"I need to kiss you, Bethany." Lucius turned her so that her back touched the door. Destroying that small bit of s.p.a.ce that had meant less than nothing anyway, he leaned down while keeping her chin up with his fingertips. "Tell me you want me to kiss you."

She started to shake her head, but she did want his kiss, and she ended up sort of waggling her head around in a nonsensical way.

Lucius laughed. "Yeah, that's real clear." His mouth brushed hers. Barely there. His hands flattened on the door at either side of her head, his wrists resting on her shoulders. His hips angled in-and she felt all of him.

Her eyes sank shut on a long sigh.

In a rough whisper, he warned, "If you don't kiss me back, I'm stopping."

And then his mouth pressed to hers, warm and firm, and her head spun and she had no choice but to clutch at his broad, hard shoulders. His bare skin was sleek and taut, and so hot.

And holy cow, she'd had no idea a kiss could be so awesome.

If anyone asked her now, she'd happily say that this was her favorite part. Kissing. Tongues and lips, and humid breath...

Enthused by her response, Lucius stroked his right hand over her shoulder, spread his fingers wide on her collarbone, and slid down onto her breast with a bold, possessive but gentle hold.

His thumb circled her nipple, once, twice, and her insides did a thrilling flip. Oh yeah. That was her favorite part, by far. Her fingers dug into his back while she went on tiptoe, trying to get closer to him.

"d.a.m.n," Lucius muttered, "that's definitely a yes," and he turned his head for a better fit, taking the kiss from seducing to devouring. His tongue sank in, withdrew, moved over her teeth and twined with her tongue.

His hand left her breast and she started to moan a complaint, until both hands cuddled her behind, lifting her, and then his thigh pressed between hers. Somehow her feet all but left the floor and she ended up straddling his leg and the friction was...her favorite part.

"OhmiG.o.d."

"Shhh. Let me lock the door."

He fumbled behind her, and she heard the click of the lock falling into place. Cupping his face in trembling hands, she whispered, "This is incredible."

"Not yet-but it will be." He took her mouth again, hard and deep and hungry, all the while keeping her snug against him, nudging her back and forth in a mind-blowing rhythm.

The most amazing pressure began to build, so sharp and sweet she almost couldn't bear it. Freeing her mouth, she tipped her head back and gulped air. Lucius used the moment to taste her throat, licking, sucking lightly, probably leaving a hickey or two, not that she minded at that particular moment.

"Tell me you want me, Bethany, before I explode."

"Oh yeah, you betcha."

He set her back on her feet and attacked the b.u.t.ton on her slacks. The long zipper required both his hands, and he groused a complaint. "d.a.m.n it, these stupid pants are..." They came undone, and because of the generous fit, promptly fell all the way to the floor to bunch up around her ankles.

Lucius stared. "Great pants. Love the pants."

Bethany grinned even as she felt horribly exposed. Lucius never failed to amuse her, to turn her on, to provoke her many senses and emotions.

He put a hand beneath her blouse and opened it over her belly. In gravelly tones, he said, "Have I told you lately how drop-dead gorgeous you are?"

That struck a nerve, upsetting her state of arousal. "I look just like my sister."

"Naw." He angled his fingers downward, and without warning, slid inside her panties.

She squeezed her eyes shut at the shock and thrill of it.

His mouth touched her temple. "On the outside maybe, yeah, you two look alike. But where it counts, you're plenty different."

His fingers cupped her, just that, nothing more, and she wanted to scream with frustration. She couldn't think. His hand felt hot. Hard. So very enticing.

Holding still required great concentration. She wanted to move against him. She wanted him to explore her. "We're...identical twins."

"True." She felt his smile against her skin. "But like you said, it's an att.i.tude thing. And honey, I love your att.i.tude." He pressed the heel of his hand against her, right above her mound.

"G.o.d, Lucius."

Slow and gentle, using only his fingertips, he parted her lips and pressed one finger between. "d.a.m.n, you're wet."

She stuck her face in his shoulder and held on tight. "This is awful."

"It's s.e.xy as h.e.l.l." He stroked back and forth, spreading her moisture, then up and over her swollen c.l.i.toris.

Her whole body trembled and she clenched her fingers on his shoulders. "I...I don't believe this."

"Told you so." Urgent and hot, intent on devastation, he nudged her face up so he could kiss her again, all the while his fingers played with her, circling her, making the pressure build and build.

Something buzzed against her hip, jolting her, and she jumped. Her mind couldn't a.s.similate the new sensation, but she had no problem understanding Lucius's curse.

Other than the wild thumping of his heart and his fast breaths, he went utterly still.

"Lucius?" she said, and his name sounded like a moan. "What's wrong?" She lifted heavy eyelids and encountered a pained expression on his face. "Lucius?"

His forehead touched hers. "Jesus, I hate to do this."

She gulped. That didn't sound good at all. "This?"

"I have to go."

What? He still had one hand squeezing her b.u.t.t. He still had his other hand in her panties! She was hot and ready...Very ready.

A little desperate, she said, "Please be kidding."

"I am so d.a.m.n sorry."

