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Ron Willet, his assistant director, raised a mocking brow as he watched the couple who were now entering a bedroom on the second level. “He’s very much married—and to an extremely nice lady from what I hear. But marriage wouldn’t stop many men when a sexy little siren like that one makes herself available to them.” His eyes narrowed as they moved to Joel’s face. He had been aware all evening that Joel’s attention had been caught by the chestnut-haired beauty and had been surprised that his boss hadn’t made a move on her. In the five years he’d worked with Joel, he’d never known him to hesitate when it came to taking what he wanted, particularly when it was a woman. And if he read the signs right, Ron knew that Joel wanted this one very much. He had noticed a smoldering intensity about Joel this evening that had aroused his curiosity. “She’s some eager little starlet, I imagine. It’s your party; don’t you know who your guests are?”

Joel shook his head, his frown deepening. “My secretary appears to have issued invitations to half the film colony. I usually leave it up to her.” His lips twisted. “It doesn’t really matter. The faces may change, but the personalities stay essentially the same.”

“I saw that luscious little blonde hanging on to you earlier in the evening.” Willet’s eyes twinkled. “She looked vaguely familiar. Have you used her before?”

“In one of my pictures or in my bed?” Joel asked rhetorically. “Neither, thank you, but she has aspirations for both positions. She’s the second woman tonight who’s made sure I knew that she’d be ‘passionately’ grateful if I decided to cast her in that minor role in Venture. ” He took a hefty swallow of his brandy. “For God’s sake, the part is barely a walk-on and half the women in Hollywood are willing to throw themselves on the traditional couch and spread their legs for me. I wish to hell casting would get busy and give the role to someone, and get these women off my back.”

“ I should have your problems,” Willet said dryly. Then he suddenly chuckled. “Though perhaps they’re beginning to filter down to us lesser mortals. Balding is obviously reaping the benefit right now with that lovely upstairs. She probably thought he’d be an easier nut to crack than you.” He shook his head admiringly. “What a fantastic body. Do you think I could persuade her to believe I have more influence with you than Balding does?”

Joel felt a totally unreasonable rage surge through him. “You think she’s wheeling and dealing?” he asked tersely. Why did the idea annoy him so much? It was exactly what he’d decided she’d been doing all evening.

Willet shrugged. “Seems logical. Most of the women in town who are as gorgeous as she is are fledgling actresses, and I wouldn’t say Balding is the type to sweep a woman off her feet. She certainly was more than a little affectionate with him. Add it up for yourself.”

“I already have,” Joel growled. His brooding gaze returned to the closed bedroom door. “You’re right. The picture couldn’t be much clearer.” He had known as well as Willet what the woman was up to, but for some reason he hadn’t wanted to admit it. And that was as unreasonable as all his other reactions to the sexy little hooker had been! He’d heard of instant explosive attraction, but he had never really believed it existed until tonight. Now he could hardly deny what was an obvious, physical fact. Very physical, he thought wryly.

He liked to be in complete control of all facets of his life and this sudden compulsive magnetism filled him with a nameless uneasiness. My God, he’d been as jealous as hell when he’d seen Balding put his hands on her, yet he hadn’t so much as exchanged one word with her. He didn’t even know her name, dammit. This was utterly insane. When he had seen her start up those stairs with Balding, he had felt a possessive rage that was totally alien to him…and utterly new.

Willet had been watching the expressions chase across Joel’s face. “I gather you’d like a chance at Balding’s little starlet yourself,” he commented. “Why don’t you deal yourself into the game? You hold more aces than Balding could ever hope to draw. I’m sure the lady wouldn’t be adverse to changing partners if you cared to show her it would be worth her while.”

“Your faith in my fatal charm is hardly flattering,” Joel said caustically. “But in this case your assumption is probably correct. I’ve had too much experience with the genus starlet and I’m well aware of their priorities.”

He had no doubt he had the necessary muscle if he cared to exert it. Besides, a chemistry as dynamic as what he had experienced couldn’t be one-sided…despite the cool little game she had been playing throughout the evening to pique his interest. And that last little mocking toast she’d thrown him before she’d gone upstairs with Balding had been redolent with challenge. But he wasn’t at all sure it was a challenge he wanted to meet considering the volatility of the emotion she seemed to be able to provoke in him. He had an idea it would be much safer for him to stay away from the source of that turbulence.

