"Hey! Watch the tail!" Ophelia yanked her tail out of reach of the Jack Russell's teeth, flashing some impressive feline incisors at her pursuer. "This isn't a real chase, remember?"
Superman glanced over his shoulder at his owner, Todd Barrett, who was sprinting up the street with alarming alacrity. "You better keep moving," Superman said. "Todd's gonna catch us before we get to your place."
"He better not! We need to get him into the backyard!" Her entire future as the queen of the household depended on getting their owners to meet and fall in love. They had to make it work before Ophelia's life was destroyed forever by the cat-hater her owner was currently dating. Ophelia smacked her paw on Superman's nose as a reminder that she could crush him like a bug if she felt those teeth in her fur again, then took off running around the side of her house. "Did he see us?"
Superman's hot breath and noisy panting was almost in her ear. "Yeah, he's only about twenty yards behind us."
"Twenty yards?" Since when would a human have the gall to almost catch up to her? She should have known better than to join forces with a canine. "This is a completely asinine plan," she hissed as she skidded around the corner into the backyard. "He's going to catch you before we even get them to meet."
"It'd work if you weren't such a ball of soppy fur with no speed." Superman was almost on top of her. "He's going to think I'm a total wimp for not eating you when you're literally under my chin."
Ophelia growled and spat at him as she vaulted onto the deck. "For your information, I'm taking it easy so you can keep up with me." She saw her owner, Erica Chase, at the picnic table, hunched over her laptop. Excellent. Ophelia promptly let out a yowl of outrage that jerked Erica to her feet.
"Ophelia?" Erica's voice was a combination of terror and outrage for her poor cat's life-threatening predicament.
So nice to feel adored. But no time for lovey-dovey. Todd was hot on the trail. Ophelia let out another heart-wrenching wail and bolted through the open sliding door. Superman barely dodged Erica's diving tackle, but he managed to scoot past and into the house, his lip lifted in a daunting snarl, as if he was about to tear off the cat's limbs one by one.
They both skidded to a stop in the living room, then hopped onto the back of the living room couch to watch the results of their efforts through the window that looked out onto the backyard.
"Nice evasive move," Ophelia said. "Erica's a pretty seasoned tackler, with all the times she's gone after me when I go out."
"Thanks," Superman replied. "Impressive howl. I hope other dogs heard it. It'll do wonders for my reputation. The Jack Russell who can strike fear into the neighborhood feline bully. No one will mess with me now," Superman said, in between pants. "Where's the toilet? I need a drink."
Neighborhood feline bully? She definitely liked the sound of that.
Ophelia whacked him with her paw as the back gate swung open. "How can you leave now? Todd just arrived and Erica is still sprawled on the deck after the tackle attempt. All hell is about to break loose."
Superman stretched out and pressed his nose to the window. "This should be good."
Erica groaned and rolled onto her back to stare at the blue August sky, wondering how much it would cost to get her shoulder reconnected to her body.
Lie still.
Wait for pain to fade.
Then rescue cat from rabid little dog.
"Excuse me."
The dark outline of a large man suddenly loomed over her. Backlit by the sun, all she could see was the really broad shoulders of a huge stranger…in her backyard!
A yelp burst from Erica's lips, and she bolted to her feet. Strange man! In yard! Run for your life!
She crashed into her deck chair, flung it aside, raced into the house, slammed the door shut and locked it. Phew. She leaned against it, her heart racing, legs trembling. "I know karate! I have a gun! And a killer Doberman!" She grabbed her T-shirt off the nearby chair and fumbled to unfold it.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid, to be out on her deck in a bikini. How much more
vulnerable could she make herself?
"Erica. Relax. I'm not going to kill you." His deep voice carried easily through the closed glass door.
She blinked. How did he know her name? Was he a stalker? She should have known the seventeen telemarketing calls she got every evening couldn't all have been legit. She pulled her T-shirt over her head and felt much better. More in control, the way she liked to be. "My name's not Erica, and why are you in my backyard?" She spun around to look at him.
Hmm…he was actually quite a specimen. The white T-shirt he wore hugged shoulders that deserved to be displayed on a calendar, dark glasses hid his eyes, but the strong jaw and short brown hair looked more than worthy of his well-muscled chest.
Typical. Weren't all serial killers attractive? "If you don't leave, I'll call the police," she said, eyeing him carefully. To make sure he didn't take an ax to her door, not because she had decided that if she was going to end life at the hands of a serial killer, then he'd be the one she'd pick.
"I assume it was your cat that my dog was chasing?" He looked remarkably calm for a man plotting her death.
Wait a sec. "That's your dog?"
"Yeah. Sorry about that." He glanced at his watch, the tense movement belying his relaxed posture. Was he always on a deadline for his murders?
But now she knew his modus operandi. Send his dog inside so he had to follow. Then his dog would prey on poor Ophelia while this dangerously handsome man practiced his deadly techniques on Erica. Quite creative, actually. Always nice to know serial killers were continuing to innovate. "How do you know my name?"
He grinned, a smug look in his eyes, and she realized she'd just admitted her name. Dammit. She was no good at serial-killer negotiations. "Because I live three doors down from you," he said. "You never come to the neighborhood association meetings, and you're a month behind on your annual dues." He tilted his head ever so slightly. "I'm the treasurer."
Treasurer? "What's your name?"
"Todd Barrett."
Nope. Didn't sound familiar. Probably because she'd never paid a bit of attention to any of this neighborhood stuff. Had she known there were men like this on the board, maybe she would have…. Oh, who was she kidding? She didn't have time to date men who would lure her into wanting to spend time with them, tempting her to abandon her obligations to work, friends and Ophelia. Especially given the current state of her career: a promotion on the table, her career teetering on the edge of finally taking off. She'd made the mistake of putting a man over her career once, and she was still paying the price. Never again.
Which meant she would never allow a man who could distract her into her life. A man like Todd. The man was smoking-hot. She wouldn't have been surprised to find the glass door starting to bubble and melt.
He pulled his wallet out of his pocket and held it up so she could read his license. Sure enough, he lived practically next door. Even if he was a serial killer, she supposed she ought to be neighborly. Didn't she read somewhere that serial killers rarely kill neighbors?
She opened the door and stepped out onto the deck. "I'm sorry I was rude…." Her voice faded as she felt a weird zinging racing through her body. Then she saw the heat smoldering in his eyes as his gaze encompassed her body. It wasn't as if he was looking at her like some perv might. It was more of a sense of awareness, a vibe.
She took a step back and folded her arms over her chest. "You better call your dog."
For a long moment, he locked his gaze on hers, and she felt an invisible force tugging her toward him. What was that all about? Whatever it was, she was rejecting it. Now.
He turned away, and the moment was over. He whistled and his dog appeared instantly, taking a flying leap into his arms. "Sorry again for the trouble."
"No problem." She was so impressed she'd managed to get those words out when all she wanted to do was grab his arm and find out what all that zinging had meant.
As if she had time in her life for a guy who made her zing. No chance.
Four hours later, Todd shoved his walkie-talkie back onto his belt and surveyed the influx of partygoers. All the tents were in place, children's play area was in full swing, caterers had already cooked up the appetizers, dining tent was in good shape, volleyball pit was rocking and teams were being picked for Capture the Flag.
"Hey, boss."
Todd turned to his most senior worker, Matt Davidson, a good friend and his first employee. This afternoon, Todd had thirty-one employees working the beat at the summer gala for Essex Bank, the largest bank in the Pacific Northwest. "How's the pool?"
"Too many kids and not enough lifeguards. It's a liability." Matt wiped sweat off his brow. "Either we shut it down or we get more lifeguards a.s.a.p."
"Your call."
"It's too hot to shut it down. I'll make some calls. See who I can get." Matt pulled out his cell phone and walked back toward the pool, and Todd turned away, knowing he didn't need to think about the pool or lifeguards. Matt, as usual, was on top of everything.
