

My Cheeky Angel

Book 1 of the Angels with Attitude Series

By

Mimi Barbour

_I would like to dedicate this book to my wonderful son._

Because of him, I believe...

... _in the possibility of Angels._
_Praise for Angels with_ _Attitude books:_

My Cheeky Angel:

My Cheeky Angel was my first read, but certainly not last read by Mimi Barbour! This grabbed me from the very beginning and did so until the very end! I love how she brings humor, lightheartedness, real-life situations and paranormal all into one! The characters are believable as they tackle everyday life, love and friendship.

This is a sweet story with whom Annie, along with her guardian angel, Celi, get through the ups and downs of life. A must read!

Reviewed by ~ sweepingtheusa

His Devious Angel:

"This is the type of story ereaders were made for, the kind you cannot put down. I laughed and cried and cracked up laughing. The hero wasn't an Alpha nor a beta, he was just right, which was refreshing.

The heroine was the perfect blend of the girl down the street and the women up the road. And if you own a dog you'll love this story. If ever a book had a perfect ending this one had it. This author will go on my "Do not miss list."

Reviewed by ~ Olivia Lavyn

Loveable Christmas Angel: (4.6 out of 5 stars = 344 reviews)

"I loved My Cheeky Angel and His Devious Angel so I was excited to read this new "Angel" by Mimi Barbour. And I definitely wasn't disappointed. The romance wasn't the only touching relationship. And I admit I had a few tears and was choked up by the lovely ending. A beautiful story you're sure to enjoy."

Reviewed by ~ Hogwarts Wannabe

My Cheeky Angel

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

COPYRIGHT 2014

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: mimibarbour66@hotmail.com
Table of Contents

Copyright

Dedication

Praise for Angels with Attitudes books

My Cheeky Angel

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Afterword

Also author of...

About the Author

Contact Information

My Cheeky Angel

_Angels with Attitudes -Book One_

Can a tomboy change to attract a man?

Naïve and love-starved, Annie will soon to be celebrating her big 3-0. Something needs to be done! Celi, her 'down-to-earth' guardian angel appears to help kick-start Annie's big change—her looks, her job, her whole life. By taking a managerial position with a sophisticated shoe manufacturer, Annie becomes embroiled with her new associates and hooked on the power of big business. Unfortunately, her exhaustion from overwork forces her to ignore old friends. And her lapse places someone she cares about in terrible danger.

Tyler, a Social Worker and a woman-hater previously hurt in two relationships, only wants Annie in his life as a good buddy. Oh yeah! And to help with his mixed-up street kids. Perversely, once her life alters, he misses her like hell. In one sweet night of loving everything changes. But, due to an overabundance of nightcaps, she doesn't remember the night he can't forget.

My Cheeky Angel

Prologue

Chloe the three-year-old tattler tugged at Annie's shirt to get her attention. "Carlton barfed again. His tummy is sick and he's real mad."

"I know, sweetheart, I'll be right there as soon as I get Maggie's ponytail unstuck from the bicycle wheel."

"He's crying for you. He won't let anyone else clean him. Mrs. B. told me you were to come right now. I think she's mad, 'cause her face is all scrunched up."

"You tell Mrs. B. that Maggie is also upset and I can't leave her. Go on now." Annie's attention returned to the chubby girl whose head was twisted at an awkward angle while strands of her unruly hair were wrapped around the spokes in the wheel.

"Maggie, how in the world did you get your hair caught in here? Hold still, darling, Annie's almost got it. Don't cry now and stop pulling." Annie gave one last yank and the snafu came loose. "There now, you're free. Come here, sweet girl." Annie scooped the sobbing child into her arms. Before Annie could clean her tears, Maggie grunted, heaved and the back of Annie's shirt was covered with the little girl's lunch.

First the stench attacked and then the wet heat soaked through the material. Talk about the proverbial straw. Could this week get any worse?

"Hey Annie," her co-worker, Darlene, called out. "Mrs. B. is about ready to lose it with Carlton. How about a hand?"

"Tell her I've got my own mess to clean up. Maggie's been sick also." Annie imagined herself following up with something like— _"am I the only one here? What is it with everyone lately?"_

"It's not our fault you make yourself indispensable to every kid in the place." Then the skinny girl flopped off toward the other room, leaving Annie reeling with the knowledge that she'd actually been voicing her thoughts. Man she was a mess. A path to her backbone opened and the decision that had been facing her for weeks got made. She needed a change before she came to hate the kids, her day-care job and herself. The time had come. Annie Hynes was about to burst out of her cocoon and grow up!

This internal decree lasted until the end of the grueling week and then she began to waver. Old habits kicked in that fuelled her insecurities. Should she just up and change, take a new job, be someone different? Lead a life opposite to the way she'd always lived?

Could she?
Chapter One

Today is the first day of the rest of your life.

Annie Hynes shivered as she read the hokey words from the page of the woman's magazine she'd picked up when sleep eluded her. For some strange reason this corny cliché, or one similar, had repeatedly appeared to her in the last several weeks. Actually, ever since she'd decided to change her life and then chickened out.

Each time she'd opened a book, checked the advertising on a bus, or watched a television show, the implication stared her in the face and her suspicion that all these messages were not coincidental really creeped her out.

Her eyes were drawn back to the crinkled page held in her fist. The writing glowed and seemed to be moving in and out. She couldn't turn away. Then the words echoed in her mind like the chorus of a song, sung over and over. She flung the journal away from her, shook her head and gave her eyes a good rubbing.

Okay now, this was really getting spooky. She peered around her room while tiny shivers crisscrossed over her body and woke up her nervous system. Covering her eyes and squirming lower, she snuggled under her colorless beige duvet.

" _You can hide all you want but the fact remains, you won't be happy until you change your boring old habits, Annie, my love."_

Annie shot into a sitting position and scanned the room again. Not a person in sight. But she'd definitely heard those words. Her tongue glued itself to the roof of her mouth and wouldn't let loose.

" _No, you haven't lost them."_

"Ha-haven't lost what?" Annie's squeak echoed in the empty room and added to her uneasiness.

" _Your marbles!"_ the raspy voice teased.

Annie scrambled up toward the headboard and hugged herself. "Oh, my god! How did you know that's what I was thinking?"

" _Okay, hold onto your big-girl panties. What I'm about to tell you will be hard to believe, but it's true, all the same. I'm your Guardian Angel. Aww, now... Close your mouth, Annie, and don't panic. Look! You can call me Celi."_

Annie snorted. "That's it! I'm signing myself in for the works—padded cell, drugs, shock treatments"

The laugh she heard couldn't possibly be described as feminine and musical, more like a rusty smoker grudgingly letting loose. _"You're okay, kid. Because I like you, I'm gonna cut you a break. Look at the end of your bed and don't turn away, no matter what."_

Compelled to obey, Annie sat as if in a trance. She watched as a dazzling, misty-like mass seemed to grow in front of her, where the form of a person could be seen slowly emerging. The woman's face and expression came clear before anything else. She looked to be about the same age as Annie. Plain to the point of ugly would be a fitting description—until she grinned. When her eyes lit with unholy glee, anyone near her would have no option but to smile back and fall in love.

Mud-dark hair and deep-set eyes the same color didn't enhance and neither did the prominent nose and sharp-edged cheekbones. In fact nothing in her face could be called beautiful, or even pleasing, except for the sheer joy in her expression.

" _Well? Aren't you the coy one? Most people either faint, or have loads of questions."_ Perched on the end of Annie's bed in a yoga lotus position, Celi waited and watched. Her long shift of luminous white covered all but her bare, pink nail-polished toes.

Annie quickly shifted her feet to tuck them under her, then swallowed repeatedly and wondered if her breathing would ever return to normal. She opened her mouth to the first squeak and snapped it shut before the wail forming could get loose. Since Celi had laughed when she'd knuckled her eyes, Annie didn't go there again. Instead she reached under the duvet and pinched herself.

" _Hurts, don't it?"_ Annie heard the snigger of enjoyment and knew she'd been caught in the act.

"Can I touch you? Are you real?" She reached her hand across the divide, trembled, but kept coming. She had to know if she was seeing things. Or whether a creature called Celi actually sat at the end of her bed. Satiny-smooth, Celi's skin emanated warmth. And Annie's fingertips tingled once they'd skimmed the surface. "You are real." Her voice reflected her wonder. "I never believed guardian angels existed."

" _Think back to yesterday."_ Celi sinuously waved her hand in front of Annie.

One second she sat, staring at an angel and the next she saw herself, in all her poor-little-ole-me misery, carelessly stepping off a curb on Fifth Avenue. A quick-thinking lady had grabbed her back in time from being pulverized by a speeding blue pickup. Her savior had shaken her and shouted a warning. "Hey, lady, open your eyes. Life's too precious to throw away and too short not to live every minute."

"It was you. You saved me from getting run over. And your words have stayed with me. They've been repeating in my brain, driving me half around the bend."

" _Good! I've been trying to wake you up for some time now, but you're stubborn. Your problem is that you refuse to see what's right in front of your face."_ Celi pointed to the words on the page that miraculously appeared once more clutched in Annie's hands.

She reread the message. "My problem is that I don't want to be me anymore." Whispered out loud, the words held much more power than when they were hidden thoughts.

" _Why not? You've a beautiful spirit, Annie."_

"But I'm miserable. My life is boring. I'm goofy over a man whose only interest in me is to be his buddy, probably because I look like a guy and—and my job is going nowhere. And worst of all, this month is countdown to my thirtieth birthday."

" _So make the changes you decided on weeks ago. All those motivational speakers you paid big bucks to listen to spouted some wise words. If you don't like who you are—change."_

"I want to. I really do. B-but I don't know how." A nagging inner voice wouldn't let up and the singsong refrain of "we're certifiable" wouldn't stop.

Celi chuckled and leaned closer. Her hand lifted and touched Annie's cheek. _"No, you aren't certifiable, just scared. Look! You can do it. How many books have you devoured on the subject? How many daydreams have you romanticized? How many nights have you cried yourself to sleep? What better time than now to make a fresh start?"_

"I know you're right." Her thoughts kicked in again and slipped out of her mouth before any idea of shutting up even hit her. "But I can't seem to take that first step. I need help. I'm just plain old Annie Hynes, a tomboy, almost a virgin and—and I've never seen myself any other way."

" _And I'm just plain old Celi. But watch what a person can do if they really have the will."_

The pantomime being performed in front of Annie left her speechless. First Celi pushed her choppy, straight hair back from her face and magically a brush appeared. She combed it through the ugly color and as it unsnarled the locks, a lovely chestnut brown emerged. Silky waves framed her face like nature had envisioned when the shape had been formed. Next she passed her fingers over her eyes and her thick, untamed eyebrows recreated themselves to arch perfectly. At the same time a slight hue could be seen to enhance the now sparkling brown orbs. Golden glints sprang to life, accentuated by the added color. Last, she patted her face and faint tinges of pink-toned makeup sculpted her cheeks from sharp to soft, lovely curves. A stunning beauty had replaced the earlier unattractive woman.

" _Look closely, Annie. My basic features are the same. I've only brought them to life with cosmetics and tricks. But even those wouldn't be enough for a person to be truly beautiful. You, my dear, were born beautiful. Accept your heart's truth. Make changes, yes! Realize your potential. But what's more important—allow yourself to feel happy. I'll be watching. Talk to me whenever you feel alone or frightened. I might not always answer, but I will listen. I love you, Annie."_

Celi blew her a kiss. A serenity of sweetness overwhelmed Annie, leaving her swooning in the loving feeling. Her eyes closed in order to absorb every nuance and when they re-opened, Celi had disappeared.

Annie didn't lie back on the bed; she collapsed. Quivering, while questions raged through her, she replayed the uplifting experience. How many people needed an angel to jump-start them and wake them up to their potential, she wondered? Finally, after reasoning through the unreasonable, she just accepted. The truth stared her in the face—it was past time. If changes were to occur, they needed to be now. Instinctively Annie knew it. Like a baby, who knows the right time to be born, she realized she needed to grasp this moment, step up and be reborn. Or, shut down her inner visionary nagger and her celestial spirit for once and for all, most likely with the help of a two-hundred-dollar-an-hour shrink.

Annie let her thoughts continue to roam. And she knew the first area in her life that needed tweaking—her career. She'd always loved being a child-care worker at a prestigious day care center in Manhattan; she felt safe there. Her boss had used the phrase "over-qualified" in an attempt to discourage her from applying in the first place, but she'd begged for the position and had gotten it.

The other girls she worked with were all friendly, but the turnover in staff had made it impossible to get too attached to any one person. Popular girls her age, totally involved with their own full lives, didn't feel the need to put themselves out to the shy girl in their midst. Her friendship mechanism seemed faulty anyway and her utter lack of self-confidence didn't help in the "making friends" department, either.

Her one salvation—the munchkins loved her. With them she could let down her guard, be her jolly self and the more she did, the better they liked it. She'd roll on the floor concocting new games, play puppets making up characters guaranteed to have them in stitches and the daily cuddles helped her as much as they settled the little ones. For a few hours each day, life became fun. Tiny loving arms and doting affections were her reward, and, until recently, had been enough.

Guiding naughty fingers away from picking at out-of-bounds areas, singing the same songs over and over and rereading favorite children's stories appeared pathetic as highlights of a workday. Then again, to give up a surety for a vague, frightening future worried the stuffing out of her.

On the other hand, all her schooling was going to waste. The shame of never using the many degrees she'd attained seemed silly. She'd topped the class in every course and left with enough honors to shock her contemporaries.

Recently, she'd been offered a new job, one too good to turn down, but since it happened to be in a totally different field, scaredy-cat Annie couldn't make up her mind. Unsettled, she knew the decision had to be confronted. Tantalized by the notion of meeting new people and making new friends, she fidgeted and hummed, then finally gripped the ragged ends of her short hair and pulled. What the hell was she going to do?

How ironic, she thought. She'd attained her degree in psychology for a specific reason. She'd wanted to comprehend why she suffered from so many fears and why she was happier talking to herself than opening up to others. Clearly it was a crutch. Recognizing the problem appeared to be one thing, but quitting the behavior took on a whole new concept. The hovering loneliness wasn't apparent when she spent so much time in her own head. It remained a wacky addiction, but it worked for her.

Inner silence permeated. Then a familiar rasping voice echoed around her. "Live, Annie. Stop making excuses and stop hiding."

Annie scrunched her pillows behind her neck and lolled against them. The magazine slipped over the side of the bed and flopped onto the floor unnoticed. She wished Celi had stayed longer, but she recognized that the final decisions were up to her. Whether she followed through on the advice had to be her choice.

How can I ever tell anyone what just happened? Nope, probably shouldn't, especially if I don't want to be rushed into a psych ward and spruced up with a garment of the white wrap-around variety. Giggling with slight hysteria, she covered her mouth and scanned the room, just in case.

Her beige, unadorned bedroom loomed in her vision and bugged her. Not enough to make changes, but enough to indicate that her decorating motivation followed everything else in her life—dithering and procrastination being her preferred course. What a loser!

She tried to imagine the space reflecting a sophisticated, modern look—maybe chocolate browns mixed with turquoise for a little zing, or an all-white room with red splotches, like on the cover of the latest home decorating magazine. Since she could never make up her mind, the beige remained, right down to the colorless decorative vanilla candles.

All of a sudden, the aggravating alarm pealed and woke her from her doze. Instinctively she grabbed her chest to keep her heart from bursting out. Then she flipped to the side of the bed and grappled with the snooze button. "Blasted annoying thing." Flopping back against the pillows, she reminisced over her crazy imagination.

She scoffed. "My own guardian angel! For heaven's sake, what next." Then her eye caught the torn-out page of her magazine—folded to highlight the words that had started everything. The paper lay on the pillow next to her, propped against the loveliest yellow rose she'd ever seen. The petals, translucent in the streams of sunlight from her uncovered window, urged her to touch and when she did, she heard Celi's husky voice reverberate in the empty room. "Yellow roses symbolize new beginnings, hope, friendship and joy. Now—go get'em, girl."

Her head fell forward into her hands. Everything from earlier came back to her. The discussion with Celi and her imaginings, even the decisions she'd grappled with. She re-thought her way through the maze again and tried to beat back her misgivings.

The snooze kicked off once more and this time she slapped the alarm off. But the noise had reminded her that Tyler Jones, her best buddy—okay, her only buddy—expected lunch prepared for him today. She'd run out of gas yesterday, fourth time this month, and quesadillas were his payment for her bumming a ride to work.

Tyler. Another looming problem that needed to be solved. Annie knew her reliance on his good nature had to stop. Forcing situations for him to pay attention to her also had to stop. He had no interest in a girlfriend; he'd made that clear right from the beginning. Her tomboy ways and lack of feminine wiles were her major attraction for him, as he'd reiterated numerous times. They were buddies. That she was gaga over him didn't matter. He didn't want romance, not after the last vicious bitch had gotten through with him.

Still into daydreaming, Annie luxuriated in her warm bed and concentrated on Tyler. Aware of the silly lovelorn grin slathered over her face, she shrugged and accepted her addiction. He was the one true-blue person in her life and she couldn't stop fantasizing about him one day looking into her eyes and falling madly in love.

Over the months, his apartment downstairs had become her problem-solving depot. It beckoned her each time she had troubles. She spent a lot of time there. Tyler, with his straight-shooter answers and his no-nonsense approach to problems, cut through all life's BS. He helped her focus on the positive with such insight as to make her assume the resulting clearness had been hers all along. Probably had something to do with the fact that, as one of the city's best youth social workers, he counseled the mixed-up and downtrodden all day long and relished what he did.

Why she continued to dream of the unattainable, of him and her together, she'd never know. It wasn't as if she could ever see herself being able to participate in any kind of a sexual relationship anyway. Not even with Tyler. That part of her remained shut off, closed down for repairs, ruined.

Tears gathered, but she refused to give in to them. She'd slept on damp pillows too many nights and the futile exercise had accomplished nothing. Like Celi said, the time had come to move on, stifle the worrier and let the stronger side of her personality call the shots, make some changes—live.

The doorbell's pealing interrupted Annie's inner dialogue. The hands on the clock mocked her, proof she'd dawdled yet again. She scrambled from under the covers, retied the ribbon on her droopy, puppy-patterned pajama bottoms and raced to the padlocked entry. Her hands tousled her hair to get rid of the bed-head look and scraped at her eyes before she reached for the knob. First, peeking through the peephole, her customary habit, she pulled the door open a fraction, stretching the chain.

"Ty, I'm really sorry. Could you give me another half an hour? I slept in."
Chapter Two

"Hey, Smidge, you all right?" Tyler glanced at his watch.

"I'm good, honest. Just lazing. I'll take a quick shower, tidy up and be in the kitchen cooking in a couple of minutes." She unlocked the chain. "Do you want to come in and wait?"

"No, I'll wander down to the Phil's and get some fresh fruit for dessert. Do you need anything for the quesadillas?"

"I'm making them with chicken today, but if you want, you could pick up a few avocadoes and make guacamole. I love that stuff with quesadillas. Your recipe rocks."

His eyes squinted as he searched her expression. "I'll give you thirty minutes and not a minute longer." He winked, then turned away. Lately, every time he saw Annie his heart beat faster, felt fuller, swelled with eagerness. He stomped down hard on these reactions, wanting nothing to do with those kinds of feelings. The best thing about his Annie was her innocence. Respecting that kept his hands from wandering, and his mind off his burgeoning awareness. Their existing friendship worked fine for him. He wanted to keep it that way.

Didn't stop him from worrying about her, though. She'd been acting odd lately, and if anyone knew Annie, he did. He'd worked hard to calm her fears over men so they could hang out together. Ever since he'd moved into the same building and saw the petite tomboy, he'd gotten a kick out of her. He'd decided, with her, friendship would be a safe bet. Flirtation didn't even fit into her vocabulary, never mind into her pattern of behavior. Perfect kind of a girl to be around. But getting her to trust him had been slow going. In fact, if he went any slower, the ground under his worn shoes would be such a deep hole he'd need a staircase to get out.

From the very beginning, she wouldn't look him in the eye. Skittish and shy, she'd escape his every attempt to be friendly. Always polite-like, but definitive in her rejection, she'd use flimsy excuses to cut short any interactions he'd try to instigate. Her behavior had puzzled him at first, then angered him, finally piqued his interest.

He'd almost given up until, one day, she'd looked at him full-faced. That first gaze into the dazzling blue of her overlarge, wary eyes, fringed with the longest eyelashes he'd ever seen, made his heart skid to a stop, restart with a thud and then kick into overdrive. From that moment on he'd wanted to know what had engraved those barely visible shadows onto her soul. Sensitive to emotions, part of his job, he'd catalogued an overload streaming from her. Most telling was her tendency to flinch when unexpectedly touched.

He'd spun the best line he could come up with and it had worked. He remembered the wary look on her face when he'd confronted her in the plant-filled lobby of their apartment block. The rain had soaked her umbrella and she'd shaken it so hard she'd flipped it inside out. Her chuckle made him smile. He'd expected anger and a swear word.

He waited until she'd gotten her gear in order, coughed to tip her off that someone else shared her space and then stepped forward. "Annie, my favorite neighbor, I wonder if you have some spare time to help me with a problem. No strings!" His open palms waved in front of him and brought the smile back to her face.

She'd waved her hands back and answered, "Sure, no problem. What can I do for you?"

He smiled. She looked so cute with her shaggy hair dripping rain onto her lashes and her nose red from the wind. "You know I work for Children's Services here in the city and deal mostly with teen runaways?"

"I knew you worked with kids. I've seen them with you sometimes. They like you."

"Yeah, well, I like them, too. Except I have a young girl who's giving me a real hard time. I need some advice. If you have a minute, maybe I could ask you some questions?"

"Isn't there anyone in your office you could ask? I'm not really qualified in that area."

"If you got a heart, you can help. Trust me, she doesn't need more governmental blah-blah. She needs a normal female's point of view."

"Oh-oh, so there is a glitch." Her joking turned him instantly mushy and he'd cared about her ever since. In a platonic way, of course!

Pondering the secret of Annie Hynes had helped the journey to the store pass more quickly than usual. He hurried inside to be greeted by the aroma of freshly made cinnamon buns and various breads baked right there on the premises, a long-standing store custom that attracted many of the regulars from around the neighborhood.

He browsed, gathering strawberries, blueberries and lush green grapes, then searched out the avocadoes and a spice package he'd need to make the guacamole. The bearded baldie behind the counter beamed as Tyler approached the cash register.

"How's it going, Ty?"

"Lookin good, Phil. How're you?"

"Got some pretty spring flowers on sale, if you need to brighten up Annie's day."

"How do you figure I'll be seeing her?"

"Come on, man. I can tell by the way you're walking, kinda hoppy-like and the goofy smile you're wearing. Means it's a sure bet."

"I'll take a bunch of yellow ones, smartass."

Phil smirked. He knew Annie's favorites. He pulled a golden bouquet, with a flashy bow, out of a vase hidden under the counter. "Figured you'd be in."

* * *

She had thirty minutes. Annie shut the door without twisting the lock and left the chain hanging. Locking it would only force Tyler to have to reach for the hidden key on top of the doorframe, so why bother.

The odor of stale popcorn captured her attention and had her quickly racing around to tidy up the mess of scattered kernels, candy bar wrappers and the empty ice cream carton from her gorging of the night before. This evening ritual of serial binging had to stop. She sprayed freshener and opened the windows. And, just to be certain the room smelled better, she madly waved a towel around at the same time as she hitched up her pajama bottoms.

As soon as she entered the bedroom, the rose drew her as if its beauty held a special power. An antique crystal vase she'd bought from an old Chinese lady in a flea market seemed perfect to accommodate the precious bloom. Then she carried it from room to room as she got ready.

First, she went to her closet and grabbed a baggy pair of sweatpants and the overlarge top that matched. An audible moan, sounding vexed, made her stop to reconsider the items in her hand. With a shake of her head, she threw them back into the closet, grumbled and then switched to her least baggy, cleanest jeans and a soft turquoise t-shirt. Tyler's present for her last birthday. A surprising chorus of hallelujahs pealed for a few minutes in the background and made her laugh. A guardian angel with a sense of humor—how lucky could a girl get?

At that precise moment, a strong sense of purpose entered her and the words "I'm going to transform my life" followed. From this moment on, she thought, I'm going to do everything I ever dreamed I could and the hell with being scared. If I screw up, it'll be just too damn bad, but at least I'll have tried. Another chorus of hallelujahs followed and crescendoed with bells ringing.

In the shower, water poured over her head, into her eyes and washed away any particles of residual resistance. A weight dissipated inside, leaving her incredibly light and happy, not an emotion she was used to but one she never wanted to lose.

Dressing in her usual lackadaisical style couldn't be tolerated any longer. She tucked in the turquoise top and added a silver belt, then stood back and surveyed the outcome. A cute pair of sandals she'd bought in a weak moment when her inner vamp had been particularly strong added to her new look. Then she searched for the can of mousse tucked in the back of her cupboard and worked miracles with strands of feathered curls. A miraculous hairdressing talent she'd discovered recently—like this very moment." Thank you, Celi!"

When Tyler arrived, he found her frying chicken in her efficient red, black and chrome kitchen area. His left arm clutched a paper bag full of fruit. His right arm embraced a bouquet of fresh golden blooms interspersed here and there with white daisies; their yellow centers a perfect match to the large chrysanthemums. Tears, lurking after her recent emotional conflict, threatened to gush at the evidence of his affection.

"For me, Ty?" She reached up to stroke his cheek, a most unusual display of affection. "You're a doll! Thank you." Out of the corner of her eye, she noted his puzzlement.

"You're welcome, shortstop."

Thick, perfectly formed brows, the exact color of his ash-brown hair, rose slowly as he zeroed in on her flirty behavior. With a stunned expression, he backed away. An ordinary smile began to form, but as usual, one side rose higher in his unique grin. He combed both hands through his waves and pushed them away from his face, a maneuver he tried often, only to have the silken strands reposition themselves. Then he linked his fingers behind his neck and stretched his long, lean form.

She couldn't help but survey the package. He was certainly worthy of her making the effort. Being a fitness freak paid off in spades, for his body looked firm and—and incredibly healthy. On the streets, women's heads whipped around to check out the eye-candy as he passed. It used to upset her, but once she realized he never paid any attention, it gave her a bizarre kind of a kick.

A faint echo of the halleluiah chorus sounded again, but only she heard it and had to bite her lip to stop the giggle. _"He's sure pretty, ain't he?"_ She sent the thought winging through cyber space and felt Celi's agreement shoot straight through her.

Taking a deep breath, she squashed disrupting nerves homesteading in her stomach and switched her attention to arranging her second gift of the day. She set the new bouquet on the table next to her special rose to brighten the beige placemats and napkins.

Tyler stepped further into the kitchen area, picked up the wooden spoon and worked to keep the sizzling food from burning.

"Smells great in here. I'm starving."

"Why doesn't that surprise me? Eating's your favorite pastime."

"Is not. Hey! You saying I'm fat?" He patted the area under discussion.

Her eyes followed his hand and she gulped. "I'm sure no one else has noticed."

"Why, you cheeky brat." He started towards her, hands in the choke position.

Squealing, she backed away. "Kidding. I'm kidding. Sheesh! Some people can't take a joke."

"Don't you know a man's abs are sacrosanct? Women should never tease about them. We're talking major physiological trauma here." He winked and turned back to the spitting meat in the frying pan.

Labor progressed in the small space as they both relaxed into their normal routines. She turned to chop peppers and grate cheese, while he sautéed the mushrooms. They were comfortable in their togetherness. Eventually, settled at the high-topped bar table, they enjoyed their food, sipped on wine, and all the time, she chattered inanely about zilch.

At the beginning of their relationship, shyness had kept her from voicing her opinions. He'd frequently had to quiz her, dragging out views that she normally kept locked inside. One day he'd even commented on her intelligence. What was it he said? Right. Something along the lines of how relieved he was to discover multiple layers of a keen and knowledgeable intellect.

He'd noticed that she'd checked his expression to see if he teased and seemed gratified by his sincere expression.

Nowadays she chitchatted happily, questioned him about his teenage clients and gave him feminine feedback on the inner workings of the young female psyche. Lack of that knowledge hindered him something awful. His job as a counselor to both genders left him grappling for the answers Annie provided so easily.

During a lull in the conversation, he started to rise. "Want me to put on some music?" He preferred country, she—the blues. He moved toward the tall black wall-unit housing her electronics.

"No. Let me." She sauntered past him to her Ipod docking station and pulled out something new. "I was coerced to buy this because of the unusual beat." The CD featured hip-hop, not her normal style at all.

Tyler's head tipped to the side, tracking the new tune. His mouth pursed for a second, another of his endearing habits, and then returned to its previous cocky smile. The movement drew her eyes to his scrumptious full lips while tingling sensations snapped everywhere inside her body, like hot corn kernels popping.

"I've never heard that CD before. It's rather a new sound for you, isn't it?" Tyler broke into her reverie.

"Uh-huh. I like it, don't you? It's called 'Rolling in the Deep' by Adele." She did a little quick step, swinging her hips in a sexy swaying motion. His mouth gaped and he blinked double-time.

She closed in.

He backed up.

"I guess. I didn't know you could dance. In fact you told me you couldn't. Okay, I get it. Who are you? And what have you done with my pal Annie?" It was a corny old line, but one that made her laugh.

When he smiled back in his distinctive way, another tide of flutters began in her chest and made breathing all but impossible. Her breathy giggle, totally unlike her, had his eyes narrowing. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

She inhaled and slowly released the air. When her pink lips formed a kissing kind of contortion, she watched his gaze zero in on her mouth.

" Lipstick?" The word slipped out and she wondered if he was even aware of saying it.

She looked down. Her hands angled out in front as if holding an open book. "I've decided my life needs a total overhaul. I haven't talked about it much, but I've been unhappy with myself for years."

"Uhh, honey, you talk about it frequently."

"Do I? Sorry." A frown formed. She bit down on her bottom lip, a childhood habit she couldn't seem to break. She swallowed and brought her eyes back to his face where only concern registered.

"No problem. Go on." His one-sider mocked her.

"You have to agree, it's more than time for me to make some life changes. This morning I made up my mind." She gulped and leapt, no turning back. "I'm quitting the day-care. And if the Human Resource Manager's position is still available with Hugo Montaro's company, then I'm going to take it. Remember how I told you he's been after me for weeks? I've thought it through very carefully, went over all my options and I've decided. I want it. Running his Personnel Department is an upper management position. If his bribes are anything to go by, the wages will be generous."

Tyler sank down on the nearest red bar stool and stared at her. He shook his head as if to clear it. "You're doing what?" The loudness of his voice hinted at his confusion. "You never took his offer seriously? You love your job and you care about those kids. How can you leave them?"

For a split second she wrung her hands and chewed at her lip-gloss. When a mystical strengthening in her back reminded her of her earlier pledge, she stopped that nonsense and squared her shoulders.

"Tyler I have to do this. I'm twenty-nine and I've lived like a nun. I have no close friends except for you, my computer and my TV. I never go anywhere other than to visit the folks twice a year and that's about as stimulating as—as my job's been lately." She started to pace.

"Hold it. We go out together lots. What about our dinners, and movie nights, and all the fun mornings we've spent garage-sale-ing." The last reference was a dig at her love of bargains to fix up her place. He grabbed her arms to hold her in front of him. His hurt, reproachful look squeezed Annie's soft heart, but she wouldn't soften. "We've renovated our apartments together..." She made her eyes harden and the total lack of expression on her face probably stopped him from continuing.

"Good times, yes, but not too exciting."

"Oh, Annie, I—"

"Tyler!" Her hand shot out and pushed in his direction. "Listen, don't talk, or I'll never be able to explain."

"I'm listening." His voice lowered, sounding like a groan.

"I want to get out more and have some fun—go to parties and have occasionally dates, maybe even find a boyfriend who'll..."

The look on Tyler's face made her reconsider this line and try another.

"Okay, look! Other than my job, our friendship and periodically helping you out with the runaways, my life is empty. I need to grow up and do something different. I want to meet new people, have new experiences. I want...more."

Wailing the final word, Annie plunked down on the red-cushioned barstool next to Tyler's.

He stared at her, his expression grim, but other than shaking his head back and forth, he said nothing. She sensed that words trembled on his lips, but he bit them back and she relaxed. If he tried to talk her out of her plans, she didn't know if she had the strength to fight him.

"Tell me you understand. Please, Tyler, I need for you to help me do this." Grabbing his hand in both of hers, she held on tight. Concentrating all her energy, she willed him to see her new needs.

He shot up. All six feet two inches of buff maleness paced up and down the small space. Jeans, worn snug and low, showed off his lankiness, his great buns and his muscular legs. He moved with a hip-swaying motion that was eye-catching, sexy and very much Tyler. A black golf shirt clung to his well-stocked upper frame and set off his tan.

Her hungry eyes trailed his movements, never shifting. The light caught the tiny diamond stud in his ear that some of the teens had gotten together to buy for his last birthday. Being Tyler, he hadn't the heart to refuse to wear it and it had taken him months to get used to the trinket. She loved it, because she knew the kids bought it to represent their admiration for a man who'd support them through anything.

His hands fiddled with the jean pockets as he slid them in and out. Finally, he hovered in front of her and leaned in. "Tell me again how this Hugo Montaro fellow knew you'd be qualified to work with him. I've never understood what happened there."

"I guess I didn't explain very well, since at the time I hadn't considered taking him up on his offer. One of the moms from the daycare — I used to know her in college — blabbed to him about me somewhat." She felt the blush start and she lowered her face.

"And?"

"I'd aced the psychology master's program we'd both taken, won the top awards for the year and received all the honors. As my competition, she tends to brag about how close she came to beating me. The extra management courses I'd taken to pass time came up also. Then Hugo picked her brain about our various degrees and started teasing me from then on. Tyler, I'm serious about wanting your support. Please say you'll stand by me." Her hand tugged his out of his pocket and she interlaced their fingers. Considering she very seldom touched him, she felt his shock at her boldness, but she had to make him understand. Her eyes beseeched. She fought for her life here—or at least for her future.

"I guess I didn't realize how unhappy you were." Tyler stood in front of her; their gazes interlocked. Then he angled his thumb toward his chest. "What about me, Annie? Where do I fit into this new scheme of yours?"

A man who cared about the abused, the wasted souls, who worked to help them every day, wasn't a person to throw away lightly. His companionship happened to be the best thing in her life. She valued it more than anything else. Trying to show him her sincerity by being as earnest as she knew how, she answered, "You're my best friend, Ty. That will never change."
Chapter Three

Tyler stared down into her luminous baby-blues, and as her words filtered through, they took him from stunned to angry. She'd ruin everything! She wanted boyfriends, this girl who under most circumstances couldn't even look a man in the eye. Hurt is what she'd get! That thought brought more waves of anger pummeling his defenses. His rage seemed out of proportion to the circumstances, but it festered.

He tried again. "Have you considered your decision from all angles? There's so much at stake here." Tyler fretted. Everything he knew about the tiny sprite in front of him said she'd regret this choice. Her huge heart, easily taken advantage of, left her vulnerable. He'd seen it over and over again. She'd been safe, employed with children. Every bit she'd given them had been returned tenfold, but adults were different. The toxic world of big business scared him silly. To think she'd be forced to compete in that environment had his head throbbing.

Prior to asking Annie for her help with some of the homeless girls he counseled, Tyler always pondered long and hard. Protecting Annie had to be his main concern. He knew when his pal cared she gave her all and once she took the street kids in, she never wanted to let them go. As it was, many of the girls still visited her periodically, keeping in touch, because they knew Annie worried about them. She had a unique way of making them feel special.

