“Fine,” she said, sick and tired of discussing it. “Now would you please cut this tape off my wrists? I really don’t want our time together clouded by memories of duct tape used in such an unprofessional manner.”

“Got any better ideas?” He pulled a pair of scissors out of a drawer and approached her with a grin.

“Now here I thought maybe you’d use your teeth.” She turned and presented her arms to him. “Or at the very least your big, strong hands.”

Looking over her shoulder, she caught a smolder in his sparkling blue eyes. He came up right behind her, so close she could feel his body heat. “There are a lot of better places for me to use my teeth and hands.”

Yes, please. Tingles slid down her back and settled between her thighs. But she would not flirt with him. They needed to keep business and pleasure separate. “Such as?”

Okay, maybe just a little flirting. For fun. Nothing more.

“Are you asking for a demonstration?” His breath touched the back of her neck and her knees…knocked.

No, not her knees. The front door. A knock sounded at the front door.

She whipped around, nearly colliding with his chest. He pressed a finger to his mouth, indicating she’d better shush. A wave of anticipation swept over her. Being with Hugh, being partners in this game of cat and mouse fueled her desire for adventure—and intimacy.

She couldn’t wait to find out who’d come to visit.

“Don’t move and don’t make a sound,” Hugh said.

“But—”

“You heard me.” He nudged her back until she landed in a chair at the kitchen table. “Stay put.”

Tess grumbled. “I’m not—”

Another knock sounded, louder and more urgent.

“Yeah, whatever you’re not, suck it up. I’ll be right back.”

Hugh was pretty sure the visitor was his neighbor, Blanche. She kept an eye on the house for him. Fed the plants. Kept the place stocked with basic food and drink items—more if she knew he was coming. A mother, assistant and housekeeper rolled into one. He appreciated her help, but damn, the woman was too efficient, too watchful. At least when he didn’t want her to be.

He opened the door and, sure enough, there she stood.

As usual, she wore the plaid robe that had been her husband’s before he passed away, bright yellow slippers, and curlers in her dyed-red hair. Back in the day—that was what she’d say—she worked as an extra in dozens of films. Considered herself a sub-starlet. Her stories cracked Hugh up. Once a month she did a set at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood. Always had the biggest crowd.

“I thought you were on vacation,” she scolded.

“Hi Blanche. Nope. I’m supposed to leave tomorrow.”

“I thought it was today. Didn’t you say the fourteenth? I could have sworn you said the fourteenth.” With her hands on her hips, she looked ready to barge right past him.

He blocked the doorway. A tiny bit of guilt overcame him. He knew she only wanted some company.

“The fifteenth, Blanche. But I won’t be leaving then either. I’ve got work to do so won’t get out of here for at least a few more days. I’ll let you know when I do. I appreciate all your help, you know.”

She tightened the knot around her waist. “I know, son. I didn’t recognize the car coming up the drive, so thought I’d better check it out.” She took a sniff that scrunched her nose and worried her eyebrows. “I smell perfume. Is someone here with you?”

Damn. He didn’t want her to know that yes, someone was here with him. Not that he couldn’t trust Blanche. He knew he could. And hell, how many seventy-five year-olds would be wise enough to notice an unusual car at eleven o’clock at night? Or have a better sense of smell than most women half her age? Indeed, what worried him was her tenacity.

“Actually there is.” She’d just figure out he was lying, and he didn’t want to jeopardize their relationship. “And we’d love some privacy for the next couple of days.” He winked, really just to see her reaction.

“Well what are you doing standing here talking to me then? Get back inside.” She waved over her shoulder and then hopped on her Vespa to get home. The scooter, a gift from her son, got her around the neighborhood. Hugh’s wasn’t the only door-to-door calling she made. Blanche called herself the resident neighborhood watcher.

Tess was right where he’d left her. With one startling difference.

Her hands were free.

His surprised expression must have said it all.

“You left these when you went to answer the door.” She held up the scissors he hadn’t realized he’d put down when leaving the kitchen.

She hadn’t escaped. She hadn’t come to the door. She’d freed herself and stayed put. He ran a hand along his stubbled jaw. “Thanks for waiting.”

“No problem. Blanche sounds like a sharp cookie. I like her.” She put the scissors on the table and rubbed her wrists.

“How’d you—”

“You didn’t really think I’d sit still did you? Especially after I got this annoying tape off.” She kicked the tape that lay crumpled by her foot. “I can tiptoe with the best of them. And my hearing may not be as good as yours, but it is good.”

Hugh registered her comments, but couldn’t speak. He noticed her wrists were red, maybe swollen. His muscles went rigid at the thought of his causing her pain. He’d been a jerk to leave the tape on so long. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll live.” She released her wrists and slid her hands under her thighs on the edge of the chair. The blue dress hid the damage to her skin. “Unless, of course, I die from starvation, which is quickly becoming a possibility.”

If food made her feel better, he wanted to start cooking. “Let’s see what we’ve got.”

The fridge had eggs, cheese, apples, carrots, root beer and bread. The freezer had a lot more to offer, but he didn’t want to wait for anything to defrost.

“At this point I’d be happy with peanut butter and jelly.” She slid off her shoes and skimmed her feet back and forth along the floor like a young girl.

That could be done, but he decided to offer something a little better. “How about a cheese omelet followed by root beer floats?” He pulled out the carton of eggs and package of cheese and put them on the counter.

“That sounds great. I haven’t had a root beer float in forever. Do you need any help?”

He zeroed in on the gleam in her eyes. “I’ve got it. You relax. It’s the least I can do after you saved my life, and I dragged you here.”

Her gaze held his. “You mean abducted me.”

“Are you complaining?”

“Just having the last word.”

Hugh let out an exasperated sigh. The woman drove him crazy. Crazy good. “So what’s your last name?” He should know that. It would make things easier if he needed to do something about the hit on him.

“Damon,” she said without skipping a beat.

She might be lying, he thought, but Tess Damon had a nice ring to it. Besides, there was no point in lying to him now. He knew her agenda.

“Tess Damon. Eliminator for P.I.E. Anything else I should know about you?” He dropped the stirred eggs into the pan on the stove.

“I’m also known as Apple.”

That grabbed his attention away from the cooking. He looked over his shoulder to find her checking out the kitchen. Her legs still swayed. She’d tilted her head back to take in the ceiling.

“Apple as in the fruit, or apple as in apple of my eye?”

She dropped her chin. “Aww, aren’t you sweet? Who knew?” A teasing lift of her eyebrows punctuated her reply. “It’s apple for apple pie.”

“You didn’t just give me your code name did you?” He grabbed a spatula out of the drawer and tilted the pan while keeping an eye on her.

Her expression shifted to a look of consternation. Oops. She’d let her defenses down. He took it as a sign she was comfortable with him. His muscles relaxed, the nervous energy circulating inside him subsided.