CHAPTER 4.

Steam filled her narrow shower, wreathing him in fog, but Sarah couldn't miss the gleam in Alex's eyes. The water cascaded over his dark hair and smooth skin, and Sarah put up a hand to brush his bangs out of his eyes.

"You need a haircut."

He laughed. "Maybe later."

"That's a devilish look." Sarah let her fingers slide across his cheek and down to cup his jaw. He tilted his head and caught her fingertips in his lips and sucked gently, sending a thrill of sensation through her body.

Alex cupped one breast, letting his palm caress her erect nipple. "Me? Devilish? Nah."

His hand felt so good she arched her back to urge him silently to caress the other one, too. He did without hesitation, then pulled her closer and let his soap-slippery hands glide over her skin. He bent to kiss her while the water pattered down all around them, and she closed her eyes to keep the spray from blinding her. They'd kept the bathroom lighting dim, and now, with her eyes shut, Sarah's world became heat and water, and Alex's hands on her skin, his mouth on hers. The stiffness of his erection stroked her belly, and she parted her thighs to let him rub against her there. His hands found her b.u.t.tocks and held her close.

He left her mouth to kiss and nibble along the curve of her jaw and then to her neck. He found the super-sensitive spot at her neck and shoulder, which made her wiggle.

"Careful," he warned. "Don't slip."

Sarah opened her eyes. "This shower is so tiny I don't think there's room for me go down."

She'd meant her words to have a double meaning, and waited for his reaction. William had never "gotten" jokes like that--but Sarah firmly put William from her mind. Now was not the time. Alex grinned and gave a pointed glance toward the floor.

"Too bad."

Sarah let her eyes slide coyly along his torso, down to where his p.e.n.i.s jutted up between them. "Then again, maybe I can find a way."

She knew she didn't imagine the flicker in his dark eyes. Alex swallowed so hard she saw the bob of his Adam's Apple, and then he licked away the water from his lips. "Maybe you can."

Never taking her eyes from his, Sarah dropped slowly to her knees. The cushioned bath mat kept her knees from hurting as she settled herself. Now his p.e.n.i.s was at eye height, and though the lighting was dim, Sarah had no problem seeing all Alex had to offer.

His p.e.n.i.s was just as perfect as the rest of him. She'd never much cared about length and girth, as long as the unit in question was put to good use, but there could be no complaining about the size and shape of his erection. Soft, curly hair, as dark as that on his head, surrounded the base and tufted the s.c.r.o.t.u.m beneath. If there'd ever been a more perfectly proportioned p.e.n.i.s, Sarah had never seen it, in real life or in pictures.

For a second, a wave of self-doubt washed over her. The man in front of her was truly an earth-bound G.o.d, sheer physical perfection, any woman's dream come to life. The s.e.x downstairs had been fast and hard, but glorious, and she had no doubts that the s.e.x in the shower was going to be just as fantastic.

So, why was he doing it with her?

"Sarah? Are you all right?"

She looked up to see him looking down, standing so the curtain of water parted around them and didn't splatter her in the face. "I'm fine."

"You don't have to, if you don't want to."

He meant using her mouth, she realized. Sarah blinked and shook her head. "No, really, I'm fine."

The fact he'd been willing to forgo this pleasure if it made her uncomfortable made her more interested in providing it. She smiled, forcing herself to put away the doubts and enjoy the moment, however brief it might turn out to be. "Fair's fair, Alex."

He grinned and put his hand on her head. "Only if you want to."

She answered him by taking him into her mouth as far as she could, which proved to be all the way. Looking at his erection, she'd thought there would be no way she could possibly take him so far without choking, but this proved again how perfect he really was. She slid him out, then in again, concentrating on giving him the same amount of pleasure he'd given her downstairs.

His groan and the way he wrapped his fingers in her hair rewarded her efforts. The sound of his arousal fanned her own, and Sarah slipped a hand between her legs to stroke herself while she sucked him. His strong thighs bunched and flexed as he began to thrust. Her hand moved faster, fingers sliding over her erect c.l.i.t, already slick with her own juices. The pounding of the water around them merged with her rhythm and the beating of her pulse in her ears, like music.

o.r.g.a.s.m rippled through her, making it hard to keep a steady pace, but Alex didn't seem to notice. His thrusts had become ragged, his moans louder, and when he said her name it sent her crashing over the edge. She lost his p.e.n.i.s with her gasp of ecstasy, and it came to rest, hot and throbbing against her cheek. She grasped it with her other hand, stroked, once, twice and he spasmed in her palm.

