Carly Phillips - Simply Sexy

"You stopped working?" he asked, apparently truly interested in her past.

Why wouldn't he be? She was equally interested in his. "My husband wanted to give me the life he thought I always wanted. But staying home and spending money I hadn't earned, well, that just wasn't me."

But to please Robert, she'd eventually accepted the lifestyle. After all, most women would have traded anything to be in her position, or so she'd been told at the going-away party the other secretaries had thrown on her last day of work.

"I can't see you staying at home and eating bonbons, either."

"What can you see me doing?" She wondered how he viewed her.

He shrugged. "A headstrong, determined woman like you? I can see you dissecting what men want." His lips twitched in a wry grin. "The question is whether you'll get it right."

"You're just worried I'll get inside your head."

"You already came close. I read your first article."

"And?" she asked, knowing that right or wrong, his opinion was important to her.

"You made some very valid points. Men are visual animals. We see, we react."

"Basic chemistry."

He nodded. "Lust." His voice grew deeper.

"Not enough for anything meaningful or lasting." She cleared her dry throat. "Which is why I have to dig deeper."

"I'm certain you'll dig into both men's and women's psyches." His eyes danced with certainty.

"You think you know me so well?"

He nodded. "I know I do." But he frowned, seemingly not thrilled with the notion.

And Rina thought she knew why. Despite the banter, the notion of getting past lust and digging deeper made him uncomfortable. He wasn't looking for anything more serious than she was. Yet in the short time they'd known one another, he understood her better than Robert ever had. Her husband had loved her and given her everything-except the freedom to be herself. The more time she spent in Ashford, the more time she spent with Colin, the more self-awareness she gained and the more she felt she had to contribute to her work. Not to mention she was coming to enjoy herself. A lot.

"Tell me something. Doesn't it strike you as odd that a newspaper has two relationship columnists?" he asked. "I mean, why write what you do for a newspaper?"

She really didn't understand what he was getting at. "As opposed to what?"

He shrugged. "A magazine, maybe? There are plenty of those in Manhattan."

"I needed to get away from the memories. To start over fresh. Plus, I had no connections with the publishers there. Corinne was willing to give me a chance. And I liked her vision. She wants to bring people together and is using the newspaper to do it. My writing fits in well here."

He exhaled hard. "But you don't think her vision-the subjects she wants to focus on-is odd for a newspaper?"

"Slightly unusual, maybe. But then so is the world lately. Besides, many papers have articles and columns in the lifestyle section geared toward relationships or other things."

"True. But those papers have an abundance of sections and space. The Times is a small paper. Space is limited. By adding more frivolous things to it, other sections have to go."

Rina bit her lip and nodded. "I suppose. But Corinne said the Globe outsells the Times anyway," she said, speaking of the larger competition. "Which freed her up to try something different. All I know is, I owe Corinne for giving me a new start and a new life. And you can't imagine how badly I needed that new life."

He glanced out into the crowd for a moment. "Rina…"

She followed his gaze and realized Emma was barreling through the crowd toward them, an older gentleman hot on her heels. "I wonder what she's up to."

Rina barely got the words out, when Emma reached their side, then tripped and knocked her full champagne flute forward. In shock, Rina put up her hand to ward off a spill and ended up tipping the glass onto Colin, too, so they were both covered in champagne.

Rina pulled at the damp shirt, lifting it off her skin. But the damage had been done, and when she released the fabric again, her sheer, lacy bra showed through. The one Rina wore for herself and not for her column and experiment. The one not meant to be seen by the public at large.

Rina didn't know who took notice because she was too caught up in Colin's openmouthed stare as he took in her now-damp, see-through blouse. As if they were alone and not in a room full of people, her nipples puckered in pure female reaction.

"Oh my, I'm sorry." Emma began fluttering around Rina, ignoring the man by her side who had to be none other than Stan Blecher.

Rina lifted her hands to cover herself. "It's fine, Emma, really."

"No, no, it's not okay. Let me take you up to dry off."

"Emma…" the man said, clearly wishing a moment of her time.

Rina studied the gentleman. He was tall and stood proud, with a full head of white hair and a nice smile. Dentures or real teeth, he cut a dashing figure. "Emma, come on. Give the man a chance," Rina whispered in her ear.

"Nonsense. Grace left some old clothes in her closet. I'm sure we can find a top for you to wear. And for you, Colin, Logan has a sweater or two I can surely scrounge up. Come, come." She motioned with her hands and turned her back on Stan.

Knowing Emma wouldn't be deterred, Rina shrugged and motioned for Colin to follow.

"I'll be here when you get back," Stan called.

"Lecher," Emma muttered.

"I think he's cute," Rina said on her way up the stairs.

Emma ignored her. Apparently, like Rina, the older woman preferred to be the matchmaker, not on the receiving end.

"Colin, this is Logan and Cat's room when they stay here. Which isn't often, but still…Feel free to go into the closet and find a shirt." She opened a door, pushed Colin inside and slammed the door shut behind him.

"You're a bulldozer, Emma. And you can't run from Stan forever. What's wrong if you have dinner with the man?" Rina asked.

"I've been on my own too long." Emma paused at the next door in the long hall. "This is a bathroom. Go on in here and I'll bring you a shirt of Gracie's, okay?"

"That's sweet, Emma. I'd appreciate it." Before the older woman could walk out, Rina felt compelled to add something else. "Remember that alone's lonely." And she wondered if she was speaking for her own benefit, as well.

