Over the course of the next twenty minutes he kept a low profile in his black SUV, situated in the back section of the parking lot. He watched people come and go from the building-some dressed in business suits and carrying briefcases, and others in casual wear. There was nothing out of the ordinary that caught his attention, or anything to indicate that an illicit sex operation dominated the third floor of the building.

Setting up surveillance was unnecessary, he concluded. If The Ultimate Fantasy hosted swinging, wild erotic sex parties, he was positive they didn't take place here, in an openly public district. No, most likely there was another private, secluded haven in which their elite clients explored sexual fantasies and other illegal dealings. And it was up to Liz to gain them access to that exclusive world of sin and iniquity in order to find out more information on Valerie's whereabouts and on the boyfriend who'd accompanied her to a previous party.

But first, Liz had to get hired on as a phone sex operator, and he had no doubt she'd be successful in obtaining the position. She had determination and sass aplenty, along with an innate sensuality about her that would no doubt appeal to her employer-just as she'd stirred his baser male instincts from the first time he'd laid eyes on her.

As the minutes dragged on, he kept his gaze locked on the front entrance of the building, but his mind wandered to Liz's enthusiastic participation in the kiss they'd shared earlier. They'd all but caught fire from that sizzling embrace, confirming that everything about their agreed-upon affair would be an equal give-and-take of untold pleasures. Hot, satisfying sex- lots of it, and any way either of them wanted it.

Despite the sampling he'd taken in his office, he was still hot and hard for her. Arousal buzzed through his veins, making him too damned restless and reminding him just how long he'd been without a woman.

Oh, he'd had plenty of offers, but there was no one else he'd wanted in his bed other than Liz. For the past month she'd played a starring role in the nightly erotic dreams that taunted him. Now those wicked fantasies were going to become reality. Soon he'd have Liz stripped naked beneath him, her voluptuous breasts and nipples all his to lick, suck, and feast on. Soon he'd be able to inhale the feminine scent that clung to her skin and taste all her hottest, sweetest places. Soon he'd finally get to bury his cock deep inside her and feel the tight clasp of her body around his sex as they drove each other to completion.

His groin throbbed in anticipation, and he shifted in his leather seat with a harsh exhale, which did nothing to ease the fierce erection making itself known. Soon. He needed to be patient and bide his time. First and foremost, their main priority was to locate her missing cousin and ensure her safety. Their affair and mutual attraction was merely a bonus they'd indulge in after hours, when there was nothing to concentrate on but each other.

Giving himself a firm mental shake back to his present situation, he resumed his watch for Liz. Five minutes later, he released a grateful stream of breath when she emerged from the double glass doors, giving him something other than his unruly, sorely neglected libido to focus on.

She wasn't alone. A petite brunette accompanied Liz out of the building, with the two of them carrying on a conversation until they reached the other woman's car. They talked for another minute or so, then went their separate ways, with Liz heading toward his vehicle, hips swaying and a light bounce in her step that captivated him-as did everything about her.

She slid into the passenger seat, shut the door, and flashed him a bright smile. "I got the job," she announced, looking extremely pleased with herself.

Her exuberance made him grin, too. "I had no doubt that you would," he said, and turned the key in the ignition. He drove out of the parking lot and headed back toward his office. "Tell me how the interview went."

"It certainly wasn't your typical kind of interview," she said, her tone wry. He'd left the windows rolled down, and as he turned onto the freeway and picked up speed, the wind ruffled her silky blond hair around her head and plastered her blouse against her breasts. "Once I checked in with the receptionist, she led me to a large private office, where a man named Antonio Cardenias introduced himself as one of the company's partners. He briefly glanced over my application, but he didn't seem interested in my references or past employment record, which excluded any mention of The Daily Grind."

Steve's grip tightened on the steering wheel as he imagined the kind of credentials Antonio might require in potential female employees whose main talent would be based in sexual experience. "What was he interested in?"

"The sound of my voice, since that would attract and keep a client on the phone." She smoothed her hair away from her face and shrugged. "He said I had a soft, sexy voice that would turn men on."