“You’re not interested?” Willet asked. “You’re going to leave her to Balding then?”

“No!” The violence of his reply surprised even himself. He drew a deep breath and made a conscious effort to regain his usual composure. His fierce response to the idea of Balding making love to her had caught him off guard. But at least it had answered the question he had been asking himself.

A reckless little smile curved his lips as he finished his brandy in one swallow. Why the hell had he hesitated anyway? He had always had a taste for the bizarre and unusual and this response certainly qualified in that area. There was no way he was going to let another man take what he oddly felt was his own. He thrust his empty glass at Willet. “Get rid of this, will you, Ron?” he asked. “I think perhaps I’ll follow your advice and sit in on the game. It might prove interesting.” He turned and strode across the crowded room to the staircase.

Dave opened several doors, finally discovering the guest bedroom that was obviously being used as a cloak room. There was a closet open, jammed with furs and velvet cloaks of every description, and the king-size bed was overflowing with other wraps. “Oh, there’s nothing wrong with you; you couldn’t be more right,” he said caustically. “You always worry about wizards turning you into frogs.” He shut the door behind them. “What does your wrap look like?”

“It’s chiffon and it matches my gown,” she said absently. “I wasn’t worrying about him turning me into a frog. I told you they only bewitch royalty.”

“It’s not here.” He turned from the closet, moved swiftly over to the bed, and began to toss wraps carelessly aside as he searched for the scrap of cinnamon chiffon. “It’s probably on the bottom: Sheila’s always is.”

“I’ll find it.” She joined him at the bed and knelt on the area he had cleared with his ruthless pillaging. She quickly located the sheer bit of chiffon and waved it triumphantly. “Got it.” She draped the stole dramatically over her chestnut head and around her lower face like an Oriental veil. “Come with me to the Casbah,” she intoned huskily, her brown eyes dancing.

“Dammit, quit kidding around,” Dave said in exasperation. His hands closed on her shoulders as he prepared to haul her off the bed.

“I can see how you might be annoyed.”

The voice was deep and faintly cynical. Kendra didn’t have to glance at the figure leaning indolently against the door jamb to know it was Joel Damon. She wasn’t even surprised.

“When a lady invites you to accompany her to a bedroom, it’s very frustrating when she starts playing games instead of getting down to the business at hand.” Damon strolled into the room and closed the door with utmost care behind him. His smile deepened and seemed oddly feral to Kendra. “And I trust it was business, pretty lady?”

Dave released her and straightened slowly. “I think you have the wrong idea, Joel,” he said quietly. “I was just about to take her home. We were looking for her wrap.”

“Of course you were,” Damon said smoothly as he strolled over to the bed and stood looking down at Kendra. She was conscious of a curious tension beneath that mocking control and saw a flicker of that bewildering anger in the depths of his eyes. His hand reached out to push the chiffon veiling from her head and it fell to her shoulders. “I’m sure you were having an exceptionally good time doing it, too. I really should apologize for barging in, but I was compelled to interrupt you. There are some reporters downstairs and we wouldn’t want to give them cause to write about the orgies at my innocent little get-together, now would we?”

Orgy? Dave and her in an orgy? It was too much! Kendra threw back her head and laughed.

Damon cocked his head; his eyes narrowed on her face. “You have the sexiest laugh I’ve ever heard,” he observed bemusedly. “I heard you laugh several times tonight, but I was too far away to hear you speak. Talk to me, pretty lady.”

Her eyes locked with his in an intense, mesmerizing stare. Then she smiled impishly. “My name is Kendra Michaels. And I’m not a princess.”

“How unfortunate,” Damon drawled. “But I’m sure you have many other attributes. That hoarse throaty little voice is definitely one of them. It reminds me of the sound a kitten makes when it runs its claws over velvet.”

“I think she’s had a bit too much to drink, Joel.” Dave’s voice was wary. “I’d better take her home.”

That was the second time Dave had accused her of that. “I’m perfectly sober,” she said indignantly. “I told you I’ve only had two glasses of champagne.”

