always been curious about the saying that blondes had more fun. She wanted to find out for herself if it was true.
Then, of course, there was her new wardrobe. Having to replace the things the cleaner had lost anyway, she’d gone shopping with the check they’d issued to cover the loss. But she’d stayed well away from the places where she usually bought her clothes. Instead she’d ventured into the trendy little shops in Ybor City and taken the advice of the salesgirls. The outfit she had on now was her favorite—a hot-pink stretchy tank top with a tight little mock-leopard-skin leather skirt.
True, so maybe she’d felt as if she was in little more than her underwear and wondering where the rest of her clothes were when she’d first tried the racy outfit on. But the more minutes that had ticked by, the more comfortable she’d felt. Not only in her new duds, but in her skin, period. And the new clothes helped her make one very important discovery—she had breasts! Sure, she’d always known she’d had them, had them. She just hadn’t realized how round and smooth and sexy they were. Which was plausible because they were usually hidden under three layers of clothing and an unattractive slingshot of a bra.
Michael suddenly looked pale. Her smile vanished and she stepped forward, nearly tripping over the four-inch heels she wore. Okay, these would take a little getting used to. “Are you all right?” she asked, guiding him away from the plant stand that held her favorite fern and toward the couch. He plopped down onto the pale cushions as though his spine had disappeared, and sat there staring at her.
She giggled, the sound emerging foreign to her own ears. She didn’t giggle. In fact, she didn’t even think she knew how. “I know, isn’t it something? The girl at the store told me hoseless was the way to go, but I think the fishnet stockings make the outfit. Don’t you?”
“I—I—I—”
Kyra put her hands on her hips, liking the feel of her body beneath the sexy material. “You…?”
“I…brought you some ice cream,” he croaked, thrusting a bag in her direction.
“Hmm, Half Baked, 2-Twisted. My favorite,” she said. “But I’m afraid if I have any of it right now, I’ll pop a seam or something.”
“Or…or something,” Michael agreed.
Walking on the tips of her toes, she stepped into the kitchen and put the ice cream in the freezer.
“So?” she prompted, standing in front of him again.
“So—” He cleared his throat. “So, what?”
She rolled her eyes to stare at the ceiling. “You didn’t answer my question. What do you think?”
His dark eyes narrowed as he looked everywhere but at her.
“Oh, come on, Michael. Look at me.”
“No.”
His quick refusal made her laugh.
“It’s like looking at my sister naked. If I had a sister. Which I don’t. But seeing as…” His mouth clamped closed and he continued staring at the opposite wall.
“Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for.”
His gaze slammed into hers. Kyra nearly stumbled backward from the impact. A heated question loomed large in his dark eyes as he considered her. A shiver ran over her skin like a lover’s touch, heating her blood and making her nipples harden.
She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “What’s the matter? It’s not like you haven’t looked at me before. You’ve seen me in less than this plenty of times.”
“Oh, yeah? When?”
“When we go to the beach, for starters.”
“Oh.”
She smiled.
“You’re…you’re…”
She gestured with her hand. “I’m…”
“Blond.”
She sighed. “Trust you to state the obvious. For a guy who designs houses, you are completely unimaginative in your personal life, you know?”
“Yes, well, judging by the looks of you, you have enough imagination for both of us.”
A reaction. Now they were talking.
“Do you think it’s original? I mean, I just kind of went with my gut. Chose things I liked instead of what I thought would be appropriate.” She shivered again, relishing the zing of daring rushing through her veins. She held up her hands. “Wait. Now that I finally have your attention, I want your complete opinion.” Swiveling around on the heels a little too quickly, she teetered precariously, and reached for something to hold on to. There was nothing. She landed squarely in Michael’s lap.
Air rushed from Kyra’s lungs at the sudden move. She giggled and wriggled around to face him. And immediately became aware of a reaction she would never have thought she’d get from him.
“Oh,” she murmured. “Oh!”
Talk about your shockers. Yes, she had expected to shock Michael. But she hadn’t expected to be shocked by his…well, shock. She caught her breath, amazed that she had elicited such a reaction. And more than just a little thrilled….
OH, INDEED.
Awareness surged through Michael’s bloodstream like an overpowering drug. Everything that was Kyra filled his senses. Her sweet smell. Her soft hair. Her even softer skin. Her slender, very voluptuous body.
Somehow, Michael managed to shift Kyra from where her bottom fit snuggly against his painful erection. But he stopped himself short of lifting her all the way off his lap. Truth was, he liked her right where she was, thank you very much. Even if it was only for a few precious moments.
And, God help him, he liked the changes she’d undergone. While he’d always been fascinated with her long, shiny brown hair, the short, blond curls suited her oval face and the warm-honey tone of her skin. And the cut somehow made her pink lips look all pouty and kissable. He’d never really realized how full her mouth was until that moment, watching with rapt attention as her wet tongue flicked across her bottom lip.
Aw, hell.
And the clothes…
Yes, while he had seen her in a bathing suit, her choice in swimming apparel had always been as unassuming as her choice in clothes. He’d always known she had a nice figure, but within a blink of an eye she’d gone from pleasingly attractive to va-va-voom hot.
And he’d give anything in the world to kiss her in that one moment.
Kiss her? Hell, he wanted to sink into her slick flesh and ram into her like nobody’s business.
“Michael?”
He blinked and two very pert, very round breasts filled his line of sight. The pink material of her low-scooped tank hugged the mounds to perfection…and did little to hide her own reaction to their close proximity. Forget kissing her. He wanted to fasten
