Deciding to stop fighting the impulse, she tossed the magazine aside and got out of bed and reached for her laptop. Taking a deep breath she quickly logged on. It was almost ten minutes after the hour. Had he checked to see if she'd logged on and when he found out she hadn't had already logged off? She inhaled deeply again, knowing there was only one way to find out.

She signed on with her Internet server and sighed in relief when his name was still there. Leaning back against the headboard she settled into a comfortable position and waited. She didn't have long for action when Morgan clicked on, invading her s.p.a.ce.

Lena?

She clicked a response. Yes, I'm here. Yes, I'm here.

Thanks for dropping by.

And then their fun time began.

Morgan asked the first question. What's your favorite sport? What's your favorite sport?

Lena chuckled. That would be a quick response and she typed it in. I really don't have one. I really don't have one.

Umm, have you ever played s.e.x by Design?

She lifted a brow and her fingers went to work. No. How is it played? No. How is it played?

Easy. All you need is one woman and one man.

She shook her head, grinning as she clicked a response. Good. I don't go for that kinky stuff. Good. I don't go for that kinky stuff.

Neither do I.

Good to know. So, how do you play it?

You think of a word, the first one that comes to your mind, and the other person has to come up with some sort of s.e.xual story about it.

Lena frowned. That's a lot of typing. That's a lot of typing.

Abbreviations are accepted.

Okay.

I'll let you go first and you give me a word.

She paused a moment to think hard. She glanced around the room and smiled when she saw something on her dresser and decided not to make things easy for him. Cotton b.a.l.l.s. Cotton b.a.l.l.s.

Cotton b.a.l.l.s?

Yes.

There was a long pause and then he began typing. Picture this. You and me together, naked in bed. Like we were this afternoon. Picture this. You and me together, naked in bed. Like we were this afternoon.

Heat shivered through her bloodstream. Okay I got the picture. Okay I got the picture.

And I take a bunch of those little cotton b.a.l.l.s and strategically place them to cover your front. You know, that particular area between your legs. They will fit you like a perfect triangle. Then I use my mouth to remove them, one by one. The object is not to let one fall. Each time I remove one I get to lick the area where it had been.

Lena swallowed. Her mouth suddenly felt dry, tight, and her nipples felt hard against her nightgown. She couldn't help but type and ask. What happens when they're all gone? What happens when they're all gone?

Then I get to taste the entire area; nibble and lick as much as I want. Then I get to use my mouth and place them back and start the game all over again. So what do you think?

When visions of him doing that engulfed her mind, what Lena really thought was that they had to be nuts to be having this sort of conversation, especially when the most prolific and exquisite sensations flowed through her body. I think we've said enough for tonight. I think we've said enough for tonight.

Chicken. Where's your twin?

Some place safe. Good night, Morgan.

Good night, Lena.

Morgan was standing at the window the next day thinking about his and Lena's cybers.p.a.ce chat of the night before when his secretary's voice on the intercom intruded into this thoughts.

"Yes, Linda, what is it?"

"Edward Dunlap is here to see you."

Morgan raised a brow before saying, "Please send him in."

A few minutes later Edward walked in. He was in his late fifties, the same age as Morgan's father. In fact, his father and the man had been business a.s.sociates for years before Edward had chosen a life of politics. He had been elected as Charlotte's first African American councilman and remained in that office for years. From there he had become a state representative and was now eying a position in Congress. In recent years he had appointed himself as Morgan's mentor, determined to see him enter the political arena.

"Edward, this is a surprise," Morgan said, crossing the room to shake the older man's hand.

"Yes, and I hate to come unannounced but this meeting is important. Word has it that Roger Chadwick will be holding a press conference in a few hours to announce his candidacy. So you know what this means?"

Morgan leaned back against his desk. Yes, he knew what that meant. If he was going to announce his own intentions to run for that same seat, now was the time to finally make up his mind. "Yes, I know what it means, Edward, but there is someone I need to discuss this with."

Edward nodded. "And that brings me to another reason I'm here. There's a rumor floating around about you."

Morgan lifted a brow. "What rumor?"