The world swam from the heat and steam and the force of her climax, and Sarah had to blink and take a deep breath to clear away the threatening faintness. Alex leaned over her, hands braced against the small shower stall's back wall, feet pressed against the front wall. She still held him, and she took him into her mouth again, alternating with her lips and fingers until he cried out hoa.r.s.ely.

Another small burst of climax made her c.l.i.t throb and she answered his cry with one of her own. He sighed. His body relaxed.

It took her a minute to notice his teeth were chattering, and to feel the water had gone ice cold. His body had shielded her from the frigid spray. Chagrined, Sarah got to her feet and reached for the faucet, then grabbed a towel and held it out to him.

"Ran out of hot water," Alex said unnecessarily as he rubbed his face dry, then peered at her over the top of the towel. His eyes twinkled. "Probably about five minutes ago."

Sarah laughed. "You should've said something."

"Couldn't speak." He shrugged and wrapped the towel around his waist, then pulled her close for a long, lingering kiss. "I was busy thinking about something else."

She stepped back from his embrace, wrapped her own towel around her and squeezed the water from her hair. "Your lips are blue."

If he noticed her hesitation, he didn't say anything. Instead, Alex went to the sink and filled his palm with some water, then drank it. He stretched out his arms, which looked impossibly long in her small bathroom, then turned and faced her with the same devilish grin he'd given her earlier.

"I think I could use that hot tea you offered earlier."

She put out a hand to touch his goose-pimpled arms, then shook her head and laughed again. "I think I can boil some water. Why don't you get dressed? You'll be warmer that way."

Despite the two fabulous bouts of s.e.x they'd just had, walking around naked in front of him was a little too nerve-wracking. Alex tilted his head and pursed his lips, like he could tell the real reason she was suggesting he get dressed, but he nodded anyway. He ran his hands through that dark, silky hair, bent as though to kiss her again and nodded slightly when she turned her head so he met her cheek instead of her lips. Then he left her alone in the bathroom, and Sarah pulled on her robe to go downstairs and make the tea. She studiously avoided her face in the mirror, not sure she wanted to see her own expression.

Sarah woke to the sound of pans clattering from downstairs in the kitchen. At some point during the night, after the caffeine from the tea had worn off and the conversation faded into yawns, she and Alex had climbed the narrow stairs to the comfort of her room. Sleeping with him had been an uneasy luxury. While having his arms around her as she slipped into sleep had been lovely, waking to find his elbow in her ear had not.

Rolling over, she pressed her face against the pillow he had used. The scent of him still clung to the fabric, and she decided she wouldn't wash the case until his smell faded. Nothing like acting like a junior high student, she scolded herself, but then snuggled into the pillow again.

She'd expected to feel awkward after making love. She'd a.s.sumed Alex would leave with some excuse about having early morning plans. She'd thought talking with him after they made love would no longer be as easy and comfortable as it had been before. She'd been wrong about everything. Alex made her laugh, which was more than any man had done for her in quite a while.

The s.e.x had been great, but Sarah discovered the conversation after had been even better. She'd pretended for a long time that being alone didn't matter to her, for so long she'd forgotten how nice it was to sit with a man on her couch and watch the fire burn without having to make small talk.

More than just a one-night stand. The thought startled her into sitting up. She scrubbed at her face and rubbed her eyes, then crossed her arms over her chest. What was she thinking? l.u.s.t had gotten the better of her intellect last night, but in the light of day, she had to be smarter than that. She knew it was impossible Alex Caine could be anything more than just a fling. A man like him wouldn't be satisfied with her for very long, and Sarah had no intentions of setting herself up for more heartache. They'd had some great s.e.x. He was eye-candy. He'd given her multiple o.r.g.a.s.ms, but that didn't mean they were destined for...

For what?

