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  He opened her blouse and was astonished to find that she wore a lacy bra of dark purple satin. The choice seemed out of character, making him wonder what else he hadn’t imagined about this woman. Was there more to her than met the eye? He was tempted to believe it, but knew it would be foolish to become involved.

  Instead, he let his admiration of her choice of lingerie show. He traced a fingertip along one edge as she blushed. She was slender, but her breasts were a generous feast. He would never have guessed that her jeans and practical shirt hid such ripe femininity, but she was as curvaceous as a goddess.

  Maybe closer to being his kind of woman than he’d guessed.

  Again, he was surprised.

  “You are beautiful,” he said, and meant it.

  She might have protested, but he brushed a light kiss across her mouth. She sighed as the firestorm’s flames danced between them.

  Then she touched her tongue to his.

  Lorenzo thought he would explode.

  “Beautiful,” he whispered into her ear, letting his fingers slide along her throat. She arched her back beneath his caress and he smiled at her loveliness. He slid his palm over her breast, loving how she caught her breath when he touched her taut nipple. “Exquisite,” he added, then pinched that turgid nipple.

  She gasped; then he kissed her again. He unfastened her jeans, discarding the boots and masculine clothing that hid her many charms. His fingertips told him that her panties matched the bra. And her skin was so fair—the contrast would be gorgeous.

  Lorenzo had to see.

  He sat up and surveyed the perfection of her lounging on his bed, the red-gold waves of her hair in disarray, the purple lingerie making her skin look like flawless ivory. He was astonished. He would never have guessed that such a gem was hidden by her armor.

  She reached out, smiled, and hooked a finger into the waistband of his bathing suit. Lorenzo smiled, shed it, then returned to the bed. Her eyes glowed with anticipation as he took her in his arms again, and their kiss fired his blood even more. He removed her panties and caressed her, loving how she caught her breath at his first touch.

  And after that, there was no time for conversation. The firestorm drove them to erotic heights, pushing them to satisfy each other over and over again. Lorenzo had never had such a coupling. Her passion challenged all of his assumptions about humans—and her unexpected laughter provoked a reaction deep within him that he would have preferred not to feel.

  Hours later, Lorenzo stood beside the bed, watching the woman sleep as he dressed. He was both exhausted and yearning for more. He was physically sated, but still there was more he wanted to know about this woman. He couldn’t reconcile her no-nonsense appearance with her luxurious taste in lingerie, her apparent pragmatism with her passion. She had surprised him more than once, which was a novelty to him.

  He didn’t even know her name.

  He reminded himself that he didn’t want to. Such curiosity was dangerous. More information could only lead to more entanglement between them. They’d done what had to be done. He would leave it at that.

  He had beguiled her, Lorenzo reminded himself. Just because she’d found him attractive didn’t mean that she’d intended to do anything about it, either today or any other day. He felt a twinge of guilt about his decision, but couldn’t regret all that had happened between them.

  That was when he realized he’d forgotten to feed the flames in his eyes after he’d been startled by the sight of her lingerie. Beguiling had gotten her into his bed—the seduction that had followed had been by mutual choice. Some other sorcery had unfolded between the two of them then, some other magic that had surprised him with its ardent heat.

  He’d probably never see her again.

  And even though that was exactly what he had thought he wanted, Lorenzo was disappointed by the prospect. Unlike most women, one interlude with this one hadn’t been enough.

  That hadn’t happened to him since Caterina.

  Which should have been warning enough.

  Lorenzo stretched out one hand—hoping on some level that he hadn’t been thorough enough, knowing that he had. There was no flame between them any longer.

  The spark was dead.

  The firestorm was over.

  Lorenzo would not be disappointed.

  He sighed, even so.

  He should be relieved. He should be glad that there would be nothing drawing him to this woman again. He told himself that the only good news was that he’d been smart enough to not fall under the firestorm’s spell. He’d acted quickly, solved the issue, and now could push it—and the woman—from his thoughts. It was exactly what he wanted.

  Even if he felt cheated.

  Even if he felt once again the hope that Caterina’s betrayal should have killed forever.

  It wasn’t smart to yearn.

  And Lorenzo was smart.

  Even if he had to remind himself—twice—of that.

  Lorenzo took one backward glance from the threshold, unable to resist the sight of her, then left the theater.

  Cassie awakened alone in Lorenzo’s dressing room.

  She was naked, her clothes folded neatly on a nearby chair. Her lingerie was on top. She certainly hadn’t left her clothes that way—they’d been flung in every direction when she’d peeled them off. She had also been tucked into the bed by somebody and she could guess who it had been.

  Why would that surprise her? Lorenzo had been a thoughtful lover.

  A thorough one.

  If one she hadn’t planned on having. Cassie sat up in a hurry and shoved a hand through her hair. She looked around once more, this time with alarm.

  What the hell had happened here? Where was Stacy? How could Cassie have abandoned her? What time was it? How had she ended up being impulsive when she was normally cautious about sex?

  Cassie felt as if an alien had taken possession of her body and mind. She never did things like this. She never would have willingly left Stacy alone.

