imagined it. “That’s correct.”

“I see.” Her thoughts turned to her days at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. She’d majored in business but studied archeology for one semester during her junior year because of the hunky teacher.

Although it had been five years since she graduated, she wasn’t likely to forget Dr. Philips…try as she might. She’d made such an ass out of herself. But so did half the other girls in his class, which had been predominately female. He hadn’t so much as flinched at any of the attention. The general consensus was that he had to be gay.

“Ms. Albright?” The sharpness in Sandhill’s tone startled her and she realized she’d drifted.

“I was just wondering,” she said quickly, “what makes them think there are any artifacts of significance left? The area has been pretty well scoured in the past few decades.”

“They admit as much but apparently it’s the digging experience they want for the students. Be that as it may, I don’t want them finding anything that would preclude us from using the land.”

“Which is slated for…?”

This time he did smile, albeit briefly. “Nothing at the moment. I assume you know the history of the corporation?”

Karrie nodded. She’d written tomes on the very subject. Sanax was bought from the heirs of a private owner about seven years ago, and had gone public under the new management. The previous owner had had more money than financial sense. He’d used company profits to buy up all kinds of land on speculation. A small percentage of it had paid off but the rest was just sitting there while branch managers all over the world investigated the profit potential. “So this land is still in limbo.”

“That’s correct, although the preliminary findings haven’t been encouraging. It is in the middle of the desert.”

“So was Laughlin once,” she said.

“Which is one of the reasons I want this land assessed.”

Her gaze strayed out the window as she enjoyed a brief daydream about having her own corner office with this awesome view. If she played her cards right, this could be her chance to shine. She looked back at him and found annoyance in his eyes. “I have a few questions,” she said. “First, may I ask why the Nevada office isn’t handling this?”

“I have them busy on another matter.”

“Fine,” she said, knowing from his tone that the subject was closed. “My understanding is that the office there is having problems with Clark County over water rights.”

He nodded, frowning. “Very touchy.”

“If we do decide to let the University have their dig, we could parlay that into an excellent PR opportunity. If played well, those water-rights issues may take a sudden turn.”

Sandhill’s eyes lit up. “I can see that we made a wise choice having you head up the project. Look into it and report back directly to me.”

“Yes, sir.” She rose when she realized his attention had already shifted to something else on his desk.

“Ms. Albright?”

She paused halfway to the door and looked at him. It dawned on her that his perpetual frown didn’t mean he was unhappy, just that he was deep in thought. She filed that tidbit away for further study.

“My secretary will make your travel arrangements. Tell her you’ll be leaving tomorrow.”

Karrie lost the smile. “Pardon me, sir, you want me to physically go to Las Vegas?”

This time his frown wasn’t pensive. “Is that a problem?”

“I believe I can handle the entire investigation from here. I’ll simply coordinate with the Nevada branch, and have the report for you in—”

Impatience drew his bushy eyebrows together.

“Sir, I’m in the middle of a project for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and—”

“That can wait,” Sandhill said. “This matter can’t. We have to get back to the University with our answer as soon as possible.”

She took a deep breath and swallowed several arguments that were on the tip of her tongue.

“Ms. Albright, I’m giving you the chance to put your best foot forward. If we do support the dig, I don’t simply want a press release. I want you in front of the news cameras extolling our generosity.”

“Ah, I see, sir.” God, she did not want to go back to Las Vegas. Not even for a single day. “And I do appreciate the opportunity.”

“I’ll expect to hear from you next week. In the meantime, show the community we at Sanax are team players.”

She barely held her tongue at his flip use of we. “I’ll update my supervisor and plan on leaving tomorrow.”

By way of dismissal, he picked up a file folder and opened it. “Gerda will let our people in Vegas know you’re going out there.”

A funny feeling niggled at her. “Who’s my contact at the University?”

He didn’t look up but glanced at the memo. “Dr. Philips. Dr. Rob Philips.”

R.P.

Karrie couldn’t move. She simply stared at the top of Sandhill’s graying head, her stomach doing flip-flops as the words of Madam Zora came back to haunt her.

ROB GOT OUT OF HIS CAR and looked down at his shoes. Great time to check and see if they matched. The Sanax representative was to meet him in five minutes. He hoped she wasn’t late. A dozen midterm exams waited grading in his office.

He hated this part of his job. Having to schmooze with corporations for either endowments or land use. The only thing worse was dealing with academic bureaucracy. But he played the games so that he could have freedom in the field. He’d learned the hard way to carefully choose his battles.

Having been a child prodigy had its drawbacks. He’d entered college too young, graduated too young and earned his Ph.D. at the age most people were figuring out their majors. Along the way social and tactical skills had lagged. He’d had his share of butting heads with the Dean and board members because he lacked the diplomacy and the patience that presumably came with age.

He wove through the parking lot of Joe’s Crab Shack, thinking again how peculiar it was that the rep had requested they meet at a restaurant. Probably figured he owed her dinner after having to come all the way from New York. Little did she know he’d do a lot more than spring for a meal to gain access to this particular site. Hell, he’d get down on his hands and knees and suck up big time if he had to.

Already having forgotten her name, he patted his pocket for the piece of paper the department secretary had given him. But, because he’d done something vile in a past life, it wasn’t there. He was cursed with a total lack of memory when it came to names. Modern ones, that is. He could list all the Greek gods from Atlas to Zeus without blinking. But anyone from this lifetime, and he was hopeless. It didn’t seem to matter that he’d repeated the name of the cursed woman over and over before leaving for the restaurant. All he could remember were initials. K.A.

