Dangerous Proposition (4 page)

“Enough!” he roared. “Tell me who you are and who you’re working for. Assuming you cooperate, I might decide to handle you with kid gloves.”

“Isn’t that sweet of you? I guess this is how you get all of your enemies to back down—crush them until there’s no air left in their lungs. You’ve been warned. I’m not that easily broken.”

A sinister smile formed on Colin’s lips. With his free hand he snatched hold of her chin, smoothing his thumb across its surface. “There are easier ways to break a woman than by crushing the air from her lungs.”

Did he mean…did he intend to… Julia shook her head furiously. Just because his words were laced with sensualism and he was staring at her lips as though they were coated in cinnamon glaze, it did
not
mean he was going to kiss her. Or did it?

A jolt of heat shot through her body as Colin lowered his mouth to hers. His lips were like velvet—dangerous, masculine. He penetrated her mouth, smoothing his fingertips across her scalp. It was almost as though he was trying to gain possession of her body.

It was a game, Julia assured herself, fighting to steady the shaking of her kneecaps. But as Colin’s tongue prodded the entrance to her mouth, she felt herself on the brink of surrender. She hadn’t kissed him back. She refused to kiss him back, and yet she found herself wanting to be closer, so much closer, and she inched her body more snugly against his.

No sooner did she do so than Colin’s tongue swept through her mouth like a whirlwind. It caressed hers gently, and she felt herself succumbing to its warm, sweet taste. She moved her mouth in rhythm with his, arms falling helplessly at her sides. The scent of bourbon and pine swept through her nostrils, and for just a moment, she felt as though she were in a dream. She recalled the circumstances under which she’d come to be there, and her eyes shot open like canons. Looking at her face, Colin smirked deviously.

“I felt nothing,” she said, taking an uneasy breath.

He snickered. “For a woman who has the gall to break into people’s homes, I would’ve thought you’d put up more of a fight. Had I kept going, there’s no doubt in my mind you would have surrendered completely.”

Julia fought to control her temper. She’d known why he’d wanted to kiss her, had known damn well why he’d wanted to kiss her. Yet she’d allowed him to do it anyway. Damn him! If she could move, she’d wipe that arrogant smirk off his face.

She thought quickly, an idea that seemed as good as any coming to her mind. With a grin she intended to assure him she was interested in picking up where they’d left off, she lifted her chin, tilting her head sideways.

With mischief in his eyes, Colin lowered his mouth to hers. Their lips touched, and Julia jerked her knee upward, striking his groin.

“Little bitch,” he roared, clutching his goods as he tumbled onto the mattress.

Julia scrambled to her feet. Racing to the door, she turned Colin’s way briefly before making a dash through the door. “Better luck next time, rich boy.”

Sunlight from the bedroom window shined against Colin’s forehead. Turning sideways, he inhaled deeply, discovering that the scent of jasmine had thoroughly laced his pillowcase. With his eyes still closed, he rolled onto his cheek, recalling the odd yet intriguing events of the previous night.

In the midst of the greatest crisis of his existence, he’d spotted two sparkling blue eyes poking their way from beneath the covers of his bed. And when he’d removed the comforter, he had discovered the daring little vixen they belonged to. With long red waves, lush lips, and a wildly curvaceous figure, she was easily one of the most attractive women he’d ever seen.

It hadn’t been his intention to kiss her. It wasn’t, after all, the first time an enemy had hired someone to spy on him. It was, however, the first time they’d chosen someone with such soft skin and beautiful breasts to do the job. His intention had been to restrain the girl, frighten her into a confession.

But rage had quickly turned to arousal as Colin held that saucy piece of work beneath his body. With her warm silhouette pressed against his chest, it had taken every ounce of his willpower not to take better advantage of the situation. Her soft scent dulling his senses, all he’d been able to think about doing was burying his face in her locks and undressing her one piece of tacky clothing at a time.

Since when had he started letting his urges override his survival instincts? There weren’t many things he hadn’t tried over the years, but mixing business with pleasure was one of them. It wasn’t how he’d gotten where he was. That was for damn sure.

Thinking about it, he could have sworn he’d seen that young woman before. Though he couldn’t imagine how that could be.

