TAKING SHAPE.

Tielle St. Clare.

Prologue.

Edward Branch takes pompous to a whole new level, Nicholas Conner thought, watching his latest client simultaneously raise his chin and look down his nose as he stared at Nick across his ornate, well-polished desk. The smooth surface practically begged to be marred by fingerprintsaor maybe it was the ownera"a little too slick and smootha"who inspired that response.

aNow, Mister Conner, your reputation gives me some a.s.surance that you will be able to resolve this issue but I must demand complete discretion and secrecy. Ms. Hayward can know nothing about this investigation.a Nick allowed none of his irritation to show on his face. If the man knew anything about the reputation of Conner Investigations, he knew that discretion was their agencyas second most prized skill.

Get in, blend in and get out without being noticed.

His familyas peculiar gifts made that part of their investigations routine.

aDonat worry. She wonat even know Iam there.a He flipped through the file. It didnat hold nearly enough information about the target. It had her work history, her address and the reasons AirPress Incorporated thought she was embezzling but none of the stuff he would needa"who she dated, what were her habits, what did the inside of her house look like? Nick made a mental list. His brothers and sister were working their own cases but it shouldnat be difficult to learn what he needed to know.

aWhy not just fire her?a he asked, nailing Branch, AirPressas president and CEO, with his stare, practically daring him to explain the real reason CI was being hired.

aA segment of the company is being sold,a Martin Jessup, AirPressas chief financial officer answered, drawing Nickas attention to him. That seemed to be the pattern. Branch gave orders but any questions were immediately answered by Jessup. The CFO was used to shielding his boss. The uptight accountant offered a weak smile. aWe donat want any questions about our reputation. Embezzlement is an embarra.s.sment under the best circ.u.mstances.a aAnd you know women like thisaa Branch interjected. aThey sue over any little thing. We have to have evidencea"collected by a third partya"so she doesnat have grounds to take us to court.a The condescending sneer made Nickas knuckles ache. His mother or sister would have been over the desk with their fingers wrapped around his chauvinistic throat. Nick settled for placing his boot against the front of Branchas desk, leaving a visible footprint. It was petty, he knew, but his sister would be proud.

aWe need to move quickly on this,a Branch said. aThe sale will be finalized in the next quarter. I donat want anything hanging over our heads.a aWeall need a few weeks to gather some background information.a aThatas fine. Keep Jessup in the loop. I want to keep this perfectly legal so when you want to search her computer here, give Jessup a dayas warning and heall arrange it.a Branch rose from his chair and waved to the door, indicating he was done with Nick.

Nick was slow to come to his feet. Head never been one to take orders well. Nick made a mental notation to have Jameson check out AirPress and its CEO. Something didnat quite feel right with this job. His internal sensors were all on full alert. He considered just walking awaya"they didnat need the worka"but Branch offered access to a whole different clientele.

Donat judge the client.

He heard the mental advice and easily recognized the voice. It was his. Head repeated as much to his brothers and sister on numerous occasions. Their job was private investigations. Not righting wrongs or criticizing the people who hired thema"most of whom were sleazier than their targets.

Nick said his goodbyes and exited the building. He didnat go far. It was almost lunchtime and it was a beautiful spring day. Surely Ms. Hayward would take her lunch outside. He waited. Finally, about two-thirty she appeared, walking two blocks to a coffee shop. Nick followed at a distance. She didnat speak with anyone except the counter staff then took her paper cup and sat by the window. She stared blankly at the world. After twenty minutes, she sighed, stood and went back to her office.

She walked past him, never seeing him. Her long-legged stride spoke of a woman with energy and determination. He followed her back to the door, trying not to notice the swing of her cute little a.s.s beneath the slim skirt she wore. It wasnat until shead disappeared into the building that Nick realized he had spent the last half of her walk wondering how her a.s.s would feel in his hands as he f.u.c.ked her. He took a slow breath and willed away the beginnings of an erection he didnat need right now. Just as it wasnat wise to judge the client, it was truly stupid to l.u.s.t after a target.

Though it wasnat strictly necessary, Nick hung around outside the building, staying out of sight. The building cleared out about six with a few stragglers coming out at six-thirty. No sign of his target. At seven-thirty he finally saw her leave, her briefcase clutched firmly in her hand and her brow furrowed in concentration. From the distance he couldnat see the color of her eyes but he didnat doubt they were steady and strong. He smiled at his own musings. He was supposed to be observing her, not cataloguing her. Her long brown hair hung down to the middle of her back, the strands messy and tangled as if shead run her fingers through the length too many times during the day.