He got inside the cool restaurant, and despite his fervent wishes the hostess informed him the Sanax watchdog hadn’t arrived yet, so he followed dutifully to their reserved table and ordered a glass of wine while he waited.

The place was starting to fill up and he hoped he wouldn’t see any of his students. Even though he didn’t get out much he seemed to run into someone from one of his classes every place he went. Which was one reason he didn’t circulate often. Young women appeared to be getting increasingly bold each year.

Although the restaurant area wasn’t too crowded yet, the bar was lined with happy-hour patrons, some of them standing for lack of stools. His gaze immediately was drawn to a redhead sitting at the end of the bar. Really more auburn, her curly hair was tied at her nape and hung halfway down her back.

Even in a khaki skirt she had a great backside, curvy and lush just as it should be. What he could see of her legs made his pulse quicken. Slender yet rounded with just the right amount of muscle.

A man walked up and said something to her and when she turned her head to respond, Rob thought there was something vaguely familiar about her. The slightly upturned nose, high cheekbones, the long graceful neck… She wasn’t one of his students. He was sure he’d remember. Even in his Thursday lectures where attendance often reached a hundred and fifty she would’ve stood out.

Anyway, she was too old to be a student. Probably in her mid to late twenties. Which automatically didn’t rule out the possibility except she was dressed in business attire. So where the hell could he have seen her before?

“Here you go.” The waitress set down his wine and smiled. “Did you want to order, or are you still waiting on someone?”

“Still waiting, thanks.”

“How about an appetizer in the meantime? The crab and artichoke dip is excellent. We also have an assorted shrimp platter.”

“No, thanks anyway.” What he wanted was for her to move and not block his view of the bar.

“Okay, I’ll check back later.”

As soon as she stepped away his gaze returned to the woman sitting at the bar. She was gone. The bartender cleared her empty glass and another woman claimed the chair.

Rob glanced around but didn’t see the redhead. She’d probably left with the guy who’d been talking to her. It didn’t matter. It wasn’t as if Rob would’ve tried to pick her up. That wasn’t his style.

Nevertheless, he took another cursory glance around the room and came up empty. He checked his watch. She was one minute late. He muttered a curse as he reached into his pocket to check once again for the slip of paper with her name on it. He was supposed to be a bright guy with a high IQ. One would think he could remember a name for more than three minutes.

K.A. It should have been enough of a reminder to give him the whole name, but it didn’t. He had no clue.

Taking a sip of his wine, he glanced in the direction of the hostess stand. Two couples hovered, waiting for her attention. Rob rolled a shoulder, curious at the tension cramping his muscles and making him inexplicably edgy.

This meeting wasn’t going to be a big deal. Just a formality. He didn’t expect them to turn down his request. They’d already given every indication that there’d be no problem with the dig. Although why they didn’t simply send him approval in writing he didn’t understand.

Maybe it was his guilty conscience making him uneasy. He hadn’t been totally forthcoming about his reason for selecting that particular site. Still, it shouldn’t matter to Sanax. The land was virtually useless. At least to them.

He took another sip of wine, and as he set down the glass, he saw her. The redhead was coming from the other side of the restaurant. He tried not to stare but the snug fit of her blouse and the way her breasts jiggled slightly reduced his resolve. She had a small waist, too, with a nice flare to her hips. Nothing emaciated or boyish about her.

As she got closer he forced himself to look away, hoping his appointment showed up before he got stupid enough to ask the redhead to have a drink.

“Dr. Philips?”

He turned. She stood in front of him, a tentative smile curving her lips. “Yes,” he said slowly, pleased yet disappointed that she obviously knew him. He’d really hate if she turned out to be a student, after all. But now that she was up close, she really looked familiar.

Her smile faltered. “You probably don’t remember me.”

Frowning, he studied her more closely, and when her tongue slipped out to touch the corner of her mouth, recognition instantly dawned. “Karrie?”

Slowly she nodded.

That name he hadn’t forgotten. What amazed him was how he could have forgotten that face for a single instant. She’d been the one student, the only one, who’d nearly been his undoing. He struggled for composure. “It’s been a long time. Five, six years?”

“Something like that.” She pulled out a chair and sat down. “How have you been?”

He glanced over his shoulder, surprised at her pushiness in inviting herself to his table. He remembered her as being a little on the shy side. Certainly not like some of the other more brazen female students.

Not that he didn’t want to talk with her, catch up on what she’d been doing, but he still had to meet with the Sanax watchdog. Besides, just seeing her again had knocked the wind out of him, and he needed to be on his toes. She wasn’t his student anymore. No more boundaries. And he was definitely interested. But first, business.

“Dr. Philips? Is anything wrong?”

He met her puzzled eyes. Hazel. More golden than green. And lashes that were naturally long and thick. He’d never been this close to her before. He’d made it a point not to.

“No, not exactly. I, um…”

She sucked in her lower lip, making the tiny dimple at one corner of her mouth more pronounced. It looked as if she’d pulled her hair back tighter since she’d been sitting at the bar, but escaped tendrils curled around her face, a mass of golden highlights picked up by the flickering light from the candle on the table.

“Good evening. May I get you something to drink?” The waitress said, making him jump. He hadn’t even seen her approach. “A glass of wine while you look at the menu maybe?”

“Just some iced tea, please.” Karrie smiled at the other woman and then looked back at him. “I got here early and had something at the bar already.”

Damn. How was he going to do this tactfully?

