His grin widened at her haughty tone, but it certainly didn’t deter him. Moving closer, he pressed his thighs against hers, and pushed a knee between her legs to keep her in place. “You know, if you don’t relax and shake off that tension that has been building since we left your place, we’re never going to convince your boss that we’re lovers.”

Teddy dampened her bottom lip with her tongue, then released a long breath. “You’re right,” she admitted, and clearly expected him to release her.

Not totally convinced of her acquiescence, which he suspected was an act for his benefit, he kept her pinned right where he had her. The shock value was about to increase. “What do you think, Teddy, should we start the party off with a bang and give your co-workers something to talk about?”

Even in the dim light illuminating the interior of the elevator, he could see the suspicion in her gaze. “What do you mean?”

He caressed the back of his hand down her soft cheek, strummed his fingers along her neck, watching as her deep brown eyes darkened with the first stirrings of desire. “How about a quickie at eighteen floors up overlooking the bay?”

She gasped in wide-eyed astonishment, then a burst of laughter bubbled up from her chest. “You’re outrageous!”

He chuckled along with her. “You have to admit that the thought is thrilling…maybe just a little bit.”

She glanced down at their position, and he wondered if she realized what a perfect support that brass bar behind her would be. It would be just a matter of lifting her dress, removing her panties, unzipping his pants and letting her sit on that sturdy bar with her back braced against the window as he slid inside her and she wrapped her legs around his hips…

He nearly groaned at the erotic image, and knew she was thinking the same thing by the way the pulse at the base of her throat fluttered.

She swallowed hard, and managed a slight shake of her head. “Austin…”

He conceded to the warning in her voice, but the erection straining the front of his trousers wasn’t nearly so cooperative. “Okay, making love here and now might be a bit too scandalous, but how about necking? That’s pretty harmless.” Before she could object, he skimmed a hand along her hip to her waist and stroked her belly with his thumb through the silky material of her dress. “I want to kiss you, Teddy,” he murmured huskily as his head dipped toward hers. “Will you let me?”

Her chin lifted, bringing her lips closer to his. “We shouldn’t.”

He smiled. “Maybe we should, to help get rid of all that tension.”

She pulled back a fraction and frowned at him. “I’m perfectly fine.”

“Yeah, that’s why you get skittish every time I touch you,” he said wryly. “Just enjoy the evening, Teddy. Have fun with the charade. When I touch you, flow toward me…” Lifting his hand, he smoothed it down her spine in a luxurious caress. She softened, her back arching until her lush breasts brushed his chest. Even through his starched shirt, he could feel her tight nipples, and it nearly drove him crazy. Keeping his thoughts centered and focused on her, he lowered his mouth near the side of her head. He breathed in that floral fragrance that was uniquely hers, and his senses spun. “When I whisper in your ear, close your eyes and think of something sexy, so it looks as though I’m murmuring naughty things to you, even if I’m just asking you to pass the salt.”

She let out a long breath, and he pulled back just far enough to look at her face. Her eyes were closed, her expression soft and slumberous, certainly relaxed. Her body followed suit, growing pliable beneath his slow caresses. “Can you do that, Teddy?” he asked.

Her lashes lifted, revealing a need as strong as the one coursing through his veins. “Yeah,” she whispered, her voice sultry-soft in the darkness of the elevator.

“Good.” He marveled at his ability to remain so calm when his hormones were clamoring for something more elemental. “And how about that kiss? Can I have it?”

Seemingly seduced by all that had come before, she lifted a hand, sifted her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and brought his mouth to hers. “Yes,” she murmured, and gave him a deep, hot, tongue-tangling kiss more potent than any aphrodisiac.

Passion rose swiftly to the surface, shattering his control. He gripped her hips and rocked urgently against her, swallowing her gasp when his thigh moved upward and pressed against sensitive flesh.

He had to have her. His palm touched her silken thigh, the same moment a shrill ring filled the small cubicle, vaguely penetrating the fog of desire that had settled over him. By the second ring, Austin realized the emergency phone in the elevator was the annoying culprit.

Reluctantly dragging his mouth from Teddy’s, he reached behind him, managing to grasp the receiver without moving away from her. They were both breathing hard from their erotic encounter, and he had to take a deep, steady breath before speaking.

“Yes?”

“This is security,” a gruff voice came over the line. “Everything okay up there?”

