THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

of marching into his bedroom and demanding that he move over so she could get some sleep. And her virtue, such as it was, would be safe with him. Provided, of course, that she wanted it to be safe. She had no doubt he’d rise to the occasion, so to speak, if she needed him to. But despite his obvious and earthy charms, she didn’t really want him.
    Yes, her virtue would be safe with Eli.
    With Delano, however…
    Okay, Eli it is.
    Except when she reached his room and pushed the door open, he wasn’t there. Judging from the undisturbed state of the bed, he hadn’t yet retired. She pushed her hair back out of her eyes. No problem. She would find him and persuade him to go to bed, at least long enough for her to get to sleep.
    Four minutes later, she conceded he was nowhere to be found in the penthouse, and she knew he wouldn’t be in the lab. Not without Delano. Reluctantly, she concluded he was still out taking care of the details that would keep them safe.
    Well, so much for that great idea.
    She headed back to her own quarters, but once outside her bedroom door, she stopped. Dammit, she just couldn’t go back in there to wrestle with the blankets and her own thoughts.
    She glanced down the hallway and felt that yearning again.
    Screw it. She’d just go look in on him. Just to satisfy her curiosity about the day sleep thing.
     
     

 
    Chapter 15
     
    AINSLEY HELD her breath as she pushed Delano’s bedroom door inward. It swung open soundlessly on well-oiled hinges.
    Well, that answered one question. He obviously felt good enough about the penthouse’s security that he didn’t have a backup alarm system to alert him to intrusions into his inner sanctum.
    And, damn, it was dark. Apart from the wedge of pale light stretching out on the carpet — she’d turned on a lamp in the adjoining sitting room — the bedroom was in complete blackness. Man, she’d thought her own bedroom was plenty dark. The one window in her room was heavily shaded to facilitate day sleeping, but it was nothing compared to this. Of course, this room was windowless, as she’d discovered that night she’d ventured in here to see what she could learn about her mysterious boss.
    She stood in the doorway a moment, waiting for her eyes to acclimatize. Eventually, she made out the edge of bed, and there was the tall dresser, the one that held the framed photo of his long-dead wife.
    Treading carefully, she moved into the room, gliding up to the bed. She paused another moment until she could make out his form. He lay on his side, on the far side of the bed, facing the wall, like any man might in his sleep. Somehow, she’d expected something different.
    Well, okay, she’d half expected him to sleep on his back, with his hands folded on his breast like vampires in the movies.
    She held her breath a moment, listening. There! She could hear his breathing. Deep and even. The sound was impossibly soothing, hypnotic. Oh Lord, if she could just lie there beside him and listen to his soft, regular respirations, she knew she could sleep.
    She swayed on her feet, weary beyond belief.
    Why shouldn’t she sleep here? What could it hurt? She’d wake up before Delano did anyway. She always rose well before him.
    She glanced around the room. Maybe she could drag that chair over, the one she’d fallen asleep in that night she’d come snooping. That way, she’d be close enough to hear the soothing rhythm of his breathing, yet she wouldn’t be invading his space so brazenly.
    Except she didn’t want to sleep in a damned chair and wake up with a headache even worse than the one that pounded in her temples already.
    “Delano?” No response.
    She called his name again, this time a little louder. Again, he didn’t stir, nor did his respirations change.
    Well, that settled it. She could sleep here and he’d be none the wiser come evening. She’d rise while he slept, smooth the blankets back into place and be on her way.
    Still, her heart pounded like crazy as she drew the lightweight covers back and perched gingerly on the edge of the bed, but he made no reaction to the depression of the mattress.
    “Del?” murmured. Again, no response.
    Carefully, she lay down on the bed, pulling the covers up to her shoulders. When he failed to stir, she let her breath escape on a sigh, rolled onto her side to face the door and drew her knees up. Finally, finally, she could sleep. She let her eyes drift shut and was gone in moments.
     
    The dream had him