“Look, Karrie,” he said as soon as the waitress left. “I’d really like to hear about what you’ve been doing. Maybe you could give me your number and—”

She looked affronted.

This was precisely the type of situation he tried to avoid. Small talk, especially with women, was not his strong suit. He always managed to say the wrong thing. “The truth is, I’m here to meet someone. It’s business.”

Her confused frown deepened, her lush full lips parting provocatively. It threw him off balance and he fumbled for the right words that wouldn’t sound as if he were blowing her off.

He pushed a hand through his hair, then checked his watch. “Do you have plans later?”

Her eyebrows rose. “I don’t think so.”

“This meeting I have. It shouldn’t take long.” He gave her one of those grins his secretary described as devilishly boyish and shrugged. “I’m trying to sweet-talk some corporation rep into letting me use the company’s land for a dig. I don’t think it’s going to be a problem. Probably just want to make me jump through a few hoops before they agree.”

Her eyes briefly widened and then a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Well, start jumping and sweet-talking. I’m the Sanax rep.”

2

ROB STARED AT HER, hoping like hell she was kidding. Finally, he laughed. “You have a wicked sense of humor.”

She pressed her lips together, looking entirely too serious. “I really am from Sanax.”

“You’re here from New York?’

Lifting a shoulder, she nodded.

“Damn.”

She smiled again. “It’s not as if you said anything bad. I mean, you could’ve described how you were gonna suck up to me and all that. Which I would’ve enjoyed, actually.”

He grunted.

Karrie laughed. “Okay, I should have introduced myself right away, but I figured since you had my name and knew who I was…”

The name hadn’t registered. Even after he recognized her. Karrie, herself, was another story. That hair, those lips… He cleared his throat. “Sorry. I hope you didn’t think I was hitting on you.”

“I’m flattered.”

At a loss for words, he studied her for a moment. She’d changed. She seemed more sophisticated. More confident. Not that he’d ever really known her, but there was something about the way she looked him directly in the eyes…

“Okay,” he said, anxious to get back to business, an area in which he was more comfortable. “Do you want to talk about the site or should we order dinner first?”

“Dinner. I haven’t eaten since I left New York this morning.” She picked up the menu and peered down at it, while nibbling at her lower lip.

Instead of perusing his own menu, he watched her study the list of items with the concentration of a student preparing for a quiz. The thought occurred to him that gaining access to the land might not be as easy as he’d thought. Dealing with someone from the urban East wasn’t the same as trying to sidestep a local.

Most people from around here were too familiar with the odd discovery of a vein of silver or finds of an important historic burial ground. Sanax wouldn’t want the land tampered with, unless it was by their own people who could swiftly take advantage of any discovery.

Karrie had probably only come to Las Vegas for college, like most of the student body. And like the rest of the kids, her agenda had been grades and dates, not local environmental and cultural issues. He hoped so, anyway.

“Any recommendations?” she asked, and looked up to catch him staring.

He quickly turned his attention to the menu. “Uh, yeah. The coconut shrimp is good, and so are the bacon-wrapped scallops.”

“Ever have the seafood bisque?”

“Many times. The chowder isn’t bad, either.”

“Sounds like you eat here often.”

“The Crab Shack on the other side of town, but yeah, probably too often.”

“I guess that means no wife and kids at home.” She moistened her lips, the action threatening his resolve to stay on the business track.

“Nope. What about you?”

She gave a startled laugh. “I’m too young to be tied down.”

“I hear you.”

She frowned. “Can I ask you something personal?”

“Go ahead.” He didn’t promise to answer, although he had a feeling he knew what the question was.

“How old are you?”

He smiled. “Too young to have been a professor when I had you as a student.”

“Seriously, you didn’t look much older than we did.”

“I’m thirty-one. You were in my class—when? five years ago?”

“Six.”

“Ah. You were the first class I taught after getting my Ph.D. I’d just turned twenty-five that spring.”

Her eyebrows rose. “You had to have entered college at a really young age.”

“Sixteen.”

“That must have been tough.”

He shrugged. “Not academically, but I definitely was socially challenged.”

She wrinkled her nose, and damn if even that didn’t make her look sexy. “I have another question for you.”

“Shoot.”

“Did you know that the entire female portion of your class had the hots for you?”

Embarrassed, taken by surprise, Rob half grunted, half laughed. “Students were and still are off limits.”

“Which doesn’t answer my question.”

“Yeah, I knew.”

“I see.”

He tilted his head slightly to the right, looking at her with teasing eyes. “You were one of those females.”

Color climbed her cheeks, and she picked up her iced tea. “I was only twenty,” she murmured.

“Now it’s my turn to be flattered.”

She started laughing midsip and quickly lowered the glass and licked the splattered moisture from her lips. “I deserved that.”

“No comment.”

“Good move.”

He smiled. Neither diplomacy nor chivalry had shut him up. He was too busy watching her tongue sweep her lower lip to think of anything clever to say. And how that tiny dimple flashed at the corner of her mouth, calling further attention to that wide sexy mouth of hers.

Their eyes met. Neither of them spoke.

For an instant he recalled the first time he’d seen her in one of his lectures, sitting midway up the stadium-style seating. There had to have been at least a hundred students, but the light shining on her wild auburn hair had caught his eye. She’d given him a shy smile that forced his gaze down to his notes for the next forty minutes.

“You folks ready to order?”

Karrie blinked at the waitress as if she had no idea what the woman was talking about.

Before Rob could rebound and respond, the waitress said, “Maybe I should give you a few more minutes.”

“Great,” Karrie said at the same time Rob said, “We’re ready.”