His gaze locked on Teddy’s, noting the combination of amusement and arousal glowing in the depths of her eyes. Feeling incredibly daring, he trailed a finger along the rhinestone strap holding up her dress, down to the dip of cleavage swelling from the bodice. “Just taking a little time to enjoy the fabulous view.”

Teddy let out a giggle at his double-edged comment, and she slapped a hand over her mouth to contain her laughter, her eyes sparkling. He managed, just barely, to contain his own chuckles.

“Keep the elevator moving, buddy,” the security guard grumbled, sounding put out. “We’ve got a crowd of people down in the lobby waiting their turn.”

Hanging up the phone, he flipped the Stop switch, and his stomach dipped as the elevator glided upward. “We still have a long way to go,” he said, coming back to her with a wicked grin. Framing her face between his palms, he murmured, “Where were we?”

He didn’t wait for her to answer, but resumed the kiss that had been interrupted with as much enthusiasm as before. Mouths met, lips parted and tongues entwined silkily. No resistance, just a mutual hunger that spiraled and tightened between them.

He kissed her with deep thoroughness, wanting to brand the moment in her mind forever. And in return, he was equally seduced. She was soft, provocative and sweeter than honey. He wanted to taste her skin to discover other flavors and contrasts, ached to run his tongue across the breasts crushing against his chest. He wanted to be anywhere but in a roomful of people, making polite conversation and pretending to be Teddy’s lover.

He wanted to be the real thing.

Too soon, he ended the sensual embrace, but the thrum of desire remained.

“Damn,” he whispered as he rested his forehead against hers, his body inflamed and his mind fogged. “Are you sure you don’t want to ride the elevator back down and try a quickie?”

She groaned, and when he lifted his head, he saw that she was smiling. And much more languidly than before. Her rich brown eyes shone bright with passion, her cheeks wore a rosy hue, and her lips were swollen from their shared kiss.

Male gratification flowed through him. He’d achieved his goal. Not only did Teddy Spencer appear to be a woman well satisfied, but her tension had abated.

She blinked, and as if finally coming out of some drugging trance, her gaze blossomed with worry. Her fingers fluttered to her hair, which Austin had been careful not to touch. “Oh, God, I probably look a mess!”

Grinning, he adjusted her shawl to cover the shoulder it had slipped from during their interlude. “You look beautiful. A little tousled, but certainly convincing.”

“I can’t believe we did that!” she admonished gently.

He stroked his hand over her bottom, and felt her shiver. Her uninhibited response pleased him. “And just think, we’ve got the whole evening ahead of us.” He winked at her.

The elevator came to a slow, smooth stop at their final destination, a soft ping announcing their arrival. Knowing they only had seconds to compose themselves before they greeted the entire staff of Sharper Image, Austin straightened his tuxedo jacket, then at the very last moment slid his hand possessively into Teddy’s.

The insulated doors whooshed open and a dozen curious eyes clamored to sneak a glimpse of the couple who had stopped the elevators midway up to the thirty-second floor. Austin watched eyebrows rise, grins split across surprised faces and murmurs of disbelief and amusement filter from one person to another.

Austin’s mouth curved into a roguish grin, purposely adding fuel to the rampant gossip that would no doubt circulate during the Christmas party and establish him as the man in Teddy’s life.

5

TEDDY HELD her head high and stepped from the elevator with Austin, intensely aware of everyone’s inquisitive stares, and the disheveled way she looked after her interlude with Austin. With Austin gently squeezing her hand and offering silent support, she felt surprisingly confident, and reckless in a purely feminine sort of way. As nervous as she’d been about tonight, Austin had erased a good portion of her anxiety with humor, charm, and hoards of sex appeal-the latter of which had her female colleagues giving the good-looking man at her side a thorough, effusive once-over.

Back off, girls, he’s taken.

Tonight, Austin was her fantasy for hire, and she planned to enjoy the evening, as he’d suggested. The more comfortable she was around Austin, the more convincing they’d be as a couple.

After introducing him to the group of single females obviously waiting to meet him-and watching as he dazzled everybody with his sexy smiles and irresistible personality-they decided to mingle. Over one hundred and fifty employees were present, from mail-room clerks to the top brass, all decked out in their holiday finery. She searched for Louden, but in the crush of people she didn’t see him.