"Are you expecting company this evening?"

Her head whipped around. "What do you mean?"

"Well, the way you're primping yourself, I don't know who you're expecting, but it sure as hell isn't me. I'm already right here in bed. See? All by myself." He yawned loudly.

"I'm thinking. I always walk around doing stuff when I'm thinking."

"You mean you can walk and think at the same time? Baby, I'm impressed."

Zanita made a running tackle for the bed.

She dived on top of him, laughing when he rolled across the bed with her.

"This is why I have to put guests in another wing, my Zanita. You are a savage in the bedroom."

"Don't you want to know what I was thinking?"

He lowered his head to hers.

"No."

"I was wondering if this was all worth it."

He stilled. His voice became very quiet. "What do you mean?"

"I don't see how we are going to trip him up. You went to all this trouble and-"

Tyber released the breath he was holding. She had almost given him a heart attack. "We don't have to trip him up, baby. I thought you understood that-we just need to observe him, talk to him, draw him out. Like any problem, it'll solve itself when least expected. Trust me, there'll be something that will stay in our minds-"

"You know, you scare me when you talk like that."

Tyber let out a bark of laughter. He lowered his head to her again.

"I wanted to thank you for taking care of the stuff I should have; it was very nice of you, Doc."

"Then thank me." His lips were a hairsbreadth from hers.

"Are you very upset about your motorcycle?"

He retreated, looking down at her with a frown. "Are you purposely trying to kill my mood?"

"Auntie's awfully sorry about it; she feels terrible."

"She hides her grief well. Forget the motorcycle-it's one of those things in life that can be repaired."

Her lower lip pouted. "You haven't forgotten it."

He caught her pouting lip between his teeth and gently suckled on it. "Make me forget it...." He settled against her, embracing her gently.

"Tyber?"

"What?" he roared.

"I just think you should talk to Auntie."

"What is it, Zanita, are you just not in the mood tonight?"

"Whatever are you talking about?" She pushed against his broad shoulders. "Have you lost your mind? We're talking about you apologizing to Auntie-"

"What?" he roared for the second time in as many minutes.

Zanita totally ignored his outraged expression. "She feels so terrible about the bike; I thought if you apologized to her for leaving it in the middle of the road, she might realize it wasn't her fault and feel better."

"First of all, the Harley was not in the middle of the road it was parked in the driveway. My driveway. Second, it was her fault. She came barreling down the drive going at least fifty miles an hour. Third, I don't want her feeling better about it, but you don't have to worry because the woman forgot about the incident before her car door slammed shut. And lastly, I am not-I repeat, I am not going to apologize to her."

Tears filled her violet eyes. "Do you mean it?"

Tyber's shoulders sagged. He sighed. It was the tears that did him in. Zanita was obviously the one who felt bad about it. His lady was very tender-hearted. "All right, I'll apologize to her."

"Thank you, Tyber. I knew you would, once you thought it over."

He rubbed his nose against hers, "Are you sucker-punching me?"

"I don't know... what do I have to do?" She smiled seductively at him.

Tyber grinned. "It's very kinky."

"Kinky as in Nepal kinky?"

Tyber chuckled, remembering Greg's expression over his son's head. "I don't know; I've never been to Nepal. But I sure as hell am putting it on my travel wish list."

Zanita ran the sole of her foot down the inside of his leg. "What else is on your wish list?"

"This." His mouth fastened on the curve of her shoulder as his hands reached underneath her to cup her buttocks.

"And this." His bare leg wedged between hers, rubbing against the cleft between her legs. She was already moist for him. He groaned.

"Your skin's getting hot." She stroked his back.

"Heat's a motion of expansion." He replaced his leg with his hard member, running it along the outside of the wet crevice.

"I do declare."

"But it's not a uniform expansion throughout the body...."

"No?"

"Uh-uh." He took her nipple into his damp mouth, laving the bud with tender care. "In the smaller parts of it." He blew against her breast.

She sucked in her breath. "I see."

"The body requires a motion alternative." He entered her swiftly, causing her to moan against him. "Perpetually quivering." He withdrew to thrust deep within her again. "Striving..."

She gasped. "Tyber, what are you talking about?"

"I don't know." He gave up all pretense of the physics lesson, clutching her tightly to him. His hot mouth fastened on hers. He plundered her sweet mouth, mirroring his erotic movements below.

Yes, he was expanding with the heat.

Sometimes demonstration was the finer art of teaching.

Chapter Thirteen.

Zanita gazed out of the upstairs bedroom window, trying to focus on the two figures walking slowly across the far acreage of Tyber's land, near where it bordered the woods.

Even from this distance, she could discern Tyber's tall form, his distinctive stride: one part smooth, hip-rolling gait, three parts conquering presence. The shorter man gesturing expansively at his side would be LaLeche.