The waitress smiled. “I’ll be back in a few.”

“I’ll just order a salad,” Karrie murmured and closed her menu. “I know you’re anxious to get this meeting over with.”

“No, please, take your time.”

She set the menu aside, braced her arms on the table and leaned forward. “You’re right. We don’t object to your dig, and it’s entirely reasonable to assume that by tomorrow afternoon I’ll be getting back to you with written consent. Tomorrow morning I have to check with county records. My plane was delayed or I would have already done that.”

“What are you looking for at county records?” He didn’t like the way she was all business suddenly.

Her gaze narrowed slightly. “Do you expect to find anything?”

“No.” He shrugged. “I mean I hope the kids find a few arrowheads and maybe some broken pottery. Just to keep the dig interesting. But generally I just want them to go through the paces.”

She nodded. “So we should have no problem.”

“None.” Shit, he hoped not. As far as he knew, his friend Joe Tonopah was the only one who believed there might be a Paiute burial ground in the area. “What’s Sanax planning on doing with the land?”

“Nothing, so far. It was bought on speculation a long time ago. Personally, I think it’ll end up being a zero for us.”

Good. He didn’t have to feel too bad about not being totally honest with her. His friend Joe was eighty-eight and the diabetes had taken its toll. Rob had made him a promise he intended to keep. Even if it meant deceiving Karrie.

THE WAITRESS RETURNED, and after they’d ordered and she left, an awkward silence stretched. Damn, Karrie wished she’d never met Madam Zora. Bad enough her nerves were shot to hell just sitting across from him, but every time her mind wandered back to what the psychic had predicted two months ago, she’d get all jittery inside.

Hard to come across mature and sophisticated when her palms were so clammy that she avoided picking up her glass. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t his student anymore, and he wasn’t married. If he was attached, he’d have to speak up. Because as soon as business was out of the way, she was going for it.

Talk about the perfect Man To Do. He fit the bill in every way. She’d had such an incredible crush on him all those years ago. In fact, that crush had actually hampered her social life. None of the boys at school could compete with the handsome professor. He’d been such a fascinating bundle of contradictions. He knew his material extraordinarily well, and taught with a passion that had fascinated her with a subject that had never made her pause. And yet there was a shy quality that showed up the second he wasn’t talking about the land, or the artifacts. He’d blushed back then, and every time he did, half the women in the class swooned. It was just so charming.

Everything had gotten worse when she’d gone on her first dig with him. Because that’s when she’d seen him without his shirt. Oh, mama, that wasn’t something she’d ever forget. Sculpted like a masterwork, tan, muscled so perfectly it was more than human, it was art.

If she’d dreamed about him once, she’d dreamed about him a hundred times. Every one of those dreams had ended with them making love. Of course, he’d made it perfectly clear that she was a student and only that back then. But now?

She could see he was interested. She wasn’t leaving until tomorrow night. Which left a tantalizing window of opportunity, and what was the Man To Do about if not seizing the day?

She’d been in the e-mail group for a little over a year, enjoying the frank discussions with incredibly bright and witty women from all walks of life. Their most daring project was the Man To Do. The whole concept was wild and wicked. Find a guy who didn’t fit into the lifetime plan, who wasn’t someone to take home to Mom. Have a night, a weekend, whatever, that was purely for pleasure. For getting one’s ya-yas out. Only, there hadn’t been one man in New York who’d piqued her interest. Not enough to actually do the deed.

Despite the image of the Sex and the City and all that, she wasn’t a one-night-stand kind of gal. She’d always had to have some kind of emotion attached to sex, or she wasn’t interested. Not necessarily love, but something more than lust.

Rob Philips fit the bill to a T. It felt as if she’d wanted him forever, and here he was, practically served up on a silver platter.

God, she hoped the rumors that he was gay weren’t true. She didn’t think so. Not with the scorching way he’d been looking at her. Another reason she could barely think straight. He still had the most amazing brown eyes she’d ever seen.

Surprisingly, he looked even better than she remembered. And she’d remembered the details for far too long. The boyish grin was the same, kind of reticent and shy, but his face was more weathered. Not just tanned but more chiseled. As if he’d cosmetically added the lines fanning out at the corners of his eyes, and the small scar at his jaw had been strategically placed just so.

Hell, he’d be a perfect candidate for one of Madison’s photo shoots. He had just the right look. Rugged, sexy, his intelligence shining in those remarkable eyes. Her gaze went back to that perfect little scar on his chin. Just the touch to make him seem mysterious and a wee bit dangerous. “What happened?” she asked, pointing to the mirrored spot on her own chin.

His fingers automatically went to the scarred skin. Even his hands were tan. “Rock climbing.”

Not the outdoor type, she mentally shuddered. “You’re lucky that’s the only memento.”

His mouth twisted in a wry grin. “Not exactly.” He leaned back and briefly lifted his shirt to expose a nasty gash under his rib cage.

Karrie swallowed hard. Yeah, the scar was ugly and barely healed, but that wasn’t what had her trying to catch her breath. The chest of her dreams had become even more enticing. He had a set of abs on him that sent an arrow of heat straight to the juncture of her thighs. “Ouch,” she said finally. “When did that happen?”

“About two months ago.”

“Around here?”

He gave her a sheepish look. “Yeah.”

“Come on, there’s a story here.”

“I don’t want to ruin my macho image.”

She laughed. “You have to tell me now.”

“I should’ve ordered an appetizer.”

“You’d have to stop chewing eventually.”

