"Mmm." Derrick had been so different tonight. Almost out of control. He'd been unpleasant enough in front of everyone, but before he left he'd managed to speak to her privately, and then he'd been really ugly. He'd been so angry! "Selling out the family" had been the least vile of his accusations. His words had hurt her, but it had been the look in his eyes that frightened her.

Of course, Derrick had always been difficult. Self-absorbed. But she couldn't remember him being cruel before.

Claudia sighed. Sometimes she thought there was nothing Derrick craved more than the approval of his family, yet he went out of his way to antagonize everyone. What made him be that way?

No, she thought with a painful stab of honesty. The real question, the one eating at her, was what she had done to make him the way he was. Or not done. How could she have failed to notice how troubled he was? Maybe if she'd been more supportive, listened more patiently to his schemes, paid more attention when he needed it ... but it had been easier not to reach out, and call that neglect tolerance.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd phoned him just to chat. Or asked him to meet her for lunch. Guilt rose, sick and choking. She'd been so busy fixing everyone else's problems, she'd ignored her own brother.

"Do your folks have lots of antiques the way your aunt and uncle do?"

Ethan's question pulled her out of her thoughts. "What? Oh, yes, quite a few. Though Mother is more into 'Old Boston' than Old World ."

"You aren't into old things. Your apartment is modern."

"You know how it is. When I moved out I wanted my place to be different from my parents', so I went for a contemporary look."

"I guess you're pretty tired of antiques, having grown up around them."

"No, not really. I've been thinking it would be nice to blend in a few older pieces. They have so much character." She sighed. "I really sabotaged myself, didn't I? I picked the wrong night to bring the Contis and Barones together."

"Hey, it didn't go that badly."

"Sal Conti called Uncle Carlo a sanctimonious jacka.s.s. He had some excuse, since Uncle Carlo had just called him a 'nosybody' with nothing better to do than hire detectives to stick their noses into other people's business."

"I thought their insults were pretty creative."

"I'm so glad I could inspire creativity, but that wasn't quite my goal."

"Hey." He reached across the seat and caught her hand. "They were talking. That's more than they've done in a lot of years. They did settle down and just glare at each other after a while. And Steven Conti seemed willing to bury the feud."

"He did, didn't he?" She brightened slightly. "He was very friendly."

Ethan gave her a level glance. "How friendly?"

"Nice friendly, not come-on friendly. Ethan, this isn't the way to my apartment."

"Son of a gun. You're right."

"In fact, this is the way to your place."

"Mine is closer than yours."

"Ethan." She was exasperated. "You're supposed to ask, not a.s.sume. I've had a stressful evening. I'm afraid I'm not in the mood for company right now."

"Do you really want to be alone tonight? I'll take you to your place and drive away-if you're sure that's what you want. But I have another plan I'd like you to consider."

Something in his voice made her heart give a little jump.

"See, I know you said you want to be allowed to brood without distractions. I'm sorry to say I can't allow that. Oh, you can brood if you want. And you don't have to talk. In fact, I think it's best that you do nothing at all. I'll take care of everything."

"What ... ah, if you're talking about what I think you're talking about, that's a mutual activity. Pleasure given and received."

"You don't have to worry about pleasing me, Claudia. You do that just by breathing. And tonight you don't have to do a thing. Actually," he said, slowing and signaling his turn, "you aren't allowed to do anything."

"Not allowed?" Her voice squeaked.

"That's right. Here's what I had in mind. As soon as my apartment door closes behind us, I'm stripping you. You just stand there and let me do whatever I want to. I'll probably want to take my time about it, so I can enjoy the parts I uncover."

"You-" She had to stop and swallow. "You're a.s.suming a lot."

He went on as if she hadn't spoken. "Then, when you're all nice and naked-I've been wanting to get you naked for hours-I'm carrying you to my bed and laying you down. I love the way you look in my bed, so I may want to just appreciate the sight of you there for a moment. Then I'll start kissing you. Can you guess where I want to kiss you?"

Maybe the place that was getting all quivery and warm. Very warm.

"I'm not sure myself where I'll start. There isn't a place on you I don't enjoy tasting. Maybe the backs of your knees. You're very sensitive there, aren't you? But then there's your neck. I like biting you there. And your nipples. Lord, I love it when they're all hard and rosy-"

"Ethan-"

"Hush now. You aren't supposed to talk. This is one time you won't be in charge, Claudia. Now, where was I? Oh, yes. Your nipples. Yes, I'll want to suck them, but I may save that for a bit. Your b.r.e.a.s.t.s are so pretty. I might just nibble my way in toward the peaks. The skin is so creamy on the undersides. I can only think of one other place that's as soft as the skin on the undersides of your b.r.e.a.s.t.s. It's a lot creamier, though. Hot and wet and creamy. In fact-"

"Ethan!"

"In fact, I may just start there. Skip the appetizers. Go straight to the best part."

"Ethan," she ordered, "drive faster."

They didn't make it to his bed. Ethan tried. He managed to strip her slowly, and oh, yes, she was beautiful standing by his front door, all flushed and naked. And quivering. She was deeply aroused, and he'd hardly touched her.

So was he. That was why his plan to distract her backfired.

It had torn him up to see the lost, unhappy look in her eyes after Derrick staged his little show, and he hadn't known what to say to make things better. Because things weren't going to get better with her brother.

So he'd laid his plan to sidetrack her, and he'd succeeded. Wildly. But it backfired, because he was just as distracted. Or crazy. He found he couldn't resist improvising. Once he had her naked, he just had to taste her ... right where he knew she was hoping he would. He dropped to his knees in front of her and told her to open her legs wider.

It was a wonder how obedient she could be sometimes.

The taste and smell of her, the sounds she made, the way she threaded her fingers in his hair-she made him crazy. He'd meant to stop, but he couldn't. Then she came apart. Just flat buckled, and would have sunk to the floor if he hadn't scooped her up in his arms.

Claudia was barely aware of Ethan sliding his arms under her when her legs gave way. Her mind was gone, had floated out somewhere on a hazy pleasure breeze, the little zephyr that lingered after the big storm had hit and run. Her body was wrecked. Worthless. She'd never felt so helpless in her life, yet she was smiling when he laid her on his couch.

"Mmm," she said, and managed to lift a hand to stroke his cheek, where a hint of beard stubble made her fingertips tingle.

He caught her hand and pressed a kiss into her palm. "You just lie here, honey, and let me look at you."

That wasn't right. She was supposed to make him feel good, too. She tried to tug his head down for a kiss, rustling up the energy to get her other hand into the act.