Todd turned back to watch his staff direct cars into ordered parking as the guests drove onto the field. All was under control. He glanced at his watch. Only five in the afternoon. Another six hours to go until this thing would be shut down. Kids and family in the early evening, some heavy corporate drinking when night fell. He was about to commend himself on a well-run event when he saw a little Jack Russell chasing an SUV. He immediately cursed under his breath and whistled. "Superman! Get over here!"
The dog was by his side in an instant, practically grinning like a fool. "You know you can't be messing around with the client at these things. We're staff, remember?"
Superman wagged his tail and barked.
"Yeah, I know. Elitist corporate types suck. But they pay our bills, right?" He snapped his fingers and Supe leaped into his arms. "What were you thinking, chasing that cat this morning?"
He hadn't been able to get the image of Erica out of his mind all day, even when he dropped a crate on his foot and nearly broke his toe. He'd seen her plenty of times around the neighborhood, wearing her navy suit and driving her expensive car with her hair tucked up in a bun. Not his type and he'd never thought much about her when she'd zoomed by his house in the morning on her way to some uptight corporate job.
But today? With her oversize T-shirt, cutoff jeans, bare feet and flyaway red hair, she'd looked so normal and appealing he'd nearly been ready to swear off his aversion to corporate women. Seeing her as a woman made him come to life in a way he hadn't in a very long time. And he hadn't forgotten that quick glimpse of her athletic body when she'd been sprawled on the deck in her bikini.
Annoying, that's what it was. He'd seen Erica in her window late at night, hunched over her computer. Erica was a professional in a white-collar world, exactly like his ex-fiancée who'd chosen her career over a blue-collar husband. The same passion for work that had drawn him to her had been the demise of their relationship. He'd learned his lesson about falling for a white-collar workaholic woman, and he wasn't going to be burned again. Since then, he'd stuck to women who didn't have those career demands.
Granted, it had resulted in a bunch of short relationships, because none of the women had been remotely interesting, but it was better than getting crushed emotionally. He didn't need a woman like that, didn't want a woman like that, and sure wasn't going to start fantasizing about a woman like that, even if her name was Erica.
Supe whined and jumped out of his arms, bolting back to the SUV. Todd whistled, but Superman ignored him. What was up with that? "Supe!" He started walking toward the truck, then stopped when the passenger door opened and Erica leaned out, holding that blasted cat in her arms.
Erica? Here? He felt as though he'd just been clubbed between his shoulder blades with a bat.
She noticed him before she'd put her beige sandal down on the grass, and she froze, her foot dangling in midair, her mouth open as if she'd just been asked to chop off her foot and donate it to charity.
Which was exactly how he felt. So good to know they had one thing in common.
"Superman. Get over here." The dog ignored him in favor of licking the cat. Didn't he know dogs were supposed to have cats for dinner? Especially those that belonged to the wrong woman.
Todd stalked over to the car and grabbed Superman's collar. "What are you doing here?"
Erica's eyes flashed, and he realized for the first time how blue they were. And she had freckles. Cute ones that didn't belong on some uptight corporate woman. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "You are a stalker, aren't you?"
He blinked. "I'm not stalking you."
"Oh." Did she sound disappointed? The moment was gone before he could be sure. She stepped out of the car, pushing Superman off her perfectly pressed beige silk shorts. With her crisp blue blouse and tight little bun, she was the professional career woman once again. Heartless, cold and willing to dump on anyone to advance her career. So why was he still reacting to her as though she was barefoot and casual?
"If you aren't a stalker, then why are you here?"
"I own the firm that's putting on the party."
She blinked, and he couldn't decipher her expression. "Oh."
What did that mean? Already judging him as "unhelpful to her career"?
A stuffy gent in dull attire walked around the SUV and set his hand on Erica's elbow. "Are you ready?"
Todd met Erica's gaze. "Your date?"
"Yes." Her cat hissed and whacked Superman on the nose. Superman whined and lifted his lip in a snarl. "Great dog you have."
"Equally nice cat." He wasn't about to admit he'd never seen Superman snarl before. What was up with that? First the dog ignored him and then snarled? Probably suffering a relapse brought on by Erica's presence and her similarities to the ex who had nearly destroyed both Todd and Superman. A dangerous reminder of an ugly past that both he and Superman had worked hard to put behind them.
Then he noticed the dud hadn't let go of Erica's arm yet, and he wanted to grab the guy and throttle him.
He cursed under his breath and stepped back, trying to control the emotion racing through him. He'd successfully crushed passion the day his ex had walked out of his life, and he'd been living a neat little existence of controlled emotion ever since.
He was unprepared for what Erica evoked in him. He had to get away. Now. "I'll see you around."
She opened her mouth as if she was going to say something, but he didn't stick around to find out. He wasn't interested in anything she had to say.
Ophelia crept up silently behind the dog sleeping in the shade of the food tent. When she was six inches away, she crouched and then sprung into the air, landing with a screeching yowl on the dog's back.
Superman leaped to his feet and bolted, his tail between his legs. When he'd put a safe distance between them, he spun around to face his assailant, ferocious barks bursting from his chest.
Ophelia stretched out in the spot he'd abandoned. "Cats rule."
Superman growled. "I knew it was you. I had to get away before I hurt you by mistake. It's dangerous to sneak up on a killer like me."
Ophelia rolled onto her back and stretched. "You do realize that Erica is here with the guy we need to destroy, don't you? If we don't step it up, that shifty loser is going to suck her in. He'll lock me out of the house and try to run me over in his car. No more snuggly nights on the bed for me. I'll be locked in the garage." Ophelia growled and dug her claws into the grass. She owned that house and no way was she going to turn over control to some beastly cat-hater.
Todd definitely met her standards, and it would be fun to boss Supe around while Todd and Erica were at work. Most of the time, the animals weren't allowed to come along, like they were on today's picnic.
Not that Ophelia had actually been invited. When Cat-Hater had arrived to pick up Erica, Ophelia had bolted through the open car door and hidden in the back. Unseen and unnoticed until they'd arrived at the party. Too late to turn around, too hot to leave the cat in the car. So she'd been allowed to come.
Superman scratched his ear. "You know, I'm not sure this is going to work. There's a fundamental flaw with our plan."
Ophelia stopped flicking her tail. "What flaw?"
"She reminds Todd of his ex-fiancée." Superman whimpered. "You think Cat-Hater is bad? This woman was like an evil animal control officer. All about humiliation, dominance and destruction. She did a real number on Todd."
"Erica's not like that." Ophelia injected as much haughtiness as possible into her response. How dare a dog insult her owner? Appalling.
"Yeah, but she's the same on the outside. Since Psycho Woman left, Todd has dated only dumb women who couldn't drive to the post office without getting lost. He's not going to go for the corporate type."
"Information that would have been helpful earlier," Ophelia hissed. Then she took a moment to lick her paw and clear the dust off her ears. Always easier to think when clean. "We have to show Todd that Erica isn't like that."
Superman lifted his nose, no doubt catching a whiff of the frying hamburger. "How do we do that?"
Ophelia fluffed her whiskers. "We may have to damage our reputations a bit."
"Sounds great. Tell me what to do."
Erica caught herself drumming her fingers on the tabletop again and shoved her hand under her thigh. Concentrate.
Her date, Frank Owens, had been discussing interest rates for the past forty-five minutes, and she hadn't heard a word. Too busy scanning the fields for some sign of Todd Barrett.
Argh! Why was she looking for Todd? The man exuded everything she didn't want in a guy. Power. Control. Arrogance. And passion. The man was all about passion.
She shivered and took a sip of the white wine she'd been nursing. A man like Todd Barrett would threaten everything she held dear: her independence, her freedom, her emotional well-being. He could suck her into his soul so fast she wouldn't know what happened. And then she'd lose herself in him.
