WHEN THEY ARRIVED back at her town house, Cruz pointed to the boxes.

“I could help you pack.”

“That’s okay. I can handle it myself.”

He didn’t look convinced. “What time should I be by to help you move?”

As it was just clothes and a few personal items, Lexi figured one trip in Dana’s truck would be enough. “I’ll be there. You don’t have to worry.”

“I don’t worry.”

“You seem a little nervous.”

Humor flashed in his dark eyes. “Nervous?”

“You’re practically sweating. I said I’d be there, and I will be. Stop hovering.”

She thought he might take the bait and get huffy, but Cruz was too smooth for that. Instead of stepping away or thumping his chest, he moved closer. Close enough to make her worry about starting to sweat herself.

“I don’t hover,” he said, his voice low and strong and oddly caressing. “I don’t need to.”

“I’m just saying…”

He shifted until they were practically touching. Except they weren’t. Still, she could feel the heat of him and it was suddenly difficult to breathe.

“Yes,” he murmured, his gaze locked on her mouth. “What were you saying?”

“I, ah…I can’t remember.”

“Good. You think too much.”

She knew he was going to kiss her, so she shouldn’t have been surprised by the feel of his mouth on hers. Still, as he bent toward her and pressed his lips against hers, she jumped, as if every nerve ending had been startled, then delighted.

He put one hand on her shoulder, the other on her waist, and pressed his mouth a little more firmly against hers, as if claiming her.

Her skin prickled, her throat went dry and she found herself wanting to lean in to him. She wanted their bodies touching everywhere possible. She wanted his hands roaming, his kiss claiming. She wanted naked on naked, wet and swollen flesh. She wanted to be taken. She wanted to give herself to him, to open herself and then to get lost in an orgasm that would shatter every part of her.

The image was so clear, so intense, that she scared herself. Despite the still chaste kiss, she drew back, terrified of what would happen next.

He smiled at her-a knowing smile, then rubbed his knuckles against her cheek. “Soon,” he promised, then he was gone.

“SIX BOXES, three plants and a few suitcases?” Dana asked as she helped Lexi load the truck. “Are you really moving in with Cruz or staying for a long weekend?”

Lexi wrinkled her nose. “I don’t take this much for a month and you know it. Of course I’m moving in.”

Dana pushed in the last suitcase. “No furniture? Not even that antique side table you drooled over for weeks before you finally bought it?”

“I might bring that along later.” Depending on whether or not Cruz had room. She hadn’t known what to pack, never having seen his house, let alone been inside of it. She hadn’t known what to do about her mail or her phone calls. She’d ended up forwarding the former to her office and the latter to her cell phone. Deception was a complicated business.

Dana slammed the back of the truck closed and faced Lexi. “What the hell is going on?”

Lexi did her best to look innocent. “Nothing. Everything is perfect. I have Cruz’s address here. I’ll put it in my GPS system, then you can follow me.”

As soon as the words were out, she knew she’d made a big mistake. She swallowed. “What I meant was…”

Dana drew her eyebrows together. “You don’t know how to get to his house?”

“Not exactly.”

“He’s your fiancé and you don’t know where he lives?”

“That’s not really a big deal.”

“Let me be clear on this-” Dana folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the truck. “We’re not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on here. I don’t have to work today. I can stand here until midnight.”

Which she would, Lexi thought, knowing her friend could be stubborn. “You don’t want to know because before I tell you the truth, I’d have to make you promise not to tell Skye and Izzy. You’re friends with them and you won’t like keeping secrets. So just accept that I know what I’m doing. Okay?”

“It’s not okay. It’s light years from okay. Are you in trouble? Are you doing something illegal? Do I have to arrest someone?”

Lexi laughed. “No. As disappointing as you’ll find this, handcuffs are not required.”

“So tell me.”

“You won’t tell anyone else? Swear?”

Dana hesitated, then nodded.

Lexi knew two things-first, her friend wouldn’t like the conditions of the deal, and second, she would keep her word.

“That story I told you before, about how I met Cruz, is true. A while back an investor offered me two million dollars to grow my business. It was a sweet deal and I jumped at the opportunity.”

“Cruz was the investor?”

“No. There was a catch with the money. The loan was callable in twenty-one days, but I wasn’t worried. My banker had done business with this investor before, and who would want to loan me that kind of money, then call in with no notice, potentially ruining me?”

