Possessed by Passion (4 page)

He knew it was just a dress, but on her it looked simply fantastic. He especially liked the way it complemented her legs. The other night she'd been wearing slacks so today was the first time he'd seen them. Now it came back to him that in high school, she had been a majorette, and the one thing he had liked was that she had a gorgeous pair of legs. She still did. And in that dress and a pair of three-inch pumps, she was definitely presenting challenges to his peace of mind. She looked neat, professional and way too appealing.

“Tyson?”

Hunter's voice brought his focus back to their conversation. He stepped away from the door and slid into a chair across from her desk. Doing so put him in close proximity to her and he enjoyed inhaling her scent. She was wearing the same perfume she had the other night and he thought the fragrance was definitely her signature. He met her eyes and said, “I have no problem telling you what I want.” He let that statement hang in the air between them for a moment before adding, “As far as a design for a house, of course.”

“Of course,” Hunter said, moving around her desk to sit down behind it. “Before I can help you there are a few things I would need to know,” she said, picking up a notepad and pen.

“Like what?”

“Like the location of the property the house will be built on. I need to verify there aren't any restrictions in the area that might prevent you from building the type of home you want. And I need to make sure your lot is large enough to fit whatever design you have in mind.”

He nodded. “I find your inquiries interesting. Why don't we have dinner tonight and talk about them?”

She leaned back in her chair and stared at him. “We need to discuss it now, Tyson, because I have no intentions of having dinner with you.”

“Why?”

“Because after work is my time. A business dinner means extending my work time into my pleasure time.”

“We can make it both.”

Her mouth flattened into a hard line. “No, we can't, and I don't have time to play games. If the only reason for your visit is to—”

“Try my hand at seducing you?”

She held his stare. “You warned me the other night that would be your main objective.”

A soft chuckle escaped his lips. “It still is. Trust me. I haven't changed my mind about it. But I do want to talk about a house design, as well.”

Tyson was serious about that. Although he would admit he'd initially had an ulterior motive for seeking her out today, all it had taken was for him to wake up to the noise outside his window to know he had put off moving long enough. Currently, he leased a condo in a very prestigious area of Phoenix not far from the hospital. It was large and spacious and had a great view of the mountains. But unfortunately it came with some drawbacks. Like the close proximity of his neighbors. Over the years he had gotten used to car doors slamming, horns honking and the early morning ruckus of parents hustling their kids off to school. Maybe it was time to pursue his dream of living in the countryside.

She was still staring at him, as if she was trying to figure out if he really was serious about getting a house designed. He decided to put her mind at ease. “What you might see as a problem is the fact that I haven't purchased the property yet. It doesn't matter, Hunter. You design my house and when I get ready to build it I'll buy enough land for it to sit on.”

She was still staring and he had no problem with her doing so because he knew she was also thinking about him. Sizing him up. Trying to figure him out. He wished he could tell her not to bother because he was too complex for her to try.

“I need to ask you something, Tyson,” she finally said after a few moments had passed.

“Yes?”

“When did you decide you wanted a house designed, and why did you come to me?”

He could tell her about his conversation with Eli yesterday, but decided to omit that part. “To be honest with you, I hadn't given much thought of designing a house. I live in a condo and that suited me just fine. However, I knew you were an architect and I knew my plans for you, so I decided I wanted to see your work.”

“Let me get this straight,” she said, sitting up in her chair. “You planned to seduce me so you came up with the idea to have me design a home for you. A home you never thought about owning until after you saw me the other night. You would go to all that trouble to get a woman in your bed?”

He couldn't help the smile that curved his lips. “No. I wouldn't go to all that trouble to get a woman in my bed, Hunter. But I would go to all that trouble to get you there.”

She frowned. “Don't waste your time.”

“It won't be. I know women, Hunter. I can read them as well as any book that's ever been published. You gave me the same looks I was giving you at Notorious. The ‘I want to sleep with you' looks.”

“I was not!”

“Yes, you were. Maybe you didn't realize you were doing so, but you were. The sexual chemistry between us was strong that night. I felt it and I saw no need to play games. That's why I told you my intentions up front. Did you honestly expect me not to explore all those heated vibes you and I were giving off that night?”

“But to invent this—”

“I didn't invent anything. What I've done is take another look at my living situation. Of my brothers I'm the only one who doesn't own a home. Never gave much thought to doing so. My condo is not far from the hospital and pretty convenient to everything I want. But this morning I noticed things I had chosen to ignore. Like the closeness of my neighbors. The noise and such. And the more I thought about it, the more that house in the country, the one I had thought about building years ago when I first got out of med school, suddenly appealed to me again. So I thought—”

“That since I was an architect and you had plans to seduce me anyway, that you would kill two birds with one stone?”

