"REALLY, M MARGE," Betsy said, "I think it's shameful that you're putting your daughter at risk like this."

"For the last time, Mitch is not a threat to Kelsey."

Mitch froze on the stairs, shocked into silence at the mention of his own name. Why would anyone think he was a threat to Kelsey? Why would anyone think he was a threat to Kelsey?

"That boy is a risk to any girl who comes in contact with him. I heard all about him getting caught in the Thompson girl's bedroom in the middle of the night."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Betsy, it wasn't her bedroom, it was the family's pool house. The two of them went for a late-night swim. Weren't you ever young?" Ralph muttered.

"Bedroom, pool house, it doesn't matter where. The point is, that boy is trouble. Marge, I know you've got a good heart, and Mitch's mother was your best friend in college. But that doesn't mean you're responsible for him. Good gracious, he's practically lived in this house for the past few years! If his own parents can't handle him, why should they expect you to?"

Mitch held his breath while he waited for her answer. Even after spending months at a time with the Logans, he was still never sure if there would come a day when they'd decide he wasn't worth the trouble and ship him off to someone else-or to military school. After all, why should Ralph and Marge be any different from his own parents?

"Betsy, that's enough. Mitch is practically a part of this family, and he's one of the most decent, honorable young men I've ever known," Marge retorted.

"Tell that to the Wilsons...you know, the ones whose car he 'borrowed' three summers ago?"

Mitch groaned, not surprised she'd brought up that old incident.

"He's different now," Marge said. "Mitch was very rebellious when he first started coming to us. As fond as I am of Carol, I have to say she hasn't been much of a mother to that boy. She and Richard are much too self-involved to have children. How could a child grow up in that atmosphere and not resent it?"

"That doesn't change the fact," Betsy said shrilly, "that your Kelsey is in danger. That boy is too handsome by half, and Kelsey is a pretty little thing. She wears her heart on her sleeve for him and one of these days..."

Mitch tightened his grip on the stair railing, astounded that even a spiteful, narrow-minded old biddy like Aunt Betsy would believe him capable of seducing a twelve-year-old kid.

"That boy would never never repay our trust in him by abusing our daughter. If I am wrong about this, then I am absolutely no judge of character," Ralph retorted. "Any man, young or old, who would take advantage of a young girl who lives under the same roof, who's practically his sister, would deserve to be horsewhipped! And our Mitch is not like that." repay our trust in him by abusing our daughter. If I am wrong about this, then I am absolutely no judge of character," Ralph retorted. "Any man, young or old, who would take advantage of a young girl who lives under the same roof, who's practically his sister, would deserve to be horsewhipped! And our Mitch is not like that."

He liked hearing himself referred to as "our Mitch."

"Now, this is Mitch's home," Ralph continued. "We trust him, and we love him. He is here not out of any friendship with his parents-he is here because he's part of our family. And unless you treat him with the respect he deserves, you can just stay away, Betsy."

Mitch was shocked at the fervent defense. Rushing upstairs to the room he shared with Nathan, he suddenly felt confident and secure that here, at least, were people who would always love him. People he would make proud. People he would never, never never betray. betray.

THRUSTING THE MEMORY of the incident out of his head with an angry shake, Mitch threw himself onto his living room sofa. Here it was, fourteen years later, and he was close to confirming Aunt Betsy's dire predictions. of the incident out of his head with an angry shake, Mitch threw himself onto his living room sofa. Here it was, fourteen years later, and he was close to confirming Aunt Betsy's dire predictions.

Any man who took advantage of an innocent young woman living under his own roof was a sc.u.mbag. Kelsey's family would never forgive him for the utter breach of trust if he gave in to his attraction and got involved with his tenant. h.e.l.l, Mitch would never forgive himself!

So, it would not happen. Period.

"HE HAS A DATE."

Kelsey said the words out loud, talking to her own empty apartment. She shouldn't have been spying. If she'd been minding her own business she would never have had to see that gorgeous, perfect-looking blonde unfold herself out of her expensive car and mince her way to the front door of the brownstone. If Kelsey hadn't opened her apartment door and peeked around the corner and down the stairs, she wouldn't have had to watch Mitch greet the woman with a kiss and lead her into his apartment.

"Step into my parlor said the spider to the fly," Kelsey muttered as she sat on the wicker love seat and stared at the backyard in the fading light of early evening.

Kelsey had been trying all afternoon to forget about those moments earlier in the day when she and Mitch had...connected. That was the only suitable word. There had been a connection, a spark. They had both felt it. And he had walked out.