His slow grin made her feel like a silly schoolgirl again, giddy and, astonishingly, a little light-headed. This whole thing was so unreal. He wasn’t just sexy but he actually had a personality. In class the only thing she’d known for sure was that he loved his career. Now she saw there was more to him than digging shards.

“You were climbing at Red Rock, right? What’s the name of that place where beginners go in the Calico Basin area? I think it’s called Caustic?”

He winced.

She grinned. “Am I right?”

“How do you know about Caustic? You’re gonna make me look like a real wimp and tell me you climb, right?”

“God, no. Stairs. That’s my limit. Quit changing the subject.”

“Seriously, how do you know about Caustic?”

“I lived here, remember?”

“How long did you stay after college?”

“About a minute.”

He chuckled. “You liked it here that much, eh?”

“I’m from Searchlight. Enough said.”

He reared his head back. The look on his face went beyond surprise. He seemed displeased, which didn’t make sense. “Searchlight?”

“I take it you’ve been there.”

“Sure. It’s small.”

She smiled. “That was very diplomatic. Now, get back to the rock-climbing incident.”

“You’re ruthless.”

“Yes, I am.”

“Okay…” He rubbed his jaw near the tiny scar, looking distracted suddenly. “There’s this place in Henderson where you learn to climb. Indoors, simulated. You getting the picture?”

Karrie tried not to laugh, but she couldn’t help herself, which brought the smile back to his lips. “I’m impressed that you even made the attempt.”

“A group of fourteen-year-olds weren’t so impressed. They laughed their asses off because they had to help the old geezer down the last ten feet.”

“But you were really hurt.”

“They didn’t know that at the time.” He studied her for a moment, his eyebrows coming together in a slight frown. “You look different.”

Slowly shaking her head, she shrugged. “Probably pale. We had a bad winter. Not much sun.”

“It’s your hair.”

“Oh.” She smoothed back the unruly curls. She’d left New York with a French braid, but that had been hours and two time zones ago. The best she’d been able to do on the taxi ride over was to brush it out and tie it back. “Are you saying different bad, or different good?”

His eyes crinkled at the corners. “Very good, indeed.”

She felt the compliment to the tips of her toes, and her water glass held sudden interest. “Thanks,” she murmured. “I like your hair, too. It’s longer.”

“Yeah.” He looked embarrassed at the return volley. “I’d like to say I abandoned the geek look, but I just keep forgetting to get it cut.”

“A geek? You?”

He picked up his glass of wine and took a sip, but not before she saw the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She had the feeling that if there’d ever been anything geeky about him it was because that’s the way he wanted to appear.

They weren’t so different. He’d embarked on his career at a young age and probably created a facade to support his image. She’d done the same after arriving in Manhattan. Convinced that she’d been the biggest hick to set foot in the city, she quickly devoured fashion magazines and spent money she could ill afford on clothes and hair care. She’d even skipped meals so that she could eat skimpy, pricey appetizers and sip expensive wine in the In restaurants.

Foolish and shallow maybe, but she didn’t regret any of it. She had a great job, a terrific salary and unlimited potential if she continued to play the game. Which reminded her of the reason for being here.

“There’s something else I want to go over with you,” she said, at the same time she caught their waitress’s eye and motioned the woman over. “I’m working on a press release about the dig.”

“Pardon?”

The waitress showed up before Karrie could respond. She ordered a glass of wine for herself and another for him. He looked annoyed, but she couldn’t tell if it was over the press release or her assertiveness. Probably both.

The waitress had barely taken a step toward the bar when he asked, “What about this press release?”

“No big deal.” She hadn’t considered how honest to be with him. “Like any large corporation we’ve had a few go-rounds with the County and I’m looking to get some good press out of this.”

“This was your idea?”

She nodded. “I am in the PR department.”

“I don’t understand. Other than the press aspect, why are you involved?”

“The vice president in charge found out I knew the area and figured I might have some valuable insight. Which we both know means nothing. But I wasn’t about to turn down the opportunity to strut my stuff.”

He sat back, his shoulders tensing, and showed excessive interest in the antics of two teenagers who had just joined their parents at a nearby table.

She waited for him to respond but he seemed willing to let the subject drop. “Do you have a problem dealing with me?”

He sent her a quick frown. “No. Why should I?”

“You seem agitated.”

The slow lazy smile was instantly back. “Actually, I’m going to enjoy working with you.”

Karrie didn’t quite believe it. Something had gotten him riled, but it was hard to think about much more than the way one side of his mouth always hiked up a tad before he actually smiled, or the way crisp dark hair curled at the open neck of his shirt.

She grabbed her glass of iced tea, mostly watered down but there was still some ice left, and enjoyed the cool moisture against her palm. Time to change the subject, get him back to his earlier calm. “Good God, I don’t remember it being so hot this early in June.” She fisted her hair, lifted it off her neck, and then with her moistened hand cupped the heated skin at her nape.

His gaze went to her throat, traveled to her scoop neckline, flickered lower for a moment before he met her eyes. “It’s really not that hot yet. Besides, it’s air-conditioned in here.”

“Yeah, but the patio doors are open,” she murmured, feeling a whole new wave of heat flushing her skin.

“Wait until late July and August.”

“Thankfully, I won’t be here.”

He studied her thoughtfully for a moment. “Have you been back since college?”

“Once.”

“To visit family?”

“Yeah, but they’re gone now, too. My brother is in Germany and my mom remarried.”

“So you have no reason to come back.”

“None. I like my life in New York.”

“Even during the winter?”

“Especially during the summer.”

