He wasn't going to make them regret the decision.

"I will see this project to completion, Kale, no matter what it takes."

"Be careful, Sam. The Board halted your experiment. If you get caught doing what I think you're doing and our Director finds out, you can kiss your job goodbye."

Sam clapped his friend on the back. "Everything is under control, Kale," he a.s.sured. "Now I have to go, I'm running late."

"One more thing, Sam."

"What"

A bemused expression crossed his face. "You might want

to distinguish the difference between a date and an experiment."

"You're doing what with whom"

Cat hushed her best friend and neighbor, Jen, and rushed around her condo looking for her s.e.xy, hot red pumps, or "f.u.c.k-me-shoes" as Jen preferred to call them.

G.o.d, it had been so long since she'd worn high heels it'd be a d.a.m.n miracle if she made it through the night without tripping. With the way her luck was going she'd likely fall and break something vital to the experiment. For a brief moment she wondered if her a.s.s was vital. Surely it had to be. If she broke her neck or her a.s.s, then she'd never get to hold up her end of the deal, which would be horrible for Sam. Of course, Sam's project really was her main concern.

Not her overactive libido or the way it was screaming at her to answer her bodily urges with a guy who'd been a reoccurring character in her erotic dreams. No, it had nothing at all to do with that. Girl Scouts honor.

Cat popped a wedge of orange into her mouth and pressed her fingers to her lips. "Shhh ... he's going to be here any minute and I don't want him to hear you."

Jen dropped to her knees, peered under the sofa, and produced the missing shoes. "Cat, I can't believe you're going to be a d.a.m.n lab rat." She coiled the straps around her fingers and swung them like a pendulum.

Neither could Cat. It was all she'd been able to think about since suggesting it earlier that day. That and how Sam planned on using himself as stimulus.

"Since you insist on going through with this, you might need one of these. Two if you're really lucky." Jen grabbed a couple of small foil packages from her purse and slipped them into Cat's handbag. "This is a condom." She stretched out the last word. "It goes on the man's p.e.n.i.s-"

Cat swallowed her orange and cut Jen off with a glare.

"Just because I haven't used one in ages, doesn't mean I forgot what it's for. Besides, I won't need it. Sam is testing my responses; we're not testing his."

"And you don't think he's going to get just a little turned on while he's doing that"

She could dream, couldn't she Jen's eyes opened wide, like she'd just won the state lottery, and she giggled like a schoolgirl. "Do you think he's going to give you multiple o.r.g.a.s.ms The serum is to increase the female libido. Surely he's going to have to record your responses during a climax, or two, or maybe three if you're really lucky."

G.o.d, she hoped so. The truth was she had no idea what Sam had in store for her.

"I'm sure it won't come to that." Cat grabbed the heels and slipped into them. She stood in front of her hall mirror and glanced at her jeans and blouse. She'd agonized all eve-

ning on what to wear. A slinky dress or jeans In the end she'd settled for jeans. After all, Sam was conducting an experiment, not taking her on a date.

Cat studied her profile a moment longer. "What do you think of the shoes Overkill"

"Not if you're screaming f.u.c.k me." A wry grin curled Jen's mouth, one brow rising inquisitively. "Are you screaming, f.u.c.k me, Cat"

As a fourth-year psychology student, Jen had a habit of overa.n.a.lyzing any situation. Cat turned, checking the angle from the back. "Cut the a.n.a.lysis c.r.a.p, Jen. I told you this isn't about s.e.x. I'm just helping Sam with the experiment.

It's the least I can do." She smoothed her hand over a few temperamental curls, teasing them down.

Jen snorted. "Who are you trying to convince of that, me or you"

A knock on the door drew their attention. Jen grinned and whispered in Cat's ear, "Maybe if you're really good, he'll let you play with his monkey."

Cat stifled a chuckle. "You are so bad."

Jen leaned against the wall. "Me Bad I'm not the one playing s.e.x games with Romeo."

"Romeo"

"Come on, Cat. Sam has reached out and touched more women than Hallmark."

Cat planted her hands on her hips. "I've been living here for six months and I haven't seen him with anyone but that cute little chimp of his."

