Finally, garnering her courage, she lifted her eyelids and looked up into the face of the man she loved. Ronnie Martine smiled down at her. She sighed contentedly and returned his smile.

"I've been trying to seduce you," she told him. "I've used all my feminine wiles on you."

"I know." He pressed his cheek to hers and glided her around the room.

The temperature inside the old house had to be in the nineties and the humidity made it feel like a hundred. But the external heat was nothing to compare to the fire burning inside Charmaine. Hot, raging hunger boiled through her veins, peaking her nipples and moistening her femininity. She wanted… needed… craved… some good loving from a good man.

"I'm in love with you," she said.

His smile widened. "Yeah, I know." His large hand splayed across the center of her lower back and urged her closer-close enough so that she felt his arousal. "I love you, too," he whispered in her ear.

The world outside Ronnie's arms ceased to exist, magically shrinking to encompass only the two of them. Happiness exploded in the very depths of her soul. Whatever price she had to pay for this moment in time, she would gladly pay. But did she have the right to ask Ronnie to risk everything-his very life-to love her?

She gazed up at him through half-closed eyes and said, "You realize that if Booth ever finds out, he'll kill us both."

Ronnie halted the dance, but didn't release her. "I'll make sure he doesn't find out. I promise. I'll keep you safe."

"Booth is dangerous… very dangerous. Are you sure you're willing to risk-?"

Ronnie kissed her. Tenderly. Possessively. And it was all she'd ever dreamed it would be. There was no way to describe how he made her feel-all hot and cold at the same time. She had loved Jed Tyree with the raging hormones passion of a teenager; but that love had burned itself out long ago. What she felt for Ronnie was a woman's passion, a love that could last a lifetime.

When he deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue into her open mouth to taste and probe, she sampled his mouth in the same fashion. They kissed; they touched. She whimpered; he groaned. Sweat trickled between her breasts, over her belly and into the triangle of red curls between her legs. Ronnie cupped her hips and lifted her up and against him, pressing her mound against his erection.

"I want to make love to you," he told her.

"Yes, yes," she sighed the words against his neck, then licked the perspiration from his throat.

He glanced over her shoulder, exploring their surroundings. "You should have silk sheets and sweet music and candlelight."

"I've had all those things and they mean nothing." She clung to him, wanting to never let go. "All that matters is being with you. Anywhere. Anytime."

"Charmaine, honey, you've been driving me crazy. But you know that, don't you?"

"Come with me." She took his hand and guided him through the house. He followed as she led him onto the back porch, which was, surprisingly, still intact, although the roof sagged. "It's cooler out here."

She released his hand and backed away from him. When he reached for her, she grinned, then pulled her sleeveless tank top over her head. He watched her intently as she undid the hooks of her bra, slipped the straps down her shoulders and tossed the red silk onto the dirty floor. During her little striptease, she kicked off her expensive leather sandals, yanked off her designer slacks and twirled around in her bikini panties.

She had stripped for Booth on numerous occasions, but not by choice, not because she'd wanted to, but because he'd made her. And whenever he touched her, she cringed because she knew the things he would do to her.

Lifting first one leg and then the other, she took off her panties, added them to the pile of clothes on the gray wood plank floor and stood before him in all her naked glory. He held out his hand to her; she went to him. He kissed her again… and again… and again. She tore at his shirt, but he grabbed her hands to still her frenzied attack. He pushed her at arm's length, then undid the buttons on his shirt, removed it and tossed it atop her discarded clothing. He jerked her to him. She rubbed her breasts against his smooth, muscular chest. A deep rumble erupted from his throat. He lowered his head and took one tight nipple into his mouth. He sucked, nibbled, licked. She reached for his belt, undid it, and then unzipped his pants. Within minutes, he was as naked as she. Their hands went wild, touching each other all over. Their mouths mated, then their tongues explored. They couldn't get close enough. If she could have, Charmaine would have crawled into Ronnie's skin and shared it with him.

When she didn't think she could bear not having him inside her, he lifted her up, hoisting her by the hips, then settled her over and down onto his sex. He filled her completely, spreading her wide. Her legs circled his hips as he pumped her up and down, gliding his sex in and out, putting friction on all the right places. While they mated in a frenzy, he maneuvered her around until her butt was shoved against the outer wall. When she felt her climax approaching, she claimed it fully, and cried out as the incredible sensations flooded through her. Within seconds Ronnie came. Shuddering. Moaning. Jackhammering into her.

"I love you… love you… love you…" She buried her face against his shoulder and knew that if she died this very second, she would die gloriously happy.

Jaron Vaden's hands perspired so much that he had to stop the car to wipe his hands dry with his handkerchief. While pulled off on the side of the road, he rehearsed his upcoming telephone speech, the details of the exchange-the documents he would take from Booth's safe tomorrow and swap for the five million dollars. Everything depended on Grace Beaumont. Jaron rubbed the smooth leather seat on each side of his hips in an effort to calm his trembling hands. He couldn't remember a time in his life when he'd been so afraid. If one thing went wrong, it could screw up all his plans. He couldn't allow a bad case of nerves to stop him. He had to get Charmaine away from Booth. It was something he should have done years ago.

A highway patrol car came whizzing by, its lights flashing in warning. Jaron's heart stopped for a millisecond. Get hold of yourself. You can't fall apart. Not now when you're so close to accomplishing your goal.

He was half an hour away from the phone booth he'd used before, but he wasn't sure if he should use one in such an isolated, out-of-the-way place. Maybe he should drive all the way into New Iberia and find a phone booth in a heavily populated area; that way, if the call was traced, he could simply disappear into the crowd. After all, he had no way of knowing if he could trust Grace Beaumont. She could have already called in the police.

When Elsa announced the arrival of the Dundee agents, Jed rose from his seat across the conference table from Grace, where they were sharing a takeout lunch. He'd almost finished eating a super-size meal and cola. Grace was still picking at a Caesar salad. Hudson, who had been included in their lunchtime plans and had finished his BLT, rose from his chair and took a speculative stance directly behind Grace.

Right when Grace had suggested to Jed that they eat in today, her cousin Joy stopped by, as had Willis Sullivan, both eager to meet Jed; so Grace had asked Elsa to order for them, too. Joy had declined, stating she was dieting and wanted only a glass of iced tea, but Willis had requested a steak sandwich. After half an hour with the threesome, Jed decided he liked Joy, despite the fact she talked incessantly about nothing and didn't seem to have a serious thought in her pretty head. And perhaps because she seemed to dislike Hudson Prentice even more than Jed did. He knew he had nothing more than gut instincts on which to base his unfriendly attitude toward Prentice. And maybe it was nothing more than the fact he'd picked up instantly on the guy's romantic interest in Grace. Not that Grace's love life was any of Jed's business, but he'd sure hate to see her settle for a guy like Hudson Prentice.