"Tell me you didn't think you were going to babysit me twenty-four seven."

He glared at her and turned back to the TV.

"I think I'll go to bed," she said as she stood.

She stretched lazily, forcing Micah's attention back to her. His gaze was warm on her skin. She walked over to the recliner, and before he could react, she slid onto his lap, dangling her legs over the side of the chair. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him forward to meet her lips.

He was as stiff and unyielding as cement. Her tongue flitted out to playfully lave over his closed lips. The nearly violent thud of his pulse signaled that he was definitely not immune to her.

"Kiss me," she whispered. "Forget everything but the fact that there's you and me. Kiss me."

With a tortured groan, he gave in, opening his mouth to take control of the kiss. She melted against him with a deep sigh. Their tongues met in a heated rush. Like chocolate melting in the sunshine. Sweet. Strong. A little wild.

Her fingers rolled and twisted the hair at his nape while his hands rested at the small of her back, his arms across the tops of her thighs.

She wanted them to move. Wanted him to touch her, to take an active part beyond returning her kiss. But she knew he wouldn't, just as she knew the instant that the moment was over.

He yanked away, his breath coming in a ragged gasp. His eyes were wild-looking, the pupils dilated, making his brown eyes appear black.

"No. No," he ground out. "We can't do this, Angel."

Silently, she slid from his lap, gaining her footing with trembling legs. She wouldn't look 45 at him, refused to acknowledge the regret she knew she'd see in his eyes.

Never once looking back, she walked stiffly toward her bedroom, her hands fisted at her sides.

"Angel," he said in a hoarse, needy voice.

She froze and waited, but he didn't call her back. Her shoulders slowly drooping downward, she continued her path to the bedroom. When she was inside, she quietly closed the door behind her.

With a dry laugh, she dropped onto the bed. She was probably the first woman Micah had ever said no to. He was a complete and utter pushover when it came to females. He loved them, protected them and didn't care who knew it.

So why couldn't he see her? Why couldn't he love her, desire her, get past the fact that she was David's sister?

What she needed was a sledgehammer and then she could beat some sense into his thick head.

There were different kinds of sledgehammers, and she'd have to make do with the metaphorical kind. Micah might not see her, might not want to see her, but he wasn't blind nor was he immune to her as a woman.

She had an edge over most females because she knew what made him tick. Now she just had to use that knowledge to her advantage.

46

CHAPTER 8

"So what bug's been up your ass lately, Hudson?" Gray Montgomery asked.

Micah scowled as he handed the menu back to the waitress. He and the other guys from work, Gray Montgomery, Nathan Tucker and Connor Malone, were at their regular lunch haunt, Cattleman's, only they weren't usually discussing one another's personal business.

"You have been unusually cranky. Not get laid lately?" Connor drawled.

At that Nathan scowled, since he was still a little touchy about the fact that his current girlfriend was the last woman Micah would have been with.

"The world doesn't revolve around when I got laid last," Micah said dryly.

Gray blinked. "It doesn't? I thought that was the standard male milestone for keeping time."

Nathan laughed. "It is, or at least it's what the women would have you believe."

"I told Faith I had a headache last night," Gray said with a straight face. "There's only so much I can take. She's an animal!"

Micah hooted with laughter, relaxing now that the focus was momentarily off him.

Connor groaned and covered his ears. "Not cool, man. Not cool at all. I don't need that kind of information about my sister."

"Your sister's hot," Micah pointed out.

Nathan grimaced. "I'm going to have to go with Connor on this one. I see Faith too much as a little sister to want to imagine her as an animal in bed."

Gray snorted. "It wouldn't matter anyway because if you so much as breathed wrong at another woman, Julie would have your nuts."

Everyone laughed as Nathan turned a dull red.

47 "The man is completely whipped," Connor snickered.

Nathan smiled. "I don't have any problem admitting she's got me completely wrapped around her finger."

"There are worse things than having the love of a good woman," Micah said sincerely, while Gray and Nathan both nodded in agreement.

Connor just studied him curiously. "So is that what has you in a tailspin? A woman?"

Micah let out a grunt. "In a manner of speaking, though it's not what you dickheads are thinking."

"Ahh," Gray said.

Micah flipped him the bird. "The sister of an old friend of mine is in town, and I've got my hands full trying to keep her out of trouble."

Gray frowned. "Trouble? What kind of trouble?"

Trust Gray's cop instincts to get all riled.

"She's a good girl," Micah said with a note of defensiveness even he could hear. "And that's the problem. She's a good girl with no idea of what can happen to a good girl in a big, strange city."

Connor scowled. "Then why the hell is she here and where is her brother?"

"David died a few years ago," Micah said quietly.

Even now, after so long, it hurt to say out loud that David was gone.