“You heard the lady.” Damon’s lips twisted cynically. “She knows exactly what she’s doing. I rather thought she did.”

“Of course I do,” Kendra said firmly. Ahh, but if she had thought him a sorcerer across the room downstairs, it was a mild witchery compared to his spell at close range. His olive eyes were even more brilliant and mesmerized her with a force as potent as the most magic elixir. She licked her lower lip nervously and his gaze followed the motion with a heated absorption that made her breath leave her body. “But maybe Dave’s right and I’d better go home.”

“Yes, we’d better leave.” Damon’s voice was a little thick. He turned abruptly to Dave and said crisply, “I’ll take care of her. Go on downstairs and play host for me. God knows I’m bored enough with the role.”

“You’ll take her home?” Dave frowned uncertainly.

“Do you think I’m going to ravish her on the spot?” Damon asked evasively. “I told you I didn’t want any orgies at my party. It’s very bad form. We’ll leave in a few minutes. I just want to get to know Miss Michaels a little better.”

“Kendra?” Dave asked.

Poor Dave, she thought. He was obviously concerned about her and it was equally evident he didn’t want to offend Joel Damon, who could make or break his career with the utmost ease.

“I’ll be fine. Dave,” she said gently. “Mr. Damon can take me home. Why don’t you do as he says?”

“If you’re sure.” There was an unquestionably relieved expression on Dave’s face as he turned toward the door. “I’ll give you a call in the morning, Kendra.”

The door had scarcely closed when Damon dropped down on the bed beside her, pushing her from her kneeling position back on her heels. His hands were gentle on her bare shoulders but nevertheless she was startled. Then his hands were gone and she felt cold and lonely.

“It was wise of you to let him go,” he murmured. “I think if you had offered any objection at all, Dave actually would have put up a fight. That says quite a bit for the potency of your sex appeal, because Dave’s a very ambitious young man.”

“I know,” she murmured. He was sitting so close she could feel the waves of heat emanating from him while the scent of clean soap and a cologne that had a fresh spicy fragrance assaulted her nostrils. “He knows exactly where he’s going. I admire that about him.”

“Like-to-like?” he asked, his tone caustic. “I can see how an ambitious little lovely like you would feel a certain fellowship with Balding.” His eyes narrowed. “Did you know he’s married?”

Her eyes widened. “Of course! What difference does that make?”

He laughed mirthlessly. “None evidently. Not to you and certainly not to Balding after the vamping you did tonight. I don’t have to ask if you got what you wanted from him.”

“What I wanted from him?”

“The job,” he said impatiently. “Did he promise everything you wanted on a silver platter or was he waiting for you to deliver first?”

She stared up at him in bewilderment. “Yes, he gave me the job. I’ve already signed the contract.”

Joel’s lips tightened grimly. “Well, I’m afraid you’ll just have to renegotiate—especially the clause concerning fringe benefits. All those will be awarded to me from now on.” His expression softened as his hand smoothed her hair with featherlike strokes. “You won’t be disappointed. I wield a hell of a lot more power than Balding and I always keep my word.”

Fringe benefits? He wasn’t making sense, but it didn’t seem to matter as long as he continued to stroke her hair with that gossamer touch. How long had it been since she had felt so wondrously pampered? “Sorcerers always wield an enormous amount of power,” she said dreamily. She turned her head to rub her face on the hand stroking her hair. He really had lovely hands, strong and tan, with long graceful fingers that spoke of sensitivity and creativity. Beautiful hands that burned the soft smoothness of her cheek. “Your touch makes me feel so strange.”

Strange wasn’t the word for it, he thought wryly. He’d never even conceived of an emotion this powerful. Why the hell did she have such an effect on him, he wondered irritably. It wasn’t as if Kendra Michaels was the most beautiful woman he’d ever met. Her figure was a little too curvaceous for current tastes, and her wide-set brown eyes were too large for the thinness of her face. Her lips were lovely, but they looked more vulnerable than sensual. Yet when she had run her little pink tongue over that full lower lip, he had felt a jolt of pure desire that had caused his loins to swell and his heart to pound crazily. It must be her gorgeous coloring that was so provocative. She was all rich, golden sheen from the clear olive skin to the auburn-burnished chestnut hair rippling down her back in gentle silken waves. An impatient scowl darkened his face as he remembered the insane burst of possessiveness that had exploded inside him when he had first caught sight of her. Mine, he’d thought with instant certainty. She’s going to be mine.