Well, forget that. She was staying away from any man with the power to chip away at her wall. Her dating schedule was open only to men like Frank. What was it about Frank that was so right for her? Blond hair, washed-out complexion, perfect teeth, a clean-shaven little chin. Decent chap but nothing she couldn't live without.
Nothing like Todd.
Todd. She sighed and swirled the wine, watching it swish inside her glass. How could she have acted like such a total dork when he appeared in her backyard? Freaking out and running into the house? Erica shook her head. She prided herself on her independent togetherness, yet when faced with some drop-dead-gorgeous hunk, she freaked out and lost all sanity? So not the persona she prided herself on. See? Already he was turning her into the weak woman she refused to be.
A loud crash sounded in the food tent, followed by frantic barking. Erica instinctively glanced at her feet, but Ophelia wasn't there. All that was left was the end of a chewed-through leash. "Ophelia?" She leaned down to check under the table. No cat. Not good. "I have to go find her."
Frank put his hand on her arm. "I'm sure she's fine. Give her some freedom."
Erica shrugged out from under his touch before she could stop herself. "What if that Jack Russell is eating her? I have to…"
"It's her fault for coming along. Leave her be." He grabbed her hand before she could get out of his reach. "It's just a cat."
Just a cat? "You told me you loved cats."
He grimaced and patted her arm. "I didn't mean it like that. I just…"
A deep male voice suddenly bellowed her name. "Erica Chase! Get over here!"
Erica spun toward the food tent. There stood Todd, fists on his hips, looking rugged in his faded jeans and baseball cap. Another jolt shot through her, and she had to set her hand on the table to keep her balance. What was wrong with her?
He jerked his head at her. The unspoken command was so arrogant that the only acceptable response was to ignore it. And then she heard another crash and more barking, and knew with sudden certainty where she could find her cat.
Erica drained her wine, smoothed her blouse, patted her bun, and marched across the grass toward the man she'd been planning to avoid. But as long as she had to face him, this was her opportunity to prove she wasn't the flighty female he'd first met. She was together. Smart. Sophisticated. She'd show him that she was immune to the passion and heat flooding from his body.
Todd watched Erica approach. With the upturn of her nose, he knew she was already sniffing out his blue-collar background.
He folded his arms across his chest and refused to acknowledge the rising sense of anticipation at her nearness.
She glided to a stop in front of him. "You bellowed?"
Charming. "Your cat is causing problems."
Erica lifted a brow. "Wasn't that your dog I heard barking?"
"Your cat started it." What was he doing? Arguing with her? It was as though he'd been dropped back in time to his petty bickering with his ex-fiancée. He scowled. "Follow me."
He turned away to walk toward the food tent, then spun back to make sure she was actually following him, only to catch her midappraisal of his butt. Her cheeks flamed red instantly, and she coughed.
Awareness jolted through him, and he turned away before he could return the favor. Since when was he attracted to the corporate type? He'd sworn off them since his ex had returned her engagement ring three days before the wedding so she could accept an overseas assignment that was more interesting than being married to him. She'd taken their sweet little cat and left behind Superman, saying he didn't fit her lifestyle either.
He cursed as he remembered that day. She'd taught him that women who had these highfalutin corporate jobs would never put a blue-collar guy like him before work. Sure, he owned a lucrative business and was making good money, but he was still a worker, not an exec.
And Erica exuded everything white-collar and pinstripe. So why was the scent of her perfume making his groin ache?
No matter. He wasn't giving in. It simply wasn't worth it to take the chance again.
Ophelia kicked a wineglass off the table, cringing when it shattered on a chair. Klutziness was so undignified for a cat. Would anyone really believe she was accidentally knocking these things off because she was panicked about some measly little Jack Russell who couldn't hurt her even if she rolled over on her back and offered herself up?
Probably. Humans would believe anything when their precious darlings were in trouble. A fact she was banking on.
Superman suddenly leaped into the air, appearing briefly at Ophelia's level. "They're coming!"
He disappeared out of sight.
"Excellent." Ophelia paused midswipe of a butter knife and peered out the tent flap. Erica and Todd were about fifteen yards away, and neither of them looked happy.
Superman leaped up again. "What now?"
Ophelia sighed as he dropped out of sight. Did it even occur to him to jump onto the table so they could chat, instead of just leaping into the air repeatedly for two-word conversations? Typical dog. Not strategic at all. "Will you jump up here already? And land on the table."
Superman leaped again, grabbed the table with his paws and scrambled awkwardly onto the tabletop. "Right. Good idea." He sat down, his pink tongue flapping with each pant. "So, what's up?"
Ophelia gestured toward the woods on the far side of the tent. "In there."
Supe's ears perked up. "Really?"
"Yes." Like she had time to be making up things. "We'll lure them in there, then double back and follow them while they search for us. When we feel they're ready, we'll let them find us." She tapped his nose with her paw. "That means no barking, whining or grabbing sticks and dragging them over the leaves. It's all about stealth."
He barked. "I can totally handle that. Superman is the king of stealth. No one messes with Superman. Only Kryptonite can mess with the dog of steel." He ducked and jigged and dove sideways, accidentally shooting over the edge of the table and crashing to the floor below.
Ophelia leaned over and peered as Superman scrambled to his feet. "Kryptonite and slippery tabletops, apparently."
"I did that on purpose," he said.
Ophelia sighed. Odd how she didn't have any faith in Superman's ability to be silent.
This plan was never going to work.
Ophelia saw Erica round the corner behind Todd. Too late! Time to act! She yowled and leaped to the ground beside Superman, dashing off toward the flap on the other side of the tent. Superman was in hot pursuit, yapping and growling with halfway decent believability. Maybe there was hope for him yet, under her expert tutelage.
Erica stepped into the tent as Ophelia whizzed past her, the little Jack Russell right on her tail. "Ophelia!"
The cat howled and continued her sprint toward the other side of the tent.
Todd whistled, and for an instant, Superman's gait faltered. Then the cat hissed and he was off again on a dead sprint, through the gap in the tent flap and then they were gone.
Blasted cat. Erica ran through the tent, hopping over upended chairs and shattered glass, trying not to imagine her cat's culpability in the disaster. With the promotional board deciding on Monday whether she got the promotion to senior public relations exec, she really didn't need to be responsible for singlehandedly destroying the summer picnic.
She ran out of the tent, vaguely aware of Todd right behind her. Okay, so she was vitally aware of his nearness. Didn't mean she was going to turn around and throw herself into his arms or anything asinine like that.
He cursed under his breath as he drew alongside. "They're going into the woods."
Gah! "We'll never find them if they go in there."
"Sure, we will." He grabbed her hand and started hauling her across the field.
She was so glad she'd worn sandals for today's picnic instead of her sneakers. Not. "Todd! Let go!"
"Come on." He didn't release her hand, but slowed his pace a bit.
Why was he holding her hand? It wasn't as if she was going to run off and abandon the search for the animals. She oughta rip her hand right out of his and…
"Shh. They stopped at the edge of the woods." Todd dropped her hand and slowed to a walk, holding out his hand toward the animals and crooning softly, "Come here, guys. Got some leftover hamburger for you."
"Ophelia. Come 'ere, kitty." They were less than ten feet away from the animals, who were watching them intently. "That's a good girl. Stay right where you are."
Todd was only about five feet away from them, his outstretched hand almost on Ophelia's collar.
Come on, Todd. Grab her.
Then Ophelia hissed, Superman barked, and they took off into the depth of the woods.
Todd uttered a colorful epithet that nicely reflected her own sentiments. He glanced over his shoulder as he started running again. "Your cat has corrupted my dog. He never disobeys like this."
