In Forbidden Territory (3 page)

And maybe tomorrow Prince Charming would sweep her off her feet and declare his undying love for her.

Angie felt her eyes widen in shock at the full impact of the errant thought that had invaded her consciousness. She didn't know where it came from, but she certainly needed to get rid of it as quickly as possible. She renewed her determination. One kiss did not mean anything. It was an enjoyable little interlude and that was it. She would let Ty know her areas of expertise and show him she was qualified for a responsible position with the company. In a few days Mac would be finished with his project and she could talk to him about it, too. Plain and simple. She breathed a sigh of relief. What felt out of control a few moments ago was now reined in and controlled.

Angie busied herself around the house until mid-morning, then dressed and went to Mac's office. No sooner had she entered the lobby than someone grabbed her arm and spun her around. She found herself looking into the handsome features and bright hazel eyes of Tyler Farrell. His devilish grin sent little tremors through her body. The place where his hand rested on her arm radiated a sensual warmth.

“This is quite a coincidence. My lunch meeting just cancelled out on me so I have the next few hours free. I was just about to call to see if I could persuade you to have lunch with me. I already have a reservation at
the Space Needle. Perhaps we could do the harbor cruise after lunch.” Ty cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. “So…are you available?”

He flashed a devastatingly sexy smile and she melted on the spot. “Lunch?” She suddenly felt like a fifteen-year-old, all tongue-tied and flustered in the presence of the captain of the high school football team. She pulled in her rampaging desires and did her best to project a calm, confident persona. “Yes, I'd love it.” She tried to convince herself there was nothing wrong in having lunch with him again. It was nothing personal. After all, she had to eat anyway and Mac had asked Ty to take her sightseeing while he was busy.

She would keep the conversation turned to business in general and specifically to available or upcoming positions in the company. Ty's comment the day before about the company's expansion plans hinging on Mac's design continued to swirl around in her mind. Expansion meant new jobs, possibly in areas that did not currently exist. It was a perfect time for her to put in her bid for one of those newly created positions.

But in the meantime there wasn't anything wrong with an innocent afternoon of fun.

Ty's voice cut into her thoughts. “We have a little while before lunch. Has Mac shown you around our facility?”

“No, I haven't seen anything beyond the lobby and offices.”

“Would you like a tour? I could show you around the design room, the lab and the shop where we do the actual boat construction.”

Her entire manner leaped to rapt attention. “I'd love to have a guided tour.” It was perfect. She would have
an opportunity to see how things worked, get more of a technical tour than Mac would ever take the time to give her. She could ask Ty questions she couldn't ask Mac and certainly get more useful answers than her brother would give her. It would be the perfect setting to start her campaign to win Ty over to her side. She was certain Mac would listen to Ty. After all, Ty was his business partner in addition to being his best friend.

Ty escorted her through the lobby and down a hallway, pausing a minute at the door to Mac's office. “I'm going to take Angie on a tour of the facility.”

Mac looked up from his work, then glanced at his watch. “Yes, a tour would be nice.” He looked at Angie. “I'm sorry I haven't had any time to spend with you.”

“I assume this means lunch is out?”

A sheepish expression crossed his face. “I'll try to be home for dinner.”

“No need to worry about Angie being alone for dinner. I'll take her out to grab something to eat.”

She glanced questioningly at Ty for a moment. He hadn't mentioned anything about dinner. She returned her attention to her brother. “He's right. There's no reason for you to pull yourself away from your design project before you're ready. You stay and work as late as you need to and don't worry about me.” She glanced at Ty. “I'll be in good hands.”

An involuntary glance toward Mac told Ty what he didn't want to know. Mac's expression was neither gracious nor distracted. Unlike many occasions when Mac's thoughts had him so preoccupied he didn't notice what was going on around him, this time there was no mistaking the fact that he was fully aware of his
surroundings. It was obvious to Ty that Angie's comment about being in good hands had caught Mac's undivided attention.

Ty turned toward Angie. “Are you ready for the VIP tour?”

“Ready and willing.” A little shiver of something, she wasn't sure what, told her she might be ready and willing for a lot more than a tour of the building and a business lunch.

They left Mac's office and Ty spent an hour showing her what they did and how they did it. Each step started with Mac's initial design, computer testing of the design, a miniature model, tank testing of the miniature, then the finished product custom-built for the client. She was very pleased with the way Ty assumed she'd understand what he was talking about and didn't reduce everything to the level of a ten-year-old.

