Kristin Gabriel - Dangerously Irresistible

She closed her eyes, attempting to block out the memory, and failing. Her body had betrayed her, and it still thrummed from the aftereffects of his kiss. She kept telling herself the only reason she’d kissed him was to distract him when she brought out the handcuffs.

But it wasn’t true. Worse, it had almost backfired on her. No wonder so many women had signed over their bank accounts and their common sense to this man.

“Am I boring you?” he asked archly.

Her eyes flew open. “Did you say something?”

His nostrils flared. “I was telling you the reason my picture was in that stupid magazine.”

She tucked her legs underneath her. “I can’t wait to hear it.”

He shifted uncomfortably on the floor. “Then I’ll say it again. It was a gift.”

She arched a brow, surprised that a man as cunning as the Kissing Bandit couldn’t come up with something more clever. “You consider yourself a gift to women?”

“No. It was a gift to my little sister.” He sagged against the bed, obviously exhausted from his struggle against the handcuffs. “For some ridiculous reason, she thought I didn’t have enough romance in my life. So she filled out the application and told me the only thing she wanted for her high school graduation present was my picture in the Texas Mail-Order Men magazine.”

As far as Maddie knew, the Kissing Bandit didn’t have a little sister. But she decided to play along anyway. “And you agreed?”

“Not at first,” he replied. “But Lauren is nothing if not persistent. She told me she couldn’t enjoy herself at college if I was all alone in Dallas.”

Maddie had to give him credit. He was good. Very good.

Especially the way his voice softened when he spoke his sister’s name. He was a master of deception, which was probably the reason he’d avoided capture for so long.

“So you advertised yourself in the magazine hoping to find true love?”

“Something like that.” A muscle flexed in his jaw. “Look, the real reason is that it made my sister happy. She’s had a tough time these last few years, but she pulled herself together and graduated from high school with honors. She even qualified for a college scholarship. So when she asked me to put my picture in the Texas Mail-Order Men magazine, I did it. Hell, I would have walked across hot coals if she’d asked me to. And considering the way this evening is turning out, that might have been more fun.”

Maddie studied him, wondering how long it took him to create these cockamamie stories. At least this one was more plausible than the wild rodeo adventures he’d spun down at the bar. Did he improvise on the spur of the moment or spend hours concocting heart-wrenching tales to make women fall in love with him?

He certainly seemed like the perfect catch. Not only was he sinfully handsome, but he treated his little sister like a princess. No doubt leaving the impression that he’d treat the love of his life even better.

Too bad it was all make-believe.

“Do you adopt orphaned puppies and help little old ladies across the street, too?” she asked, tired of playing games. The rush of adrenaline from the takedown was finally beginning to wear off.

He narrowed his eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just that I’m smart enough not to believe a word that comes out of your mouth.”

“It happens to be the truth.”

“Okay,” she said, happy to call his bluff. “Give me your sister’s phone number and I’ll call her up to verify your story.”

“You can’t call her,” he retorted, anger sparking in his blue eyes. “Lauren went camping with friends this weekend. She won’t be home until Sunday.”

“That’s convenient.”

“It’s the damn truth!”

“Your bedtime stories are making me sleepy.” She got up and switched off the light, blanketing the room in darkness. “Good night, Whip.”

Tension crackled in the air as she walked over to the bed and pulled back the covers. But it wasn’t until her head hit the pillow that he finally spoke.

“You expect me to sleep here on the floor like this?” He tugged on the handcuffs, shaking the bed slightly.

“Well, you’re certainly not sleeping with me,” Maddie replied, thankful for the darkness that covered her blush. Because, despite her best efforts, she couldn’t seem to forget that interlude on the bed right before she’d handcuffed him. The Kissing Bandit might be one of the world’s best con men, but she hadn’t been acting.

Still, what did it matter now? She’d done it. She’d brought down the Kissing Bandit. Satisfaction warmed her as she imagined the expression on her father’s face when she brought Blackburn in. Her brothers would be dumbfounded, and jealous as hell.

She could hardly wait.

TANNER AWOKE SLOWLY THE next morning, wincing at the piercing ache in his shoulders. It took him a moment to remember why he was lying on the floor. And why both of his hands were numb.

Maddie.

That brown-eyed vixen had lured him right into her trap. And he’d drooled over her all the way there. He closed his eyes, thoroughly disgusted with himself. This was certainly not the way he intended to start his well-earned vacation.

He rolled to one side, then levered himself up to a sitting position. His stiff muscles screamed in protest. He’d talked himself hoarse last night trying to convince her she’d made a big mistake. But Maddie Griffin refused to listen to reason. She was the most stubborn woman he’d ever met.

Leaning his head back against the mattress, he heard the shower running in the bathroom. She’d obviously been serious about leaving at the crack of dawn. Closing his eyes, he wondered how the hell he’d gotten into this situation, and more importantly, how he was going to get out of it.

A few minutes later, the shower turned off and he could hear the squeak of the shower door as it opened. It was too easy to imagine Maddie standing naked only a few feet away from him, tiny droplets of water streaming over her delectable body. If he wasn’t handcuffed to the bed, he’d be half tempted to walk in there and join her. Finish what they had started last night.

Last night. The wedding rehearsal. Oh, hell.

“Maddie!” He craned his neck toward the bathroom door. “Get out here right now!”

A moment later, the door opened and she stuck out her wet head, a towel hanging in front of her. “Is there a problem?”

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