organ took it with dread boiling in h

he found her her

o

red rose petals with moist centers and dead edges fluttered downward, skittering across the

new she was here. H

kyard wearing thin sweatpants and a tank top with nipples teased hard by a cool morning breeze. The last a photo of her in her sage si

hen Brandon grabbed the photos from her numb fing

e. Son of a bitch!” He raked a hand through his brown ha

n L.A. told me he was going to have to do something illegal before they c

rambling Houston home, his big fingers wrinkling the photo. “My backyard is privat

less phone and dialed 911.

L.A. Whoever this was hadn’t stolen anything, vandalized anything. He hadn’t hurt anyone—yet. Morgan could feel his anger bui

the phone. “They

.and tried to calm the p

struction, she realized something else lay inside. She stuck her hand between the layers of paper, perplexed. U

to

pe she yanked a scrap of paper wi

g to me.

at she might have another man in her life. This lunatic didn’t know that Brandon was her half-brother. He’d bought the cov

uldn’t be because her stalker had decided to get the “competition” out of the way. In the three weeks Brandon would be gone, she’d figure some

sted before she left L.A

creep is?” Brandon growled, star

ve no disgruntled co-workers that I’m aware of.

show? A fan who doesn’t kn

ed odd fan mail before, but nothing

e bottom of this, kiddo. I’m not going

ended from the same loins as Senator Ross’s other sons. They were

’t have to go tomorrow. The car is picking me up at ofive hundred, and t

ings he’d said in the three years since he’d found the skeleton in their father’s clos

want to run for office as badly as I k

ber, Brandon wouldn’t meet her gaz

ith obvious effort,

The February afternoon hung thick, lazy, and surprisingly sultry all around. Fighting off exhaustion after a nearly sleepless n

tightened at

r, watching, assessing, probing. The hairs on the back of her

ra mile to trail her to Lafayette. She was probably safe sitting here in the middle of a sunny public square, but if he recognized her, he’d see her with Master J

usiness, so that if her stalker identified her and watched this me

being paranoid. No one should be able to recognize her like this. Maybe after this interview, she would slip away to that cozy Europ

th stark against his ebony skin. Morgan did h

the collar. The waiter arrived with her tea. She checked her watch again. Five after three. She’d give Master J another few

st be M

ght in her ear. His warm breath cascaded down the s

been able to sneak up on her, as jumpy a

breathtakin

subtlety of a sonic boom. His wide mouth curled up with an expression that looked half smile, half challenge. But, oh, his eyes. They captured

lders and a body of well-honed muscle evident under a tight black T-shirt that made her think of a mountain with its soli

ed her with attraction a

this one meeting in public. Otherwise, Morgan didn

ng to find her voic

o simple. Tangling his gaze with hers, he bent and broug

ear G

ered, a hot breath caressing the back of her hand, his fingertips teasing

, dove deep inside her, where an ache began to pulse gently between her legs. As i

The demand chased

side her—rather than across—and scooted his chair a few inches closer. She tri

… What would you like me to call y

ainty and his wicked knowledge of their forthcomi

. Yes

ual he’d intended they sound. Not just deferential, though they were that, too. But around M

like to call hi

ance with the knowledge of her every thought, every sinful feeling,

f her as an excuse to look away and scou

she’d invited him h

ed about you, you’re in the person

shoulders. “I guard a lot of politicians and th

people, I’m sure. Do you work

iticians are liars, but at least you know what to expect. You Hollywood types are e

she was annoyed or amuse

time.”

eal and teasing humor. The mixture went down real smooth, thanks to his flirtation skills and

thick Louisiana chicory coffee. She shuddered when

Morgan heard the subtle command in them. Not harsh, not driving. But his voi

. Last season, I did a show one week about sex etiquette on a first date, another about ‘friends with benefits,’ then followed it up with couples who had tattoo fantasies.

about this s

eas stage, but we’re definitely pursuing shows about boudoi