Under normal circumstances, he'd arrange a group home or a foster place to shelter the adolescents, but there were many days when the system failed. Helping out the fellows with a bed for a night or two at his place accomplished a short-term solution, but the under-aged street girls, the ones who searched him out for help, were altogether a different matter. Hanging out in his apartment wouldn't be kosher or tolerated.

During those times he'd discovered he could count on Annie for assistance. Mind you, if the bosses ever found out about this personal involvement, it could mean the end of his career. But occasionally a kid was special enough for him to put himself out there and he had the rare ability to single them from the rest. Those were the teens he took a chance for. "The Keepers" he called them.

Annie approached him again and interrupted his musings. "Tyler, trust me. For years I've coasted, letting life drag me where it wanted. Growing up has to happen to us all, it's nature's way and now it's happening to me. I'm perched on the edge of my nest and I just need you to give me a little push, to—to let me fly."

"I never realized you were this unhappy. How did I miss it?" His hands rose to slide through his hair, fingers combing it from front to back. He grasped the mass on his neck and yanked, liking the pain. It went with this situation.

"You did help me, Tyler. A lot. But frankly, I need more. I have so many plans." She tilted her head and stared at him in a manner she never had before. Her beautiful eyes fixed on his with such intensity that he bit down hard on his molars and proceeded to grind. Silence settled loudly over the room.

Finally, he probed. "What kind of plans, Smidge?"

Wispy, fringe-like tendrils framed a petite face where her eyes reigned supreme. Eyes a makeup manufacturer dreamed of discovering and hers were purely nature's design. Dark blue, no paleness there at all. Deep, dark sapphire, with sparks of tiny lights bringing them to life. He looked intently into them and a chill crept over him. Annie had begun to change already. A stranger stared back.

"First of all, quit calling me Smidge and Midget and—and Runt all the time. From now on I want you to call me by my real name, Anna—no more Annie. If I'm going to change myself, I might as well dump that childish nickname, too. Right?"

"What? Give me a break! I happen to like your name. It's endearing." Stunned, the word 'no' reverberated through him. What the hell was going on? He clung desperately to the essence of his familiar and much loved pal. He repeated, "I like Annie."

"Anna will better suit the woman I want to become."

She looked directly into his eyes. Her expression was not compliant. A slight coldness could be seen in her gaze, a sight never observed there before.

"But—?"

"Not negotiable." She stared him down.

"Fine, if it's that important to you, but don't get mad at me if I forget once in a while. It'll take some getting used to. Especially when my brain tells me it's wrong."

Hating the animosity between them, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and side-hugged her to him, not something he did very often. But it felt like he was losing her and it scared the hell out of him. This time, her soft and curvy body unexpectedly lit up his sensory circuits. What the...? This was Annie. His body should know better. A thought entered and wouldn't be extinguished. Seems some male circuits have a mind of their own.

Before he could stop her, she moved. No! She jerked away. And she hurt his feelings. He dropped his hands and stuck them into his pockets to cover up any embarrassment.

"Don't try to stop me, Tyler. The choice has been made. No hashing it over. My life, my decision."

"Annie..." Her frown stopped him, but he refused to use her new title. It would be like supporting her in this madness. "What instigated this—this situation today? What happened?"

"I woke up this morning hating myself. I decided it was the last day I wanted to feel like that without doing something about it."

"Good Lord, everyone has those days."

"Not years full of them! Tyler, your enthusiasm is under-whelming. Be happy for me, please. Don't try to analyze me; I have more qualifications along those lines than you do."

Silence reigned until he ended it. "Nice shot—Anna!" In a matter of minutes, she'd altered into a strange creature he didn't even recognize. Never had he heard Annie speak with so little thought to the hurt her words could produce.

"You'd prefer I didn't change. You want me to stay the same. Admit it." Her husky voice broke into his irritation.

"What's wrong with that? I happen to like you exactly the way you are. Spending our weekends together is something I look forward to. I enjoy our walks, and lunches, and especially going to the movies and—and shopping." His eyes flashed indignation and his hand emphasized each point by slashing through the air. "If you'd just let me explain something to you, Annie—"

"Anna!"

"No! Annie! I need to tell you about how painful it can be out there."

"I know you've had bad experiences, Ty. That you've shut down your expectations, your future, but I need to try to live mine. Give me a chance, my friend. That's all I ask. Support me, please."

His professional instincts overrode his personal needs and stopped his tirade. He sighed deeply. Walking away, he thought about what she'd said. Maybe the best thing he could do for her was to let her grow up, as she so succinctly put it. Let her learn the lessons romance had taught him. He'd stay on the sidelines. Keep his predictions and warnings to himself. And... he'd watch and wait.

But every red-blooded male hormone in his taut body urged him on. He went back to her and stopped. "Annie, I'm your best buddy, and I adore you and your overly large caring heart. Please don't change too much."

He scooped her close, picking her right up off the floor. When he perused her features, his eyes were unusually serious. Dangling, she would have fallen if not for his arms. He hesitated, waiting to see if she'd pull away, which left her body wriggling against his for far too long and calling "hello" to every cell in his over-sensitized skin. His trembling surprised him. He hadn't experienced that kind of reaction to a female since being a horny teenager. He stared at her mouth and growled. He'd intended his caress to be a lighthearted expression of his affections. It changed the minute their bodies touched.

Intent must have flashed in his eyes. When she froze, he kissed her, not in the brotherly or friendly way he'd meant to, but the way a man kisses the woman he wants. While she gasped with surprise, he thrust his tongue between her soft lips, prying them open wider and then he invaded. Her response lifted his spirits and gave him hope. She tasted him, her tongue darting forward, caressing his with a tiny, affectionate lick. Then, her body melted into him, clinging for long seconds. His groan must have scared her. She broke away and pushed on his shoulders.

"Tyler, stop it. Why are you doing this?" Her trembling hand covered her lips.

His eyes narrowed. He stared at the little lady in front of him, into those big, worried eyes and felt the lust die. Damn, she was right. He had no business upsetting her. What the hell had gotten into him? He loosened his grip and gently lowered her to the floor.

From the first day he'd met her, he'd sensed an emotional changeling in flux. His own past experiences had soured him on the whole love-relationship thing and he no more wanted to have another girlfriend than to get a skin-eating disease. Being buddies with Annie had fitted perfectly into his chosen lifestyle. He didn't want anything to change. But that was his problem, not hers. His demons were his own to fight. Besides, his last relationship still had him questioning his abilities as a mate and a lover for any woman. Best not push his luck.

"Okay, Anna, how can I help?" He stood in front of her with his hands on his hips and his feet spread. He smiled. Not his unique smile, but tender nonetheless.

Her eyes misted. "Thank you, Ty. I couldn't bear to lose you."

Tyler recognized that their friendship had passed a huge hurdle. "Listen, we're buds, aren't we?"

She beamed her relief. Such a little worrywart. Then she nodded her head.

He chuckled. "Anything I can help you with, it's yours. Car rides, advice—friendly sex?"
Chapter Four

All weekend, she'd replayed the scene with Tyler. Why had he kissed her? He was angry; she got that, but why? In the end, he'd reverted back to his old familiar self, but for a short while he'd scared her. Years ago, she'd given up on even pretending she could be sexually involved with a man. But lately, sensual yearnings she'd learned to control haunted her and made her wonder if she shouldn't give normality a try. What woman didn't want to be a wife and a mother one day?

Monday morning, getting ready for the daycare became a major battle with a mocking, unseen presence. All of the outfits she normally wore got vetoed. Her overly casual clothes, strewn in every direction, indicated how few items in her closet would be appropriate for when she eventually became employed in a sophisticated office. The baggy style she'd stuck to for years concealed her body, and when a person strives to go unnoticed in the world, the tomboy look does the job. It isn't chic, but it is safe.

" _Didn't anyone ever explain to you that a body such as yours warrants feminine clothes?"_

" _A compliment? You must be in a good mood."_ Annie had given up talking to Celi out loud when it was simpler and a lot less weird communicating in her mind.

" _Don't push it. I'm just sayin'."_

" _You must be the strangest angel in heaven. Just my luck to get a maverick."_

" _Hey! I'm an Angel, First Class. Count yourself lucky."_

" _Now I know you're kidding. I watch 'It's a Wonderful Life' every Christmas, as you know very well."_

Finally, settling on a pair of snug jeans she seldom wore, she wrestled over the choice of her top. Her new white blouse hung from one hand and the safer, often worn T-shirt fluttered from the other. She faced the mirror and waffled.

" _Why did I ever buy this silly ruffled thing?"_ she grumbled.

" _Because it's pretty and modern, so wear the darn thing already."_ Celi popped to life in her favorite stance at the end of the unmade bed.

" _Why don't you have any wings? I've wondered about that."_

" _They're at the drycleaners. Look, quit stalling and get dressed."_

" _Why don't you talk like other people? I can hear your words in my mind, but your lips don't move."_

" _Why, why, why. You're worse than a child."_

Annie stopped what she was doing, stuck her hand on her hip and glared at the diaphanous form.

" _Fine. It takes enough energy to appear, why waste more speaking when I don't have to?"_

" _It's very disconcerting."_

" _Quit stalling and put the blouse on."_

" _You're a bully!"_

" _And you're beautiful. Look!"_ Magically, the garment draped Annie's form. The white emphasized her tanned skin and she had to admit the new fashion suited her. She buttoned it and stepped back.

" _It's supposed to be worn with the top few buttons undone."_

She undid the first one.

" _One more."_

" _One button, okay! Two? That's indecent."_

" _Indecent? Give me a break. You look very much the way any twenty-nine-year-old city girl in this century looks."_

It would be easier just to follow directions, she supposed. If she didn't, the button would unexplainably open all day long anyway.

Before she could change her mind, she put on the earrings she'd bought to go with the blouse and slipped her feet into the fancy sandals that had lain hidden in her closet since a shopping trip months earlier. She checked out her shiny cap of black hair, which had stiffened from the setting lotion applied earlier and now stood up in a perky 'do. The style highlighted her soft unblemished skin and brought her face to life.

Annie turned to Celi for final approval, but the angel had disappeared. _"Thanks, Celi."_ Only a faint fragrance of perfume answered. A scent Annie instantly fell in love with permeated the air around her hair. She'd have to ask Celi for the name of the product and wear it everywhere. It could be her personal smell for success.

A tinkling sound drew her attention to her dresser and there sat a tiny, rhinestone-studded blue bottle.

" _You're the best, Celi, you really are."_

" _Yes, sweet girl, I am. And don't you forget it."_ The words inside her head made her smile.

With Celi's earlier prodding, she'd scheduled a makeover for later in the week, a huge step out of her safety zone. But if she seriously contemplated a new career in business, then it would be a necessity. Words of wisdom she'd heard ad nausea from her raspy-voiced friend.

Products for her eyes, lipsticks, blushers, even nail polishes were on her list. She intended to buy the works and get the needed lessons for using it all. Then her next "spoil-me-I'm-worth-it" expenditure would be at the spa—pedicure, manicure, even a body massage. She'd be pricked, pummeled and painted.

Also, a major shopping trip loomed ahead at the weekend. One of the young girls she and Tyler had helped a few years back now worked at her favorite store in the women's clothing department. Susan had supreme good taste in fashion and accessories, and Annie knew her friend would be more than happy to assist her in spending a bundle.

Later, running into Tyler in the elevator increased her confidence. He appeared stunned when he saw her new look. A few small improvements and the man actually babbled.

"Hi Tyler. Look, I'm glad I ran into you. I wanted to apologize for canceling our walk yesterday. I know Sunday's been our day to wander and window-shop in Manhattan, but I had a lot to do, preparing my resume to hand in to Mr. Montaro."

"No problem, Smidge—I mean, Honey. I caught up with some housework." He grinned and winked.

"You! Housework? Right, what games did you watch?"

"Two tennis matches and an NBA semi-final."

"Thought so!" She chuckled as he'd intended. As soon as the elevator jerked to a stop, she shot out the opening door. "See you later. "

Sprinting to her car, parked in the nearest stall in the underground parking lot, she pretended not to hear him call her. Driving past him minutes later, she saw him look up from unlocking his car door. She wiggled the ends of her fingers, smiled automatically and noticed his aura of gloom.

The forlorn expression jiggled a memory from her childhood before she could shut it down. How many times as a small girl had she angled for her parents' attention and got the very same brush-off? Vying against their assorted interests had tied her in knots for years. Both her mom and dad had belonged to golf clubs, wine clubs, bridge clubs—every club going. They were almost never home, and in the few hours they spent in the house with her, they had eyes only for each other, conversing about their wine-making, bridge parties

She'd always believed her birth had been a huge mistake. Their treatment of her proved it. Trying hard to pique their interest failed. Soon, it became apparent to her that the best way for them to see her—really know she existed—was for her to make them feel guilty. If she played the martyr, they finally took some notice. The guilt usually forced them to give her what she wanted most—an identity, acknowledgement of her importance, at least enough for them to spend some time with her. That scheme worked fine as a child, but when she became older, she just gave up, grew even more lonely and independent and took to the books.

" _Stop thinking about the past and letting it affect your present. This is a happy moment. After all, Anna, this is the first day of the rest of your life."_

" _Good advice, Celi, thank you."_

* * *

Annie arrived early and hovered at the door as Hugo Montaro brought his children into the facility. Her hands, sore from being clenched, rubbed each other incessantly. He smiled as soon as he saw her, seeming to favor her above any of the other girls employed at the elite, very expensive children's center.

"Hi, sugar. You're looking pretty spiffy today. What's up?" His sincere smile flattered her and she unknowingly reacted with an unfamiliar glint in her eye. It bordered on friendly, but with a lot more oomph behind it than usual. His glance steadied, measuring her, searching her features.

"Hi, Hugo. Hi, kids. Can I talk to you for a minute, Hugo?" Annie leaned over and gentled her voice, as was her habit when there were children around. "Jackson, darling, could you help your little sister? Alyssa can't hang up her sweater by herself. But you're much taller. Also, please make sure she can reach the shelf to store her lunchbox? I'll be with you in a minute. Okay?"

The boy took his sibling's hand proudly. In unison, both voices piped, "Okay, Annie." The kids disappeared around the corner, heading for the designer lockers decorated with each child's best-loved animal picture across the front.

"Something's different about you today." Hugo studied her. "Annie, is everything all right?"

Hugo Montaro, one of her favorite parents delivering offspring each morning, always arrived early and acted both friendly and respectful to not only the ladies but the children, also. He had the happiest of dispositions.

"Actually, Hugo, everything is perfect. I've come to a decision about my future and I've decided the time has come to make a few changes. If you really want me to come and work for you—I mean, if the position you mentioned the other day is still open—then I'd like to apply." She worked her hands continuously, nerves overtaking confidence.

"Hell, Sugar. I'd love to have you with me, and yes, we're still short-listing the applicants. You've plenty of time to apply. Since you have an 'in' with the boss, I can almost guarantee you priority, but nevertheless there will be a few interrogations from the other management people."

Her eyebrows rose.

He smiled. "You'd call them interviews. Nothing you can't handle. So what's happened to make you change your mind since last week, when I teased you about changing jobs? You seemed very sure about your refusal then."

"Truthfully? I had a bit of an epiphany this weekend and sort of decided that I need a new direction. The time's ripe to spread my wings, take on bigger challenges. The opportunity to switch to a management position with your company would be the perfect choice for me right now. I want to grab it before someone else does. Do you understand?"

"Absolutely. It'll be my gain, so you won't get any arguments from me. The biggest hurdle I'll have to cross is telling my kids. You're their favorite here at the daycare. They talk about you incessantly. All I hear is Annie said this and Annie did that."

She giggled, then put her hands on top of her mouth to shut it off. Probably the relief from his acceptance of her proposal overrode her normal restraint, but the comical expression on his face did tickle her.

"Don't snicker at me. You have no idea what hell those two miniature monsters can put me through. Once they hear you're leaving the center, just to keep them from running away from home it'll probably cost me that new computer they've been angling for."

"Computers are a wonderful learning tool, one all kids could use if properly controlled. Chalk up the expense to education." Annie's newfound confidence allowed her to jest in a manner she'd never used before. She relished the freedom.

"Easy for you to say. Have you ever paid any attention to what's available on the Internet? Oy vey!" His eyes opened wide, both hands covered them and his head shook from side to side.

To stop the laughter, she captured her bottom lip between her teeth. Some habits take longer to change. Her expression became serious after a few seconds and she said. "I've polished up my resume and made a copy for you in case you want one."

She pulled out a large brown envelope from a cubicle full of extra raincoats for the kids and passed it to him.

"Thanks, sweetheart." He took the envelope and crammed it under his arm.

"I promise, I'll explain to the kids what a great opportunity you've offered, and since they're good kids, they'll be happy for me. You just watch."

"I have no doubt you'll smooth it over and I'll survive, but it'll still be a huge upheaval for them. I'm almost sorry I asked you." His happy demeanor changed and saddened.

Her face fell instantly. He patted her cheek, jollying her along.

"I'm kidding. I'm not at all sorry. It'll be great having you come on board with us. I'm warning you, though, there's a lot to be done. We've been without anyone at the helm in the Human Resource Department for quite a few weeks. We fired the last person and had to ask her to leave the same day. Some indiscretions can't be overlooked. But we'll go into all that after you're with us for a while."

"I'll give my notice here today. I have to offer them at least two weeks, but I happen to know a girl who took a few months off to travel and has now returned to the city. She's desperate for a job. Chances are, they'll grab her. The kids like her very much, which makes her a real catch."

"Good! Seems as if everything is falling into place. I'll get the Personnel Department to put a rush on the paperwork for you, so I should be able to set up a board interview in the next couple of days, just protocol. I'll catch up with you tomorrow and bring you up to date. Must run now. Bye, sweetheart."

Rules on proper office etiquette and harassment were pretty strict nowadays, which made Annie wonder if he'd still call her "sweetheart" once she became his employee. Not that she minded. With an attitude reminiscent of an older brother, he embodied the essence of a true gentleman. Plus, his drawl led her to believe he'd originated from Georgia. Apparently pet names were a habit with Southern folks.

Up to now, she'd never thought about his physical attractiveness. As one of the few fathers who came into the center, he was the nicest. But now that they were to have a much closer association, she took a few minutes to catalogue his attributes.

He wasn't too tall, but then he wasn't too short, either, a man of comfortable size, with a comfortable disposition. The shape of his shaved head saved it from being inelegant, and similar to some of the movie stars today, it suited him. Contrary to what others might think, she considered it added a rakish appeal. The suits he wore each morning, tailored to fit him perfectly, impressed her and she'd decided long ago that the man oozed style.

Stimulated by his positive reaction to her enquiries, she felt not only relief but also a sense of satisfaction. The first step had been taken and new tomorrows were on the horizon. She heard the children begin to sing their good-morning song, so she shook off her pensive mood and marched into the large playroom to circle around to where the supervisor stood.

"Can I see you for a few minutes in the office, Shirley?" Annie wanted to cement the process before her gutless persona reappeared.

Annie's boss closed the door behind them. Something in Annie's serious expression must have warned her of upsetting news, because she listened carefully to the girl's prepared speech.

"I can't fathom it! You're putting in your resignation? Why, Annie? We love you here. You're very important to us and to the kids. They'll be devastated." Shirley, a rather large woman, plunked down on the corner of her desk. Astonishment covered her face.

"Hugo Montaro has recently offered me a position with his firm and the job's too fantastic to pass up. Honest, Shirley, I've loved working here, but being involved in a large company such as his will give me the motivation to get out of the rut I'm in. To meet new people, mingle, try new things."

"Don't get me wrong, Annie, I'm happy for you, just miserable for us. We'll miss you dreadfully. I hadn't mentioned it, but I was planning on retiring next year and intended to name you as my successor. Now I'll have to re-think my plans. Not to worry. Your happiness is what's important. Tell me, what position has he offered you?"

"Human Resource Manager. Between head office, the plant and warehouse, and all the stores in the city, they employ over a thousand people, so it's a pretty hefty appointment. I researched the company all weekend and decided I wanted the challenge. Can't say I'm not scared, but I am qualified. I just have to keep telling myself that."

"Honey, you're more than qualified. I always figured this place was too low profile for your impressive credentials, but I couldn't say no to those beseeching blue eyes of yours. And I've never had a moment's regret. There's no one here who works harder, or who's better with the kids. No matter what happens, there'll always be a position here if you decide you want to return."

"Thank you, Shirley. You know I've loved this job. As far as replacing me, I wondered about Leslie?"

"Good idea. I guess she'll be ecstatic when I call to tell her the good news. She overspent on traveling and is hyper about getting re-employed as quickly as possible; tomorrow wouldn't be too soon for her. If you need to leave before your two weeks' notice is finished, it'll be fine by me. I'd hate to stand in your way, Annie."

Shirley left the office believing Annie followed right behind her. Instead, she stood glued to the floor, wringing her already sore hands. Stymied at the hurt coursing through her, she fought off her rejected feelings and tried to buoy up her earlier delight.

I'll have more time to get ready for Montaro's—buy new clothes, practice putting on my new face, get spoiled at the spa, sleep in late... and worry about the change in my relationship with Tyler.

What the hell am I doing?

Tears welled and slid over, leaving damp traces on her cheeks before dripping onto her new white blouse. Still she didn't move, except for her hands ripping at each other, clenching and unclenching, hurting.
Chapter Five

Lord & Taylor on Fifth Avenue had served as Annie's one-stop shop for new clothes, shoes—in fact pretty well everything—for years. It was a store she'd loved while growing up and she favored spending time there above many other activities. To this day, the store represented the height of fashion, luxury and fun.

As she approached the building, scenes from memorable trips with her parents flashed through her mind. Every year they'd give up their other pursuits for one unique day, to treat her to an afternoon of Christmas gift shopping in Manhattan. She'd loved those special times.

To complete the day, after her orgy of gift buying, they'd take her to her favorite restaurant in Times Square. At that very place, the much-anticipated custom came to an abrupt halt ages ago. Memories began to crowd in while everything else receded.

* * *

Her mother had sounded so excited on the phone. "Annie, can you meet us at the restaurant? Your father and I have wonderful news."

She'd arrived early in anticipation, wondering if they had a special gift to give her as a graduation present. One of the other misfits in the dorm where Annie had lived the last few years recently learned that her parents were taking her on a Caribbean cruise as a reward for all her work. Annie knew she'd aced all her classes at NYU and would be presented with her master's degree the next day. Maybe her parents were going to surprise her too.

Seated across from the two happy adults a little while later, Annie felt their enthusiasm bubble over. It made her smile to see them so happy.

"What? Tell me. You're grinning like Cheshires, both of you. "

"We've bought a condo in Palm Springs. It's in a gated community and has a big clubhouse with an indoor and outdoor pool, a special room to play bridge and a golf course right next door. We can take possession at the end of the week." Her mother's eyes glowed as her words shot holes in her daughter's heart.

Can stomachs actually drop? Or burning sensations flare up within the few minutes it took for dreams disintegrate? These fanciful thoughts flooded her mind while she clenched her hands and sucked in her bottom lip to stop the moan from escaping.

"What about me?" Did her voice actually squeak? God, she was pitiful.

Both adults looked their surprise. Her father finally broke the tension-filled moment. "What do you mean, Annie? Did you want to move to Palm Springs?"

"No, of course not. I meant that I'd looked forward to a few weeks of holidays at home with you and mother before I had to start searching for work. The exams have been hectic, especially with all the extra courses I've added, and knowing I could take things easy when they were finished has meant a lot of me."

Guilty looks passed between her parents. Her mother finally cleared her voice and spoke first. "We've sold the house, Annie. We moved out yesterday, dear, and plan to only stay in the city just until after your ceremony. We have a flight booked the next day."

Her father's arm encircled her mother's shoulders. Then he leaned towards Annie. We haven't forgotten you, Annie." He looked towards his wife, and once she nodded her approval, he took an envelope from his pocket and offered it to his daughter.

She didn't reach for it. She just couldn't. "What is it?"

Her father shifted in his seat and lowered his eyes, unable to meet her glare of accusation.

"It's the deed to a wonderful apartment in the Bronx. We bought it for you as your graduation surprise. I've hired a car to pick us up in an hour so you can see it for yourself. Your mother and I furnished it with some of the stuff from home, your old bedroom suite and so on." She impaled him with her glare until the sheepish look on his reddening face turned to anger. "It's perfect for one person, Annie. You'll like it. Wait and see."

Strangely enough, she did—after some time. Moving to her new apartment had meant adulthood for Annie and freedom for her parents. She fought the feelings of separation anxiety and immaturity and eventually settled down.

Hefty checks at Christmas and her birthday arrived promptly, along with mushy cards full of empty words. Monthly duty calls were placed, regaling her with their stories of retirement fun and the occasional false entreaty for her to visit. She'd felt dumped, big time.

Upon entering the store, Annie stopped and looked around the large opulent interior. Pleasure, albeit not the same childish delight she'd felt as a little girl, coursed through her, lightening her step. Busy people, mingling, chattering, brushing against each other, heightened senses from just the noise alone.

Various fragrances of perfumes and men's colognes drifted, teasing her nostrils. One particular scent seemed stronger than the others. Placed on a strategic shelf, a gorgeous swirling blue glass bottle, its fancy top encrusted with rhinestones, tantalized her, drawing her closer. The product's name, Endless Possibilities, made her wonder. Sniffing the spray on a little white card confirmed her excitement. It was a large bottle of the same scent Celi had given her. Before she knew what her intentions were, her credit card appeared and the blue bottle became her first purchase.

From there, she walked over to a counter of gold and silver jewelry and glanced in the mirror set up for customers. She still wasn't used to her new look. The professional makeup artist had advised specific tips to highlight the shape and size of her eyes. She didn't need mascara, as nature had looked after the thickness and length of her black eyelashes, but a small amount of underlining in strategic places, along with touches of color, intensified their lush transformation.

A long lecture on facial care had followed, forcing her to purchase the whole kit for proper skin management. She'd promised to stick to a strict daily cleansing routine. It was amazing what a few products and a lot of knowledge had created. She looked like a different person—stunning, poised and grownup.

The escalator to the floors above, where fashion reigned and Susan waited, beckoned her to hurry.

"Annie, I'm so glad you called. Holy shi-...nola, is this really you?" The perky, very modern young woman approached and stopped dead within two feet of her intended client. Her head lolled to one side as she surveyed Annie, whose newfound confidence wavered while she waited for the verdict. "Wow, you're really hot, girlfriend."

Pride overrode anxiety as she breathed a sigh of relief. "You approve? It's not too much?"

"Are you kidding? It's understated elegance at its best. If not for the jeans and tee, I'd never have recognized you. I love the hairstyle, and whatever conditioner they used has brightened your hair big-time, made it glossy and shiny. I want that hairdresser's name. I'll pay you."

Laughter joined their hearts as their arms joined their bodies. "How are you, Susie? Really? And the new boyfriend? Is he treating you the way you deserve?"

"If you mean does he spoil me, then yes. He's wonderful. We've started talking about the big day, probably in the spring. Annie, I want you with me as my maid of honor." The only hint of the brassy, troubled teen of a few years back showed up in the insecurity shadowing her eyes as she waited for Annie's acceptance.

She wasn't disappointed. Annie beamed. It was her first invitation to stand up with a friend on her wedding day.

* * *

Hauling around all the shopping bags, stuffed full with her purchases, had done Annie in. She was exhausted. What a day! Monday was D-day for her job at Montaro's, and she still needed to re-try all her gear. Plus, she had to practice walking in her various pairs of very expensive shoes—the high-heeled shoes—the ones she'd never owned before. Those ones!

Her normal choice of footwear ran to boys' sneakers or plain sandals. She knew she was in dire need of a run-through with her new footwear.

After a throw-together dinner of Greek salad teamed with focaccia bread smothered in fresh aromatic herbs and feta cheese to fill her stomach, add two glasses of red wine to bolster her courage, Annie was ready.

Emotions churned inside as her mirror portrayed a lovely, slim, chic female in the modern outfits that Susie had helped her select. Exhilarated, she knew they'd chosen well. Her confidence spiked, until she unpacked the footwear. She'd known they would be her downfall—literally.

Other women made walking in stilettos look easy, even graceful and sexy. She looked inept, clumsy and downright stupid. A misogynist must have invented the bloody shoes. She wondered why women tortured themselves with these things?

Tottering around the apartment in her first pair of killer heels, she cussed repeatedly.

"Blasted silly things." Her hips bounced off the coffee table as she fell, straddling the arm of the sofa. "Ow!"

" _Quit being such a baby."_

Now why should it surprise her that Celi would enjoy watching this comedy of the ridiculous? Probably needs a good giggle. Sure enough, she clearly heard the sound of laughter, a bit rusty but nonetheless boisterous.

" _Hope you're enjoying yourself?"_ She rubbed her fanny and tried again.

" _Oh, I am."_

"Then knock yourself out. Why the hell—heck do women wear these crazy things? They're implements of pure torture." Turning too quickly to find her friend, her ankles gave way and her knees hit the floor, hard. _"Ouch! Damn, that hurt."_ Sheepishly, she looked around and breathed a sigh when she saw the empty room. _"I'm whining, sorry!"_

" _No problem! Look, Annie, all it takes is practice."_

" _Easy for you to say. I never knew my ankles were so weak."_ She stood, using the back of the leather easy chair to pull herself up. As soon as she started off again, the same weak ankles twisted first to one side and then the other, making her remember her very first experience on a pair of ice skates.

Suddenly the ultimate indignity happened. As she fell, her butt slid off the footstool and landed hard on the other pairs of shoes scattered all around her.

"Son of a bi-...gun!"

This time the guffaws had a slightly hysterical sound and Annie imagined Celi rolling on the puffy white surface of a cloud, clutching her stomach.

A random idea popped into her head—Celi taking pity, no doubt. Annie nodded and stumbled over to put on a CD. A slow waltz, her favorite, filled the room and soothed her, calming her aggravation. By not concentrating so hard and instead listening to the music, it seemed she could dance-walk with no problem.

" _Start slow. Take baby steps."_

She had a sinuous grace, hidden until now. The sway of her hips integrated itself in her steps and soon became so ingrained that a model could have done well to copy her natural style.

Later that night, after a long hot bath before bed, she instituted a new nightly cleansing routine. Bottles and tubes, powders and creams littered her counter. Mentally tallying the scandalous amounts of money she'd shelled out for all this goop made her shudder. Juggling through her new products, she came across an implement that looked like a pair of strange scissors.

What the heck are these for? She couldn't remember at first. There had been so many new novelties coming at her all at once. Scanning her list and product diagrams, she figured they must be the eyelash curlers. Not having been around anyone who'd ever used an eyelash curler, she wasn't too sure how it worked, but she eventually found the instructions on the back of the package.

Ripped out lashes soon decorated the white porcelain sink. Her eyes stung something awful. "Whoa! No way!" The loud clang when the instrument of torture landed in the garbage can gave her immense satisfaction. A person had to have some limits as to what they'd do for a new job and hers had been reached.

* * *

Strutting along the sidewalk in front of her apartment the next day, wearing one of her newly purchased flared skirts and a pair of fancy shoes, boosted Annie's morale. She felt confident she could appear in public now that her walking skills had improved greatly. Her three-inch wedged sandals were the height of fashion and she decided they made her legs look quite shapely.

When Tyler appeared from around the corner, she couldn't have planned it better. Gladness at seeing him overflowed. She wanted to show off her new clothes, practice her walk and crow a little about her accomplishments. His expression of utter astonishment bolstered her spirits and went a long way to way to soothing her bruised bottom and various other black-and-blue areas of her anatomy.

His smile of welcome warmed her heart. "I hope you appreciate how hard this is? One false move and I could go down."

The stumble happened because she wasn't paying attention to the fact that she'd stepped off the path and onto gravel. She'd been too busy thinking about how wonderful his flyaway hair looked, glinting in the sunshine and how white his teeth appeared against a naturally tanned complexion. He laughed, scooped her up against his hard body and held her pinioned in his arms.

Familiar smells wafted past as she breathed in the man's essence. A faint aroma of his shaving lotion and coffee tickled her nose before she gently, reluctantly, pushed away from temptation.

"My hero," she said in a teasing voice. "Quit laughing. It's harder than it looks."

"Then why bother? You've never worn skirts and heels before. I like you better in jeans and a T-shirt."

"I know. Me too. Unfortunately, I have no choice. I'll be employed by one of the largest shoe manufacturing companies in the city. I'm sure they'll expect me to use their products."

"The high price of success, I guess." He snickered as she wobbled again.

"You'd faint if I told you the cost of these suckers. Trust me! Think bankruptcy." She exaggerated a pitiful look.

"Hel-lo! No sympathy here. Your choice, kiddo." He one-sided her—that damnable grin that could turn her insides to pure mush. Smile lines filled the space between his hair and his eyes, creating the appearance that his whole face beamed, a trick he'd unconsciously mastered and that made one feel, "Now, here's a man you can trust."

"One more smirk out of you and I'll be forced to smack you with my wedgie."

"Your what?"

"My shoe, you idiot. Don't you know anything?"

"I know you're the cutest thing I've seen today and I just walked past the puppies in the pet store window."

Annie melted. "You sweet-talking dude. You say the nicest things."

"Come eat with me and I'll whip out a few more of my best lines."

"I'm your girl, but only if we don't have to walk too far."

"To get you to share lunch with me, I'd carry you piggyback."

A smile lit up her face and pure mischief gleamed. "Too bad, lover-boy. Your cute ways aren't enough to make me forget whose turn it is to pay."

"It's always my turn." He mock-grumbled as he gathered her close and supported her in a tight turn.
Chapter Six

Annie's eyes slowly opened to see her Wedgwood vase silhouetted in the window, replicating the blue of the Monday morning sky. The weather bolstered her mood. She lay there for a few seconds, absorbing the world around her and took a moment to check out her inner world also. Relaxed, happy, she looked forward to starting her new job.

Minutes zoomed by quicker than Annie thought possible. A blink and she was walking into Montaro's office building, carrying her new laptop in her new briefcase and fighting off an old case of jitters. The elevator packed with Monday morning, coffee-clutching zombies ascended noiselessly. Floor numbers and "excuse me" were the only words spoken, while crinkling newspapers composed the background music.

Getting out on her floor posed a slight problem. It took a fair amount of aggression to push to the front, and after her second trip to the ground floor, Celi helped her find her nerve.

" _I can't believe you told me to shove that poor woman."_

" _There are times when such measures are called for."_

" _I guess my other option, throwing up on her, wouldn't have gone over very well."_

" _Ahh—I think not."_ Celi's harsh signature laugh echoed and then disappeared.

Right now, the heebie-jeebies taking up residence in her stomach punished her for her earlier confidence. Her breakfast cereal churned and played flip-flop with roiling orange juice. She stopped, took a deep breath and looked around to get her bearings.

People in motion pumped up the hectic atmosphere in the busy area she'd entered. Her brain filtered everything at once. The receptionist answered multi-ringing phones in a voice perfected over thousands of calls. Employees flooded out of elevators that opened with a ping to alert the waiting. Good-mornings were called out and answered, adding a jovialness so far missing in her day.

The upbeat mood pleased Annie. She felt a calmness settle over tense nerves. First impressions ranked high on her list of importance. The ambiance on this floor, her floor, resonated with a cheerfulness that promised fine working relationships in the department. The positive sign helped her relax. She'd been stressed, worrying about giving up a place she'd loved to end up in one maybe not so nice.

A high-level executive meeting scheduled to take place in an hour would be the perfect venue for introductions to all her associates. And Hugo had promised he'd be there to help ease the way. But first she supposed she should settle in and introduce herself to the secretary in the smaller office across from hers. She preferred the term "assistant" and hoped the woman whose desk she now approached felt the same. She'd been sick the day of Annie's interview, so getting a sense of her compatibility had been impossible earlier.