"That's because he's been buried in a project. Before that ... well, let's just say before that women were lining up like he was an amus.e.m.e.nt ride."

Taking pause, Cat remembered the way the women on the picket line swarmed him, touching him with familiarity.

Did they know him on an intimate level Had they all gone for a wild ride on his joystick Jen had to be wrong. Sam really didn't strike her as the playboy type at all.

Cat spoke in a hushed tone. "But he's such a gentleman and he seems so sweet," she countered.

Jen lowered her voice to match Cat's. "Oh he is sweet, Cat. Candy apple sweet. All six foot two of him. Or so I've been told." Jen gave her a wink. "And he's also a gentleman.

Ladies first, if you know what I mean."

Cat crinkled her nose, trying to wrap her head around the idea that Sam was a playboy. "He's so nurturing, though.

Have you ever seen him with Rio"

"He's nurturing all right." Jen picked up Cat's orange, tossed a piece into her mouth, and handed the last wedge to Cat. "From what I hear he'll nurture multiple o.r.g.a.s.ms right out of you." Jen crinkled her brow. "Come to think of it, maybe you're not so crazy after all. Let me know where I can sign up to be a lab rat," she teased. "It's been awhile since I had multiple ... anything."

Cat shot Jen a silencing look, tamped down the odd churning in her stomach, and walked to the door. It really shouldn't bother her to find out Sam had his own harem of women. It wasn't like they were in an intimate relationship, nor was she even entertaining the idea. Not for a split second.

He could date as many women as he wanted. It didn't matter one measly iota to her.

Which had her wondering why the image of Sam as the main carnival attraction left her feeling very disconcerted.

Pushing back the surge of jealousy, Cat furrowed her brow and pressed her fingers to her lips in warning. "Be good and play nice." She tossed her orange slice into her mouth, wrapped her palm around the doork.n.o.b, and twisted.

Jen shook her curly black locks from her shoulders. "Only if you'll be bad and share the details."

Cat ignored her friend and pulled her door open. One word came to mind as she caught his s.e.xy, bad-boy grin.

Stimuli.

No, that's a lie. Two words came to mind. Stimuli. Me.

Now. Or was that three As she took in the handsome man before her, she gasped.

She actually gasped. And he heard it. Good Lord. One look from him and she turned into a speechless s.e.x nymph.

Sam's sun-bleached hair looked damp from a recent shower.

His scent, an aphrodisiacal combination of soap, shampoo, and one hundred percent grade A male, curled around her, drawing her into a coc.o.o.n of need and desire. She wondered what he wore underneath that long leather trench coat. Professional, easy-to-remove, loose-fitting scrubs or those aged, faded jeans of his that had her drooling like an overheated Saint Bernard, and, on more than one occasion, had had her doing a few intimate, solo experiments of her own.

With effort she spoke. "Hi," she pushed that one word out past the lump lodged in her throat. "I'm all wet ... set. I mean set. I'm all set," she repeated like a babbling idiot.

Good Lord.

If he caught her slip, he ignored it and for that Cat was grateful. Cat grabbed her coat, shrugged it on, and hitched her handbag high on her shoulder.

If this were a date, she would have played it cool and kept him waiting, but it wasn't a date. Why did she constantly have to remind herself of that Because Sam York had never shown any interest in her as a woman before and right now he thought of her as nothing more than a lab rat.

"Sorry I'm late. I had a few last-minute things at the lab to take care of." He looked past her shoulder. "Hey, Jen. How's it going"

Jen looked like she was about to swoon when he gifted her with one of his panty-soaking smiles. Cat couldn't blame her, really. It had taken all her strength and two locked knees to keep herself upright.

"Hey, Sam. Things are good. Where's Rio" Jen pushed

off the wall and hooked her thumbs through her belt loops.

Sam turned sideways to let Cat through the doorway.

"She's at the lab."

"If you ever need a sitter, I'd be more than happy to play with your ... monkey," Jen offered.

Cat gulped. Oh, my G.o.d. Her orange rose from her stomach and lodged in her throat. Jesus, she was going to kill Jen when she got back.