The phase of the process she found most interesting was the design of the interior areas such as cabins and galleys so that they made maximum functional use of the space available yet were still attractive. They had a computer program that allowed the customer to see what the interior would look like with different fabrics, colors, woods and fixtures rather than simply picking something from a catalogue without being able to see it as part of the whole.

After the tour Ty and Angie took the ferry across to Seattle. They enjoyed a leisurely lunch in the revolving restaurant at the top of the Space Needle. The bright sunny day provided views of the Olympic mountains to the west and the Cascades to the east with Mt. Rainier looming large on the horizon to the southeast. The mountain views served as a spectacular backdrop to the
water and greenery of Puget Sound and the expanse of the Seattle metropolitan area.

Conversation was casual, but far more superficial than she wanted it to be. She made several attempts during lunch to turn it to business matters while pursuing her goal. And each time he managed to deftly switch to a different topic.

Angie toyed with the stem of her wineglass as she made another attempt to procure information about the company. “Did I hear you correctly yesterday when you said something to Mac about the outcome of his design project having an impact on expansion plans for the business?”

Ty took a sip from his wineglass before answering her, as if he was determining how much to say. Or perhaps it was her guilty conscience that made it seem that way.

“The company is at a crossroads at the moment. Either we undertake a costly expansion which will include physically moving the location of the business to much larger facilities in order to meet our potential, or we scale back so that we continue to maintain what we have. It's the results of Mac's design project that will pretty much make that decision for us. If the design he's working on is successful, then we can move into the arena of the design and construction of larger sailboats in the luxury yacht category. We already have some of the ancillary support systems in place such as the computerized interior design enhancement I showed you this morning.”

This bit of information leaped out at Angie. Everything about the interior design system had fascinated her. Perhaps that was the area where she should concentrate her efforts, something that would fit nicely
with her education and work experience in industrial design. Her excitement over this new facet filled her with questions.

“Would this interior design work be done primarily outside the company or is it something you plan to keep in-house as a department of the newly expanded operation?”

“It's too soon to say. We're taking it one step at a time, and right now the step we're handling is the completion of the design Mac is working on. I've already done my preliminary work. I've talked to clients and business associates and have determined that the potential business is available. Our bankers have assured me they're interested in providing the needed capital for the expansion. But until Mac finishes the design and we successfully test it, everything else is only speculation.”

“What clients do you have who would be interested in purchasing a custom-designed luxury sailboat? You said you'd need to move the facility to another location. Would you still remain in the Seattle area? Do you think—” She saw the look of caution dart across his features. Had she gone too far? Was she pushing too much? The look of caution slowly turned to a stern gaze, tempered slightly by the wry twinkle in his eyes.

“If I didn't know better I would swear you were an industrial spy trying to pump me for information about our development projects and the names of our clients.”

She felt the heat of embarrassment sear across her cheeks. His accusation shocked her. Well, it wasn't really an accusation as such, but more of a half serious, half teasing observation. But it was serious enough that
it made her realize she had pushed him too hard in her zeal to gather information.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound like that. It's just that I'm interested and Mac always talks in such general terms. He probably thinks I wouldn't understand what he was talking about even though I keep reminding him that I have a degree in business and industrial design plus three years of practical work experience at an industrial design firm.” She offered a confident smile, hoping it would help sidetrack Ty's sudden concerns. “Maybe I should wear a sign around my neck stating that I'm an adult and don't need to be patronized.”

Ty's response was a measured but easy laugh. “I don't think a sign will be necessary.” His smile slowly faded as their gazes locked in a heated moment of desire. “You certainly look all grown up to me.”

She silently berated herself for being too aggressive in her questions. She would need to be more subtle in enlisting Ty's help. If only Mac hadn't laughed at her six months ago when she had first worked up the courage to express her desire to work for his company. It would have made things so much easier for her now.

Ty would be a good conduit for swaying Mac's initial reaction to her working for the company, but that wouldn't make Mac realize she was no longer a child to be patronized and protected. It was a dilemma she knew she would be wrestling with again and again just as she was now wrestling with her intense attraction to Tyler Farrell.

After lunch they walked along the waterfront area. Each time he touched her—placing his hand at the small of her back to help guide her through a crowd, innocently draping his arm around her shoulder as they
walked along the sidewalk, tugging on her hand to stop her when he wanted to point out a specific sight—a tremor of excitement rippled through her body followed by a warm sensuality that settled inside her.

