Thunder rumbled overhead and with the turbulent sound, Colby's control returned. She had allowed Sterling's kiss and fondling to render her mindless, and knew she had to put a stop to what they were doing. Things were getting out of hand. She had a will of her own and was determined to use it. She had given him liberties she'd never given another man because she loved him, but she had to remind herself he didn't love her. And at that moment when he whispered in her ear just what he wanted to do to her tonight in his huge bed, it reinforced her resolve.

She broke off their kiss and moved out of his arms. "I'm sorry, Sterling. Please don't think I'm a tease. I never meant for things to go this far, but you make me lose myself," she said truthfully. "We can't continue to do this any longer. It's not-"

"Proper," Sterling muttered, finishing the statement for her. Frustration clearly lined his features and was evident in his voice.

"Yes," she said, nodding and putting her robe back on. "I'm glad you agree."

"I don't agree with anything, Colby." The set of his jaw was firm and the darkness in his eyes was intense. "Do me a favor and go to bed."

She cast a glance at him and saw his frustrated features. "We have enough to deal with in our relationship without the complications of s.e.x before our marriage, don't you think?"

Sterling looked at her like she had completely lost her mind. "No. I don't think that way at all," he snapped.

There was a gentle quietness in her voice when she replied, "Then it's a good thing I'm thinking clearly for the both of us. Good night."

Sterling watched as she quickly walked away toward the house. When she was no longer in sight he removed his shorts and raced off toward the beach. For once he was in dire need of the cold ocean waters.

Kyle was right, he was in way too deep.

Chapter 12.

"Sterling, promise me you'll try to get along with James."

Sterling sat leaning back in the seat of his private jet with his eyes closed. Colby's words, which had been whispered softly in his ears, made him c.o.c.k one eye open and look at her. The gaze that met his was so serious he couldn't help but open both eyes.

"Colby, your brother is the least of my problems right now," he replied truthfully, in an irritated tone. He was tempted to tell her his main problem was having endured a sleepless night, and he wasn't in a good mood because of it. His late-night swim in the ocean had done little to quench his desire for her. The wanting he felt was strong, urgent and needy. It was like a deep ache straining against the zipper of his pants. And it wasn't helping matters sitting this close to her tempting body.

"If anything he better try to get along with me," he added in an agitated voice.

Thinking he had ended all conversation between them for the time being, Sterling closed his eyes again. However, he discovered that wasn't the case when she said, "I take it you're still upset about last night."

Without opening his eyes he answered. "I really don't want to talk about last night."

"All right, but one day you'll thank me."

He felt the chronic ache against his zipper and said, "I doubt it, and I'm curious as to why you would think so." He shifted in his seat. Her scent was nearly driving him insane.

To his dismay, she leaned closer to him and said, "Well, the way I see it, I did you a favor by not letting things go too far. I'm not on any type of birth control so there would've been a strong possibility of something happening."

Sterling opened both eyes and arched one brow at her, "Something happening like what?"

She leaned even closer and whispered. "An untimely pregnancy."

He rolled his eyes heavenward, wondering where she came up with her logic at times. As far as he was concerned, she looked at things too seriously, too maturely. She had the ability to think things through too much to suit him. The women he usually was involved with just rolled with the flow. They agreed with whatever he thought and didn't make waves. Unfortunately for him, Colby didn't agree with whatever he thought, and as for making waves, she was right up there with Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. Heat waves were becoming a specialty of hers. Even now he wanted to drown in the lush hotness of her body.

"Why would you concern yourself with an untimely pregnancy? You're going to have my baby eventually," he pointed out to her, relaxing in his seat once more. "Timing would not have to be an issue."

"Yes, it would. If I get pregnant before our marriage the terms of the contract won't apply. It clearly states the terms apply to a child conceived during during our marriage." our marriage."

"Is that so?" Sterling asked, thinking about that slight technicality. He studied Colby with curious intensity. As usual, she looked beautiful and the outfit she had on, a printed skirt and matching blouse, looked good on her. Her hair was pulled back away from her face and the style openly displayed all her flawless facial features.

"Yes, that's so."

"Then thanks for bringing it to my attention. I'll try real hard not to knock you up before the wedding."

He then leaned over and whispered in her ear. "But I can guarantee you this, Colby, having you in my bed will be the number one thing on my mind after the wedding, so I hope you're up to it, because I plan on keeping you there for days and days and days."