“Is it strange for you, too?” Kendra asked.

“Oh yes,” he muttered. “It’s like that with me too.” His hand wandered down to encircle her throat, his thumb pressing gently in the soft hollow. “I hadn’t the slightest doubt that it would be from the moment I first saw you.”

She was gazing up at him with the grave wonder of a child. “You’re angry, aren’t you?” she whispered. “I can feel it in you. Why are you so angry?”

“I’m not angry,” he denied quickly, knowing that he wasn’t telling the truth. There was a slow burning resentment deep inside him that was aimed more at himself than at her. The longer he was with her the more conscious he became of that loss of cool control. He shrugged. “Perhaps my emotions are a little confused at the moment. I can’t say that I like my reaction to any woman to be quite this violent.” His eyes narrowed on her face. “You are aware that this thing between us couldn’t possibly be termed ordinary. ”

“Yes,” she answered absently, her gaze still on the well-defined curve of his lips. Those strange mesmerizing eyes had caused her to overlook how sensitive and beautifully shaped they were. “You have a lovely mouth; do you know that?” Her index finger reached up to trace the sensual line of his lower lip. It felt smooth and warm beneath the pad of her fingertip, and she knew again that breathless little tingle. His lips parted suddenly to capture her finger and for the briefest instant she felt the sharp nip of his teeth before he released it.

“The better to eat you with,” he said lightly. She could see that the pulse in the hollow of his throat was throbbing jerkily and there was a slight flush in the hollow of his cheeks. He slowly leaned forward until their lips were only a breath apart. “And eat you up is exactly what I intend to do, sweetheart. You’re a feast that would tempt the gods and I find I’m a very hungry man.” Each word was a tiny warm puff of breath that was a kiss in itself. “Hungrier than I’ve ever been before. I want to devour every bit of you.”

Hungry he might be, but when his lips finally closed on hers they were gentle, almost tentative. They brushed and moved against hers like a connoisseur who wanted to savor the delicacy of the bouquet before he permitted himself to taste the wine itself. And the giving and taking was intoxicating enough to Kendra that her breath caught in her throat.

“Delicious.” Joel’s voice was tremulous and his heavy lids half closed to veil the smoldering glint in his olive eyes. His hands tightened on her shoulders and he brought her closer with utmost care so that her chiffon-covered breasts were resting lightly against him. “But I think we both need a little more solid sustenance, don’t you, Kendra?” This time when his lips touched hers they were still gentle but firmer and the demand greater as the kiss progressed to a sweet sultry languor. “Give me your tongue, love,” he muttered, parting her lips to flowering fullness. “I want to taste you. I want to know the textures of you.”

She wanted to know that about him too, she thought dreamily. Suddenly it seemed the most vitally important thing in the world to learn everything she could about the exciting physical presence of Joel Damon. She gave him what he’d asked for and heard him utter a deep groan that sounded for all the world like the contented growl of a domesticated animal.

His lips closed on her tongue, using a gentle suction to draw it from her. Once her tongue was lured deep into his mouth, he began a leisurely exploration that caused her to press closer against him. With a little moan, she opened her lips wider. His tongue was searching, probing, touching, moving over the roughness of her tongue. She could tell that everything he found was wildly pleasing to him by the mad pounding of his heart against her own and the gasps of hunger and delight that broke from him when he paused for breath. The pauses were ever so brief before he plunged once more into the sensual pool of pleasure that was their joined mouths.

To have such an effect on him, to know that she could cause the sorcerer to tremble and groan with the same fiery magic that he was weaving in her gave Kendra a wild, primitive satisfaction. Her heady sense of power only served to increase the exhilaration she was experiencing. She broke away with a little breathless laugh, her face alight with delight. “It’s wonderful!” Her hands curved around his neck to thread through the hair at his nape. “It’s like flying; it’s like skydiving; it’s like…”

Her lips covered his with an eagerness that made his muscles harden against her softness. It was he who finally broke the hot, fluid contact. He lifted his head and drew in a deep breath as if his lungs were starved for oxygen.