Erica chose to say nothing as she jogged behind him. What could she say? Ophelia had made it an art to sneak out of the house and stay inches out of reach until she was ready to be caught. Erica had no doubt her cat was completely responsible for the decay of Superman's natural canine desire to please his owner.
After about ten minutes, Todd stopped, his hand settling on Erica's forearm to halt her progress. Or maybe because he couldn't bear not to be touching her anymore…yeah, right. No doubt she was the only one who was afflicted by a burning need to consummate the zinging with a man who was totally wrong for her.
"Shh. I just heard Superman."
Erica stood next to him and listened. Plenty of forest sounds, scampers and creaks and squeaks, but nothing identifiable as belonging to their animals.
"Superman! Come here, boy!"
No response.
Todd whistled, and a canine yelp sounded to their right, promptly followed by a feline hiss and then silence.
"Superman!"
Erica led the way toward the bark, but found nothing. Heard a scampering upon her approach, but no other signs of the animals. Shoot.
Todd came to a stop beside her. "They're messing with us."
"Yes, well, it wouldn't be the first time." Erica turned to Todd, suddenly aware of their total isolation in the woods. Nothing but them. Her skin started to burn and she took a step back. "Why don't you go back to the party? You have work to do. I'll keep looking." Anything to get this sizzling hunk of a man out of temptation's reach.
"Not a chance. I'm in it until the end."
Wowza. The determination in his eyes made her realize that if she was ever lost, he'd be the one she'd want to have looking for her. He was passion and strength and total independence. Fiercely loyal.
Everything she didn't want in a man.
So why couldn't she stop looking at his lips?
And dammit. He'd noticed. How was she supposed to explain that?
Todd felt as though he'd been struck by a two-by-four, the way Erica was devouring his mouth with her eyes. What was wrong with him? Erica was everything he didn't want in a woman. He didn't respond to women like her. Maybe he just needed a little reminder about where her priorities lay. "So, how do you like working at Essex?"
She blinked, as if she'd been off in some other land. "Essex?"
"Your job. At the bank."
"Oh, right. My job." She swallowed. "Won't have one as of Monday, probably."
He lifted a brow. "Why not?"
"Didn't you see the tent? The picnic has been ruined, thanks to my cat."
He was surprised by her candor. Why wasn't she blaming the dog? His ex had always blamed the dog. "My dog had a part of it."
Erica rolled her eyes and turned away. "It's Ophelia's fault. She's been a little strange lately. Like she's got something on her mind."
She started walking through the woods, calling periodically for the animals.
After a moment, Todd fell into step beside her. "You don't think you're going to be fired for that, do you? I mean, I'd think you'd be judged on more than that." If she was going to be fired, he didn't care. It wasn't his problem. He didn't care. At all. Period.
She slanted a glance in his direction. "Actually, I'm up for a promotion. Interview panel decides Monday afternoon. This is the third time I've gone for it, and I've never gotten it before." Her voice hardened. "I've been the most qualified candidate, but they always come up with something. The destruction of the summer picnic should be good enough this time." She scowled and kicked at a branch.
Todd felt his gut tighten, both at the evident passion in her voice for her job, and at the memories it brought back. His ex had thrown her soul into her work, a passion he had respected and was indicative of the level of passion she could also have for him.
Wrong.
Her passion was for her work only, and he was thrown out with the trash when the two conflicted.
And here was Erica. Another woman passionate about her job. He wanted a woman with passion, but the passion couldn't be for a world that didn't have room for him. Like Erica's world of finances and suits. He plowed ahead of her, then caught a branch before it could whip her in the face. "If you deserve the job, then why don't you fight for it? Make them give it to you."
She lifted a brow. "It's not that easy."
"Why not?" He lifted a branch for her to duck under, an action he realized was a mistake when he caught a whiff of her floral scent as she moved past him.
"Because I don't want to jeopardize anything by pushing it."
"I'd think that if you wanted it bad enough, it would be worth fighting for."
She spun around, and he belatedly realized her eyes were flashing and her cheeks were flushed. Whoops. He hadn't realized he'd been treading on difficult territory. "For your information, I've busted my butt for this promotion! Don't tell me I haven't tried!"
He held up his hands and tried to back away. Why did he find her fire so appealing? It was fire for her job, remember? A job that didn't leave room for a blue-collar guy.
Erica followed him, shaking her finger at him. "I've already made enough mistakes, and I'm not going to make any more. I want a successful career and I'm going to get it. I'm not going to let emotions make my decisions for me. It's all about strategy and being levelheaded and…"
He grabbed her and kissed her. Hard.
Don't kiss him, Erica!
Kiss him! Now! Never let him go!
No! Run away!
The zinging in her body had multiplied exponentially. Her legs were trembling. Her hands had wrapped themselves in the front of his shirt, clinging as though her life depended on it. And her lips…responding to him. Begging for more. Taking more.
What are you doing? He's all wrong for you. He'll take away everything you've worked so hard for!
But he tasted so good. His lips were demanding and gentle; his hands, hot on her back. When had he slipped them under her shirt? When had she put her hands on his bare chest?
Erica! You lost everything once! He'll steal it all again!
His body felt so right pressed against her. Hot. Trembling. Like forbidden fire that she couldn't live without.
Which is why you have to stop!
Todd whispered her name against her lips, his voice tender yet demanding. It was as though he was sucking her soul into his, to be eternally bound.
"No!" She pushed against his chest, and he instantly released her, a startled look on his face.
"What's wrong?"
"I can't do it again!" She tried to turn away, but he caught her arms.
His eyes narrowed and his jaw was flexing with tension. "What is it?"
"You!"
He dropped his hands. "I see."
She saw the flash of pain in his eyes. She grabbed his arm. "No, not you."
"Then what?"
"What you do to me."
He lifted a brow, but some of the hostility was gone. "What does that mean?"
"I…" She didn't want to talk about this. Her baggage was personal. "Let's just say you tempt me, and I have too much going on in my life to start dallying around with some guy who would distract me from my work. I have this promotion at stake, and I need to…"
A frantic barking erupted from her right, and Superman burst out of the bushes and took a flying leap into Todd's arms. Ophelia sauntered casually out of the same spot, then stopped about ten feet from Erica to clean her ears.
"Ophelia!" Erica sidled over to her, but the cat showed no sign of ducking out of reach. Apparently, the game was over. She lifted Ophelia to her chest.
Todd was scratching Superman's ears, and watching Erica, his eyes cold. "So, you're saying that work takes priority over a man. No room for both. Is that it?"
She opened her mouth to affirm, only to have Ophelia dig her claws into Erica's arm. "Ow! Ophelia! What's your problem?"
Superman started squirming, nearly managing to leap out of Todd's arms. "Let's go, or we're going to lose them again."
"Right." The moment they started walking, both animals settled down nicely, and Ophelia even started purring.
But the companionship they'd shared before the kiss was gone. Todd was keeping a strict distance between them, and his shoulders were stiff.
She watched him stomp through the woods, and she couldn't shake the pit in her stomach. Wasn't that her modus operandi? Any time she met a guy who threatened to pull her in and make her repeat the mistakes of her past, she found a way to drive him away. Success with Todd.
So what was her problem? Why did she feel so deeply wrong?
Todd rubbed Superman's head and tried not to listen to Erica as she tramped along behind him.
But for the animals' interruption, she'd have come right out and admitted that she was everything he hated in a woman. Work before her relationships. It was confirmed.
So why was he still thinking about that kiss? It wasn't as though he was an adolescent with no hormonal control. He was a bitter man who wasn't about to mess around with a woman who'd burn him again.
They emerged from the woods, and Todd saw the president of the bank standing in the doorway to the food tent.
Crap.
How could he have forgotten what he'd left behind? His business. Forgotten for a woman. See? She was already screwing up his life.
Todd broke into a jog and loped across the field to the tent, aware of Erica right behind him. He cursed. Why was she wearing that perfume? It was invading his privacy.
