flick of her hand. Not that she was listening to him. She was totally focused on the task at hand. Royce had stiffened at first when her lips had come in contact with his, but now he seemed more agreeable. His arms came up and wrapped around her waist as he deepened the kiss. When he swept his tongue along the seam of her lips, Billie opened for him and sucked his tongue deep inside her mouth. She moaned as he swept the inside of her mouth, thoroughly tasting her. That small sound had Royce going stiff as a board beneath her.
Wrenching his mouth off of hers, Royce pushed her away. Not expecting it, Billie slid off his body and ended up having to make a grab for the car's trim to hold herself up or she would have ended up on her butt on the pavement.
Once again back on his feet, Royce held out his hand to keep her from coming any nearer. His breath sawed in and out of his lungs. "That was a mistake."
"I wouldn't go that far." Billie smiled at Royce. "I thought it was pretty good."
"I should never have done that."
Billie's smile slowly fell away. "Please don't tell me you're married." That would be all the luck. She finally found a man who appealed to her in every way, and to find out he was married would be a real kick in the pants.
"No, it isn't that."
A wave of relief washed over her. "Then relax. We're both adults here. I'm attracted to you, and you're attracted to me. Why not let nature take its course?"
Royce shook his head and slowly backed away. "I think not."
"Can I at least have your phone number in case you change your mind? Or I can give you mine."
"You don't understand."
Pausing at the edge of the parking lot, Royce gave Billie a stare that was hot and full of longing. Billie felt a pounding ache of arousal build between her legs. Her pussy grew slick as Royce stared at her as if he was memorizing everything about her, then he was gone. Biting back the whimper of loss that rose up inside her, Billie swore under her breath and got into the driver side of the car.
Hayes shook his head at her. "When are you going to learn that most guys don't like a woman to come on so strong, Billie?"
"Shut up, Hayes. I don't want to hear it." Starting the car, she pulled out of the parking lot. Before she turned onto the street, Billie quickly scanned the sidewalk in front of the club. Of course Royce was nowhere in sight.
"You're not going to let him get away." Hayes said it as a statement not as a question.
"Damn right. I've seen his face, and I know his name. I'll be able to find him anywhere."
"God help the man. If you do intend to hunt him down, try not to be so pushy. A man likes to feel he's seducing the woman, not the other way around."
Billie didn't bother to comment on what Hayes had said. She already knew from Royce's response that coming on strong wouldn't work with him. She had to think of another way to keep him from pulling away. What exactly, she had no idea. All she knew was that sometime tomorrow she would be paying Royce a visit. She wasn't going to let him go that easily.
Chapter Two
Billie worked at the gym her father owned as a personal trainer. She also taught a self-defense class a couple times of week. Even though the gym was the family business, Billie never felt as if she was expected to work there. In fact, it was her dream job. She loved being at the gym, able to work out whenever she wished. To be around her father and brothers every day was an added bonus. They were all the family she had. Her mother had run out on her father shortly after Billie had been born. So her father had the task of raising his only daughter alone. It was no wonder Billie had turned out to be a tomboy growing up. Her father really had no idea what to do with a little girl. Instead of playing with dolls, she had followed her father around the gym learning how to run it. When she turned fourteen, her father gave Billie her first set of weights, and so began her love of weight training.
Turning back from replacing the