"He was the only family Angelina had."

"So you feel obligated to look after her," Connor said.

The others nodded in understanding.

"Well, yeah," Micah said.

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Not going well?"

"It's going just fine. Or it will be as soon as we get a few rules straight."

Gray choked on his drink and commenced to coughing. "Yeah, good luck with that," he wheezed.

48 "How old is she anyway?" Connor asked.

"Twenty-three," Micah muttered.

"Is she hot?"

"Very," he said before he could think better of it. Then he swore. "No, she damn well isn't hot. And I don't want you to even so much as look in her direction. You got me?"

Connor held up his hands in surrender. "Whatever you say, man. I swear you guys do your best to keep me away from all the good ones. I should be dating Julie. Not bonehead over here," he said as he jerked a thumb in Nathan's direction.

Nathan snorted. "You're not man enough for her."

Connor scowled. "And I suppose you are?"

"She's with me, isn't she?" Nathan returned smugly.

Gray leaned forward, ignoring the bickering between Connor and Nathan. "So you're spending your evenings babysitting her at her place or what? And what about during the day? Not like you can keep an eye on her all the time."

"She's staying with me until we can find her a decent place. She's going to be looking for a job."

For once they fell completely silent as they stared back at him. Gray coughed discreetly and Nathan made a show of clearing his throat. Connor's eyes gleamed with unholy amusement.

"So you have a young, hot girl living with you, and you're in a bad mood?" Connor asked.

"Shut the fuck up," Micah growled.

"Blue balls," Gray said with a sage nod. "What our man has is a case of the blue balls."

"Fuck you," Micah said crudely. "Fuck all of you."

They laughed uproariously while Micah just shook his head.

Gray pointed a finger in Micah's direction. "Mark my words, Hudson. Your ass is toast."

After an afternoon of ribbing, Micah was ready to get home, crack open a cold beer and watch some TV. Then he remembered he had no food in the house, and while he had 49 nothing against two-day-old pizza, he didn't see Angelina sharing his appreciation for it.

He stopped at the local grocery store, piled a bunch of stuff he thought she'd like in the buggy and headed to the checkout. Half an hour later, he pulled into his apartment complex and frowned when he didn't see Angelina's little tin can in the parking spot next to his.

Maybe she was still out job hunting.

He made two trips to get the groceries in, and it wasn't until he started to put them away that he saw the piece of paper propped against the canisters.

He picked it up and unfolded it, his gaze scanning the neat handwriting.

Micah, Gone to The House to play. Don't wait up for me.

Love, Angelina Micah dropped the paper and was immediately assaulted by a pounding headache. Fuck a goddamn duck. What the hell did she think she was doing? Besides driving him out of his damn mind.

He pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers and closed his eyes to assuage the sensation of someone stabbing him in the eyeball.

He was haunted by the images of Angelina the first time he'd seen her at The House.

What the hell would he find her doing this time?

Damon wouldn't be there, so he couldn't call him and demand he throw her out, not that he would anyway, but at least he could have made sure Damon watched over her. Cole was a good guy, but shit, he was the one flogging her the first night. And what guy with a working set of balls wouldn't leap at the opportunity to bend a gorgeous woman to his will?

Leaving the groceries in the sacks, he made a grab for his keys and headed for the door.

He and Angelina were definitely going to come to an understanding. Right after his hand warmed her little ass. And he'd make damn sure the little brat didn't enjoy it either.

Unfortunately for him, his dick stood up and paid attention at the idea of having her over his knee. Yeah, she might not like it--or maybe she would--but he damn sure would.

The drive to The House seemed interminable. It was almost completely dark when he pulled up the drive, and it irritated the hell out of him to see Angelina's car in one of the spots closest to the door. Little hellcat had been here awhile.

50 He strode inside, and while he did a cursory check of the downstairs social rooms, he knew in his gut he'd find her upstairs where all the action took place. He just hoped like hell he didn't have to barge into one of the private rooms and drag her out. Damon would have his ass in a sling, and he'd probably be barred from the premises for life.

When he got to the top of the stairs, he made a beeline for the common room. He hit the doorway and to his relief didn't see Angelina as the star attraction again. But that begged the question of where exactly she was.

There, in the far corner of the room, he saw her. All the breath left him in a painful rush.

It was as if someone punched him squarely in the diaphragm.

Lust and rage vied for equal airtime. Angelina. Nude but for the ropes intricately wrapped around her upper body, under and above her breasts so that the small globes were displayed to their best advantage. The nipples--lush and erect--dark brown, like velvet.

She was kneeling, her long hair sliding forward over her shoulders. Her arms were bound behind her, her knees spread, her pose one of complete supplication.

God, how he longed to answer her plea for domination.