  On the other hand, Stacy had always insisted that she should have more fun.

  When she stopped to think about it, Cassie felt pretty good about taking her friend’s advice.

  This interval with Lorenzo made her wonder whether she’d missed out on a whole range of experience. It had been, without a doubt, the best sex she’d ever had. Was that because it had been impulsive? She was both exhausted and stimulated. She’d been not only more impetuous than usual, but had felt more comfortable with her own body. She’d felt sexy. She’d felt powerful. And what they’d done to pleasure each other had been phenomenal.

  Stacy was the one person who would understand a desire to be impulsive about sex. She’d probably congratulate Cassie on finally loosening up.

  But still. She’d met her share of charmers in her time, and nobody but nobody had ever gotten her into bed on the first date.

  Never mind before a first date.

  The whole thing was surreal. There’d been that leaping spark between them, the one he’d launched in her direction over and over again. She had felt raw lust every time he’d stepped onto the stage. Again—Lorenzo was gorgeous, but Cassie dealt with gorgeous hunks all the time. None of them had ever had this effect on her.

  Then there’d been the dragon snatching her up. The burning heat everywhere they touched, like little armies of flames, and the glow of fire on her skin. There had been those flames in Lorenzo’s eyes.

  Had they been a reflection?

  How had he made her burn with desire?

  Cassie didn’t doubt that all women found him attractive and liked the eye candy he offered, but her reaction had been a bit vehement. How had he so entranced her?

  Was it legal?

  Or was he a hypnotist?

  The scary part was that Cassie didn’t regret a
thing—well, except leaving Stacy alone. She didn’t doubt that she’d do it all over again given the chance. Whatever it was that Lorenzo was serving in this theater, Cassie needed to get away from it and recover her senses.

  Well, five of her senses were present and accounted for. He’d experimented with every one of them. It was her common sense that was AWOL.

  Cassie got out of bed, intent on leaving right away.

  She listened but couldn’t hear anything outside the room. It might be soundproofed. (She hoped so, given the noises she’d made.) She also couldn’t tell what time it was. There were no clocks in the dressing room, which struck her as an odd thing.

  There was a connected half bathroom, which she made use of. She was amazed by her own reflection. She looked sparkly, which was a change from her usual world-weary expression. Younger. More vibrant.

  Whatever Lorenzo had going on, he should bottle it and sell it.

  On the other hand, he probably made enough money using it to enhance his show.

  Just as Stacy had said, he was amazing.

  He’d been amazing after the show, that was for sure.

  Cassie laughed. She started to whistle as she dressed. She felt good. Really good. And that couldn’t be all bad.

  There was a soft rap at the door while she was tugging on her boots. One of the stage assistants smiled at her when she answered the door. “Good. You’re awake,” she said. “Will you be leaving now?”

  It wasn’t exactly subtle. Cassie flushed a bit, realizing that everyone backstage knew what had happened in the dressing room whether they’d overheard her enthusiasm or not. “What time is it?”

  “Just after six.” The woman fidgeted a little, in a hurry to get something done.

  “Is there an evening show?”

  “At ten,” the woman answered with a nod. There was concern in her eyes. “Will you be going now?”

  Cassie understood. “Is that what he likes . . . ?” She gestured when she left the question hanging, inviting the woman to share her name.

  “Ursula.” She smiled a little. “He’s very concerned with his preparations, with ensuring that each show is perfect.”

  Cassie knew then that the woman feared she would be blamed if Cassie was still there. And she wasn’t quite ready to face Lorenzo herself. What kind of power did he have that he could make her forget herself so easily? Could he do it to her again?

  Besides, Stacy would be concerned.

  “I’ve got to find my friend,” Cassie said, to Ursula’s obvious relief.

  “He always arranges for a limo,” she said. “Just ask at the concierge for Lorenzo’s car.”

  Right. Always. Lorenzo did this so often that he had a system. That took a little of the afterglow away. Cassie had been right—she’d sat, literally, in the hot seat.

  Well, she wasn’t going to be just another one of the women seduced by Lorenzo and cast aside. And she wasn’t going to let everyone in the place know that she was the woman who had gotten it from Lorenzo after the matinee today. “Right. Thanks again.”

  “Bye.” Ursula smiled, her relief clear. “Take care.”

  Cassie started to head for the lobby, trying to convince herself that a nice dinner would set her to rights. Maybe a drink. Maybe three. Of course, she didn’t need to lose any more inhibitions.

  She stopped partway, belatedly deciding to be unobtrusive again. “Ursula, is there a back door?”

  “Sure. Right this way.” Ursula smiled and gestured.

  A heavyset man smiled at Cassie as he opened the door, ushering her out of Lorenzo’s little world.

  Cassie heaved a sigh of relief when she stepped into the rear parking lot. The sky was beginning to darken and she could see a few stars coming out. The air was cooler too. Beside the stage door was a parking spot, labeled “Lorenzo.” No surprise there.

  The spot was empty, which worked for Cassie in a big way.

  She darted down the back lane, scooting around Dumpsters and employee cars, feeling as if she was on her usual turf. She wasn’t really surprised that the distance to her own hotel was shorter this way. She figured Stacy had headed back when Cassie had disappeared backstage. She walked quickly, refusing to name the source of her new optimism and energy.