After lunch, Tyber had decided to take LaLeche on a personally escorted, carefully edited tour of his property. He wanted to see if LaLeche would be relaxed enough to inadvertently drop his guard in some way.

When he had approached Zanita with the idea, she shrugged her shoulders, thinking, what could it hurt? So far, to her way of thinking, the self-proclaimed psychic had been annoyingly in "character" and as far as she could tell, had revealed nothing to either of them of any import.

Zanita had sensed that Tyber hadn't felt completely comfortable opening his entire home to LaLeche. Right from the beginning she knew that Tyber was a very private man-his personal life was just that. She had a strong feeling that invitations to his walled domain were carefully given.

So what happens to the poor man once he hooks up with her?

He had an invasion force in his house, his sanctuary. It had to go against his grain, yet he was being the most gracious of hosts. A nagging question surfaced.

Is Tyber doing all this just for me?

Zanita knew she could gloss over the implications of such a gesture by telling herself that he was just as involved as she was in the investigation. She could even try to make herself believe he hadn't minded his life being turned upside down this weekend, but she would be lying to herself.

The simple truth was, Tyber was doing this for her sake alone.

The flowers. The gracious, sumptuous meals. The dress slacks. Auntie.

It was all for her.

Was the Captain proclaiming himself?

She bit her lip. If so, what should she do? How should she handle this? Somehow the word handle and Tyber didn't go together in the same sentence.

While she watched, a gust of wind lifted a long strand of Tyber's gold-streaked chestnut hair. Zanita sighed. He really was the most stunning man. She leaned her elbows on the windowsill, resting her chin in the palm of her hand, her thoughts brooding on her partner cum lover.

In her past, the only real relationship she had had was with Steve. The experimental disaster with Rick she dismissed as a momentary insanity.

The truth was, she had never experienced anything like what she had with Tyber. Aside from his wonderful kookiness and heady individuality, when Tyber made love, he put his whole self into the act. His entire being became present tense. Reactive. Proactive. He was there.

Zanita dropped her forehead against the windowpane, rubbing her heated skin against the cool glass. She had warned him about this, repeatedly. Told him straight out she was not getting involved in any relationships. Had he paid any attention to her?

No.

He had gone about his merry way-buying her little gifts, taking her out for dinners, watching over her like a mother hen when she was sick, and physically loving her to the point of exhaustion.

The pirate.

He had laid siege to her! Not with the traditional tools of his craft-no, not with cannon and cutlass, but with honeyed lips and heated caresses. With the scorching press of his body. With the masterful command of her pliant response to his overwhelming sensuality.

She had been broadsided.

Zanita winced and took a deep breath, valiantly trying to salvage the wreck. She was still afloat. The grappling hooks had been thrown, but she wasn't boarded yet.

Her eyes narrowed while she observed him through the window.

The two men had stopped walking and were facing each other, deep in conversation. Tyber's long legs were spread in a familiar stance, his hands planted firmly on his hips. Convince me, the arrogant pose said. She had seen this invincible stance before. Many times. The overbearing rogue!

Well, she would convince him! Later, when she could be sure they wouldn't be interrupted. This time she was going to pierce through his vigorous hide to impress upon him exactly what was what.

No more lavish displays of affection.

No more just one more time, baby heatedly whispered in the middle of the night into her ear.

No more!

They were working together for a common cause. Co-workers and... friends. It was time Tyber was reminded of just where they stood.

Zanita swallowed the lump of agitation and something else which didn't bear examining but which had suddenly lodged in her throat. Her shoulders squared, resolutely quelling the irksome feeling. She recognized this feeling as one which could get her into deep trouble. Had gotten her into deep trouble in the past.

Tyber was an adult. He would see reason, would listen to her when she told him he needed an attitude adjustment.

If Zanita had her druthers, remodeling Tyberius Augustus Evans was not a task she would have voluntarily taken on, but a girl had to do what a girl had to do. After all, it was up to her to get them back on track. Left to his own devices, Tyber would lead them down a very dangerous road.

She had no intention of being derailed from her course of self-preservation.

A realignment was definitely in order.

"Tyber, you have created an oasis of tranquility in this jungle of stress called modern life. No wonder you choose to spend your working day right here in the peaceful beauty of your gracious estate."

Tyber listened to LaLeche, dark lashes veiling light blue eyes clouded by disgust. He'd seen Rocky Mountain oysters with less bull. He inclined his head slightly, as if thanking and agreeing with LaLeche at the same time.

"You know, I believe most people, given a choice, would prefer just such an environment in their daily lives."

Tyber wondered where LaLeche was leading with this. "Oh, I don't know, Xavier, different strokes for different folks. I'm sure many people couldn't bear this type of isolated work and living environment. Some people thrive on the excitement of rubbing up against the mass of humanity on a daily basis. Just look at New York City."