Don't Tempt Me. Lori Foster

her to breathe again. “What time do you need to be at work?”

      An innocuous enough question, especially after those light, bone-melting touches. “Twenty minutes ago.” Then, because she never could be short, she explained, “I have clients coming in first thing, but the salon is only ten minutes away and I had time built in to store my lunch, go over my schedule, get my supplies ready, spruce up my area and...” She trailed off at his slight frown. “Sorry.”

      “Sounds like you have a lot to do.”

      “The salon where I work is small. Every stylist is responsible for her own area.”

      “Small, as in lacking business?”

      She wrinkled her nose. “Small, as in superexclusive.”

      “So you have a lot of clients?”

      Was he skeptical? Or just interested? She couldn’t tell. “Don’t judge my own sloppy appearance.” Forgoing modesty, she admitted, “I’m in high demand.”

      He murmured, “I bet you are,” while looking at her mouth again.

      A rush of heat hit her and it had nothing to do with the humidity rising off the wet ground in waves. At this rate, she’d be mush by the time she got to work.

      After clearing her throat, she said, “So...”

      “You were out late last night.”

      Totally not what she’d expected from him. “How do you...?”

      “My bedroom is closest to your house. I hear you coming and going.”

      “Oh.” Well, that was embarrassing. Now she’d never be able to sleep for thinking about him that close...maybe listening to her. She didn’t have time to explain, not that she’d know what to say anyway. Lexie’s general explanation, that she was keeper of the zoo, didn’t feel appropriate. “I’m really sorry. About waking you and—” she gestured at the yard “—about the mess.”

      “I’ll keep an eye on things until the garbage truck comes by and picks it up in another hour. But you should get a lid for your can. That’ll take care of it.”

      “I will.” She searched the yard and spotted Colt. “Thank you,” she called out to him.

      Dropping a few things back into her can, he waved her off with a friendly smile.

      Honor sighed. “He is such a great kid.”

      “Yeah, he is.” Smiling, Jason added, “But he doesn’t much like being called a kid.”

      He had the most gorgeous smile that put sexy little dents in his whisker-rough cheeks and crinkled the corners of his dark-as-sin eyes. That smile had the effect of making Honor smile, too. “I’ll try to remember that.” She back-stepped toward her car. “And the lid to the can.”

      Jason nodded.

      And she’d especially remember to close her car door quietly from now on. Very, very quietly.

       3

      PROUD OF HERSELF for coming up with such a great scheme, Lexie arrived a few minutes before Honor should be there. As soon as she pulled up, she spotted Jason in the garage, hammering away on something that looked like a small house.

      Perfect.

      Honor deserved a nice but hunky guy, someone to pay attention to her, lighten her load a little and make her feel as special as Lexie knew her to be. Jason, with his simmering gaze and hot bod, seemed like a great candidate. From what Lexie had seen so far, the chemistry was strong. Enough sparks had bounced between them to start a forest fire.

      With the top up on her convertible, she circled to the back passenger door. When she opened it, the stems of the large bird-of-paradise plant flopped out. Getting the thing in there had taken two men from the garden center and some creative stuffing.

      Pushing her sunglasses to the top of her head, Lexie put on her best helpless face, glanced around, then zeroed in on Jason—willing him to look up.

      “Excuse me.”

      Startled, she followed the sound of that smooth, deep voice and found herself staring into incredible cobalt-blue eyes...

      ...in a stop-your-heart handsome face.

      ...with an oh-my-God physique.

      Done with her up, down and sideways analysis of his fine self, she smiled. “Hi there.”

      Dressed in loose athletic pants, running shoes and a snug-fitting T-shirt, he asked, “Did you need some help?”

      She needed all kinds of things...

      He nodded to the plant.

      Forgetting all about Jason and her plan, Lexie quickly agreed. “Yes. Please. Thank you.”

      His polite expression never faltered—unlike her pulse.

      Inhaling, Lexie looked him over again. Straight black hair, neatly trimmed but not overly styled. A firm mouth, strong jaw and those incendiary eyes. A lean, tall, finely honed body. “Where did you come from?”

      “I live across the street.”

      He could’ve said heaven and she would have believed him.

      Wearing a quizzical frown, he glanced at Honor’s house. “I take it you’re my new neighbor?”

      Oh, she wished. It’d be worth giving up her very nice downtown apartment overlooking the river. The views around Honor’s house were definitely better.

      “My best friend is, actually.” Belatedly she held out a hand. “I’m Lexie Perkins.”

      “Sullivan Dean.” He carefully took her hand, his touch gentle and somehow more familiar because of it. “It’s nice to meet you, Lexie.”

      Liking the sound of her name on his lips, she tried to hold on to him, but other than a long look, he didn’t play along. Bummer.

      From behind her, Jason said, “Hey, Lexie.”

      She turned—and couldn’t help looking Jason over, too. Honor had struck gold with her location.

      And to think she’d once considered the neighborhood old and stuffy.

      “Jason, just the guy I was hoping to see.”

      Wearing his intense, enigmatic expression and not wearing a shirt, Jason shifted his gaze to Sullivan.

      Oh, crap. Lexie definitely didn’t want Sullivan—please let him be available—to get the wrong idea. She had zero carnal interest in Jason...especially since Honor had already staked a claim, even if Honor didn’t realize it and would never admit it.

      To clear up any misconceptions, she explained, “I was going to ask you to carry in the plant I got for Honor. It’s a housewarming gift. But it’s a monster. No way can I get it up to her porch and in the house on my own.”

      Once she got Jason inside, maybe she could convince him to stay. If he got to know Honor, if he understood why she forced the issue of independence, Lexie felt sure he’d adore her as much as she did.

      Things didn’t go quite right when Sullivan stepped forward. “I’ve got it.” In a beautiful display of muscles and fluid strength, he lifted the plant as if it were a bag of sugar. “Where to?”

      Oh, those glorious biceps...

      While Lexie quickly considered the twist to her plans, Honor pulled up. Exhaustion gave way to confusion as she hurriedly left her car and trotted toward them. “Lexie? What did you do? What’s going on?”

      Sullivan stared at Honor, smiled slightly and said, “I see. Now it makes more sense.”

      Jason shot him a look but quickly returned his attention