In Forbidden Territory (5 page)

A soft moan escaped her throat as his lips nibbled at the corner of her mouth, moved down the side of her neck and across her shoulder, leaving sizzling trails of pleasure. Then he moved lower until he reached her
breast. Excitement rippled through her body. Her head jerked backward as he teased her nipple with his tongue until it formed a taut peak. He drew the puckered treat into his mouth, sending a quick jolt of exhilaration racing through her. Her breathing became ragged. Every tautly drawn nerve ending tingled with anticipation—and also an ever-increasing level of apprehension.

A
cloud of trepidation and doubt settled over Angie. Ty was so smooth and experienced. Everything about him excited her in ways she hadn't dreamed possible. But was it as Mac had said? That Ty lived in the fast lane and she wasn't in his league? The insecurities she had learned to hide from everyone else now forced their way to the front. Her internal battle raged at full force. She fought to bring her rampaging desires under control and regain her composure. She had to put a stop to what was happening before it was too late. Her words came out as a breathless whisper—part anticipation, part regret and all enveloped in the anxiety she couldn't control.

“Ty…we can't…”

Her voice floated toward him through a swirling cloud of steam and euphoria, the words barely discernible above the sound of the bubbling water. The mean
ing of those words took a few moments to register with him. He tried to pull in a calming breath and force some sort of rational thought. He had never wanted anyone as much in his life as he did Angie Coleman at that moment.

“Can't?” His voice was as breathless as hers and conveyed his confusion mixed with a heavy dose of frustration.

“Why not?” He tilted his head back just enough to be able to see her face.

He expected to see the glow of excitement shining in the depths of her eyes. Judging by the ever-increasing passion surrounding the many kisses they had shared and her enthusiastic response to his advances, he had anticipated finding a level of desire to match his own. What he caught sight of instead was a wariness and uncertainty that jerked his senses to attention as if someone had thrown cold water on his escalating arousal.

He held her in his arms as his mood shifted from lustful craving to reassurance and caring. It was an odd transition, one he had never before experienced. He took several deep breaths in order to bring his ragged breathing under control and curtail his heightened desires. He wasn't sure what had just happened. He knew he didn't want to turn loose of her. He continued to hold her in his arms and cherish the closeness of the moment.

“I thought you also wanted…well…” He took another calming breath. He knew he needed to be very careful in the words he chose. “I'm sorry, Angie.” He pulled her tighter into his embrace, not at all sure he was doing the right thing. “I didn't realize I was pushing you into something you didn't want—”

She placed her fingertips against his lips to still his words. “Maybe
not yet
would be a more accurate way of saying it.” She wasn't sure exactly what she did want, but she knew she didn't want him to think the door had been closed permanently. But first she needed to clear the confusion whirling around inside her.

A sense of relief flooded through her as he pressed his lips against her forehead. Not only had he accepted her decision without challenging it, he had not pulled away from her or made her feel as if his only interest in her was sex. It felt so right being in his arms. Another moment of doubt clouded her thoughts. Perhaps it was too comfortable, too much the way she would like it always to be rather than a reflection of reality.

The disturbing thought lingered in her mind. Falling in love with someone, especially someone like Tyler Farrell, was not part of her plan. It probably wasn't a good idea even if she didn't already have an agenda for her future. He was the type of man who would not allow himself to be trapped in a relationship. Her thoughts startled her. A relationship…she had just escaped from a relationship where she felt trapped. That was certainly a direction she didn't want to go again. She needed to refocus her efforts on her career goals and keep that foremost in her mind.

Her attention wrenched back to the present when his hand grazed the side of her bare breast. Just the slightest intimate contact and her desires burst into flame again. She had to put some physical distance between herself and Ty or the next step she took would be toward his bedroom. But before she could react, Ty eased her off his lap and onto the bench seat in the hot tub. Then he fished the top of her swimsuit from the swirling water and handed it to her.