But oddly enough, the excitement was tempered with a feeling of closeness. It was a special combination she had never experienced with anyone else, but one she found appealing and very comfortable. A hint of concern tried to work its way into the warmth surrounding her, a warmth that suddenly felt far too comfortable. She couldn't afford to lose sight of her goal.

“How about a harbor cruise?” Ty's question broke into her thoughts, jerking her back to the moment at hand.

“Sounds like fun.” Her words said one thing, but reality was something else. She knew spending more time with Ty could only lead to complications in her life, complications she didn't want or need at this time.

A few minutes later they boarded the boat for the tour of Elliott Bay. The ocean breeze ruffled through her hair. The crisp air tickled her senses. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, held it for several seconds, then slowly exhaled. “I love being on the water. It always makes me feel so relaxed.” A cloak of calm and serenity settled over her.

Ty watched as a slight smile turned the corners of her mouth—the same delicious mouth he had sampled the previous evening. The same mouth that tasted of more and held the promise of tantalizing pleasures yet to be. He tried to clear his head of the ill-advised thoughts, of desires that could only lead to trouble. She was his best friend's sister…his business partner's sister…someone who should logically be off-limits. Yet
he felt drawn to her on every level as he had never been with anyone before.

She definitely pushed every lustful button he possessed. His blood rushed hot and fast each time he came into physical contact with her. It was a sensation he wanted to pursue even though he knew it was forbidden territory. But there was more than merely wanting to get her into his bed for a night of unbridled passion—for
many
nights of unbridled passion. There was something else about her. Something that would not crystallize into a clear thought. Something he couldn't seem to put into words—something intangible that scared him more than anything else ever had.

T
he next night Angie and Ty strolled hand in hand up the walkway to Mac's front door. Her enthusiasm showed in her voice. “Thank you for the play. I love theater and really enjoyed this production.”

“It was my pleasure. I'm glad you were able to go with me.”

The house was dark, but they could see Mac's car through the garage window. Ty gave her hand a little squeeze. “Mac's probably asleep. He's been putting in long hours for the past several days.” He indicated the two chairs on the porch. “Let's sit here rather than going inside. Our conversation out here won't wake him.”

Angie sat down. Ty scooted the other chair next to hers before sitting. She pursed her lips as if concentrating on something, then cocked her head and stared at Ty for a moment with her brow furrowed in thought.
“I think he works too hard. Perhaps what he needs is some sort of personal assistant…an administrative assistant. Someone different than a secretary, with completely different duties. Someone with the expertise to comprehend his design projects and know how design works, someone who has the knowledge to understand conceptually how what he does relates to the business end.”

She knew she was grasping for straws, trying to pull the proverbial rabbit from the hat. She wanted to establish as many possible career opportunities for herself as she could. Surely one of them would capture Mac's attention and be something she could build on in her pursuit of a solid career move.

Ty squirmed uncomfortably in his chair. Once again she had turned their conversation to the company as she had done on several occasions over the past three days and he wasn't sure why. He didn't know exactly how to respond. “Well, that's an interesting description of a job.”

She flashed a sparkling smile, one she hoped appeared more casual than it felt. “Perhaps that's something to keep in mind when you get down to serious discussion of your expansion plans.”

A soft chuckle escaped his throat, one that belied the caution in his eyes. “If I didn't know better I'd swear you were putting in your bid for a job with the company. But, of course, that would be ridiculous. If you want a job all you need to do is tell Mac and I'm sure he'd hire you.”

“Well…now that you brought it up…”

Her words faded from his mind. A tightness pulled across his chest as the heat rose in his body. The streetlight provided just enough illumination to highlight her
delicately sculpted features. He put a stop to any further discussion of company business, or anything else for that matter. He pulled her into his arms and captured her mouth with a kiss that quickly exploded with the passion that seemed to always be simmering just below the surface whenever he was close to her.

Her taste was as addictive as any narcotic. No matter how many times he kissed her, he knew it would never be enough. He ran his fingers through the silky strands of her hair, caressed her shoulders, then pulled her from the chair and onto his lap. A warning tried to push through his sensually fogged mind, but he shoved it away. At that moment he didn't want anything to interfere with his pursuit of the captivating Angelina Coleman.