"That you're thinking of getting married."

Morgan couldn't help the smile that touched his lips. "That's no rumor. I am getting married."

"I think we need to discuss that, Morgan."

"Discuss what?"

"Your choice of a wife."

Morgan cast him a glance that nearly bordered on anger. "Excuse me?"

"I said your choice of a wife. I understand you're thinking about marrying Lena Spears, which comes as a surprise because I wasn't aware you were serious about anyone."

Morgan frowned, wondering if the man a.s.sumed he had to know everything about his business, personal or otherwise. "Yes, I've asked Lena to marry me."

"I'm sure you know family name, style and connections are everything."

"To some people."

Edward shook his head. "Don't kid yourself. You're a Steele about to run for office. You don't need to consider marrying any woman who won't be an a.s.set to your career. Lena Spears is a nice woman, but she won't do as a wife for you. Now, take Senator Hollis's daughter. I understand she's-"

"No, you take Senator Hollis's daughter," Morgan said, after having heard enough. "For G.o.d's sake, Edward, this is the twenty-first century. Lena won't be the one running for office, I will. And who I decide to marry is really no one's business."

"Don't make the mistake of thinking it's not, Morgan. I met with a few people earlier today and the rumor of your possible engagement came up. They asked that I come and meet with you to discuss it."

Morgan straightened his stance, getting angrier by the minute. "In that case, tell them you have met with me and discussed it. And that my response is that in my opinion Lena Spears has more style and beauty in her little finger than most women have in their entire body. I'm marrying her and if the ma.s.ses don't like it, then I'll run without their support."

"You won't win."

Morgan chuckled. "I might not get their vote, but if they feel the way they do about the woman I intend to marry, then I don't want their vote. They only represent a small population of Charlotte's society. I refuse to believe that the majority of the people in this town is that narrowed-minded and shallow. Good day, Edward."

Edward stared at him and shook his head for a moment before turning and walking out the door.

"For Pete's sake, calm down, Morgan."

Chance, Bas and Donovan watched as an angry Morgan paced back and forth around his office. As soon as Edward had left, Morgan had summoned his brothers. After he'd told them about Edward's visit and what had been said, they had gotten just as angry as Morgan. But not quite.

"I can't believe Dunlap actually said that to you," Donovan said, shaking his head as he sat in one of the chairs in the room. "I can see him saying that to me since he never liked me anyway."

Bas rolled his eyes. "Might be from that time he caught you almost almost making out with his youngest daughter in a parked car right in front of his house." making out with his youngest daughter in a parked car right in front of his house."

"Hey, she asked for it," Donovan said in defense. "What was I supposed to do?"

Chance shook his head. "Turning her down might have been the decent thing to do," he said sarcastically. "But let's get back to the issue of Morgan and Lena."

Morgan stopped his pacing and met Chance's gaze. "There's no issue. Who the h.e.l.l do they think they are, deciding what woman is appropriate for me?" he asked angrily. "It's n.o.body's business who I marry."

"d.a.m.n right it's not, now let's go kick some a.s.ses," was Bas's quick reply.

Now it was Chance who rolled his eyes. Everyone in Charlotte knew that of all the Steeles, Bas had always been the hothead, the one ready to not only start trouble but put an end to it as well. He'd always been known as the not-so-sterling Steele, a reputation he'd garnered proudly until he turned twenty-one, dropped out of college and had to face the real world...and a man by the name of Jim Mason-Jocelyn's father.

"Just think how that sounds, Bas. Fighting never solves anything. What we need to do is to put our heads together. Whether you want to admit it or not, Morgan, you're going to need Edward and his group's support."

"Then I don't want it, and in that case I won't run."

Chance shook his head. "Think hard on that before making a decision. Have you discussed any of this with Lena?"

"No."

"Don't you think you should? Especially if the two of you are getting married, which is a mystery within itself. Two weeks ago she wasn't giving you the time of day," Chance said, eying his brother curiously. "What happened?"

Morgan stared at his brothers, and since he wanted to make sure they understood the depth of his feelings for Lena he said, "Love happened. I fell for her that night of the charity ball. I just thought I wanted her. But it's more. I love her."