  Stacy was going to gloat, but Cassie was okay with that.

  She was okay with pretty much everything at this moment in time.

  Thanks to Lorenzo and his Trial by Fire.

  Cassie decided that she really needed a drink.

  Lorenzo parked his car, sliding to a halt in a flurry of red dust. He got out, locked and armed it by habit, then strode closer to the site of his upcoming feat. The sun was just setting, its orange light and the long shadows making the rock formations look eerie and exotic.

  He should have been soothed by arriving here. That was why he had stopped on his way back to town.

  But he was still edgy.

  Where was the stupid crystal?

  As was his practice when he felt agitated, Lorenzo reviewed the long list of things that he controlled—or which were turned to his advantage.

  He liked the setting for his spectacle. It would occur at almost exactly this time of day. Lorenzo considered the striped sky with the rocks silhouetted against it and liked the visual effect. That view would make a stunning backdrop to his spectacle. Even on a small screen, it would be impressive.

  He’d checked the weather again, and it was still supposed to be clear. Of course, it was usually clear in Nevada at this time of year, which was why he’d scheduled a June date, but still—having the weather on his side was good.

  There were no snoops or paparazzi poking around the site. It was still a relative secret, which was good.

  He forced himself to exhale. He’d gotten that last detail on the car modification fixed to his satisfaction, after all.

  He wouldn’t think about how much extra he’d paid for the mechanic’s silence.

  Or that he’d beguiled the man, just to guarantee his word was kept.

  Preparations here at the site were going well. The foreman was excellent and his attention to detail was extreme. Lorenzo walked through the site again, reviewing a thousand details, and was pleased by their progress.

  The equipment had arrived for lowering the car into the hole and looked impressive, just as he had ordered it. The chains were large, and powerful in appearance. It was all too big and too much. The stainless steel would all have to be polished again, right before the show, but the sun shining on the polished metal would look good. The hole was massive and deep. Impressive.

  Lorenzo shook hands with the foreman and congratulated him on the near-completion of the job. He met with the security personnel, reviewing their duty roster, emphasizing that security must be complete.

  Even after all that, Lorenzo was agitated.

  Matters had been subdued at the house, which was good. His father had retired to his rooms, which meant one less confrontation for the day. The old man still hadn’t packed, but they would argue about that later.

  The employment agency, well aware of his needs, had sent a new couple as potential employees. Of course, no one knew that they’d soon be looking for employment again. Lorenzo made a mental note to ensure that they were compensated for their trouble. He had been pleased by the pair, especially as they’d been readily beguiled.

  He’d satisfied the firestorm. He knew it wasn’t burning anymore.

  The preparations would be made for the evening show already. His assistants were excellent.

  The incident with the woman and his dragon form should make for good publicity. Such coverage was always welcome before a big spectacle. If it didn’t appear in the news media tonight, he’d leak it through his usual channels so it would make the morning news. He made a mental note to check.

&
nbsp; The sex had been great.

  Unexpectedly great. He could have closed his eyes and relived every moment of it, but Lorenzo didn’t have time for such indulgences.

  The crystal was still gone, but so far, no one was attempting to collect it—or demand a due for him losing it. Would his luck hold until Saturday?

  Something else wasn’t right.

  Lorenzo reviewed his list again. He sat in the car and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, listening to the satisfying thrum of the engine. And that was when he knew.

  He sensed trouble approaching. He could smell the proximity of Erik Sorensson and knew that they would argue about the firestorm.

  Of course. It was inevitable.

  He hoped they wouldn’t argue about the crystal.

  Either way, they would argue on Lorenzo’s terms.

  Lorenzo hit the gas to leave the site of the scheduled spectacle. He loved how the engine roared and the car fishtailed in the red dust. It lunged for the road, the tires squealing as they gained traction on the asphalt. He glanced up and grinned, barely discerning the distant silhouette of a pewter dragon.

  Lorenzo floored the accelerator and the car raced toward the distant lights of Vegas.

  If Erik wanted to give him shit, he could work for it.

  And he could do it on Lorenzo’s turf.

  Cassie was relieved to step into the air-conditioned comfort of the hotel where she and Stacy were staying. She was even more glad to spot Stacy perched on a stool at the bar in the lobby. Her friend had a large pink drink in front of her, complete with paper umbrella, and was flirting with a handsome stranger.

  No wonder she looked so happy. This guy’s attention was exactly what Stacy needed.

  Never mind that the drink matched her shoes. That kind of detail always put Stacy in a good mood. Maybe it hadn’t worked out so badly that Cassie had been a crappy friend.

  Cassie debated the merit of just going up to the room and leaving the pair alone, but Stacy spotted her and waved. Her smile got wider and brighter.

  “There you are!” she said, jumping from her stool to give Cassie a hug. “Isn’t he divine?” she whispered, then stepped back, continuing in a normal tone. “Cassie, this is Jean-Pierre. He’s visiting from Paris. Jean-Pierre, my friend Cassie.”