Shawna Delacorte - In Forbidden Territory

“I don’t think a sign will be necessary,” Tyler told her as his eyes met hers. “You certainly look grown up to me.”

Ty watched as a slight smile turned the corners of her mouth—the same delicious mouth he’d sampled the previous evening. He tried to clear his head of the thoughts, of desires that could only lead to trouble. His blood rushed hot and fast each time he came into physical contact with her. It was a sensation he wanted to pursue even though he knew it was forbidden territory. There was something about her.

Something he couldn’t seem to put into words—something intangible that scared and excited him more than anything else ever had.

Dear Reader,

Silhouette Desire is starting the New Year off with a bang as we introduce our brand-new family-centric continuity, DYNASTIES: THE ASHTONS. Set in the lush wine-making country of Napa Valley, California, the Ashtons are a family divided by a less-than-fatherly patriarch. We think you’ll be thoroughly entranced by all the drama and romance when the wonderful Eileen Wilks starts things off with Entangled. Look for a new book in the series each month…all year long.

The New Year also brings new things from the fabulous Dixie Browning as she launches DIVAS WHO DISH. You’ll love her sassy heroine in Her Passionate Plan B. SONS OF THE DESERT, Alexandra Sellers’s memorable series, is back this month with the dramatic conclusion, The Fierce and Tender Sheikh. RITA ®Award-winning author Cindy Gerard will thrill you with the heart-stopping hero in Between Midnight and Morning. (My favorite time of the night. What about you?)

Rounding out the month are two clever stories about shocking romances: Shawna Delacorte’s tale of a sexy hero who falls for his best friend’s sister, In Forbidden Territory, and Shirley Rogers’s story of a secretary who ends up winning her boss in a bachelor auction, Business Affairs.

Here’s to a New Year’s resolution we should all keep: indulging in more desire!

Happy reading,

Melissa Jeglinski

Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Although award-winning author Shawna Delacorte has lived most of her life in Los Angeles and has a background working in television production, she is currently living in Wichita, Kansas. Among her writing accomplishments she is honored to include her placement on the USA TODAY bestseller list. In addition to writing full-time, she teaches a fiction writing class in the Division of Continuing Education at Wichita State University. Shawna enjoys hearing from her readers and can be reached at 6505 E. Central, Box #300, Wichita, KS 67206. You may also visit her at her author page at the Harlequin Web site—www.eHarlequin.com.

For Carol.

Your friends and family miss you.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Epilogue

Tyler Farrell’s business partner barged into his office, panic covering his face as he pleaded, “You’ve got to help me out, Ty. Take her off my hands for the next few days.”

“Take who off your hands?”

“It won’t take that much of your time. She’s just a kid.”

“Who’s just a kid?” Tyler’s confusion began to turn to irritation. “What are you talking about, Mac?”

McConnor Coleman paused a moment as he took a calming breath. “All I know is what Mom said when she called the other day. It seems that my kid sister wants to move from Portland to Seattle, get a job and her own apartment. She arrived last night and is staying with me until I can help her get settled. I promised Mom I’d keep my eye on her. You know, maybe take her to a movie one evening and buy her some pizza. Take her on the harbor tour or to the top of the Space Needle. Stuff like that.”

Mac renewed his determination. “It’s not like you’ll have to put your busy social life on hold so you can wine and dine her. Like I said, she’s just a kid. You know the kind of long hours I’m going to be putting in until this new design is finished. The pivotal point of our company’s expansion plans is dependent on this design. I don’t want her sitting all alone at my house and I certainly don’t want her going out at night by herself.”

Ty made a valiant attempt to put some logic to Mac’s obviously frazzled state of mind. “We’re on Bainbridge Island, not in Seattle. There’s no reason why she can’t go out alone.”

“A young girl should not be out on the streets alone.” Mac’s tone of voice said there was no room for discussion of the matter.

Ty allowed a slight frown to wrinkle across his brow. An image popped into his mind of Angelina Coleman, the annoying little girl he had encountered once at Mac’s parents’ house in Portland, Oregon. He shook his head and emitted a sigh. “I really don’t have the time—”

“Am I too early for lunch?”

Ty whirled around in the direction of the sound. The sultry voice perfectly matched the beautiful blond vision framed in the doorway. A quick surge of desire shoved aside Ty’s initial shock. Could this gorgeous vision be the same person Mac had been referring to as his kid sister?

Mac rushed toward her. “Angie…is it noon already?” He glanced at his watch, a sheepish expression covering his features. “I guess the morning got away from me.”

She shot a teasing grin at her brother. “Why am I not surprised?”

