Shawna Delacorte - In Forbidden Territory

A tightness pulled across his chest. His skin still tingled where their hands had met. He forced a casualness he didn’t feel as he flashed a wickedly sexy grin. “Well…I’m happy to see that at least one of us has improved over the years.”

Angie stuck her hands in the pockets of her tailored slacks, a subconscious effort to wipe away the sensation of his tantalizing touch. The devilish gleam in his hazel eyes told her exactly what was on his mind. It was a look she had seen on the faces of many men on numerous occasions, but it had never had this type of impact on her. It was a look that spoke of excitement and the promise of many nights of sensual pleasure for the woman lucky enough to share his bed.

It was a look that also spoke of fun, an open enjoyment of everyday things and life in general—something definitely lacking in her life for the past year. She wanted to regain that sense of fun that she had lost. She needed to have it back in her life.

Tyler Farrell was a very disconcerting man, yet there was something about him that she couldn’t dismiss. It was more than his movie-star good looks, thick dark hair and strong athletic build. A little shiver of anticipation darted across the surface of her skin. She sensed an underlying level of passion that reached out and grabbed her like nothing ever had and refused to let go.

Angie glanced at her brother. An uncertain look surrounded by a hint of disapproval covered Mac’s face as his gaze darted between his business partner and his sister.

Mac self-consciously cleared his throat. “Uh…Angie…about lunch today—”

Ty immediately took control of the conversation. “Don’t give it another thought, Mac. I know how busy you are with the deadline on the design project. I would be honored to escort Angie to lunch in your place.” He glanced at the delectable Angelina Coleman, then forced his attention away from the tantalizing image and back to his partner. He flashed a quick grin. “For the sake of the company and our expansion plans.”

“I hate to interrupt your schedule, Ty. I can certainly amuse myself until Mac gets home tonight.” His mention of expansion plans did not escape her notice. Hopefully the company’s plans would fit nicely with her personal agenda, her primary goal—a plan she had not shared with her brother even though he was central to its success. It was her real reason for moving to Seattle.

Ty extended a dazzling smile and winked at her. “Nonsense. There’s nothing I’d rather do than take a beautiful and charming lady to lunch.” He glanced toward Mac before leaving, catching the look of warning aimed directly at him.

Ty escorted Angie out of the building. The tightness in his chest increased as the scent of her perfume tickled his senses. A sudden rush of discomfort left him uneasy. He felt pressured to make small talk even though he wasn’t sure what to say to this enchanting woman who had just robbed him of his ability to be glib and charming. He took a deep breath. Maybe Mac thought of her as still being his kid sister, but there was no way this gorgeous vision could be thought of as anything other than all woman—beautiful and fascinating.

He took another breath and tried to brush away the flood of lascivious thoughts that invaded his mind. He tried to convince himself it was just force of habit. It was not as if he was entertaining serious thoughts about making a pass at Mac’s little sister…not really. The band pulled even tighter across his chest. The heat settled low inside his body. Regardless of what he tried to tell himself, pizza and a movie were the last things on his mind.

The libidinous thoughts coursing through his head and pulling at his body were totally inappropriate under the circumstances, but that did not make them go away. She was Mac’s sister, what Mac referred to as his kid sister—an expression that had a very protective sound to it, especially the way Mac said it. It was the type of sound that matched the look of warning Mac had shot in his direction.

Ty turned toward Angie. “Well…shall we go? There’s a charming little place a short walk from here.”

They strolled along the waterfront toward the harbor. As much as he tried not to, he couldn’t keep from staring at her. He drank in her finely sculpted features, the turn of her nose, the absolutely delicious-looking mouth.

“Why are you watching me?”

Her words surprised him. His mind scrambled for some sort of acceptable explanation. “I…I was looking for similarities in appearance between you and Mac. I can see the family resemblance.”

“I think we both look like our mother.”

He allowed his gaze to drift across her features. “You’re not what I was expecting. I was still picturing that ten-year-old little girl.”

She emitted a sigh, part exasperation and part resignation. “Yes, that’s what Mac sees, too, whenever my name is brought up in conversation. He and Mom both. They’re always patronizing me. I guess I can understand it. Not only am I the only girl, I’m also the youngest—the baby of the family with five older brothers. Mac is the oldest, thirteen years older than I am. I keep hoping that the day will come when they stop thinking of me as that little girl, but I don’t think it’s going to happen any time soon.”

Ty and Angie reached the restaurant. It was a bright, sunny autumn day and they were seated outside on the deck. After they ordered lunch he leaned back in his chair in an attempt to project a casual appearance, something far removed from the uneasiness churning inside him. “So what have you been doing with yourself since you were that little girl?”

A teasing grin played at the corners of her mouth. “Mostly I’ve been trying to get everyone to stop thinking of me as that little girl.”

Was she making fun of him? At that moment his mind was so muddled he didn’t know what to think. His gaze slowly traveled across her features again, pausing a moment to take in the way the fabric of her blouse caressed the curve of her breasts. He finally settled on her tantalizing mouth, a mouth that deserved to be kissed long, hard and often.

“What else have you been up to besides not being ten anymore?” His voice held a huskiness he wasn’t happy with. He cocked his head as he made eye contact with her. A shiver of anxiety worked its way up his back followed by a shiver of uncertainty. Just pizza and a movie with Mac’s kid sister—what had he gotten himself into? He was not sure about this anymore, not sure at all.

“I went to school. Then after I graduated from high school I entered an Oregon beauty pageant and was selected first runner-up.”

He straightened to attention. “Ah…you’re a beauty queen.” He saw a momentary flash of irritation dart across her face.

“I didn’t care about the beauty title. What I wanted was the college scholarship. I had some scholarship money, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted to provide the rest of the funds myself. Unfortunately, with the heavy class load I had planned to carry I wouldn’t have been able to work very many hours a week.”

The words were not what Ty had expected to hear. She sounded very serious rather than simply engaging in casual chitchat. Was she always this serious? She had shown marvelous flashes of humor in the short time he had been around her. He was not accustomed to having serious conversations with women. “How did things turn out?”

“Mac came to the rescue as he always has for anyone in the family who needs anything.”

The waitress interrupted their conversation when she placed the food on the table. Angie became reflective as she watched the waitress leave, then turned her attention back to Ty. “As Mac has probably told you, our father died when I was very young and Mac was still in high school. Mom had a tough time financially. She was raising six kids by herself and money was very tight. Mac worked for two years after he graduated from high school to earn the money he needed for college to supplement his scholarship funds. That’s why he was two years older than the other freshmen such as you.” She flashed a teasing grin at Ty and displayed another moment of her pointed humor. “And far more mature than most of them.”