'It's been such an incredible night for me.' She sighed, leaning back in her seat. 'Finishing the movie and then the party.'

'The party was great,' he agreed.

'So... right now I'm not into a magical mystery tour. I'm tired and I'm hungry.'

'Can we add horny?'

'You wish?

'Five more minutes,' he promised. 'How's that?'

'Okay,' she said, glancing pointedly at her watch. 'But I should warn you, I'm timing you.'

Five more minutes and, true to his word, he spun the car off the road towards a private gated estate. He entered a security code and the large gates swung open.

'Where are we?' she asked curiously.

'A friend's house. He lent it to me.'

'What friend?'

'You have to know everything, don't you?'

'As a matter of fact, I do.'

'A very discreet friend, 'cause I knew you wouldn't want to go to a hotel.'

'You could've come to my place.'

'Nope. We're not doing it at your apartment where you can throw me out after it's over. This is neutral territory. Not my turf or yours. Smart, huh?' he said, speeding the car up the long, palm-tree-lined driveway.

'This must be a very rich friend,' Cat remarked.

'He's got a buck or two.'

'It's not your Mafia friend who owes you a favour, is it?'

'I didn't say he owed me a favour, I said they offered me a favour. Big difference,' he said, pulling up the Maserati in front of the house. 'C'mon,' he said, jumping out of the car. 'It's time for you and me to see if we really connect.'

'What do you think you're doing?' Lola asked, her heart pounding, because Tony always had that effect on her.

'Locking the door,' he told her.

'You can't do that,' she argued.

'I can't, huh?' he said, throwing her one of his looks.

'This is obviously the master bedroom, and the windows overlook the party.'

'Nobody's spying on us.'

'You're sure about that?'

'Yeah, baby, I'm sure.'

She wandered around the room, taking in the lush furnishings - everything in various tones of brown and beige. Then she sat on the edge of the king-size bed.

'Well,' she said, her heart still beating fast, 'here we are again.'

'Yeah,' he replied. 'Here we are.'

'What do you want from me, Tony?' she asked.

'What do I want from you?' he replied. 'The question is, what do you want from me?

'Nothing.'

'Then why did you come in here with me?'

'Because I thought you were showing me the house.'

'Last time I saw you it was a different story,' he said. 'Remember?'

'Nothing's changed,' she replied, wishing he wasn't so damn hard to resist. 'We shouldn't be together.'

'That's why I got myself engaged.'

'Because of me?'

'Yeah. Thought it might cool things down for you now that you're back with that prick you're married to.'

'Y'know, I should be going,' she said, getting up and heading for the door.

Tony moved quickly in front of her, blocking her way. She attempted to dodge past him. He refused to allow her to. Then he began running his hands up and down her body.

'Tony,' she said, in a low husky voice, 'this is impossible.'

'Missed you, babe,' he said, touching her breasts, before sliding his hand up the slit in her skirt, and caressing the top of her thigh.

'We... can't do this,' she said, his touch already driving her crazy. 'I'm back with my husband.'

'You get off on it, babe. I know you too well.'

'There's people outside,' she protested. 'Your girlfriend, my husband. We could be seen.'

'Who gives a fuck?' he said, unzipping his pants. 'We got a thing goin' nobody can break. So, c'mon, baby, suck my cock. You know you do it better than anyone.'

She thought about refusing, walking away, telling him to get lost.

But the truth was that she was incapable of doing or saying any of those things.

She didn't want to. Tony Alvarez was still her addiction of choice.

Chapter Forty-One.

Nick's friend's house was not a simple beach shack, it was a magnificent ocean-front mansion. 'Who does it belong to?' Cat asked, exploring the series of huge reception rooms that all overlooked an enormous marble terrace, which in turn overlooked the beach.

'A record producer dude I know,' Nick answered, going to the bar and taking out two bottles of beer. 'I played a rock star in a movie. This guy did the music'

'Single?'

'Why? Wanna hook up with him?' he said, handing her a beer.

'You're hilarious,' she said. 'I was wondering how his wife feels about us borrowing their house.'

'The dude's on the loose. No wife. He's the kinda guy runs three girls at a time.'

'Sounds like a pimp.'

'What can I tell you?' Nick said, swigging beer. 'He's a player.'

'Then it's no surprise the two of you get along.'

'We've shared a girlfriend or two,' he admitted.

'Is this his picture?' she asked, picking up a silver frame from the top of a baby grand piano and staring at a silver-haired man with a George Hamilton suntan.

'That's him.'

'Not bad-looking in an older-man sort of way.'

'The dude's pushing sixty.'

'I can't stand all those old geezers who think they're so hot,' she said, wrinkling her nose. 'All they do is chase after girls a quarter of their age.

It's a total turn-off.'

'At least they can still get it up.'

'What's the point if they can only get it up with Viagra?'

'You don't believe in Viagra?'

'My philosophy is that if you can't get it up in the normal fashion, why bother?'

Now it was Nick's turn to laugh. 'Tell that to all the old guys,' he said, opening up the doors to the terrace. 'I'm thinking Jacuzzi. How about you?' he said, walking outside.

'You know what,' she said, following him out. 'This is too over the top for me.'

'Huh?' he said, shooting her an I-do-not-believe-that-you're-backing-out-on-me look.

'This whole cool playboy scene,' she said restlessly. 'Y'know, the fabulous mansion, the outdoor Jacuzzi. I feel like I'm in some cheesy TV reality show.'

'Does that mean you wanna go somewhere else?'

'Yes.'

'You're kidding, right?'

'No. Why don't we get in the car and drive?'

'Where to?'

'Anywhere we feel like.'

'Cmon, Cat.' He groaned. 'It's late, an' we're already here.'

'Don't tell me you're chicken?' she challenged.

'Me?'

'Chicken, 'cause you're not into taking chances.'

'Who said I wasn't?'

'Then let's blow this mausoleum and hit the highway.'

'You're crazier than me, you know that?'

'Actually,' she said, smiling sweetly, 'I never doubted it.'

As Tony reached a noisy climax, somebody began rattling the handle of the bedroom door, and a loud voice said, 'This is Security. Open up.'

'Oh, shit!' Tony said, zipping up his pants.

'Oh shit is right,' Lola gasped, adjusting her dress. 'Now everyone will see us come out. This is terrible!'

'Lock yourself in the bathroom, I'll go out first.'

'Open this door now!' the security guard commanded.

'Go on,' Tony urged. 'Get in there. I'll handle this.'