“Good point. So what happened?”

“The note got called. I had to come up with the two million.” Lexi raised her hand. “Do not say I could ask my father. You know what that would mean.”

“You’d be free of him,” Dana said, rolling her eyes. “I know, I know, he’s your dad, but come on. He’s controlling all of you. Let go. Walk away.”

From everything she’d ever wanted? No. She was in this to win. “I had to find another way to get the money.”

“Cruz,” Dana said. “He gave you two million dollars and you gave him…”

“A six month engagement. He wants introductions to all the right people. I can give him that. At the end of six months, it’s over. While it’s an unconventional arrangement, it’s legal.”

“It’s idiotic. You can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Is winning that important? Do you want the company that much?”

“Yes,” Lexi said, because that was easier than saying she also got to win Jed. Just once she wanted her father to look her in the eye and tell her he was proud of her. That she mattered. That they were a family.

A foolish, girlish dream, she knew. But one she couldn’t let go of.

“I can’t believe this,” Dana said. “Do you know what you’re doing?”

“I hope so. Besides, it’s done.”

“I don’t like this at all. I’m going to check him out. If he has so much as an unpaid parking ticket, you are so out of there.”

Lexi laughed. “You don’t scare me.”

“I’m more interested in scaring him.”

“Cruz doesn’t scare easily.”

“I plan to be armed.” Dana pushed away from the truck. “You’re my friend, so I’ll help you, but I think you’re making a big mistake. This isn’t going to be easy.”

Lexi thought about how she reacted every time he was near her. “I know.”

Lexi used her GPS system to lead them to Cruz’s upscale neighborhood. She hadn’t known what to expect-a regular house in a nice area? A fancy, modern high-rise condo?

Instead she found herself in a quiet but elegant part of Dallas, where the lots were measured in acres and the houses ran in the millions. She found the address she was looking for and pulled into the long, circular drive.

While the house wasn’t as big as Glory’s Gate, it was still impressive. Three stories, white with brick. Big windows glinted like diamonds and the carved front door looked both impressive and imported.

She punched in the code for the gate, then drove slowly up to the front of the house. Once there, she parked and waited for Dana to pull up behind her.

“He’s got money,” Dana said as she climbed out of her truck. “He’s probably not after yours.”

“I don’t have any. Just the name, which I’ve recently found out, is worth a dime.”

“You have access, which is almost the same thing. And you’ll inherit when Jed dies.”

“Maybe.”

They each grabbed a suitcase and started toward the house.

“You have a key?” Dana asked.

Lexi pulled it out of her pocket. She opened the front door and stepped into a spacious entryway.

The inside was as big as the outside had promised. Ceilings soared, rooms flowed and light danced off the sparkling hardwood floors.

Dana gave a low whistle. “This is a whole lot of real estate for a man who lives alone.” She paused. “He does live alone, doesn’t he?”

“There’s a housekeeper, but I don’t know if she lives in or not.” Lexi knew he wasn’t married-but was there anyone else here? Family? A crazy old aunt who saw ghosts and dined with long-dead relatives?

Reality crashed in on her, making her want to run, or at least whimper. Why hadn’t she asked more questions? What had she been thinking to agree to move in with him?

“I’ll be fine,” she said, more to herself than to Dana. “This is going to be easy.”

“It’s gonna be a lot of things, but easy isn’t one of them,” Dana muttered.

They made their way to the second floor, where nearly a dozen rooms opened off the hallway. Lexi headed for the only set of double doors and stepped into the master suite.

It was large, masculine and slightly terrifying. A custom-made oversize bed dominated the space, but she did her best not to look at it as she headed for the bathroom and closet beyond.

She found the walk-in had been prepared for her. More than half the hanging racks were empty, as were most of the built-in drawers. The latter had been pulled partially open so she could see they were for her. Flowers stood on a vase in the bathroom and a white fluffy robe lay draped across a small chair in front of a vanity.

“Someone’s expecting you,” Dana said.

Lexi swallowed. “I know.” She did her best not to think too much and certainly not to feel. What was the point? She was here, this was her life, she had to accept it and deal. She was good at dealing. Practically an expert. “Let’s go get the rest of my stuff.”