He smiled. “Have you noticed many changes yet?”

“Traffic is horrible.”

“That’s an understatement. Where are you staying?”

“The Hilton.”

“The Flamingo Hilton?”

“No, I wanted to stay off the strip. In fact, if I’d made the reservation myself I would have stayed farther out.”

“This place has grown so much, any farther out would have to be Searchlight.”

“Funny.”

“You think I’m kidding?”

She took another sip of wine, thinking back on the harrowing taxi ride from the airport. The area had really grown in the five short years since she’d been back. An entire beltway had sprung up. She couldn’t help but wonder how or if Searchlight had been affected by this population explosion.

Were the trailers still there? Or had houses replaced them? Maybe there was even a high school there now, instead of the kids having to be bused over to Boulder City. Not that she was curious enough to make the fifty-mile trip to see for herself.

A wave of nostalgia took her by surprise. For years she hadn’t thought about the converted carport where her mother had supported them by cutting and perming the hair of half the women in Searchlight. Or the combination drugstore-diner-gas station where Karrie used to bag Mr. Donner’s trash every day to earn vanilla-and-chocolate-swirl ice-cream cones. Yet the images were all crystal clear.

The waitress brought their food and Rob immediately dug into his seafood lasagna. Not as hungry as she thought she was, Karrie eyed her shrimp and fettuccine with less enthusiasm than when she’d ordered it.

“Hey.”

She looked up at him.

“Something wrong with your dinner?”

“No.” She picked up a fork, not wanting to examine her sudden melancholy.

He hesitated, and then said, “Weird coming home again, huh?”

“Not really. All these people moving here.” She shook her head. “I totally don’t get it.”

“They come for the bright lights and excitement.” His teasing grin lifted her spirits and tightened her tummy.

“We have that and much more in Manhattan.”

“Have you seen some of the new resorts on the strip?” he asked, keeping her gaze locked to his.

“You offering a tour?”

“Yeah.”

She took a big bite of shrimp pasta. There was time enough tomorrow to talk about land and digs and Sanax. Tonight was hers, and she intended to use it in the best way possible. “I’m game,” she said, hoping like hell he understood that she wasn’t talking about a tour.

3

“I FEEL LIKE I’M AT A REAL BEACH instead of at a casino.”

“That’s the idea.” Rob smiled at the look of amazement on Karrie’s face as she watched the electronically generated waves crash to shore. The beach at Mandalay even had lifeguards on duty. The mega resort was one of the newer kids on the block, vying for business by making Las Vegas a family destination.

“Okay, I’m totally impressed.” She turned to look at him suddenly, her hazel eyes sparkling and golden, and he had the dangerous urge to haul her against him and kiss that wide lush mouth.

“You’re easy.”

“Hey, don’t get personal.”

Hell, pretty, great legs and a sense of humor. “Wait until you see the Shark Reef.”

“Would it still be open?” she asked, glancing at her watch and trying to stifle a yawn.

“I forgot you’re still on East Coast time.”

“No problem. I’m not ready to go to bed yet.”

It was an innocuous remark. Certainly not one that could conjure such an erotic scene in his head. Karrie, sprawled out on his bed, naked, her back arching off the mattress, her golden red hair spread out like wildfire.

He shoved away from the railing they looked over. “Why don’t I take you back to your hotel?”

“I have a better idea.” She turned to face him, light coming from behind him glistening off her glossy pink lips. “Why don’t I buy you a drink as thanks for showing me around tonight?”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I know.”

“Do you realize it’s after midnight your time?”

“I’m a pretty bright girl. I figured that out all by myself.”

“I don’t remember you being such a smart-ass.”

She laughed. “I’m surprised you remember me at all. You acted like you had on invisible blinders. Your attention went from the blackboard to the back of the room and didn’t stop anywhere in between unless someone raised their hand.”

“Right.”

“It’s true. Did you know we all suspected that you were gay?”

“We?”

“Some of the girls in the class.”

He hadn’t heard that one. “I’m not.”

“I know.” She turned away with a smug smile. And then frowned down at her feet. “I have got to get out of these heels.”

Was that a hint? It took that little to send him back to his earlier daydream. Even if she offered, he’d be a fool to entertain the idea of sleeping with her. Not until they made a deal about the dig. Although the ethics of the situation weren’t as black-and-white as getting involved with a student, it still wasn’t clear to him what kind of business relationship he and Karrie would have.

If it was true that Sanax was simply making sure they didn’t waste a public relations opportunity, and that they wouldn’t interfere with his plans, then there was no reason not to respond to Karrie’s unspoken yet clear invitation. At least he hoped the invitation was real, and not something he was conjuring because he wanted her so damn badly.

The problem was, she’d be gone tomorrow. Gone, with no intention of coming back to a city she loathed. It was tonight or never. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s head back to the car. If you still feel like a drink, there’s a bar along the way.”

She limped toward him and then reached for his arm. “Do you mind?”

He lifted his elbow, and she slipped her arm in his and the subtle scent of roses reached him. Heat from her body wrapped around him like steam from a sauna. She leaned toward him and her breast brushed his arm.

“You don’t have to walk that slowly,” she said, her warm breath close to his ear, and he realized that he’d practically stopped.

Few people milled around them. Although the casino was somewhat busy, it was a weeknight and very little activity extended as far as the beach area and the wedding chapel. Even the string of restaurants that led the way had largely emptied out.

He took a deep breath, her scent filling his nostrils, and then he steered them in the direction of the lobby, cursing himself for feeling stiff and awkward.