He glared at the world and marched into the tent. His right hand, Matt, was trying to do damage control with the prez, but by the look of relief on his face when he spied Todd, he wasn't having much success.
Todd tucked Superman under his left arm and strode straight up to the client. "Mr. Randazzo. This looks far worse than it is. We'll still be on time for dinner."
The man narrowed his black eyes at Todd. Sheesh. Chill out. It's just a few broken dishes. "What happened here, Barrett?"
"Ah." Belatedly, Todd questioned the wisdom of walking into the tent with one of the culprits under his arm. "Dog got a little out of control."
Mr. Randazzo stared at Superman. "You taking him to the pound to be destroyed?"
Superman growled and Ophelia hissed. Todd shot a glance at Erica, then patted Supe. "He's my dog."
Mr. Randazzo blinked. "Your dog did this."
"Yes, sir. But it's really not a big deal." He glanced around, pleased to see that his staff had already picked up most of the damage. "We'll still be on time."
"I'm canceling the contract for next summer. And I'm calling everyone who recommended you and telling them that you screwed up the picnic. If you manage to get this dinner on time, then maybe I'll consider letting you keep the money from this year." He turned away. "How could you be stupid enough to bring a dog to this picnic?" He dismissed Todd and walked out of the tent.
Todd cursed. It was one thing not to have an event go well, or even to take a hit financially on one event, but he needed word-of-mouth to succeed. These big corporate connections were where the money was, and no way did he need the president of Essex Bank maligning him. "Mr. Randazzo —"
"It was my cat who started it," Erica blurted out. "It's my fault, not his."
Todd spun around to stare at Erica. She had a shocked look on her face, as if she couldn't believe she'd just said that.
And he couldn't either. She'd offered up her precious promotion to protect him, even after he'd taken full blame. Made his traitorous gut go all soft on him.
Mr. Randazzo turned around and looked at Erica. "Did you say something?"
Come to think of it, why had he taken blame for it instead of letting Erica take the hit? No matter. Here was his chance. All he needed to do was step back and let Erica finish what she'd started.
Erica felt her mouth gape open as her boss, the deciding man on the interview panel, waited for her answer.
What have you done, Erica?
Just like that, she'd put her career at risk for Todd. A guy she barely knew. At least when she'd turned down her dream job six years ago when she'd been graduating from college, it had been because she was about to get engaged. Granted, they'd broken up two months later, leaving her searching the dregs of the job market the month before graduation, but at least she'd been in a serious relationship!
And hadn't she supposedly learned from that? Don't give up your career for any man ever, because then when he leaves you you'll find yourself screwed? She'd done such an excellent job for the past six years, keeping herself distant enough from men that she'd never been tempted to give up anything for one of them.
Until tonight.
"Erica? What did you say?" Mr. Randazzo was staring at her, as if he wasn't entirely sure what he'd heard her say. He looked at . "Did you bring your cat to this picnic?"
Um…Ophelia
Todd stepped in front of her. "No, this was the stray cat my dog was chasing. Erica helped me catch her. This place would be in far worse shape if you didn't have Erica helping out." He nodded at Erica. "Thanks."
Ophelia purred and flicked her tail.
"But…" She couldn't let him take the blame. She'd seen the look on his face at her boss's threats. He needed the recommendation from this job.
Todd grabbed her arm and began pulling her away. "Mr. Randazzo, we can meet up at the end of the night and see if you have changed your mind about your satisfaction level. I promise you will." He yanked her to the side and out of hearing range of her boss.
Keeping his hand tight on her arm — tight in a comforting, bonding sort of way — Todd escorted her to the other side of the tent, where he paused and lowered his voice. "You need to get that cat home before Randazzo figures it out."
"Why did you do that?"
He blinked. "Do what?"
"Take the blame. It's Ophelia's fault and we both know it." Ophelia purred and kneaded her claws into Erica's arm. "Ow."
"I have no friggin' idea." He didn't look pleased either. "Just take the cat and get out of here."
She frowned. "Um…okay." That meant she had to go track down her date for a ride home. Frank. Somehow he wasn't really holding the magic for her right now. She cleared her throat. It would be good to spend time with Frank after what Todd had almost made her do. She needed one of her boring staples to corral her before she could make another poor decision.
Todd cursed under his breath. "You didn't drive here."
"I can find Frank. He'll leave now if I ask him." Ugh. What if he tried to kiss her? She'd have to throw Ophelia in his face and run for safety. After the hot kiss in the woods with Todd, kissing Frank would be like drinking sour milk.
"No, I'll drive you." She felt a ping of excitement rifle through her. Todd was going to drive her home? He shifted Superman to the other arm. "I mean, if I had both you and your date bailing early, Randazzo would really be pissed. Damage control."
"Right. It's all about work." As it should be. And the disappointment surging through her at the thought he wasn't just using it as an excuse to get close to her? A good reminder of the dangers of being tempted by a man.
Todd ground the gears as he lurched his car to a stop in Erica's driveway. What was his problem? Why had he defended her to her boss? It had been her blasted cat's fault, not his.
He shoved open his car door.
It was because she'd tried to defend him. He'd been so shocked that his brain had stopped functioning for a moment. Because he'd been grateful that a woman such as Erica would have even considered putting him ahead of work? He was a fool.
He yanked open her door and held out his hand. "You coming?"
She stared at him. "You opened my door for me?"
He blinked. "I guess so."
"Wow." She shifted Ophelia to her left arm and let him pull her out of his car. Supe took a flying leap past them and ran up the front walk.
Todd had been fully intending to let go of her as soon as she was on her feet. He really had.
But when she stood up, and her body was only inches from his, and she was studying his face as if she had no idea what was on his mind, and he caught that same floral scent that catapulted him back into their intimate moment in the woods, he had no chance. No choice.
He simply had to kiss her.
The moment he decided to kiss her, her eyes widened and she leaned forward. Then she jerked back and spun away.
Damn.
No good.
Damn good. That's what it would have been.
"Um, thanks for the ride." She twisted out of his grasp and scurried up the front steps, her heart pounding so hard she felt as if she were going to topple over in cardiac arrest.
He had been about to kiss her.
She fumbled for her keys.
Must get inside immediately before I throw myself at him and beg him to kiss me again.
Superman jumped out of the bushes next to the front door, barking like a psycho. Erica leaped sideways, her keys flying out of her hand while Ophelia purred with contentment.
"Erica."
She spun around to find her keys in Todd's hand. "Great. You found my keys."
He set them in her hand. "Why did you try to take the blame for the tent?"
"Um…" Excellent question. "Why did you take the blame for Ophelia?"
"Still trying to decide."
"Oh." He was moving closer. So was she. "I'm not interested in you."
He lifted a brow. "Good. I'm definitely not interested in you."
She caught her breath. "What's wrong with me?"
"Risky priorities."
He was so close now she could feel his breath on her skin. Talk about risky…
"On the other hand, you have passion." His voice was husky, deep.
"Passion?" Nice squeaky voice there.
"For your work. I've always been a sucker for a woman with passion." He brushed his lips over hers, so softly it was as if it was a mistake.
Yeah, right. A mistake that nearly made her legs go numb. "Yeah, that's why I don’t like you." Ophelia hopped out of her arms. Should go get cat.
He kissed the corner of her mouth. "Because I'm a sucker for women with passion?"
She swallowed and set her hands on his forearms for balance. "Because you demand things I can't give."
"Can't or won't? That's the big question." He kissed the other corner of her mouth. "I'm sort of thinking that maybe there's a can in there somewhere."
"No way."
He paused. "Then I shouldn't kiss you."
"I agree." She tightened her grip on his arms. "Definitely no kiss."
"Agreed." The word made it out into the air the instant before Todd kissed her.