A beautifully turned out thirty-something female, a reserved but welcoming expression carefully arranged on her face, spoke softly." Good-morning, Miss Hynes. My name is Sara Knight. I'm your secretary." Her glossy dark brown hair was cut in a modern style, rather short, and shaped around her face to enhance her fine features.

Annie held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Anna Hynes. I'm pleased to meet you. I'm glad you're feeling well enough to be here today. It's nice to see a friendly face."

"My pleasure. Since we'll be working very closely together, I hoped to be here for your first day."

"Great. I have a question for you, Sara. Do you have any objection to being referred to as my assistant rather than my secretary? I find I'm more comfortable with the term and its connotations. I'd prefer us to work together rather than you working for me. I'm sure you have invaluable experience with this firm and I'll need a teacher for the first while. There'll be no getting me coffee, or such nonsense, unless we take turns." Annie had to stop to catch her breath. She smiled and watched Sara Knight melt, along with her reserve.

"Fine by me. I'll be happy to help you in any way I can. And because it is your first day, I'll even get your coffee. How do you take it?"

When the lady smiled without the aloofness, she was quite something. Her brown eyes twinkled and years melted away. Annie liked her and, better still, trusted her at once.

"Actually, I'm allergic to caffeine. Do they have any herbal teas? If not, don't worry. I'm fine." Annie grimaced and shrugged her shoulders.

"Appears we have something in common. I don't drink coffee either and I have my own stash of teas. Do you have a favorite?"

Grinning, Annie shot back, "What kinds do you have?"

"Picky, are we? Let's see. There's Chamomile, Chamomile or—right, Chamomile."

"Humm! Tough decision. Okay, I'll have the Chamomile."

Laughing, Sara answered. "Perfect choice."

All the time they chatted, they moved closer to Annie's office. The door stood open, waiting. Annie stepped into the room, stopped in front of the large glass-topped desk, and stared around her. "Wow" came to mind, followed by "Oh my."

The area was huge, disgustingly ostentatious, and not in her comfort zone at all. Glass—very heavy, greenish glass—appeared to be the theme, leaving one with a sense of floating, of not being grounded. The multiple matching glass shelves to one side and behind her desk were empty, while those on the other side housed the company's operation manuals and other reference materials. The overflowing trays aligned on the work surface beckoned, warning her of the multitude of work awaiting her, as did the P.C. with the monitor lit and a floating company logo decorating its screen.

But for the luxurious arrangement of yellow roses placed on the glass side table, she'd have been completely unnerved. She wiped her hands on the sides of her skirt and gently gathered the blooms. Bending over, she squeezed her eyes closed and took a deep breath. Her serotonin levels soared as delight eradicated apprehension. He'd signed the small card himself. She recognized his handwriting. 'Be happy, little one. Your Buddy, Ty.' He'd always known the perfect way to bolster her spirits.

Sometime later, as she was opening her briefcase to set out her personal belongings, an incredibly handsome man stepped into her office. He reminded her of a swashbuckling, Spanish pirate from some of the old movies Tyler coaxed her into watching with him from time to time. His groomed hair gleamed black, his eyes were a deep brown and she envied the natural tone of his darker skin. "Oh, sorry. I'm looking for Sara."

"She just stepped out for a minute." Annie didn't feel comfortable explaining her assistant had gone to make her tea. She glanced down at her watch, hoping he wouldn't notice the blush she could feel coating her cheeks.

Rather than leave, he moved closer to her desk. "I'm Sergio Ruiz. Number One salesman for the last four years." His accent sounded pure South American. He smiled with such charm she found herself smiling back.

Holding out her hand, she replied. " _Ola!_ I'm Anna Hynes."

His smile revved up a notch, showing flawless, white teeth, the kind you see on a television toothpaste commercial. "You speak my language."

"Only a very few phrases. I took a couple of Spanish lessons last spring. They fizzled out after the second occasion when the professor showed up drunk and couldn't remember his verb conjugations, or his English."

Sergio laughed and shook her hand, holding it in both of his. "It would be my pleasure to teach you how to speak Portuguese, which is the language from my country. And I can promise to stay sober."

She extricated her fingers from his and skedaddled to the large window to collect her thoughts. He frazzled her, standing so close.

Flustered nerves forced her to babble. "I've never worked downtown in Manhattan before. The place is crazy with all the kamikaze yellow cabs and the overflowing rivers of people going in every direction. Walking from the subway this morning felt like a marathon of hope."

He moved to stand too close beside her. He wasn't as tall as Tyler, but his larger build contrasted her short stature. They both gazed at the tinker-toy cars and mini-people forty stories below." Hope for what?" he asked, his tone flirtatious.

"That every light would change before I got to it. That the crowds wouldn't close in, or the hordes all decide to turn at once."

His laugh bellowed out as he one-arm hugged her to him in the manner one friend would do to another—except he was a stranger.

She jerked back and he dropped his arm, his smile wiped away by her instinctive move. He recovered immediately, trying to conceal his presumption.

"Sorry! Feels like I've known you forever. We Brazilian men forget ourselves around beautiful women."

The noise of a throat being cleared had the two of them whipping around to face the door.

"Here's your tea." Sara stepped to the desk and put down a small tray, which carried a couple of cookies and a large mug painted with brilliant blue birds.

"Sergio, were you here to see me about something?" Sara turned to him, a hint suggested by her raised eyebrow.

"Yes, _senhorita_." He grinned at her and then looked at Annie. "I shall return to find out how you are coming along, Anna. If you have need of my help, please don't hesitate to call me." He smiled and passed her a card extricated from an elaborate leather holder. "I'm not always in the office, but for you, I'd return anytime."

Sara crossed her arms in front of her, before turning to Annie. "I'll assist Sergio while you take a minute to have your tea and get settled in. Then I can brief you on the day ahead." Her aloofness, solidly back in place, made Annie stare. What's up with that?

Sergio stood waiting at the door for Sara to precede him. He swiveled and winked audaciously at Annie behind Sara's back. Cheeky devil! He made Annie nervous. A man like him could have any woman he wanted, and if he set his sights on her, she'd be in deep trouble. A ripple of shivers made her back teeth clench. She shook off her misgivings, set her mind to the work overflowing the in-tray and slowly sipped her tea.

* * *

It would be the last break Annie was to have for the next few days. Between meetings with Hugo, with her own small staff and then with managers from all the various stores, to the district, regional and division people, life was hectic but fun. Everyone she met had ideas of how her area would benefit, changes they thought necessary. Many were succinct and indisputable.

She also had a few tricks up her own sleeve to make her department more accessible to the lower level employees and not just the hierarchical types. She talked to each person individually, spending many hours to discover any ideas they might have. It helped her to make a chart listing the important to the trivial, checking with the administrators regarding their preferences for hiring and the on-site treatment of their people.

Everyone proved helpful, and none more so than Hugo. He still called her sweetheart, but then he called most of the girls on that floor by the same endearment. Made her wonder sometimes if he had a bad memory for names and covered his problem by this small eccentricity.

He'd gotten into the habit of checking on her progress each day, encouraging her to take on the tough challenges she faced. He even stood up for her during the few episodes when she'd stepped on intractable toes or insisted on unpopular but necessary changes.

Annie got the distinct impression he came not only to visit her. More often than not, with Sara working in the same office, he'd light up and become friskier when she was in the room, engaging her in a teasing byplay that would have them all laughing. Many days the girls resorted to pushing him out the door so they could get on with their huge accumulation of e-mails and paperwork that needed to be cleared.

Sara, as well, became a shining beacon in the fogged-up, misty tunnel of life as a new employee. With so much to learn and understand, her invaluable advice saved Annie from huge errors and a whole lot of embarrassments.

As in most businesses, the office politics at Montaro's were annoying but also a fact of life. With help from her assistant, Annie found it easy to correlate and not become involved. Friendship grew between the two women as they adapted their individual styles to becoming a team.

Every time Tyler popped into her thoughts, usually when a whiff from his roses became noticeable, she missed him. He phoned and left messages, ones she hadn't taken the time to follow up on. Guilt rode her hard, but by the time she'd get home either it was too late or she'd be too tired to place the call. Many nights she and Sara were heads down, slogging away in their niche.

And the evenings she wasn't in the office she had to attend endless boring dinner parties for those retiring, or make presentations of one kind or another, all geared for management.

Her intentions to return Tyler's calls each morning left her guilt ridden as she slipped into bed every night, having procrastinated yet again. Since she'd started her new job, hours and then whole days had a way of disappearing. Each one ran into the next, and before she knew it, she'd been at Montaro's for over a week, going on two.

Shame and Celi finally caught up with her _. "You can't put it off any longer. Call him and remember to thank him for the flowers."_

Go figure! Celi was a stickler for the conventions. Deciding there was no time like the present; she picked up the phone and chose his number, not needing Sara's help to place this call.

"Hi! Tyler Jones here." His tone implied he was smiling.

"You sound happy today."

"I am, especially now you've called. I was chuckling over a note I received from Tommy Kinder. Remember him, the kid with the dreadlocks he'd made with peanut butter?"

"You mean the one whose head we had to shave, because of the bugs building subdivisions in his hair?"

"That's the one. You'll be happy to hear he's passed all his courses and has just been accepted into a program to become an MRI Technician. The kid's flying without wings, or so I gather from the sounds of his letter."

"Hopefully without drugs, also." Her tone was dry.

"He's clean. He swears it, even put it in writing. Says he saw the light after spending time with us. I guess our helping him was what made him turn around and straighten out. I want to celebrate. Whaddaya say—dude?"

She smiled. "You are such a mimic. I could swear it was Tommy himself talking. No wonder you two got along so well. Actually, I called about us getting together. First, before I forget, the roses you sent were beautiful. My nose loves you. They still smell superb and they put me at ease as soon as I walked into my new office, which by the way, you'll absolutely hate when you visit. A huge glass cage describes it perfectly, although I am starting to get used to it now. Even the view doesn't wow me so much anymore."

"You have a view? What floor are you on?"

"The fortieth. Look, dinner's on me tonight. I want to tell you all about my new job."

The silence lasted a few seconds. Waiting even that long speeded up her heart rate.

"Sure, sounds great. I'll pick you up at seven, and we can bus it to our restaurant. We're blessed with a warm evening, and after today, I can use some fresh air."

"Me, too. I'll pick you up, since your floor's lower than mine."

"Harsh, honey, is that a dig?"

"Quit joking around. See you later."

"Right. Bye now."

She sat holding the phone in her hand, contemplating the call. At the end he'd sounded distant, sort of upset. Probably just one of his cases bothering him. Anticipation swept through her at the thought of being with him in a few hours.

While she fantasized about the coming evening, delight swamped her, followed by giddiness and then longing topped up the emotional morass. Showing off could be considered unbecoming, but so what. She couldn't wait for him to see the new confident Anna.
Chapter Seven

Annie returned home late, leaving herself only a few minutes to get ready and pick up Tyler. Tasks at the office had a way of snowballing towards the end of the day. Then, just as she was about to leave, Sergio made a cameo appearance and begged her to have dinner with him. He'd been a constant drop-in to her office since she'd started, but his flirty ways still unsettled her. The guy did tend to take things for granted, she thought.

"I'm sorry, Sergio, I have plans for this evening."

" _Queridíssima_ , I tried to call you sooner, but I only arrived back in town this morning. I'm leaving again on another sales trip tomorrow and won't be back until Saturday. Are you certain there's no possibility for you to come with me tonight?" His smile promised a reward.

"None whatsoever. I've arranged to take a friend to dinner. I'm sorry, Sergio." She tacked on the last words when his face fell comically, making her laugh.

In the end, Annie compromised and agreed to go out with Sergio the day he returned. Dating him worried her somewhat. His charisma overwhelmed the shyness she barely hid while at work and she knew he was an experienced seducer. A woman senses such things.

Maybe it was time for her to be seduced. No doubt working amongst the sophisticated elements had lessened her strict views from many of her earlier naive opinions, but what she accepted for others still didn't mean she was ready to act similarly.

She hurried into her apartment, dumped parcels here and there, then bumped into the bar stool and grabbed it before the blasted thing crashed to the floor. With a glance at her watch, she opted to take a few minutes to freshen her makeup and switch out of her businesslike attire to a new pair of low-riding jeans and a filmy lilac blouse showing way more than she'd ever have been at ease with previously. It had become as comfortable to her now as her bikini underwear.

Common sense warred with the giddy creeping-crawlies in her stomach at the idea of spending all evening with Tyler. After soul searching most of the day, she'd come to a realization. Cutting herself off from him had been on purpose. She'd decided that hiding her feelings, especially after the kiss they'd shared, would be difficult. Best to stay away from temptation. Not forever, she couldn't bear that, but the less time they spent together, the less chance there would be of her breaking down and admitting her foolish fantasies.

She'd die of embarrassment if he found out her feelings for him had changed. He'd made it plain from the first day they met that he had no interest in pursuing a romance—with anyone—and she'd never had the nerve to try to change his mind. Still didn't. Couldn't. Up until lately, horror at being intimate with any man had held her back. Plus, his being a woman-hater stopped him from seeing her as anything other than a pal.

Phrases like "give it up" and "stop wishing for the moon" popped into her mind. The same ones she'd controlled herself with since way back when her feelings had undergone a transformation from a friend's to head-over-heels.

" _Go ahead. Wish for the moon—and the stars, little girl. And quit being so defeatist."_ Celi, voicing her opinion, had a habit of popping in at the most incongruous times.

" _Easier said than done, Celi. If you knew why I'm so scared, you'd understand why it's impossible for me to have a normal relationship."_

With a droll tone, Celi answered. _"I'm an angel, Annie. I do know. And I do understand. But maybe it's time for you to let go of what happened in the past. Think about it, my dear. You're not getting any younger. And if my memory serves me right about the pleasures of uniting physically, you don't know what you're missing."_

Annie chuckled, just as Celi intended. _"I will. I promise."_

One thing she knew for certain. She wouldn't give up Tyler or his friendship. Just visualizing the emptiness of her life without him made her queasy. Okay, no matter how he acts, don't read anything into it.

Her thoughts flew every which way while her feet flew down the two flights of stairs. She rapped on the door with their special knock and stood stunned when it opened within a few seconds.

"Were you guarding the peephole?" Annie laughed, not because it was an especially funny remark, but more because happiness overwhelmed, even if he did have his cell phone glued to his ear.

He waved her in, pointed at the receiver and stalked over to the other side of the room. "Look, Lea, leave the poser. How many ways do I have to say it? He's not good enough for you. He hurts you and you won't stop him."

Annie watched the expressions rioting across Tyler's face—anger, puzzlement, mainly frustration. He listened to whatever Lea had to say, then cut her off. His words indicated his need to get through to her.

"No, Lea! Don't hang up. Please, I promise we can help, if you'd just give us—me—the chance. Talk with me, or better still, Annie's here now, do you want to talk to her?"

Annie walked over, motioning towards the phone, but he slapped it shut and threw it on the oversized coffee table before she got there. Shaky hands raked through soft waves and stopped at his neck where his fingers intertwined. His head dropped, his chin rested on his chest and he took huge cleansing breaths. The attitude of dejection had her itching to put her arms around him, but shyness and preservation instincts held her back.

"Is he beating on her again?" Annie figured so, but she asked to give him a lead in, to see if he felt in the mood to talk.

She knew the lowdown on the life Lea had chosen and she felt very sorry for the pathetic sixteen-year-old who looked and acted more like a broken thirty.

What that—that child had seen and done in her few years most women never encountered—ever. Her twenty-five-year-old boyfriend, Doug, manipulated and terrified the poor girl to the point where she didn't feel she had any options at all. Whatever he wanted from her, or did to her, she accepted. And the shameless exploiter had her believing she deserved exactly what she got.

Tyler broke into Annie's recollections. "Beating on her, pimping her, you name it. She came into the office today with a black eye and fear choking her so badly she couldn't talk." He held his hand up towards her with his thumb and first finger almost touching. "I was this close to talking her out of returning, but then her cell phone rang. From four feet away I could hear him screaming obscenities and she ran out before I could do anything. I yelled after her to call me later or I'd check out their place."

"She's just getting back to you now?"

"Uh-huh. I've been waiting, and had pretty well decided we'd go there before dinner if she hadn't telephoned. She says he wasn't there when she got home, but he'd left a note, which told her not to leave the place again or he'd kill her."

"My God! He's getting worse. Last time she stayed with me, he was threatening to beat her, but he hadn't yet gone that far. If he's at the point where he's started controlling her with physical force and fear for her life, there's no telling what'll happen next." Annie plunked down on the luxurious brown leather sofa, rested her elbows on her knees and dropped her worried face inside her open palms. "I don't see why we can't call the police and charge him with any number of crimes. She's underage and he's nothing but a lousy pimp. There are laws to protect from those kinds of horrors."

"Annie, I've told you before, the minute they see a cop, they'll run. Both of them! And we'll lose her for good. It's happened to me before. I can't let it happen to Lea. The best way we can help her is to be there when she finally decides to leave him." Tyler stomped from one end of the room to the other, barely missed knocking over his golf bag, then turned in a full circle. "I swear, Annie, if he touches her again, I'll pull out all the stops."

"What about your cousin on the police force? Wouldn't he help out if you asked him?"

"He's fed up with my 'do-gooder' deeds. He's gone out on the limb for me so often; I don't want to use him again unless there's no other way. I'll come up with something, don't worry. In the meantime, if she comes to you, let me know. If we gang up and both try to get through to her, maybe we'll be able to do an intervention—talk her into leaving him, save her from wasting another precious day on that lowlife bastard."

Annie nodded. While her sighs snapped him out of his funk.

"Okay, honey, enough misery; no more worrying. We're getting out of here and having fun for a change. Chuck off the doom-and-gloom stuff. I'll just get my wallet and we can leave."

On the bus, they caught up on each other's various newsy items with an obvious reluctance on Tyler's part to open the discussion concerning Annie's new job.

At one point he reached out and fingered the ruffled sleeve of her feminine blouse." You're really into wearing the girly clothes now."

"Susie at Lord & Taylor helped me choose a new wardrobe for work. Do I look okay?" How pathetic, asking him for affirmation. Her bottom lip disappeared under her teeth.

"Sure! Fine. What's with the makeup? You trying to snare some poor slob?"

"Only poor slob I see around here is you."

"You trying to snare me?"

"In your dreams."

"You'd be surprised at my dreams, Runt—ahh, Anna." Her uncharacteristic smack on his leg caught him off guard. She twisted to look out the window and hide her grin. Inadvertently, she saw him watching her, a stunned expression on his face. Her heartbeats accelerated and her breath caught in mid sigh. His aversion for her gender had never involved her before. Was he beginning to see her differently? Hopefully as a woman? Maybe as an attractive one?

The restaurant they chose was one of their favorites. The atmosphere of young-modern mixed with class made the place desirable. Both being pizza lovers, they quickly decided to order a large so they could squabble over who got which piece. Annie preferred cheese, olives and artichokes and—surprise—so did Tyler. She also loved mushrooms, feta cheese and lots of different meats. Three guesses who was partial to the same.

The restaurant owner, overhearing the choices for table eight, came out of the kitchen to see if his favorite couple was seated at their special booth.

"Hey, dudes! Figured it was you two. Haven't seen you in here for a while. Ya moved on to fancier digs or something?"

"Hey, Dominic, what's up?" Tyler stood to man-hug him, arms around each other with a one-sided meeting of their bodies. Then he pumped the reaching palm, following through with the various hand-shaking maneuvers.

"Hi, Annie. How ya doin'?" Dominic leaned back and surveyed her, his gentle hands lifting hers and spreading them wide. "Wow! Girl, you look hot!" He bent down and quickly smooched her cheek.

As she lifted her face to give him easier access, she lowered her lashes to hide her shocked gratitude. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the sour look that flashed across Tyler's face for a few seconds." Thank you, kind sir! Started a new job and keeping pretty busy. How's life with you?"

"Things've been real good. I'm short on help here. Could use some new waitresses, but otherwise I got no complaints."

Annie rubbed and patted the floury hand resting on the table in front of her. "It's been too long, Dom. I'm so happy to see you."

"Backatcha, Annie."

A visit with Dominic, who was one of Tyler's Keepers, put an added spark into the evening for Annie. This twenty-five-year-old was the direct opposite of Lea's boyfriend. Annie and Tyler favored him because he deserved their respect. And he'd never forgotten or failed to admit that it was Tyler who'd dragged his sorry ass from the gutter, slapped him into school and helped him become the man he was today—an entrepreneur and a businessman.

Dominic co-owned this thriving restaurant with an unknown, silent partner—and the bank. Well, mostly the bank, according to what he'd told her, but he was steadfast about making his payments, even paying extra when business hit a peak now and then. A demon for hard work, she knew the goal of becoming his own man summarized his ultimate dream.

The overall change from bad boy to respectable had wrought other alterations in the man himself. He no longer wore skater clothes to match a scruffy look. His face was clean-shaven, filled out and eye-catching. Dark Italian features accentuated by the white cook's uniform he wore in his establishment caught many a female eye, both customers and staff. But Annie knew it was his upbeat personality that hooked them.

Once the steaming, scrumptious pizza arrived, Dominic returned to the kitchen to let his friends enjoy their food and to help the other cooks catch up on any backlog of customer orders.

Whiffs of artichokes, mushrooms and cheese had Annie salivating and hurrying to pick off the feta pieces to eat first. Tyler's half would disappear rapidly and she knew what that meant. He'd start eyeballing hers. Two large, salt-ringed margaritas placed in front of them to help wash down the food made them both glad they'd left the car at home.

After some steady face filling, Tyler got around to asking Annie the question she sensed he'd been shying away from. "So, Anna, tell me, how's the new job?"

"I wondered if you'd ever ask."

His frown couldn't be misinterpreted. She decided to ignore the message.

"Actually, I love it most of the time. There's so much going on that I have to stretch myself to keep up, but the challenge motivates me and the people have been super friendly. I have a personal assistant, Sara Knight, who keeps me honest and has saved my dainty derriere a number of times."

"You have your own Girl Friday? Sweet! Should I grovel?"

"Genuflecting or begging for my autograph would be enough to satisfy my inflated ego. I also have a huge office with my own small washroom in one corner and a tiny walk-in dressing area next to it, in case I need to make a quick change for evening presentations or working dinners." Was she bragging? Probably!

"Get out, you do not."

"Wanna bet?"

"Show off!"

"Suck it up, Tyler. Do you really think I'd lie about such inconsequential things?" She stuck her tongue out and crossed her eyes.

"You're sooo not funny. Tell me, what's the name of the company? I've only ever heard you talk about the business as Hugo Montero's place."

"You must have heard of Montero's Shoes. He's almost as big as Reeboks."

"Right! Now that you mention it, I have heard of them. Didn't Nike acquire Reeboks a while back? Goes to show you, even the giants have to watch out for bigger ones."

"Montero's is very successful. I don't believe he has anything to worry about." She bit off the rest of what she'd like to add.

"Tell that to Reebok." He looked up and saw her glare. "Sorry!" The word had attitude.

Her voice softened. "Tyler, be happy for me. It's a great place to be employed. My salary is twice what I made before. I'm finally implementing my master's degree, and already I've met so many new people that I'm feeling a lot more confident. Even the dinner parties and business functions aren't as awful as I'd dreaded."

Annie tried to placate the frown away from Tyler's face, but she hated the whining note in her voice. Maybe she shouldn't have mentioned the dinner parties. Actually, they were job-related, boring and filled with workaholics twice her age. Thank goodness Hugo put in an appearance at most of them. Not wanting to downgrade her job in any way to Tyler, she hesitated. After all, she didn't want to give him ammunition for saying "I told you so."

Tyler wagged his hand in front of her face. "Yahoo! Anyone home?"

"Sorry. My mind wandered for a minute. What were you saying?"

"Honey, actually, I'm very happy for you. Wherever you work shouldn't matter. What does matter is if you're content. Ignore me. I'm just being a jerk, trying to talk you out of making new life choices. My only excuse—us guys hate change. It's embedded in our DNA. But I do want to apologize. You're obviously being challenged. You're pleased with your new career and that's what I've always wanted for you. So ignore me if my lip sticks out when my favorite pal isn't available. Okay?"

"Okey-dokey!" She grinned in the same goofy way that used to get the kids laughing, and it made her remember. Her favorite sound in the world had to be the infectious giggling of little children. She missed that and them—a lot. But she couldn't tell Tyler. He'd understand her feelings. He usually did. But he wouldn't or couldn't understand her decision to give it all up in order to do something different and be someone else.

She glanced around the busy place and focused on the lovely plants that were new since the last time they'd come. A huge lit fishpond in the shape of a round glass dome in the center of the room, encircled by trailing ivy and other greenery, gave one the impression that the fish were swimming in a forest pond. It was ingenious and brightened the room immeasurably.

The bar area had recently been changed, also. On the wall behind the huge long counter, round mirrors interlocked and hung next to each other. They added space by reflection, thus exposing the new track lights twice. She applauded the renovations and made a mental note to tell Dominic what a lovely job he'd done redecorating the place.

Tyler recaptured her interest by reaching over to take her hand. He rubbed his thumb up and down the center of her palm. _What was he up to?_ Shivery reactions made her stomach jump and had her legs closing tightly. Her lip, imprisoned between her teeth, controlled her instinct to pant. She surveyed his features and then lowered her gaze. The yearning to sigh long and loud, sort of like a moan, all but made her crumple.

"Want to go out on Sunday and spend my money with me? I have some extra bucks this month from fluky investments that came through, and I figure it's about time I got myself some real nice living room and bedroom furniture. I'm sick of that old brown couch and the mattresses-piled-on-the-floor caper. And I'm sure that old futon, the one my frequent overnight guests get stuck with, is more than ready for the dump. I'd be willing to let you drag me to Lord & Taylor to shop, if it means you'll come with me."

Now what was he doing? This touching wasn't part of their earlier relationship. But oh, God, let it be part of the future one. Thoughts popped into her head, thoughts she desperately tried to hide from his keen gaze. Urges to lean over and kiss his soft mouth made swallowing difficult. She could hardly breathe. Not trusting her voice, she nodded her head.

"Does that mean you'll come with me?" He nodded his head in rhythm with hers—up and down. A grin split his face.

What the hell was she doing to herself? She groaned and switched her nodding to the negative. "I can't go with you, Ty. I just remembered the work I planned to do this weekend. In fact, I intended to go to the office so I'd have access to my files. I'm really sorry. Maybe another time."

She snatched her hand away from his and put it under the table to hide the fact that she was cradling it in her lap. It wasn't possible that a caress could be burned into the skin, but if she became fanciful, she could almost believe a T emblazoned her lifelines.

* * *

Tyler had watched the conflict reflected on Annie's features. She was with him one moment but locked inside her head the next. He'd watched yearning replace pride and then fade to acceptance. Her whole demeanor changed afterward, and he could hardly drag a word out of her.

They'd walked quickly to the bus stop, no meandering and no checking the store windows, nothing. She'd studiously avoided looking him in the eye.

Frustration gnawed his insides like an insect burrowing into flesh, and he knew what caused it. Ever since Annie had made her big announcement, he'd been feeling out of sorts. Many an hour passed with him getting damn belligerent over her new lifestyle. Sometimes it made him feel small, but not enough to stop. Knowing she was out there with no protection from the assholes of the world worried the hell out of him.

When she'd called earlier, he'd made up his mind. He'd try and work the old magic on her. After all it had worked on a lot of other women, hadn't it? The days she'd been inaccessible had been unadulterated bullshit.

It was past time for him to come clean about these growing feelings. It frightened him that her new lifestyle could break the strong friendship bonds they'd had and isolate her. He couldn't take that chance.

Look how she'd fixed herself tonight. Not that she wasn't pretty before. But with her new hairstyle and makeup, and the feminine clothes she wore—well, now, she looked frickin' gorgeous. His appreciation got all caught up in his previous woman-hating feelings of distrust. He kept reminding himself Annie didn't behave like other women. Annie could be trusted.

While sitting beside her on the bus, the closed look on her face warned him that the moment for him to spill his guts had come and gone for this evening. Other men might not be so in-tuned to the women they cared about, but he'd had a lot of lessons. He sat dejected and let his mind wander back a few years to the last time he'd had issues.

He hadn't had a lot of girlfriends, growing up. His "one girl at a time" personality saw to that. Therefore, his relationships tended to last and last. The girl he'd spent the better part of his teen years with finally admitted to being primarily gay and to using him mostly to allay suspicion at their school. Kissing and petting were permitted, but understandably, sex hadn't been high on her agenda. Since he'd been brought up to respect girls and their boundaries, he endured wordlessly. Needless to say, he'd been pretty nerdy by the time he'd hit university.

Again he'd teamed up with a controlling chick who'd kept him on a short leash for the next few years. By this time, his appetite for sex had grown, and her alluring body heated him up every minute they spent together. Unfortunately, he'd picked a girl with little or no desire for intercourse. Hang-ups from a childhood with too many sick stepfathers kept her from actually enjoying sex. She'd played a malicious game where she blamed all their problems on his incessant carnal masculine needs—as she so delicately put it. Then she'd dumped him and moved to California as soon as she got her degree. His luck with women certainly didn't provide him bragging rights.

The next few years he'd used his discontent as an excuse to sleep with as many women as he could. Finally, he'd put an end to that nonsense, also. Being a six-foot-two-inch male "goody bag"—a stupid name a pretty one-nighter tagged on him—meant he'd never had trouble getting female companionship.

But the sick reaction afterwards, the feeling of being a cheap commodity, unfulfilled, never experiencing deep emotions left him empty, and so he'd stopped that foolishness. Burnt out on romance, he'd grown a pretty thick chip on his shoulder and a real dislike for the feminine creatures of the world.

Then he'd met Annie, and his life changed. His little tomboy had pleased him, and keeping romance out of their friendship had made everything perfect. But no more. Maybe it had taken her changing to wake him up, but he was wide awake now.

They arrived at her door, the silence saturated thick and heavy. He couldn't let the evening end with her coolness and all his undeclared yearnings brewing between them.

"Are you over your pout yet?" The words popped out before he could bite them back.

"Me? You hardly said a word after I refused to spend Sunday with you. I never knew you could be so moody." She pushed her small frame right in his face, a reaction not normal in his playmate. It pissed him off, her newfound, unpredictable quirks.

"What? You totally shut down and ignored me. And, let me tell you, I didn't appreciate it, either." Before he stopped to think, he had swooped her up and into his arms. Controlling the muscles that wanted to squeeze tempered his attitude somewhat. First he kissed her shocked eyes shut. Then he attacked her mouth—her closed mouth.

She never moved. Her hands caught between their two bodies stayed motionless. He softened his lips and used all his expertise to sweeten the caress. He licked her mouth, his tongue flicking at her until she caught on and opened so he could enter. Then he kissed her with such longing channeling from his mouth to hers that afterwards, as he watched her lush eyelashes glued to her cheeks, he saw they took an unusually long time to open.

And when they did, slowly, very slowly, her tanzanite eyes were unfocussed, dark with desire and huge with shock. Slightly reassured by her reaction, he grinned, one side of his mouth rising slowly, and said, "Had a great time. Thanks, honey."

He lowered her gently so her feet were firmly back on the floor. Then, before he could blow it, he escaped into the nearby stairwell and closed the door on her confused, stunned face.
Chapter Eight

"Anna, do you have any plans for tonight? I came by two passes to the newest musical playing at the Imperial Theatre. My neighbor and her husband got a call that their grandchild had arrived earlier than expected, so they passed the freebies to me." Sara stood in the office doorway waving her tickets. "Let's face it; the heap of chores ahead for both of us today justifies a treat for later. Rather than going alone, I'm happy to share."

"I'd love to Sara, but I can't. I've been dying to tell you my news. Sergio Ruiz invited me to dinner. I can't believe how many times I've had to refuse him due to prior commitments. I'm surprised he's been so patient. Tonight was the first time we were both free."

Sara glanced down, but not before Annie saw a frown replace the smile she'd previously worn.

"What is it? Sara, every time I mention his name, or you pass on a call from him, negative vibes explode. Something about him gets to you, doesn't it?"

Sara lifted her shoulders. "Hey, it's your choice. He is very good looking. Have a wonderful evening, but be careful, okay?"

Annie watched Sara turn, as if someone had approached. "What?"

Shrugging, her assistant answered. "A tall, very attractive stranger just walked towards your office, got a furious look on his face and changed his mind. Weird. Now what were we talking about?"

"About your warning me to be careful tonight. It sounds pretty ominous. Do you know something I should know? Something you're not telling me?"

"If I knew anything for sure, I would tell you. Look, don't listen to me. I'm an old mother hen, that's all. Oh, before I forget, Hugo wants to talk with you later. He says he'll come to you and he won't take up too much of your time."

"He always says that, but then I can't get rid of him. He must work at home all night long to keep caught up, because he doesn't appear to spend many daytime hours in his office. Ï guess he needs to fill his evenings somehow since his wife is gone. His kids are young enough that they'd be in bed early. Have you ever met his kids? They went to the daycare center where I used to be employed. They're smart, uniquely unspoiled and cute as can be."

A shocked look crossed Sara's face. "I didn't realize Hugo was a widower. He's very private concerning his personal life. The one and only time I stopped in his office I saw his children's photographs displayed on the desk, so I assumed he was married."

"Has the rumor mill here at the office broken down? Don't they discuss him?"

"They'd better not. As I said, he's a very private person, and though he's friendly, most of it is surface cordiality. They transferred me from the plant to this office nearly eight months ago and I've kept to myself somewhat. I'm certainly aware that here, in this building, he's pretty much adored, and out of respect, he's not normally a topic of conversation."

"I hope I didn't blab classified information. I had lots of interaction with him and his family prior to coming here. His kids were my favorites—very happy and well adjusted."

"He's a nice man. I'm not surprised," Sara stated firmly.

Just then a male voice could be heard behind Sara, who was half in and half out of the room, blocking the doorway. "Who's a nice man? Hope you're talking about me." Hugo hovered so close that when Sara turned, Annie saw their bodies brush. Then she grinned, watching Sara immediately step fully into the room as if she'd been burnt.

Annie answered him. "Your head'll get even more swollen if we admit that our private conversation concerned our brilliant boss." She stressed the word private.

"God, you're fantastic! A compliment and an insult all wrapped up nicely in one neat sentence. No wonder I snatched you away from your last place. And by the way, my kids still haven't totally forgiven me, though they love their new computer. You know, the one I bribed them with so they'd talk to me again. It took two days of forbidden snacks, staying up later on weekends, plus a promise to take them to Disneyland this summer, before I got my good-night hugs reinstated."

His right-hand index finger tapped the other four on his left hand as he itemized each point. He winked at Sara, a curious bystander to their goofing around. Annie watched his sharp gaze zero in on the lovely reddish hue spreading across her assistant's cheeks after his teasing. Annie knew then that he'd heard Sara's emphatic statement. He knew who they'd been discussing, the wily fox.

It intrigued Annie to watch Sara's reaction to his chitchat. She switched her gaze to where her boss stood, seemingly at ease, and scrutinized his pensive expression. Then she spied Sara's fingers fidgeting, kneading—destroying her clutched tickets. Interesting!

Sara abruptly turned and headed for the door, stopping before she'd left their sight. "Call if you need me. I've got work to do."

A short time later, after Hugo had clued her in on some of the possible problems that might surface in the next couple of days, Annie toiled hard, accomplishing miracles. Her inbox emptied rapidly and the day whizzed by.

A favored lunch, which Sara donated when she saw her boss was in the "work like a fiend" mode—a New York vendor hot dog full of sauerkraut and onions—satisfied her hunger. Annie loved long days with her head down and scads of tasks moving from the in-basket to the one labeled "Out." Interruptions were kept to a minimum and a huge amount got done.