She opened her back seat and tossed her briefcase in. Her chin tilted up and her head dropped back as if she was pulling the tension from inside body. Nick shifted in his hiding place, watching the lithe form arch and stretch, like invisible fingers were working her spine. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s pressed against her blouse, creating a well-defined linea"round and full. She rolled her head to the side and Nick could see the stress slipping from her body. His fingers twitched. It was too easy to imagine him, straddling her back, her tight a.s.s beneath him as he worked the tension from her muscles.

His c.o.c.k twitched, liking the idea.

Sheas a target, his overdeveloped conscience chimed in. He clung to that thought as she got into her car. He made a note of the license plate and let her drive away. There was no need to follow her. He could get what he needed off the computer. It was time to learn more about the thieving Ms. Tally Hayward.

Chapter One.

Tally Hayward rolled her shoulders back, trying to ease the strain in her muscles. Please G.o.d, would this week never end? At least it was Friday and she had the weekend to look forward to. She glared silently at the gla.s.s walls of her favorite coffee shop. Sometimes she hated work. She loved her job but latelyathe pain at the back of her neck shot down her spine. She took a deep breath and forced the muscles to release. The tension eased enough that she could move without wincing. d.a.m.n, she needed to relax, in bed, flat on her back. The image made her smile. Preferably with a studly man above me, she thought. Or behind. The spread of her lips widened into a full-fledged grin.

Her phone chimed oncea"alerting her to a message. She sighed. Had to be Richard. He did this when he didnat want to talk to hera"to make a clean getaway. He didnat actually call, he just left messages. She flipped the phone open and dialed her voice mail, listening as her boyfriendas voice slid through the line.

aHi, baby doll.a He used that low sensual tone that Tally called his adonat you think Iam s.e.xya voice. It did nothing for her. It reminded her of a bad p.o.r.n actor. aI just wanted to say Iam off to Chicago. Back in a few days. See ya!a A little of the stress in her neck eased. Well, that was one thing she didnat have to deal with for a few more daysa"breaking up with Richard. It had been weighing on her mind for the past week. Not that it was a surprise. Shead known for weeks it wasnat going to work out but shead stuck it out. She hadnat wanted to bail on a potential relationship too early. After all, Richard looked good on papera"great job, nice car, friends with all the right peoplea"and he looked good in person. If ever there was a human model for the Ken doll it was him.

Complete with being anatomically incorrect.

Tally covered her mouth to hide her smile and stop the full-blown laughter. That was rotten of her. It wasnat that Richard was physically inadequate. He had all the requisite parts in reasonably good proportions. It was a rhythm thing. He had none. Or at least none that matched Tallyas. She sighed as she snapped the phone shut. Shead never been bored in beda"until Richard. And he didnat take suggestions well. Once shead suggested maybe he go down on her. Head shook his head sadly and explained that women today were responsible for their own o.r.g.a.s.ms and surely she didnat need atricksa to make her come. Tally rolled her eyes at the memory. She wouldnat have minded a few tricks. Richard had one tricka"f.u.c.k, roll over and play dead before slinking away in the early morning hours. Not that she necessarily wanted him to stick around for a second try but still, it would be nice to have her lover smile at her in the morning.

No, it was definitely time to let him go. Move on. Find someone new. Someone who actually seemed to enjoy having s.e.x with her. He didnat have to be perfectajust trainable.

Gorgeous didnat hurt, with a tight a.s.s and long strong legs. Broad shoulders, large hands. Oh yeah. Mystic blue eyes and black silver-tinted hair. She moaned softly and the sound made her realize she was no longer fantasizing about Mister Perfecta"she was staring at him. Her dream man stood in front of her ordering a latte. Again.

He glanced across the curved counter, his eyes catching hers. His smile filled his face, creating delightful crinkles around the edges of his eyes. Smile lines eased the harsh lines of his cheekbones.

