He managed to clamp down on those thoughts before she reached the landing at the top and opened the door, ushering him inside and closing the door behind her.

She’d left a light on and the room that came into view made him smile.

It fit her.

Bright red walls with deep purple curtains on the two large windows at the front of the building. A gold love seat and a purple and gold patterned chaise formed a small seating area in front of a tiny, ornate fireplace on the left side of the room with a TV in the corner. Pictures covered the walls, all in different frames. Sketches, photos, watercolors, oils. He couldn’t discern a theme but the jumble seemed to work well together.

“Would you like something to drink? I don’t have much alcohol but I do have soda.”

He turned to find her in the small kitchen area at the back of the house. Bright white cabinets and counters and a small round table with four chairs, all in black, looked pristine.

Everything had a place in her apartment and everything was in its place.

“Soda’s fine.”

As she turned to the refrigerator, he caught a glimpse of what looked like her workroom behind the living room. The jumble of color drew him closer. He knew he shouldn’t be traipsing around her home, poking into places, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself.

He reached for the light switch on the wall and the second he flipped it, he realized he had to have the woman in his bed or die trying.

Holy hell. He was going to have to give Jed a raise, which meant nothing considering they split the profits fifty-fifty. Still . . . Jesus.

“I’ve been a sketching demon the past couple of weeks. Obviously it’s not all good. Some of it’s crap, actually, but—”

“Kate. Nothing in here is crap.”

Actually, the word he’d use would be amazing.

She’d tapped into every man’s secret sexual fantasies. Tiny bits of lace and satin stitched together in ways designed to fuel a man’s desires.

The short back wall had been lined with shelves, where mounds of fabric were separated according to color. In the front of the room, a sewing table and drafting table sat facing one another in front of the large double window.

Another table topped with a grid formed a triangle with the other two.

Most of the room, however, was given over to dress forms.

There were at least eight and all wore lingerie. Other pieces hung from a thin metal cable that stretched along the entire length of the white side wall.

Every piece enticed him to stroke it, rub it between his fingers. Or tear it off a willing woman’s body.

All colors of the rainbow. Every conceivable fabric. Lace, satin, velvet, silk, cotton. Even a few pieces of leather. Panties, thongs, bras, corsets.

Did all the air in the room just evaporate?

His cock responded with a surge and he took some time to will his erection to recede. At least to the point that it wouldn’t be so damn obvious.

When she brushed by him, his skin broke out in gooseflesh.

She headed toward one of the mannequins displaying a camisole created from sheer cream lace and triangles of peach satin that would barely cover a woman’s nipples. “I’m not sure I like the peach and the cream on this piece. I think it may be too subtle.”

Hoping like hell his voice wouldn’t crack on him, he said, “I think it’s beautiful.” And would look amazing on her with her coloring.

She slid a glance over her shoulder at him, a shy smile curving her lips. Since shy wasn’t really a word he associated with Kate, it charmed him all to hell.

“Thank you. I’ve been spending most of my spare time working on designs, but now I need to get a few more models, a few different shapes and sizes. Some pieces just naturally look better on women with a certain body type. But I want to make sure I have pieces for everybody and not just flat-chested models or busty porn stars.” She paused to take a breath, her mouth twisting in a grimace. “And I’m probably not making any sense at all.”

“Makes perfect sense to me.”

Her smile grew a little wider.

“This style”—she pointed to the camisole—“is made to enhance a woman with a smaller bust. This one”—she reached for a deep purple bra with ruffled straps and see-through lace cups and waved it at him—“absolutely needs a woman who can fill it out.” He nodded, not trusting himself to speak right now.

“This is my favorite place in the whole world,” she continued. “I can lose myself in here for hours. I love the texture of the fabrics. I even love the sound of the machine. It reminds me of music after a while.”

She paused, but he didn’t want her to stop. “How long have you been sewing?”

“Oh, I’ve been designing clothing since I was a kid. I started asking my parents for a sewing machine when I was seven. They finally bought me one when I was ten, when they were sure I wouldn’t sew my fingers together. I’d spend entire weekends in my bedroom, making dresses for my dolls and later for my friends.”