Two minutes later, Emma returned with a white oxford shirt, as close a match as she was likely to get. The older woman excused herself, then said she'd meet up with Rina again downstairs.

Rina locked herself in the bathroom and began unbuttoning the wet blouse, parting the material. She found a guest towel she could dampen and turned on the water to wipe the stickiness off her chest when, without warning, a loud creaking noise startled her. She jerked around toward the sound, which had come from behind, only to discover the door didn't lead to a linen closet as she'd originally thought, but to the bedroom next door.

And the person who'd entered wasn't Emma but a shirtless, breathtaking Colin.

* * *

BEFORE EMMA HAD DOUSED them with champagne, Colin had been trying to get his mind around the concept of how important this job was to Rina and how he could accomplish his goals without hurting her. He'd thought to get close enough to divulge the problems with the paper and see if she could give him insight into bringing Corinne around. But both women seemed to need this direction the paper was taking, and damned if Colin knew what to do about it.

Then fate had interrupted in the form of an aging whirling dervish and all conversation and thought stopped, especially when he'd seen Rina in that see-through blouse. He'd broken into a sweat at the sight of all that lace and skin.

By the time he'd stepped into the bathroom to splash cold water on his chest to wash off the sticky champagne, he thought he had himself under control. He hadn't expected to find Rina there. Now that he had, one look and never mind a splash of water, he needed a full-blown, cold shower.

He'd wondered what she hid beneath her bulky clothes, and though tonight's blouse had given him a hint, he hadn't been prepared for the impact. White lace peeked out from behind a hand towel and, thanks to her bra of choice, small but sensually rounded cleavage pushed upward in a tantalizing, tempting V. He tried to swallow but his throat had grown dry.

"A gentleman would say excuse me, turn around and walk out," Rina said wryly, not a hint of sincerity in her voice.

Even her attempt at covering herself had grown pathetic. Her hands trembled slightly and the towel revealed more than it hid. Her trousers were low-cut, allowing him a glimpse at her creamy skin, and the waist hit just below her belly button, teasing him with a slight indentation tailor-made for a man's tongue.

His tongue, Colin thought. He stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him and pushing the lock shut tight. "I don't remember claiming to be a gentleman. Especially when you're around."

"I need to understand this," she murmured.

He liked her intellectual side, the side that refused to give in to instinct without rationale. "What's so difficult to understand? You're a beautiful woman and I'm attracted to you." He took a step closer, inhaling the scent of champagne, wanting to lick the flavor off her skin.

"And you don't care which Rina you're looking at, the one with makeup or without, the one with the long hair or this shaggy look." Her voice caught, a hint of awe in her tone.

"That's right. And it's the woman who's researching your column who's surprised. But the woman in here-" He touched her chest with his callused finger. "That's who you really are. And you know me-just like I know you. And I wouldn't lie just to…"

"Get laid?" she asked, tongue in cheek. "No, I don't think you'd do such a dirty, despicable, male thing." Her lips twitched and a sparkle lit her gaze.

She laughed, and he was glad she had a sense of humor about something many women would make an issue of. He closed the distance between them. They were alone in the small bathroom, not another guest within hearing distance. If Colin had to guess, even Emma was long gone by now. He was certain she'd somehow set them up or at least allowed them time to take advantage of the proximity she'd provided.

Something he had every intention of doing if the woman beside him was willing. And he intended to find out.

SHOULD SHE or shouldn't she? Rina didn't want to think any more than she wanted to hesitate. She'd hoped for this moment and fate only provided so many opportunities. She wanted Colin, and it had been too long since a man had made her feel so desired, so needed. Gathering her courage, she dropped the towel and backed toward the vanity, grasping on to the Corian countertops with both hands. Her position had the erotic effect of pushing her breasts upward in silent invitation.

His gaze slid down to her chest and he let out a slow groan. "Honey, that's going to have to mean yes."

Yes to what, she wasn't certain, and at the moment she didn't care. Moisture settled low and dampened her panties, excitement a companion she barely recognized, it had been so long. "I'm so glad you're a man who knows how to read a woman's signals," she said at the same moment he dipped his head, nestling his face between her breasts.

He exhaled slowly, the warmth of his breath hitting her skin as he began to taste the champagne with luxurious laps of his tongue. Starting in her cleavage, he worked his way outward, teasing her with nibbles and tastes until her nipples tightened into rigid peaks begging for equal treatment. He was tormenting her, taking his time, making a slow feast of her flesh until every nerve tingled and desire so overwhelmed her, she whimpered aloud.

He lifted his head, his blue eyes glittering with banked desire. "Tell me what you want."

"Is that what men like?" she asked. "To be told?"

"I'm not going to answer so I can be the subject of some damn article."

His jaw clenched and Rina realized she'd stepped over the line or, at least, he thought she had. The article was the furthest thing from her mind. Without thought, she ran her fingers through his hair, settling her hands in the silken strands. "That's not why I asked."

He cocked his head to one side. "Why then?"

"Because…" How did she explain what she barely understood herself? "Because I've never…" She grappled for the right word. "I've never played that way. With a man, I mean. It's always been pretty straightforward, them doing what they wanted and it either felt good or it didn't." Her past consisted of a satisfying sex life. Satisfying but nothing like the intensity and steam she was experiencing with Colin. She shrugged. "I never had the courage to ask for what I wanted."