And it was just like it was in the woods. Fire whipping through him, heat racing, the need for more.
Somewhere in the deep recesses of his brain, something was shouting at him to stop, but he shut it out and deepened the kiss.
And when Erica slipped her hands up his arms and around his neck, he knew he was a goner. The passion he craved in a woman was evident in every quivering fiber of her body. The way she responded to his exploration, challenging him to new levels. Her breath, mingled with his. The way her body fit perfectly against his, responding when he pulled her close.
Erica was all about passion, and it wasn't just her work that drove her. It was deeper than that, permeating her body, undeniable for either of them.
Almost made him believe it would be enough.
Almost.
He broke the kiss and pulled back. Erica opened her eyes slowly, the half-mast eyelids looking so seductive he was barely able to stop himself from returning to the fire. "I have to get back to work," he said.
She nodded and touched her finger to her lips. "Probably for the best."
"Yeah." Some of the heat left her eyes and was replaced by a wary caution. He ought to be thinking along those lines as well.
"I should go in."
"Yeah." Could he sound more illiterate? Afraid of speaking because his mouth might suggest something he had no intention of following through on?
She unlocked the door and pushed it open. Superman immediately ran inside, followed by Ophelia.
Cursed dog. "Supe!"
The dog didn't even hesitate as he bolted up the stairs and out of sight.
No way was he going into Erica's house in search of his dog. Not with the feel of her lips against his still ingrained in his soul. "You can just put him outside. I have a pet door so he can get into the house."
She nodded. "Or you could come get him when you're done."
Instant jolt of adrenaline with that remark. "It'll be late by the time we get everything taken down."
"I'll be up late working."
He lifted his brow. "Working?"
"I have a promotion to win by Monday. After the fiasco at the picnic, I need to do a brilliant job on a report for Randazzo. It has to be on his desk by the time he gets to work on Monday morning so he's slobbering at the thought of giving me a promotion."
Right. The work thing. He'd been thinking about coming back to her house and following up on those kisses. She'd been thinking about her job.
Nothing like a slap of reality to bring his hormones under control. "I'll see you around."
He walked out before he could grab her shoulders and demand to know whether there was space for more than work in her life. He already knew the answer.
Besides, it took too much out of him to admit he cared enough to fight. He didn't. So he was leaving.
Ophelia rested her chin on Superman's back and studied Erica as she sat at the kitchen table, rattling away on her laptop. "Supe."
The dog twitched, off in a deep-sleep pursuit of a gerbil or something equally small that he could actually beat.
Ophelia gently bit his ear, and Supe leaped to his feet and sprinted around the corner yelping. Erica started and looked up at the animals. "Superman, I forgot you were still here."
Blasted dog. Didn't he know anything about stealth?
Superman slunk around the corner, then sat down and wagged his tail at Erica. Dogs. They thought putting on that cute face would win them anything. Didn't they realize that it was all about control? About being independent and demanding what you want, instead of trying to beg your way into happiness.
"You're so cute. As if I'd put you outside like Todd suggested. No way," Erica crooned to him.
How about that? Maybe there was something to this cute thing. Not that she'd admit that to Superman. She hissed once just to remind him that she was the one with the good ideas.
Superman had to stay at Ophelia's house so Todd would be forced to show up to retrieve his dog. The fire had been stirred, and it needed to be tended while it was still simmering. Everything was too precarious right now. Ophelia had thought that they were in for a break when Erica went back to the picnic in her own car, but she'd come home alone two hours later, muttering about how Todd had kept his distance while he salvaged the party.
A knock sounded at the door, and all three of them jumped. It was only eleven o'clock. Todd must have powered through cleanup in record time. He was more whipped than Ophelia had thought. Obviously, his avoidance of Erica at the picnic had been a farce to make her want him more. Excellent plan, Todd.
She looked at Superman, and he wagged his tail as Erica walked past him to the front door.
Excellent.
"Frank? What are you doing here?" Erica's surprised voice snapped Ophelia out of her self-accolades.
Frank? Cat-Hater Frank? This was all wrong! Where was Todd?
"You left without saying goodbye. I wanted to make sure you were all right."
Ophelia beckoned Superman, and they both walked to the front door and sat beside Erica, trying to look ferocious. Superman's lip was up, and a tiny growl was emanating from his chest.
Not bad for a Jack Russell.
Frank glanced at them. "You got a dog, too?"
How evident was that disdain? So the man was a dog-hater, too? Ophelia moved closer to Superman. You hurt my boy and I'll rip you to shreds.
Erica hesitated. "He's not mine."
"Whose is he?"
"He belongs to…my…"
Boyfriend. Just say it. Get rid of Cat-and-Dog-Hater now. Superman belongs to your hot, sexy lover who drives you wild.
"I own the dog."
Hallelujah! Todd’s here just in time!
Frank nearly tripped over himself spinning around to see who owned that marvelously hostile voice, and Erica's face flushed.
Nice.
Ophelia saw Superman's rump lift off the ground to prepare for a launch into Todd's arms, so she immediately clocked him in the head. "Don't you dare! We need to get Todd into the house and Animal-Hater out! You need to retreat. Lure him inside."
"Right. Forgot. I was just so happy to see him," Superman said, his tail still wagging furiously as he gazed at Todd with total adoration.
"You're such a pansy!" Ophelia grabbed his collar between her teeth and began hauling him toward the stairs. "Upstairs. To the bedroom. Now."
"But…"
"It's all for Todd's sake. You want him to be happy, don't you?"
That was all it took for Superman to whirl around and sprint up the stairs. Ophelia stalked up after him. Dogs. So simple. Living for their owners. Had they no concept of taking care of themselves?
Ophelia glanced over her shoulder as she reached the top of the staircase. Two men on her doorstep and one woman inside. Come on, Erica! Let down your guard for once and let the man in! And not the cat-hater. The other one.
Crap.
Crap.
Crap.
Erica watched Frank and Todd size each other up.
She should let Frank in. Safe, nondemanding, not overly interesting, no threat to her priorities.
She should send Todd on his way before he could convince her to throw career number two away for a man.
"See ya, Frank." Todd walked inside and up the stairs. He shut her bedroom door with resounding firmness, as if he lived there and was waiting for her to join him.
Shivers wiggled in her belly even as she envisioned ways of taking Todd off his arrogant little stoop. How dare he march into her house like that?
Frank looked annoyed. "You and him? The tent guy? Are a thing?"
Todd scowled as Frank's piercing voice drilled through the closed door. Tent guy? That's all he was? A tent guy? "Superman. Get out from under that bed. We're getting out of here."
He couldn't hear Erica's response, and had to fight a surprisingly strong urge to yank that door open and see what she'd said about him.
As if he wanted to know. Sure, he knew what she was about, but he didn't need to hear it.
He dropped to the floor and lifted the blue dust ruffle. Two sets of eyes stared back at him from the farthest recesses of the bed. "Supe. Come on."
The dog wiggled and barked, but stayed pressed-up next to the cat.
"Superman! Let's go!"
"I think he's planning to stay the night," Erica said.
Todd jerked upright, cracked his head on the side rail, then staggered to his feet. Erica was standing in the middle of the room, no Frank in sight. "So, you did a good job cleaning up after Ophelia's destructiveness. By the time I got back to the party, it didn't look like anything had happened. Even my boss seemed to be in a good mood."
Yeah, he'd seen her come back and sit at the table with Frank while he’d been laboring away behind the scenes. He'd tried to stay away from her, but when Superman hadn't been home, he'd nearly sprinted down the street to take advantage of the excuse to see her. "Where's Frank?"
"He left."
"Why?"
Erica lifted her chin. "Misunderstanding."
Todd felt something drift through the air and wrap itself around his gut. "What kind of misunderstanding?"
"Something I didn't correct."
Todd replayed Frank's comment as he took a couple steps in Erica's direction. "That I'm a lowly tent guy?"