Sarah sighed, listening to the intriguing clang of pots and pans from downstairs. She'd had exactly one one-night stand in her life, and that had been unintentional. The experience had been so horribly, awfully bad she'd never gone on another date with the guy, who'd turned out to be a bigoted, self-righteous jerk. She'd judged him wrong, gone to bed with him because she thought the relationship was actually going somewhere. It had been a mistake.

Making love to Alex wasn't a mistake she knew. But believing there could be anything more out of this was. Sarah shook her head to clear it of the late-night cobwebs. He was a nice guy, great in bed, but he got up way, way too early in the morning. And he stole the covers. And he left wet towels on the floor.

There. She'd thought of sufficient reason to convince herself that s.e.x was all this was, and all it could be. Hadn't she? I have to, she thought firmly. Bargain bas.e.m.e.nt grab bags and all that stuff, remember, Sarah? Remember William? And with that thought to sober her, she got out of bed and went downstairs.

She found the small table expertly set with the full array of her nicest dishes, silverware, and gla.s.ses. A vase held a single red rose. It was the velvet one that had come off the box of Valentine chocolates Darren had given her last February, but she smiled anyway.

Alex turned from the stove. "Just in time. Food's almost ready."

He wore a pair of her fleecy sweatpants. Borrows clothes without asking. Another reason not to get hung up on this guy, she thought. While she swam in the heavy material, the pants fit his rear end snugly enough to nearly be obscene. He'd wrapped one of her ap.r.o.ns around his waist, but his chest was bare. She noticed the marks her nails had made in the tawny skin of his back and fought back a blush. No use in acting the coy maiden. Not after last night.

"Smells delicious." Sarah slid into a chair and found a mug of hot tea waiting for her. He'd put in sugar and just enough cream to turn the tea a caramel color. He'd remembered how she liked it. "Usually on work days, I just grab some cold cereal, so this is a real treat. What's on the menu?"

"Omelettes a la Caine." Alex flipped the pan expertly to cook the eggs evenly. "Onions, green peppers, some garlic..."

Sarah groaned. "I'm starved."

Alex slid an omelet onto each of their plates and sat down at the table. "I was going to make a western omelet, but you didn't have any ham. So I subst.i.tuted."

Sarah paused from drinking her tea. Here it comes. The Talk. "I don't eat pork."

Alex paused from cutting into his omelet. She could practically see the gears grinding in his mind as he thought about her name, the subject of her sister's paintings, perhaps the gold-and-bra.s.s menorah on her mantelpiece. As Sarah watched, a slow flush crept into Alex's cheeks. He looked as comfortable as a man sitting on a cactus.

"I'm Jewish."

He nodded. "I should've known."

Now she began to feel uncomfortable. "Should I have told you? We didn't talk about religion, Alex."

For the first time since knowing him, awkward silence hung between them. She took a sip of her rapidly cooling tea. Alex cleared his throat.

"Does it matter?"

Sarah met his gaze levelly. It would not have been the first time a man had lost interest in her because she didn't celebrate Christmas. If her faith was going to be a problem, best she learn now. "You tell me."

He shook his head and laid his hand across hers. "Of course not, Sarah. I just feel stupid about the ham comment. I'm sorry."

More relieved than she cared to admit, Sarah squeezed his fingers. "Alex, let's not ruin a perfectly wonderful night by worrying about stupid things."

He lasciviously waggled his eyebrows at her. "It was pretty wonderful, wasn't it?"

"Of course it was." Sarah grinned. "I mean, look at you! You're gorgeous! How could it not have been?"

His flirtatious grin faded abruptly. He pulled his fingers out of hers. Alex swallowed heavily, a faint flush rising along his cheeks. "Was that why you let me make love to you?"

She knew he was waiting for her to tell him otherwise, but the words didn't seem to want to come out. She bit her lip, tried to speak, but could only make an awkward squeak.

Alex got up from the table and left his omelet uneaten. "I think I'd better go."

"Wait." It was too late. His expression told her no matter what she said, she'd only be making matters worse.

"I'll see you around." Alex's voice was cold as he tossed the ap.r.o.n onto the back of the chair. "Don't bother to get up. I'll find my own way out."

The slamming of the front door was like a blast of dynamite. The house felt suddenly much emptier, as if by Alex's leaving he had taken something vital with him. Sarah stared at the remains of her omelet and felt very small.