His breathing might have been under control, but his husky words were surrounded by the emotions and desires that continued to fill every corner of his consciousness. “I think it might be better for both of us if you put this back on.”

She took the piece of clothing from him. “Yes, you're right.”

Ty's action of turning away to give her privacy while she adjusted the top of her swimsuit was not lost on Angie. The gentlemanly gesture was certainly not the type of behavior associated with a callous womanizer who had only one thing on his mind. A soft glow filled her with a tender warmth. The heated lust of moments ago had transformed into a sense of closeness. She had never been enveloped in such a total feeling of caring with Caufield, never felt the type of tenderness and warmth she felt with Ty.

The overwhelming sensation frightened her in both its hidden meanings and blatant assault on her emotions leaving her totally confused about what the future held. She knew what she wanted—a position of responsibility in her brother's company, something that would be a career for her. At least she thought she knew. She had made a plan and put it into action. Now she wasn't sure any longer. And the confusing factor that had been added to the equation was the very disconcerting presence of Tyler Farrell. He scared her—not physically, but most assuredly on an emotional level.

Ty handed her a filled glass and offered a reassuring smile. “We can still enjoy the hot tub and some champagne, can't we?” He noticed the slight tremble of his hand telling him how stimulated he still was despite the fact that he knew any possibility of making love that evening was gone. Hopefully she wouldn't notice
it. The last thing he wanted was to make her more uncomfortable than she apparently already was.

She accepted the champagne and returned his smile. “Of course.”

He clinked his glass against hers, then took a sip. He eyed her carefully as she took a drink. She appeared composed on the outside, but he could see the anxiety and uncertainty in the depths of her eyes. He looked around at the scene he had staged—champagne, a bubbling hot tub, swimsuits which were the minimum amount of clothes they could be wearing and still be wearing something. It was a carefully prepared setting that screamed seduction and a night of passionate lovemaking.

He had invited her to his lair knowing exactly where he expected the night to go. He had used it many times, but always on very willing partners. Angie was not like other women, certainly not like the many women he dated and bedded. His sidetracked seduction attempt pulled at his emotions while inflicting feelings of guilt.

They stayed in the hot tub for half an hour, sipping champagne and valiantly attempting to ignore the sensual swirl enveloping them in desire while carrying on a casual conversation. And with each passing minute Angie became less sure about having put a stop to what had happened and more certain that making love with Ty would be ecstasy beyond anything she had ever known.

And all of her conflicting thoughts and feelings said one thing to her—she had to get safely away from Tyler Farrell. She needed to clear her mind and think things through without the distraction of this incredibly desirable man.

Angie set her empty glass aside and rose to her feet.
She picked up a large towel and began to pat the water from her skin. “It's getting late. I think I'd better start for home. Between the champagne and the therapeutic effect of the hot tub, I'm so relaxed I can barely keep my eyes open.” She offered what she hoped was an engaging smile rather than one filled with anxiety.

He climbed out of the hot tub and grabbed a towel. “Of course. I'll change into some dry clothes and drive you back to Mac's house.” He paused a moment, then pulled her gently into his arms. He held her tenderly in his embrace without being aggressive. He cradled her head against his shoulder. He searched for the proper words, something that would put her at ease yet allow him to know how things stood between them.

His words were more hesitant than he wanted them to be. “I…I hope my actions haven't put a strain on our seeing each other again.” He cupped her face in his hands and peered into the depths of her eyes. He placed a soft kiss on her lips, nothing too intimate and definitely not demanding. “I truly didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.”

A shy smile turned the corners of her mouth. “Nothing has changed. I would be very disappointed if we didn't continue to see each other.”

Angie knew it was her fault. She had given him the green light with her actions, then changed her mind and pulled back. Yet he was the one accepting responsibility. It was certainly a gracious gesture, not that of a callous playboy. And it intensified the rapidly growing emotional attachment she felt for him. Did she dare allow the word
love
to once again be a part of her thoughts where Ty was concerned? A little shiver of anxiety made its way across her skin.

