then this time she leaned close. "It involved me, that Cro-Magnon man"-an involuntary shiver ran the length of her-"and the most amazing orgasm of my life."

Kate about choked on her tea. "What?!"

"I kid you not. The guy is a sexual genius. And genius should be in all caps. And get this, it happened with Andrew Folly standing on the other side of the desk."

Kate went red in the face, then coughed and choked, looking like she might have some sort of a fit right there. "You had sex while Andrew Folly watched? I'm not sure whom I'm more worried about, you or him. Tell me I didn't hear you right."

"You heard right. I had an orgasm right in front of him, though he didn't know what was going on. He thinks I have a bad case of asthma."

"How could you have an orgasm in front of someone and he doesn't know?"

Kate wasn't as inhibited as their friend, Chloe, but while she had talked big about the sex game a few minutes ago, Kate had always been exceedingly circumspect about bedroom matters.

"I'm talking about me in my desk chair, Ben under my dad's desk, and Folly sitting on the other side.

Ben should be shot." Then she smiled.

Kate's eyes went wide. "You liked it!"

"So sue me." Then she pursed her lips. "But it will never, ever happen again."

"You should be shot. Folly has it in for you, Jules. He wants you out of KTEX so bad, the entire office can taste it."

"Why? I don't get it."

"Neither do I." Kate's eyes narrowed. "Did you ever date him?"

"Folly?" she gasped.

"Yes, Folly."

"No way. I've never seen him before in my life."

"That's what I thought. But the only men I've seen who have it in for you are men you've dated and

dumped. So I thought maybe that was the case with Folly. If that's not it, then it has to be who he thinks you are."

"The former station owner's daughter?"

Kate grimaced. "No. It was like the minute he saw your office, he had it in for you. He doesn't like fluff."

Julia blinked. "I'm not fluff." But she knew that was what people thought. And she also knew that that was part of what had driven her to this place where she was determined to change. She was determined to show everyone that she was more than fluff.

"Speaking of not being fluff," Kate said, "what's with the bun, anyway?"

Julia pulled out the pins and let her hair fall.

"No way! I can't believe you cut it."

"Neither can I."

"You hardly seem like the short-hair type."

"The point is to not look like me."

"Julia, I worry about you and these extremes you're going to."

"Don't worry about me. Haven't you and Chloe always complained about me and my assortment of men

and wild clothes? Didn't you just get through telling me that Folly has it in for me because he thinks I'm a fluff doll? Well, I'm through with both-wild men and wild clothes. As soon as I find a nice, sensitive guy, then I'll start dating again. And while I'm at it, I'm going to blow Folly's argyle socks off with the show I put together."

When they finished their tea, the women hugged and Kate had to run. Once Kate was gone, Julia returned to her office and thought about her show, Folly, Ben Prescott, and a certain orgasm she had under the desk.

It was understandable that she would falter, she reasoned. They were living under the same roof. They were attracted to each other even if they really didn't like each other. And Ben Prescott was the sort of man who needed a woman ...

A woman.

One of the long line of women who called here at all hours. Then he would be preoccupied and not making her life such a ... challenge.

She tapped her pen on the blotter of her desk as she considered. Why wasn't he dating or having under-the-desk fun with someone else?

Only one person could answer that question.

Julia picked up the phone and dialed. She could just make out the faint sound of a cell phone ringing on the other side of the house.

"Slash."

"That's how you answer your phone?"

She heard him groan.

"I never should have given you this number," he lamented.

"You didn't. I have caller ID. You called me, remember? Back when you were being the patient from

hell."

"I wasn't that bad. And it's unfair that your number is 'Unavailable.' "

"It's great. You should try it if you don't want people to have your number."

"I do want people to have my number. Just not you."

"Why are you in such a bad mood?"

"I'm not," he stated.

"Sure you are, and I think I know why."

"This should be good."

"You need to go out on a date."

"What?"

She leaned back in the chair, put her feet up on the desk, and crossed her ankles. "You have an

assortment of women calling around the clock, but you're not seeing any of them. I think you should."

His deep, sensual laugh sizzled over the airwaves. "I take it that orgasm really rattled you."

She dropped her feet to the floor and planted her elbows on the blotter. "I am not rattled."

"Sure, sure. So what's the question again?"

"Dating. Why aren't you?"

"I'm not interested in anyone right now."

"You've got a good dozen to choose from. Surely one of them is interesting?"

"Nope. Anything else?"

"Well, ah ..."

"Then I'm busy. Gotta go. But if you can think of anyone who might be interested in a little home-office

fun"- he chuckled-"let me know."

A deliciously decadent shiver ran through her at the thought.

Then he beeped off and was gone.

The doorbell rang at three-forty that afternoon. She pushed up from her desk, but by the time she got to the door, Ben was already there.

"Hey!" he said to two teenagers standing in the courtyard. "It's good to see you."

Julia was surprised at the enthusiasm, since Ben didn't strike her as the gushy type. Plus, the gush seemed pretty strained.

Hmmm, Ben trying too hard. She wondered what this was about.

"Come in," he said to them.

When he turned around, he saw her.

"Julia. This is Todd and Trisha. They're practically my niece and nephew."