“He didn’t actually lie,” Tara murmured.
“He didn’t tell the truth, either.”
“No.” And he’d led her to believe he would keep her informed all the way, Tara remembered irritably. Yet he’d told her almost nothing since they’d arrived in Savannah.
She was getting angrier all the time. It would serve him right if she did make him sweat. Unfortunately, Tara had never developed the skills required to turn a man to jelly.
The woman in the mirror, however...
She eyed her reflection thoughtfully as Stephanie slipped quietly out of the room.
9
STEPHANIE MUST not have lingered long after leaving the bedroom she’d offered Tara. It was only a few minutes later when Tara heard someone step through the doorway behind her. She turned slowly from her fascinated contemplation of the striking woman in the full-length mirror—a woman who looked so very different from serious, straitlaced Tara McBride.
Blake had been smiling as he entered the room. When Tara turned to face him, he stumbled to a halt, his smile slowly fading.
In fascination, Tara studied the stunned expression on his face—an expression she’d sometimes witnessed when men first noticed her beautiful cousin, Savannah. Tara didn’t remember any man ever looking at her quite this way.
The surge of recklessness that poured through her was new to her—and strangely exhilarating.
Blake’s gaze traveled slowly from her sexily tousled red curls to her pouty crimson mouth, and then moved downward to take in the shocking dip of her neckline. She wore no shoes, only very sheer black stockings. Holding her head high, she resisted an urge to curl her toes into the carpet like an embarrassed kid.
Blake seemed to grope for words. “Wow,” was all he finally said.
Power. She felt her power in the dazed look in his eyes, in the husky edge to his voice.
She’d been able to intimidate men in the past with her intelligence, her determination, her ambition and her position. But she’d never felt the sheer, feminine power of knowing a man had just looked at her and had his knees go weak in response. Never.
And it felt wonderful. Especially with this particular man, who’d already made Tara’s knees melt on numerous occasions with his sexy smiles and cocky walk.
“Well? What do you think?” She deliberately lowered her voice an octave as she spoke, holding out her arms and making a slow pirouette. “Will anyone recognize me?”
“I hardly recognize you myself,” Blake replied, his voice still sounding a bit odd.
She reached up to run a hand through her newly shortened and curled hair, fully aware that the movement pulled her dress tight against her breasts. “Is that good or bad?”
She watche
d as Blake’s eyes glazed. “I—er—haven’t decided.”
He took a few steps closer. “I’ve always thought you were beautiful, Tara. But you look downright deadly now.”
She pursed her lips. “I’m not sure that sounds like a compliment.”
His gaze focused on her pouting mouth. “I’m not sure I meant it as one.”
She reached up to run a fingertip across his lower lip. “Careful, Blake,” she warned softly. “The way you’re looking at me might just give me ideas.”
He slid his hands around her waist. “You’ve already given me a few,” he muttered, pulling her closer.
Feeling daring and wicked and still more than a little annoyed with him, she slid her hands up his chest to his shoulders, her face tilted invitingly upward. “Anything you want to share?”
“Oh, yeah.” He ducked his head, and brushed his lips across hers. Once, and then again. She didn’t respond, but didn’t draw back, either.
“Tara.” His voice came out a groan. “You’re driving me crazy. I’m trying to keep a clear head, but I can’t seem to think straight when you’re around. That hasn’t happened to me before, especially not in the middle of a case.”
His words—and the uncharacteristically humble tone in which he spoke them—jolted her. She steeled herself against the smoldering look in his eyes, reminding herself that he’d lied to her, at least by omission, about Stephanie. He’d let her worry and stew about the other woman, feeling guilty for kissing him in Stephanie’s bed, when for all Tara had known, Blake had occupied that bed many times before.