A Calculated Seduction(31)

* * * *

As the company limo turned into the apartment complex parking lot, Ethan tried to calm his racing heart. Never in his life had he been so nervous when picking up a date. Even when he took Ellen Caldwell to the senior prom his palms didn’t sweat. Here he was, at the age of thirty-two, about to charm secrets out of Dulcy Menendez and he didn’t know if he’d make a fool of himself or not.

“We’re here, Mr. MacMillan,” the driver said.

“Thanks, Ted.”

He didn’t move, but looked up at the door. His stomach tried to revolt, but he knew it had nothing to do with his earlier anger. After thinking about it, he realized Dulcy probably thought she’d been helping a friend. Anderson had used her tender heart. She just didn’t know any better. But it didn’t make deceiving her any easier on Ethan.

“She lives in two oh five, Mr. MacMillan.”

“I know, ” he snapped. Inwardly he sighed. Now he was being an ass to everyone because he was mad at Dulcy. And frustrated. Damn he had never been so frustrated in his life. “I’m sorry, Ted. I’ll only be a moment. ”

Ethan stepped out of the limo and took another deep breath. He could do this. He was Ethan MacMillan, security expert. A man ruthless enough to use an innocent woman to further his investigation.

He knocked on her door.

“Just a minute.” At the sound of her voice, every nerve he’d settled leapt to life. Immediately, his cock hardened. Anticipation skated over his flesh. He was pathetic. All because she had told him to wait for her.

Isn’t that just like a woman? Never ready on time, never a thought he’d be so nervous, he was biting his thumbnail. He stuck his hands in his pockets and turned his back to the door. What was taking the woman so long? It’s not like she had much to do to make herself presentable.

The door opened quietly behind him and he spun around. Any logical thought flew from his mind and all the blood drained from his brain.

She was breathtaking.

The black velvet dress she wore hugged her breasts and hips. It was long sleeved, but bared her smooth shoulders, dipping down between her breasts. The straight skirt was slit and revealed a black stocking-clad thigh. At least, he hoped it was stockings. She cleared her throat and he realized he hadn’t said a word. He looked up at her face, her topaz eyes wary. Then he realized she wasn’t wearing her glasses.

“Where are your glasses?” Smooth, MacMillan. Not, you take my breath away. Can I jump your bones right now? No, you ask about her eyewear.

She chuckled. “Maude confiscated them.”

“Oh.” Yeah, that will sweep her off her feet. Her hair was a riot of curls around her face, her makeup perfect, her full lips painted red. “Are you ready?”

Yeah. There was no blood left in his brain.

“Well, I’m standing outside with my door locked behind me. I’d say that’s a yes.”

He was nonplussed for a second and then laughed. Women usually didn’t get sarcastic with him, but Dulcy did it on a regular basis. He held out his arm and she graciously accepted it. As she walked beside him, her scent, peaches and cream, surrounded him.

He stepped aside when they reached the stairs and allowed her to walk down in front of him. This was an assignment and he had to remember that. The woman was dangerous to his libido. How could he complete his work if his brain had no blood in it?

Ted was standing by the car door, a smile on his face and an appreciative gleam in his eyes.

“Good evening, Miss Menendez,” he said, his eyes dipping down to her cleavage. Ethan fisted his hands, but kept them at his side.

“Hello, Ted. I didn’t know you would be driving us this evening.”

“It’s always a pleasure. And might I say, you look beautiful tonight. ”

“Thank you, Ted.”

She sat in the car and Ethan glared at Ted, who had finally torn his attention away from Dulcy’s breasts. His lecherous expression changed to worry, then fear, as Ethan stared him down and then got into the limo.

“What was all that about?”

He looked at Dulcy, who sat across from him. Because of the position of the seat, the slit in her dress had fallen open and he could see most of her leg. She shifted and he moved his attention back to her face.

“What was...oh, Ted was, well he was staring at your...” and he gestured to her breasts.

She flushed from her chest to her forehead. “Mr. MacMillan.”

The tone she used made him feel like a little schoolboy. And, even that turned him on.