He would probably never have any children of his own. His life wasn't conducive to raising kids. And he would never cheat a child of the warmth and love they deserved. Children should enrich life; they should be cherished and protected, not considered a burden to be tolerated.

An image of Carlie, married and cradling a baby of her own, flitted through his mind. It left behind conflicting emotions; tenderness, because he knew she would be an excellent mother. But also possessiveness, which made no sense at all. He refused to dwell on that sentiment, and put the image firmly from his mind.

It disturbed him, how much she occupied his thoughts. Especially when he had other things to think about. He wouldn't give up on the mystery woman-he wasn't a man to leave a puzzle unsolved. But time and again, he found his thoughts veering to Carlie and her unusual wit, the gentleness and patience she gave her students.

Anyone who took the time to really know Carlie, would realize there was nothing plain about her, despite the horrendous clothing she wore. She was about as complex and complicated as any female could be. He hadn't exaggerated when he said she intrigued him.

Though he knew she'd had a good time with him, she had refused any future dates. She didn't return his calls, either. He would almost swear she was avoiding him, but why?

He would take his time, and sooner or later he would figure her out.

He intended to enjoy every minute.

CHAPTER SIX.

Carlie saw Tyler's car pull up to the curb in front of Brenda's. His arrival was unexpected, and she went perfectly still. He jerked the car into Park, then jumped out, appearing determined-more than determined, if the look on his face was any indication. He disappeared past the window, then came to the kitchen door.

He knocked sharply, once, then stepped inside without waiting for an answer. Brenda met him there, her hands on her hips, blocking his vision of the kitchen table where Carlie sat.

"Tyler! What are you doing here?"

"I insist you tell me who she is."

"Who?"

He gave her a look of impatience. "Enough, Brenda. You know who I mean. The harem girl. Who is she?"

Brenda rolled her eyes. "For the last time, Tyler. No!"

Carlie wanted to disappear. It was a miserable Sunday morning, aptly suiting her mood. She'd come to Brenda's for solace, her emotions in turmoil. Nothing was as it had been only days before. She didn't know what to think, what to do. She'd learned so much lately. Too much.

One thing was certain: she couldn't just look at her experience with Tyler as a s.e.xual lesson. Her one "date" with him had proven that. Tyler had touched more than her body. He'd thrown away the misconceptions she'd had about herself, stolen her fears and her disappointments.

And now that she saw him nearly every day, she feared he might very well steal her heart.

She couldn't let that happen. She needed time to think, to reason out her reactions. But here was Tyler, wanting to know who she really was. It was too ironic to bear.

"Your friends are something else, Bren. They're driving me crazy." He ran his hands roughly through his hair, the gesture filled with frustration.

"Friends?"

"Don't sound so innocent. First the harem girl refuses to tell me who she is. Then Carlie refuses to return my calls. I ask her out, and all she can say is no. I swear, that woman is totally-"

Brenda interrupted him then, clearing her throat loudly and gesturing with her eyes to draw his attention to the kitchen table. He looked, and Carlie saw his beautiful eyes narrow slightly.

His annoyance seemed to disappear; he became almost cheerful. "What the h.e.l.l's the matter with you? You look awful."

After shooting him a disgusted frown, she turned away. "I have a cold," Carlie said. She sincerely hoped he wouldn't question her further, because her swollen, sleepy eyes had little to do with illness.

"And that made your hair all frizzy?"

"No, that didn't make my hair all frizzy." She mimicked him perfectly. "I jogged over here in the rain, and the rain makes my hair go frizzy."

Tyler scrutinized her. "You just said you had a cold! Why the h.e.l.l were you out in the rain?"

"I jog every Sunday. Why should today be any different? A little rain never killed anyone." She knew she was being more waspish than usual, but she hadn't planned on having to face him this morning. Her heart ached, and her head followed suit.

"No. Rain doesn't kill, it just makes some people's hair go frizzy." Tyler grinned. "At least a few strands found the excuse to escape that infernal braid. It's probably a hair rebellion."

He laughed at his own jest, and Carlie stiffened at the sound. She pushed her gla.s.ses up, then lifted her chin. "Maybe I should go now, Bren. Tyler obviously has something he wants to discuss with you. And I'd hate to get stuck in the downpour, anyway."

Brenda smacked Tyler, then hurried to Carlie. "Don't go, yet. We haven't finished...talking."

"Yeah, Carlie." Tyler pulled out a chair and straddled it, facing Carlie with a huge grin. "I probably won't get any information out of Brenda, anyway. She's looking very stubborn, don't you think?" Then he turned to Brenda. "But you and I will talk later."

"It won't do you any good. I already told you I'm sworn to secrecy."

Exasperated, he looked at Carlie pointedly. "Do you really want to discuss my personal life in front of company?"

Brenda scoffed. "Carlie isn't company."

"Gee, thanks, Bren," Carlie said.

"You know what I mean, Carlie. Besides, I'm sure you couldn't care less about Tyler's love life. Right?"

Carlie tightened her mouth, feeling caught in a nightmare. Brenda was trying to tease; she still wanted Carlie to tell Tyler the truth. Only Brenda didn't know what the truth was, and Carlie had no doubt she'd be shocked if she did. For that matter, Tyler would be shocked, too. And probably disappointed. Carlie couldn't bear that. "You're right. I don't care to sit through any details. So-" she stood "-I'm off."

Tyler caught her wrist. "You can't walk home, now. It's raining."

"Believe me, it won't bother me a bit."

"Now, Carlie, don't be obstinate."

"Tyler, I'm dangerously close to laying you low." She had to get away from him. Now.

"Violence? My, my, your cold is making you surly."

She tugged, but he didn't release her. "Tyler, what did you intend to do today, before you came here and decided to hara.s.s me?"