"You do," he said gruffly, knowing how that husky voice of hers could turn a man inside out with wanting. Rolling up the windows, he turned on the air-conditioning, needing a blast of cool air on his heated skin.

"What else?" he prompted.

"He wanted to know if I had any fantasies or fetishes that I refused to discuss with a caller, or any sexual situations I considered off limits."

"Do you?" he asked, curious to know what her personal boundaries were when it came to sex.

"I told him I wouldn't take calls requesting anything to do with pain and torture, bestiality, rape, or incest." She visibly shuddered at the same time he winced in reciprocal disgust. "Antonio said that was fine, that they had other operators who handled those kinds of requests-enjoyed them, even."

"Well, I'm right there with you, sweetheart." Stretching his arm across the back of her seat, he curved his fingers along the nape of her neck. "I don't get off on any of those perverse fixations, either."

"That's good to know." She smiled indulgently. "Other than those lewd fetishes, I think I can handle just about anything, or fake my way through it."

He glanced from the road to narrow his gaze at her, then realized she couldn't see his expression hidden behind his sunglasses. "Don't expect to fake anything with me."

She rolled her eyes, somehow containing the laughter he saw glimmering in the green depths. "That's such a man statement."

He traced the soft skin of her throat with his thumb and felt her shiver, watched as her nipples puckered tight against her blouse. "What do you expect," he drawled good-naturedly. "I am a man."

She arched a blond brow his way, seemingly trying to maintain her composure even while her body's arousing response to his touch gave her away. "A very arrogant one, at that."

"Yeah, I'm confident when it comes to pleasuring my partner," he admitted unabashedly, wanting her to know exactly what she was in for.

"I like everything about sex," he went on, "especially foreplay and the hot, frenzied buildup to an explosive orgasm. And the best part of being with a woman-being with you-is going to be making sure you're having a good time, too. Turning you on turns me on. And when it's the right time, I'm going to enjoy making you come, feeling you come, against my fingers, my tongue, and around my cock. Those inner contractions and the way your body clenches in the throes of climax is something no woman can fabricate."

She squirmed in her seat and cleared her throat, which didn't quite camouflage her whimper of longing his words evoked. "I don't think faking it is going to be an issue between us."

"Didn't think so." Now he sounded arrogant, and like he didn't give a damn.

"Umm, back to my interview," she managed, her voice still breathless with the sexual tension he'd instigated between them. "Antonio also talked about promotions and opportunities to advance within the company if I 'performed well' and established a steady, repeat client base. There are monetary bonuses given for keeping a caller on the line for more than fifteen minutes."

He nodded but remained quiet as she continued.

"He also mentioned private, by-invitation-only parties that were available to their most requested operators and their regular clients, but didn't elaborate on what those parties consisted of. He said we'd discuss those extracurricular activities more later, when I've built more than a casual rapport with a caller and I'm ready to advance to that next level."

"Which I'll make sure happens, with me."

She looked relieved and grateful. "You're the only one I'll attend those parties with, so let's include that in your services, too."

"That goes without saying, sweetheart." Now that she was his, there was no way he'd allow another man to accompany her to one of the fantasy parties. "When do you start?"

"Tonight, believe it or not, which is fine with me. The sooner I get in there and get acquainted with the other operators, the sooner I'll be able to get some information on Valerie." Her fingers absently traced the hem of her short skirt, drawing his gaze to her tanned thighs while she talked. "I told Antonio that I worked another job and I was only looking for something part-time, so he gave me a nine-to-midnight shift. But this does mean I'll have to reschedule my employees at The Daily Grind to close up the shop."

He glanced back at the road and made a turn onto the side street where his offices were located. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"No. I'm certain my two main employees will welcome the full-time work and extra hours, since I've had to cut them back in order to keep costs down."

Once again he was intrigued. Her comment coincided with her not being able to afford much when it came to his fee, despite running what appeared to be a very successful cafe.