One s.e.xy brow c.o.c.ked as Sam slanted his head and shot Jen a glance. "I'll keep that in mind."

Cat twisted around, glared at her grinning friend, and cast a look that suggested her days were numbered as she gripped the k.n.o.b and pulled her door closed.

Glancing around, Cat noted that darkness had settled over the city. A warm, white light drifted out from the condo and spilled onto the porch. Sam dipped his head and looked at her, a sparkle simmering in his baby blues.

"She was talking about Rio, right"

His velvety smooth voice bombarded her body with rich, evocative sensations. The tips of his sun-drenched hair blew in the gentle night breeze, framing his strong chiseled face.

G.o.d, he was so beautiful. Her heart did a weird little dance, the Macarena if she had to guess.

She swallowed, her insides turning to putty. A wayward lock fell over his eyes. She linked her fingers together, resisting the pull to brush it from his forehead.

Cat suppressed a shiver of longing and let out a heavy breath. It formed a cloud in the cool air. She waved a dismissive hand and dodged the question. "I think she's been studying too hard. Just ignore her." Nodding to the parking lot, she brought their conversation back to the night ahead.

"My car or yours"

Sam fished his keys out of his coat. The enticing scent of leather reached her nostrils. What was it about a man in leather that made her hotter than suicide salsa Well, not just any man. This man.

"I'll drive." Strong arms circled her shoulders and pulled her in tight, tight enough that every inch of his sculpted body touched hers. Warmth spread over her skin. Lord, it felt so good when he touched her and held her in such a protective manner. Growing up in a houseful of guys, Cat had fought for her independence. Most men made her feel smothered, yet around Sam she didn't experience any of those unpleasant feelings at all.

He slanted his head and offered her one of his incredible smiles. Cat felt her body grow moist and her knees turn to pudding. A sudden breeze rushed through the parking lot and ruffled his hair. The light wind drifted over her warm face and helped ease the heat inside her.

Shrouded in darkness, she hurried her footsteps to keep pace as they crossed the unlit parking lot. Her "f.u.c.k-meshoes"

tapped a steady rhythm and cut through the si-

lence enveloping them. So far, so good. She hadn't fallen and broken her a.s.s, or any other vital parts. Fortunately, the rain had subsided, leaving a fresh autumn scent in the breezy evening air and the ground nice and dry for walking in heels.

Sam opened the pa.s.senger side door for her. She stepped away from the circle of his arms and immediately missed his touch. She made herself comfortable in his sporty Jeep as he climbed behind the wheel and maneuvered them out of the parking lot.

"Sam" She may have appeared calm on the outside but their close proximity rattled her more than dice in a Yahtzee cup. Chaos erupted inside her as a tremor of awareness made her quiver in the most interesting places.

"Hmmm"

She wrinkled her nose. "Are you going to hook me up to electrodes"

He grinned and shook his head. "No need to."

"Oh." Folding her hands on her lap, she nodded and focused on the dark road ahead. Out of her peripheral vision, she caught him staring at her.

"You sound disappointed."

She faced him. "No, it's not that. I'm just wondering how you're going to record my responses to your," she swallowed before completing the sentence, "stimuli."

Sam's bad-boy grin turned wicked. "Trust me, Cat. To- morrow night after we enhance your sensitivity, you'll be able to feel the different responses in your body." He leaned closer, until his mouth was only a tongue flick away from hers. "And so will I."

Oh yeah, he had every intention of feeling her responses because the minute he got her alone in the research room he planned on sliding his hands over every delicious speck of her sweet-scented bare skin. He'd waited far too long as it was.

Twenty minutes later, he pulled his Jeep into his a.s.signed parking spot and glanced at her profile, soaking in her beauty. He was so aware of her, her every breath, her every movement. Watching her for the past six months had left him feeling as though he'd known her for a lifetime when, in fact, he didn't really know her very well at all. Tonight that was about to change. They were going to get to know each other. Intimately.

His eyes caressed her face. Long blonde curls framed her high cheekbones and billowed over slender shoulders. A dark curtain of thick black lashes flickered over her green eyes.

Sam shifted in his seat, giving her his full attention. Hands folded she stared straight ahead, her expression unreadable.