"I was going to hara.s.s Brenda, but you'll do better."

She could feel the warmth of his hand on her arm, feel the probing intensity of his eyes. "Let go. I want to leave."

Tyler looked down at his hand, still wrapped around Carlie's wrist. She saw what he saw. His fingers entirely encircled her. She had slim, fine-boned wrists. He said, "You've been avoiding me."

Her breath caught somewhere in her diaphragm, causing her chest to ache. It took a great deal of effort to banter with him. "I've been busy. And why are you calling me on a weekend, anyway? Surely your social calendar is fully penciled in."

He flashed her a grin. "No, and there were numerous disappointed ladies, I can tell you."

She knew him well enough now to know he was only baiting her. He wasn't nearly the egomaniac he pretended to be. A reluctant smile curved her lips. "Tyler, quit fooling around. Let go."

"Not until you promise to help entertain me. Let's do something, go someplace. I'm bored and despondent. I need company."

"Despondent?" He was charm personified, and much too appealing. It was strange, but not only had she played the part of two different women, she felt like two different women. Tyler was managing to lighten her mood, even though he was the cause of her foul disposition in the first place.

"That's right. And with good reason." He grinned at Brenda. "I got shunned by someone at Bren's party the other night, and now she won't tell me who the woman is."

With a theatrical gasp meant to cover her uneasiness with the topic, Carlie stared. "No! It can't be true."

"Sadly, it is. I fell in love, and the wench dumped me."

The words had obviously been said as a jest, but still Carlie jerked. Brenda said quickly, "He... he met a friend of mine during the party. They seemed to hit it off, but...she doesn't want to see him again. Ever." She ended with a shrug.

"Just tell me who she is, Bren. I can handle the rest."

Wanting to play her part properly, Carlie asked with laudable suspicion, "You don't know who she is?"

"Absurd, isn't it? But she refused to remove her mask, just so I wouldn't know who she was."

Carlie struggled to relax her tense muscles. "Smart girl."

"Oh, she wasn't a girl." He gave her a taunting smile, obviously irritated with her snide comment. "She was very much a woman. A d.a.m.ned s.e.xy woman." He turned to Brenda, a mocking plea in his eyes. "Please! Tell me who she is. I promise you, she'll thank you later."

Brenda grinned at his woeful expression. "I don't know. What do you think, Carlie?"

Carlie would certainly strangle Brenda later. She cleared her throat. "I think if a woman had enough sense to avoid getting involved with Tyler, you should respect her wishes."

Tyler lost his smile, then said, his words deliberately precise, "There you go again, casting aspersions on my character. What makes you think you know so much about me, Carlie?" She tried to tug free, but he tightened his hold. "I've never coerced a woman into a relationship-other than you, of course, but that's a different matter, isn't it? Usually, the women are trying to coerce me. And they're up-front about it. They say what they want, what they need out of a relationship, and undying devotion isn't on top of their list. Now, that would make me the used, not the user, wouldn't you say?"

"No, I wouldn't. I have no interest in commenting on your exploits one way or the other."

"But you do often enough."

"Then I apologize." She stared down at his hand, still grasping her wrist. Her heart was thundering so rapidly, she could barely breathe. She'd never seen Tyler so intense, so direct about his private life. Maybe she had been misjudging him. It was something she needed to think about in the quiet of her own home. "Now, if you'll turn me loose, I'll get out of your hair."

His mood seemed to switch mercury quick. "But I want you in my hair today. Haven't you been paying attention? Even though you're wearing the most disgusting outfit I've even seen on man, woman or beast, I still want your company." He hesitated, then asked reluctantly, "Where did you find that, anyway? Surely there isn't a store that actually sold you that thing?"

Carlie looked down at her khaki green nylon jogging suit. It was lined and very warm. She was wearing a gray sweatshirt underneath.

"I wasn't trying to be fashionable, Tyler. I was jogging. In the rain, not on a runway. What does it matter how I look?" She gave one final yank and freed her arm, then headed for the kitchen door. "I'll call you later, Bren."

Carlie hurried out the door, then jogged away in a loose-limbed stride, feeling the rain immediately soak her hair and drip down her face. She was nearly a block away, when Tyler caught up with her.

He pulled his car up to the curb and rolled down his window. "h.e.l.lo, Carlie."

Without looking his way, she said plainly, "Go away."

He drove slowly, keeping pace with her. She ignored him. "You know, Brenda said I hurt your feelings."

That effectively stopped her. "Not on your best day, with your best shot."

"Then why are you so ill-tempered today?"

"Me! What about you?"

"I asked first."

Carlie briefly considered her options, then decided on one truth she could share. "I'm concerned about one of the children at school. His father's in the hospital, and it doesn't look good. When I called yesterday, their phone had been shut off."

They had both stopped. Tyler lowered his head. "That's rough."

"Yes, it is. I wish I knew some way to help."

"Maybe I can help."

"How?"

"I don't know. Let me think about it, all right?"

Carlie started off again. "Fine. And while you're doing that, leave me alone."

He shook his head sadly. "Can't. I told you. I'm despondent." Then in a clear pleading tone, he added, "I need you, Carlie."

Water dripped down her nose. She blinked at him, feeling her heart jump several beats and her throat go dry. He was a cad, a beautiful cad, but still, she couldn't give herself away. So she laughed. Hard.

"You're a cold, cruel woman."

She laughed again for good measure.

"Come on, Carlie. Get in before you get too wet. I don't want you to ruin my seat covers."

"I'm already soaked to the bone, Tyler. And you have leather seats. I would surely ruin them."

"I'll forgive you. I promise."

She could feel herself weakening against his insistence. "You really want company so badly?"

"No. I really want your company. You're good for my ego."