but it was unsettling and she did her best to ignore it. She couldn’t let herself be thrown off kilter by her unexpected feelings. After all, she still had to get Darren’s phone for Lulu, and then leave in time to pick up Danny.
‘Can I help you?’ she asked, deliberately making her voice sound as indifferent as she could. ‘Are you lost, or were you looking for Darren?’
‘You didn’t answer my question,’ the stranger said. ‘I asked if you made a habit of that.’
Carrie’s heart skipped a beat. He’d seen what she’d been up to.
‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she said, in an attempt to brazen it out. She let the jacket fall back onto the chair, closing her fingers round the mobile phone just as her hand slid from the pocket. She tossed her silky hair away from her face and stared squarely back at him.
‘I meant do you often creep into other people’s studies and steal their mobile phones?’ His voice was deep and resonant, with the hint of an accent that Carrie couldn’t place.
‘I didn’t creep anywhere.’ Trying to sound cool, she let her gaze slide down across his powerful body. She was impressed by what she saw. Lean and athletic, he looked amazing in his dark designer suit, but she had no doubt he’d look equally good dressed in the more revealing exercise gear that, because of her job as a trainer, she was used to seeing men wear. ‘And I haven’t stolen anything. This is Lulu’s phone. I was fetching it for her.’
‘You should really work on your story more,’ he said.
‘I work for Lulu.’ She shrugged, trying to ignore the mocking note to his tone. Maybe she could still bluff her way out of the situation. ‘She asked me to fetch it.’
‘Really?’ he asked, running his eyes insultingly over her, starting from the tips of her toes and working his way up in a leisurely fashion. ‘Are they your work clothes?’ he finished, letting his gaze linger on her almost indecently exposed breasts.
‘I’m Lulu’s personal trainer,’ she said, trying to ignore the way her skin was burning from his perusal. It was strangely exciting, yet utterly unnerving, to feel the way her body was responding to the touch of his eyes. ‘Now, please excuse me. I really must get back to her.’ She took a step towards the door.
Suddenly the sound of Darren’s voice right outside the study caught her attention.
Her eyes flicked nervously to the door. She still had his phone in her hand, and there was nowhere in the ridiculously skimpy outfit she was wearing to hide it. She’d made Lulu a promise, but now she wasn’t going to get away with it.
She looked back at her uninvited companion. Would he give her away? Reveal that he’d caught her red-handed in the act of stealing the mobile phone?
At that moment he started walking towards her. Her heart lurched and she clutched the phone tightly, staring at him. She was paralysed like a rabbit in the glare of an approaching juggernaut. What was he going to do? Take the phone from her and tell Darren exactly what he’d seen?
His movements seemed quite unhurried, but there was a purposeful glint in his blue eyes that sent an icy tingle skittering down Carrie’s spine. Then suddenly she realised he was standing right in front of her, effectively shielding her from anyone who came into the room.
Startled by his sudden proximity, she stared up at him with wide eyes. At five foot eight inches she was tall, but even with the added height of Lulu’s four-inch stiletto-heeled sandals she had to tip her head back to look at him.
The expression on his face made her heart beat erratically. His glittering blue eyes darkened, and he looked so deeply into her eyes that it felt as if he could see right into her soul. Then he tipped his head slightly to one side, as if he was about to kiss her!
‘So lovely,’ he murmured, resting his hands gently on the bare skin of her upper arms.
Carrie was transfixed. She simply couldn’t tear her gaze away from his face. He was absolutely gorgeous. Everything about his features seemed perfect, from the deep blue eyes fringed with sinfully long lashes to the wide, expressive mouth. And he was looking at her and seeing a desirable woman.
Suddenly she became aware of the sensuous slide of his hand down her arm, skimming lightly over her skin in a way that made the hairs stand up and goosebumps prickle over her exposed flesh. His hand closed over the phone, taking it from her grasp, then in the next second his other arm moved around her, pulling her hard against his muscular frame.
She gasped as her body bumped against his, the skimpy dress doing nothing to shield her from the hot-blooded strength of his powerful masculine form. Her heart was beating so loudly it blocked out all other sounds, and her stomach was turning somersaults. What was he going to do now? He couldn’t really mean to kiss her, could he? He didn’t even know her!
Somewhere deep inside her mind a tiny rational thought told her to push him off, to back away and get out of there while she still could. But her body was ignoring the niggle of common sense, overriding her instinct for self-preservation. She simply didn’t want to do the sensible thing.
She stared up at him, unable to speak or move. Then the moment of no return passed and his mouth came down on hers.
The sensual movement of his lips against hers set her body trembling, and she clung to him, utterly lost in the moment.
Her legs felt weak, and her arms seemed to slide around his broad shoulders of their own volition as she felt her body meld itself to his. He placed one strong hand between her shoulder blades to support her, and by leaning forward pushed her back over the desk. A moment later his other hand found her waist and tugged her tightly to him.
Her hips were pressed against his, and her spine was arched back, pushing her breasts upwards. It was an undeniably erotic position, and a rush of sexual excitement stormed through her body, starting an insistent throbbing of desire deep within her. Then, with unexpected abruptness, he pulled back from the kiss.
She stared at him in startled silence. All she could hear was the sound of her own breathing and the rapid beating of her heart. All she could see was his face, his expression intense but unreadable. He still held her close, but not so tightly as before.
‘Carrie?’ A man’s voice coming from behind the stranger broke through into her awareness. ‘I didn’t know you were coming this evening.’
Darren! She’d forgotten all about him. Suddenly she remembered she’d taken his mobile phone—then an instant later realised it was no longer in her hand.
‘Lulu…Lulu asked me to stay for the party,’ she stammered distractedly, hardly able to tear her gaze away from the stranger’s face to glance at Darren.
‘What are you doing in here?’ There was a hint of suspicion colouring his voice as he looked down at his jacket. It was lying rather haphazardly on the chair where Carrie had dropped it. ‘Well, I can see what you’re doing—but why are you doing it in my study?’ he added.
‘I needed a moment alone with Carrie.’ The stranger suddenly spoke, turning his head to look at Darren. From the calm assurance and air of authority he exuded, anyone would think it was his study rather than Darren’s.
Carrie’s eyes opened wide with shock. How did he know her name—was he simply repeating what he’d just heard Darren call her? And why had he said he