Perhaps it was for the best that things hadn’t gone any farther than they had. Had he kept going, he wasn’t entirely sure he would have remained the one in control.

Colin stood and walked to his armoire. Opening the door, he forced himself to focus on his priority for the day. Finding Tucker. That was, if he planned on keeping his neck in one piece.

Wearing a navy button-down and a pair of black pants, he walked downstairs to the dining room. He didn’t usually make the time for breakfast, but today he was going to make an exception. Between the fact that one of his best men was being held captive, and the idea that that redheaded wench had made it into his bedroom undetected, he was in dire need of a coffee. He passed his request along to Lucy, the downstairs maid, before turning to the man seated at the head of the table.

“Not eating on the patio this morning?” Colin pulled back a chair, shooting his younger brother a questioning glance. “I thought that you and Lena were into the whole fresh-mountain-air-over-breakfast thing. Where is the lovely lady of the house?”

Alec, whom many often mistook for Colin’s twin, met his brother’s gaze with a look of exasperation. Dark circles loomed beneath his typically bright eyes. His pupils were bloodshot, and his wavy black hair damp and disheveled. His white coat was draped across the back of his chair, and he was wearing a polo shirt and khakis. The look contrasted drastically from his typical black-and-white ensemble.

“Upstairs,” he answered with a hint of edge in his voice. “She isn’t feeling well. I thought it was best she stay in bed.”

“You usually do, just, you typically make a habit of joining her.”

Alec dropped his fork onto his plate. “Funny.”

“What?” Colin said with a snicker. “It isn’t exactly a secret that the two of you can’t keep your hands off of each other.” He thanked Lucy as she handed him his coffee. The aroma instantly awakened his senses.

Sinking back in his chair, he reassured himself that he had just made an excellent point. His prim-and-proper sister-in-law was constantly buzzing in Alec’s vicinity, accompanying him on every outing and errand. If a woman ever tried to do that to him, he’d put a stop to it right then and there.

Alec stood, slamming his chair against the dining room table. “I’m serious. Lena isn’t herself. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was—”

“Exasperating?” Colin picked up the newspaper, scanning it for the first good article to catch his eye.

Alec’s face reddened. “Of course, it didn’t help that she was up half the night, worrying that someone had tried to break in.”

Colin’s mouth went dry. He’d specifically heard his intruder run down the back stairs. How could Lena possibly have seen her?

He forged a nonchalant expression. “You think someone tried to break into the mansion?”

His brother opened his mouth to speak, but he hesitated as Jeffrey, butler to Alec and Colin since the Westwood Mansion had gone into their names, walked by carrying a stack of bathroom towels. The older man obviously knew a few things about Colin’s hidden profession, but Colin knew him well enough to know he’d never talk. Jeffrey looked from one brother to the other, a knowing look on his face that had significantly raised Colin’s annoyance level by the time he left the room.

Alec laid his hands on the table. “No, I don’t. I think that you were conducting business under this roof again.”

A roof which was in both of their names, lest he not forget. Though Alec had been working overtime to put the mansion solely in his name, he hadn’t, as of yet, been successful. Colin could have bought him out on numerous occasions, but his desire to play tit for tat with his father had lessened significantly over the years.

“When we came back into the house last night, the vase at the end of the second floor hall was broken.” Narrowing his gaze, Alec said, “Lena distinctly heard someone running.”

Colin grimaced. Avoiding Alec’s eyes, he assured himself that he didn’t have anything to hide.
Per se
. Though he didn’t suppose it would sit well with his younger brother, the fact that rival miscreants were sneaking sexy spies into their home.

He laced his fingers. “Sure that you two lovebirds didn’t simply have a few too many? It makes sense, actually, that one or both of you might have knocked over that vase in a hurry to, say, get the bedroom? Or, perhaps you’ve become so bored with small town medicine that you’ve started making up stories to amuse yourself.”

“I might’ve thought so. That is, if you didn’t appear to be working so hard to cover something up.”

“If you must know,” Colin said, taking a long sip of black coffee, “I was with a woman last night.”

“A woman?” Alec’s pupils expanded. “What’s her name?”