She told herself she was glad. Being kissed by Mitch might be nice, a lovely moment, but nothing could come of it. They lived under the same roof, saw each other all the time. And it would be awkward to b.u.mp into each other in the kitchen pantry or anywhere else if they'd given in to an impetuous kiss. So it was just as well that kiss had occurred only in her heated imagination. It's not as though anything else would have happened anyway, she reasoned. She and Mitch were casual friends, almost like family, and a kiss was, after all, just a kiss.

Who was she kidding? Kissing Mitch would be divine.

Kelsey heard a high-pitched laugh from downstairs and punched her fist into the pillow she'd been holding. The woman sounded shrill, grating, and Kelsey could not imagine why Mitch would be interested in someone like her. Other than the legs, the hair, the body, the face, the obvious wealth and elegance, what did the woman have to offer?

"Lead me to your parlor, said the spider to the fly is more like it," she said sourly. me to your parlor, said the spider to the fly is more like it," she said sourly.

Mitch was, after all, ideal prey for that type. She really couldn't believe some long-legged, perfectly coifed female hadn't snared him in her web yet. He was talented, gifted really, friendly, personable, utterly drop-dead gorgeous, and single. And, oh yeah, wealthy. What self-respecting, husband-snaring spider could resist him?

Kelsey had no idea who the woman was, didn't even know her name. But she hated her.

"MITCH, YOU WERE GONE SO LONG, I missed you so," Amanda said as she draped herself upon the sofa.

Mitch watched her, not attracted by her languid grace, as he used to be, but instead somewhat amused. Amanda's every move seemed ch.o.r.eographed-she always managed to frame herself well. For a split second he compared her to the several other women he had dated since moving to Baltimore. He suddenly realized they were all just like her: lovely, elegant, confident and sophisticated. Why, then, was she suddenly so unappealing?

"I'm quite certain you didn't spend the past six months pining for me," he said with a dry chuckle as he poured her a drink.

"Of course not, you know me better than that. But the social whirl just palled without you."

He handed her the gla.s.s. "Did I miss anything interesting?"

"Billingsley's retirement dinner was diverting," Amanda explained after taking a sip of her gin and tonic. "And Fern Handley has been having a torrid affair with one of her English Lit students. It's all over campus."

Mitch shrugged. He could have been listening to a taped conversation from six months ago. Amanda sat on the board of trustees at Wilson College, where he used to teach. The college was a veritable hotbed of gossip and intrigue. Who was sleeping with whom, who would get tenure and whose research project would get funding were the only topics of conversation at the various dinners and parties. He'd tried hard to care about it all when he first started teaching, without success. He wasn't cut out for the petty intrigue of it all.

"When are you going to give your guest lecture at the college?" Amanda asked.

"I'm not sure yet," Mitch replied as he walked across the room. "I haven't even started thinking about that. I've got loads of doc.u.mentation to sort through first. Right now I'm trying to finish up the articles I've been writing for the Sun Sun."

"Yes, of course," she replied. "I've been following them while you were gone. You had the whole city in tears when you wrote about the orphan girls."

Mitch sensed the boredom in her tone. She wasn't the least bit interested in talking about his work. Amanda never much cared to stray off her favorite topic of conversation: herself.

He sat on a leather wing chair, swirled his drink and waited for her to get to the point of her visit. He was very patient, a trait he'd worked long and hard to achieve, and within a short time Amanda was tapping her nails on the edge of the sofa, betraying her irritation at his aloof greeting. Finally she walked over and perched on the arm of his chair, resting her fingers on his arm. He glanced down at the perfectly manicured hand, wondering if those long, bright red nails would last for five minutes in Kelsey's garden. Probably not.

She offered him a coy smile. "I did hope you might be at least a little pleased to see me."

He should have been. After six months of intense research and practically no social life, he should have been enticed by the kind of distraction Amanda had always been willing to provide. But he just couldn't muster the interest.

"Refresh my memory," he said. "Don't I recall you flinging a very expensive Oriental vase at my head the last time we were together? That was right after we 'agreed' not to see each other anymore, right?"

He watched her bright red lips tighten and pull down at the corners. She was so spoiled. That was another thing Mitch hadn't been able to handle while they dated. Amanda had never been denied anything by her father, and she wanted a man who would provide the same mindless devotion. Mitch wasn't that kind of man. And he never would be.

"Really, darling, I would have thought you'd have forgotten all about my little bout of jealousy. I just couldn't stand it that you didn't want me to join you in China."

As if that was what had broken them apart. Amanda's overreaction to the trip was the excuse for the breakup, not the reason. They'd only dated a few months, and never exclusively, because of Mitch's realization that beneath the polish the woman was shallow as h.e.l.l. The attraction had palled long before the trip to China came up.