His breathing quickened. He knew exactly where he wanted this to go. He tightened his embrace, pulling her body closer to his. He felt her breasts press against his chest with each breath she took. He brushed his tongue against hers, reveling in the texture and the intimacy of the action. The kiss deepened as the level of sensuality surged through his body. The tingle of excitement rippled across his skin when she brushed her fingers against the back of his neck, then ran them through his hair.

More than anything he wanted to whisk her away to his house and spend the night making passionate love. But as much as that was what he wanted, he knew it couldn't be. It was a topic he did not want to delve into any further, an internal battle he feared would be his undoing. He had any number of women who had been in his bed and would willingly be there again. All he needed to do was pick up the phone and dial. But
that wasn't what he wanted. Not one of them could measure up to Angie.

He reluctantly broke the kiss, but couldn't stop himself from lingering a moment longer with his lips brushing softly against hers. He knew he had to leave before it was too late and he did something he would end up regretting.

He fought for control over the desire and emotion he feared would show up in his voice. “Angie…” He brushed another kiss against her lips, allowing his hand to slip from her back and come to rest on her hip. He suppressed a sigh of resignation, not wanting to show how much he didn't want to say what he knew had to be said. “It's getting late. I have an early-morning breakfast meeting in Seattle with the client who cancelled yesterday's lunch meeting. I think I'd better head for home so I can get some sleep. I need to be bright and alert first thing in the morning.”

He had never felt so out of control with what he wanted and so attracted to what he knew he couldn't have. An image of Mac's warning look popped into his mind, unwanted and unwelcome. He felt as if he was walking a tightrope stretched between his desires on one side and his loyalties on the other side, without a safety net to catch him if he made a misstep. No matter which direction he went, he would end up losing something special and important. And like it or not, he had to admit that Angie was someone very special and with each passing hour was becoming more important to him.

Angie stood up and took a step back to distance herself from the magnetic pull of Tyler Farrell. Her hand involuntarily went to her kiss-swollen lips, the heat of his passion still searing her. She had never been
kissed the way Ty kissed her, had never experienced that type of toe-curling excitement. If they gave prizes for kissing he would possess every trophy available. Her thoughts strayed to what it would be like to have Ty make love to her. It was not the first time that notion had popped into her mind and she knew it wouldn't be the last. She also knew it was not a very wise idea regardless of how exciting a prospect it would be.

He grasped her hand as he stood up, sending a sensual flow rushing through her body. She stepped closer to him, resting her other hand against his chest. “Yes, it's getting late.” She didn't like the breathless quality of her voice. It betrayed far more than she wanted to show. “That early-morning breakfast meeting will be here before you know it.”

“We're scheduled to meet at seven o'clock.” He glanced at his watch with a self-conscious smile. “And that's a little earlier than I like.”

She took a step toward the door, allowing her hand to remain in his grasp a little longer. She didn't want him to leave. She didn't want to lose the warmth of his touch. “I know what you mean. Seven o'clock isn't that early but to be up and ready, catch the ferry for that thirty-five-minute ride to Seattle, then drive to the restaurant in time for your meeting is another matter entirely.”

He squeezed her hand. “Exactly. So, I'd better say good night.” He brushed his lips softly against hers. “Will I see you tomorrow night?”

“Yes, if you'd like.”

“I'd like that very much. I'll call you tomorrow morning after I get back to the office.”

The look in his eyes told her he didn't want to leave any more than she wanted him to. She stood on the
porch and watched until his taillights disappeared down the street, then she went inside.

She felt the frown wrinkle across her forehead. He had done it to her again. As soon as she tried to talk to him about the company expansion plans and what type of job might be available for her, he had changed the subject. This time, however, instead of changing the topic of conversation, he had enfolded her in yet another one of his spine-tingling kisses that literally took her breath away.

Perhaps she was being too subtle and he wasn't understanding what she meant. Maybe the best thing was to come right out and tell him she wanted his help, why she needed it and exactly what she wanted to accomplish. She shook her head. She wasn't at all confident about how to proceed with her plan…or whether she should.

Angie went inside, moving quietly through the house so she wouldn't wake her brother. She undressed and climbed into bed. Even though her eyes were closed she could not turn off her thoughts, especially the new one that said Ty probably suspected what she was up to and had been diplomatically avoiding the conversation. Perhaps his teasing comment about her being an industrial spy was less tease and more serious than she had first thought.