She lifted a brow in surprise. "You heard?"
"Just his comment. Didn't hear your response." Did she smell good or what?
Her gaze fell to his lips. "I…um…" She cleared her throat. "He thinks you and I are a having a fling. I didn't correct him."
He felt his chest tighten, but at the same time, he tried to remind himself of what really mattered. "So you didn't correct him on the lowly tent guy thing?" That's all he was to people in Erica's world. A blue-collar guy who wore jeans to work. Someone who didn't help a woman's career if she brought him to a holiday party at work. Especially not at a bank. How would he engage in small talk with a bunch of bankers?
Erica shifted but didn't move back when he reached her. "Why would you think you're lowly? You own your own business."
"I know that." Didn't think she'd noticed, though. Interesting. He touched her, his fingers drifting lightly over her arm. "Did you get your work done?"
"No."
"Then I guess you need to keep working then."
She took a deep breath. "I can work tomorrow. It's Sunday. Got no plans." Wariness flickered over her features. "You really should leave."
"No kidding." He let his hand drop from her arm and settle on her waist. He gave a soft tug, and she let him pull her toward him. "You aren't the right woman for me."
"And you aren't the right guy for me." She flattened her palms on his chest, but didn't push away.
"Why not? Because you might like me more than you like work?" He nearly bit his tongue when he asked the question. What did he want her to say? Yes, she liked him? Wouldn't that just tempt him into thinking this time it could be different? And if she said no, then did he really want to hear that? Either way, it sucked and he didn't want to know her answer.
So he kissed her before she could answer.
Seemed like a logical plan until he felt her respond, and then he knew with absolute certainty that he was in very deep trouble.
Erica threw herself against Todd, dug her fingers into his hair, sucked the heat from his body into every pore of hers.
Self-control was gone. Just like that. Gone. What happened to her plans of self-preservation, protecting herself against men who made her tremble with longing and who haunted her dreams?
Gone. All she wanted was more kiss, deeper kiss, hands everywhere.
Even the blasted bed was a traitor. How dare it be mere feet away from where she was getting the best kiss of her life?
His hands were hot against her bare back. Right up under her shirt as if she wasn't even wearing any clothes. How convenient would that be if she didn't have any clothes on? Perhaps she should make the offer.
Or perhaps he was reading her mind.
She lifted her arms over her head barely in time for him to slip her shirt off. Oh, wow. Didn't realize she had a g-spot on her collarbone. And her throat. And between her breasts. And her nipples…they'd never quite felt like this.
Hot damn. He'd turned her entire body into one pulsating erogenous zone.
So unfair. Wasn't she morally offended by a man having all the control? Must turn the tables.
Erica managed to wrench her hands off his shoulders and yanked his shirt out of his jeans. Not enough. Need more. Control, that is. Must make him quiver for me.
Like she could think right now. Her bra was somewhere over in the corner, and her body was at his mercy. Apparently, a good place to be. But not good enough.
She tugged at his waistband, impressed with her speed in dismantling his belt and zipper. Perhaps passion was empowering after all. Spectacular dexterity in the moments of greatest need.
"Erica." He stopped kissing her for a moment, framing her face between his hands. "Are you sure?"
Like she had a choice. She had to have him. It was more than physical, it was with every fiber of her being. "Yes."
At her response, his eyes darkened and she knew he felt the same way. How about that? He wanted her as much as she needed him. Never been there before.
Mutual effort landed them on the bed, clothes flying. Something crashed with the tingling sound of broken glass when his jeans hit them. Who cared? What was a little more broken glass this evening? It was all part of the ambience.
His lips were hot and demanding as they trailed up her inner thigh to parts cheering his approach. Yeah, Todd! Welcome!
Holy cow! The man was all talent! "No, stop!" No more. She couldn't take any more. She wasn't going there alone tonight.
"What's wrong?" His frown of concern broke into a bone melting grin of husky passion when she handed him a foil packet from her nightstand.
Talk about manual dexterity. Her offer to help hadn't even formed in her brain before all had been taken care of.
Limbs tangled, skin molded against skin, and their bodies fit perfectly together. Need meshed with longing and vulnerability, crashing into a union of souls that begged for each other.
Erica groaned and tried to focus her bleary brain on her computer. It was almost four in the afternoon and she'd crawled out of bed only twenty minutes ago. Never had she had a night of lovemaking like that.
Ever.
It had been the most amazing night of her life. And morning. And late morning. And lunchtime.
It was everything she'd feared when she'd first met Todd. No chance of resisting him on any level. She was exposed, vulnerable and wanted more.
And here she sat. Her report unwritten. The report that could put her over the edge for her promotion. The report that would have taken her all day on a good day when she had a functioning brain.
Instead, she'd spent the past fifteen hours with a man who made her heart sing.
"Erica?"
Her heart jumped and she spun around. Todd was lounging in the doorway of the living room, wearing only his jeans, unfastened at the waist. His chest was bare, and she could see the muscles that she'd kneaded all night with such desperation. "Hey."
He smiled, and she noticed a twinkle in his eyes she'd never seen before. "Want to go out for dinner? I'm starved. My treat."
"Definitely!" Then she thought of her report. And her promotion. "I can't."
He lifted a brow. "Got plans?"
"I have to work."
For a long moment, he studied her, and a muscle twitched in his neck. She heard the animals stir on the couch, where they'd been snuggled up in a big love pile. "Maybe we should talk about that."
"What? My work?"
He nodded.
Erica leaned back in her chair and felt her body tense. Was he going to ask her to give it up in a repeat of so many years ago? "This promotion is important to me. I deserve it and I've worked really hard for it."
He gritted his teeth. "Let me ask you something. If we were serious, engaged even, and you got offered a big promotion that required you to move, which would you choose? Me or your job?"
Well, knock her out with a two by four. Where had that question come from? "Are you asking me to marry you?"
"Not at the moment."
Not at the moment. What kind of response was that?
"It's a hypothetical question. Which would you choose?" His eyes were tense, cold and waiting.
Erica knew what Todd wanted to hear, but she couldn't give him that answer, and it made her gut sink.
But maybe it would be best to get it out in the open, because she wasn't going to change her mind. "When I was graduating from college, I was seriously dating a guy. He asked me to turn down my job offer in New York City and find one where he was going to go. It was a great opportunity for him in Tennessee, but there weren't a lot of options for me. But for him, I did it."
He sat down across from her at the table. "And?"
"He broke up with me, and it was too late to get the job I'd turned down. The only job I got was as an admin at this bank. I learned my lesson."
"Not to put a guy before your career." His voice sounded flat.
Superman got up and hopped onto Todd's lap, gave him a quick kiss, then curled up in a ball.
"Todd…"
He held up his hand. "I was engaged to a woman who had a great job for a financial consulting firm. Three days before the wedding, she took off to accept a promotion overseas."
Erica felt her heart sink. "Broke your heart."
He lifted his chin. "No. I'm fine. But I'm not interested in a woman like that."
"Like me."
He shrugged. "I want a woman with passion. I want a woman who understands hard work and believes in it. That's what it took for me to succeed in my business, and I need that in a woman." His eyes glittered. "You have that, but there also has to be room for me. For us." He cleared his throat. "Professional career women don't seem to have room for blue-collar guys."
"It has nothing to do with your job!" How could he think that?
Ophelia suddenly hopped up on the table and sprawled across her laptop keyboard, sending the machine into a beeping frenzy. "Ophelia!" She had just pulled the cat off and dumped her on the floor when she saw the look on Todd's face. "What?"
"You have work to do." He stood up, keeping Superman tucked under his arm. "So, I guess it's Frank then, huh?"
"No! It's not Frank!" She jumped to her feet. "Don't you get it? I can't be with you only partway. I'd want to be with you all the time and lose myself in you, and I can't do that to myself again!"