“I guess that's one way to look at it.”

* * *

Hunter shook her head. After a minute she said, “That night after I left the club I thought about you a lot.”

“You did?”

She heard the delight in his voice. “Yes, I did. I tried convincing myself that I imagined it. There was no way that at after eighteen years you were as arrogant and conceited as you were back in high school. But, Tyson, I was wrong. You are. You assume all you have to do is say what you want and you'll get it. You love women, although you'll never fall
in
love with one. You enjoy sharing your bed with them but that's about all you'll ever share. You—”

“Don't blame me,” he interrupted. “Blame my father.”

She lifted a brow. “Your father? What does your father have to do with it?”

Tyson smiled. “I'm Drew Steele's son. My brothers and I inherited his genes. We got some from Mom, of course, but the womanizing ones came from my dad. He used to be a player of the worst kind in his day, and even got run out of Charlotte because of his scandalous ways.”

“And you're actually using your father's past behavior as an excuse for yours?”

“Like I said, it's in the genes. But since my father is happily married to my mother and has been for over thirty years, I figure there's hope for me and my brothers. At least my mother is convinced there is and she might be right. Three have gotten married within a three-year period. Not that I have any interest in getting married, now or ever.”

“I don't blame you,” she said, not able to stop herself. “I tried it once and once was enough.” He would never know just how much she meant those words.

“Are you going through the ‘I hate all men' stage?”

She tried not to notice the breadth of his shoulders when he leaned back in his chair. Or the way his jeans stretched tight over his muscular thighs. “I have no reason to hate all men, Tyson. In truth, I don't hate my ex. I pity him.”

He held her gaze. “So the reason you won't share my bed has nothing to do with him.”

“No. It's mainly because of your attitude.”

“My attitude?”

“Yes.”

“What's wrong with my attitude?”

“You act entitled.”

“Do I?”

“Yes. I guess it's from women always letting you have your way. Giving you whatever you want. They make it too easy for you.”

“And you intend to make things difficult, Hunter?”

A smile touched her lips. “I intend to make things impossible, Tyson.”

“Nothing is impossible.”

He stood and she couldn't help but admire how sexily his body eased out of the chair. “And since you won't have dinner with me, how about lunch tomorrow?”

“Give me one good reason why I should.”

“Because I'm a potential client who merely wants to discuss ideas about the kind of country home I want you to design for me.”

Hunter stared at him. Was he really serious about wanting her to design his home? There was only one way to find out. “Lunch tomorrow will be fine. Make an appointment with Pauline on your way out.”

“No, I'm making one with you now. Put me on your calendar for tomorrow. Noon. At Gabriel's. I'll meet you there.”

He headed for the door. When he reached it, he turned around and smiled. “And you look good today, by the way. Good enough to eat.”

And then he opened the door and left.

Chapter 4

H
unter was convinced she should have her head examined when she arrived at Gabriel's the next day at noon. Meeting Tyson for lunch wasn't a smart move. So why was she here? Even if Tyson wanted her to design his country home there were ulterior motives behind it. He had been up front about his plans for her. It was all about seduction. Plain and simple. But he would discover there wasn't anything plain or simple about it.

The last thing she needed was to get mixed up with Tyson, or any man for that matter. She had put her divorce behind her, moved to be closer to her family and start over in her business. Hard work lay ahead of her and she had very little time to indulge in an affair. Besides, hadn't a failed eight-year marriage proved she was lousy at relationships?

“May I help you, madam?”

“Yes,” she said, glancing around. “I'm meeting Tyson Steele for lunch.”

The maître d' smiled. “Yes. Dr. Steele arrived a few moments ago and requested one of our private rooms in the back. I'll lead the way.”

“Thanks,” she said, following behind the man. A private room? In the back? She didn't like the sound of that and had a mind to turn around and walk out. But Tyson was a client. And so far, he was the only one she had. She kept telling herself that once the advertisements she'd approved finally ran, business would pick up. She certainly hoped so.

The maître d' opened the door then stepped aside for her to enter. She looked around and saw Tyson. He stood and she could feel the air between them sizzle. She knew he felt it as well when she saw heat smoldering in the depths of his green eyes.

He must have come straight from the hospital since he was still wearing his physician jacket. Tightening her hand on her briefcase, she moved forward and tried to fight the attraction she felt toward him. “Tyson.”

“Hunter. Glad you could join me.” As if only realizing his attire, he took off his white coat. “Sorry, an emergency detained me.”

No need to say she hoped it wasn't anything serious, because he was a heart surgeon, so anything he did was serious. “No problem. I know your time is valuable so we can go ahead and—”

“You look good again today.”