She tried to lighten the moment. “The air is a little
chilly. We'd better get into some dry clothes before we both end up with a cold.”

She retreated to the guest bathroom to change while he did the same in his bedroom. Then he drove her back to Mac's house.

Ty held her hand as they walked up the path toward the front door. “May I see you tomorrow night? Maybe dinner and a movie, or whatever you'd like to do? I know Mac will still be working on the design project. He's not happy with the way it's going and has redone some portions of it. That's one of the reasons it's taking him so long.”

“I read in the newspaper this morning about a new art gallery in Seattle. There's going to be a grand opening tomorrow night. Perhaps we could attend?”

“That sounds great. I'll pick you up at six o'clock so that we can make the six forty-five ferry.”

She gave his hand a little squeeze. “I'll see you then.”

She watched until his taillights disappeared around the corner, then went inside. It had been a profound evening, one that had helped crystallize some of her emotions but had left her very unsettled in other areas. His actions following her decision not to make love had been commendable and showed a great deal of consideration for her wishes regardless of his personal desires.

And it made her feel that much closer to him on all levels.

Pangs of regret over her decision to call a halt to things had already started to filter through to her conscious thoughts. Now she wondered what tomorrow night would bring. She slid into bed and closed her
eyes. Vivid images of Tyler Farrell danced through her mind along with the heated desire that still coursed through her veins.

 

The next evening, Ty rang the bell and a moment later Angie opened the front door. He immediately stepped into the entryway. “I'm sorry I'm late.”

“That's okay.”

He glanced at his watch as he shook his head in irritation. “I got stuck at the office in a meeting. I didn't call because I kept thinking I'd be able to leave any minute and now it's too late to catch the six-forty-five ferry to Seattle.”

“We can catch the next one.”

He pulled her into his arms, being careful not to hold her too tight but unable to resist taking the action. “I'm afraid by the time we do that we'll end up being too late to attend the gallery opening.” He looked at her questioningly, as if he wasn't sure what to say. “Maybe we can go tomorrow night instead? We'll miss the opening festivities, champagne and hors d'oeuvres, but it won't be as crowded.”

She smiled in response to his obvious uncertainty. “I'd like that very much.”

“In the meantime, we can still go out and get something to eat. How about the pub at the waterfront where we first had lunch?” He glanced down at what he was wearing, then extended a sheepish smile. “I had to dress appropriately for my meeting. Since we aren't going to the gallery opening, I'd really like to get out of this suit and tie and into something comfortable before we do anything else.”

“Same here. If you give me a couple of minutes, I'd like to change clothes, too.”

“I'll wait right here.”

Angie made a quick change from the dress she had been wearing to a pair of slacks and simple pullover top. They drove to Ty's house where he excused himself and went to his bedroom to change clothes.

His absence gave her an opportunity to study the surroundings he had chosen for himself, something she had not been able to do the previous night. The expensive furnishings and decoration reflected the good taste of the owner—elegant yet comfortable and inviting. She examined several porcelain objects inside a glass-fronted cabinet. From a distance they appeared to be delicate statuettes. Up close she discovered the whimsy and humor the figurines projected. Another indication of the fun-loving personality of the owner.

She studied the titles of the books that filled several bookcases. They contained just about every genre of fiction, biographies and autobiographies, research books on various topics and general nonfiction. It was an impressive collection of reading material covering a wide range of topics.

She wandered toward the large window that looked out to the deck, the private dock and the ocean beyond. She closed her eyes and allowed the tantalizing sensations of the previous night to wash through her body. Her nerve endings came alive, every desire she had experienced in the hot tub once again playing havoc with her senses. Her mind drifted to where things had been headed when she put a stop to it. A huff of regret spilled out from her throat.
Chickened out
was a more accurate description. She had allowed her insecurities to dictate her actions.

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt when his arms slipped around her waist from behind and he
pulled her to him until her back rested against his chest. His smooth masculine voice whispered in her ear, sending a tingle of excitement rippling across her skin.