She turned over and shoved her pillow into a different shape. Why was she feeling so troubled and unsettled? It was true that the situation had become more complicated than she had intended, especially where Ty was concerned. All she had been looking for was someone who would be fun without any pressure for her to fit into a preconceived role or a need to impress, and Tyler Farrell certainly filled those initial require
ments. She laughed when they were together. She enjoyed the fun, carefree activities. Everything with him was open, easy and stress-free.

A dark cloud invaded her thoughts. Well, maybe she had not been really all that open with him. She certainly was not looking for another relationship. She just wanted to put some fun and adventure into her life and procure a position with her brother's company that would be a career rather than a job. Was that asking too much?

Had she been purposely misleading Ty? Deceiving him? Would he think she was leading him on for her own selfish purposes? The bothersome thought lingered in her mind until she finally succumbed to the need for sleep.

 

“Don't worry, Mac. I understand about your work schedule…honest. You stay as late as you need to. I'll be fine.”

Angie quickly concluded her phone conversation with her brother. Ty would be picking her up in half an hour and she hadn't even started to get ready yet. They were going to spend the evening doing what Ty had described as barbecue and the hot tub—just a casual evening at his house. A little shiver of anticipation, combined with a hint of trepidation, immediately told her it would be a special night. She had known him as an adult for only a few days, yet she felt so comfortable and at ease with him, not to mention the undeniable intense attraction she felt toward him.

And now they would be spending the evening in the privacy of his house, just the two of them without anyone else around. The mention of the hot tub evoked a very sensual feel that left her short of breath just think
ing about the possibilities. She shook her head in dismay. Ty was an incredibly sexy man, charming and lots of fun. But was she prepared to take what wasn't really a relationship, something she wasn't even looking for, to a more intimate level?

If they made love, she could no longer claim that it was only a casual thing and they weren't really involved. For Angie making love was not just a pleasant diversion. It was a serious step and one she did not take lightly. Was she prepared to admit to herself that in the short span of her adult association with him, as ridiculous as it sounded, she just might be falling in love with Tyler Farrell? That she was ready to take that all-important serious step?

Her own thoughts shocked her. Where had the word
love
come from? It certainly had not been a conscious thought. All along she had steadfastly maintained she did not want to become entrenched in another relationship. She had escaped her suffocating engagement to Caufield and was not eager to tie herself to one person again. Love and marriage were definitely not in her plans, at least not for several more years.

The realization stunned her. How had this happened? How in the world had she allowed her thoughts to set out on such a flight of fancy? There was nothing serious going on between her and Ty. They were just two friends enjoying each other's company—nothing more. She forced her concerns aside and turned her attentions toward getting ready.

She set out her swimsuit for use in the hot tub. It would be a fun night. Just a casual backyard barbecue and relaxing in the hot tub. It didn't need to have the sensual overtones she had tried to attribute to it. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, a scowl marring
her features. Who was she kidding? She looked forward to spending another evening with Tyler Farrell and the thought of the hot bubbling water perfectly matched the heated anticipation bubbling through her veins.

It had all seemed harmless enough at first—the game of sexy banter, flirting, playful touches and caresses and even the tingling kisses. Ty was charming and good company. And most of all he was fun to be with. She enjoyed laughing and the carefree feelings that went with it. With Ty there was always something fun going on, so much so that it took her a while to realize she had allowed her goal of eliciting his help in convincing Mac of her job qualifications to slip from first place in her priorities. It was still what she wanted, but she had neglected putting a plan into effect. And with each kiss any sort of a plan on how to accomplish that goal seemed to slip further and further into the background.

One thing was for sure…it was no longer a matter of the two of them simply grabbing a bite to eat or enjoying a tourist attraction. Somehow they had moved from casual friendship to something much more personal. A sensual aura surrounded everything they did together, no matter how innocent the activity.

And the not-so-innocent loomed large in her mind, too. What had started with casual touches had evolved into caresses and the type of toe-curling passion she had experienced the first time Ty kissed her—a passion that burned hot inside her, fueled by a flame of desire she could not extinguish. And the desire was no longer relegated solely to the physical, either. Even though she wanted to deny it, she knew her emotions were just as involved.

She finished getting dressed, putting on a touch of lipstick just as the doorbell rang. The excitement built inside her as she rushed to answer it. The moment she opened the door his sexual magnetism flowed to her, touching her on every level of her existence. Every embrace, caress and kiss they had shared exploded in her memory, as real as when it had happened.