"That's what I want in my woman. Someone who can't live without me." He paused. "Someone who I can't live without, either."
Dammit. She'd known this would happen with him from the moment she met him. He demanded too much, and she wanted to give it. "My career is who I am. It's my independence and my freedom."
He shrugged. "More power to you then." He started to walk out, then came back and slammed his hand down on the table. "Not that I care, but if you deserve that promotion and you keep getting passed over, then maybe you need to look at the reasons."
"Like what?" She felt defensiveness rise inside her, and she folded her arms across her chest. "You think I'm not good? You don't even know my work."
"Nope. Not saying that." He cursed and ran his hand through his hair. "Maybe you're not fighting for it. Maybe they know that if they give it to someone else, you'll quietly go back to work. Stand up and fight for what you deserve."
She drew back at the vehemence in his voice. "Since when do you know so much about promotions in corporate America?"
"Since I watched my fiancée face the same thing and win. I listened to her night after night, and she beat it." Bitterness flashed through his face. "I was so proud at the time. Funny how things work out."
He glanced at Ophelia. "By the way, if you decide you don't have time for her, I'll take her. Supe seems attached."
Erica stared after him as he left. He didn't even think she was worthy of owning a cat? Ophelia hopped up onto the table, sat down and glared at her.
Glared.
There was no mistaking the hostility in the cat's gaze. "What did I do?"
Erica stood outside her boss's office with her report in her hand. Even the overdose of concealer couldn't help the black circles under her eyes. The price of pulling an all-nighter to get her work done.
But it was good. Really good. Totally worthy of that promotion.
She lifted her chin, wiped a stray cat hair off her suit and marched inside. "Mr. Randazzo, here's the report you asked for."
He didn't even look up from his newspaper. "Sure. Toss it over there." He waved vaguely to his left. "I'll look at it later."
"Right." Erica started to set it in the corner, then stopped, Todd's words echoing in her mind. On impulse, she swung back. "You need to read it now."
He looked up. "What?"
She set it over his paper. "Read it now. Before the promotion board meets to discuss me."
He sighed and took off his glasses to clean them. "Erica, that one report isn't going to make a difference."
"The decision is already made?"
"Basically."
"And?"
"And you'll have to wait to find out." His face was deadpan, and he didn't flinch. She couldn't tell what he was thinking.
"I deserve that promotion."
He lifted his brow. "Do you?"
"Yes. You know it. I do great work. People love me. I make you look good."
He shrugged. "Won't deny any of that."
Her heart leaped. Maybe this was the time. Maybe it was finally going to come her way. "Well, all right then. I'll see you later."
She had just turned away when his admin buzzed on the intercom. "I have Mitch Seasons on the phone."
Erica swung around. "Mitch Seasons? The president of Edict Investments? The one who recommended the contractor for the picnic?"
"Yep. Gotta give him feedback. That Barrett guy won't be getting any more business from the financial sector in this town. Ruined the picnic with that blasted dog of his."
Todd. He'd totally saved her from blame, at his own expense. As much as he disagreed with her priorities, he had still helped her with them.
"Mitch? Randazzo here. About that contractor…"
Erica grabbed the phone and hung it up. "You can't do that."
Her boss was staring at her as if she'd gone insane. "What was that?"
"It was my cat. Todd's dog was chasing my cat. She was the whole cause of it. Don't you dare ruin his company because of my cat. He did an amazing job salvaging it, so you better give him high recommendations." Oh, God, what was she doing?
She was doing the same thing as before. Giving up her job for a man.
No, she wasn't.
She was taking responsibility and doing the right thing, regardless of the cost to herself. And it felt great. About time she stopped treading around on tiptoes for fear of mucking something up and offending anyone.
"And for your information, if you don't give me that promotion, it's a bad decision that's going to hurt the company. Read my report, and you'll see what I'm talking about."
God, her hands were shaking. "I'm taking the rest of the day off."
He blinked. "But it's Monday. You have to work."
"I worked on that report all night to have it in time for this morning. I need some sleep, so I'm going to get some. I'll be in tomorrow. Good day."
She made it to the door, even though her legs were trembling and her stomach was churning. But she felt good. Not because she'd sacrificed herself for a man. Because she'd finally become the strong woman she'd always thought she'd been.
And she owed some of the credit to Todd.
Erica's cell phone rang before she even made it to her car. "Hello?"
"Randazzo here."
Great. Decision made already? That couldn't be a good sign. "Yes?"
"Read the report. It's good."
"Thanks." Of course it was good.
"Congrats. You got it."
She froze, her hand on the door handle of her car. "Got what?"
"The promotion."
"But…how? You aren't meeting until this afternoon."
"The meeting's a formality. It's my decision. About bloody time you got some backbone. Been waiting for that. I want you in my office at eight tomorrow morning to review your new responsibilities. See you then."
He disconnected before she could respond. Erica stared at her phone for a good five minutes before she gathered her thoughts enough to shriek and pummel her hands on the hood of the car.
Backbone. He'd wanted backbone! Why hadn't he told her that before? It took Todd to tell her and he barely knew her…. Todd. She had to tell him.
She drove straight to Todd's house. Had to do it now before she lost either her nerve or consciousness, she was so tired and emotionally exhausted. The high from the promotion would last only so long against two nights of sleep deprivation.
Todd answered on the first knock, his eyes shifting to cool. "Nice suit."
"Shut up."
He blinked. "What's wrong with you?"
"You hate this suit. It represents everything you hate about me." She shoved him in the chest. "Well, guess what. You're wrong. I'm not your ex."
Superman barked and wagged his tail.
"I never said…"
"I just wanted to say thanks."
"For what?"
"I told off my boss today when he indicated I might not get the promotion. Told him he was wrong and it would be a poor decision." She grinned. "It felt good."
A flicker of pride flashed in his eyes. "So, did you get it?"
She grinned. "Yes!"
He smiled back, but there was reservation in his eyes. "Congrats. That's great."
"Yeah, but that's not the best thing."
He looked surprised. "There's better? Big raise?"
"Nope. Revelation." Her heart began to race, and she almost lost her nerve. Must power onward before she changed her mind. "He was about to malign your reputation to the local financial industry for screwing up the picnic with your dog. So I told him the truth, that it was my cat." She took a deep breath. "And it felt great not to be worrying about getting in trouble or doing the wrong thing. It was right to take responsibility and it felt good."
"But you could have lost the promotion."
She grinned. "I thought I did. But I was still psyched. Know why?"
He shrugged, but his eyes were no longer as cool.
"Because I realized that you made me stronger. Instead of making me weaker, or hurting my career, you gave me strength. Made me realize that maybe I was a little off in my assessments."
She hesitated. "But I won't give up my career for you. I love my job and I'll keep working hard. But it would be a side-by-side thing." She took a breath. "I mean, if we were engaged and I got a promotion to leave town, I wouldn't choose it over you but I also wouldn't give up my career, you know? We'd have to find a compromise that worked for both of us."
Todd pursed his lips. "So, I'd have to learn to live with your career, and I'd support it and help you advance?"
"Yeah, but I wouldn't leave you for it. You know, a compromise." She held her breath. "I'm not your ex, like you aren't mine. It's not the same anymore for either of us."
He grinned and his smile reached his eyes, warming them. "I always wanted a woman with passion. There just had to be enough for me as well." He took her hands in his. "This might not be easy."
"I know." She grinned. "But I'm game to give it a try."
He wrapped his arms around her. "I'm game for a lot more than that."
"Me, too."
Ophelia sighed with supreme satisfaction as she watched Erica and Todd kiss. "I'm so glad you came and got me for this."
Superman wagged his tail. "We rock."
"I rock. But you're learning." Yes, indeed. She had her place back as the queen of her castle, and now she had a deputy as well.
Life was good.
The End