“Thanks.” Knowing they would be meeting for lunch, she had worn a pantsuit. The way he had checked out her legs yesterday had been too unnerving. “As I said yesterday, usually a client has purchased property, but since—”

“We'll discuss business later. Let's order first. I'm starving. I've been in surgery all morning and missed breakfast.”

“Oh. Of course.” She glanced down at the menu and tried ignoring the tingles of awareness going through her. It wasn't easy sitting across the table from such a sexy man. So far he seemed all business and hadn't said anything she considered inappropriate. She wouldn't hold that compliment on how she looked against him. In fact she appreciated him making the observation. Carter had stopped telling her how good she looked even when she'd gone out of her way to please him.

“I already know what I want.”

She glanced up and swallowed deeply at the look she saw in his eyes. She wasn't imagining the sizzling undercurrents flowing between them. “Do you?”

“Yes.”

She held his gaze and the sexual tension surrounding them began mounting. He had been referring to what he wanted off the menu, hadn't he? With Tyson, one could never be sure. She'd discovered that often his words had a double meaning. “That was fast,” she said, breaking his gaze to look back down at her menu.

“I've never been accused of being slow, Hunter.”

She glanced back up at him again. “And what did you decide to get?”

“The pork chops. That's what I usually get whenever I come here.”

She nodded. He had been talking about what was on the menu, after all. “The pork chops sound good.”

“They are and that's what I want for now. What I really want I'll put on the back burner until...”

She glanced up to find his focus totally on her, making the undercurrents between them sizzle even more. “Until what?”

“I can bring you around to my way of thinking.”

Hunter couldn't help but chuckle.

“And what do you find amusing, Hunter?”

She leaned forward in her chair. “For a minute there I thought this would be one of those rare times that you would be good.”

“I am good. Always.”

His words flowed through her and with supreme effort she tried not to imagine just how good he would be. “I was referring to your behavior.”

“Now,
that
, not always. According to my mother I can push the envelope at times.”

She bet. Hunter was glad the waiter returned and with the amount of food Tyson ordered it was apparent he hadn't lied about being hungry. She wondered where he would put it all.

As if reading her thoughts, he said, “I plan to work it off later.”

“I don't doubt that you will.”

He reached across the table and his fingers caressed her hand. “I don't mean with another woman, Hunter. I have a membership at the gym.”

She wondered what had given away her thoughts and figured it must have been her tone. Why had the thought of him sleeping with a woman bothered her? And why did him caressing her hand send shivers of desire through her? “You don't owe me an explanation. What you do and with whom is your business, Tyson. And need I remind you,” she said, pulling her hand back, “that this is a business meeting?”

“Duly reminded,” he said, smiling. “Temptation got the best of me.”

Although she wouldn't admit to it, temptation had almost gotten the best of her, as well. She had loved the feel of his touch and could still feel the imprint of his hand on her skin. It was becoming pretty clear that this attraction between her and Tyson could lead to big trouble if she wasn't careful. Deciding to break up the sexual tension flowing between them, she steered the conversation to an innocuous topic. “So how are your niece and nephew?”

He lifted a brow. “I take it you read that article in the paper, as well.”

She shook her head. “No, Mo did and mentioned it the other night.”

He took a sip of his water before answering. “Brittany and the twins are home now. I got a chance to see them before they left the hospital yesterday and they're doing fine. Galen is doing okay, too. In fact, he's on cloud nine.”

“I can't picture him married.”

“I couldn't, either, but it happened. And I'll admit there's something pretty special between him and Brittany.”

“She's not from here, right?”

“No. She's from Florida. She was in town on business when they met.”

“Have they named the twins yet?”

“They gave my mother the honor and she came up with Ethan and Elyse.”

A smile spread across Hunter's lips. “Oh, I like that.”

“My brothers and I figured she couldn't help but seize the opportunity to give the twins names starting with the letter E to match hers.”

Then he smiled and Hunter was amazed he could be even more handsome. But he was.

* * *

As they ate, Tyson tried not to glance over at Hunter. Conversation between them had stopped, and he couldn't help wondering what she was thinking. Although whatever thoughts going through her head were a mystery to him, those going through his own head were not. Simply put, he wanted her. How could a woman he hadn't seen in eighteen years hold his interest like she was doing? It didn't make sense. No woman had ever gotten to him this way and without any effort on her part. At least not any conscious effort. He doubted she was aware of just how alluring she was without even trying.

Even wearing a pantsuit he didn't miss her small waist and sexy curves. And on more than one occasion when he'd glanced at her while they were eating, he hadn't missed the hardened tips of her nipples beneath her blue silk shirt. That meant she wasn't as immune to him as she pretended to be. And when he had reached out to stroke her hand, he'd felt the sparks and knew she had, as well.