"I think you and I both knew that was never an option."

She frowned. She hadn't taken their breakup very gracefully.

"Possibly," she conceded. "But there's no reason two old friends shouldn't spend time together, is there? After all, I've so much to tell you...did I mention who we've lined up as a visiting lecturer for next semester?"

Mitch watched Amanda as she spoke. He saw her lips moving and heard a vague humming sound, but he really didn't hear a thing she said. For some reason he suddenly found himself wondering what Kelsey was doing. Was she sitting right above their heads with the fading sunlight catching the golden highlights in her honey-colored hair? Was she upstairs lying in the tub? It was nearing six o'clock, and he half c.o.c.ked an ear to listen for the sound of water running. But there was nothing.

Until the knock.

KELSEY NEARLY TURNED BACK and darted upstairs to her apartment. But she'd already knocked sharply on Mitch's door. This was crazy. Insane. He was here with a date, and she was about to barge in. and darted upstairs to her apartment. But she'd already knocked sharply on Mitch's door. This was crazy. Insane. He was here with a date, and she was about to barge in.

It was purely impulsive. She'd been about to run a bath when she again heard the shrill voice from downstairs. Before consciously deciding to do it, she marched to her closet, yanked out a satiny emerald green robe and pulled it on. Skipping downstairs, she banged on the door without even forming one cohesive thought about her plan.

Mitch opened the door and Kelsey smiled brightly. She pushed past him into his living room, pretending she didn't see the blonde in the corner, whose jaw had suddenly dropped, and said, "Mitch, baby, do you have some candles I could borrow? I'm afraid mine are burned down to nubs and I do love taking a long soak in the tub with candlelight flickering on the walls."

Narrowing his eyes as Kelsey cast him a sultry glance from beneath partly lowered lashes, Mitch dropped his gaze to appreciate her attire...or lack thereof. She wore a silky confection that clung to every curve. The top gaped open, revealing smooth cleavage, and the bottom of the robe just kissed the top of her thighs. Was she wearing anything underneath? He had no idea, but d.a.m.ned if he didn't want to find out.

"Oh, gosh, Mitch," stammered Kelsey. "You have company. Please excuse me...." Kelsey stared wide-eyed at the woman on Mitch's couch. "I can make do without the candles."

She looked too innocent. That sweet "who me?" gaze looked as familiar to Mitch as the back of his own hand. She'd had the same look on her face years ago when she'd sabotaged one of Mitch's teenage make-out sessions. The little brat had strolled out onto the darkened back porch and nonchalantly asked him, right in front of his girlfriend, if he was sure he should be kissing, considering the problems he'd had with "those little sores." The girl in question had found an excuse to break up with him a few days later.

Tonight's intrusion was completely intentional, just as that long-ago one had been. And Mitch knew exactly how to beat her at her own game. "No, Kelsey, don't rush off. Stay. Have a drink with us. I'll find you some candles, honey honey, I know how much you relish your bath rituals."

Kelsey was confused by his reaction. Mitch should have been squirming by now, attempting to push her out the door, to explain a half-clothed female to his girlfriend. Most men would be in the midst of a panic attack.

But he wasn't. He spoke in a low, s.e.xy voice of his own, sending shivers down her spine. Staring with unabashed appreciation at her legs, he didn't look uncomfortable or embarra.s.sed in the least. He actually moved closer to her until she had to tilt her head back to return his stare. The intensity she saw in those deep blue eyes shocked her. The heat was palpable.

"Mitch," an intrusive voice demanded, "I think an introduction would be appropriate."

Mitch didn't reply right away. Still gazing intently at Kelsey, he gave her a slow, seductive smile. Kelsey could barely draw breath as her eyes followed the movement of his sensuous mouth.

Finally he turned his attention to the other woman, who Kelsey had practically forgotten was even in the room. "Amanda, meet Kelsey. She lives upstairs. You could call her my semisibling. The sister I'll never have."

Amanda seemed a little relieved at the description, but Kelsey was not. Semisibling? Sister? She'd make him eat those words!

"Really, Mitch, you shouldn't encourage the girl to run around your home half-clothed," Amanda said with a forced smile.

Mitch laughed out loud. "That's true. Young ladies shouldn't run around in their nighties, Kelsey."

Kelsey glared at him. She could practically hear her mother's voice saying the same words to her when she was eight.

Mitch had obviously seen right through her ploy to destroy his evening. She was determined to wipe that grin off his face if it was the last thing she ever did. Thinking quickly, she forced a serene smile to her lips and moved a step closer to him. "I'm so sorry I burst in on you like this." Her every word dripped with sweetness. "The candles really aren't necessary."