The door, always left open according to Annie's policy, was an empty space one moment and filled with an angry woman in the next. A flustered Sara, manhandling a vocal, clearly upset female, jostled with her into the room. The stranger was a sight to behold.

Hair frizzed and sticking out in all directions framed features showing clear signs of dissipation and hard living. The woman's makeup looked to be applied to merely the top part of her face. Her eyes were outlined in black, highlighted with blue, and had lashes so thickly colored they appeared fake. Her lips lacked any color, and her cheeks were bloodless, giving her the look of an actress only half made up. Sores on her face and neck drew the eye, but Annie had experience with such things from working with Tyler and his teens. She kept her gaze from wandering.

"Can I help you?" Annie enquired, shooting a quick glance at a flustered Sara who had failed to make introductions and looked quite literally speechless.

At first glance, the intruder appeared older than the second look verified. She plopped herself on the chair near Annie's desk, crossed her arms and stated emphatically, "I'm Mrs. Hugo Montaro. I want to see my husband."

"Excuse me?" Annie, stunned, needed confirmation. After all, this short, skinny female dressed in tight jeans, a bosom-exposing T-shirt and clutching a dirty camouflage backpack couldn't possibly be the mother of the two angels Annie had played with and taught at the center. No way!

A beseeching look hidden under her attitude caught Annie's keen eye, snagged her attention and had her rearrange the shock on her face.

"I need to talk with my husband, Hugo. I was trying to find his office when this Amazon kidnapped me and dragged me in here. Either bring him to me or I'll go find him myself." The trespasser's voice screeched, a sound both grating and annoying.

Sara piped up, interrupting forcibly. "Annie, Mrs. Montaro demanded to see Hugo, who I know is chairing a contractors' meeting right at the moment. I brought her to you so she'd have someone to talk to while we get in touch with him."

Sara's look emphasized that they needed to keep this person quiet and out of sight. Annie caught on at once.

"Right! Thank you, Sara. If you wouldn't mind getting a message to Hugo personally, I'll be happy to visit with Mrs. Montaro until he arrives." She watched the door close behind her departing assistant.

"Can I offer you a coffee or a cold drink while we wait?"

"No! No thanks. Look, I'm sorry to—like, barge in here, but I honestly need Hugo."

"Please, don't apologize. I'm happy to chat with you until he comes. Do you live here in New York?" Annie's tone, friendly and soothing, did the trick and had the woman settling back in her chair.

"I've just returned to the city. I've been away. I'm sorry. Like, I know I'm a mess, but I need Hugo. Will he be long?"

The woman's hands moved non-stop, clutching and stroking, clenching and patting at the bag she'd dumped on her lap. Distraught, disheveled and sickly described her—and scared. Fear clung to her, verified by every movement she made, and it re-appeared strongly every time she looked back at the closed office door. It all registered with Annie instantly. Not having medical knowledge past first aid didn't qualify her to make assumptions, but having a sensitivity diploma, both as a caring human being and a professional psychologist, she felt in her heart that Hugo's wife suffered greatly. She moved to sit in the seat next to the unhappy female, clearing her mind so that her eyes reflected only genuine concern.

"My name is Anna Hynes. I work with Hugo and I'm very pleased to meet you, Mrs. Montaro." Annie reached over with her hand held in front.

The poor woman looked startled by the inviting hand but slowly grasped it, her small fingers barely holding on for a second. Just long enough for Annie to observe the bitten nails and scabbed skin.

"I'm Elizabeth. Don't call me Mrs. Montaro. I gave up that right years ago." Tears gathered in her eyes and her twitching hands wandered, first rubbing her nose, then her upper arm. Her head jerked periodically, as if an invisible puppet master controlled her.

"Elizabeth? Are you called Beth?" Annie blathered to keep the sad creature focused and calm.

The anxious hands halted. She looked directly at Annie for the first time. A slight smile played at becoming full.

"When I was little, my family called me Beth." She looked down at her still hands and appeared bemused to see them unmoving.

Immediately, they reverted to their feverish activity. Her voice roughened. She scratched at her neck, and at the bodice of her shirt. A tattoo of a small heart over her right breast became visible for a second. Annie saw clearly that the two beautifully scrolled initials interwoven above and below the arrow were those of Beth and Hugo's two children.

"They call me Lizzie now." She interrupted Annie's meandering thought.

"I prefer Beth. It's a pretty name. It suits you." Annie again captured the restless hands and gently cupped them between her warm ones.

"Thank you. Truly, I'd give anything if I could go back to being Beth. I loved my life then, but I got lost. Like one day I was happy and the next I was Lizzie. Can you understand?"

Her eyes begged for Annie to say yes, and with total honesty, Annie did.

"Yes, Beth. Of course I do. We all get lost sometimes."

At that moment the door burst open and Hugo, followed by an anxious, pink-cheeked Sara, entered.

"Elizabeth! My God! I can't believe it. When Sara told me my wife had appeared and asked for me, you could have knocked me over with a small stick. I've waited and looked for you for four years. Finally hired a private detective a couple of months ago to start a new search." The man's voice sounded raw with emotions.

Annie and Sara snuck out, leaving the couple their privacy. Before the door closed behind them, they couldn't help but overhear shocking words ranted in a scared female voice.

"Oh, Hugo! Thank God you're here. Help me, please. I'm in bad trouble."
Chapter Nine

Tyler couldn't wait another day to see Annie. He'd had a long talk with himself about his recent rotten behavior and wasn't too impressed. The emotions of inadequacy and jealousy he'd felt about her moving on had turned him into a person he disliked immensely. The time had come to support her properly—to make his move.

The other night she'd been so proud of her new position, her office and assistant and he had downplayed it all. What a jerk! He needed to make it up to her. Go visit her new place of work and let her show off her daily environment to him, so they'd have something to talk about. Like they used to talk about the daycare center. He'd visited her there a number of times when picking her up for a date. She'd proudly introduced him to everyone and had happily taken him around the facility to show him where she spent her days.

He needed to let her do that again. Reveal how proud he was of her no matter what her job. Meet the people she spent her days with, so he could envision her at work and in the place that took up all her time. See her big fancy office on the fortieth floor of one of the bigger buildings in downtown Manhattan. Accept that she'd moved on. If the level of remorse he was suffering over his recent treatment of her signaled he cared, then he suspected he wobbled on the brink of actually falling in love.

He'd court her. In the old-fashioned sense, he'd woo her and win her. The idea brought a smile to his face, a lift to his spirits and a new vitality to his step.

Getting off the elevator on the fortieth floor led him into a large modern office pulsating with a rhythm of busy workers, ringing phones and overflowing cubicles. He approached the receptionist to ask for directions.

The inquisitive blonde behind the counter-like desk looked up, way up, her expression becoming personal after only a few seconds. She smiled, her head held to the side, flirty-like.

"Hi there! Can I help you?"

He returned her smile and watched her eyes widen. "I'm looking for Annie Hynes's office."

"You mean Anna?"

He shrugged. "Yes." _Had his Annie disappeared completely?_

"I'm sorry, did you have an appointment? She's tied up at the moment with her assistant, but they shouldn't be too long."

"I'm just a nosy neighbor who wanted to surprise her with an invitation to dinner. Can I wait outside her door?"

"Oh, sure, it's normally open. You'll be able to see when she's free." Switching her gaze to the computer, she added. "I don't see her scheduled again for a short while, so you should be able to pop in for a few minutes." Her manicured fingers waved him to the hallway entrance on her right.

Heading in the direction she'd motioned, he heard words coming from behind and barely audible. "Lucky Anna!" He chuckled softly. His back straightened, his chin rose and he caught himself strutting down the hallway like some puffed up peacock.

Jackass!

There were offices on both sides of the corridor and he soon found Annie's. Her name, engraved in gold and displayed on an old-fashioned plaque, hung near the partly opened door he approached. A female form leaned against the frame, half in and half out of the room.

He stopped when he heard Annie speaking. Her voice wasn't overly loud, but it carried enough for him to hear her refusing to spend the evening with her assistant. She had a date. With some dude called Sergio.

He didn't wait to hear more.
Chapter Ten

" _Celi, do you think I'm ready for this...dating a handsome bachelor who more than likely expects some form of payment at the end of the night?"_ Her angel had appeared in her mirror while Annie reapplied her makeup for the third time.

Tonight Celi's outfit reminded her of an Indian-style sari. White gauzy material floated all around her body and over her head to form a veil. Her features were made up like one would expect to see on a woman from that continent—kohl around the eyes, a patch on her forehead and various jingling trinkets on her wrists and ankles.

" _The question is whether you think you're ready. It doesn't matter what I think. I'm just your angel, not your mother. You make your own choices. I can do nothing but watch. Although, truth to tell, most folks do tend to screw up when left to their own devices."_ She played the hard-done-by act perfectly, sighing loudly and shaking her head. _"Look, have fun, but keep your wits about you."_ Her voice hardened for an instant. _"I mean it!"_ She grimaced at Annie's sour look. _"That's my best advice."_

Perched on the end of the bed, she sat in a cross-legged position, the veil partially covering her face. Tonight she appeared ethereal, shimmery, and Annie couldn't look away.

" _Are you going to a masquerade ball?"_

The angel made a cheeky face in her direction and grinned. _"You're not my only assignment, you know. There are others out there who have come to my attention. And quit trying to change the subject. Are you ready to move on?"_

" _I want to be ready. Is that enough?"_

" _You tell me."_

" _By any chance, were you a shrink on earth? You certainly have all the pat you-figure-it-out-'cause-I-can't-be-bothered answers."_

" _Temper! Temper!"_ Her angel's laughing reply teased and her gentle smack on the back of Annie's head registered before she faded. _"Be true to yourself, Annie, and you'll be fine."_

Some time later, Annie opened her front door to Sergio posing in the doorway. His body leaned casually against the doorjamb while his arms were folded in front as if his next action was to whistle.

Flummoxed, Annie didn't quite know what he expected, an invitation to come in, or applause. Nerves played havoc from the back of her stiff neck to her sacroiliac. Tense and uncertain, she felt herself hesitate. What to do? After all, tomboy to socialite didn't happen overnight. In the office, she'd know what to say and wouldn't have had a problem opening the conversation. Entertaining a date—now that was a completely different matter. Shyness held her tongue and the sweat on her palms gathered.

Patiently, Sergio preened and waited. Did he think her speechless with admiration? She grinned. He must have taken it as a sign of pleasure in his appearance. He stood taller, sucking in his stomach—inflating his oversized chest and ego.

She couldn't decide whether his behavior should be registered under cute or dumb. She knew what Tyler would have said. The thought made her blush and look away so Sergio couldn't read the dismay in her eyes.

His open-collared pink shirt, tailored slacks and the creamy sweater looped over his shoulders made one think of a model for a magazine advertising men's cologne. His grooming had to have taken hours. Not a hair out of place and no fleck marred his clothes. Male perfection intimidated Annie, made her nervous. Tyler never unsettled her. Even if his normal attire of jeans and body-fitting, casual shirts didn't rank in the "Black Book" Esquire issued twice a year, he had style.

" _Say something."_

The voice inside her head startled her. _"Celi! Oh, God, you're here!"_

" _No. Just little ole' me, Angel First Class."_

" _How can you joke at a time like this? What do I do with him?"_

" _How about inviting him in, silly girl?"_

" _Right!"_

"Hi, Sergio. Please come in. I—I wasn't sure where we were going. I hope this dress will be suitable?" Her light turquoise dress of silky polyester had looked modern and tasteful earlier as she'd surveyed herself in the full-length mirror. A flowing skirt reached just above the knee and gathered at the waist under a wide belt, then softly pleated to wrap around her neck, leaving her shoulders and back bare. The pretty stiletto heels matched the dress and were a menace to walk in—the price of perfection. Not her normal style, but Susan at Lord & Taylor had assessed the whole package, scoring it as perfect for her new image.

"You look beautiful, Anna." His smooth, accentuated voice growled the words theatrically and he rubbed his hands together in a prayer-like position. His approach seemed fake, even silly, but, funnily enough, sounded appropriate coming from him.

Her nerves leapt. Agitation fought battles with common sense and won. An army of goose bumps traveled up her back and down her arms, only stopping when she massaged them briskly.

Random thoughts popped into her mind. What am I doing with this stranger? I want Tyler.

"Thank you. You look nice, too. Do we have time for a glass of wine before we leave?"

"Sure. I made the reservations at The Orchard for eight. The restaurant has a great menu and serves one of my favorite dishes, Brigadeiros. It reminds me of home. Have you ever tried them?"

"Yes, they're decorated sweet balls rolled in chocolate, aren't they?"

"Si! You have tried them." Gleaming white teeth flashed her way as he smiled with delight.

Annie glided past the counter into the kitchen area to get the bottle of Chardonnay and the glasses she'd arranged earlier, while Sergio moseyed around the room, not even offering to help her open the wine, a chore Tyler unfailingly looked after because he knew she had trouble wielding the awkward corkscrew.

She snuck a peek at Mr. Nosey-Parker, who appeared quite at home as he picked up various articles and peered at photographs. Meanwhile, she bit her lip and struggled with the silly bottle opener until it finally gave way and the cork popped out.

Two wine-filled crystal glasses joined a dish of nibblies on the tray. She'd shopped after work at the Grand Central Station food market and her beautifully arranged selection of cheeses, grapes, crackers, and smoked salmon pleased her. She maneuvered the cumbersome load towards the coffee table in the sitting area, relieved to make it without dumping everything she'd set up so carefully.

Relaxed on the light-green sofa, she smiled invitingly at him to join her, gesturing to the comfortable chair opposite from where she sat. Instead, he plunked down on the sofa next to her, flashed his Colgate smile and slid his arm over the top of the cushion to enclose her, invading her space.

Insufficient room for shifting made her uneasy. Her brain scrambled for a topic of conversation to divert her anxieties. Not wanting to succumb to the weather, she chose the next easiest.

"Which part of South America do you originate from, Sergio?"

"A small fishing village a few hundred miles outside of Rio de Janeiro. My parents and three sisters still live there. Many years ago, my brother and I scraped together enough money to get ourselves into the city where the cruise ships docked and we were hired on as crew. We managed to work our way to New York."

"Do you miss your home, or do you like it here better?"

"I love it here. I would never go back to Brazil."

Something in his tone caught her attention; a hardness never heard before made her rather uneasy. As if he sensed her discomfort, he captured her left hand and played with the pinky ring she wore, a Christmas present from Tyler. "You have lovely hands. Small and dainty. My adorable _Mamãe_ had hands like you."

Using the pretext of retrieving her glass of wine, Annie reached out awkwardly, almost tipping it over. She slid as far as she could to the edge of the small space and put the tray of goodies on the seat between them. "Please, help yourself, Sergio."

She blushed when he chuckled knowingly, then relaxed when, with a good-natured grin, he accepted a napkin and began to fill it up with finger food. "This looks very appetizing, Anna."

She'd have felt a whole lot better if he'd been looking at the food and not her.

* * *

Annie loved her first impression of the celebrated restaurant where they dined. She felt like pinching herself as she scanned the romantic, soft-lit room. Having trouble accepting she was really here, she gazed at the sophisticated crowd and absorbed the atmosphere of entitlement. The ambience these people took for granted mesmerized her and made her feel fortunate to be a part of it all.

Words reverberated in her mind. I'm in a wonderful, upscale restaurant, dining with a handsome, suave man whose eyes are riveted on me and I haven't passed out or thrown up from sheer panic.

Her traitorous heart whispered, he's not Tyler. She knew that. But then again, a girl couldn't have everything. Escaping the cell-like bars of her world, even for one night, thrilled and at the same time terrified.

All her life, Annie had imagined dating a man of the world like Sergio, and here, tonight, her living male fantasy lapped up every word she uttered. His eyes brightened with each laugh he teased out of her and his hands never rested. They were in continuous motion, emphasizing his words with actions, touching her constantly. She watched him slyly refilling her glass that, to her amazement, seemed to empty out magically after the wild toasts he plied her with. Since she normally drank very little, she hadn't thought to watch how much she consumed. Why would she?

Nearby women stared at him blatantly, his charisma like a magnet to their adoring eyes. Annie swelled with pride as his companion. She felt more alive than ever before. Her internal excitement made her imagine she was lit from within and she sensed an invigorating kind of sparkle radiating from her, foreign to her normal shyness. Never before had she felt so attractive, so powerful, so sexy—or so woozy.

The evening flew by as he talked, laughed and provoked her into relaxing, enjoying his wit. The persistent petting, which had annoyed her at the beginning of the night, became a normal pattern of behavior after he explained earnestly that the customs in his country allowed friends to invade personal space. That taking liberties wasn't meant to disturb but was quite typical. Eventually, Annie began to enjoy his fondling. His leaning in close ignited her attraction to him. He made her feel as if she was the only woman in the room who mattered.

As the evening wound down, she watched as he called over the maître d' and bribed him to organize a taxi. Hmm, why did he do so now and not at the front door? Then she knew. When he helped her to stand, supporting her with his arms and his body, she realized how dangerous too much alcohol could be to her sense of balance.

Giggling, she clung to him, too blotto to be embarrassed. She needed his guidance to get to the curb and into the idling car. Dizzy from the champagne he'd ordered, intoxicated not only from the alcohol but also his attentions, and with her newly awakened passion cells on high alert, she couldn't wait to get him alone. To continue down the road he'd started in public. To finally find out what it felt like to be treated as a desirable woman.

He gathered her close to him in the warm darkness of the moving vehicle and his flattering voice mesmerized while his soft hands attacked. Scattered kisses landed on her lower arms, especially the erogenous zones in her palms and wrists, where his tongue whipped her into a frenzy. Then he nuzzled her shoulders, licking and kissing her neck and ears—everywhere but her lips. All the while his hands roved with subtle, feathery touches orchestrated to send her into passion overload, and it did. Every so often the fog lifted and her addled brain actually had a moment of clarity. During those few reality sparks, she had to admit that he was a practiced seducer who played her like a virtuoso. So what...

More! She wanted more...

Emboldened by lust, throbbing and damp with expectancy, Annie thrust and rubbed her breasts against his chest, panting her excitement. Moans escaped, but she didn't care; the honest sounds reflected her feelings. Her infuriating inexperience prevented her from going further to get her point across. However, if he didn't kiss her soon, she was going to explode. She was starving to taste him by the time his mouth hovered over hers.

Too late. They'd arrived at the entrance to her apartment building.

"I'll come up with you, if I may." He whispered the words in her ears that were wet from his attentions. Shivers rippled from the spot like lightning forks in the sky.

What a perfect gentleman. The thought popped into her befuddled brain. He knows I need his help, but he's too polite to point it out.

She bestowed an unfocused, loving smile his way. "Yes, please, Sergio. I seldom drink alcohol. Tonight it appears to have gone sshtraight from my mouth to my legs." Her following giggle ended as she tripped and he caught her up in his arms.

" _Mi amour_ , any wine would become more potent the second it touches your gorgeous lips. So it is not entirely your fault. Plus, I might have been a bit too generous with the champagne."

Once inside, he lowered her and snaked his arm around her waist, fusing her full length against him. She melted into his firmness, allowing him access to anywhere on her limp body. Under her right breast, touching, slightly encircling, seemed the best place for him to hold her. The contact sent tingles flooding. Her eyes beseeched him. She wanted him to kiss her and never stop.

While they waited for the elevator, besotted and bleary-eyed, she took the opportunity to fully inspect his handsome face. He took the opportunity to finally cup the full softness that had perched over his wandering thumb.
Chapter Eleven

For Tyler, picturing Annie all dolled up and dining with some good-looking charmer screwed up any chance he had of enjoying the evening. He couldn't think of anything else. By the time his frustration had peaked, he'd sent the first glass flying against the wall. The smashing sound loosened some of his pissiness, but not all. The next glass he filled with beer and drank. Didn't help either! Watching it hit the same wall, sometime later, only spiked his embarrassment up another notch. That in turn annoyed him even more.

He grabbed the broom and dustpan and went to work to clean up his mess. Bloody hell! He hadn't broken anything like that since he'd been a teenager and lost his cool over a chick that had stopped his advances and left him suffering with walking difficulties. He plunked down on his sofa and snatched the decorative pillow Annie had helped him choose at a yard sale they'd attended together.

"Christ! Grow up!" His growled words sounded harsh in the stillness of the darkened room." The hell with her, the hell with all women. All they want is a man on his knees. Never again!" He crunched the cushion between his hands and then threw it on the floor. Cussing, a moment later he leaned down and grabbed it, then slammed it behind his head and tried to shut off the world.

Again it didn't work. Every time he closed his eyes, a strange image of Annie in trouble took on such realistic tendencies it seemed surreal. Sick of his own company, Tyler decided a walk would do him a world of good, clear his head and help to get his mind off his tomboy gone rogue.

Once the idea appeared, it became a fixation. No choice, no dragging his feet, he had to get out of his apartment. Either he needed treatment for hallucinations or a curt, gravelly female had taken up residence in his brain and urged him to hurry and get his butt moving.

The elevator, not ever on his floor, awaited him with the door open and no one else inside. He shivered. Strange and stranger! The ride down lasted only seconds. When it slowly opened, a nightmare unfolded. One look at his Annie clinging to her evening's escort and his rage superseded common sense. Without thought, he ripped her from the scumbag's groping fingers and shoved the conceited-looking, puffed-up character against the wall. All Tyler's six feet two inches of anger intimidated. He watched the coward evaluate, then shrink back.

Within seconds the smooth prick spoke. "Anna had a bit too much to drink. I was seeing her safely home."

"Not a problem. I'll take her up," he growled. By this time, Tyler had a supportive arm around the wobbly woman. He looked down at her. "Say bye-bye to your date...Anna." His spitting out her newly chosen name would have set worry bells ringing, if she'd been in her normal state of mind. Blitzed out of her head, she just jiggled her fingers and said, "Bye-bye, date."

With everything happening so fast, Tyler knew Annie hadn't had a chance to fully appreciate the change in her situation. One minute she was leaning drunkenly against the slimy character whose hands were all over her body, while her unfocused eyes gazed at him adoringly. The next minute, Tyler had taken over.

As the elevator doors closed, leaving Sergio shrugging off his disappointment, a fuming Tyler lifted Annie into his arms.

At ease, Annie wrapped her arms around him, snuggled her face into his neck and then sighed. His familiar expensive cologne, one of her gifts that he regularly used, seemed to soothe her. "I love how you smell."

His anger fled the moment he became aware that she sniffed at him like a small kitten. His legs almost buckled when he felt the tip of her tongue lick him and then press a tiny kiss over the wet spot.

The groan started deep, frustration forcing it out, chasing away his righteous snit. At her door, he lowered her to her unsteady feet, but she refused to unwind her arms from around his neck. They clung, her body glued to his.

He reached up for the hidden key she kept stashed above her door, while balancing her with one arm. The lock took forever to get opened. Not that she noticed. Busy familiarizing his ear with her lips kept her amused. Swinging her back up and into his arms, he kicked the door closed behind them and carried her carefully into her bedroom, a room which seemed to have undergone huge changes since the day he'd helped her paint the ivory walls.

Pillows of all shapes, in all shades of turquoise, some beaded, some embroidered, were strewn helter-skelter over a new satiny brown duvet. He swiped at them one-handed, clearing a space as he lowered her body to the side of the bed, letting her flip backwards. Trouble was, she had his neck imprisoned by her strong, clinging arms and she wasn't about to let go. He fell over her, half covering her body.

"Please," she whispered. "Kiss me. I have to be kissed at least once tonight, I just—have to." She pushed upwards, thrusting her breasts against his chest.

Her desire sparked his, and her admission that she hadn't yet been kissed assuaged most of the gut-wrenching rage he'd felt at seeing her in the arms of another man. Besides, he couldn't resist her pushy invitation. Drunk or not, his name on her lips would go a long way to restoring his humor.

"Honey, do you know who's with you? I need to hear you say my name."

"Of course I know, silly." She giggled inanely." It's Dick."

He stiffened and tried to pull away, but she held fast. Her grip couldn't be broken without hurting her and that was out of the question.

"Tyler, I'm kidding." She stared up into his eyes, dewy softness mixed with sultry invitation. Her needs were clear; she wanted him. But his needs were just as clear. Not this way.

God knew how long it had been since he'd had a woman. Here she was offering him every man's dream. But taking advantage of her drunken state didn't sit well with him. It wouldn't sit well with her, either, in the morning. He knew it, even if right now she didn't.

He slowly began to rise, halted again by her gripping arms. Tired of waiting for him to take the initiative, Annie shocked him by lifting herself, twining her arms tighter around his back and fusing her lips onto his.

She was sweet. So sweet! Her inexperienced mouth caressed like a little girl. Small puckered kisses zeroed in on his hunger. She struck at his nose, cheeks, lips, wherever she could reach. And her wiggling body reached zones he'd forgotten were so quickly aroused. He closed his eyes, savoring her attempts at seduction.

Obviously frustrated by his lack of co-operation, Annie became more inventive. He guessed she'd sensed him stalling. So she doubled her efforts to get him involved in her love play.

Arching her body fully, she pressed herself into him and sinuously rubbed her breasts against his chest. Without breaking this rhythm, she secured her one leg over his and thrust her heat up to rub his hardness.

Like a Venus flytrap, she'd engulfed him. Good intentions flew out the window. His hoarse voice whispered her name over and over as his restraint dwindled, then disappeared completely.

When his lips captured her wandering mouth, he drained her passion, then felt it refill and overflow. She panted. She groaned. And she whimpered his name in tune to his litany of hers.

She grabbed his hand, placed it over her breast, then with her guiding his fingers she forced him to surround the swollen mound. His lips soon followed his hands, and he breathed deeply through the flimsy material over the exact spot that stood hard at attention. Her inexperience, overcome by the alcohol, disappeared. With both hands, she held his head to her and whispered in his ear. "Oh, God! Tyler, that feels so good. Touch me."

Her throaty voice ramped up his ardor, but he had to slow down or explode. He backed away and looked down at her beautiful, perky nipples pushing against the silk of her dress, and then he searched her face. Sensing his eyes on her, her eyelashes swept upwards a fraction at a time. He combusted from the fervent expression her smoky blues reflected.

"Tyler, pleeasse! Don't stop. Hold me. Kiss me again. I love your kisses." Caught in the throes of passion, her body undulated with each word. He watched as her mouth opened a fraction in order to suck in her bottom lip so her teeth could bite down on the plump pinkish mound. Small hands rubbed his upper body but were not quite adventurous enough to slide lower. Still, instincts buried deep propelled her to again mash her hips against his.

They'd fit together in the same way a well-oiled gun fits into its holster. No doubt whatsoever. When the moment came for him to slip inside her, into her wetness, it would be like coming home at last.

Fast losing control of the situation, and of his convictions, he tried to think. Heaven and hell's advocates sounded in his head.

"I need her." From his bad side!

"I can't." Good side just had to get his two cents in there.

"I bloody want her more than my next breath." Come on, bad side!

"It's not right." Gravelly-voiced idiot side? Where did she come from?

Devil and angel warred with each other while he awaited the outcome—totally in support of his hell-bent buddy.

Annie, frustration mounting, exploded the last brick in his conscience wall. She forced him into a kiss with her dainty tongue exploring the inside of his mouth. Then she shocked him senseless. With an age-old movement performed since the beginning of time, she pushed hers in and out, and then did it again.

Satan pumped his hands in the air. Tyler's restraint was gone.

He tumbled over next to her, gathering her into his trembling arms. His lips moved to her throat and his hands moved to her dress. He worked it loose, prying the material from around her neck, leaving the flimsy garment pooled at her waist. The strapless piece of creamy lace covering her chest distracted him, but not for long.

His eyes feasted. Milky white, fully aroused breasts with small hard nubs stared back. They looked to be the perfect size for his hands, but to be sure he measured them with his touch. He measured them with his mouth, also, and found they fit just right. He licked and suckled, then rubbed his face this way and that, snuffling like a mother animal with one of her newborns. He adored the feel of her soft skin.

Whimpering softly, her hands rubbed at his back, then up and around his neck. Inquisitive fingers drifted through his hair, holding him in one place as she watched him ravish her willing body.

Being Annie, she had to ask, "Are they too small?"

"Are you kidding? Annie, your body is perfect. Gorgeous! I love them." Between each compliment, kisses were pressed to both sides of her body, proof of his truthfulness.

"I'm glad. I want to be beautiful for you." Small, gentle hands on both sides of his face caressed.

He continued to pet her, stroking and fondling, while his lips lowered to her waiting mouth to drink in the nectar. It was too much, the passion was too much. He changed tactics and lowered his kisses to her neck and shoulders. Words burst out. "To me, you are without doubt the most beautiful woman on the planet."

It took a few moments for her to absorb the meaning. Once she did, her inebriated smile encouraged the twin on his face. It lasted for a few seconds, until his continuous caresses caught her attention and brought her back to the matter at hand.

Revisiting her breasts, he groaned and administered even more loving by continuing the tongue bath. From her agitation it seemed she needed him to have more of her fit into his mouth. She took the initiative. Pushing him backwards, she leaned over him to show off their full effect and give him better access. Probably the dumbest move ever. The quickness of the maneuver affected her. He saw it immediately. Her body stiffened again, but this time the panic in her expression revealed a completely different problem.

Oh-oh! Time to move. His thought prompted quick action. He had her up and into the bathroom in seconds.

"Oh, Tyler!" The "no" that followed echoed along each running step.

_Shit!_ He lowered her gently by the sink.

"Go-away-leave-me-I'm-all-right!"

Muffled words sounded as if someone had hit the fast forward button. Her flapping hands pointed towards the door. He fully understood her need for privacy and decided to comply. He didn't want her to be more embarrassed than she had to be. He moved to leave but turned at the last minute, rethinking his decision. Seeing her clutching her tummy with one hand, the other over her mouth, breasts heaving and body doubled over didn't send him out the door. It was the dismay in her eyes that did it.

If she could see his wry grins as he went into the kitchen to make coffee, she'd most certainly add murder to her confession list on Sunday morning in church. He knew it but couldn't help it. One moment she was a wild sex kitten, and the next a half-dressed, sickly child.

These different facets of Annie made her even more delightful, more of an all-around person in his eyes. A little sinner mixed with saint—the perfect recipe for a lifetime partner. Guess he'd been falling for her since the beginning. Who knew?

He'd never thought he could want another relationship with any woman, but he was wrong. Tonight proved it. Now that he'd come so close to having her, loving her, he couldn't visualize her not being the best part of his future.

Ruefully, he explored his current situation. The night ahead promised to be very uncomfortable. He figured a long cold shower would serve as ample payback for his lurking devil.

A short time later, he returned to Annie with a full cup of hot strong coffee and burst out laughing. She'd obviously made it back to the bedroom, only not quite into the bed. Kneeling on the plush ivory rug by the side of the mattress, her head nestled on top of the quilt, arms hanging over the side; she looked like a child who'd fallen asleep during her nightly prayers. Out cold and cold she would soon be, with a diminutive pair of creamy lace panties as her only covering.

He placed the mug on her night table, scooped her up and gently slid her under the covers. She sighed, whimpered and rolled over, clasping the nearest pillow in her arms as if embracing a man. He heard her whisper his name as he tiptoed out of the room.

He stopped. The devil and angel were at it again. With a loud sigh, he resisted and closed the door behind him with a soft thud.

I'll see her in the morning. That thought kept him from curling in next to her. In a few more hours, the sun would announce a new day. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough for him to claim his Annie.
Chapter Twelve

On the following Monday morning, it was a blessing for Annie to be submerged with scads of work. Tired of her nagging conscience, which sounded surprisingly like Celi preaching over the way she'd treated Tyler yesterday, she used this overload to divert her thoughts from guilty images her mind kept replaying. But as hard as she tried, she couldn't forget the disbelief, then pain and finally the anger that sent him slamming out of her apartment.

He'd shown up at noon with a bagged lunch and a sexy smile. It had taken her forever to lift her shattered head from under the pillow, ease her way out of bed and get to the door. When she opened it, there was a definite odor of fried chicken wafting from the KFC bag he'd thrust her way. This would normally send signals for her saliva glands to tell her stomach to get ready for a seldom eaten but favorite treat. This time it backfired. She stepped away quickly, her face blanching. One hand waved away the noxious fumes, while the other indicated he should enter.

The click of the door closing behind him sounded like a shotgun blast. Vicious streaks of pain exploded as she pushed down on the top of her skull. The agony cautioned her stomach that she had spent the better half of the night emptying it. She'd never felt so sick in all her life. It hurt to breathe. And the smell of fried food made her long for a can of room freshener.

"Tyler, you can't stay. I'm sick."

She leaned heavily on the counter. Pushing at her unruly hair, coiled and sticking out around her face in a manner that rock stars would envy, she hid her bloodshot eyes with her hands, then peeked up at him and groaned.

"Yeah, it's called hungoveritis. I've had the disease once or twice myself."

He sauntered towards her, the swaying of his hips diverting her from putting an immediate halt to his advance. He stood close, staring, smiling cheekily. Then he lifted his hand slowly towards her face.

Without thought, she slapped it away, retreating a step. When she saw the hurt he didn't bother to hide, it was too late to apologize, but she reached out anyway. He ignored the gesture. She had no choice but to drop her shaky hand.

He scrutinized her features as if searching for a sign. Now, angry with him for repulsing her advance, she stared him down. "What?" Her voice was harder than she had meant it to sound.

"How was your evening last night? I saw you and your date." He sneered the words.

She sighed. "I guess everything went okay. For the first time in my life, I got drunk. To tell you the truth, I don't remember much after we left the restaurant, just bits and pieces that make absolutely no sense at all. I'm trying to get up my nerve to call Sergio and apologize for my behavior."

The look on his face made her pause. He whipped around, facing the opposite way and she continued.

"Learnt a lesson, though: two glasses of wine are my limit. From now on, it'll be strictly adhered to, because I've never felt so sick in all my life. Even my teeth hurt. My eyeballs barely fit the sockets and my T-shirt weighs at least ten pounds." The fervent way she spoke left no doubt she'd be sticking to the rule from now on.

The pajama top in question, embellished with the phrase "Wild One" in red glitter—an apt description for last evening's behavior—fitted her snugly. An oversized pair of flannel bottoms hung low at her hips and covered the rest of her compact body. She resembled a child in grown-up clothes, except for her eyes. They were swollen and red-rimmed, intensified by darkness underneath and stress lines above, while the bloodshot coloring emphasized her pain.

"Let that be a lesson, my little friend. The devil's drink has ruined many a fine maiden." His idiotic accent carried a definite Irish twang, but the angry fashion in which he called her friend caught her attention.

"Tyler Jones, what's wrong with you?"

"Take care of yourself—Anna." As he turned to leave he stopped, twisted back and shoved the warm bag that housed her favorite "fat" food into her hands. Without another look, he simply left her standing there, mouth gaping. The slamming door had her grabbing at her temple to keep it attached to her head.

What the heck's crawled up his behind? If she hadn't felt so terrible, she might have fretted.

Celi appeared just then and her sarcastic retort of _"What part of 'keep your wits about you' didn't you get?"_ Today wearing shorts, sandals and a flowing white blouse, her hair tied on top of her head, she looked a lot younger. With her hands on her hips, attitude screaming, she looked totally irritated. Annie waited for her to finally finish her lecture, and in a weary tone she added, _"There's none so blind as those who will not see."_

Annie said, _"I'm sorry, Celi. Trust me. It won't happen again."_ Tears hovered, and she didn't try to block her misery. Instead she faced her grumpy angel and let the tears fall.

Gruffly, Celi soothed her with a warm hug that surrounded Annie and eased like hot soapy water did for an aching body.