Sterling leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, satisfied for the time being that his frank and true statement had rendered Colby totally speechless.

"What's taking them so long in there, and why wasn't I included?" Colby asked Cynthia as she nervously paced the living room floor. Sterling and James had been closed up in the study for well over an hour.

"Just relax, Colby, everything's going to be fine. You know James, he needs to know that Sterling's intentions are honorable," Cynthia said as she went about setting the table. It was evident she was in hog heaven because Sterling had consented to stay for dinner.

"Why would James think otherwise? He's marrying me, isn't he?"

"Well, yes, but you know James. He has to know every little detail when it concerns you."

Colby nodded as she nervously gnawed her bottom lip. Knowing about James's inquisitiveness was what really had her nervous. Her brother rarely took things at face value. She had been able to talk him out of meeting them at the airport by telling him Sterling had made prior arrangements for a rental car to be waiting for them. But they hadn't counted on half the city being there for their arrival. Everyone, including many of her coworkers, had shown up to welcome her back to town. She knew the media's leak that Sterling would be returning with her had a lot to do with the reception she got. The California reporters had been mild compared to the mob of reporters that met them at the airport and began firing one question after another. Although she could tell Sterling was annoyed by it all, he had taken it in stride and had played the part of the loving husband-to-be.

"Colby, please sit down and relax. They'll be out in a minute," Cynthia said.

No sooner had the words left Cynthia's mouth than the study door opened and both men walked out. Colby couldn't help but notice that James and Sterling equaled one another in size and height. They were also equally handsome. "Is everything all right?" she asked immediately.

Sterling raised a brow. "Of course. James and I just had to reach an understanding."

Colby tossed a questioning glance at them. Neither of their expressions revealed anything. "What sort of an understanding?"

The two men glanced at each other before glancing back at her. It was James who spoke. "An understanding regarding you."

"What about me?"

This time it was Sterling who spoke. "James thought we should wait for at least six months to marry, to get to know each other better, and I told him that was out of the question. The wedding will take place in three weeks. I prefer getting married next week, however, since you prefer waiting until this school term ends, I'll agree to three weeks."

Colby's cheeks became warm when she remembered what Sterling had whispered to her earlier that day about just what he intended to do once they were married.

"James also felt that until the wedding took place, you were his responsibility," Sterling continued. "I convinced him since your life will be turned upside down because of our engagement, I had every right to share in that responsibility. And after much discussion, we both agreed."

"Agreed on what?"

"That we're both responsible for you."

Colby slanted a very readable look at both men. "Excuse me, but I'm old enough to be responsible for myself."

"Under normal circ.u.mstances that would be true, Colby," Sterling said smoothly. "But not with this. End of discussion."

Colby looked at him as her anger flared. "It's not the end of discussion. I don't need you or James being responsible for me."

Sterling cast James a questioning look. "Was she this difficult as a kid?"

James shook his head. "No. She was an easygoing child who did what she was told. Personally, I get the impression she likes giving you a hard time, Hamilton."

Colby didn't miss the grin the two men exchanged. Somehow, during the time they had been behind closed doors, they had done more than come to an understanding about her. It appeared they had also gained respect for one another.

"The key word is 'child,' which I am not anymore," she said. Then she turned and walked out of the room, confident she had set both men straight. She would not be told what to do. The thought of James and Sterling working together and being responsible for her was enough to give her a headache. Dealing with James at times was bad enough. She refused to add Sterling to the equation. Things would never add up. It was time they realized that she could handle things on her own.

She hadn't set them straight at all, Colby discovered later. She glanced across the dinner table at James. "I'm not moving in here with you and Cynthia. I have my own place, thank you very much," she said.

"Colby, be reasonable," James said, helping himself to more of his wife's candied yams. "You heard what Hamilton said. Your apartment building is probably swarming with reporters."

"I am being reasonable, James. Reporters or no reporters, I see no reason why I can't stay in my own apartment."

"I do," Sterling said when he saw that James wasn't getting anywhere with his sister. "Until the frenzy of our engagement wears off, you'll receive a lot of attention. You saw the reporters at the airport, Colby. The decent ones will probably leave you alone after a while, but the others, the relentless ones, will be ill-mannered and lacking any kind of scruples. At least living here will provide you with the security of a gated community."