Alex was furious. What's more, he felt ... used. A sensation he'd never before had the pleasure of experiencing, though he was guiltily certain he'd been the cause of it in more than one woman.

Sarah wasn't the type to hop into bed with anyone, he reminded himself. But if she was, it would be with a man like him. The words had come straight from her mouth. It all came down to the same thing again. His face. His body. All the things G.o.d and fate had seen fit to grant him with no effort on his part. Not his level temper or sense of humor, or even his successful business. None of that had mattered. What upset him most of all was he had thought he and Sarah had made a connection beyond the physical. Obviously, he was wrong.

"'Morning, boss," Emma greeted Alex as he slammed through the front door. "Have a nice night?"

She must have guessed the answer by his stormy expression because the grin on her freckled face was replaced by a look of concern. "You okay?"

He gritted his teeth. "Fine."

"Woman trouble?"

Alex glared at her. "The last thing I want to do this morning is discuss my love life with my niece. I'm going up to take a shower. Then I'm going by the restaurant."

Emma let out a slow whistle. "Woman trouble, all right."

Alex ignored her, instead climbing the wide-set stairs two at a time. Alex entered the bedroom, tossed off his coat, and pulled his shirt over his head. Then he realized he was still wearing the fleece pants he'd borrowed from Sarah.

Sinking into the overstuffed chair in the corner, he sat with fists clenched on his thighs. His stomach churned fiercely. Never had a woman knocked him so low with such a casual comment.

"d.a.m.n!"

The invective only made him feel slightly better. He tried a few more, growing progressively fouler until last he'd exhausted his store of creative curses. He still felt lousy.

He'd started the day feeling so great. Alex had never quite learned how to wake up with a woman in his arms. Yet, with Sarah it had just seemed natural. It had seemed impossible to do anything else.

His fists unclenched. True, they didn't seem to have much in common. Everything from their taste in movies to the brand of cola they drank was different. Yet, talking to her had been as satisfying as making love to her had been. He could have talked to Sarah for hours or sat silently with her for just as long and never become restless.

Alex had never really been in love, though he'd said the words perhaps half a dozen times. He'd never fallen hard for any woman before, preferring instead to remain commitment-free. It wasn't that he'd been concerned about keeping himself open for something better to come along, as most of his buddies were. It was more that no woman he'd ever dated had ever bothered to look beyond the face and body, which, until last night, had been fine, since he'd been doing pretty much the same.

Sarah had led him to believe she'd made love to him in spite of his face, not because of it. She'd really fooled him, made him a fool. The sooner he forgot about her, the better off he'd be. But d.a.m.n! Why did it have to make him feel like his chest was filled with broken gla.s.s?

The wildflowers in Sarah's hand were an explosion of expensive, off-season color. Vibrant, brilliant purple mingled with golden yellow, fiery orange, and stunning red. A single white rose centered the bouquet and gave it the touch of cla.s.s Sarah wanted.

The Foxfire was busy with its lunch-time crowd. Mothers with toddlers in strollers sat next to business-suited executives and denim-clad college students. The place was packed. Great. Just what she needed--an audience to her folly.

Sarah took a deep breath and clutched the bouquet in front of her like a shield before she pushed through the frosted gla.s.s door. Only when her fingernails began cutting into her palm did she notice how tightly she held the flowers. She forced her fingers to relax.

"One for lunch?" The hostess was the same tall, cool blonde whose makeup looked like it had been applied with an artist's brush. Every feature was lined or enhanced, but so subtly it was difficult to pin the effects on rouge or eyeshadow. She made Sarah feel like she'd rolled out of bed without bothering to brush her hair or her teeth.

"Actually, I'm here to see the owner."

The hostess blinked twice and looked at Sarah with new eyes. Her liquid green gaze took in the flowers, and a tiny smile tugged the corners of her freshly glossed lips. She tapped her perfectly manicured talons against the lectern. "I'm not certain he's available right now. Is he expecting you?"

Though she thought violent behavior cra.s.s and cheap, Sarah wanted to slap the smile off the other woman's face. She could tell what the blonde was thinking just by the bemused smirk. She had seen it before, on the women who knew William.

Just to spite the other woman, Sarah wanted to respond coolly, that yes, Mr. Caine was expecting her. Of course he was. In fact, he had begged her to visit him over the lunch hour.