Alone again, she'd spent the day being sick—sick with worry and worried about being sick. What a mess! By bedtime, she'd made up her mind to wait a few days, then call Ty and grovel.

Noises heard outside her office door returned Annie to her surroundings. Thankfully, that morning she'd gotten through to Sergio, who seemed more than happy to accept her apologies. After a few weird questions that didn't make much sense, he invited her out again for the next weekend. At least she had something to look forward to.

* * *

Do people frankly not know their own limitations or their possible genius until they're in a position to shine? Once Annie began to wonder about it, she realized it had happened to her. The more responsibility thrown her way, the better she handled it. Her boss, Hugo, was a mess—gone all the time. His personal life had hit the skids, leaving the business without leadership. So she and a few other top management staff stepped in to fill the slot.

The majority of the responsibilities ended up being divided between Annie and Hugo's personal assistant, Debbie. Top-priority reports flooded Annie's desk. Forced to initiate new programs and chair important meetings, she had no personal time at all. Responsibilities landed in her lap and she savored the role of authority. Astonished at the load Hugo had managed, and trying her hardest to keep from sinking, she worked anywhere from fourteen- to sixteen-hour days, returning home at night exhausted.

Union negotiations had gotten underway for the next three-year contract, and she and Sara clocked manic hours to lay the groundwork for a smooth progression. Meetings with the plant managers and union representatives led her to believe that the collective bargaining agreement was almost drawn up and only needed the final read-through to be done by the board of directors and the company's lawyers to seal the deal. On that issue at least, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Because there weren't enough hours in the week to get everything done, the date with Sergio had to be put on hold. In fact, her usual routine burgeoned so far out of the norm, half the time she wasn't aware if she was coming or had been there and was leaving.

Falling dead tired into her bed each night left Annie with no energy to fixate on the weird fantasies haunting her dreams since her date with Sergio. She couldn't even think of Tyler. For some strange reason, when she did, she found herself in tears. There hadn't been time to see him or talk to him since he'd left her upset in her apartment that never-to-be-forgotten Sunday morning.

On top of everything else, there were crazy rumors circulating the office in relation to a consortium pushing a takeover. Whenever Annie approached Hugo, he pooh-hooed the subject, then passed over even more files on his way out of the office to see about his wife once again.

All the top management teams were flat out. New stores scheduled to be opened and new lines of products ready to come out kept everyone hard at it. Even Sergio bitched over the number of sales conferences he'd had to take on over the last while, as he cancelled yet another date before she could. And since he worked from the sales office, in a completely different building, she didn't even get to see much of him during these busy days.

Problems with Hugo's wife couldn't have come at a worse time. The poor man looked utterly exhausted when Annie ran into him in the elevator one morning. They pushed to the back of the car for some privacy.

"How's Lizzie, Hugo?" She'd been meaning to ask for quite some time, but the right moment hadn't come up.

He seemed vague, more remote than ever. "Lizzie?" He looked at her with his head on one side, his eyebrows lifting. "Who?"

"I mean Elizabeth. How is she?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen her for the last week. We've searched in all her favorite haunts, but she's disappeared again. I hired private detectives, but they've had no luck, either. She's gone." His voice broke.

"I'm truly sorry, Hugo. Have you tried the police?" Annie's concern rang true and had the poor man holding up his hand, palm out.

"No. No police. I promised. She was desperately frightened, but the last thing she wanted was to have the law involved. Arguing about it only upset her more."

Their whispered conversation came to an end on the thirtieth floor as the elevator emptied. Talking in a normal voice now, Annie asked the question that had been on her mind all along. "Hugo, what scared her so badly? I noticed she appeared panicky when she was in my office. Sara and I couldn't help but overhear what she said after you'd arrived. She sounded terrified."

"She was. But Annie, you got through to her. She liked you. Actually, she hoped to talk with you again. I promised her I'd set it up, but before I could, she vanished. If she's to be believed, she'd seen something that petrified her half to death. It had to do with a killing over drugs and money. She refused to say more. Said by keeping it to herself, she could protect me and the children."

"The poor girl! I hope you find her soon. And Hugo, if she does return, I'll be glad to visit with her."

"Thanks, Annie. I knew I could count on you." He patted her cheek and his smile showed a glimmer of the old Hugo personality. "I've been hearing great things from the board, pertaining to your department and all the extra work you've taken on. They're very impressed."

"Why, thank you, kind master. I live to serve." She performed an intricate bow, which made him laugh and lessened the tension.

The doors opened. Others waited to get onto the elevator while Annie and Hugo moved off. With a wave and a wink from Hugo, they went in opposite directions.

As Annie walked up the hallway, Sara came into view. Her clenched hands were the first hint of a problem, her loitering; obviously waiting for her boss, another sign that something had happened. The minute Annie approached, her assistant made a beeline to hold open her office door until they'd both crossed the threshold. She closed it with a snap and swung around abruptly. Annie watched as her assistant's normally strong demeanor crumpled.

Her eyes were red-rimmed and sad, and her hands cupped over her mouth to keep from expressing the agony her expression demonstrated.

Annie spoke soothingly. "Sit down, love. My God, you're scaring me. What's wrong?"

"The rumors are true, Anna. There's a run on our stock, a hostile takeover. Someone has purchased the majority of our outstanding shares, and our shareholders are beginning to sell in huge numbers."

Annie flopped down in her chair. "No! When did it start? How did you find out?"

"As soon as the bell rang at the stock exchange, everything began to go crazy. Debbie came in a bit early to finish off some letters. She opened the computer to check the share prices and print out the lists for Hugo, same as she usually does every day, first thing in the morning. She noticed the increase in action and how our shares were selling like hotcakes. The board is gathering now in the conference room, just waiting on Hugo. There's a meeting starting in ten minutes. You'll have to go."

"Who's the other company?"

"An unknown who's got more money than God. It's not one of the big boys." Sara's voice revealed harshness foreign to her usual soft tones.

Annie plopped down on the side of her desk like a balloon with half its air leaked out. She thought about the man she'd left only moments before. Worry ate away inside her, while the sickness in her stomach increased. Biting the inside of her mouth stopped her voicing the cuss words that popped into her head, but nothing could stop the wave of worry for Hugo. He'd given her this career opportunity, supported her with the rest of management and helped her every step of the way. She'd never let him down. So whatever it took, she'd kick in and deal.

A warm, fuzzy feeling overcame her, and then she clearly heard, _"You are one swell chick, Annie Hynes."_ Celi seemed to know the perfect time to give her some necessary support.

" _Thanks, Celi. Stick around, though. I'll probably need someone to give me an energy boost to help me get through this hassle. I'm worn out."_

" _I have faith in you, Annie. I'll be around."_ The husky sound faded with the last words.

Sara's puzzled expression caught Annie's attention and dragged her back into their conversation.

"Sorry. I'm so tired I'm hearing voices. Look, when I arrived just now, I met up with Hugo in the elevator. He arrived early—for a change. But he's in no shape to handle this mess, Sara. He looks terrible. Lizzie's gone missing again, and the poor guy's desperate to find her." Annie shot to her feet, and while her hands removed any trace of makeup from her cheeks, she paced the room." With this catastrophe, he'll have even more to deal with." She leaned against the door. Her posture screamed defeat.

"You're right," Sara said, a surprisingly red tinge appearing on her cheeks. "I talked to him after I finished here last night. We left at the same time and ran into each other in the elevator. He looked so lost that I gathered up my courage and invited him for a drink at the pub across the street. It was nice. He looked better by the end of the evening."

"Did he mention anything about what's happening now, any hint he was aware of the acquisition, or what was going on?"

"Not a peep. He talked about his kids mostly."

Annie glanced at her watch and frowned. "I guess I'd better go before the meeting gets started. I don't want to be late." She straightened slowly, feeling as if a bundle of bricks were balanced on her shoulders. "My heart's breaking for that man, Sara. He's overloaded. Something has to give."

Annie waited while Sara approached. Without thinking, her hand reached out and Sara grasped it. Sadness tightened her assistant's normally serene face. Annie tuned into the emotion because it was precisely how she felt. The girls stood there for a second, sharing, supporting each other in their worry.

Minutes after Annie left the office, the phone rang and a young girl's voice asked for Annie. Sara took that to mean Anna, and by the tearful tones it sounded as if the girl needed to speak with her right away. Sara, realizing the impossibility of calling her boss to the phone at the moment, tried to explain.

"I'm terribly sorry, but Miss Hynes is in a very important meeting right now. But I know she'd want me to take a message, so she could return your call. Please give me your number and your name, and I promise to give it to her at the first possible moment."

Sara softened her tone and tried to add a coaxing timbre, hoping the caller would believe she cared. It didn't work.

The click at the other end encouraged her to check Caller ID, and to her alarm "unavailable name and number" was all she saw. Haunted by the incident, worried without understanding why, she pounced on her poor boss as soon as she appeared in her doorway after the meeting.

"Anna, there was a girl calling for you about an hour ago. I sensed she was in trouble. She sounded sort of scared-like, and I believe she'd been crying."

Annie's face paled. Her whole demeanor changed from exhausted to alert. "Did you get her name and number?"

"She hung up after I told her you were in a meeting. I'm sure she's called a few other times, now that I think about it. She sounded familiar."

"If she calls back, no matter where I am, put the call through. I'm assuming it could have been a girl called Lea—my friend Tyler and I have been trying to help her. In fact, I haven't seen or talked to her, or Tyler, for weeks—not since my date with Sergio." Annie slouched into her chair behind her desk with a loud and long sigh.

"You've dated Sergio again? You never said." Sara followed her inside the office and sat in the visitor's chair.

"No, just the once. The evening began well, but I'm embarrassed to say I got so tipsy that I don't actually remember much about the end." The blush on her face belied that statement, and had Sara's eyes narrowing.

"Will you be going out with him again?"

"He's asked, but we've both been so busy that we've had to put it off. Can't seem to get together with our schedules. Must be God's against us."

"More'n likely an angel's watching out for you. I didn't want to have to tell you this, but I feel I have no choice, especially if you've decided to have a relationship with him. I've been trying to get up my nerve to talk to you about it."

"Look, I'm attracted to the guy, but we're nowhere near carrying on a relationship. I have to admit to never having known any other man as charismatic or exciting. We've only had the one date, and it ended sort of weird, but I look forward to going out with him again. You should've seen the restaurant he took me to, Sara. Why are you looking at me in that way? Don't you like him?"

"It's not that I don't like him, exactly, it's more that I don't trust him. You're right, he can be charming, but I've seen a different side of him that I have to warn you about. I've thought of bringing it up previously, but I—I couldn't. Now that you've told me you're going to go out with him again, I feel I have no choice. You realize I hate gossip and I don't carry stories, right?"

"I know that," Annie said, her tone soothing. "Tell me. What's on your mind, my friend? I'll listen."

Sara straightened in her chair and leaned slightly forward, her hands rubbing her knees. "Your predecessor, Jean Culver, was a divorcee. Though I barely got to know her, having been with her for only a few months, she proved to be quite professional. Not in your league, especially with the personnel, but she worked hard. She didn't have the magic you seem to possess in bringing order to chaos, or your knack of appealing to the most hardened businessmen—"

"Stop! All these compliments are making me blush, and you're digressing." Annie chuckled. "Don't be nervous. Just blurt it out. I promise I won't be mad. I'll merely transfer you to another depar-... I'm kidding. Quit looking at me as if I'm serious."

Sara's apprehension shone clearly in her eyes as she gripped the arms of her chair. "I hate gossip," she repeated, her voice low and strained.

"Okay, look. They told me my predecessor got fired and had to leave the same day. Hugo never discussed the reason for her dismissal, and I never bothered checking her file. It didn't seem pertinent to my taking over." Annie stood and leaned over the desk towards her assistant.

Sara's words gushed out, as if the intensity had reached a level requiring them to break loose. "Yes, she got fired—for screwing an employee right on this damn glass monstrosity of a desk. Hugo walked in on them, with me following right behind. When we knocked and opened the door, they were half-naked and going at it like animals. I guess they forgot to lock it. Hugo closed it again as quickly as he opened it, and I don't suspect he recognized who the guy happened to be, because all we saw was his bare ass. The cool bastard kept his face down." Sara cleared her throat and finally chanced a glance at Annie. "I've never seen Hugo so livid. He apologized to me as if he were to blame. Told me to call through and tell her to be in his office in fifteen minutes. She left that day, and her partner in crime never did come forward. But I saw the man, Anna. I saw him leave after she went to talk with Hugo."

Annie sank back into her chair, settling like a flipped blanket. "You think you saw Sergio?"

"I know I saw him." Sara said, her voice hardening. "He didn't notice me at first, as he snuck out of her office. Then, when he did, he tried to play the innocent bystander." Disgust, evident in Sara's voice, appeared in her expression as she nodded sagely. "I knew he was the culprit, and he was aware I knew. So far I've kept my mouth shut, thinking maybe they were in love and had gotten carried away. But now that he's coming on to you, I know that's not the case. I guess I should have blown the whistle earlier, I don't know. But imagining you with him drives me crazy." She bit her lip and stopped talking abruptly.

"I've always suspected you were biased," Annie said. "I mean about Sergio." Her finger pointed, then waved, at Sara. "Now I know you had good reason."

"You picked that up? How perceptive of you." Sara grinned, to take any sting out of her sarcasm. "He's as slippery as Teflon. Nothing sticks. I dislike people like Sergio because he's got so much going for him, but he uses it to reel in people. I guess that talent goes well with being a salesman, but as a man" Her head shook from side to side, reinforcing her disdain.

"I'm glad you told me. I...I'll never go out with him again." Annie swung her chair around and turned towards the back wall. Her quivering tone and shaking shoulders signaled a problem.

"Oh Anna, I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Please don't feel so bad."

Annie's hands continued to cover her face.

Taking the hint, Sara stood up to leave the room. As she reached the door Annie's wobbling voice stopped her.

"From my first day here, I've hated this desk. Please! Get busy with a catalogue and order me new office furniture, and get it here pronto." She turned to Sara, mischievousness lighting her face. "The bizarre image you've just shared—very clear-cut, I might add—rules out the possibility of my ever getting any serious work done on it from now on." She burst into wild giggles.

"I was pretty explicit." Sara chuckled, relief evident.

"You do have a skill with words, my dear—yes, you do!"

"I'm not sorry I told you. The bastard doesn't deserve you."

"You are so right, my friend. I owe you."

Her day continued on a downhill skid after Sara's confession. The earlier meeting in the boardroom had left her dissatisfied and worried. Nerves rioted until her head felt as if little mutant cells with hammers were doing a rendition of "Lord of the Dance" inside her skull. Putting her arms down on her desk and nestling her head between them gave her a respite for only a few minutes.

Eeuuwww! She remembered Sara's story. The desk now offended her sensibilities, so she quickly sat up and leaned her head against the high back of her chair. She couldn't turn off the voices from her conscience. Or was it from her heart?

I want to call Tyler. No, I need to call Tyler.

He's mad at me.

He'll want to know about the phone calls from Lea. She must be in trouble. Besides, Tyler never stays mad at anyone for very long.

But you haven't even apologized for whatever you did to anger him.

What did I do?

She sighed, then reached wearily for the receiver. Disappointment spiraled when she couldn't speak to him and instead had to leave a message with his secretary. Her eyes closed wearily. She'd tried to dismiss the recent recurring, dreamlike images that seemed so real—of him making love to her, of them being together in her bedroom, and of the wonderful sensations he'd evoked in her body with his hands and lips. Lifelike fantasies that gave her such pleasure had to have some basis in reality. Didn't they? She shuddered, bit down on her bottom lip and closed down the sexual impulses those mind pictures provoked.

She pushed her hair away from her face, took a couple of Tylenol and got on with her mountainous piles of work.
Chapter Thirteen

Ten minutes after Annie arrived at her apartment exhausted, weepy and cranky, Tyler knocked his unique rap. She rose slowly from her prone position on the sofa, went to open the door and leaned on it.

Just looking at him banished her blues. He started talking before she could say a word. "Hi! Long time no see! I got your call, but you'd left already when I tried to return it. Baby doll, you look like someone who's been working way too hard."

Flutters of apprehensive dissolved and she smiled thankfully. Her old buddy stood there. "It has gone way past working hard. We're moving into unmitigated insanity around the office. I've wanted to stop by and visit, but every night as I get home, all I can think of is my bed."

"Too tired to date your Latin lover?"

"Latin lover? Oh, you mean Sergio. I haven't seen him since the first time we went out and I won't be seeing him again. Appears he has the knack of picking out naïve idiots and misusing them. I thought he was special. Funny, my memories of our date are blurred, sorta mixed up, but they make me feel so... Oh, I don't know!" She shuddered, a movement both visible and telling. "Goes to show you, my judgment of men is flawed—or should we say nonexistent." She sighed long and deep, then scrunched her face as she grinned at him. "Oh, well, at least I have you."

"Be still my heart!" He clutched his chest and laughed. An uproarious laugh that seemed disproportionate to the humor of her comment. But then, what the hell did she know about the strange labyrinth of a man's mind?

She waited for him to stop chortling, and then she asked, "Did you need me for anything beside entertaining you? 'Cause if not, I'm for a hot bath and my bed."

"I'm sorry you're so tired, sweetheart, but you do have to eat. I have Lea waiting in my apartment downstairs. I've promised her a pizza at Dominic's. She said she's been trying to reach you. Seems she's ready to open up about what's been going on in her life. We can't let this opportunity pass."

"Lea? She phoned earlier when I was in an important meeting. Which reminds me, I've got to tell you about what's been happening lately. Another corporation's been buying up Montaro's shares. Everyone says it's a takeover. We haven't seen the new CEO who owns the big conglomerate, but he's due to arrive any day now. The office is in a huge turmoil. Everyone's panicking about their jobs and their future with the company."

"You'll be okay, Annie. Things have a way of turning out. This new company will be keeping on the key people for a while at least, won't they?"

The name Annie sounded foreign after being called only Anna for so long. She liked it. "I guess so. I'm more worried about Hugo, my boss. His wife showed up after being missing for four years. She stuck around for a week or so and then took off again. He's been frantic, trying to find her. He looks like hell. And now he has this mess at the office to contend with. The poor man is a basket case."

"Speaking of cases, we'd better go and visit with Lea. Maybe we can find an hour to talk later and you can tell me all about the craziness in your life then."

"Tyler, I can barely see, I'm so exhausted. I wasn't planning to eat a big meal. Eggs and toast, a bath, and eight full hours of sleep are what I need." She watched his face close down, affability instantly erased. The disappointment—and, yes, disapproval—was clear. He turned away.

Conflicting thoughts bombarded her.

I need sleep; tomorrow threatens to be a bitch of a day.

It's Tyler and Lea. I want to go with them. Besides, I need to see Lea and make sure she's okay. And my heart needs to be with Tyler.

Don't be an idiot...

Annie stopped listening to the screeching of her conscience. Anxiety for the troubled teen replaced lethargy. She couldn't change it anymore than she could change the happy glow of anticipation that came with the thought of spending an evening with her best buddy once again.

"Okay, Ty. Give me five minutes to have a quick shower and throw on some jeans and I'll join you." She knew her voice conveyed the enthusiasm she couldn't hide.

He stopped and took a few seconds before turning back to face her, but when he did the friendliness had reappeared. "Take ten. Trust me, Little Bit, any amount of time I have to wait for you is time well spent." His wink made her laugh and his petting fingers on her cheek made her heart quicken like an idling motor getting more gas.

"Mr. Jones, you are a slippery character. They should patent your coaxing tongue." Hearing him using his old nicknames again made her insides smile.

Annie sped into her bath area to turn on the shower. Her energy picked up just thinking about the evening ahead. With excited anticipation she flitted around her bedroom, grabbed her nicest, newest, filmiest blouse and threw it on the bed to wear with her tight, stylish jeans.

It took more like fifteen minutes before Annie joined the two in Tyler's apartment. Once she stepped through the door, the first sight of Lea broke her heart. The tall, full-bodied girl appeared a travesty of her former, healthy self. Her long hair had always been shiny and well groomed, inclined to wave. The dark mass suited the gray-eyed girl and went well with her tawny complexion.

Now drooping in front of Annie stood a thin, dirty, bruised, lifeless person. Her hair hung in greasy clumps. Slumped shoulders and a white face devoid of expression compelled Annie to imagine the hell this poor girl had gone through to get to this point.

Annie's loving look of welcome and her instinctive open arms must have broken loose the clamps Lea used to keep herself together. With a cry of gladness, she flew towards her friend. And Annie's strong arms gathered her close and rocked her.

"Shuu, little girl. It's okay. Stop crying! And don't worry! We'll help you. Come, let's sit down." Annie led the teen to Tyler's couch, a deep-red leather one she'd never seen before, and lowered them both together. Lea's head burrowed into her shoulder. Annie kissed and petted her, murmuring incoherently.

Tyler quietly put a couple of glasses of water and a box of tissues on the coffee table in front of the girls and sat waiting in the chair opposite until the storm passed. Annie glanced towards him and saw his approval. Happiness engulfed her, filling her. Intoxicated, she owned up to how much she'd missed this sensation, this togetherness—them against the world of mixed-up teenagers—fighting the good fight.

Finally, Lea straightened away from Annie, still clinging to her hand, and took a long, shaky, desolate-sounding breath. She rested back against the couch cushion and stared into the eyes of the anxious woman perched next to her.

"I've missed you so much, Annie. God, there were times I thought I'd go crazy not knowing what to do. Doug has me that messed; I can't decide what's up or down anymore. He keeps pushing drugs on me, wanting me to get high. Up till now I've managed to stick to pot, but I figure he's started spiking my drinks. Then while I'm coasting on 'E' I'm pretty sure his friends are paying him to hook up with me." Her voice broke and her shaky hands covered her face, hiding her hopeless rage. "My body is bankrolling him, Annie. When I snap out of it, and question him, he gets wild. You know what happens then."

"I'm so sorry, Lea." Annie reached out. As gloomy as her life had been in the past, she'd never be able to imagine what Lea had been going through.

"I know he's prostituting me for money, so he can buy the drugs he can't do without. He'll never let me go. I'm terrified. If he finds me here, he'll kill me. I have no place to turn or to hide. I-I need help."

Lea's eyes blazed her indignation and her shame, but mostly her fear. Tears again poured as if they'd stockpiled for a long, long time. Spittle gathered at the sides of her parched-looking lips and mucus hung from her nose.

Annie snatched a tissue and gently urged it into Lea's empty hand, then waited while the teen mopped up her poor, marked face.

"How did you lose him this time?"

"Now that he's progressed to harder drugs, he gets so stoned that he passes out cold. I just left. But he'll come after me. When he finds me—and he will—he'll make me pay for leaving."

"Look, let's go to the police with this information. They'll put him under arrest. That way you'll be rid of him once and for all. Please, Lea. I promise, Tyler and I will stick with you, protect you."

"I can't. I just can't. You don't realize what you're saying. He's part of a drug gang. They have lawyers, and they'll pay whatever amount of bail the judge sets. He'll be released by the next day. With no priors, being arrested for possession won't be enough for the cops to keep him in jail."

"Tyler's cousin is on the force. Maybe we can get his help." They both glanced at the quiet man sitting, watching them, but he shook his head sadly.

"Bill's on holidays for the next couple of weeks. He wouldn't thank me for calling him out now, since this is the first break he's had for years."

"Okay then," Annie said. "We'll hide you. We'll send you someplace where he can't find you. Groups that help abused people in your situation are just a phone call away. We can go to them. Tyler, it's done, isn't it?"

"I can't legally condone doing that because she's still a minor, and I'm supposed to put her into the system. But Lea, if it's what you decide, I'll make a few calls for you and see what we can find out. Though I have to warn you, little one, make damn sure you're serious and that you intend to leave him."

Lea looked at Tyler, intense vulnerability clear on her face. He saw her expression change and brighten drastically. Faith in Tyler and a new-found hope mushroomed and reflected on her features.

"I have no choice, Tyler. Either I leave or I'll die. Pretty simple! And I don't want to die before I've even begun to live. I yearn for a chance at the good life, to exist the same as you and Annie—without fear." Her hands, unconsciously placed over her heart, reinforced the truth of her words. "Some days I walk in the streets, follow the pretty girls, the normal ones, and watch where they're going, which places they have jobs. I yearn to be them so bad, it's sickening."

"Anyone can look like everybody else on the outside, honey. It's your inside that needs fixing. You need help to deal with what you've gone through, with the bad memories and your self-confidence. But it's doable. Trust me, Lea." Tyler slipped diligently into his counselor role as if born into the noble profession.

Lea continued. Now that she'd started, there was no stopping her cleansing harangue. "And—this is really important. I've made up my mind. I want to help others like you do, Tyler. I saw a girl on the street this morning. Hell, she couldn't have been more than thirteen, a baby, a victim waiting to happen. I wished I could protect her, help her, do something, but I have nothing myself. After that, all I thought about was coming here."

Her voice cracked first, then her face. Tears again gushed out so fast and hard that breathing took second place to emotion until the next breath had to happen. And when it did, the wail that accompanied it—the sound a tortured soul makes when the limit has been reached—had Annie swallowing and blinking furiously until she bit down on the inside of her mouth.

Tyler willingly sat back, leaving Annie in charge. She waited. Lea's tears were healing tears and important. Eventually, she grabbed the weeping girl, turned her so they were facing each other and shook her.

"Enough! Dry your eyes, Lea. From now on we're talking faith, confidence and absolute conviction in the plan. No more weak martyr mentality, okay?"

"Okay!" Lea sniffled and grabbed for another tissue, at the same time nodding her head in affirmation. "You're right!"

Tyler, seeing the exhaustion on both female faces, interrupted with a great idea. "Taxi time, then din-dins, girls. What do you say we take a break? Let's blow this joint."

Him and his old movies! Annie flashed him a secret grimace just so he knew she was onto him.

She turned to the teen, saw Lea's budding smile and witnessed a complete transformation from pain to pleasure. Hope wrote its own message in her eyes and it was a sight for Annie to celebrate. Anxiety, which had clutched Annie's insides after she'd first seen the girl, waned, totally overtaken by pride and affection.

"Let's go and fix up a bit. By the time we're ready, our ride will be here." Annie grabbed her purse, prompted Lea to her feet and led her to the bathroom. As they moved through the apartment that used to be as familiar to her as her own, she saw many changes had taken place. Tyler had gone ahead and renovated his home without her, and from the look of things, he'd done a great job.

She bit her lip and slammed the bathroom door closed. It amazed her that she felt this hurt. So what if he hadn't asked for her help? Then she remembered. He had asked and she'd been too busy.

Shaking off her snit, Annie found some cosmetics and a brush in her large handbag. She put them on the counter in front of Lea, who was scrubbing at her blotchy face. Tyler's shampoo came in handy also, as Lea efficiently washed her hair and they both dried it as much as possible with the huge, brown towel. When Annie watched the girl in the mirror take off her grubby jacket and bend over the washbasin, she saw her thinness clearly. She also noticed the bruises on her arms, some old, many new. As Lea angled her body to put on lipstick, her cropped T-shirt rode up and Annie noticed the cutest tattoo of an angel on the girl's left hip just below the waist of her low-riding jeans. A fleeting grin appeared on Annie's face because it was something she'd always wanted to have done but had never gotten up the nerve. Maybe on her next day off She snickered softly. Yeah! Right! An oxymoron if she ever heard one.

When they arrived at the pizza place, it wasn't very busy. Dominic greeted them with his customary enthusiasm. After being introduced to Lea, he treated her to a flirtatious side hug. It was over so quickly she didn't have time to repulse him, even if she'd wished to.

That they were there later in the evening allowed him to spend longer than his usual few minutes at their table chatting them up. Annie deduced it wasn't herself or Tyler who drew him. He had eyes only for Lea. And he worked very hard to bring her to life, to attract her attention so she'd open up, relax and enjoy herself. From the moment they left Tyler's apartment, she had slipped into her shell and couldn't be cajoled out by either Tyler or Annie. Her eyes were in constant motion, on the lookout for danger.

Dominic teased and charmed the girl until he soon had her giggling and talking the same as any other happy teenager. Eagerness and smiles lessened her earlier frail appearance, while the added element of being treated with respect made her glow.

"Hey, Lea, which school do you go to? I bet you have to beat the dudes off with a stick."

"I'm not in school," she answered. The sadness in her tone focused everyone's attention on her. She blushed. "Not right now, but I'm hoping to get my high school diploma one day."

"So! You want a job? This place rocks most nights and the losers that apply don't have a clue. I need to find me a heart-stopper, like you, who'll bring the crowds in."

"You're kidding me? I've never waitressed before in my life, but I have worked in a kitchen. Not a pizza parlor, just a café kinda place."

"Okay then. You ever need a job? You know where to come."

"I'll keep it in mind."

As the two yakked and joked, Tyler sprawled in the corner and watched with a satisfied grin on his face.

But Annie, watching Lea, had an altogether different reaction. Her mind regressed to a time where ugly, sad memories awaited her. For some reason, tonight, Lea's presence sparked normally forbidden thoughts. Mostly, Annie would do anything to fight them off, but this evening's tiredness yielded control. She sank into the past, reliving it. The visions refused to be denied. Images spiraled of another girl who looked very similar to Lea and another time. A horrible time.

Annie, an innocent seventeen-year-old on the cusp from adolescence to womanhood, had recently begun to experience newly awakened visions of love and romance, which filled her thoughts most of the time. She yearned for exciting friends and fun. Boys caught her eye and she searched for the special "one," the potential partner in her quest to be like the other girls, lose her virginity and be popular. In her case, since she'd only hung with the other shy, withdrawn bookworms, it would be difficult. But anything wanted badly enough was doable. She'd gone as far as making it her New Year's resolution.

Males were an enigma she desperately wanted to explore, but not just any guy would do. No losers and no studs. The fellow she sought had to have more redeeming features than just a penis and a deep voice. She'd take her time to make the right choice. Even in those days Annie's pesky conscience played a big role in her day-to-day activities.

Plus, her mom kept her on a tight leash. Desperate to be an ordinary teenager doing what the other girls did forced her to take chances and push the envelope. Parties and hanging out were officially out of the question, but there were techniques to get around those restrictions, and Annie started to become pretty good at telling lies and ignoring boundaries.

About that time, a girl moved into their apartment building, a young woman actually, in her early twenties. New to the city and friendless, she'd nonetheless promised to baby-sit her aunt's place for a year. She craved a pal as much as Annie, so it wasn't such a miracle that when they met in the elevator they immediately zeroed in on each other's loneliness and isolation.

Every spare minute Annie could sneak out she spent with her new friend, Violet. Because of Annie's upbringing, she didn't act the same as most giggle-pusses her own age. She was more comfortable with the older crowd and her behavior proved it. The two girls hit it off from the get-go.

Violet, a farm girl from South Dakota, exploited Annie's eagerness to show off the city's attractions, and Annie, playing the role of gracious guide, didn't mind a bit. She loved the attention, truth be told.

Violet's rustic past in no way interfered with her outstanding ability as a dancer. Her body flowed like liquid mercury and every step she made as she extended her limbs with graceful genius elicited pure joy. In her first week in the city, in fact in her initial audition, a producer on Broadway snapped her up. A girl with no real quality or formal training, other than a few rural teachers who took an interest in her development, rationalized low expectations while cherishing high hopes. Seems her endless hours of practice had paid off. She floated on a cloud of contentment and radiated sunshine.

Annie's days as Violet's escort became full of stimulating adventures. She stepped out of her shell, vibrating with youthful enthusiasm and cool ideas. Meanwhile, Violet influenced Annie to take better care with her looks and her dress code. To upgrade her closet. Many happy hours were spent together shopping; blowing the hoarded allowance Annie's parents had given her over the years. She'd just shoved it into her bank account with no interest whatsoever in spending it. Why bother, when her mom vetoed any article of trendy clothing she'd periodically buy anyway.

Her closet was filled with old-fashioned clothes she hated but had no idea how to replace. Violet demonstrated flair and patience and soon found articles for Annie to purchase that were modern, attractive to any age and passed her mother's inspection. As the weeks flew by, Annie changed. Everything from hairstyles to makeup, from building her self-image to her treatment of the opposite sex warranted discussion and suggestions from her new best friend.

Her budding confidence grew rapidly and tended to attract the fellows around her. She acted more poised, became increasingly popular, and, for the first time since she could remember, she lost her self-doubts. Gladness filled her so full there were no empty spaces and no room for anything but confidence and merriment.

On the Day of Nightmares, specific plans had been made for the girls to go to Annie's favorite restaurant for some great Asian fare. Then on to a Broadway play they'd both chosen as the best one to see. Annie, happy the school week had ended on a high note and full of TGIF gladness, rushed down the hallway of their apartment building. She couldn't help grinning, bursting to tell Violet about her upcoming date for the next night with Ryan Horne, a hunk she'd had her eyes on since the beginning of the semester. His putting the hit on her upped her allure to a point where the girls who usually snubbed her instead asked her to hang with them for lunch. She couldn't wait to share this juicy tidbit with her best friend.

When she got close to Violet's door, she first heard a wail, a crash and then a muffled sob. Other strange noises filtered through that made the hairs on her body uncurl and rise stiffly. She dropped her sweater, her backpack filled with student junk and an armload of notebooks. They broke apart, papers scattering in every direction.

Intuition drove her. She needed to get into that apartment. She twisted the locked doorknob, banged hard with both hands and yelled for Violet to open up, instinct warning that her friend needed help.

Grunts, groans and slap sounds followed by thumps, as if a person was being shoved and hit, scared the hell out of Annie. Gut spasms and frantic nerves pushed her past rational behavior as she continued to beat on the hard wooden surface of the closed door.

"Violet, it's me, Annie. Open up! What's going on in there?"

A sick malicious laugh, a man's laugh, clearly emerged. That did it! She scrambled up the corridor shouting for help, banging on closed doors and begging for someone to phone 911. Knowing the elderly couple peeking out to see about the kerfuffle would make the call; she headed back to where her best friend suffered.

The horrific scream that reverberated out into the passage curdled the blood pumping violently through Annie's shocked system. It impelled her to hurry. Like a wild person, she skidded to the floor. Tears flooded down her face and nausea gathered, threatening to spill over. She gagged and had to cough it away.

Female moans and cries interspersed with a male grunting indecipherable mumblings riveted Annie to the door. Again, she banged and pleaded, adding to the mayhem. Her wet face plastered itself against the frame. Energy molecules, full of pain and terror, were released on one side of the wall and traveled through the barrier straight into Annie's heart, causing her to suffer right along with Violet. The attacker's disgusting slurs burned into her consciousness, into her potential—a defining moment changing the course of her life forever.

"Stop that, you sick bastard! Let her go!" Annie threatened, pleaded and threatened again—over and over. "We called the cops. Stop it. Oh God, please! Please! Leave—her—alone!"

Each plea was screamed louder than the one before until her voice broke from the strain. She smashed at the door and didn't see the detailing ridges coated with her blood.

Wailing sirens signaled help had arrived. Within minutes a female officer dragged the hysterical girl away so the others could gain access. Using a ramming device, they broke in the front at the same time as the brutal devil fled down the fire escape with several officers in pursuit. They weren't quick enough to prevent Annie from slithering in as soon as the door gave way, but the vision she saw stopped her cold.

Violet, curled in a fetal position, lay semi-naked, catatonic and covered with cuts and bruises all over her body. Blood colored the scene ugly. The scent of sex, fear and sorrow added to the shock-filled atmosphere.

Before Annie could move to her friend, the detective hauled her back, through the smashed-in doorway and into the hallway. The attack might be finished, but the nightmares—they were just beginning.

Annie never saw Violet again. Rumor was her parents had taken her home after the psych ward released her. At least Violet had had counseling to help deal with the trauma; Annie never did. Her mom, using fear tactics as behavior control, had the perfect pitch to use on her now.