Colby frowned. She was used to coming and going whenever she wanted. "But you can't expect me to be kept locked away behind some gate twenty-four hours a day. I have a job, Sterling. I took a week's leave to go to California but I have to return to my cla.s.sroom on Monday."

"I don't think you should return to work."

Colby looked away from the intensity of Sterling's gaze and returned to eating her food. "I'm going back to work." She looked back up at him. "The school is secured so there shouldn't be any problem."

"And I'm going to make sure of it. Mac will be here first thing in the morning."

She lifted a brow. "Who's Mac?"

"The man who handles my security."

Colby released a deep sigh. She thought James and Sterling were getting worked up for nothing.

Cynthia, forever a diplomat, smoothly shifted the conversation when she said, "Sterling, Colby mentioned you wanted a small wedding."

Sterling took a sip of his iced tea. If it was left up to him they would fly to Las Vegas, but Colby had insisted on having a wedding. So he had agreed to a small, simple one. "Yes, I want it small, simple and private, exactly three weeks from tomorrow."

After dinner, Sterling urged Colby to call her landlord to make sure there was not any activity at her apartment.

"Reporters are all over the place," Mrs. Foster informed her in an agitated voice. "And it's annoying the other tenants. I think it would be a good idea if you were to stay someplace else for a few days until this blows over. I'm sorry."

Colby hung up the phone feeling sorry, too. She hadn't actually expected this degree of media mania.

"I still can't stay here," she said after telling the group of her conversation with Mrs. Foster. "You and Cynthia need your privacy. I'll check into a hotel for tonight. Hopefully, tomorrow things will be better."

Sterling shook his head, knowing they wouldn't. "You can stay with me tonight," he said.

"No, she can't," James said with righteous indignation. "It wouldn't be proper."

Sterling frowned. He was beginning not to like that one particular word. "Look, Wingate, Colby and I have practically spent the last four days together anyway, so what's one more day? I'm only going to be there tonight. I'll be leaving tomorrow and won't return until a couple of days before the wedding. The condo my attorney was able to find for me here is completely secured, and with Mac overseeing everything, Colby will be safe."

"Fine. She can stay there beginning tomorrow-after you leave-but she'll not stay there with you tonight," James said.

Colby rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. "All right, all right. I'll stay here tonight and then tomorrow I'll move into Sterling's condo temporarily while he's gone, until things get back to normal."

Both men looked pleased with her decision.

Later, Colby walked Sterling out to the car when he was ready to leave. "Will you be returning to California?"

"Yes. I have some business I need to take care of there. Then I plan on spending a few days in Texas visiting my friend, Jake Madaris. When I leave Texas, I'll be returning here."

Colby nodded. "Call and let me know in advance when you're coming back so I can move out of your condo."

Sterling nodded. "It seems so far everyone is buying our story and that's good."

At the moment Colby didn't want to think about the real reason they were getting married. She loved him and no matter what he thought, she had no plans to ever leave his life. After their marriage she intended on proving to him that he did need a wife and that their child did need a mother.

"Will you miss me?" she impulsively asked.

Sterling was mildly surprised by her question. He thought about it for a moment and knew that although he didn't want to miss her, he would. He would miss her feistiness, her perky personality and her straightforward approach to things. But most of all, he would miss her scent, her taste and the feel of her in his arms. In the four days they had spent together, he had gotten used to having her around. "Yes, Colby, I'm going to miss you. Will you miss me?"

She looked up at him. A grin tugged at her lips. "No, not really."

Sterling tipped his head back and laughed. Once again it occurred to him that he had laughed more in the past four days than at any other time in his entire life.

"I want to kiss you," he said, bringing her closer to him. Deep down he knew he should back away. Things weren't going as he'd originally planned. His relationship with Colby was to be all business and nothing more. But whenever he was around her, business was the last thing on his mind.

"I want you to kiss me, too, but I know for a fact James and Cynthia are at the window watching us."

Sterling smiled. "Let them watch. They would expect us to kiss goodbye, wouldn't they?"

"I suppose so," Colby said.

Sterling lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss, to his way of thinking, was just as sweet as all the others had been, only too brief. Way too brief.

Afterward, he hugged her to him, knowing he would indeed miss her and that very thought bothered him.

It bothered him a lot.