THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

her problems and didn’t deserve to be caught in the crossfire if Mason caught up with her.
    She’d have to dress right here for any hope at getting out the door fast enough.
     
    Chapter 14
     
    Zane heard Angel call out the second time as he finished his conversation with the High Vision representative.
    No definitive time as yet for picking up their overseas shipment expected to arrive in Jacksonville any day now. He’d fly out the minute he was notified. Zane had three days left to prove to High Vision he was the perfect choice to handle their southeastern cargo shipping.
    It might be easier to hand the entire contract to one of the other two groups contending for their business, but Zane had outperformed both of them every time they went head to head in the southeast. This was his territory.
    By the time he ended his call and checked on Angel, the bathroom was vacant. His stomach fell.
    Was she gone again?
    He rushed toward the kitchen, halting one step from plowing through the knee-to-shoulder café doors that hung between the kitchen and living room.
    The curvaceous body that had raced through his dreams came into view, barely covered with a towel.
    Good thing he’d stopped here. The swinging doors hid just how much he appreciated what the terrycloth didn’t cover of Angel’s body. His mouth turned to cotton just looking at those legs. Don’t even think about looking at her chest .
    She turned around and caught him staring. Guilty.
    Now handcuff me and make me pay .
    He should turn around and walk away. But if it were that easy, he’d have done it already.
    She cleared her throat and asked, “Did you want something?”
    Loaded question. Hell, yes, he wanted something. Her.
    Admitting that wouldn’t earn him any points. Not after he’d screwed up on the patio. Had he really said wanting to kiss her made him angry? Idiot. She’d thought he was trying to trick her.
    He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Find everything okay?”
    “Yes.” 
    Damp strands of cinnamon hair licked her shoulders. One wisp clung to her cheek. She tucked the end of the towel in tighter at the top of her toga wrap, sending his damned gaze there. Drops of water trickled down her slender neck to the slight crevice created by two soft mounds of ivory breast.
    Following that trickle with his tongue would be heaven.
    Spending a night in the same apartment with her and only thinking about chasing that water droplet might kill him.
    “Give me a minute and I’ll get dressed.”  She lifted the wad of clothes to her chest.
    He wanted to kick himself. She didn’t need some guy leering at her after all she’d been through. And he didn’t even know everything she’d been through.
    “I heard you call, but I was on the phone,” he mumbled, backing away. “I’ll wait in the front room.” He turned and walked away, hearing the sounds of her footsteps hurrying behind him from the kitchen to the bathroom. By the time the door closed, he still stood at rock hard attention. If she dressed slowly enough, he might be at ease by the time she got back.
    Think about ... flying .
    What the hell was wrong with him? He had better control than that, but dammit he’d never been turned on so fast around a woman who wasn’t trying to raise his interest.
    Angel sure as hell wasn’t trying to encourage him. She wouldn’t even be here now if he hadn’t coerced her into staying with him. He’d have done worse than manipulate her if it kept her off the streets and somewhere he could protect her.
    No, he couldn’t blame Angel for his lack of control.
    He’d dated some hot women and had no trouble finding someone to spend a night burning off energy with, so this clawing need to keep her close and to touch her made no sense. He was overdue for some serious downtime. This proved it, because Angel was pretty, but nothing like the women he normally chose.
    He’d never gone for thin and muscular.
    Liar. That body was trim and well toned.
    And her eyes were too big for her face.
    Soft eyes that carried too much living for someone her age and more emotion than she liked revealing. When her guard dropped an inch, her lashes would lower to half-mast.
    Then she’d smile.
    Yeah, she had a heart-stopping smile and legs ... good Lord, what a set ... that went on forever and...
    Hell. He started getting hard again and she wasn’t even in the room.
    He had the discipline of a goat.
    Shaking his head, he wandered into the kitchen. Maybe another bottle of