All she needed was another minute or two at the most. She'd never had a climax with a man. By herself, yes. But it wasn't the same, not by a long shot. "You can't wait just a few more-"

"I'm sorry. More sorry than you can know." He removed his hand, smoothed her hair back, and stepped away. "Duty calls."

Her panties had dropped down to her knees, her pants around her ankles, her shirt displaced and twisted. She'd all but begged him to stay.

Mortification rippled through her. She stared at him, dumbfounded, lost. "I was so close."

He drew in a breath and every muscle in his body looked painfully taut. Two seconds ticked by, then he growled, "Hold that thought, okay? And trust me-I swear I'll make it up to you." He looked her over, groaned, and turned away in a rush.

Just that easily, he dismissed her from his mind and went into battle mode.

Flummoxed, Bethany watched as he removed the phone and pager from his shorts. He retrieved his jeans and shirt and jerked them on, then made a call. Holding the phone with his shoulder, he sat on the couch to pull on his socks and tie up his boots.

She heard him speaking, something about the "Incident Commander" and the "Command Post"; she even heard the word "barricade," but he didn't say enough for her to piece it all together, not with her brain still sluggish.

He didn't look at her.

She couldn't stop staring at him.

He disconnected the phone and clipped it, and the pager, back to his waistband. As if they hadn't just been very intimately involved, as if he didn't even see her, he nudged her away from the door and walked out without a word, leaving her to untangle her clothes and her emotions before she literally got caught with her pants down.

Through the jumble of confusion and embarra.s.sment, Bethany heard his apartment door open. He said to Marci, "I'm in a situation here. Could you watch Hero until I get home? Eventually he'll be all right by himself, I'm a.s.suming, but right now-"

Marci said, "Wait. Slow down. Where are you going?"

"I have to work. Can you stay with him?"

"Of course I can. It's my pleasure. But what about my sister?"

"She threw me out. Said she had some things to do. Gotta run. Thanks, Marci."

Bethany heard a smooching kiss that had better have been on a forehead or cheek, and then the trotting footsteps as he left the apartment complex.

Threw him out? Well, at least he hadn't told Marci that he'd left her shaking with need. She appreciated his consideration.

Before Marci could catch her in the lie, Bethany pulled up her pants and rushed into the bathroom. She turned on the shower. Cold. She doubted it would help, but what choice did she have? She stripped off her clothes and stepped under the spray, gasping with the shock of it even as it cleared her head.

And then it hit her.

Lucius was on a call, which meant danger with a capital D. Despite the icy water, a rush of heat left her head spinning and her knees weak. Someone might shoot at him. He could be gone for hours. Even days.

She could lose him forever-when she'd yet to really have him.

Suddenly, she understood what he meant about his job being tough. Before kissing him, she'd been able to keep the danger inherent in his work in the peripheral of her mind.

Now everything had changed. Now she had to accept that she cared about him. She would most definitely worry about him. Counting the minutes until he returned would be excruciating.

This was just what she didn't need-more complications.

Four.

Lucius returned around midnight, and this time he wasn't in the least sleepy. Hungry, yes. But for Bethany, not food.

He started to go straight to his apartment, but he couldn't make himself do it. Regardless of the time, he wanted to see her. The way he'd left her, on the verge of satisfaction, had plagued him.

After the cracks she'd made about men and disappointing s.e.x, he'd expected some resistance.

He'd expected to have to really work on her.

Instead, she'd all but melted the second he touched her. And remembering that had him ready to melt.

As soon as he'd finished the job, which had been a cl.u.s.terf.u.c.k of the first order, thoughts of her had taken over his brain. The scent of her skin and hair; the scent of her excitement. Her hair was silky, her flesh more so. When his fingers found her sleek and wet...Lucius groaned.

No way could he just go to his place and sleep.

Besides, he needed to collect his dog. A good enough reason to disturb women so late at night.

He tapped lightly on the twin's door.

It opened almost immediately. Big blue eyes stared up at him with concern and caring. A tremulous smile. Tangled brown hair. A very cute housecoat that covered a killer body.

Disappointment washed over him. "Hey, Marci." Why couldn't Bethany have opened the door? Wasn't she concerned and caring, too? "Sorry it's so late." He looked around behind her, but didn't see Bethany anywhere.

While holding the door open for him to enter, Marci asked, "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Tell us apart."

He had no idea. But from jump, he'd always known which woman was which. One set him on fire, and one he just considered cute. "You're different from your sister."

Where the h.e.l.l was she? And where was his dog?

"But how? Even our parents have had trouble keeping us separate."

He rolled stiff shoulders in a halfhearted shrug. "You're each unique."

"In what way?"

Marci wasn't going to let it go, so he admitted, "I feel different around Bethany."

"Hotter?" Her mouth quirked.

"That's about it." He tweaked her chin. "I see you, and enjoy your company. I see her, and I want to jump her bones."

Marci laughed. "Delighted to hear it."

So he had her on his side? Good to know. "Where is she, by the way?"

"She's at your place. With Hero. She was...worried about you and didn't want to go to bed until she knew you were safe. And I see you are." She tipped her head. "But you look wired. Want a cup of coffee or something?"