Colin scowled. It hadn’t been nearly as long as Alec’s expression implied since he’d been with a woman. Just, the number of hours involved in holding down a dual identity didn’t leave much time for a social life.

Perhaps this was why he had reacted with such strong carnal desire toward that redheaded temptress. It had been several months since he’d gotten between the legs of such a beautiful woman, and between ones as enticing as those of his little underground spy, it had been far too long indeed.

He looked nonchalantly upward as he attempted to recall the name of the last woman he’d gone to bed with. “Becky.”

“Becky.” Alec tapped his fingers against the back of his chair. “What does she look like?”

Delicate cheekbones. Long red curls, soft like taffeta. Blue eyes that dilate when she’s curious, widen when she’s excited. Long, long legs…

Colin loosened his collar. “Tall. Decent curves. Long red hair—”

“Wearing a pair of jeans and a tank top?” Alec cut in.

She had been wearing jeans, come to think of it. That was rather strange. He’d never known a woman to wear slacks, let alone anything less than an evening gown to one of their parties. And as a spy working for an enemy, he’d have expected her to go all out, making every effort to blend in.

With a grin that was unsettling to say the least, Alec turned from the bay window. “Although I don’t think this could be more fitting, I think it’s only fair I give you a warning. It seems Lena’s old roommate resurfaced at the party last night. Long, slender legs wrapped in faded denim, wild red waves with a personality to match—let me know when I’m getting close. The woman is trouble with a capital T.”

“A woman half my size who doesn’t know the proper way to dress?” Was Alec kidding? What did she plan on doing to him exactly, kneeing his goods until it stung so badly it killed him? Close as she’d come to doing just that, the girl didn’t stand a chance.

“She may be a little…rambunctious. But I hardly think breaking a tacky antique quantifies her as trouble.”

“I wouldn’t underestimate her if I were you,” Alec said. “Julia made a play for me before Lena and I were married. I was bringing Lena a bouquet of flowers, and I ran into Julia instead. She offered me some assistance. Let’s just say that the flowers never made it to their intended source.”

“So she took them,” Colin said, wondering whether there was a point to this conversation or whether Alec was simply wasting his time as usual. “I’d have done the same thing if I’d thought it might have prevented me from being subjected to the never-ending love fest I’ve been forced to endure. Look, I realize you’re not exactly experienced in dealing with women who don’t make a habit of singing to the birds on the terrace, but trust me. I’m more than prepared to handle Julia.”

Julia
. Her name suited her. She reminded Colin a bit of a shiny red jewel, which, when touched, sparkled brighter than any star in the sky. Though, like all things tempting, there was likely a hidden curse looming beneath Julia’s surface.

He wondered whether he could be alone with her again and not attempt to finish what she’d started. She was a very beautiful woman, and it had taken every ounce of strength not to have her right there in his bed. Perhaps it would be better for everyone if he took Alec’s advice and kept his distance.

Colin stared at his younger brother, debating whether to go on. If he could gather enough information to prove to himself that Julia wasn’t working for an enemy, he’d be free to pursue another close encounter with her. Though it had been a while since he’d sealed the deal with such an attractive Lorelei, his reputation did precede him. There was always a possibility it had been for this very reason that she’d sought him out.

“I don’t suppose there’s a last name that goes with that?” he pressed. “I assume Lena caught the name of the woman she was living with. Your wife does tend to air on the side of caution.”

“Dyson,” Alec answered shortly.

“Dyson?” For the second time in less than twelve hours, Colin wondered whether he felt a heart attack coming on. “Come to think of it, that vase was worth a good deal of money. I think I’ll pay Ms. Dyson a visit. She ought to be made aware of the cost of the damages she’s incurred.”

* * * *

“You’ve got to be kidding me, Julia. Sneaking into a party is one thing, but into Colin Westwood’s bed!”

Exhausted and drowsy after one heck of a sleepless night, Julia shifted the phone from her right ear to her left. She leaned back against the pillows on her living room couch.

It was only seven o’clock in the morning, but already her chatty best friend was hard at it. Julia held the phone several inches away from her ear as Abigail was speaking so loudly on the other end it was a wonder the neighbors hadn’t yet called the cops.