“Hey.” She stopped.

Reluctantly, he turned his head. He guessed her to be about five-eight with the heels, which brought her eye level with his chin. Her gaze lingered on the scar and then she looked up to meet his eyes.

“Is this weird for you?” she asked, her hazel eyes dark with concerned curiosity.

The strand of hair curling against her smooth cheek caught him by surprise. It looked so silky he had to fight the urge to touch it. Press it between his fingertips and feel how soft it was.

“Rob?”

He blinked at her, the sound of his name intimate on her lips.

Her tongue darted out to touch the corner of her mouth and he realized she was nervous. “I won’t call you Dr. Philips,” she said, obviously reading him correctly. “You aren’t my teacher anymore.”

“Of course.” He wasn’t sure where this was going. The male part of him had an obvious preference. Good thing they stood in the middle of the walkway.

As if on cue, a family of four headed toward them and Rob drew Karrie off to the side.

“I know it’s a term of respect and recognition, one you’ve earned, but I think my using it puts us back in our old roles.” She paused and audibly cleared her throat. “It creates distance,” she added, and then squinted at him, as if he were an errant child refusing to listen. “Am I making myself clear?”

He needed a second to ground himself. He had the feeling that if he answered her this second, his voice would crack like a fourteen-year-old’s. At least he hadn’t been imagining things. She wanted it. He wanted it. “Perfectly clear,” he said, grateful his voice remained steady and cool.

He reached for her, eliciting a startled gasp as she stumbled against him. She flattened her palms on his chest but swayed toward him, lifting her face, inviting his kiss.

Even as he lowered his mouth he knew it was a mistake. There was still unsettled business to work out, relationships to define. Things that mattered were at risk and here he was kissing the woman who could cause him all kinds of problems if this evening of delight turned to one of regret. But the attraction he felt was too potent, as if it had been dormant but simmering for the past six years.

He touched his lips gently to hers, giving her time to back off if this wasn’t what she wanted. He needn’t have worried. She was more than ready, opening her mouth to him and looping her arms around his neck, pressing her breasts against his chest.

He backed them into the evening shadows and ran his palms down either side of her waist, over her rounded hips. She tasted so damn fine, a mixture of sweetened coffee and mystery, and he forgot they stood in a public place until he heard shrill laughter from a group of passersby.

Raising his head, he saw that no one paid them any attention. A blond woman in her early thirties, obviously a little tipsy and leading her cohorts toward the pool area, was trying to balance a drink on her head.

Karrie glanced over her shoulder and watched the group disappear. She was feeling a little drunk herself even though she’d had only one drink and a glass of wine hours ago. Actually being with Dr. Rob Philips was making her heady. Him. In the flesh. Her perfect Man To Do. Her arms were around his neck. His hands cupped her hips. He’d just kissed her. The whole thing was totally unreal.

Like a dream.

A fantasy come true.

She drew in a deep breath before turning back to him. He slackened his hands as if he was going to release her but she pulled him down for another kiss instead.

His lips were warm and firm and then his tongue touched hers and she forgot where they were or that she was here as a representative for Sanax. Control slipped away and she didn’t care. She ran her palms down his chest, longing to reach the hardness that pressed against her belly.

She got to his waist and he broke the kiss. Grabbed her wrists firmly in his. “I don’t live too far from here,” he whispered, his lips pressed to her temple.

She slowly exhaled, trying to clear her head. Everything seemed fuzzy. She stepped back. He straightened and let his hands drop to his sides.

“Wow!” she said, her voice shaky.

“Yeah.” He pushed a hand through his hair, glanced around. “Look, I—”

She quickly put a silencing finger to his lips. “Don’t you dare ruin it.”

He stared at her for a moment, and then took her arm and they wordlessly headed toward the lobby. They passed a restaurant and a bar, and then he guided them away from the lobby and around the headless statue of Lenin, a route she recognized as leading toward the garage.

As they passed the Ice bar, she remembered that this was the last place they could stop before entering the elevators that would take them to the car. She slowed and touched his arm.

Before he even looked at her, she changed her mind. She was exhausted, fueled only by adrenaline and tantalizing memories. Oh, yeah, she still wanted him. But the idea of a Man To Do was more provocative than it was her style. Despite her past with Rob, she didn’t really know him. She’d been giddy from having him react to her in a way she’d dreamed about when she sat in his class, but was she really prepared to sleep with him on the cusp of this business deal?

It was a crying shame, but she’d better put the brakes on before things got completely out of hand. It was all too enticing, too easy, and that could only lead to trouble. Damn, but it would have been fine.

She smiled at him, reluctant to break the news. “To be honest, I was going to remind you about that drink I promised. But I think we should wait until tomorrow.”

“Sure.” He shrugged, trying to look nonchalant but his discomfort was clear. “No problem.”

“Yes, there is. You don’t understand. I know I’m just one of many students who passed through your classroom. But I had a real thing for you back then.” She hesitated when panic flickered in his eyes. Too much information, she decided. “I was young. Basically it was a stupid crush.” She sighed, shaking her head as she inched away. “I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. Probably because I’m so tired I can’t think straight.”

“Hey, wait.” He touched her arm and then kept abreast of her when she didn’t stop. “My fault,” he said. “I shouldn’t have come on to you.”

“You were just reacting to what I put out there, and I’m sorry about that. We have work to get done, and I shouldn’t have…”

“No, that’s not what—” They got to the elevators along with another couple and Rob stayed quiet as they all got inside a waiting car.