The disgust and terror instilled in Annie that day rooted, grew and curtailed her newborn enthusiasm for boys and sex, flirting and parties and all normal teenage pastimes. Celibacy became her road and the sicko they never caught was her reason.

"Annie, yahoo! Hello? Come back to us, girl. You're so far away." Lea's hand waving in front of her face mercifully shut down the horror.

Annie shook herself. She rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes for a few seconds. Furtively, she wiped at the dampness there. Then she glanced around the table with relief and said, "Sorry! Crazy memories pop up when I least expect them. Usually I don't let myself go there."

"You okay, Annie?" Lea reached to stroke her arm. Then she put her head on Annie's shoulder in the same manner a beloved dog would do when giving sympathy or affection.

Annie understood that everyone at the table had seen the multitude of expressions crossing her face, but Lea was the one carrying out what they obviously all wanted to do, showing support to a dear friend.

Annie looked to Tyler, entreaty obvious in her expression. He took the hint.

"Dessert! What we need here is some of Dominic's decadent strawberry shortcake with extra topping. What do you say?"

"I'm in." Annie spoke first.

"Me too. Why not?" Relief at having her hero return to normal had Lea agreeing without hesitation. She searched and found Annie's hand under the table. Sympathy offered and received.

* * *

Coffee and dessert arrived. While they ate, Dominic, Annie and Tyler bypassed the normal conversational tidbits about the weather and other boring subjects and plunged right into details about their individual places of work. Lea, enthralled, listened to the three business people discuss things like takeovers and presentations, new laws affecting parental rights and even high prices encountered in securing provisions in bulk for a thriving restaurant.

Being included—if only by proximity—opened up her eyes to the possibilities for her own future. That is, until she glanced towards the window and saw the face she hated most staring at them through the glass.

She stiffened. Her hand clenched into a tight fist. Both Tyler and Dominic saw it happen. They looked to where her eyes were glued and saw the leering face. She started to rise, but stopped when Tyler pushed her firmly back down.

"Keep her here." He rose and glanced directly to Annie. The manner in which he spoke left no room for argument. Lea saw him eyeball Dominic, who somehow picked up the vibe instantly.

"I'm your back-up, my man." Dominic stood and joined Tyler. Adrenalin switched their attitude from calm and relaxed to edgy and purposeful. They sauntered easy-like towards the entrance. Annie watched as both men looked almost happy, knowing there would be a confrontation.

How had Doug known where to find Lea? Would the poor girl ever be able to get away from that animal? Lea shook so badly that Annie hoped she wouldn't be sick. She reached out to comfort her and was shocked to see Lea's face devoid of color, haunted and sadder than ever.

* * *

Doug and two other lowlifes were lounging on the dark wet street, waiting for the door to open, obviously expecting Lea to appear. One streetlight covered the corner and another lit the edge of the wide sidewalk, but the light didn't cover the front of the restaurant. Only the discreet neon from Dominic's lighting and the faint glow from the windows brightened the area they'd chosen for the encounter. Night rats tend to keep to the shadows—so did these vermin.

Doug, a tall, skinny, but muscular guy stepped forward as soon as he saw Tyler, only to run into Dominic, who'd moved in between. The two men had intuitively recognized the street savvy of the youths and automatically both had switched into the gang-style attitude of menacing bravado.

"What kind of shit-show is this? Whaddaya want, hanging around outside my place?"

"I've come for my girl. Promised I'd take her home—don't like for her to wander the streets alone at night. It's not safe! If...ya know what I mean." Doug's voice threatened and his attitude sucked.

"Especially when you're carrying, eh! Know what I mean?" Dominic threw his words right back at him and used the same menacing tone. "My waitress called the police the minute she saw me heading this way. Should be here any time now."

Sirens could be heard in the distance. With each passing moment they got louder.

"Hey, dude, we're outta here," one voice piped up from behind Doug. "Don't wanna mess with no cops." The second sidekick spoke also, echoing the warning tone. "Not tonight, man." Both shadowy figures looked ready to bolt.

Doug turned towards the window, obviously pulled, but the wailing cars were getting closer and the hissing from his buddies decided him. He pushed Dominic out of his path, made a rude gesture to Tyler with his middle finger and then faded into the darkness.

Tyler watched the retreat, a cocky grin on his face. "Hey, Dom, that was pretty cool. I didn't even see you signal the waitress."

"That's 'cause I didn't. I just heard the sirens and decided to, like, use them. No sense getting into trouble if you don't have to. Right?"

"You are so right. I'm pleased at how you handled things tonight, my friend."

"Thanks, man. You saying that means a lot." He opened the door for Tyler and waved him into the lighted room where the patrons continued to enjoy their evening, not a care in their world. Except for the young girl sitting at a corner table, whose trembling hands covered her shamed face.

Chapter Fourteen

Later that evening, Tyler followed the girls to Annie's apartment and stopped Annie at the doorway, waiting until Lea disappeared inside.

"You're exhausted, sweetheart. Look, if you need your bed, I can stay up and talk to Lea."

"You are a sweet man! But I'll be fine. She won't say the things to you that she will to me. Girl stuff! You know?"

"What a crock! But unfortunately true. It's just that you're beat and not on the top of your game right now."

"I'm good. Don't be an old fuddy-duddy. We'll have a chat and I'll get her to stay with me for the night. Hopefully she'll hang around for the next few days, to give you time to set something up for her. I'll talk her into it, anyway."

Tyler's hands reached out to grip both sides of Annie's face. His thumbs rubbed gently at the bags under her eyelids and moved to stroke the tired lines surrounding her abnormally dull eyes. He leaned ever so slowly towards her.

She waited, not breathing. Her last coherent thought was hoping her eyes weren't crossed.

It seemed to take him forever until his lips were angled—inches above hers.

Motionless, she held on. Her eyelids dropped as if weighted. The word "please" screamed through her mind. The familiarity of her using that particularly phrase—to him—seeped into her memory.

His soft lips kissed her forehead. Then she felt him back up slightly.

She still waited without moving. Her eyes shut tight.

Seconds passed and a sigh escaped. His lips hovered, tantalizing. His warm breath tickled the hairs on her face, escalating her awareness.

The touch of his mouth connecting with hers ignited the passion and their lips ate at each other, draining, sucking the essence from both sides. Tyler stopped first.

"Good Lord!" burst from her hungry lips along with whimpering sounds. The weight of her lashes kept her eyes shut. The heaviness seemed impossible to lift. She didn't even want to. If she had her choice, she'd stay cuddled in his arms, kissing him forever.

She felt him slowly retreat, his thumbs teasingly soothing her still-closed eyelids. He whispered, "Good Lord? You mean goodnight, don't you? Try to get some sleep. I'll call you tomorrow. We need to talk."

He left, using the stairs. By the time she'd recovered, the faint smell of his cologne and the erratic beating of her heart were all that remained. Breathing deeply, she ran her hands through her hair and then scrubbed at her cheeks. She'd love to have time to re-live all the special moments she'd shared with Tyler tonight. But it wasn't to be.

When she stepped into her place, she saw Lea pacing the floor, her arms crossed, hands each rubbing up and down the opposite side.

"Are you cold, Lea? Do you need an extra sweater or a blanket? How about some tea or coffee?" She stopped her chattering after she saw the expression on Lea's face. She curled up in her favorite corner of the sofa and patted the seat next to her.

Lea shook her head and continued to stride up and down the room, making Annie dizzy. Her nerves were already shredded from exhaustion and strange intuitions due to Tyler's kiss kept trying to get her attention. Something about it...?

She finally broke down and demanded, "Lea, please! Sit! I can't talk to you while you're moving around. It's wearing me down. Tell me. What are you going to do?" Annie rested with her elbow on the arm of the sofa, her head propped up by her hand.

"I can't sit, Annie." It was obvious that nervous tension forced the youngster to keep moving. To be still clearly would be more than she could handle. One of Annie's business cards, picked up from the counter, flapped back and forth between her busy fingers.

Annie purposely stared at the girl's fidgeting until she quit and slipped the card into her pocket. "You need to talk, Lea. You need to, very much. Relax and explain. I'll listen."

As if Lea was a faucet flipped up high, words gushed out. She told Annie about the beatings, about the fear and about the others who used her. She talked with details that had Annie's eyes popping open and horror filling her heart.

"My Lord, Lea. How could you stay with him? You're too beautiful, too precious to put up with his criminal manipulation. It's totally unnecessary when you have Ty and me who care for you and now you also have Dominic. You told us about your dreams, remember? About school and an interesting career. Maybe one day—a husband and a couple of kids? We want that to happen for you." Tears ran untouched down Annie's face. Lea reached over and passed her a tissue.

"I know that, Annie. Inside I know it. My heart remembers those dreams, but my drugged brain forgets."

Annie spoke forcefully. "No more drugs. Then you can't forget. Look, your future family needs a mom who cares about herself, a strong mom, one who won't always feel shame for having been a weakling and letting some scumbag treat her worse than an animal. Do you get me? Your memories of these...these last few months can all be squashed into a small place in your mind, dealt with and left there. The many potentially great years ahead of you are what count, Lea. Don't give them up. I promise that's the best truth anyone can ever tell you." Annie's sincere eloquence echoed in the quiet.

"It feels wonderful to hear you saying these things, Annie." Lea wrapped her arms over the top of her head, and she groaned. "I've tried telling myself, but somehow I lose my backbone when Doug is around. He overpowers me. I become weak and scared and—and so pitifully frightened it makes me sick. I watch him play me and can see how he gets such a kick out of it. God, Annie, I'd like to hurt him, physically, which makes me terrified that I'm as warped as he is."

As Lea talked on, Annie fought to keep her lashes up and her senses alert, to listen to what Lea said, to stay awake.

Lea continued venting as she paced from one end of the room to the other, traveling deep inside her mind, wanting to express exactly how she felt.

"You've made me see it all so clearly, but I've got to figure out how I can get away from Doug for good. He seems to latch on to everything I do, and everywhere I go, like tonight. He had me followed—otherwise how did he know where I was? He could make such a lot of trouble for Dominic's place. And for you and Tyler. You don't know him like I do. What he's capable of. I'm worried, Annie. I'm serious. I couldn't stand it if the people I cared about got hurt because of my problems. Sometimes, I wonder if it wouldn't be best all around if I wasn't even here."

Lea turned to her friend, because an opening like that would normally have gotten a strong reaction. Annie didn't argue or give her attitude, because she didn't hear her words. The battle had been lost. The exhausted woman's head hung for a few seconds and then lolled back to nestle on the plush arm of the sofa. A small snuffling sound could be heard as she settled in, eyes tightly closed and face muscles relaxed.

* * *

Lea, sitting crossed-legged on the floor nearby, leaned on the coffee table with her hand supporting her cheek and watched her friend for some time. Finally, Annie's pallor and the unconscious way she hugged herself, seeking warmth, niggled at Lea until it dawned on her what Annie required. She tiptoed to the closet and returned with a soft blanket to cover her friend. After that, she moved around the apartment, picking up and putting down items here and there, checking out each room, imagining it being her own place.

A sanctuary, where she'd be free.

A home, where she'd be the boss.

A safe place to cry without getting slapped or punched.

Annie's bedroom enthralled her and placed first as her favorite spot in the cozy apartment. The various turquoise pillowslips, with their brown and gold designs, worked perfectly with the brown satin duvet cover. Touches of bluey-green appeared everywhere, from the satin valances to the crystal perfume decanters displayed on the tall dresser. Even Annie's creamy fluffy housecoat and fuzzy slippers matched the décor. A room like this could be hers one day.

Lea plunked down on the bed, crossed-legged again, while her eyes were drawn towards the vision clearly shown in the glass of the balcony window. She saw herself and she hated the image that stared back.

What a loser!

The ugly phrase darted across her mind. It had been lying burrowed deep inside for as long as she could remember. Always the same one! She was a black polar bear, an imperfection of nature, ugly. Tears rolled down her face unchecked. That there were any left surprised her. She'd never cried so much as she had earlier. A lesson instilled, as a very small child, had trained her to bite her lip and shut her mouth. Tears weren't tolerated.

She was so tired that it left her feeling pathetically weak. But then she'd always been pathetic and weak. Life itself put her in the role, and she'd acted the part to perfection. It became easy to let others rule her. First her mother and then Doug. She'd let them. Rolled over in front of them like a defeated dog showing its tummy. Then whiningly gave them control.

But no more!

Annie had recently changed everything around her, taking on a completely different career, venturing out of her comfort zone with a new lifestyle. Lea had watched her tonight—had seen her new aura of confidence. If her hero chose to do something about her life, then so could Lea.

Memories flooded of earlier, in the washroom, when Annie had taken Lea's face into her hands and had smiled lovingly into her eyes. "You're so very young. You haunt me, Sweetie. Only you can become a person you're proud of. No one else can make that happen. Change! Break loose! Grow up! There are spiritual forces out there who watch over us all. Not only will they guard you, I'll be here to help and so will Ty. Ultimately, though, you know it's up to you to decide when and how."

Lea leaned back on the pillows and closed her eyes. She wondered what Annie meant by spiritual forces.

"You can do it!" The husky voice intruding sounded like a female with a bad throat.

"Whaa? Who's there?"

"Annie calls me her guardian angel, but I like to think I'm everyone's angel. Lea, you are everything you want to be. It's as easy and difficult as that. If you want to be strong, you are. If it's easier being weak, you know you can play that role also. It's always been up to you."

"Now I'm hearing voices."

"Just telling you the way it is."

The words went with her into dreamland and echoed over and over. An hour later, she came to with a start, still in turmoil. She wanted to relax, but her thought processes were in full throttle. Plans gushed into her mind and revolved like Macy's wooden doors off 34th Street. Another face, one that she'd met tonight, invaded her conscience. Dominic. He'd managed it, came off the streets and made good. Keep that in mind. Others had succeeded.

She finally got up, deciding it was time to leave. She hovered in the living room for a moment, stopped and then looked back at Annie. Thoughts reverberated in her head faster than she could digest them.

I want to be strong and to make you proud of me one day. You and Tyler are the only people who've ever truly cared if I lived or died. You treat me with respect, which I don't deserve, but I will...

... _Even if it kills me._
Chapter Fifteen

Lea skulked from the lit façade of Annie's building and was soon swallowed by the night. A sense that she was being followed, a feeling she lived with constantly, swept over her as she glanced in all four directions. The wind tore at her, so she shrugged the hood part of her sweatshirt over to cover her features and slunk down, making her body look two sizes smaller.

Wild ideas attacked and jostled inside her mind. They rode her unmercifully. More sleep for her was out of the question. Her life was about to twist in a new direction, and she had a lot of preparations to do. First, she needed to get back to the crappy apartment she shared with Doug and get her belongings. The stash of money she'd hidden, taped to the underside of her T-shirt and sock drawer—pray God it was still there—promised to be a lifesaver, her best chance at getting away. Next, she'd need to set a false trail for Doug to follow so she'd have enough time to disappear.

Tremors exploded inside her. She knuckled her eyes, her hands coming away wet. Squeamish fear ignited the rioting voices screaming warnings. They jangled her nerves until she felt her bile rise. Just once she wished she could spend a day without being afraid. Was it even possible?

Take Annie! For the last few months Annie's way of life had seemed so perfect, Lea's ultimate goal. But for the first time tonight, she'd caught a glimpse of strain and hardship in her friend's world. Apparently Annie's early life hadn't all been a bed of roses, either. Her old tomboy style and lack of feminine artifice were probably results of something that had happened in her past where she'd lost confidence. Tonight, for the first time, she'd looked like a modern, sophisticated woman.

She knew her hero used to love her old job. Now, for some strange reason, she'd switched to a new career, working way harder, with much longer hours. The proof was written on her haggard face, in her bleary eyes. Lea had almost flipped out when Annie first arrived in Tyler's apartment. She hadn't seen her in weeks, and the radical changes had rattled her, making her aware that if she'd step out of her "Me World" once in a while, she'd see that others' lives held difficulties also.

At the beginning of the evening, Annie's attitude and demeanor appeared normal, proven by her gentle hugs and caring attentiveness. But for a few moments in the restaurant, Lea had witnessed her pal fighting her own personal demons. She'd watched as expressions of pain, revulsion and profound sadness battled with each other on the face of her favorite person. Somehow she'd always thought that Annie's existence was privileged and simple. That she had the world by the tail. Obviously—not so!

And what about Tyler? Anyone with half a brain could see that Annie and Tyler had the hots for each other, but it just simmered away under their surface friendliness. The intense yearning she'd spied on Annie's face periodically twisted her insides. And Tyler? His gaze rested more on Annie than anywhere else during the whole time they spent in the restaurant. Perhaps they stayed apart for reasons unknown to her.

Her conscience squawked. What? You think you're the only one who's got troubles, who's ever had it tough? That everyone but you was born lucky? Grow up, girl! Life throws curves at every single one of us, and as Tyler says, it's how we catch the ball and throw it back that counts.

Within, the debating continued to rage incessantly. She stepped out of the dark path near the tree-lined edge of the street and moved towards the entranceway of the subway's descending steps. She flipped her hood off and shook her hair loose.

Cruel hands grabbed the strands and hauled her into hard, bruising arms. "You are one stupid bitch." Doug sneered close to her ear. Spit sprayed her cheek and automatically she tried to turn her head. Big mistake. He tugged harder. "I knew you'd end up here eventually. How else could you get home, right?"

_Stupid bastard, a lot you know. If I'd followed Tyler's instructions, I'd be asleep in Annie's spare bedroom_.

Not being quite as dumb as he'd tagged her, she played him. He was easy. "Doug, I was on my way to find you, I swear. They finally quit nagging and messing with me. They go on and on—blah, blah, blah. The silly preacher had to fall asleep before I was able to get away. What a bunch of nauseating bullshit."

Her voice cracked with emotion that lent it a ring of truth. _God, let him believe me, please! Lea, you idiot! You're a rare kind of stupid for not realizing he'd be waiting. He must have followed us home from Dominic's. Probably needs money._

He had her locks twined through his fingers, which kept her head twisted at a painfully awkward angle. She remembered how much he enjoyed her discomfort by the low purring mutters he made with each wrench. A pounding headache pulsed and it felt as if her neck might snap. How she detested him!

Stalks of hatred grew and flourished in the fertile areas of her heart where infatuation had lived at one time. In those days, in her idiotic childishness, she'd fantasized that love had brought them together. No more.

She'd met him the first week she hit the streets running from a dysfunctional, drugged-out single mom whose johns preferred the ripe daughter's body to that of the used, droopy, unwashed thirty-five-year-old. Up until that last night, with her mother's protection, she'd been able to get away from the slobbering male lips, groping fingers and obvious intentions.

In the end, the power of the drugs prevailed, and Lea realized she couldn't count on her mother's help any longer. The woman's beseeching eyes cared for only one thing—the relief money would bring. It was like a streak of lightning ripping through a pitch-black room when the understanding became clear. No doubt it would merely be a matter of time until some slimy jerk caught her. Without help, she'd not be able to escape. Packing up her T-shirts, an extra pair of jeans, her toothbrush and a few bucks she'd earned babysitting, she left the rented room that was all they'd been able to afford for the past few years. She ran from a sad life—true—but still scary as hell to say good-bye.

The first nights out in the open were terrifying. Strange people, weird sounds and ugly images after dark crisscrossed with normal people's automatic kind gestures during the days and left mixed impressions on the panicky sixteen-year-old. The one big lesson she learned quickly—no one really gave a damn. Street kids accepted her, but with limitations. As long as she didn't take anything of theirs—be it a corner, a partner, money, whatever—she could hang out. Frightened and weary, she'd backed away from disagreements, slunk to the sidelines, learning quickly how to fade.

One day a cocky, streetwise Doug noticed her. He befriended her and then enslaved her. At first, she thought she loved him, her savior from fear, loneliness and the unknown. In those days he wasn't a bad-looking guy. He had a style about him that, to an untried girl, seemed grown-up and charismatic.

He'd been kind to her those first few months, and with lavish puppy-dog devotion, she'd bequeathed him master status while she played the role of man's best friend. In those early days he'd hidden his drug habit, as that was the one area she'd been adamant and very vocal about. Refusing to see any side of using that was positive, she'd obsessed about the grisly sordidness and the way drugs ruled the person in the end. After all, she'd been up close and personal, hadn't she? She wanted nothing to do with white powder, smoking shit, or needles. Never again would she live with someone who was hooked.

Yeah, right!

The guys Doug hung out with were another issue altogether. She'd hated them from the beginning. During the few hours she and Doug spent alone in his place, she pretended they were the same as any normal young couple. She cooked and kept the place spotless, in between bouts of lovemaking that all too soon became more along the lines of him overpowering and manipulating her to do things that made her uncomfortable.

She'd tried to be what he wished her to be and she listened to him when he called her a baby, when he told her she needed to grow up. Going against her common sense and her ingrained decency, she'd wanted to please him. But he never stopped pushing. Each time she succumbed, he'd take it to a lower, more disgusting level. The bottom had been reached weeks ago. Black eyes, bruised ribs and a broken heart were sufficient evidence, even to her, that she had to escape. His scary death threats had stopped her from running away, till now, but no more.

Doug sensed her unfocused attention and a vicious tug quickly brought awareness back his way. "You ignoring me, woman?" More spit.

"Babe, I was coming home." Sincerity rang in her voice because it was the truth. Not the whole truth, but enough for the doped-up scumbag to hear.

He loosened her hair some. "Why do I find that hard to believe? Hey? Why? You didn't come out of the restaurant tonight when you spotted me, and I know you did."

"I tried. You saw me get up." Her tone dropped to a scornful sarcasm. "But that jerk-off pizza maker stopped me. I think he was scared you'd make trouble for his customers." Not wanting to push her luck, she changed her tone to a whine. "I waited until I could leave without any problems. I knew you'd be smart enough to figure it out."

Playing to his ego, a trick she'd picked up soon after her first beating, worked with him every time. He was pathetic.

"Okay, I get it. Good thinking. Did you happen to get a hold of any money or jewelry?"

"Naw! They never left me alone." She hoped he'd forget that she'd already told him Annie had fallen asleep.

"Shit! Why else would you hang in there with them so long? Stupid bitch! I've been waiting out here freezing my butt off."

"I never asked you to. Did I?" Spunky. After sharing a wonderful night with normal people, she forgot.

The slap across her mouth reminded her quickly enough. "Sorry! Doug, I didn't mean anything." God, she was so sick of saying sorry to the sorriest human being she'd ever known.

"Don't diss me—ever, you piece of—"

"I'm sorry! Look, I have enough for fare. Let's just go home."

His glassy eyes and sweating face told its own story. The indications he was coming down, hard and fast, worried her. Thankfully, as soon as they reached the subway tracks their train pulled into the deserted station.

The ride was excruciating. His piercing stare had her worried about where his mind lurked. She'd seen that determination before, and it usually preceded his demands for her to earn him enough money to buy. So far she'd lucked out and hadn't had to give in too often. She dreaded—no, hated—being forced, but she also understood another beating like the last one could put her in the hospital or even the morgue.

Pretending an interest in the other three people riding the subway car prevented her having to talk with the twitching mess next to her. There were two white-haired men sitting together, locked in conversation, and farther down sat a kid trying unsuccessfully to look cool. His slouching posture, half-closed eyelids and sneering face might have worked if his hands, clenching and unclenching, hadn't given him away.

Periodical station stops had more people getting on. A few laborers carrying lunchboxes, and three giggling girls dressed in the uniform of youth—low-cut jeans, form-fitting designer sweatshirts and multiple piercings.

Doug's elbow, jabbing in her ribs, forced her attention back to him. Sweat pooled on his forehead and dripped off his nose and chin. His eyes registered panic. Bloodless lips, squeezed together and rolled into his mouth, accentuated his pain. The muscles in his throat worked convulsively. He shoved at her and jerked his head toward the exit, telling her without words he needed to get off. It was two stops from their place, but she had no choice. She rose and walked over to the doors to wait until they opened. He leaned on her, and when the time came, she helped him step out.

He started to move away, to head for the stairs, but she purposely tripped and compelled him to go down with her. He let go of her arm and she gave a mighty heave, pushing him over. Without a second to spare, she rose and sprinted behind the subway car's closing doors, leaving him sprawled on the ground, clutching his stomach and cursing.

Oh, God! Oh, God! She'd gone and done it now. She had maybe an hour to get to the apartment, pack her stuff and disappear, or else he'd catch her. The thought of his punishment horrified Lea past bearing. His certain fury galvanized her. Mumbled prayers were all about having enough time to get cleanly away. Him catching her now was unthinkable, unimaginable.
Chapter Sixteen

The doorbell's melodious peal interrupted Annie's intense dreams in which she and Tyler had been making love. His mouth and hands had journeyed all over her body, while she'd squirmed and wriggled to make sure he had full access. Panting and whimpering, her body gushed with excitement. Reveling in the ecstasy and near fulfillment, she fought waking up.

But the noise wouldn't stop. It took a few seconds for her to realize where she was. Rising quickly, she stiffly hobbled over to open the door.

"Hi, sleepyhead." Tyler leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed as well as his legs. Affectionate chuckles greeted her, turning her mushy. There was something about his mischievous eyes that fit with the images in her recent dream. Her nose, tickled by the scent of his familiar cologne, activated another sense. Everything she'd been imagining came together. Her previous fantasies solidified into actual memories. The visions that had seemed so blasted familiar weren't visions at all—they were real.

She gasped. "It was you! In my bedroom that night, it was you."

"Finally! I wondered when you'd remember. And don't expect me to apologize, because I won't. My one regret is that we couldn't finish what we started." The puzzlement sweeping her face stopped his rambling. "You really didn't remember?"

"I only get brief glimpses. It's still pretty fuzzy."

"Anytime you want a re-enactment, I'm ready and willing."

While his eyes filled with heat, a transparent warning, his unique grin slid over her, saying, don't provoke me. Warmth started from the very center of her heart and spread to the outer limits. The taste of him, fresh from her dreams, compelled her to stare at his lips, mesmerized.

He stared back, straightened from his lazy stance and started towards her. He would have kept coming except for her extended hands held upright. A long sigh escaped. It was then he noticed she still wore the same outfit as the night before. Startled, she saw him scan the room.

"Where's Lea?" Anxiety edged his voice as he glanced behind her, searching.

Annie turned also and saw the blanket she'd snuggled under during the night. Horrified, she shook her head. A mad dash into the bedroom confirmed her suspicions. White-faced, she returned to Tyler. "She's not here! She must have skipped out."

Before he turned away, Annie noted the frustration on Tyler's face. Guilt rode her hard. "I'm sorry. You warned me I was too tired to stay up with her and you were right. She talked and talked. I fought to keep my eyes open, but obviously it didn't work. I must have fallen asleep. I'm so sorry. I feel terrible, Tyler."

He searched her expression, not saying a word. As if compelled, his hand started to rise in her direction.

"Oh, my God! What time is it? I'm late," she wailed. Then she grabbed his arm and twisted it until his watch faced her way, and gasped." I'm supposed to be at the office early for a crucial meeting. I have to get ready. Look, Tyler, I'm really sorry, but you'll have to leave. I'll call you later, after I get home." She physically pushed him out the door and hardened her heart to his flabbergasted reaction.

Scarcely an hour passed before she was bolting from the elevator onto the fortieth floor of the office building, primed and ready to face off with anyone who gave her any trouble. Drizzling cold rain had been a problem from the moment she'd stepped from her apartment, and gale force winds had almost knocked her to the ground. She felt damp, bitchy and in no mood for any other glitches to wreck the day that had started out so badly.

Unsuspecting, she came face to face with her future. A man, haughty and handsome at first glance, controlled and ruthless apparent with the second. He paused in front of her, one eyebrow raised, and, in a commanding voice with a strong British accent, he demanded, "Who are you?"

"Ex-cuse me?" Who the hell was this uppity stranger?

"You don't remember your name?"

Now he was being insulting. "Of course I know my name. What I can't figure out is why you're asking as if you own the place."

"Because I do. I'm Nigel Cromwell, Montaro's new proprietor. Now, I want to know who you are and why you're just arriving—if you're employed here that is, and I'm presuming you are." He pointedly stared at her brimming briefcase.

"My name is Anna—"

"You're Anna Hynes. Good. I've been waiting for you. Come into the office, where we can have a chat. I saw your name on the company management chart and knew we needed to talk before the coming board meeting."

Without losing a beat, he grasped Annie's arm and steered her into her own office. Sitting her down in front of her desk, he then made his way around to sit in her chair. Words poured in a steady stream as he moved.

_He's a freaking tornado!_ "I'm sorry, you were saying?" Annie opened her eyes wide with pretended innocence. She hadn't been paying attention and recognized he was aware of it.

"I was saying that many changes will be forthcoming, but for now, I'd prefer to have the day-to-day operations in each sector carry on as usual. I realize you've been one of those instrumental in keeping things running smoothly for the last while. Therefore, I wanted to have a private chat with you before our formal gathering, which, I might add, had to be postponed for an hour, since you're rather tardy."

Arghh! "It's never happened before. All the extra hours I've been working finally caught up with me last night." She didn't like the fact that she felt obliged to make excuses, but her tongue kept flapping. "Then I had a bit of a personal crisis to deal with. Afterwards, I fell asleep without setting my alarm. All in all it wasn't the best of evenings."

"Well, be that as it may, I'm sure I can rely on you to keep to your set hours from now on."

With her tone sour as hell, Annie answered, "I take it that means for me to leave at my set hour, also?" She stuck her chin out and her glare dared him to argue.

"That's entirely up to you and how much work you've left at the end of your day." He turned the tables on her and he'd done it with finesse. The jerk!

She saw his aloof gray eyes narrow. A small smile lifted his full lips—but only for a second before it disappeared.

A face full of faulty equipment! His expressions seemed mechanical somehow. And to her it looked as if some of the settings weren't in sync. The thought popped into her head and lightened her attitude at once.

A sucker for romance novels, Annie thought the man sitting in front of her could have been a cover model. His longish hair looked to be styled with a blow dryer. The dark designer suit draped over his large physique implied wealth and style, and the crisp white shirt and red tie emphasized his bronzed complexion.

No doubt about it, her new boss was a very attractive man. Maybe the most handsome man she'd ever seen, other than in a fashion magazine. She'd wait and see if his insides matched the outer package.

He broke into her thoughts, his tone somewhat snippy. "I've lost you again, Miss Hynes. You've gone off into your own world. Look, I accept this is a difficult situation for you, loyalty to one boss versus a responsibility to the company and the employees. But you have the power to help make this coming process as painless as possible. Therefore, I'd rather like to be able to count on you. Tell me now if you're not up to it and we'll make other arrangements. You need to know that by keeping you in place I'm yielding to the rules Hugo set down. All top management has to be kept on for the first year and be phased out only when and if it's requested."

"You mean if it's requested by the employee."

"Yes, of course, if requested by them." His focus conspicuously switched to the pen he'd picked up and started twiddling.

"I'd prefer to talk to Hugo before you and I have our chat. Is he here in the building?"

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, or necessary. He didn't come in today, but I suppose you can reach him at his home. I'll leave you to it, but I'll be expecting you shortly in my office. I've taken to using the conference room for the time being. We do have a lot to cover before gathering with the others."

He stood to leave, but his steps slowed as he reached the doorway. He turned, stayed silent and waited for her to look up at him. A kind of power play she detested. She felt him staring. Within seconds she gave over to his compelling lure and faced him. The news that Hugo hadn't come in rocked her world, and she realized this man had been aware of her reaction.

"Trust me, Anna Hynes. We will fare well together and our employees will benefit. I'm a fair person, but I drive myself hard and expect the same from those who work for me."

She looked at him and nodded. He left and closed the door behind him. It was like a symbol that closed door. Life as she'd known it was going to change. She had a feeling there would be no more open-door policy, chatting up friends by the water cooler, or jokes passed around so the whole office community could share a laugh. No more fun job—just a lot of hard work.

As the day started, it continued. In fact, the days that followed didn't vary one iota. All hell broke loose. The place shifted into overdrive. Various changes were initiated with such speed that it was hard to keep up. There were new faces everywhere; power people who enjoyed throwing their weight around. Feathers got ruffled in the process. While office politics, not a previous issue, became deadly. Everyone took on more work, including Annie.

In the past, Sara had been a lifesaver many times over. Now she began taking sick days, leaving Annie in the lurch. An inefficient stopgap person, with minimal skills, continually jeopardized their department's efficiency, putting a lot more pressure on Annie. She came close to calling Sara on her irresponsible behavior but hesitated, sensing the misery emanating from her friend.

Hugo hadn't shown up since they broke the news of the takeover. Annie worried constantly about him and his family. Her aim to work on his behalf became her main purpose and the burden of this extra responsibility weighed heavily on her. Rumors were that he wasn't well, but whenever she tried to call his home, the housekeeper would only take a message.

To soothe her nagging inner voice, Annie went as far as stopping at his apartment one evening. Pressing decisions prompted her visit. She felt he needed to be aware of what was happening in his absence. Once she arrived, his new housekeeper left her waiting in the foyer.

Assorted large terrariums full of cacti and succulents were displayed in front of mirrored walls. The stunning effect kept her intrigued while she tarried, hoping he'd appear in person. Disappointed and perturbed by the message he sent back, she nonetheless followed his instructions: "Use your own discretion, my dear—I trust you" were the words he'd written on a scrap of paper the grumpy housekeeper thrust into her hands.

And so she did. Each day she became more deeply entrenched and involved with policy and administration decisions. She took to the elevated authority like an Olympic skater learning a new routine. It was all a balancing act, and she led her people brilliantly. Her diplomacy skills were superior. She had the knack of manipulating the employees and situations without anyone taking offense or feeling used and abused. She'd become a top-notch manager, one with a great attitude.

But Annie was tired and getting downright cranky. Worries about Lea ate away at her, and she lived with the premise that no news is good news. Also, she missed Tyler more and more every day. She'd fall into her bed each night and try to re-enact their interlude. But visions soon wore thin. Her memories weren't that lucid. Plus, her tiredness left her little time to yearn and fantasize before exhaustion would overtake and drag her under, into the deep sleep she needed so badly.

She yearned to be with him again but was without enough energy—or time—to make it happen. Returning to the apartment late every night made it all but impossible for her to see him. Her many calls never reached him and messages weren't working. He'd tried to return a couple of her pleas but had the same luck she did—all bad. Phone-tag wasn't cutting it and e-mails were impossible. Desperate, she needed a Tyler fix.

She yearned for the old days. Every moment spent thinking about the kids at the center hurt her heart. Each night, while making a pitiful supper from canned or packaged "whatever," she'd re-read the special Good Luck card they'd made. It hung in a metallic frame on her fridge, and the lump in her throat clogged like a dried-up old meatball at the memory of their farewell wishes.

As the time passed and she still hadn't heard from Lea, her guilt increased. Humiliation filled her whenever she remembered how pompous she'd acted towards Tyler. He'd questioned her ability to stay awake and she'd downplayed his sensitivity with no class whatsoever.

The familiar ache had her hand reaching in her desk drawer for the disgusting pink bottle of indigestion potion. How the hell could she get off this crazy tilt-a-whirl?

When she remembered her earlier perception of the new job and the excitement she'd imagined and craved all those months ago, she all but gagged. Cramming business luncheons and a few cocktail parties in between numerous meetings turned out to be boring and mostly a waste of time, especially when she had so much work.

It was in this snarly attitude that Nigel found her hard at it in her office.

"Anna, would you happen to be free to join some of our clients and myself for dinner this evening? I have reservations at the 21 Club and wondered if you'd like to—?"

"I'd love to." He seemed taken aback by her quick acceptance, but she didn't care. A chance to dress up and enjoy some nightlife put a sparkle in her eye and gave her spirits a sizable lift.

