Forbidden Fantasies Bundle(129)

He shot her a grin as he pulled the car onto the street. “It’s a date.”



JED CALHOUN WIPED the steam off the bathroom mirror and studied his reflection until he was sure that every trace of Ethan Blair was gone. He ran his fingers through his hair three times until he was satisfied that the style was back to normal, albeit shorter. The only other part of Ethan that remained was the bandage on his upper arm. He’d replaced the one that Zoë had put on him, and the job he’d done wasn’t half as neat as hers had been.

Zoë. He couldn’t seem to get her out of his mind. He pulled on a T-shirt and briefs that he’d copped from Ryder’s dresser. But he’d have to wear “Ethan’s” slacks. The idea of that brought a quick frown to his face.

If he could have avoided wearing anything of Ethan’s, he would have, but Ryder’s jeans wouldn’t fit him. His friend was a bit shorter and wider at the waist. In the shower, it had struck him that his efforts to get rid of all traces of Ethan Blair were all because of Zoë.

He couldn’t help thinking of Ethan as a rival. He was jealous of a man he’d created, a man who didn’t exist, a man who was him. If he could have had his wish, he’d go find Zoë right now and make love to her over and over until she completely forgot that Ethan Blair ever existed.

He met his eyes in the mirror and slowly shook his head again. Insane. That’s what he was. Somehow the woman had gotten into his system and attacked his brain cells. He should avoid her like the plague. And he would—at least until he solved his more pressing problems. Plan A was getting into Bailey Montgomery’s office tonight. If that failed…he was going to have a little heart-to-heart with Bailey herself.

On that note, he opened the bathroom door and stepped into the hall. At the same moment, the doors of Ryder’s private elevator door slid open, and Zoë walked through them.

Jed stopped dead in his tracks. His first thought was that he’d conjured her up. His gaze was drawn to her lacey camisole. She was wearing the same clothes she’d been wearing the night before. The memory had his blood heating. And the red lace panties? Was she wearing those, also? For some ridiculous reason it bothered him that Ethan Blair had seen them first.

“I…” she said, finally breaking the silence that stretched between them. She turned as if to run, but the elevator doors had already slid shut. Whirling back, she scurried for the kitchen area and put the small island between them. Then she faced him and met his eyes. “Ryder didn’t tell me you were here. He just said to come up and make myself at home.” She raised her hands and dropped them. “I don’t expect you’re happy to see me.”

She wasn’t a figment of his imagination. This was the real Zoë, nervous as a mouse. Cute as a button. He wanted to eat her right up. And for some reason her nerves eased his own tension as he moved forward. “Why would you think that I wouldn’t want to see you?”

“Because…” She paused to twist her hands together. “You didn’t call.”

The phone rang.

“Speaking of calls, hold that thought.” Jed circled the counter, and keeping his eyes on Zoë, picked up the phone on the wall behind the island. “Yeah?”

“Zoë’s on her way up,” Ryder said.

“She’s here. Thanks for the warning.”

“I tried, but you didn’t answer.”

“I was in the shower.”

“Well, she gave my men at the hotel the slip. I didn’t think you’d want her wandering around D.C. without some kind of protection. Besides, she has something to tell you. And don’t you have something you want to tell her?”

Jed could hear the suppressed laughter in Ryder’s voice.

“This is your chance to dig yourself out of that hole you’re in,” Ryder continued. “Or one of them at least.”

“Thanks.” Jed hung up the phone. There would be a time when he’d get even with his friend, but not now. There might also be a time when he’d confess to Zoë that he was Ethan Blair. But not until he’d taken the opportunity to wipe that man right out of her mind.

He took a step toward her, and Zoë stiffened. But she didn’t scurry to the other side of the counter this time.

“I think…you should get dressed,” she said.

Jed glanced down at his briefs and remembered that he’d been on his way to get his slacks out of the guest room. But he wasn’t about to put on Ethan’s clothes. She might recognize them. “First I want to finish the conversation we were having just before Ryder called.”