Somehow Hunter had managed to eradicate thoughts of other women from his mind. He hadn't even bothered dropping by Notorious last night. Instead, he had gone to his brother Jonas's house and stayed for dinner. Jonas's wife, Nikki, was an excellent cook and spoiled Jonas with all her delicious meals. Luckily neither Jonas nor Nikki seemed to mind his drop-in dinner visits.

He glanced over at Hunter again and liked the way she worked her mouth while chewing her food. He felt a tightening in his gut at the thought of her working that same mouth on him. And although his pork chop tasted good, as usual, he had a feeling she would taste even better. He closed his eyes and in his mind he could taste her. As sweet as honey.

“It's
that
good?”

He popped his eyes back open. “What?”

“Your pork chop. You had your eyes closed as if savoring the taste.”

He wondered what her reaction would be if he confessed that he'd been thinking about her and not the pork chop. “Yes, it is good. Moist. Tender. Just the way I like it. What about your meal?”

“The baked chicken is delicious, as well. I'm glad you suggested this place. It's pretty new, right?”

“Gabriel's? It wasn't here eighteen years ago if that's what you're asking. Actually, it opened a few years after I returned home from medical school. The owner is a good friend of my brother Gannon so I tend to drop in occasionally.”

“What made you decide to come back to Phoenix after medical school?”

And what made you stay away?
As much as he wanted to ask that question, he answered hers. “I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. I missed home. I missed my family. I figured this was where I belonged. Phoenix is a beautiful city.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Yet you stayed away,” he pointed out.

Regret darkened her eyes. “After living here all my life I figured it was time to see the world and going to school on the east coast helped. In Phoenix I was Reverend Hugh McKay's granddaughter and everyone expected me to act a certain way. In Connecticut, where no one knew me, I could be myself.”

“I can't imagine you getting buck wild.”

She chuckled. “I didn't go that far but I had my fun. I figured I deserved it because I studied hard. I was lucky to get a job with a top architectural firm after college in Boston. I felt my life was set.”

“Then you met your ex.”

He saw the regret in her gaze deepen. “Yes, then I met Carter Robinson. He worked at another firm. We met at a party and dated a year and then got married.”

Tyson didn't say anything, but his mind was filled with thoughts of how different things might have been had she returned to Phoenix after college. Then maybe their paths would have crossed.
And then what?
he silently asked himself.
You aren't a serious kind of guy, never was. All you could have offered her was a romp between the sheets
. He took a sip of his water knowing that was true.

* * *

Hunter tipped her head to the side and stared at Tyson. When he wasn't trying to get a girl on her back, he was surprisingly easy to talk to. But then he very well might be so engaging just to reel her in like he'd tried doing in high school.

When the waiter came to remove the dishes she placed her briefcase on the table, opened it and pulled out her notepad. “Now for business.”

“All right.”

He was agreeable. She was surprised and had expected him to make some attempt to delay things. “So tell me what you would like in your house.”

“Besides you in my bed?”

Now the Tyson Steele she knew had returned. “Won't happen, Tyson, so get over it.”

“Doubt if I can, Hunter.”

Whenever he said her name she felt a tingling sensation in the lower part of her belly. “Try real hard.” With her notebook and pen in hand she forced herself back into business mode. “How many bedrooms would you like in your home?”

“At least six.”

When she lifted her brow, he said, “A room for each of my brothers in case their wives ever put them out.”

“At the same time?”

He shrugged. “You never know. And they're smart enough to not to move back home. Mom would drive them to drink.”

She fought back a smile. “Not your mom. I remember her from church. I was always in awe of her. She was beautiful.”

“She still is beautiful. However, she does have one major flaw.”

“What?” Hunter asked, taking a sip of her water.

“She likes getting into her sons' business too much to suit us. If she had her way we would all be married.”

“And, of course, that's a bad thing.”

“For me it is. I can't speak for my brothers since she got to three of them already.”

Hunter shook her head. “I'm sure it wasn't your mom that ‘got to them.' I would think it was their wives. From what I hear they fell in love.”

He gave her a smile. “You're right. They're pretty damn smitten. Now they're looking at me, Mercury and Gannon like they expect us to follow suit.”

“But you won't.”

“I won't. I like being single.”

“I bet you do. Now, to get back to your design. You want six bedrooms, one of them the master. Any specifics there?”

“Umm, I want it big and spacious. Huge windows. Large walk-in closet and the regular stuff that goes in a bedroom. Nothing far-out like what Galen has. He built a house in the mountains and his bedroom has glass walls and a glass ceiling. He likes lying in bed and looking up at the stars.”

“Sounds beautiful.”

“It is if that's your taste. Not mine. I want regular walls and when I lay in bed and look up the only thing I want to see is a ceiling fan.”

“What about the kitchen?”

“I want a large kitchen.”