"Can you meet us there at seven, then? Of course keep the receipt for the taxi and the company will cover the fare."

Why did his instructions dim her pleasure? Bitchy thoughts popped into her head and wouldn't be dislodged. Tyler always picked me up when we'd go out for an evening! Even when I used to meet him after work, he'd wait for me at my exit. _Damn, girl! Stop nit pickin' details. Just look forward to the treat._

Remembering that she'd bought a new dress a few weeks ago bolstered her spirits. The gorgeous frock had aroused her female vanity whenever she'd walked past the window of an exclusive boutique. For almost a week she'd fought the pull, but ultimately, had given up the battle and went in praying it would fit. It did, and she bought it. She couldn't wait to slip into it and feel like an attractive woman again and not an office robot.

Chapter Seventeen

As miserable as Annie was, it was nothing compared to what Tyler was going through. He missed his petite pal so much that, as the time passed, he'd come very close to breaking down and busting in on her—calling her on the way she was treating him.

In fact one night, late but not quite bedtime, he'd reached such a level of miserable frustration that he'd run up the stairs to go and bang on her apartment door. He'd gotten as far as the entrance to her floor just in time to see the elevator door slowly peel back. She'd been leaning on the wall inside, her head nestled against it with her eyes closed. A pair of fancy high-heeled shoes hung from her fingers, and under her arm was a bulging briefcase.

Weariness oozed from every limb of her small body, from her haggard face to her buckling knees. He'd watched her trudge slowly down the hallway and prop herself against the frame as she searched for her keys to open the door.

As a witness to her exhaustion, he didn't have the heart to approach her. Sitting down on the stairs, head cupped in his hands, he'd fought the urges, gathered his dreams and gone back to his lonely place. Sure, he wanted to look after her, maybe even reverse her transformation to where she would become his happy Annie again, but he knew better. The lady was going through a bad patch. It was her destiny. He had to be patient.

But it rankled. As furious as he was with her for ignoring their budding romance and not arranging to spend even one evening, or a Saturday or part of a Sunday with him, he just couldn't tackle anyone who was so obviously worn out. Something had to change. Life was moving on, and he felt as if he'd stepped off its conveyor belt. While everyone else was busy—living and loving, gathering moments, he ran in place like a hamster on a spinning wheel. Rubbing his cheek, he tried to loosen the tension in his jaw.

His dentist was going to flip out at his next checkup when the examination revealed his latest tendency, grinding his teeth. It was only one of the more asinine habits he'd initiated for dealing with the situation. His weight loss was another symptom of his despondency. He exercised until exhaustion took over, but his dwindling appetite gave emphasis to how essential it had become for him to straighten out his life.

Work had escalated for him also. Maybe it was the full moon or the time of year or just more wackos roaming the neighborhood. He'd had to bring home two fellows last week and another one this week. The transition houses were full to bursting, and the streets kept producing more homeless, helpless misfits.

One of the boys, who'd told them his name was Joe—obviously not his real name—definitely fit his "keeper" profile. He'd spent a lot of quality hours with the youngster, talking and coaxing, teaching and wheedling. Finally the teen had opted to break from the gang he'd just joined and had allowed Tyler to make arrangements for him to go to an alternative summer camp where they dealt specifically with troubled kids.

Tyler and the police had tried hard to get Joe to reveal his personal information, but other than to say he wasn't wanted by anyone, the youngster—maybe thirteen—gave nothing away. His expressive eyes revealed his torturous background quite clearly to Tyler. So he took it easy on the lad and gave up with the constant questions that, truth be told, he really didn't wish to have answered. To be forced to return him to the hell he'd escaped didn't bear thinking about, and in many cases, the judge would have had no choice. Too many youngsters were returned to the places they'd run from, but the law had to be followed. Therefore, papers were filed and questions dropped.

Joe latched on to Tyler so swiftly—an obvious indication of the lack of any sort of kindness in his previous existence—that Tyler struggled especially hard to gain the kid's trust. They went to a ballgame together and then rented movies, squabbling over titles until Joe believed his coaxing spiel had convinced Tyler to go with his choice.

After all, who cared about seeing an old classic about gladiators while Transformers, Dark of the Moon was available? The outcome had been obvious to everyone but Joe. Even the owner of the video store, who knew Tyler well, hid his grinning face as Joe proclaimed, in a boisterous bragging voice, that his debating skills were unbeatable.

Joe was a cool little guy and Tyler missed him after he put him on the camp bus. Believing the place would be the best thing for the kid didn't fill the emptiness he now faced at home. Tyler intended checking up on him often. In fact, the cell phone he'd passed to the boy, with instructions to call for any emergency, or at least once a week, turned out to be a genius decision. That is—if the look in Joe's eyes and the hesitant hug bestowed on Tyler were any indications.

However, once Joe left, Tyler again had empty hours to fill. His yearning for Annie's company kicked in with a vengeance. Mr. Nice Guy was fine and good, but "horney-hell" was becoming too damn uncomfortable.
Chapter Eighteen

By the time Annie arrived at the restaurant she was in a happy frame of mind, and it showed. She knew she looked her best. Before leaving the apartment, the mirror she'd checked revealed her dress to be the perfect choice. The soft flounces in the chiffon skirt sat just above the knees and the draping cowl neck and form-fitting wide satin belt hugged her body, leaving nothing to the imagination. Her perfect proportions were accentuated lovingly, and the amethyst color, changing from light to dark with every movement, suited her better than anything else she'd ever owned.

A cheeky hairstyle, teased and feathered around her large eyes, set them off, intensifying them, and so did the funky amethyst danglers hanging from her earlobes. Several fashion fringes such as toenail paint, a quick manicure and a thin golden anklet to match the multitude of bracelets on one arm proclaimed her a classy lady. She glided past the maitre d' on her glamorous high heels, and the men—and many women—ogled her as she followed the waiter to her table.

Nigel's eyes narrowed and one eyebrow rose as he stood while she approached. "Here you are," he said, grasping her arm possessively.

"Hello, there. I hope I'm not too late. It was difficult getting a taxi tonight." She smiled warmly, and each of the two men and two women at the table returned her greeting. The men's smiles were honest and showed genuine interest, whereas the women's were solely face movements.

"It's going to be a long night," Annie thought. Why am I here and not with Ty? She took a deep breath, put herself in business mode, and decided that, at the very least, she'd get a wonderful meal out of the ordeal.

Surprisingly, as the dinner continued, Annie found she was enjoying the evening very much. Pitting her wits against the prominent businessmen at the table evoked her competitive spirit. She knew she impressed them. Even their wives eventually relaxed. After telling her a bit about themselves, it turned out they were both accomplished in their own fields. They, in turn, seemed to be taken in by her sparkling vitality, her knowledge of business standards for employees and her operational strategies.

Being able to manage a large workforce and to maintain a high level of production without encountering such problems as days lost due to illness and emotional problems was a huge plus for any company. She held their interest with her innovative approach to solving such dilemmas and swelled with personal pride at knowing these dynamic people were listening to her.

They were halfway through their delicious seafood dinner when she noticed a new couple arriving and being seated two tables over. The woman was slim, with scads of long straight coppery hair. Dressed in an elegant black pantsuit that probably cost a mint, she personified the words "beautiful female." From the shape of her, one might assume she spent many hours in the gym. A body like hers took discipline and a lot of upkeep.

Tyler's apparel, clothes she'd never seen him wear before, fit him the way a suit should fit a man whose body was made to display clothes. His hair, recently cut, looked as if a product controlled it from its usual disarray, but even as she watched she saw his hand go up and automatically sift through the waves. No sooner had they been settled behind his neck than the mass cascaded forward, framing his face. The resultant untidiness caught at her heart and gave it a big twist.

What captured Annie's attention most and had her eyelids twitching, her mouth opening and her green-eyed monster raging was the fact that Tyler's arm hugged the female's waist. He guided and seated her tenderly, as would any infatuated lover. Then he smiled down at her as if he wished he could gobble her up. It was his special half-smile—Annie's favorite, the one that never failed to trip her heart.

The closest waiter, who heard the smash as Annie's hand jerked and sent the bottle of champagne onto the floor, soon swept up the broken glass. Annie's whole body had gone numb and her expression of disbelief made everyone at her table act concerned.

Tyler, hearing the glass shatter, turned her way. He nodded. That's all! He just nodded? The noise had startled his date, also. She glanced over, smirked and then looked away. From then on, the two had eyes only for each other. Annie confirmed this fact every few seconds, more or less.

Can a mind scream? Hers could.

" _Calm down, Annie."_ The cranky voice could only belong to one guardian angel.

" _Celi, who is she? And why is he holding her hand?"_

" _Maybe he's scared she'll get up and leave? How the heck should I know? Don't get goofy about it. You can ask him about her later. You have a job to do now."_

" _I hate my job."_

" _Nah! You're just upset."_

" _Yes, Celi, I really do."_ Did she mean it? Sure sounded as if she did. She needed to think it through, what it meant, but now wasn't the time.

Right now, she wanted to feel her hands encircling another woman's throat and... She sneaked another peek and watched the flirt stroke her claws—okay, to be honest, manicured fingernails—along Tyler's cheek, then let them hover over his lips and caress them. Annie's loud huff of displeasure brought all eyes at her table in her direction. Coughing appeared to be her best out from this, and she didn't realize the hacking might have been a bit too forced and loud.

Some minutes later, Nigel leaned over and grasped her hand as it pleated her skirt under the table. He gave it a quick tug.

"All of a sudden you're very quiet, Annie. Don't fret about the accident. I'm sure things get broken regularly. Now what were we talking about?" Nigel's fake look of concern covered his anger. She realized she was letting down her end of the ongoing discussion, but somehow what they were debating didn't seem to be so important anymore. At least not to Annie.

"Nigel, I'm sure everyone here has had enough of business for the evening and would love to discuss something a bit more entertaining. Has anyone been to a good play lately?" Her tone was curt, giving no leeway. It sounded very similar to his, though neither of them appeared to be aware of that fact.

There was a deadly silence after her words of rebuke. But being a gentleman, Nigel concurred, and in a slightly haughty voice, he replied, "Of course, as you wish. Have any of you seen the latest on Broadway?"

The change of subject lightened the atmosphere, but it didn't leave her any time to think about her heart breaking and her life falling apart. She strove hard to cover up her faux pas in upstaging her boss and hoped no one else noticed anything amiss.

Once the waiter appeared with a new vintage, her glass was refilled and the latest bubbly tasted even better. As the evening progressed she became louder and freer. Her giggles and high spirits broke through the reserve of the others. Pretty soon the noise level at their table had risen to where the nearby customers spent time watching their happy group, tantalized by Annie's husky laugh.

Not once did she catch Tyler's gaze searching her out after his first acknowledgement. About an hour or so later, he paid the bill, rose to leave and snaked his arm gently around his date's waist.

Annie deflated instantly, and the others, sensing her mood, chose to end the evening. Before they broke up, Nigel set up a meeting for the next morning with the two men and invited Annie to join them. Unable to soft-peddle his demanding tone, she recognized it for the order he meant it to be. These men intended to scrutinize Montaro's with the view of investing a great deal of money, and they had a number of questions about the strategic growth solutions, how to increase sales and revenue and the important steps in developing sound training procedures. Her boss made it quite clear: he wanted her to be there. She hesitated, but Nigel's demanding frown changed her mind. With Hugo not able to appear, how could she say no?

Since it was the weekend, she hadn't intended to work. Her need to sort out everything with Tyler had intensified. Now with this redhead added into the equation, it became crucial. Also, she hadn't heard from Lea and wanted to know if Tyler had any recent information. Every time she thought of her young friend, concerns niggled at her, and the discomfort had gotten worse in the last few days. Lea hadn't called, and when Annie had tried calling her, the message said the number was no longer in service.

All the way home in the taxi, she fretted. Responsibilities pulled her in too many directions. God, she felt tired—tired and alone. With her head back against the seat, she allowed the fading images of a night when she felt like a woman to soothe her. Physically, and in every other way, she yearned for Tyler.

Chapter Nineteen

The next morning, Annie arrived in the office hoping to steal a few minutes to call Tyler before the day's obligations picked her up and carried her along. Sleep had evaded for hours, as she'd envisioned all kinds of scenarios in which a red-haired, witchy-woman stole her guy. Except he'd never been hers, had he? All she had to go on—all she had to show he ever cared about her in that way—was her misty dreams. He'd kissed her, but he'd never told her that she mattered to him. Then again, she hadn't told him, either. Maybe it was time for her to open her heart, be first to put everything out there.

Yeah! Like that was gonna happen. Her tongue would wrap itself around the inside of her throat and choke off her air passages if she tried. On the other hand, she could make herself available to him in case he had something to tell her. Please God; don't let it be that he'd found someone else.

" _Celi, are you there? Please answer me."_ She focused all her powers of concentration to call up the one being she knew would set her straight. _"Please come talk to me. I need you."_

" _Okay, okay, I'm here. At your lady's service."_ The angel, tangled hair cascading over her watchful face, floated over the filing case in the corner and looked disgruntled to be called upon. _"I just spent most of the night sending you messages with your dreams and you ignored them. You wouldn't be in this office today if you'd listened. As much as I want to see you get your heart's desire, my favorite mixed-up humanoid, I can't force you to make the right choices, girl. I can only give you suggestions and help support the end results."_

Annie's head fell forward into her hands, her features a mask of despair. _"No wonder I couldn't sleep."_

" _Big hint, Annie. Tyler is a man. He needs attention from a red-blooded woman and not from a worn-out workaholic who's never around."_ A popping sound, like that of a bubble bursting, punctuated her disappearing act.

In the next second, Nigel stepped into the open doorway. "Annie. I wondered where you had got to." Nigel beckoned her to come with him. "The rest of the group is in the conference room. We're waiting for you before we start the meeting."

With conviction, she reached to pick up the phone receiver. "I'm sorry. I have to make a phone call before joining you." Her explicit body language confirmed the fact that she didn't intend to budge.

"Bother! If you please, can you hurry it along?" With a frown on his face, he turned away, only to turn back again. "Lest I forget, I came in here looking for you last evening, hoping to catch up with you before you left, and while here I answered a call. I'm not sure what possessed me to answer your telephone, but I did. Crazy thing—I felt as if I had no choice. It sounded like a young girl and she seemed rather upset, actually. She didn't talk after I told her you weren't available. I tried asking for her name, but" Nigel spread his hands out to signal his responsibility had ended at that point. "She hung up."

"What do you mean she was upset? Was she crying?"

"More like whimpering. One minute she was on the line and the next she was gone. Strange. I don't think she hung up the phone. In any case, we must get to that meeting, as we're keeping the money men in suspense, and that's not such a great idea." He smirked as if he'd made the joke of the year.

Was it then she noticed how cold his eyes were, that his mouth had no laugh lines anywhere near it and that she didn't like him? One thing she had to admit, he was smart. Crafty smart, sneaky smart and highly practiced when it came to stroking people. Even after she'd chronicled the list of his faults, he succeeded in his ability to manipulate. He led and she followed—straight down the hall to make her presentation to the men she'd so impressed the previous night, plus quite a few new ones.

Virtually hypnotized, her mind emptied and concentrated only on what Nigel wanted from her. Mesmerized, compelled by his determination, she blossomed under the delusion of her importance, her prestige and performed like a trained poodle at the end of a rhinestone leash.

Nigel introduced her first, promoting her, playing to her ego and then he launched the topic high on the agenda for everyone at the meeting—the smooth takeover of Montaro's. He sat at the head of the table and watched. His no-nonsense demeanor set the tone for the proceedings.

All her senses were immersed in the rhythm of the business around her, and she got lost in the power game. But eventually a feeling of such despair overcame her that she had to cut her talk short, ignore the fury on Nigel's face and escape. Her nerves were screaming, her stomach ached and she felt nauseated, all at the same time.

What the hell is happening to me? Annie questioned, too frightened to be really angry. She could hear Celi's throaty voice whispering what sounded like a warning. Something wasn't right. Without a doubt, she knew it was about the call Nigel had taken for her last evening. She couldn't believe he'd been able to distract her earlier from the importance of that call. In fact, now that she was out of his presence and could think straight again, the question hovering at the back of her mind smacked her on the side of the head. Why hadn't he told her about it the night before, at the restaurant? Hurrying to her office, she had one aim in mind. Find Tyler.

"Hi, Ty! Annie here. I'm so glad I caught you. Have you heard from Lea in the last while? I just found out there was a disturbing call for me yesterday. I'm wondering if it could have been her. I'm worried, Tyler." Her hand rubbed in circles over her stomach, a habit she'd lately acquired.

"I haven't seen her either, and she hasn't returned any of my calls. I've tried going to her place, but it seems both she and Doug have left those premises, or so the bozo now living there informed me. I've been operating under the assumption that she'd call if she needed help. When things get rough, she usually comes seeking support. Therefore, since we haven't heard from her, I'm praying she's cleaned up her act and changed directions. We've been going nuts here in the office and I don't mean that as a pun. I mean it literally. A full moon brings out all the crazies. We've had more kids needing help than available workers who can crowd them onto overloaded client lists."

"Me, too! My life is totally out of control, and to tell you the truth, I don't know how much longer I can put up with it."

"Look, Annie, I'm sorry, but I have to go. I have a client. We'll talk soon. Bye."

What the...? He'd never sounded so abrupt with her before. Fear flooded her overcrowded senses. Trickles of dread began dropping from the top of her stomach into the rivers of fire below. Her hand reached for the bottle of pink liquid soother. She took a big swallow and, putting the cap back on, shoved it out of sight in her side drawer. Then she covered her mouth to hold in the sobs that crowded against her lips.

Before she could drop any further into her personal pit of remorse, a man in a dark suit and crinkled white shirt with a crooked tie rapped on the open door and asked for permission to enter. A woman wearing a somber navy pantsuit, her hair tied back strode in beside him.

"Are you Anna Hynes?"

"Yes, I am. Can I help you?"

"Yes, ma'am, you can. I'm Detective Drake," said the male, taking charge. Pointing to the woman beside him, he added, "This here is Detective Penn." They both flashed their badges. "We're with NYPD, Homicide Division, and we've come to ask for your assistance."

Annie, using the desk to pull herself up, leaned forward and shook hands with the two detectives. "Homicide? My assistance?"

"Yes, Miss Hynes. We have an unidentified body of a young female. Since this person had your card in her pocket, we think you might be able to provide us with her name. We hoped you might recognize her."

Annie froze. Then she shook her head. "No!" Her eyes, growing bigger, felt stretched beyond endurance, and she wanted to beg the two people to stop. Stop talking.

"Please sit down, Miss Hynes. We're very sorry to bring you this news, but—"

"It must be my friend Lea." Tears filled her eyes and guilt washed over her in a tidal wave of remorse. The deluge weakened her knees so that she slid back down into her chair. My God! She'd spent last night and this morning in stupid meaningless conferences, while poor little Lea had needed her— had reached out, and she hadn't been available.

What if last night's call had been for help, or a place to hide? Those thoughts flooded, ramping her shame to an unbearable level. Annie knew she'd been so wrapped up in her job over the last few days—no, be honest, the last few months—that she hadn't made time for her friends. And who knew better than she did how important a friend was to these street kids? Tyler had warned her about the responsibilities when she took on one of these teens. How much they needed to be able to rely on either Tyler or herself when no one else stepped up. Shaking, she grabbed her cell phone from her pocket, flipped it open and knew immediately that she'd unthinkingly let the battery run down. Last night when she got home she'd been so tired that she'd forgotten to plug it in—again.

Detective Penn stepped over and passed her the bottle of water on the desk near her elbow. Annie knew all color must have drained from her face, while sweat pooled on her forehead. Nausea churned her insides, and a sip of water helped to steady her, as the officer knew it would. Shock wasn't only a word but a strong physical reaction; she recognized it like an old foe and, for the second major crisis in her life, had to battle it.

Her hands covered her eyes. Shivering visibly, her body vibrated, her teeth chattering as she tried to hold back the tears. Almost instantly, a special kind of warmth began to surround her, to seep into her bones and give her strength.

A faint inkling of the same sensation crowded in all of a sudden, and the knowledge that she hadn't been alone during the tragedy in her teens struck her deeply and made her feel special. An angel's love had kept her sane in the worst moments of her life.

"My God! She called here last evening. I...I'd left by then. My cell phone's dead. She couldn't reach me. She needed me and I—"

"What time did she call?"

"I'd gone home already, but my employer, Nigel Cromwell, had come to my office searching for me. He took the message, or at least tried to. He said she hung up after he'd explained I wasn't available. He just told me about it this morning. I suppose it must have been sometime after six when I left the office and before eight when I met him at the restaurant."

Tears gushed, a human water-wall over her face, but she wiped them away and bit her lip to stop the sobs from breaking through. Alas, nothing could halt the trembling that attacked her muscles or the sadness that saturated her heart.

"Is there anyone you'd have us call to be with you? You might not want to do this alone. I'm afraid she's been beaten quite badly. Her face is almost unrecognizable. We're hoping you'll be able to identify her from her clothes and body markings, et cetera."

"Is there a tattoo? Lea had a tattoo."

"Yes"

"Oh, God! I'm going to be sick." She ran to the private ensuite, to reappear after several excruciating minutes. One thought revolved in her mind, giving her determination. She hadn't been there for Lea while she was still alive, but dammit, she'd be there for her now.

Later that night, once her bedroom door closed behind her, she could fall apart. Again, she felt as if invisible loving arms cradled her and a feeling of inner strength buoyed her up. _Celi!_

Detective Drake, the sensitive type, questioned Annie once more before they left the building. "You're sure there's no one you'd like to call? We can have them picked up."

"I'm fine, Detective. Though, if one of you would stay with me, I'd appreciate it." By going alone, she could save Tyler from the ordeal. Knowing how he'd suffer, she had to protect him at all costs.

Detective Penn remained close beside her during the drive and chatted her up about inconsequential nothings, trying to help her maintain her cool. Annie recognized her kindness and was thankful. But as the time came closer for her to view the body, she balked. It was just so hard—until she felt soft imaginary fingers tighten around her hand. Losing control didn't come easy for her, especially twice in front of the same strangers, and so, with Celi's help, she bit her lip, drew in a harsh breath and straightened her shoulders.

"Would you rather look at photographs, Miss Hynes? We can follow that procedure if you'd prefer."

"Photographs?"

"Yes, we could show you pictures of the body, but viewing her in person leaves less risk of an error. If you're up to it, that is?"

"No photographs. I have to be with her." The next thought she kept to herself. I need to ask her forgiveness and tell her good-bye.
Chapter Twenty

"Sara, is that you? You're there with Hugo at his apartment?" Annie had called his home number, trying to reach him as soon as she left the police station.

"Yes. He asked me to come and give him a hand. Anna, I hate to be the one to tell you bad news, but Hugo had a heart attack and has refused to stay in the hospital because of the children. They've put him on a special medication, which has helped. We've just gotten him settled in a bed here with a private nurse.

But the kids are acting up and I'm trying to calm them. I can't blame the little ones, as their lives have been topsy-turvy for so long. They're missing their friends, worried about Hugo and they won't be bribed to settle down no matter what I come up with. I have to say, my patience and resilience is looking for a tranquilizer."

"Can I come over and help? I have something I need to discuss with Hugo. It's best if you're there, because I want to talk with you also." The pregnant pause at the other end made her add—"it's imperative I meet with him immediately."

"I guess it'll be okay. What's wrong, Anna? You sound funny. Are you coming right now?"

"Yes. I'll be knocking at the door in about twenty minutes. See you then."

* * *

The door was yanked open after the first light knock, almost as if someone had been waiting for the sound. Happy childish voices rang out.

"Annie! Hi! You've come to visit Papa? He's sick, you know. We have a nurse. Are you ever coming back to playschool? We miss you."

Kisses and hugs were exchanged, and two small hands nestled in hers as she walked farther into the apartment. Seeing the kids reignited the missing sparkle in her heart, and a smile replaced the sad look she'd been unable to hide. She knew she probably looked years older than the last time Sara had seen her. She certainly felt that way. Her appearance had to account for Sara's shocked expression—her eyes narrowing, her lips tightening.

"Annie! Sorry, Anna—"

She patted Sara's hand and answered, her voice lowered. "Please, call me Annie. It feels much more comfortable than Anna."

"I guess I've picked up 'Annie' from Hugo and the kids. My dear, are you all right? What's happened?"

"Don't fret, I'll tell you later. I must go to Hugo now."

"Yes, of course. The children can show you to his bedroom." As she followed behind, Sara's revealing face registered confusion.

Obviously glad to be with their old playmate, both little ones chattered happily, holding onto her hands and leading her down the hall to their father's closed door. Once there Annie stopped the entourage and knelt down to talk to them. "Kids, I promise to visit with you before I leave, but I need to talk with your papa now. Is that all right?"

Satisfied that they'd get some time with her, they both answered, "Sure, Annie."

Sara, hands on a shoulder of each child, turned and guided them in the opposite direction, then gave them a gentle push.

"Go to the kitchen and I'll be there in a moment. We'll get a snack fixed up so Annie can share it with us, okay?"

"Okey-dokey!" Happy kids skipped to the door and started racing to get to the kitchen first.

"I'll go supervise and let you have a few moments alone with Hugo." Sara leaned down and whispered, "You look terrible, boss. Stop letting those fanatics at work use you. They're not even human, those guys—more like the droids in Star Wars. And that Nigel—he's a simple machine, energy with no heart." Sara sniffed, disdain obvious.

Her attitude lightened Annie's load and made her smile. But when Sara turned to slowly open the door and peek into Hugo's room, Annie felt herself reverting to the somber woman she'd been when she first arrived.

Recalcitrant tears clouded her eyes, and she fought to keep them from overflowing. She swallowed, wishing she could clear a path so her voice wouldn't come out scratchy and feeble.

Without hesitation, her hands lifted to rub heat into her upper arms, while a flood of inner shivers added to her discomfort. Her bottom lip swelled from yet another workout. God, she didn't want to face this poor man who already had enough to deal with. But it was either her or the police, and since she'd begged them to let her have some time with him alone before they came to question him, she knew she couldn't waste those precious moments.

They both tiptoed into Hugo's room, where they found him sleeping.

Oh, man! He looked so peaceful, but she had no choice. She had to do this.

Annie whispered, "Is the nurse nearby?" After Sara nodded, Annie suggested gently, "Can you send her in here? I believe we might need her. I have some terrible news for Hugo. I'm scared it could bring on another heart attack."

Sara sobered and nodded. "I'll get her." She left, forgetting to close the door. Annie, standing a few feet away from the hospital-style bed, watched her stricken assistant hesitate, inhale and straighten her shoulders. Before Annie could reassure her, she marched up the hallway.

Annie moved over to where Hugo, in striped pajamas and covered to his waist by a fluffy blue duvet, lay with his eyes closed. His skin had the unnatural pallor of poor health and the oxygen tube, draped over his ears and feeding life-giving air into his nostrils, added to the appearance of an ill person. She crept nearer, and he opened his eyes, smiled and stretched out his hand in welcome.

"What were you and Sara hatching up over there? It's good to see you, Annie. The kids talk about you so much I'm beginning to get jealous." His voice fought for the strength to sound normal.

"They're great kids, Hugo. I used to love being with them. I so miss the children at the center that some days I'm tempted to go there and beg for my old job back. In fact, today I made an incredible discovery. I don't really enjoy being a big-shot corporate manager so much. It dawned on me that I was a lot happier when I was a lowly daycare employee, teaching the little ones."

"Hell, girl, here we go again! Do you want a job? I need a babysitter while I'm recuperating. I can't send the kids to school because we've been getting death threats. Seems my poor Elizabeth got herself in a bundle of trouble. Some nasty characters have threatened her, and until we find her and get things straightened out, we're pretty much housebound. Everyone's going stir-crazy. Even my well-behaved kids have started acting up. Sara's been trying to help out, but she's feeling so guilty about leaving you stranded at the office, it's been tough on her. And now my health has let go, and I'll be laid up for quite some time."

"Hugo, I promise you, your life will return to normal soon. I came to tell you something distressing. Oh, God! Where do I start?" Tears leaked out the sides of her eyes as she clung to his warm hand.

"You're here about Elizabeth, aren't you?" He looked at her closely. "She's dead." His head nodded up and down; he knew he was right.

A sob broke loose and then another. She could only nod along with him; to speak would be to cry. Tormented, her wobbling lip wouldn't be controlled.

"I figured it was just a matter of time. They were after her. She was terrified when she came searching for help. Once the threats included the kids and me, she disappeared again—this time to protect us. The only thing I could figure out was that she must have witnessed something bad go down. I guess they considered her a threat and were determined to shut her up permanently. She was adamant about not discussing it. Said the less I knew, the safer we'd be. You know what, Annie? She wasn't my beautiful Elizabeth any longer. Just a sad stranger calling herself Lizzie."

"She loved you, Hugo. And she loved the kids. Did you realize she had a tattoo on her chest, just above her breast? It was a pretty heart with an arrow piercing it and the kid's initials on either side."

"I didn't." His face registered pity and sadness.

"She also had the business card I gave her in the office, on the day she first came to find you. That's why the NYPD detectives came to me to identify her. She had no other papers. I was able to tell them who she was from the tattoo. I'm afraid they'll have to talk with you, also, but they promised to wait until after I'd had a chance to break the bad news to you myself. I imagine they'll be here a bit later."

Anguish registered clearly on his features. "I felt so sorry for her, Annie. What a poor little creature. When I first met her years ago, I fell head over heels in love. I wish you could have known her then. She was a vibrant and affectionate woman in those days. Unfortunately, she had a car accident just a few months after she gave birth to Alyssa. She suffered a lot of pain from the soft tissue damage. The medications helped, but over a period of months, she got hooked. The doctors and I tried to get her counseling, but it was all in vain. The poor girl even resorted to rehab, but the pain never left, and neither did her dependency on the drugs. Soon she'd branched out into the illegal stuff. I always believed she left because she couldn't face knowing her kids might one day learn she was an addict."

"Well, she's free now, Hugo. No more fear, no more drugs. From now on all your thoughts of her can be positive ones, full of love, untainted by worry and sorrow. You're free, also. It's time for you and the kids to move on with your lives and to think of her as a heroine in the end."

Hugo looked at the girl squeezing his hand, and his eyes filled. "I see what you're getting at. The children can remember her as a mother who died to protect them. We'll tell them about how much she loved them. She proved it by leaving her safety net here, believing she'd take the trouble with her. And she was right. We can speak about her openly and honestly now as the kids' mother and my wife, which will make her truly a part of our lives again, someone to be proud of." As he talked, pride smoothed the pain from his face.

Annie spoke softly. "It's for the best that you move on, and it's what your Elizabeth would have wanted." She emphasized the word "your".

The knock at the door heralded the nurse who popped her head in. "Everything all right in here?"

Hugo spoke first. "Yes. But I am a bit tired, and I think I need to take a nap." He turned to the girl whose hand he was still holding and patted it. "Thank you for being such a good friend, Annie."

"You are so very welcome, my dear. Rest now, and know I'll be here to help all I can with the children."

"Okay then, visit us anytime. You look done in, sweetheart. Those corporate fanatics getting to you?"

"Not anymore." With a sweet kiss on his forehead, she left the room. In the hallway, she stopped and leaned against the wall.

Annie couldn't tell anyone about the relief she'd felt when she realized it wasn't Lea's shattered body on the slab in front of her. The bruised face and beaten limbs of the poor dead female had left her sick and shaken, but ironically there was a kind of relief mixed eerily into her misery. It meant that the sixteen-year-old who had stolen her heart still lived.

It was in that precise moment that Annie had made up her mind. Whatever it took to help Lea get away from the crazy she lived with, Annie would do. Lea still had a chance to change the horror of her life. Tyler would help and, together, she had no doubt they would succeed. She kept revisiting the fear she'd felt upon first hearing about the beaten victim. What if today she'd had to identify her friend? She closed her eyes and groaned. How could she ever live with herself for putting a measly job over Lea's welfare? Months back, she might have thought she didn't like her old life, but one thing she knew for certain, she had liked herself. At this moment, not so much.

Celi, invisible except for the aura of compassion, intruded. _"Annie, honey, don't do this. Life just picked you up and carried you along. It happens to most people who get so involved that they forget what matters most."_

" _Oh, Celi! How could I have gotten so caught up that the people I love had to pay the price? I never intended to ignore or forget anyone. The job, all that work and responsibility, took me over—and I let it. Truthfully, I went on a power trip."_

" _Honey, one of life's most important lessons is to prioritize. Choose what's most important to you and don't let anyone or anything get in your way."_

" _Yes, I can see it all so clearly now. I love you, Celi."_ As she spoke these words, a rush of affinity descended and eased the pain in her heart.

Annie wiped at her cheeks and pinched them to add a little color. Then she headed towards the kitchen and small waiting arms.
Chapter Twenty-One

Tyler kept trying Annie's numbers, with no luck. Her cell phone, her work extension, he even called her apartment, which only resulted in endless ringing.

"Dammit, where the hell has she gotten to?" Resorting to swearing lowered his frustration, minimally.

He had some wonderful news to share with her, and after the way he'd hung up on her earlier, guilt had churned his insides throughout the day. Not once, in all the time they'd been friends, had he ever treated her so callously. But he'd had no choice.

A despondent twelve-year-old, killing time in the outer office until his appointment, had decided that life sucked. That another foster family to deal with would be one too many. He'd gone into the washroom and taken a razor to his wrists. Seems the lad had been carrying it with him for some time, waiting until the right moment. If a visiting foster father hadn't happened to walk in on him just then, they'd have lost him.

Thank God for the mandatory first-aid upgrades the social workers had to take every year. Tyler had known precisely what to do and was most likely instrumental in saving the kid's life. The foster dad had also kicked in with calm assistance, and, between the two, they were able to staunch the blood and keep the boy alive until the ambulance came.

Later that day Tyler had decided that it was kinda funny how, sometimes, something bad can turn itself right around and, in the end, be the best thing that ever happened. The universe—or karma, or some might say God—has a sense of humor, or maybe just a sense of justice.

The foster father involved had felt horrified about the boy's terrible situation. Plus his involvement in saving him had sparked interest for the youngster's future. He'd offered his home, his impressive experience of fathering misfits and his already large group of foster children to become the boy's siblings—his new family. As soon as the hospital signed the boy's release papers, their arms and hearts would be opened. Until then, as he'd explained to Tyler, he'd be bonding with the needy rebel. It was the best news Tyler could ever receive, because his was one of the finest homes he had on his ever-dwindling list.

But that didn't negate the fact that he'd been curt to Annie. Knowing her, she'd take that kind of stunt to heart. Besides, he felt sure his name appeared on the top line of her drop-his-ass-for-good book because of his performance at the Club the previous evening. Ignoring her hadn't set well with Annie, he could tell, or should he say his cousin Simone could tell. She'd given him a precise run-down of what Annie did every minute, with a description of her expressions thrown in for good measure.

When he'd come up with the plan to make Annie jealous, it had seemed fail-proof. Since he'd only had a short time to put it together, it came off better than he'd hoped except he hadn't counted on his screwy cousin taking her role so darn seriously.

Memories of the night before washed over him. He'd noticed Annie walking towards her taxi, looking so classy his eyes had misted. She'd left the apartment beautifully dressed in an outfit different from anything he'd ever seen her wear before. A woman, stunning, sophisticated and happy, and something had flipped inside. When she'd told the driver to take her to the 21 Club, he knew exactly what he would do.

When his cousin Simone, an airline stewardess, landed in New York unexpectedly she'd called to arrange a get-together. Then and there he decided that he knew just where to take her.