Recovering from his initial shock, Ty leaped into action. He grabbed Angie’s hand, kissed the back of it and made a courtly bow. “Angelina Coleman…Tyler Farrell at your service. You probably don’t remember, but we met several years ago.” A jolt of charged energy emanated from their clasped hands. A heated surge of desire swept up his arm and through his body. Her unwavering gaze, combined with the vibrancy of her expressive green eyes, sent another ripple coursing through him—a strange combination of lustful desire and caution.

“I most certainly do remember you. It was fourteen years ago, a month or so before you and Mac graduated from the University of Washington. Mac was the one worrying about finals. I was the scrawny ten-year-old with braces on my teeth.” A dazzling smile lit her beautiful face and a touch of humor surrounded her words. “And you were the arrogant jerk.”

Ty released her hand, clutched at his chest and staggered back a couple of steps as if he had been hit by a mortal blow, his action eliciting a spontaneous laugh from her. It was an enchanting sound, one that left him wanting to hear it again and again. The moment he broke the physical contact with her a strange sense of loss made its way into his consciousness. Her words startled him, but they had been said more in fun than with any show of malice. At least that was the way he chose to take it.

He quickly recovered from the barb, taking a minute to make a survey of her physical assets. He judged her to be about five feet six inches tall, perfect for his six-foot frame. His gaze started at her mesmerizing eyes and visually traced every curve of her body until he reached the tips of her shoes. An appreciative grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. She certainly had everything and it was in all the right places.

A tightness pulled across his chest. His skin still tingled where their hands had met. He forced a casualness he didn’t feel as he flashed a wickedly sexy grin. “Well…I’m happy to see that at least one of us has improved over the years.”

Angie stuck her hands in the pockets of her tailored slacks, a subconscious effort to wipe away the sensation of his tantalizing touch. The devilish gleam in his hazel eyes told her exactly what was on his mind. It was a look she had seen on the faces of many men on numerous occasions, but it had never had this type of impact on her. It was a look that spoke of excitement and the promise of many nights of sensual pleasure for the woman lucky enough to share his bed.

It was a look that also spoke of fun, an open enjoyment of everyday things and life in general—something definitely lacking in her life for the past year. She wanted to regain that sense of fun that she had lost. She needed to have it back in her life.

Tyler Farrell was a very disconcerting man, yet there was something about him that she couldn’t dismiss. It was more than his movie-star good looks, thick dark hair and strong athletic build. A little shiver of anticipation darted across the surface of her skin. She sensed an underlying level of passion that reached out and grabbed her like nothing ever had and refused to let go.

Angie glanced at her brother. An uncertain look surrounded by a hint of disapproval covered Mac’s face as his gaze darted between his business partner and his sister.

Mac self-consciously cleared his throat. “Uh…Angie…about lunch today—”

Ty immediately took control of the conversation. “Don’t give it another thought, Mac. I know how busy you are with the deadline on the design project. I would be honored to escort Angie to lunch in your place.” He glanced at the delectable Angelina Coleman, then forced his attention away from the tantalizing image and back to his partner. He flashed a quick grin. “For the sake of the company and our expansion plans.”

“I hate to interrupt your schedule, Ty. I can certainly amuse myself until Mac gets home tonight.” His mention of expansion plans did not escape her notice. Hopefully the company’s plans would fit nicely with her personal agenda, her primary goal—a plan she had not shared with her brother even though he was central to its success. It was her real reason for moving to Seattle.

Ty extended a dazzling smile and winked at her. “Nonsense. There’s nothing I’d rather do than take a beautiful and charming lady to lunch.” He glanced toward Mac before leaving, catching the look of warning aimed directly at him.

Ty escorted Angie out of the building. The tightness in his chest increased as the scent of her perfume tickled his senses. A sudden rush of discomfort left him uneasy. He felt pressured to make small talk even though he wasn’t sure what to say to this enchanting woman who had just robbed him of his ability to be glib and charming. He took a deep breath. Maybe Mac thought of her as still being his kid sister, but there was no way this gorgeous vision could be thought of as anything other than all woman—beautiful and fascinating.

He took another breath and tried to brush away the flood of lascivious thoughts that invaded his mind. He tried to convince himself it was just force of habit. It was not as if he was entertaining serious thoughts about making a pass at Mac’s little sister…not really. The band pulled even tighter across his chest. The heat settled low inside his body. Regardless of what he tried to tell himself, pizza and a movie were the last things on his mind.

The libidinous thoughts coursing through his head and pulling at his body were totally inappropriate under the circumstances, but that did not make them go away. She was Mac’s sister, what Mac referred to as his kid sister—an expression that had a very protective sound to it, especially the way Mac said it. It was the type of sound that matched the look of warning Mac had shot in his direction.