She smoothed the palms of her hands over her satiny robe as if straightening it, drawing his stare down her body. When she knew she had his undivided attention, she said, "That window in my bathroom is right over the tub, and it should be a full moon tonight. The light shines in at the perfect angle and makes the bubbles absolutely iridescent."

Her voice dropped to a whisper, the sultry, s.e.xy voice she used on her radio show, daring him to resist her. "Sometimes on moonlit nights I lie there in the dark, with my eyes closed, letting the water caress every inch of my body. I use a fragrant bath oil and it feels so silky and delicious."

She was getting to him. Mitch was clenching his fists, and his breath came a little faster. She could see the pulse at his temple beating and knew he was gritting his teeth. She had to bite her bottom lip for a moment to avoid displaying a smile of triumph.

Finally, when she was able to go on, she said, "Then I slowly pour cupfuls of water on my skin. It's so amazingly erotic when you can feel the warmth cascading over your flesh, nearly kissing you, yet you can't see it. You have to give in to the feeling."

Kelsey closed her eyes as she whispered to Mitch. She knew Amanda was straining to hear what was said, and dropped her voice even lower. "There are nights when I want to cry at the beauty of the sensation. It seems a shame to have such an erotic experience when I'm totally...alone."

Mitch had been leaning closer and closer as Kelsey spoke, wanting to catch every word. The images she evoked mesmerized him. He couldn't have moved if someone told him his pants were on fire. All he could do was stand, helpless, woven in the seductive spell of her whisper.

"Well, have a wonderful evening, you two," Kelsey said loudly. "It was lovely meeting you, Amanda."

Mitch watched the bounce of her shining hair, and the swish of her robe as Kelsey moved to the door for her grand exit. Suddenly he realized her every word had been calculated to drive him wild. Little brat! Little brat!

Even as he tried to push the seductive images from his mind, Mitch acknowledged what a great performance she'd delivered. Kelsey Logan had always been a heck of a performer. Unable to resist, Mitch brought his hands up and slowly began to applaud.

Kelsey had her hand on the k.n.o.b when she heard Mitch clap. Glancing over her shoulder uncertainly, she caught Amanda's gaze. The blonde laughed nervously. Kelsey wished the floor could open up and swallow her whole.

Rushing out the door, she hurried upstairs to her apartment, cursing Mitch and his friend friend every step of the way. They were laughing at her. Well, she figured, she probably deserved it. What a fool she'd been! Slamming her door behind her, she leaned against the wall and took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. every step of the way. They were laughing at her. Well, she figured, she probably deserved it. What a fool she'd been! Slamming her door behind her, she leaned against the wall and took a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

It had been all she could do to present a careless facade and walk away from Mitch, when what she'd really wanted to do was touch him with her hands the way she touched him with her words. Intimately. Seductively. Erotically.

"This is crazy," she said aloud.

And it was was crazy. Her joke had backfired. Even if her seductive words had affected Mitch, it couldn't compare with what uttering them had cost her. All she could picture were Mitch's strong hands, his beautiful mouth and his firm, lean body. She felt achy and hot, and parts of her body tingled with antic.i.p.ation she knew was not going to be fulfilled. crazy. Her joke had backfired. Even if her seductive words had affected Mitch, it couldn't compare with what uttering them had cost her. All she could picture were Mitch's strong hands, his beautiful mouth and his firm, lean body. She felt achy and hot, and parts of her body tingled with antic.i.p.ation she knew was not going to be fulfilled.

"Cool it, Kelsey," she muttered, shrugging off her robe as she started running her bath. She'd stopped fantasizing about Mitch years ago. It had been bad enough when she was fifteen and he was off at college and she'd imagined him putting his arm around her, or, heavens above, actually kissing her! Now that she was an adult, she knew exactly why her body tingled and ached and why she felt warm in her most feminine places. She couldn't allow herself to have those types of dreams about Mitch. Because if she did, she might never be able to stop.

As she lay in the huge bubble-filled tub, Kelsey tried hard to shake off the erotic images dancing around her brain. When she closed her eyes, she could practically see Mitch's hands reaching to stroke her beneath the silky water. She could nearly feel his lips trailing kisses on her throat. She could imagine her fingers dancing over his supple chest, curling in the dark crisp hairs, teasing him and urging him on.

She tried naming the fifty states, tried reciting the Gettysburg Address, but nothing would drive Mitch out of her head.

Finally, she just stopped trying and gave in to an absolutely delicious fantasy. By the time she got out of the tub it was very late, her body was all pruney and the water was chilled. But when she caught a glimpse of her face in the mirror, Kelsey wasn't a bit surprised to see the smile lingering on her lips.

4.