He accepted his paper cup and wandered around the corner of the bar to where she stood. Slowly she dropped her phone to the counter.

aGood afternoon.a A warm shiver curled down her spine as he spoke. It was like vocal s.e.x. Since the first time theyad spoken shead become fascinated by the power of his voice. She was pretty sure she could come just from listening to him speak. I wonder if heas silent in beda"or if he likes to talk, whisper all sorts of wicked things. Not that she would ever find out. They were friends and brand-new friends at that. Casual meetings at a coffee shop did not a relationship make, even if he had started starring in her late night dreams.

aUh, hi,a she remembered to answer after a long time.

aItas good to see you again.a She smiled. He always sounded so sincere when he said thata"as if seeing her had made his day better. It certainly improved the h.e.l.l out of hers.

aYou too.a They wandered over to atheira table. The coffee shop wasnat crowded. It rarely was at this time of day. They probably wouldnat have even spoken if the little caf hadnat been unusually busy one day last week. Every table had been full and Nick had asked to join Tally at hers. Theyad talked and Tally had been late getting back to work. The next day about the same time, shead returned to the coffee shop and head been there. Head invited her to share his table even though there were plenty to choose from. Since then, theyad met almost every day and Tally had the sneaking suspicion that he was timing his visits to coincide with hers. If head been the least bit creepy or aggressive, it would have bothered her.

aAre you all right? Youave got this worried look on your face.a She shook her head. aItas nothing. Stress at work. Stress in the personal life.a aYes, youad mentioned you were working on a big project. Howas that going?a aFine. I guess. Iam having some trouble with it. Donat really know who to go to.a She didnat want to say any more than that. It wouldnat be appropriate to draw him in. He was a stranger after all. And she wasnat sure how to explain it. The numbers werenat adding up.

She waved her hand to indicate she wanted to change the subject. aI went to that bookstore you recommended,a she said.

The edge of his mouth bent upward. It was the only sign head heard her but she could tell he was pleased. aAnd did you enjoy it?a aFascinating.a She launched into a discussion of the books shead bought and the temptations shead resisted. An hour later, she glanced at her watch. aEeek, Iave got to get back to work.a Nick stood when she did. He cleared their table and met her at the door.

She grabbed her purse, digging in the side pouch. aDrat.a aWhatas wrong?a aOh, I canat find my access badge. I hope I left it in the office. The guards know me. Theyall let me sign in today but I need it to get into the building over the weekend.a aYou work too much from what I see.a aI have to get this project done.a He looked like he had more to say on the subject but kept his mouth shut. Instead, he tipped his head toward the coffee shop. aWant to get together tomorrow? Here, a little before noon.a Tallyas heart leapt into her throat. It was the closest Nick had come to asking her out. She couldnat actually go on a date with him of course. Not until shead officially broken it off with Richard. That would be just plain tacky. But coffee wasnat really a date.

aThatas sounds great. Iall see you then.a He nodded then turned and walked away. Tally couldnat resist watching him. Pure masculine beauty. She stared until he was out of sight then whimpered. She had to get back to work. d.a.m.n.

Nick walked away, fighting the urge to turn around and see if she was watching him. He kept moving, formulating the plan. Theyad make their move this weekend. Head get Tally out of her office and keep her busy for a few hours tonight while his brother Devon checked her office computer.

She would have to be a pretty stupid embezzler to keep doc.u.ments on the company computer but they had to check. Tally was many things but she wasnat stupid.

It had been relatively simple to gather information about her. Her address, friends, family, lovers, even her favorite kind of pizza. Between the Internet, observation and a few well-placed questions, Nick had found out all head needed to know to move forward. When nothing had seemed out of the ordinary, head approached her in the coffee shop last week. Head filled the other tables with his employees and then introduced himself. Since then, head tried to steer the conversation toward her work but she always closed down when he did. Something was bothering her about work, something she didnat want to talk about.

Arriving home, Nick flipped through the information he had on her boyfriend. If all went as planned, Richard would be on a plane in about thirty minutes. All Nick had to do was take his place.

Nick shook his head. Unfortunately, too many of his thoughts lately had been about him taking Richardas place. In Tallyas bed, in her body. His c.o.c.k hardened. It was easy to imagine her naked, stretched out on his bed, his c.o.c.k pumping hard between the sleek thighs. He gripped the edge of the dresser and tried to fight off the image.

aSheas a target. Donat forget that. Get in, blend in and get out without being noticed.a Head said the same thing to his brothers and sister dozens of times.

He glanced at the clock and decided it was time. He stripped off his clothes and stood in front of the mirror. He rolled his neck to the side, pushed his shoulders back and stared at himself. His naked body looked golden in the dying evening light.

Everyone in the family had their own little ceremonies to ease the change. Nick liked to see himselfa"to remind himself who he was, what he was. It was something he needed to remember.

He took a deep breath and called up the image, the fundamental energy that made up Tallyas boyfriend, Richard. He waited until the picture was clear in his mind and then poured himself into the image.

Nick gritted his teeth as the change began. He hated this. Animalsa"fine. Even inanimate objects. But turning into another person was dangerousa"both physically and psychically.

