Hidden Talents

his powerfully contoured shoulders, revealing the sleek, muscled strength in him. Serenity could hardly breathe. In spite of the steamy, tropical atmosphere, she couldn't stop shivering. This had definitely not been one of her better ideas.
    Turning her back to the tub once more, she took a deep breath, peeled off the jumpsuit and grabbed a towel. In fact, this whole thing hadn't actually been her idea at all, she reminded herself as she secured the towel. Caleb was the one who had suggested that they get into the tub. She wondered if he was having any problem maintaining a gender-neutral attitude or if the excitement was happening only on her side.
    In the damp, heated darkness Caleb waited for her. She felt his eyes on her as she walked to the edge of the tub. She knew she was moving with the kind of dainty caution a doe used to approach a waterhole. She felt ridiculous, but was unable to ignore the fact that, while Caleb was merely silhouetted by the light from the windows behind him, she was clearly revealed by the pale glow.
    She dipped one toe into the water and froze. She couldn't bring herself to release the towel. She stared helplessly at Caleb's shadowed face, willing him to come to her rescue, to provide a way out of the awkward situation.
    As if he could read her mind, Caleb leaned his head back against the edge of the tub and simply closed his eyes.
    Serenity breathed a small sigh of relief, unwrapped the towel and slipped into the tub. She sat down quickly on the submerged bench.
    Reassured by the knowledge that he couldn't see any more of her beneath the frothing water than she could of him, Serenity racked her brain for polite conversation. She grabbed the first stray thought that popped into her head.
    “You handled Blade very well this morning.”
    “I did, didn't I?” Caleb did not open his eyes. “Considering the fact that I was really pissed off at the time.”
    Serenity tried and failed to see his expression. “Pissed off?”
    “Yeah, pissed off. Can't remember the last time I felt like decking someone.”
    “Oh.” Serenity did not know how to respond to that. “I appreciate the fact that you restrained yourself.”
    “Think nothing of it. I appreciate your jumping in to defend me. Can't recall the last time someone did that, either.”
    “Blood in the aisles would not have been good for business.”
    “You have all the right instincts for a successful entrepreneur.” He turned his head slightly. There was just enough light to reveal the amused curve of his mouth. “You know, all in all, this has been a very unusual week for me.”
    “Is that so?”
    “A lot of firsts.”
    “Firsts?”
    “First time that I've ever taken on an off-the-wall consulting job like this one.”
    “It's not off-the-wall,” Serenity said, instantly on the defensive.
    “First time that I've ever come close to getting into a brawl with a paranoid lunatic.”
    “Blade isn't a lunatic. He just functions in two different realities at the same time. It's not uncommon. Zone does that, too.”
    “First time that I've ever participated in an act of breaking and entering.”
    “Wait a minute.” Serenity was outraged now. “Are you talking about that business in Ambrose's basement this morning? That wasn't breaking and entering. I had a perfect right to search for those negatives.”
    “First time that I've ever felt jealous of a man I'd never met.”
    “ Jealous ?” Serenity was floored by that item on his list of firsts. “Are you talking about Lloyd?”
    “Yes.”
    “Why on earth would you be jealous of him?”
    Caleb ignored the question. “First time that I've ever sat in a hot tub.”
    “You told me that earlier,” Serenity said, disgruntled with the change of topic. Had he actually been jealous of Lloyd? she wondered. “It's no big deal. Personally, I sit around in hot tubs all the time.”
    “Did you ever share your hot tub with Radburn?”
    “What? Oh. No, I didn't, not that it's any of your business.”
    Caleb lifted his lashes and looked at her. “I want you.”
    Serenity was struck dumb. She could not think of an appropriate response. She couldn't think of any response. If only he hadn't turned on her when he'd learned about the photos. If only she could trust him. If only, if only, if only.
    “Serenity?” His voice was husky with unmistakable desire.
    She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue, swallowed a few times to clear her throat and drew a deep breath. “What