Twins Times Two!

But soon after marrying him, Cara had discovered that Elliot was a control freak who had married her because she made an excellent “trophy wife.” She was beautiful and biddable—the perfect requirements in Elliot’s estimation. Little had she known that Elliot kept a mistress on the side—someone who was passionate and spontaneous but not an acceptable business hostess.

“I take it the divorce wasn’t amicable.”

She grimaced. “How can you tell?”

“The long silence speaks volumes, I’m afraid.”

“As I said, we grew apart. Soon we didn’t have the same goals for the future. Elliot wanted to make as much money in as little time as possible.”

“And what did you want?”

She didn’t even have to think. “Happiness.”

“Have you found it?”

Her smile was quick. “Yes. In a pair of irascible twins.”

Ross filled their mugs with coffee and handed her one. Then he took a seat on the nearest stool.

She was immediately conscious of the firm musculature revealed beneath the fine fabric of his trousers. She could all but feel the heat of his body seeping into her own.

Cara took a quick sip of coffee, then gulped and began to cough when it burned her tongue.

“It’s hot,” Ross offered too late.

She laughed, then coughed again. Ross smiled—briefly, ever so briefly, but long enough for his amusement to momentarily chase away the shadows in his eyes. And at that moment she saw a glimpse of just how devastatingly handsome this man could be when he wasn’t so sober.

Setting his own mug on the counter, Ross pounded her obligingly on the back. In an instant the frivolity of the moment faded away leaving a potent awareness.

Without warning, Cara felt his fingers still against her spine, then spread wide over her shoulders. Before she could fully prepare herself, there was a slight pressure against her spine and he drew her irresistibly toward him.

Inch by inch. Heartbeat by heartbeat. Closer and closer until…

Cara knew he meant to kiss her, and her brain whispered a word of warning. But suddenly she didn’t care. She didn’t care that she was opening herself to heartache. She didn’t care that her relationship to this man was doomed from the very beginning. All that mattered was this instant.

This kiss.

Ross closed the last few inches with aching slowness. At long last his mouth settled upon hers, questioningly at first, then with greater strength and assurance.

He feels so good, so strong, so…male.

In an instant her hunger ignited in a flashpoint of need. Ross returned in kind until any emotional restraints they might offer were lost as they clung to each other, passion flaring white-hot and unexpected.

Cara’s arms swept around his shoulders, and she leaned close to the man, allowing him to press her close to the hard strength of his chest. A part of her knew that what she was doing was dangerous. She was kissing a man who might someday make a claim on one of the twins. But with his arms around her, she couldn’t think that far. She was consumed with a need like nothing she had ever felt before. And the pleasure…sweet heaven, she had never felt such pleasure in Elliot’s arms! Ross knew just how to hold her, caress her, kiss her, to make her feel cherished and desirable, beautiful and seductive.

And she hadn’t felt that way in a very long time. Not since returning home early from a dinner with her friends to discover her husband was making love to another woman in the same bed that she’d shared with him only the night before.

Suddenly starving for air, the two of them broke apart. But the need thrummed between them even more potently, swamping whatever restraints they might have cared to impose.

Cara had never experienced anything like this before. She was normally so careful around men. After her divorce she’d rarely dated—and that had been by her own choosing.

But as she looked into the dark depths of Ross’s eyes, she was lost again. When he reached for her, she didn’t resist. This time their embrace was slow and lingering and infinitely sensual. Her hands spread wide over his back, sweeping low to tug the hem of his shirt free, then explore the bare flesh beneath. His hissing inhalation told her that he must have felt the same jolt of electricity that coursed through her fingertips the moment she’d grazed the sensitive skin. The very thought that she could incite such a reaction filled her with an even hotter passion.

“We’ve got to stop,” he rasped against her throat. But rather than end the embrace, he trailed his tongue along a particularly sensitive nerve, causing her to gasp.

This time it was her turn to pull him to her for a kiss. Again, she was struck by the differences between Elliot and this near stranger. Elliot had been a sloppy kisser—too wet, too intrusive. But Ross…

Ross knew just when to advance, to retreat. When to stroke, when to tease.

She moaned deep in her throat, slowly losing her touch with reality. There was only this man. This kiss.

Without warning, a high-pitched bleeping noise split the silence. The two of them sprang apart as if a shot had rung through the room.

It took a moment for Cara to realize the sound was coming from her duffel bag.

“My phone,” she gasped, dodging toward the bag. The noise increased as she removed the receiver from its pocket and punched the send button.

“Yes?”

Did she really sound that breathless? That out of control?

“Cara? Are you all right?”

Polly.

“Yes. Yes, I’m fine.”

“You sound strained. Did something happen when Ross came home? Did he find out there was a problem?”

Cara automatically smoothed her hair, even though Polly couldn’t possibly see her. “No. I’m…I’m still here.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Nothing, I just stayed for coffee, that’s all.”

“You did what?” Polly’s tone was incredulous.

Suddenly Cara felt like a teenager who’d broken curfew. If Polly was this shocked that Cara had stayed for coffee, imagine her reaction if she knew the full details. “I should be home in about ten minutes.”

“You’re sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, yes. I’ll see you soon.”

Cara terminated the call before Polly’s concern communicated itself through the slight noises that Ross must be able to hear.

“Trouble?”

“No. Just the…ah…baby-sitter.”