“Well, no one could accuse you of being coy,” Joel said. His lips twisted wryly as he looked down into her eyes, sparkling like rich cognac. “Are you always this frank and straightforward?”

Her hands were running caressingly through his thick, dark hair. It felt as clean and vibrant as the rest of him. “I try to be,” she said vaguely. Her face clouded as she remembered that she hadn’t been entirely honest tonight with either Dave or Skip. How could she have been when there was so much at stake? But she wouldn’t think of that now. It brought a return of the crushing heaviness that seemed to be always with her and that, miraculously, had lifted for the last few hours. “Sometimes it’s not so easy,” she said uncertainly. “But I like to think that I’m a fairly honest person.” Her face was as troubled as an open, innocent child. “Does it matter to you?”

He felt a sudden melting tenderness that was as poignant as it was unexpected. She looked so vulnerable and unhappy after her brief burst of joyous merriment that he felt a surge of fierce protectiveness, completely at odds with the desire wracking him. Immediately he experienced defensive anger. Dammit, what was the woman doing to him?

“Your honesty matters a hell of a lot,” he said at last and with soft menace. “You won’t find me very lenient if you ever decide that being honest with me is a little too ‘difficult’ for you, Kendra. I won’t tolerate you cheating on me. While we’re together, there won’t be any other men in your bed.” His lips curved in a mirthless smile as he gazed down at her bewildered face. His hand deliberately fell from her shoulders to the curve of her buttocks and brought her swiftly into the cradle of his hips so that she could feel the bold hardness of his arousal. His smile deepened at the gasp that she gave as her hands clenched spasmodically on his shoulders. “As you can see, I plan to keep you very occupied from now on.”

Then without waiting for her to reply, his mouth was once again on hers and this time there was no tentativeness and very little tenderness. His hot passion was so intense it was almost brutal. She made a soft moan of protest that was almost inaudible. He must have heard it, however, for abruptly the harshness ceased though the tenderness didn’t return. Instead, he practiced a skilled voluptuousness that wooed her into blind, submissive need. She writhed in his cupping hands like a wild thing. Her lips and tongue responded to him with a thirst that mirrored the hunger she felt in his tense, hard body.

He broke away and there was a look of grim satisfaction on his face as he took in the wild rose flush on her cheeks and the bruised softness of her lips. “You’re a very hot lady, Kendra Michaels,” he drawled, a flicker of triumph in his eyes. “Which is damn fortunate for me. If I’m going to be caught in this sweet little trap, I’ll be damned if you won’t be there with me.”

“Trap?”

“Never mind.” He was suddenly on his feet and lifting her from the bed. “Come on, let’s get out of here.” He picked up the chiffon wrap from where it had fallen on the bed and drew it carefully around her. Then he was grasping her by the wrist and pulling her toward the door.

“But where are we going?” she asked, startled. She was knocked totally off balance first by the most intense, sensual euphoria she’d ever experienced and now by this sudden about-face.

“If we stay here another five minutes, all those coats and capes are going to end up on the floor and we’re going to be between the sheets.” His lips tightened grimly. “And everyone downstairs will put two and two together and be trying to imagine just exactly what we’re doing to one another in that bed.” He shot her a dark glance. “Ordinarily, I wouldn’t give a damn, but for some reason I’m feeling as possessive as the devil about you. I won’t let those bastards run their thoughts over you any more than I will let their hands.” He paused at the door to take out his pristine white handkerchief and dab at her lips. “You’re a little mussed,” he said and smiled as his other hand tidied her hair. “Delightful, but too obvious all the same.”

He opened the door and propelled her down the corridor, his hand cupping her elbow with an impersonal courtesy.

“We’re going back to the party?” she asked, confused. They started down the stairs.

“No way,” he said, adroitly avoiding a couple standing on the bottom step. He gently guided her across the foyer to the front door. “We’re getting out of this zoo.”

She tried to push the shock and disappointment away. She didn’t want to go home. She had never known such magic. She wanted it to go on and on forever. “You’re taking me home?”

“In a manner of speaking,” he answered quietly, an enigmatic expression on his face. He opened the front door and allowed her to precede him. “Yes, we’re going home now, Kendra.”