“Sounds like you knew exactly what you wanted to do with your life at an early age.”

The smile she’d been wearing faded. “I did. I was going to be a costume designer.” She let out a deep sigh. “And then my mom died a month before graduation.”

He heard deep sorrow in those few words. “Kate. I’m sorry.”

She shrugged. “It’s been years but I still have that ache you talked about earlier. And I never made it to New York. I work for a dry cleaner and hem wedding dresses and suits for a living. Far cry from designing stage costumes.” Her eyes flashed at him, daring him. “Are you really sure you want to take a chance on an unproven designer? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to talk you out of it. I know how big an opportunity this is for me. But . . .”

She was nervous. He understood that. But she couldn’t let it paralyze her. “After seeing your work, I think Jed is absolutely right. Your pieces are beautiful. Sensual.” He paused then decided to go for it. “Arousing.”

Her eyes widened, her lips parting as if she couldn’t get enough air. Blood pounded through his veins, lust driving it.

Then he froze. Was he really going to do this? Was he really going to seduce her?

It wasn’t like she’d be the first woman he slept with since Mia’s death. There’d been others. Okay, there’d been two. But neither of them had been anything other than a release.

And yes, he realized how that sounded. Cold. Unemotional.

But he’d been careful to choose women who were looking for the same. And the Salon—the secret play room that Jed had created at Haven—catered to several women whose tastes matched his own.

Which should be a major consideration here.

Kate had no idea what he liked, in what direction his tastes lay.

Would he shock her? Would she think he was a freak?

Or, like Mia, would she be willing to experiment?

“I live in a very small town.” Her voice never wavered. “And I just broke off my engagement.”

He heard what she was saying. She didn’t have to spell things out.

But he wasn’t going to give up. Not this time. Not when, as she’d just reiterated, she was no longer engaged.

“Would you like to come back to Philadelphia with me tonight? It’s still early. We have a local jazz quartet playing in the bar tonight. If we leave now, we can make their late set.”

She didn’t say no right away and he took that as encouragement.

“You’d be my guest. I’ll have a room reserved for you.” He wanted her to know he didn’t expect her to sleep with him. Even though he was praying she’d end up under him somewhere in the hotel. “I’d like to spend time with you, Kate.”

He could wait, would have to wait. She wasn’t ready for anything more, not after breaking up with the man she’d thought she was going to marry.

He didn’t want to rush her.

Silently, she weighed the situation, her gaze never leaving his.

Shit. Had he moved too fast? Maybe he should’ve waited. He’d be spending a lot of time at the spa. They’d have time to get acquainted. He’d make sure of it.

But, damn it, he didn’t want to wait. He felt like his life had been in a holding pattern since Mia had first been diagnosed. Like he’d taken one big breath that day in the doctor’s office and hadn’t released it yet.

After at least thirty seconds, her chin tilted up. “I’d love to. Just let me pack an overnight bag.”

He released his breath on a sigh of relief and her smile made him want to pump his fist in the air.

Nodding, he pulled out his phone. “I’ll let Jed know I’m heading out.”

Three

The drive to Philadelphia took only an hour at this time of night, and Kate questioned her decision every other second.

When she looked out the window and saw the fields and trees flash by along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, she debated asking Tyler to turn around.

But when she turned to tell him to take her home, she knew she really didn’t want to go.

She had to be honest with herself. She’d wanted Tyler since the first moment she’d met him.

And she’d be damned if she let nerves interfere with the opportunity to spend time with him. Tyler Golden drew her in a way no one ever had.

He didn’t speak much but, when he did, she hung on his every word. His deep voice practically mesmerized. Hell, her panties were already damp and that was only from listening to his few and far between comments.

They hadn’t kept up a running conversation but she didn’t feel uncomfortable. She felt cocooned. The leather car seat conformed to her body; the soft jazz issuing from the speakers murmured to her.