"Why wouldn't he? You've been in California three days already and no doubt those reporters will release information indicating the two of us stayed together at this hotel. People will speculate about how we spent our time here. We know we haven't been intimate but others won't."

"James will if I tell him so. He knows me. He knows I have all intentions of remaining a..." Colby stopped talking midsentence and decided not to finish what she was about to say.

Unfortunately for her, Sterling had no intention of not letting her finish it. "Remaining a what?" he asked, quietly, intently.

She shrugged. "Nothing."

"What were you about to say, Colby?"

"It's not important."

Sterling stared at her. "If it's what I think it is, it's very important. Is it?"

She didn't reply immediately, she just shrugged her shoulders again. "I have no idea what you think it is."

Sterling was silent for a moment as he looked at her. The red dress she wore molded itself to her body with such allure, it gave an image of her being a seductress and temptress-unmistakably so. But deep down he had a gut feeling that image was false and far from the truth.

"I think you've never slept with a man and that you had all intentions of saving yourself for marriage," he finally said.

She met his unwavered gaze. "I still plan to save myself for marriage."

Sterling controlled a smile at the determination in her tone of voice. "I can give you a good reason why you shouldn't, but I'm sure you've heard a number of them from other men."

"Yes," Colby answered. Her eyes suddenly shone with silent laughter as she recalled a few of them. "I've heard that the longer I put if off, the more it will hurt when I do try it. I've heard men no longer want virgins for wives, they prefer more experienced women in their beds. And I've heard that men will appreciate you even more if you let them try you out first."

She looked up at him with amused fascination. "I even had one guy tell me my mother had been wrong and that a man will still buy a cow after getting the milk free."

Sterling grinned. He adored this side of her, her gentle camaraderie, her subtle wit. "I'm sure you had a good reply for all those reasons you were given."

"Yes, especially the one about the cow. I asked him would the cow be just as valuable to him after he had used it."

"What did he say?"

"Of course, he said yes, but I knew he was lying. He worked as a new car salesman and I knew right away his words couldn't be trusted. Besides, he was the one who had sold me my first new car, and as part of his sales pitch he'd given me a number of reasons why a new car was better than a used one. He kept saying that a new car would hold its value longer than a used one. Can you believe that?"

Sterling threw his head back and let out a great peal of laughter at the seriousness in Colby's voice and the expression on her face. For whatever her reasons, he was glad she hadn't allowed a man take to advantage of her. He knew he could probably thank James Wingate for that. Evidently the man had schooled his sister on handling the players out there.

"So, Sterling, what reason do you want to tell me as to why I shouldn't wait?"

His expression suddenly became serious, determined. He took a few steps that brought him closer to her. Reaching out, he lightly traced his finger softly up her shoulder. Her skin tingled from the contact.

His words were soft when he spoke, and his soft breath felt warm and moist against her face. "I could tell you how our bodies will connect in mindless pa.s.sion and ecstasy as I make you a part of me and me a part of you. And that when I make love to you, I will give you a glimpse of heaven. Our coming together will be one special moment, and we don't need a marriage license to enjoy such a spiraling experience."

Colby trembled under Sterling's words and touch. For a while she wasn't capable of speech. Her insides jangled with an unwelcome surge of excitement. But somehow and from somewhere, she found the strength to deny what she was feeling.

She managed to pull herself together to say. "Not bad. In fact, that line was better than most. However, my response to that is for you to think of just how much more special the moment will be knowing you'll be doing all those things to your wife and not just another woman. You'll be making me yours in the most intimate way. And I won't just get a glimpse of heaven, I'll become a part of it, with you. That in itself will make the experience even more special."

Sterling's lips parted in an astonished smile. She had thoroughly and completely turned the tables on him. Her eyes, so serious and calm, dared him to refute her words. And he knew he couldn't.

"Not a bad comeback," he said.

She smiled. "I'm usually quicker with my responses."

He shook his head and an amused grin touched his lips. "Yeah, I bet you are."

He wondered now that he knew the truth about her, how in the world was he going to keep his hands off her until after they were married. It wasn't going to be easy. He was a man used to getting what he wanted whenever he wanted it. But that would not be the case with Colby.

"Now getting back to our discussion regarding me taking you home Friday," he said, not wanting to dwell on his dilemma anymore.

"All right, Sterling, I'll call James tonight and tell him. And I'll agree to let you take me home. But why wait 'til Friday? Why can't we leave tomorrow? Once I tell James about us, he'll want me to return home to talk to him immediately."

"I'm sure he will, but I have an important business meeting scheduled tomorrow, and I want to check on our progress with Morton Industries."

Colby nodded. She had almost completely forgotten about Morton Industries and the real reason behind her marriage to Sterling.

Sterling walked back over to the table to get his coffee but knew it had gotten cold. He took a sip anyway and studied Colby over the rim of his cup. She was moving around the room, unnecessarily tidying up. He could tell from her movements she was tired. They had spent most of the morning sight-seeing and then over dinner she had told him of her shopping adventure.

He set his cup down when he saw her smother a yawn. Walking over to her, he pulled her to him. "I think it's bedtime."

She pushed herself out of his arms. "Look, Sterling, evidently you didn't understand-"

He placed his fingers to her lips to silence her. "Lighten up. I didn't mean it the way you took it. What I meant is that it's bedtime for you."

She tinted, embarra.s.sed she had jumped to conclusions. "I need to call James first."

"Then I'll leave so you can do that. It's getting late and there's a three-hour time difference between here and the East Coast."

