Awaken to Pleasure - By Nalini Singh Page 0,5

heat that pooled in her stomach like high-octane fuel whenever he so much as glanced at her.

Even more disturbing were the other emotions that had crept in while she wasn't guarding her back.

Dangerous emotions like trust. And hope.

Not that she'd ever followed up on the attraction. Touching another woman's husband was an unbreakable taboo. Even if her morals hadn't stopped her, practicality would have - she'd seen firsthand what happened to discarded mistresses. But she hadn't been able to stop fantasizing about her sexy Italian boss, even as she adamantly refused to open the door to any other feeling.

When the media storm had broken overBonnie's lover, she'd wanted to slap the other woman for throwing away a man ofJackson's worth. Though she'd had no right, she'd ached to go to him, and try and soothe his unbearable pain. How dare that woman hurtJacksonwhere he was most vulnerable - in that proud heart of his?

It had been over a year since their last meeting but her feelings hadn't changed. Even her upsetting experience at Donald's hands couldn't alter that, because she trustedJacksonon a gut level. She'd never felt safe with a man until he'd started bullying her with his protectiveness, walking her to her car and more than once following her home late at night to ensure that she arrived safely. And he'd never made any demands in return.

The truth was, her sexy ex-boss still made her burn.

Jacksonwas stunned byTaylor's little speech. Nobody had ever called him gorgeous, not even starlets who thought he might be influenced by flattery. That was a lie too big even for them. And yet he knew that the woman in the passenger seat did not tell lies. Who else butTaylorwould've dared to inform him that he looked like he was strung out on cocaine when he'd dragged himself into the office one Monday after fighting with Bonnie all weekend?

The question was,what was he going to do with the knowledge that she considered him gorgeous? At that moment, his attention was caught by flashing red lights up ahead. "Looks like there might have been an accident."

"I hope no one was hurt."Taylorleaned forward, blanket clutched tight. When he glanced at her, he saw that heat had given her face a soft pink glow that was at once enchanting and innocently seductive.

"Let's see." Reaching the poncho-clad cop standing in the middle of the street, he wound down the window. Sharp drops of rain immediately assaulted his face. "What's the problem, officer?"

The young man leaned down. His eyes flicked toTaylorand then back toJackson. "There's been a three-car crash up ahead. Pretty messy. We're detouring people up through there." He pointed to an upward-sloping street on his right, the route marked with orange safety cones.

Jacksonnodded. "Was anyone badly injured?"

"No fatalities." His relief was clear. "Drive safely." Moving back, he let them pass.

After turning up the small incline,Jacksonsaid, "Look, you need to dry out and with this detour and the weather, we won't reach your place for at least another hour." Water sloshed around the tires as he came to a level section of the road. "You can spend the night at my place - the drive will only take twenty minutes."

"I can't do that!" she cried.

"Why?" It angered him that she didn't trust him, when he'd never given her reason not to. Okay, so maybe he'd yelled at her once or twice while she'd been his secretary, but she'd yelled right back and they'd got along fine.

Once again, she surprised him. "Because paparazzi stalk you. They're probably hiding in the bushes by the door. I don't want to be famous." She sounded determined.

He shook his head at her amazing mind. "If there is a paparazzo there tonight, piccola , I swear I'll beat him up for you." The endearment slipped out without thought. "Of course, he's probably already drowned."

A laugh escaped her. "Well, if you promise."

Traffic being much lighter on this side of the city, they reached his eight-month-oldMissionBayhome in less time than he'd anticipated. Pressing an electronic key, he drove the car through the security gates.

About fifty meters up the drive he pushed another button to raise the garage door before driving in. It shut behind them, enclosing them in a dry haven lit with a strong white bulb. The sound of rain on hard surfaces was muted to a soft lullaby, lending an unexpected intimacy to the air.

"Don't you think garages should have bleary yellow lights?"Taylorstretched out to pop her door open.

He