To turn into another form, Nick first had to touch the thing. Through that contact he absorbed the objectas basic energy, the fundamental essence of the person. When turning into another human, some of the psychic baggage came along with it. That little bit would become part of Nick. If a shifter touched a truly evil soul, it could be deadly.

Richard wasnat evila"just dull. Nick left a pleading note with the universe that none of Richardas blandness remained in him when the transition was complete and then concentrated on the change.

Muscles and bones stretched and cracked. His face lengtheneda"his chin drawing back, his ears sliding down. Of all the sensations, Nick hated that the mosta"the loss of his face.

He waited until the change was complete and the form firmly locked in his mind before he opened his eyes and stared at this new face.

He leaned closer, seeking himself in the eyes. That was the only part of him that didnat change. No matter what form he took, the color of his eyes remained the same.

He turned away and pulled on the clothes he hoped would fit. Head ordered them from the upscale store Richardas patronized so he knew they matched the image. Once he was dressed, Nick picked up his phone and dialed his brother.

aItas me.a There was a momentas hesitation and Nick knew Devon was adjusting to the foreign voice coming from Nickas phone.

aAre you ready?a aAs Iall ever be. Iall get her about six. After you see me leave, get in and get out.a aWant me to sign in as you?a Devon asked. aYou said they gave you permission to search.a Nick thought about it for a moment. Nothing had changed since the first meeting. He didnat quite trust his client and wasnat sure he wanted Branch or Jessup to know head searched Tallyas office. aNo. Shift into someone leaving the building. I donat want them knowing Iave been inside.a aItas your gig. Call me when youare done.a Nick nodded, getting used to the way Richardas muscles moved. aIall talk to you later.a Nick clicked off his phone and stared at the mirror. He took a deep breath. It was time to be someone else.

Tally chewed on the edge of her thumbnail, gnawing at that short nail before ripping her hand away from her mouth. No, shead spent three months breaking this habit, she wouldnat let one little stress at work make her start again.

Okay, so it was a big stress.

Something was wrong with these numbers. Shead been through them twice and there was something wrong. Seriously wrong.

She glanced at the clock. Six oaclock. It was Friday and she had no plans. She could work a few more hours before heading home.

The audit of the Georgia plant had originally been a.s.signed to her but then a month ago, shead gotten a promotion and Martin had suggested she wouldnat have time to complete it. She hated leaving a project half-done so shead told him shead do both jobs until the audit was completea"even it if meant working lots of overtime.

But now, something wasnat right. She tapped her fingernail on the keyboard. The Georgia plant was reporting far higher profits than what she was seeing. Maybe her expenses were off. She clicked on the filea"

aHey, baby doll.a Her head snapped up at the sound of Richardas voice. What the h.e.l.l is he doing here? She spun around and faced the door. He leaned against the doorframe looking gorgeous and debonair. Elegant. She watched him for a moment and felt a slow flutter deep inside her body. There was something different about him. A new energy that seemed to fill the room.

aRichard?a The name fell from her mouth as a question and then she felt silly. Of course it was Richard, unless he had a twin. aUh, what are you doing here? I thought you were in Chicago.a aChange of plans. I donat leave until tomorrow. I thought Iad stop and take my best girl to dinner.a She cringed at the almost paternal way he talked about her.

aWell, I was planning to work for another few hours.a Richard always understood that work came before everything.

Except tonight he tilted his head toward the door. aCome on, baby doll. Letas go get something to eat.a He winked. aYou have to eat, right?a She tensed at the teasing sound of his voice. He might make subtly sarcastic comments about her plebian tastes but never did he tease her.

aCome on,a he said. aIall take you out for pizza.a She stared at him for a moment as she waited for her mind to process his offer. aPizza? You want to get pizza?a He shrugged but the movement didnat seem as casual as she thought head intended.

aSure, why not?a aYou hate pizza.a aIam turning over a new leaf.a He sounded exasperated. aNow, can we go?a Shocked into submission, Tally closed down her computer and slipped the disk back into her briefcase. She never went anywhere without that disk. After discovering that someone had been snooping through her computer three weeks ago, shead started carrying everything on disk.

Suddenly unsure of herself, she closed her briefcase and stood up. Richard smiled and held out his hand, offering to carry her bag. She hesitated for a moment then handed it over. Richard had particular tastes in leather gear. Briefcases had to be made by a certain company from a certain cow. She waited for a moment, expecting a disparaging remark. When none came, she looked up. Richard watched her, eyes glittering with heat and hunger as if he wanted to bend her over the desk and f.u.c.k her. Hard. The image filled her head making it almost impossible to think. It didnat take long for the fantasy to change. It wasnat Richard doing her on the desk, it was Nicka"with that wickedly s.e.xy voice and deep blue eyes. Like Richardas.

