And now, at this very moment, waiting for him upstairs was a woman with incredible internal strength who was coping with the loss of her memory and making the best of an uncertain situation. Bypassing all the guarded caution she'd shown him before the accident, she now wore her emotions on her sleeve, openly trusting and believing in him. She didn't hold back her desire for him, either. She'd turned into a seductress, a blossoming woman giving into her sensuality and focusing it all on him.
Which was the real Natalie? The answer came easier than he expected. She was a fascinating combination of all three, yet there was still one facet of her personality left to reveal-the woman she would become when her memory returned and her life was no longer in danger. What kind of woman would she be when she finally realized that being with him was a lie, despite his honorable intentions to keep her safe from harm?
Closing her case file, he scrubbed a hand along his jaw, knowing that eventually the truth would surface. And when it finally did, he hoped she'd forgive him for not only fabricating their relationship, but for trampling across boundaries of appropriate behavior and falling headlong into deep personal waters.
Knowing there was nothing he could do about his growing feelings for Natalie but to accept them for the moment, he focused on business. It took him nearly an hour to return a few calls clients had left on his answering machine, and to talk to Bobby. He brought his "friend" up to date on Chad Freeman, and made a personal request to see if Bobby could find out any additional info on the man stalking Natalie. Specifically, a criminal record.
When he finally made his way upstairs and into his bedroom, he was stunned by the sexy vision that greeted him. He'd known from their conversation down in the foyer that she wanted to make love, and tonight he wasn't going to play hard to get or try to protect her virtue.
The damage had been done-she was his, and there was something to be said for the kind of intimate bond that developed between a man and woman during sex. He was ruthless enough to use carnal pleasures to touch her emotions, to steal her heart and make sure she realized how much he cared for her before the truth interfered with this idyllic relationship of theirs.
The woman lying on the bed, dressed in a silky nightgown that draped along her voluptuous curves and with a come-hither look in her eyes, had every intention of seducing him. Her hair spilled around her shoulders, beckoning him to sink his fingers into the textured softness, and a sexy, irresistible smile lifted the corners of her mouth. His groin tightened at the thought of making love to this gorgeous, sensual creature, to hear his name on her lips when she came-and he knew he'd sell his soul to be deep inside her body again.
Unstrapping the gun holster he was still wearing, he set his revolver and leather holder on his dresser, his gaze never leaving her stretched-out form on the bed. "You look incredible," he said huskily.
She looked immensely pleased with his compliment. "I did some shopping of my own today, and I thought of you when I tried this on. I couldn't resist."
Neither could he. Her nipples jutted against the silky material, the tips as diamond hard as the erection straining the fly of his jeans. "I like it, but you do know you won't be wearing it for long, don't you? I want skin-on-skin contact."
"You'll get that," she said, and caressed a hand over her silk-clad hip to her bare thigh, seemingly enjoying the sensation she created-while driving him crazy with curiosity about what she wore beneath the skimpy negligee. "First, though, we play."
He lifted a brow, falling hard for this spirited, shameless side to Natalie. He'd play with her any way she wanted. "What did you have in mind?"
"Something-erotic," she whispered naughtily as her lashes fell half mast over her slumberous gaze. "See that chair next to you?"
He finally broke eye contact with her and found the armless chair he usually kept in the far corner to toss his clothes over. Now it sat prominently in the middle of the room. "Yes, I see it."
She smiled. "I want you to take off your shoes and shirt and sit down on it."
He did as she asked, toeing off his sneakers, removing his socks and peeling his shirt over his head. Leaving his jeans on as directed, he lowered himself to the chair and waited for her to choreograph the next move.
She scooted off the bed and slowly strolled toward him, the hem of her gown flirting around her slender thighs, teasing his senses. Lust rippled through him, heightening to an excruciating hunger when she came to a stop a few feet away from him, prolonging his need to touch her.
She wet her lips with her tongue. "Can you see the closet mirrors and the mirror over the dresser?" she asked.
He glanced from the closet to the dresser, realizing just how strategically she'd placed his chair. He had an unobstructed view of the two of them, at different angles. "I see the mirrors." He swallowed thickly, in near pain at the throbbing pressure taking up residence in his pants. "And I see you and me reflected in them, too."
She smiled in satisfaction. "Perfect."
He tipped his head, going along with her charade. "And why's that?"
"I want to watch you when I make love to you sitting on that chair, and you'll get to do the same."
Hedonistic images projected in his mind, of the two of them intimately entwined in the heat of passion. He groaned, knowing the fantasy would soon become reality, with both of them being voyeurs to each other's pleasure, and their own.
"All you have to do is tell me what you want, and it's yours." Her fingers glided over the full swell of her breasts, then she toyed with the thin strap holding up her sexy gown. "Would you like me to strip for you?"
"No, not yet." Refusing her request tested his restraint, but he knew how one look at her naked body could make him rush headlong into a quick tryst. Tonight, he wanted to take his time with her, wanted to savor and enjoy her playful, uninhibited behavior. "Though I would like to know if you're wearing any panties."
"The negligee didn't come with any." She shrugged, feigning an innocence that turned him on even more. "Was I supposed to wear a pair?"
Undeniable excitement pulsed through him. "Sweetheart, I'll take you just the way you are, which makes it nice and convenient for me." He crooked a finger at her, inviting her closer. "I want you to come here and sit on my lap."
She glided across the space separating them, and instead of sitting sideways on his thighs like he expected, she settled her bottom against his groin and leaned her back against his naked chest. Looking into the mirror in front of him, he could easily see how her legs were positioned primly between his, with her feet flat on the floor and her knees locked together in a shy, modest manner that contradicted her vixen appearance and actions.
The back of her head came to rest on his shoulder, and she turned her face toward his, a sinful smile on her lips. "Is this okay?"
He settled his hands on her waist, just because he'd waited too long to touch her. And he wanted to make sure she stayed put. "It's not quite what I had in mind, but I'll make do." Wedging his feet in between hers, he draw her knees apart, spreading her legs wide open for him. The silky material of her gown draped along her thighs and covered all her feminine secrets, but not for long.
He buried his lips against the side of her neck, and moved them up to her ear. "Look in the mirror, Natalie," he said, and placed his hands on her thighs.
She obeyed, watching as he gradually slid the hem of her negligee upward until he'd exposed the soft, swollen lips of her sex. His entire body constricted with a sizzling stroke of heat, and he lightly ran his fingers through the dark blond curls covering her mound.
"Mmm, absolutely perfect," he said, his tone low and rough with arousal.