Chance and Bas slowly nodded, indicating they understood. They had been there, done that and were still doing it. However, it was Donovan who was looking at him with what amounted to pity in his eyes.

"Okay, then," Chance said, smiling, as if satisfied with what he'd been told. "I suggest you talk things over with Lena. I probably won't go so far as to tell her about Edward's visit, but I think she at least deserves to know you're thinking about running for a political office."

Morgan nodded, knowing Chance was right. He and Lena had a dinner date later that day. He would tell her of his decision then.

Lena glanced around. She was lucky that although she'd arrived at the restaurant early, there had been a table reserved for her.

McIntosh Steak House and Seafood was a popular restaurant in town. Simple and elegant it catered to businesspeople with money, the power brokers of Charlotte. The interior spoke of old money with its plush carpeting, the rich-looking furnishing and the expensive art collections of oil paintings on the walls. Service was always magnificent, the food always tasty. Sometimes people traveled for miles just to dine here.

The waiter had already brought her one gla.s.s of wine and had come to see if she wanted another when she glanced up and saw Ca.s.sandra Tisdale and a couple of women she recognized as being in the woman's inner circle, including her cousin Jamie. She immediately got cold chills.

She hoped they would pa.s.s by the table and not see her as they were leaving the restaurant, but it seemed that was one layer of hope that wouldn't be granted.

"Well, if it isn't the woman who thinks she's going to be the future Mrs. Morgan Steele."

Lena glanced up, smiling. She refused to let Ca.s.sandra's snide comment rattle her. "Hi, Ca.s.sandra, Debra, Karen and Jamie. I see the four of you are leaving."

"Yes, we are," Debra Kendall said, almost apologetically. And not for the umpteenth time Lena had to inwardly question why someone as nice as Debra would hang around with someone like Ca.s.sandra. Maybe she believed that sooner or later her kindness would rub off on Ca.s.sandra.

"So, what do you think of Morgan running for office?" Karen Smith asked, after looking at Ca.s.sandra and getting her cue.

"Excuse me?" Lena asked.

Ca.s.sandra smiled. "Oh, didn't you know? Now that Chadwick has announced he's running for office, speculation is high that Morgan will, too. He's very well thought of in this town."

Lena didn't say anything. She was still recovering from Karen's comment about the possibility of Morgan being a political candidate.

"Of course it's not definite whether Morgan is even interested," Debra said, as if to smooth things over.

"But if he does," Ca.s.sandra said, grinning, "he's going to need a woman who will complement him. Someone well groomed with a good name, a sense of fashion, style and grace, and a pedigree. Wouldn't you agree, Lena?"

Before Lena could say anything, it was Jamie who spoke, smiling sweetly. "And I'm sure if you care anything for Morgan as well as recognize what an a.s.set he would be in this community in politics, then you'd agree that all of us need to give him all the support he needs and the chance to win. I understand entering politics has been his lifelong dream. If you really care for him, you wouldn't take that dream away. In fact you would work hard to make it become a reality."

Then three of the women walked off. Debra, however, remained behind long enough to at least say goodbye.

The cold chills Lena had gotten earlier were there in full force. Why hadn't Morgan mentioned he was thinking about entering politics? Did he just a.s.sume she would want to be a politician's wife? Well, she didn't. She was a person who liked her life the way it was. She and her mother lived a quiet and peaceful existence, and she had no intention of being thrust out into the limelight.

Besides, how much did Morgan know about her? Oh, he'd learned a lot about her this afternoon and probably from the two chats they'd had, but that had all been s.e.xual. What did Morgan really know about her? Nothing. If he did, he would know that she and politics didn't mix because she was too opinionated when it came to certain issues and she didn't know how to remain quiet when it involved a subject she was pa.s.sionate about.

She thought about what Ca.s.sandra and her group said as well as what they didn't say. The people she hung out with, as well as those her parents hung out with, had a lot of influence and power. They would back Morgan fully if he had what they perceived as the right kind of wife by his side. But she knew they wouldn't use any of that to help get him elected if he was intent on marrying her.