She shook her head. That wasnat right. Richard had brown eyes.

aColored contacts?a she blurted out.

He nodded. aWhat do you think?a Strange, pretentious, vain.

aUh, unusual color.a He laughed softly. aI thought they made me look s.e.xy. What do you think?a He lifted his chin as if posing for a sculptor.

She stared at him for a long time before answering. He did look s.e.xy tonight. No, not s.e.xy. s.e.xual. But she didnat think it was the eyes. Something deep inside her was responding to him as it hadnat before.

aThey look great,a she said, because they did. The color was almost a teal. The new shade seemed to give his eyes hidden depths. The edge of his mouth kicked up and Tally felt a warm shiver in her p.u.s.s.y. His smile widened like he sensed her bodyas reactiona"and he approved.

He led her down the hall, politely stepping to the side to let her enter the elevator first. She hesitated. Something didnat feel right. Richard was always polite but tonight it seemed more innatea"as if he did these things to ease her, not because someone was watching.

aHowas work?a she asked as the doors closed.

He shrugged. aThe same.a aOkay, whatas up?a she demanded folding her arms across her chest. Richard always wanted to talk about his work. His eyes widened, making him look a little too innocent.

aWhat do you mean?a aYouare actingaweird.a aIam in a weird mood.a He leaned down and put his mouth next to her ear. aIt must be the contacts. I feel like a whole new man tonight.a The words, his voice, circled through her head and made a beeline for her s.e.x. She put her fingertips against the elevator wall to steady her weakening knees. Where had this anewa Richard come from?

She still didnat have an answer when she led the way into her house three hours later. She only hoped head stick around. The evening had flown by and shead enjoyed herself more than any other date with Richard. He stepped inside and glanced around the living room. Papers were scattered across the dining table and she tensed, waiting for Richardas usual admonishment about keeping her house tidy. He said nothing.

Just another first. Whatever alien had s.n.a.t.c.hed Richardas soul awaya The rest of the thought drifted away as he turned his focus from the room to her. Richardas teasing touches and subtle innuendos all night had kept her body humming and tighta"and now she wanted the rest.

She smiled as he walked to hera"antic.i.p.ating his suddenly s.e.xy voice to whisper that they should go upstairs.

aIad better get home,a he said. Counter to his words, his voice rumbled low and hungry. He didnat want to leave. He looked at her for a long time, the regret visible in his eyes. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. It was a good night kiss. Sweet and pleasant. Not pa.s.sionate or overwhelming. At least thatas the way it started. Then he moved his mouth against hers, opening his lips just enough that she could taste the sweet wine from dinner. He flicked his tongue across the peak of her upper lip. She groaned and leaned in, opening herself to his silent request. He started slow, not controlling or demanding but searchinga"as if this was their first kiss and he wanted to learn her. In fact the whole night had seemed brand new. Like a first date.

Her ability to focus on anything except Richard was lost as he eased his tongue into her mouth. Her body reacted instinctivelya"bowing to the command of his and taking her own pleasure, curling her tongue around his, sucking lightly, holding him deep inside her. His hand fell to her backside and pulled her forward, pressing his c.o.c.k against the V of her thighs. Their bodies fit together well and a wicked little shimmer fluttered through her s.e.x.

Tally lifted her mouth away, drawing in much needed air. His lips moved along her jaw, leaving a trail of heated kisses until he reached that secret s.p.a.ce beneath her ear. Head never been able to find it before but now it was perfect. He kissed, licked and raked his teeth across her skin.

Her head tilted to the side, giving him more access but instead he pulled away.

No! The very essence of her rebelled at the thought of losing the sweet pressure of his mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close. The heat in his eyes gave her confidence. She pressed forward and kissed his neck, mirroring the kisses he gave her.

aYou could stay,a she said, her words breathless against his throat.

aI really shouldnat. Early flight in the morning.a She opened her mouth against his neck, sc.r.a.ping her teeth along the tight straining muscle. He groaned and she licked the same place. She felt wicked and s.e.xy. Seductive. Strange, shead never felt seductive before with Richard. As if she was luring him away from his responsibilities, tempting him. And tonight, thatas exactly what she wanted to do. Her body hummed with his delicious kisses and she wanted more.

aStay,a she whispered against his mouth.