"Yes, I know."

A faint smile touched his lips. "It's my guess reporters will be camped out front in the morning, but the sooner we can leave here and go to my home in Malibu, the better. Things are more secure and private there. We won't be hounded by any reporters."

"All right."

"Good night, Colby."

"Good night, Sterling."

Unhesitantly, Sterling lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers. He wanted to do more but didn't. Instead he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Colby walked over to the table and picked up the telephone. Taking a deep breath she began dialing numbers.

"h.e.l.lo," a deep masculine voice answered sleepily.

"h.e.l.lo, James, it's me."

She could hear his soft, sleep-filled chuckle. "How are you doing, 'me'?"

She grinned. "I'm fine." A lump then formed in her throat. "I'm sorry to call so late but I have something very important to tell you."

"Oh? What?"

"Remember that friend I told you I was coming here to see."

"Yes, what about her?"

"I deliberately led you to believe it was a she."

There was a pause. "And she's not?"

"No, he's he's not." not."

There was another pause. "Colby, are you trying to tell me that your friend is really a he he and not a and not a she? she?"

Colby took a deep breath. "Yes."

There was another pause. "I think I can handle what you're telling me, Colby. After all, you're twenty-six years old. Cynthia told me a long time ago I was too overprotective where you're concerned. And she's right. You're out on your own and have been since completing college. You have a good head on your shoulders, and I trust you to make the right decisions in life. You've never disappointed me, Colby, and I'm proud of you. I know I don't say that often enough, but I am proud of you. And I want you to know that no matter what, I'll always be here for you. Cynthia will, too."

Tears blurred Colby's vision. "Thanks."

"Are things serious between you and your friend?"

"Yes, very serious. I wouldn't have traveled all this way to see him if they weren't."

"When will I get to meet him? And why haven't I met him already?"

"You'll get to meet him soon, and the reason you haven't met him yet is because we were sort of conducting a long-distance relationship and weren't sure how things would work out between us. Now we're sure."

Colby closed her eyes. She hated lying to him and knew she was about to do so even more. Crossing her fingers, she added. "We have decided to get married."

"What!"

"I know it comes as a surprise, but we love each other and want to get married."

"Colby, don't rush into anything. Come home and we'll talk about this. Marriage is such a big step. How long have the two of you known each other?"

"We met two months ago."

"Two months ago? Colby, it's too soon to think of getting married. People date for years before marriage. Cynthia and I dated for almost three years before we decided to get married."

Colby smiled. "The two of you should have gotten married a lot sooner. You were driving each other, as well as me, crazy."

She heard her brother chuckle. "Well, yeah, but let's get back to you, young lady. Just how well do you know this guy?"

"I know him well enough to know he's the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. He's the man that I want to father my children."

"But why the rush?"

Colby couldn't help but shake her head. Nothing in life had prepared her for this type of conversation with her brother. He was the type of person who had to know everything and had to understand every little detail especially when it concerned her. After their parents' death, he had tried wrapping her up in a covering of protection so thick it had taken Cynthia's emergence into their lives to rip it apart.

Cynthia, a mere twenty-two years old and fresh out of college, had been Colby's Spanish teacher in her first year of high school. She had gone head-to-head with the handsome James Wingate when he had refused to let Colby go on a field trip with the Spanish club. That had only been the beginning. Somehow through their constant teacher-versus-guardian battles over her, James and Cynthia had discovered they actually liked each other. And much to Colby's delight, her favorite teacher and brother had begun dating.

"Colby? Are you still there?"

"Yes."

"Well, answer my question. Why are the two of you rushing into marriage when you've only known each other a couple of months?"

"Because we don't want to wait any longer to..."

There was a pause. "To do what?" James asked.

"To become intimate. You know my feelings on s.e.x before marriage."

"So you're marrying him just so it'll be all right for the two of you to sleep together?"

"No, of course not. I told you, we love each other and we want to do the right thing. And it's getting harder and harder for us to stay apart that way. He's a good person and wants to do the right thing. You should admire him for that."

"If he's such a good person why hasn't he made it a point to meet your family? I would think he would have if things are this serious between the two of you."

"We didn't think it was a good idea. Because of who he is, we had to keep things a secret."

"A secret. Just who is this guy?"

Colby took a deep breath and plunged forward. "Sterling Hamilton."

The pause on the phone was so long that for a moment Colby thought the line had gone dead. Then the explosion came. "Sterling Hamilton! The The Sterling Hamilton! The actor?" Sterling Hamilton! The actor?"

"Yes."

"Colby, you can't be serious!"

"I am serious, James."

"Colby, honey, listen to me. I want you to come home immediately, baby. We need to talk about this."

"Sterling is bringing me home day after tomorrow and we'll talk then."

"Listen, baby. I think you should come home now. Alone. Tonight. How on earth did you get involved with the likes of Sterling Hamilton? I read the papers and the magazines. The man is a nationally known playboy. He's into women, lots of them. Besides, he's almost ten years older than you. Colby, think about what you're getting yourself into."

"I have thought about it, and I want to marry him. I wanted to let you know that Sterling and I became engaged yesterday. Chances are an announcement of our engagement will make tomorrow's papers. I wanted you to hear it from me first."

"Colby, don't, baby. Listen to me for a-"

"No, I have to do this. I want to do this. Sterling is bringing me home on Friday. We'll talk then. Tell Cynthia I'll call her tomorrow. Good night, James."

"Colby, wait!"

"Yes?"