his robe and the floor, andthe deep V of the robe’s collar revealed a wide band of silky hair and hard chest.
One quick flick of the belt, and Matt would be as naked as the day he was born.
Her body heat rising alarmingly, Liz had the sudden urge to untie that belt. She swallowed and forced herself to stand very still. She willed Matt to stand very still too. One move, and she was a goner.
“So,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest, “since we’ve established I’m no ‘secret admirer,’ what are you going to do about the guy?”
Liz silently sent thanks heavenward that his one move hadn’t been toward her. But she couldn’t give away her inner turmoil with some wimpy answer or he’d take advantage of that too.
She smiled, hoping it looked sickly sweet and not just sickly. “You really want to know?”
He nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly. Evidently her smile was sickly sweet. She wanted to let her breath out in a whoosh, but resisted.
“First of all, I’m going to call the police and report an escaped psycho …”
“Bad move, Liz. Think of all the gossip it will create when the cop cars pull up in front of your house.”
“My goodness, Matt, you really have my best interests at heart.” Sometimes game-playing was in order, Liz decided. “The cops are out. Maybe I should borrow Romeo for a few days and let him pasture in my yard. One ton of mean bull ought to be enough to scare anyone off.”
“That does have merit. But how do you explain Romeo to the neighbors?”
“I’m going into the dairy business.”
“Bulls don’t give milk.”
“Good point.” She made a show of tapping her chin in concentration, then shrugged. “Well, I’m sure I can think up some little surprise. I’m sorry I mistook you for my admirer. I really don’t know how I could have. You’re nowhere near as suave and gallant as he is. Have a nice day, Matt.”
Feeling she’d had the last word, and a very effective one, Liz turned on her heel and opened the front door … and immediately shut it on the sight of Corey Wilson across the street delivering newspapers. She collapsed against the door and closed her eyes in embarrassment.
“Forget something?” Matt asked in an amused voice.
“Only my brains,” she muttered. She straightened away from the door and turn back to him, lifting her chin to a dignified angle. “Matt, I always seem to make an idiot of myself around you, don’t I?”
“Forget it. I’ve done my share with you.” He chuckled, moving beside her. “Now, who’s out there?”
“Corey, with the morning papers.”
“No problem. He’ll be gone in a moment.”
He silently waited with her until there was an audible
thunk
on the porch. Matt motioned her back away from the door.
“I’ll check the street.”
Liz didn’t breathe as Matt opened the door and stepped outside. With straining ears she heard him pad across the porch. There was more silence, and she knew he was checking the surroundinghouses for activity. Maybe her luck would be good and—
Suddenly she realized that no matter how fast she could possibly run, anyone could pick that moment to look out of a window and see her. In her nightgown and robe she was well and truly stuck. There was no logical way to explain her leaving his house at seven in the morning. Even if she suddenly grew wings, she still couldn’t fly over the rooftops. That would attract even more attention.
Feeling helpless and depressed, Liz turned away from the open door and dragged herself over to the stairs. Sitting down on the third step from the bottom, she propped her chin in her hands. Realizing she was still holding the rose, she absently stuffed it into her pocket while contemplating the fates.
“Dammit, Liz! What the hell are you doing sitting on the steps?” Matt asked impatiently as he strode into the house. “You should be over here, ready to go—”
“I’m sitting on the steps, wishing I had paid more attention in my
One quick flick of the belt, and Matt would be as naked as the day he was born.
Her body heat rising alarmingly, Liz had the sudden urge to untie that belt. She swallowed and forced herself to stand very still. She willed Matt to stand very still too. One move, and she was a goner.
“So,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest, “since we’ve established I’m no ‘secret admirer,’ what are you going to do about the guy?”
Liz silently sent thanks heavenward that his one move hadn’t been toward her. But she couldn’t give away her inner turmoil with some wimpy answer or he’d take advantage of that too.
She smiled, hoping it looked sickly sweet and not just sickly. “You really want to know?”
He nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly. Evidently her smile was sickly sweet. She wanted to let her breath out in a whoosh, but resisted.
“First of all, I’m going to call the police and report an escaped psycho …”
“Bad move, Liz. Think of all the gossip it will create when the cop cars pull up in front of your house.”
“My goodness, Matt, you really have my best interests at heart.” Sometimes game-playing was in order, Liz decided. “The cops are out. Maybe I should borrow Romeo for a few days and let him pasture in my yard. One ton of mean bull ought to be enough to scare anyone off.”
“That does have merit. But how do you explain Romeo to the neighbors?”
“I’m going into the dairy business.”
“Bulls don’t give milk.”
“Good point.” She made a show of tapping her chin in concentration, then shrugged. “Well, I’m sure I can think up some little surprise. I’m sorry I mistook you for my admirer. I really don’t know how I could have. You’re nowhere near as suave and gallant as he is. Have a nice day, Matt.”
Feeling she’d had the last word, and a very effective one, Liz turned on her heel and opened the front door … and immediately shut it on the sight of Corey Wilson across the street delivering newspapers. She collapsed against the door and closed her eyes in embarrassment.
“Forget something?” Matt asked in an amused voice.
“Only my brains,” she muttered. She straightened away from the door and turn back to him, lifting her chin to a dignified angle. “Matt, I always seem to make an idiot of myself around you, don’t I?”
“Forget it. I’ve done my share with you.” He chuckled, moving beside her. “Now, who’s out there?”
“Corey, with the morning papers.”
“No problem. He’ll be gone in a moment.”
He silently waited with her until there was an audible
thunk
on the porch. Matt motioned her back away from the door.
“I’ll check the street.”
Liz didn’t breathe as Matt opened the door and stepped outside. With straining ears she heard him pad across the porch. There was more silence, and she knew he was checking the surroundinghouses for activity. Maybe her luck would be good and—
Suddenly she realized that no matter how fast she could possibly run, anyone could pick that moment to look out of a window and see her. In her nightgown and robe she was well and truly stuck. There was no logical way to explain her leaving his house at seven in the morning. Even if she suddenly grew wings, she still couldn’t fly over the rooftops. That would attract even more attention.
Feeling helpless and depressed, Liz turned away from the open door and dragged herself over to the stairs. Sitting down on the third step from the bottom, she propped her chin in her hands. Realizing she was still holding the rose, she absently stuffed it into her pocket while contemplating the fates.
“Dammit, Liz! What the hell are you doing sitting on the steps?” Matt asked impatiently as he strode into the house. “You should be over here, ready to go—”
“I’m sitting on the steps, wishing I had paid more attention in my
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