The tense silent ride lasted to the third level where they got out. The other couple got out at the same time and followed close behind, finally stopping at a yellow convertible.

Rob’s silver Sequoia was parked only three cars away, and he opened the door for her and waited until she got in. He climbed in behind the wheel and immediately started the engine.

Disappointment gripped her when he backed out of the space without saying a word, and then turned on the radio. The chicken. She thought about resuming their conversation, forcing the issue, but then decided silence wasn’t so bad. Maybe they could start fresh tomorrow. Pretend the kiss never happened. Keep their relationship professional. No real damage had been done. Thank goodness.

After they left Mandalay Bay they stayed on the strip, and Rob focused his attention on the considerable amount of traffic for a weeknight. He took Flamingo to Paradise and she could see the Hilton.

It wasn’t too late to invite him into the bar. She hated ending the night like this. She’d never get any sleep. At least she could take comfort in knowing the attraction wasn’t one-sided. He had responded. In a big way.

Nope. She wasn’t going to say another word. She’d said enough. Let him make the next move.

He pulled the SUV up to the curb in front of the Hilton, far enough from the valet sign to indicate they weren’t parking.

“Thanks for the ride,” she said breezily, and put her hand on the door handle. “I’ll be at our branch office and at the county clerk’s tomorrow. I expect to have an agreement drawn by the end of the day.”

He frowned. “What kind of agreement?”

“Relax. The usual stuff. The property belongs to Sanax, so anything you find does, too.”

“Right. Look, Karrie…”

Her door opened, startling them both. A uniformed doorman held his hand out. “Good evening, ma’am. Welcome to the Hilton.”

“Uh, hi.” She glanced helplessly at Rob and then started to get out. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

A moment before the bellman closed her door, Rob leaned across the seat and smiled. “By the way, I had a thing for you, too.”

YEAH, AS IF SHE WAS SUPPOSED to be able to sleep now. She pulled on her Donald Duck nightshirt, and then tied her hair back so she could scrub her face and brush her teeth. Taking out some of her frustration on her face wouldn’t be a bad thing.

The dry desert air did not treat her aging skin kindly.

She peered more closely at herself in the mirror. Only twenty-six. Looking like sixty, and acting like sixteen. She groaned aloud and then furiously soaped her loofah. How could Madison be out of the country at a time like this. She was going to absolutely die when she found out how close the psychic’s predictions had come so far.

Karrie still hadn’t gotten over Rob’s confession. She would’ve bet her chance at the apartment on Sixth that he hadn’t even noticed her six years ago. Even when she’d forced herself to sit in the first row of his lecture those two times.

Maybe he’d just said that to make her feel better about what she’d admitted? God, she would not do this. Replaying and analyzing conversations always made her crazy.

Too late. Her brain was definitely fried. She kept expecting to find a hidden camera and find out she was the unwitting star of a new reality show. This was all just too bizarre. And she couldn’t even call Nancy or Kyra or anyone. Everyone she knew lived on the East Coast and would have been asleep for a couple of hours.

She finished her cleansing ritual by patting extra cream under her eyes and then went to the window and parted the drapes. The strip was visible, bright with hundreds of thousands of lights in every size, shape and color, stretching for over four miles.

What an odd place. All this hustle and bustle in the middle of nowhere. Of course she remembered when the city was a lot more isolated without the sprawl of suburbs so far to the east and west. People asked her all the time if she missed it. She honestly didn’t. Not for a second.

She wondered what kept Rob here. Besides his job. He could, after all, teach anywhere. A thought struck her. She didn’t even know where he was from. It was funny how much detail she’d made up about him while she used to sit in class fantasizing.

One day she’d convince herself that he was from California, an ex-surfer with his sandy, blond-streaked hair and broad shoulders. On a particularly creative day she’d imagined he was from Australia but had lived in the States long enough to lose his accent.

Chuckling at herself, she grabbed her laptop, sank into a blue upholstered chair and swung her feet up onto the bed. If she couldn’t sleep she might as well get some work done.

“Damn.”

The gang at Eve’s Apple. How could she have forgotten?

She fumbled with her modem cable, got connected and immediately went to e-mail. Heart pounding, she started typing.

To: The gang at Eve’s Apple

From: Karrie@EvesApple.com

Subject: Yowzah!

Okay, I know you guys haven’t heard from me in a while… I won’t make excuses. Last time I wrote I think I told you about seeing a psychic and how she predicted that I’d meet a man from my past. Well, guess what? Stuff is happening just like she said it would. No lie!

The guy is an old professor—he’s not really old, only five years older than me—but he was a prof of mine during my junior year. I had the most major crush on him. Really major. But so did all the other girls in the class. He’s that much of a hottie.

Anyway, I’ve just seen him again. Tonight. We had dinner. He remembered me. I’m totally blown away. Not only that, but he admitted that he had the hots for me, too.

We talked, kissed, he asked me to go to his place. I didn’t. Bad timing. But if I have the chance again, I’m going for it.

Did I tell you he has the best smile? Kind of shy and boyish. Very disarming. Because the boy can kiss!! Damn, I’m having trouble typing just remembering. Oh, and great abs! Don’t ask.

I’ll write again tomorrow after I see him. Send positive thoughts. I’m a nervous wreck.

Love,

Karrie

She signed off and didn’t even consider switching to work as she had planned. The furious and cathartic typing had done its job. All she could think about suddenly was crawling into bed.

Tonight she’d get all the rest she could. Tomorrow was going to be a big day. Tomorrow night even bigger. Because she had no intention of sleeping alone.

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