Quickly making up his mind, he'd snatched his cell phone from his pocket and called in some favors. The head chef's daughter had come to Tyler's attention when she'd taken a wrong turn and found herself tangled up in the downtown drug scene, and it was due to Tyler's influence that she'd cleaned up her act, moved back home and was now a top law student at NYU. No, a reservation had been no trouble whatsoever.

Simone, beautiful and full of mischief, provided the perfect companion for his cause. His spiraling anger at seeing Annie all dolled up and heading out, after she'd refused to spend time with him, spurred him on. He'd decided maybe it was a good idea to shake the love of his life up a little bit, so when they arrived, a discreet word with his friend got them placed at a specific table.

The look of astonishment on Annie's face had rewarded all his efforts. Having to put up with Simone's clinging and overacting made it iffy. But the ingénue he loved so much had to wake up and see him—really see him—waiting and wanting. The sound of glass smashing on the floor made him smile. Success reverberated.

Noise from the outer office brought him back to the present, and to the phone he still held clutched in his hand. Now all he needed to do was find her. No hesitating until she was ready, no putting off making his play, and no more games. If his timing sucked, so be it. At least he'd take his chance. Hanging back could bring him an invitation to her wedding with someone else, or a slow death by his cousin's hands.

Simone, furious with Tyler, had given him the ultimatum. "Man, you are so dense. You've talked about this chick for months now, and you still haven't gotten her into your bed or a ring on her finger. What is wrong with you? Make your move, or that hunk she's with will be walking her up the aisle."

Driving him batty, she'd spied on Annie all during the meal, peeping over his shoulder, and when he'd tried blocking her view, she'd taken to dropping things on the floor so she could continue. And she'd reported continuously, until he was sure they'd get caught. He'd finally had enough and cut the date short.

The ride home in the taxi had been hell, listening to her ramming her point across, as if he didn't hear her the first ten times. "Ty, Listen to me. If a girl pays that much attention to a guy who's with another date, she's jealous. Plain and simple!" And she pointed out ad nausea, "A woman isn't jealous unless she's in love."

So maybe she did care for him. He had to believe she felt the same as he did, or he'd go insane. Could he let another evening go by without knowing for sure? Not likely! An inspiring idea grew until it swept all else from his head. Grabbing his keys, he rushed from behind his desk and bee-lined to the door.

* * *

Annie arrived at her apartment renewed and invigorated from the multitude of hugs and kisses Jackson and Alyssa had blessed her with. They were as starved for female affection as she was hungry for little arms. Leaving the two rugbunnies had been difficult, particularly after they'd begged and pleaded with her to stay for dinner. But she still had no idea about Lea. Her goal to find Tyler and see if he knew anything had to be her priority.

A note, taped to her door, read:

Got great news to share!

Quesadilla fixin's ready at my place – need a pretty cook! Wine is decanted and waiting. So am I.

Yours,

Ty.

She peeled off the note, unlocked the door and entered, all the while doing a little dance. The second reading confirmed the first. He wanted to see her. He'd invited her to be with him. Maybe he wasn't as angry as she'd suspected. He'd signed it "Yours." God! If only!

Her heart rate took off, the frenetic beat creating a beehive in her abdomen. Placing her hands flat under her breasts, she cradled the top of her stomach and massaged. A few deep breaths and everything settled back into place.

Twinges of happiness tried to break through, but she clamped them down, warning herself not to get too excited. It didn't work. The familiarity of Tyler's message flooded her senses with nostalgic memories of the fun they'd had in the past. It was like the old days.

Singing children's ditties at the top of her lungs, she quickly showered in her turquoise-accentuated bathroom, then gathered her office clothes and threw them into the bag slated for the cleaners. The prettiest set of white lacy underwear beckoned as she rummaged in her drawer, a purchase on her latest trip to Lord & Taylor. She slid them on and preened in front of her full-length mirror. Not too bad, she decided. One good thing, at least—all the long hours of overtime she'd put in during the last few months had stopped her nasty snacking habit in the evenings.

She dressed in an old comfy pair of jeans and a black "I heart New York" rhinestone T-shirt she'd fallen for the last time they'd gone window-shopping together. Cosmetics applied lightly, just enough to emphasize her best attributes, added to her self-confidence. Her black wavy hair's glossy softness surrounded her face, a messy look reminiscent of months ago.

Next, she shuffled around in her fridge's freezer until she came up with the last batch of matrimonial squares, arranged them on a pretty platter and microwaved them to thaw. They were Tyler's favorite dessert. She'd made them before madness had taken over her life, but the wonders of refrigeration had kept them moist and looking yummy.

Okay, ShowTime. No dithering weaknesses. She wanted that man, and she was going to use everything in her arsenal to get him to want her, too. Short of rape, that is, since she wasn't sure she could pull that one off. On the other hand....

A few minutes later, standing in front of Tyler's door, tray held in the forefront as an offering, hand poised to knock, her giddiness dissipated as if she'd walked into a new dimension. Doubts entered and wouldn't be shaken off.

" _What are you waiting for? Go get him!"_ Celi's no-nonsense attitude helped some, but Annie's precarious optimism had begun to fade.

" _What if he wants to tell me about his new girlfriend? Wants me to meet her—that bastard! I'll do a pre-emptive strike and tell him Nigel and I are a couple."_

" _No, silly, you won't. You'll act like the lady you are, then go home and eat a lot of junk and break every CD he likes."_

" _Good idea."_

" _I'm kidding."_

" _How can you joke at a time like this? You're supposed to be an angel."_

" _Right, an angel, not a saint. Just stop dawdling. Face the music and take it like a Psychology Major. If his news is bad, simply fill a prescription for anti-depressives and work on acquiring a taste for lots of wine."_

She laughed. _"Now I know you're joking."_

The soft touch on her cheek turned into a small slap. _"Go!"_

Feeling slightly better, she rapped their special one, two, one-two-three knock and waited.

* * *

The dazzling redhead who opened the door smirked and invited her into the room by placing one hand on her hip and waving the other in a bowing movement as if Annie was royalty. She then reached out to take the plate of goodies before they slid any farther toward the rim.

"Oh, wow, matrimonial squares. I love them. Hey, Ty, look what Annie brought us."

Tyler appeared, standing at the kitchen entrance. "Simone, stop being a brat. Put those down and leave."

Simone made a childish face, lips pouting, and Tyler laughed.

Annie's sad eyes stared from Tyler to the taunting, smiling face of the beautiful redhead and then back to him.

He spoke again, sounding like a parent with a naughty child. "One. That's all you get. Go! You'll be late." He picked up Simone's luggage and proceeded toward the door, grabbing her arm on the way past and hauling her along with him.

She stopped him by twisting away before he could open it. "First you have to introduce me to Annie."

Tyler stood with his head down for a few seconds and inhaled very loudly. Then, he put his hands on his hips and turned to face the two women staring at him—one with a defiant look of glee on her face, the other with a look that revved up his heartbeat. He couldn't tell if it was from fear or elation. Reflexively, his hands reached up so his fingers could skim through his hair and interlock on his neck.

She's wondering why I asked her here. He could see the questions in Annie's eyes.

Simone cleared her throat, bringing his attention back to the present circumstances.

"Annie? I'd like for you to meet my—ahh—goofycousinSimone."

"Ex-CUSE me?" Sparks shot from her wide eyes. She looked first at Tyler and then at his cousin. The next moment, fragrant Chanel No 5 and Simone's strong arms engulfed her.

"I've wanted to meet you for so long; you're all this big lug talks about. Annie this and Annie that. Oh, and last night, he begged for my help, so I had to play along with him, but don't hold it against me, okay?" She moved an arm's length back from Annie, waiting for some reaction.

"Oh!" Annie's blue flashers were sparkling.

"See, Ty! I told you she wouldn't be mad. She's probably so darn happy we're not hooked up that she'll forgive me and we can all be friends."

Tyler watched Annie's reaction and, knowing her better than anyone, clued in to her feelings. He was a dead man.

"Did you at least have a good laugh at my expense?" Her chin jutted out. Thunderclouds formed.

"Actually, Ty didn't, but I have to admit, I got a giggle or two out of it all. You should have seen your face—it was priceless when you looked up and saw us. Did they make you pay for the broken bottle?"

Tyler groaned and covered his eyes. One finger slid aside to give him a brief glimpse at Annie's expression.

She was smiling. Just a little one, but it grew. Then her features broke up and the giggling started. "They charged my boss for the bottle, and since the stuffed shirt was showing off to some potential new customers, he'd ordered nothing but the best." With that said, the two girls laughed until they clutched their sides. Except that Tyler's cousin didn't end up sobbing with tears raining down her face.

Simone, a tenderhearted girl started to reach over to hug Annie and stopped when she heard Tyler groan. He'd moved swiftly to intercept. So instead she backed away, wheeled her luggage to the door and closed it behind her—very quietly.

"Come here, sweetheart." Tyler gathered Annie into his arms, deliberately slow in case he'd read the scenario wrong and she was still angry.

"Lizzie's dead, and I thought it was L-Lea."

"Excuse me? You thought Lea was dead? Why would you think that? She's fine. Who's Lizzie?" He rocked her, patting her back like he did with the children at the agency when they needed to be held.

She struggled through every word, shuddering, gasping—trembling." The police took me to the morgue to identify the body of a young fe-female who I thought would be Lea. Instead it was Hugo's wife, Lizzie. Someone beat her so badly it was difficult to make out her features. I—I was only able to recognize her by a tattoo she had on her chest."

The last statement heralded more grief, and her wails grew louder. He picked her up like one would a child, cuddling her and swinging her from side to side.

"Shush, baby. Don't cry anymore. You'll be sick." He'd never heard anyone else make the sounds Annie did. Sobs that choked, interspersed with harsh groans delivered in between frenzied shuddering. His eyes narrowed with sympathy. He laid his forehead on hers and blew softly in her face. "Come on, sweetheart. Take a breath."

He grabbed some tissues awkwardly from the box on the counter, then sat down with her on his lap. Her wet face rested against his neck, her damp forehead on his cheek. She continued to sniffle, and every so often, another run of quivering took hold. Eventually, she quieted.

"My poor little Annie. It's been a terrible day for you. I'm so sorry, honey."

"An-and you were angry with me on the phone." She whispered the words, sounding like a child.

"Oh, baby, I've never been angry at you. Today an incident happened just when you called, and I had no choice but to cut you off. I promise you, the sound you heard in my voice wasn't anger."

She rested, her hand seeking to rub away evidence of her sorrow. She felt the damp T-shirt under her hair, and slowly a smile formed.

"Ty? I hope your shirt's been pre-washed. I might have shrunk it."

His face lit up and the one-sider formed. "If you did, I'll have to charge you."

"What's the price?"

"How about a kiss?"

"I see a definite shrinkage. What a shame!" She tilted her head back and searched for his lips. Little did Annie know, it was a kiss a teenager might consider sexy, but not the kind of kiss an experienced woman uses to turn on a grown man. No problem. He loved every puckering part of it.

He thought about how much fun he was going to have teaching her the variety of seduction techniques. But, before other thoughts could enter his befuddled mind, he realized she must have taken a few of his earlier lessons to heart. Her tongue slid inside his mouth and searched for his.

He tried to put her away from him, slow things down a bit, but no way. She enclosed his face in her soft hands and wouldn't let go. She nipped at his lips, then licked at the imaginary wounds as if she'd drawn blood. The only blood affected by her machinations was the blood that pooled in his groin. Her squirming increased the pressure, and his tight jeans went from slightly uncomfortable to downright painful. He pried her off and set her gently back against the sofa, then stood up.

All they'd done was kiss, and look at the shape he found himself in. Celibacy was a bitch if a man practiced the lifestyle for so long that restoring an active sexual routine left a guy with no self-control. And with a virgin, which he knew her to be. Tonight couldn't be a "wham, bam, thank you, ma'am" kind of encounter. She'd need plenty of stroking and foreplay. God help him, he'd need to go slow and calm her virgin fears.

While his thoughts played ping-pong, she slowly stood and wrapped herself around him like he was a tree and she the night wind. He scooped her close and stared into her sultry blue pools, all the while trying to concentrate: Remember, take things easy, build up the excitement, don't scare her.

Shit! Scare her? Her hand was groping his fly. Lord, love a duck! She wasn't willing to play by the rules. Innocent girls were supposed to be shy, timid and let the more experienced partner lead.

Right?

Wrong.

Annie never did the expected. On her toes, she hugged her body length to his, grinding her hips against his swelling as she began to lick her way around his neck and under his chin. Oh-oh! He was in big trouble.

"Annie, honey, we have to go slow—down, go...slow...down." he babbled, and gently moved her hand away from his zipper. Her wandering fingers were already making him into a gibbering idiot. It was time to take charge.

"Didn't you like it? Me touching you there?" She looked at him with her thickly black-fringed, sapphire beauties, and he was lost.

"Oh, God, I loved it!" He groaned.

Before he could explain further, she cut in and asked, "Do I have to stop?"

The uncertain look in her eyes and the hunching of her shoulders made him realize it was not the best moment for a verbal sex lesson. She was so uninhibited, a man's ideal, that he snatched her back into his embrace and whispered words that made the blunder of his abrupt halt disappear.

"God, no—don't ever stop touching me. I just wanted to tell you how much I love you. I needed to see your beautiful eyes the first time I said it." His brain might not be working at top speed, but he was no fool.

She melted right in front of him. Her legs buckled. So he lifted her into his arms and carried her to his bedroom, to his bed, and fell onto it with her clutched tight against him.

Over and over she repeated, "I love you, too. I've always, always and forever, loved you. I didn't realize. God, Tyler! I wouldn't admit to myself how wonderful you were until I thought I'd lost you."

As she babbled, she struggled to remove first his clothes, and finding that too difficult she tried hers, pulling, tearing, ripping intolerantly at the stubborn articles. "Hurry, hurry, please hurry."

All she'd managed to do was get him caught up in his T-shirt—with it half on and half off, his hands were useless. Finally he got it untwisted enough to remove it and looked over to see her with her New York T-shirt trussed over her face while she frantically pulled at it. Her jeans were at half-mast as she wiggled and bucked, obviously frustrated by the universe's sense of humor.

He grinned. He couldn't help it. She was amazing. "Honey, hold still. I'll help you. Look, I have to ask you a very personal question. Please don't feel shy, but I need to know. Is this your first experience with a man?"

She froze just as he gave one hard pull and released her from the prison of her top. Enormous smoldering eyes stared at him. Her hair was standing on end, and the fact that she was almost naked didn't help his concentration. Redness invaded her neck, her cheeks and even her forehead.

"I've never been with a woman, either."

"Cute, real cute!" His sigh was loud and bordering on a chuckle. "Tell me, are you a virgin?"

"Does a boy's bicycle bar count?"

"Excuse me?" He leaned away and stared at her, his eyes twinkling.

"Well, when I was twelve, I stole the neighbor boy's bicycle and tried to ride it, but only because my parents refused to get me one of my own. My parents considered them dangerous."

"A bike—dangerous? Give me a break!"

"I'm serious. Turned out she was right. I took a fall, and I began to bleed from my—ahh, you know where. Mother became hysterical. She rushed me to the closest hospital, straight to the emergency. A nice female intern told me that I'd ruptured my hymen and explained what it meant. I was devastated. I mean, how the hell does a girl tell her first fellow he was bested by a boy's bicycle bar? And you can quit laughing. I truly don't think it's that funny."

The only way to keep her from flouncing out of his bed was to choke back his chuckles and step up his seduction. "God, Annie. I'll love you forever." He started towards her.

"For your information, I'm not a total dunce when it comes to making out."

"I didn't notice. Seemed to me you were doing just fine."

"You're teasing. You can tell, can't you? Damn! I watched a couple of X-rated movies so I'd get it right, but I'm flubbing it. I knew after you pulled my hand away."

"You're adorable, you know that? I didn't move your hand because I disliked what you were doing. The problem was that I liked it too much. Annie, honey, there's nothing you can do wrong. Nothing! Don't you get it? When two people make love, anything goes. Just let yourself relax and enjoy the mood. Don't get caught up in the mechanics. And honey, you can do whatever you want with any part of my body anytime, anyplace, anywhere. Got it?"

"Got it!"

"Come here."
Chapter Twenty-Two

Carefully, he scooped her under him and leaned over her, watchful of his weight. He kissed her, and at first it was nice—nice and gentle. But soon he moved his tongue inside her mouth like a weapon of pure sin. His lips were sucking her soul right out of her. She trembled with passion and, as much as her body ignited, her mind was totally concentrating on those killer lips. A moan broke loose. He answered. Next she whimpered, and he moved his assault to her throat.

Her hands reached for his shoulders and moved around, then down, rubbing his hips, then lower. She slid inside his open jeans and tentatively caressed his bottom. Every inch of this man belonged to her now, and she needed to lay her claim, to meld into him, and be as close as humanly possible. Pushing upwards, she ground her pelvis into the hardness that drew her like a male's eyes were drawn to naked boobs. Then she felt him undo the fastening on her bra.

He leaned away from her and slowly peeled it off, gazing at her nakedness. The worshiping glint in his eyes, when he searched hers, melted the last of her shyness. With a cheeky wink, he resumed his play. First, he rubbed his face gently against her swollen breasts as if inhaling her essence. Soon his hands traveled over her, caressing, exploring. She heard him take a long, noisy breath and he seemed to hold it forever.

Exhaling finally, he cupped her fullness, and then lowered to lick at the prize he held so reverently. His face nuzzled between the two nipples, kissing his way from one to the other. He made sure not to miss one little inch on her trembling chest, covering the silken skin in sucking kisses, licks and a few love bites here and there. Then her nipple was in his mouth.

Not knowing how a man-made orgasm felt, she was unprepared as the first overwhelming sensation flooded her. Sweeping through every nerve ending she possessed, it ended in vibrant pulsations at the core of her lower body. She cried out, totally engaged in the beauty of her feelings, jerking and throbbing, whimpering and soaring.

He gathered her to him and held on while she rode the waves, her palpitations lifting her to an all-time pleasurable high. She soon quieted, and her small voice peeped out, "I screwed up again, didn't I?"

"Baby, screwing is what we're doing here. You're so uniquely responsive, which means I'm going to be a very fortunate man. Trust me when I say lots of women wish they could be so lucky."

She smiled at him, delighted with his reaction. The sweat from her body cooled, making her shiver. Once again he used himself as her blanket, and she felt the bulge he couldn't hide. Wishing him to understand she was ready to play again, she pushed herself up against him and made a circular movement with her hips, an action inviting a response. He leaned away from her and took a few seconds to enjoy the sight of her in skimpy, soaked, white-lace panties. Then, he shimmied down and kissed her through them. Swiftly, she grabbed his hair and tried to yank him upwards.

"Unless you intend for me to have all the fun, my suggestion is—you'd better not go there."

His side grin lit up every feature on his face. It was like a moving work of art. "Annie, honey, I adore you."

In succession, he laid kisses on her stomach moving up from her navel to her throat, his ultimate aim—her lips. Meantime, he shed the last of his clothing from his lower body and then took care of hers. In a few short seconds he was fully on top of her, fully aroused and full to the brim of baby-making juice.

"Damn!" He groaned, jerked stiffly and rolled to the side of the mattress, his hands groping furtively, searching for the packet in his jeans pocket.

"What? Don't stop. God, Tyler, please. What are you doing?" Annoyance came through loud and clear, if her whining was anything to go by.

"Shush, sweetheart. I'm getting a condom. I don't aim to make you pregnant."

"Why not?"

"Are you kidding me? You want to have a baby?"

"Your baby? Sure. I'd love it."

His voice turned hoarse with emotion. "Did I happen to mention how much I adore you?" Soft lips returned to kissing her as if he'd never get enough. His pants were flung into the corner—packets and protection completely forgotten. One hand cradled her face, while his other traveled a slow routine up and down, from her neck to her knees and not missing any of the places invented specially for pleasure.

At the same time his penis made its way home. As soon as Annie felt the first prod she took matters into her own hands. Literally. She guided him and made sure she wriggled enough to have him firmly in place. He held his breath and tried not to be disgraced from the touch of her diligent, gripping fingers.

Now in position, his hips began to thrust as she held her breath. First he slid in just a little— followed by a suggestive wiggle—and out—then in again and another wiggle. Her tight, slick sheath stretched and accommodated him. The wetness made the passage easier. The friction made them both crazy.

The moans and sighs peaked as she tried to help things along by giving one gigantic shove upwards. Not being slow to take a hint, he pushed in and out of her body with more vigor, faster and harder, again and again. Beyond thinking, her head rolled from side to side, until he reached for her hands and lifted them over her to hold them entwined in his. The look in his eyes, one she'd never forget, showed his smoldering desperation, the state of his extreme arousal and his love. In return, her eyes bathed him with adoration. She felt consumed in an agony of bliss.

Strokes of bliss!

He pumped and pumped, his whole body caught up in the action. She met each thrust, her legs curled over his, her body fully involved in reaching the same goal. Joined, they climaxed together. Her pulsating muscles drained him until he collapsed over her limp, sweat-drenched body.

Long moments passed as their breathing evened out until finally she whispered. "Why did I ever wait so long? I was born to do this."

"Ohhh, yeah! You are one talented hussy."

"Go figure! I'm glad it pleases you." She winked, then grinned—a seductress glint in her eye.

"Quit preening. It's disgusting, you pleaser."

He rolled over to snuggle around her and gather her into him, covering them both with his puffy duvet. "Tell me something. How did you ever escape the sex-starved males in your life? A girl with your looks and brains should have been able to get all kinds of boyfriends." His warm hand stroked her shoulders and arms.

"Not when you don't want one. I've come out of my shell since I met you, but as a teenager, shyness made life pretty gnarly. Mother and Father didn't encourage my having friends. Any girls that managed to get past them didn't last long because I wasn't allowed to do anything extra-curricular, or go anywhere. Except for one girl called Violet, who I'll tell you about one day, just not tonight."

"That's a bummer! Why were they like that? Your parents, I mean. You've consistently referred to them as Mother and Father in a rather formal way. It made me wonder."

"I don't believe a child was ever part of their plans, and when I came along they suppressed all my childish goofiness—you know, to run and sing and be silly. I was treated much better if I played their prim, little-miss-perfect princess, and so, wanting their love, I did. Pretty soon it wasn't playing a part any longer but who I'd become, at least one part of me."

"Always figured you had a split personality hidden inside. The newest treatment for this disorder is to administer both personas the same medicine. So the doctor, who is myself, will have to service both of you equally. I shall now perform my sexual talents with your other self. Call her out. It's time for her to face the music."

She giggled as he'd meant her to, and the sadness left her voice. "I guess I do have another side of me who takes over once in a while. As you know, a few months ago I'd decided that my life was sinking deeper and deeper into blahness. And it scared me. So I changed and had a new, exciting life. That is, until everything got incredibly messed up, and the reasons to change, which seemed so important at the beginning, all became blurry. By then, I'd hurt the people I cared most about, while searching for what was right in front of my face all along."

"You might have been searching, but I had you in my sights every minute. No way you were going anywhere without me." He kissed her, showing her in the physical manner a man has, expressing without words, that she was his.

One kiss led to the second, which led to yet another, and not surprisingly, they lost themselves once more in the pleasures of their intimacy.

Some time later he leaned back. She watched him as he took his time gazing at her substantial lushness. She tried to imagine how she appeared to him with both arms spread out to either side of her naked lax body, a wet gleam shimmering over her skin and a huge smile on her face. One that matched his.

"I'm so happy, even my heart is smiling."

"I can see it. Your eyes give you away. You're the only woman I've ever known whose eyes actually smile. It's weird. They smile even when your mouth isn't. I love that about you." His face took on a seriousness she wanted gone.

She reached up to his lips with her finger and poked gently. His look of arrogant male smugness cracked, and his face stretched to match hers.

"Your eyes are smiling too. Copycat!"

He leaned down, rubbed noses with her, then mouthed the words he'd never get tired of saying. "I adore you."

"I adore you back," she answered.

They became lost in each other's eyes.
Chapter Twenty-Three

"Annie, honey. No more, you'll be sore tomorrow, trust me." He held her hands tightly, to stop them from wandering his body and pushing his buttons. He'd like to make love to her all night, but she'd be the one to suffer in the end, and that possibility controlled his passions more than anything else.

"I don't care, Ty, I honestly don't. I'll soak in the tub or walk straddle-legged, put on ointment or—"

"You can't make up for eighteen years of abstinence in one night."

"Eighteen years?"

"Since your love affair with the bik—"

"You are a sick man." His teasing had her struggling to touch him again.

He gripped both her hands tighter and leveraged them up above her head to keep them still. Faulty control mechanism, that couldn't be trusted, shouldn't be tempted. The little minx could stir him to life with a simple stroke in one of his many sensitive zones, and she had studiously researched most of them during their two bouts of making love.

"Look, brat. Behave! If you quit torturing me, I'll share my good news. I figured you'd be bugging me before now to tell you what was up."

The only way he could keep his hands off her was by taking her mind off the fact they were in bed, naked and crazily in love. He watched her mood shift from provocative sex kitten to dubious apprehension.

"Ty, don't keep me in suspense. This has been an incredible day of highs and lows. Even though our lovemaking has blocked the low, it's still hovering here, in the pit of my stomach." She jerked her tummy muscles and his eyes followed. He let her hands go so he could pat the quivering softness.

Then she pushed him back and leaned over him, her breasts squashed against his chest, engaging his attention once more. "Oh, no, you don't." She slapped his searching fingers away. "Now you've got my attention, tell me. It's about Lea, isn't it? God, I hope it's about Lea. I've been truly worried." He placed his hand firmly over her mouth and curtailed her rant.

"Shuu! Don't be worried. Yes! It's about Lea. She came to see me today and looked wonderful. She told me how, after she left you that last night, she thought about what you had said to her and realized you'd nailed everything perfectly. The shame of letting someone like Doug dominate her chipped away at her sense of worthiness. Your words helped her to see clearly that the only way she could ever belong to herself again was to escape. To get free of him. And she did. She explained how she suckered him into following a bogus trail she'd set up, leading him back to her old neighborhood, while our little schemer hightailed it to the city and created a whole new life."

"I'm so glad. Where is she now?"

"She wandered the streets for a few days, hiding out from Doug and his pals, then eventually she went to Dominic's place to ask for a job. He took her in, and other than the fact that she insists on being out of sight by working in the kitchen, she's doing just fine. I assume it's her method of trying to protect Dominic in case Doug comes to the restaurant again looking for her."

"That's great news." Annie's eyes glowed; she rolled over on her back and lightly clapped her hands together like a child.

He followed as if an invisible string attached them and they couldn't be too far apart. Her hair drew his hands, and he sifted his fingers through, playing with the soft curls. "She tried calling you a few times but couldn't get to you personally. She didn't want to leave any messages at your office. Maybe she did on your home phone."

"I checked when I got in, but there were none. I didn't even bother to call her place, in case Doug answered. Besides, I had a lot on my mind after reading the sweet message you left on my door." She kissed his nose and rubbed her hand along his cheek.

"You liked that, did ya?"

Had his voice always been so husky? The sound traveled along every erotic nerve in her body, bringing them all back to attention. "Yeah, I liked it."

"You'll be pleased to know there's an exclusive event planned at Dom's restaurant for later tonight, an anniversary get-together to celebrate his second year in the business. Relatives and close friends are the only ones to be invited, and we are to be his special guests. Dominic decided to close the place to customers earlier than usual, to accommodate the party."

She kissed him all over the face, and then wriggled in an attempt to break loose. It did the trick. His interest stirred, along with other parts of his anatomy, but this time Annie called a halt and left the warm cocoon.

"We have to go. Look, it's already after nine. He's going to be wondering if we're coming or not."

She yanked on his arm and tried to pull him off the side of the messy bed. With a twisting movement straight from the pages of a karate manual, he bolted straight up, lifted her in a fireman's hold and stalked towards the shower.

"Calm down. I told Dominic we would be late and that I was making supper for you here. He's okay with it."

Hanging upside down, she giggled. "Speaking about eating? I'm starved. You never did feed me." The smile in her voice matched the one plastered over her face. He glanced in the mirror and saw the expression she wore as she hung limply over his shoulder, and he decided, there and then, that he'd never seen her look happier.

"Bitch, bitch, bitch. There's just no pleasing you, lady."

Giggling, she answered, "Screw you."

A love pat on her derriere made her screech. He chuckled and swaggered, then answered, "Already accomplished, and, may I add, you did a mighty fine job."
Chapter Twenty-Four

"Tyler, you didn't have to come with me to get my purse. I could have met you downstairs."

"You're not getting out of my sight for the next few days. I'm not taking any chances in case that workaholic personality reappears and you decide you need to write a report or something equally asinine." He chuckled and kissed her lightly, teasingly.

"Have faith. I told you that Anna is gone. Just little ole Annie here." She grinned at him, while her hand reached up to get the hidden key. In her haste, she'd forgotten to take her purse to his place.

"It's gone, Ty. My key isn't here." She searched the whole ledge and came up empty.

He put her behind him and tried the door, which opened easily. Reaching in, he turned on the light, pulled his cell phone from his pocket and began to dial 911. In a grim voice he said, "We'll have to wait here. Your apartment's been vandalized."

* * *

In less than fifteen minutes Detectives Drake and Penn arrived. Surprised and pleased to see them again, Annie questioned how it happened they were still on call.

"We had another case we were finishing off when your 911 came in. We recognized the name. You did us a favor earlier, so we decided to repay it now," said Detective Drake, his manner as cordial as it had been previously.

"Did you go inside, touch anything?" Detective Penn asked, after shaking hands with Annie and Tyler.

"We were told to wait out here, so no, we didn't."

"Okay then, let's see the damage, and if there's anything missing."

Other than a huge mess, and some spare change and jewelry missing, nothing else appeared to have been taken. A few minutes later Annie thought to check her answering machine and noticed that one call had come through and obviously been listened to. The old-fashioned message machine's light was off, but the number one now was displayed. Knowing positively she'd checked prior to leaving for Tyler's, when it had unmistakably displayed a zero, had her adrenaline kicking in and her stomach acting up.

"There were no calls when I left a couple of hours ago. Now there's one but there's no light. Whoever broke into the place must have listened to it."

Detective Penn replayed the message. It was Lea, her voice cheery.

"Annie? I guess you're not there, but I just needed to tell you how happy I am. I ditched the loser and am making pizzas at Dominic's place. Please come tonight to the party. It won't kick off until about ten, as Dom's closing early. I know how tired you've been lately, so it'll be tough, but maybe you can sleep in tomorrow. I'd like to see you. I—I have a lot to share with you. I'll talk to you soon. Love ya! Oh, yeah! Did I mention its Lea?"

"Oh, my God! I know who broke in. Ty, it has to be Doug. He's looking for Lea. He must have come here thinking I was hiding her."

"You could be right." He pulled out his cell phone and called the restaurant. Hearing the owner's harried tone, he passed on his message quickly.

"Sorry to bother you Dom, it's Tyler. Have you seen anything of Lea's old pal Doug? Looks like he might have vandalized Annie's apartment, and while doing so found a message from Lea saying where she's hiding. He'll know for sure now that she's with you. He's probably been watching the place, but since she's living upstairs, and hasn't left, he wouldn't have known positively. Now he does."

Tyler's expression relaxed and his stance returned to his normal calm.

"Okay, keep a close eye on her. We'll be there shortly."

Tyler turned to the two detectives, who were busy writing down Annie's answers to their questions. "Is it okay for Annie and me to leave? We have a pretty important party to go to, and I'd feel a lot happier if we were closer to Lea for the next few hours. We could be exaggerating our fears, but I'd still feel better."

"Sure, go ahead. We'll call in the locals so they can finish up here and wait for the fingerprint analyst, then we'll close the place down. Look, I put out an APB on this Doug Mason character. He's already a person of interest to us, so we do have a good rundown on most of his haunts. But just in case your guy shows up, I've noted the address for the restaurant where you're going, and we'll be sure and have a squad car nearby for the rest of the evening."

Relief evident, Tyler answered, "Thanks, officers. I wouldn't put anything past that tricky bastard."

"Miss Hynes, do you have another key for the apartment?"

"Yes, in my purse." Annie patted the item now hanging over her shoulder.

"I'd call the locksmith tomorrow and have them replace everything, just to be safe," Detective Penn said, the warning glint in his eye not to be ignored.

"Will do. Thanks for everything." Annie waved to both police officers as she went out the door Tyler held open.

* * *

Annie saw the taxi driver glance at them in the rearview mirror. Tyler's left arm cuddled her to him while his wandering right hand snuck towards the opening in her sweater. She entwined her fingers with his and forced them down into her lap.

"Quit it," she hissed. "Behave yourself."

"I don't want to behave myself." He lunged at her and she pushed him away, giggling. Then turned and faced the window.

The continuous neon lights of New York City never failed to invoke flurries of pleasure, since she seldom went out for fun after dark, and hardly ever to a party. Going to parties meant being popular, being popular meant having loads of friends, and she'd never been that lucky.

Their driver chose the route through Times Square, and the teeming nightlife made her feel a part of the crowd in a way she hardly ever experienced. All the lights, congested traffic and throngs of partyers out having a good time excited her. Honking horns, laughing people, even the smells of the busy hot dog stands added magic to the scene.

Tyler vied for her attention. She grabbed his wandering fingers again. "The driver is watching us," she hissed.

"Nothing he hasn't seen many times. We'll give him a peepshow he can tell the boys at the garage about. Come 'ere, me lovely." His fake pirate accent sounded corny. She smacked him a good one.

"Stop it, or I won't stay with you tonight."

Instantly his hand hesitated in making the return journey to her sweater. He looked down into her twinkling eyes.

"If I do stop, you'll stay with me?" His seriousness appeared, and showed her how important her answer would be.

She whispered. "If you behave now, I'll stay and do anything you want me to." Her meaning couldn't be misunderstood. The lustful look visible in his half-lidded eyes had her breath snagging in her throat. She tightened her hold on his hand and began jabbering to change the subject. The temptation to let him shock the older cabbie, now studiously keeping his eyes averted, had to be crushed.

"Tell me something you've never told me before," she said, desperate to refocus his interest.

"What do you want to know?"

Numerous questions crowded her mind—until she spotted two grungy-looking teenagers lounging by a streetlight.

"Why did you choose to go into social work? And why with street kids? Face it—it's mostly a thankless position. Really, society has a lot to answer for. How many times does the system return those poor babies into the same mess they've run from? I've often wondered, Ty, how do you face the disappointments day after day?"

"I care about the kids."

"I know that, but I always had the feeling there was more to it. As if there were things you held back, parts of your past you were hiding."

"You're very intuitive, Annie. Probably why I never went into too much detail. There is stuff I don't talk about very often. It makes me uncomfortable to admit to some of the crap I got into as an adolescent, which leads us back to why I chose this particular road."

He turned his head so she could see only his profile and a grim look replacing his earlier smiles. First the muscle in his jaw clenched, and then his body stiffened. The arm around her shoulders tightened, hugging her to him even more. Since she'd been sitting as close as possible, her body was now crushed against him.

She interrupted his musing. "Don't talk about it if you don't wish to. I didn't mean to pry." Her hand patted his clenched fingers and then cradled them.

"It's okay, honey. I intended to share it all with you sooner or later. To make a long story short, my father passed away when I turned twenty-two and he left me quite a large sum of money. My parents still lived here then, in the Lower East Side. After raising three kids—I was the fourth—they were pretty lax about rules with me. But by then I wasn't a kid anymore. Unfortunately, I had no direction, no goals and aimlessly hung out with my friends, working at odd jobs now and again. After I came into the money, it kinda went to my head."

"Can I ask what you did with it? What happened?"

"Just before he passed, I'd gotten dumped by my girlfriend at the university. I cared about her, so that soured me on girls, on life and even on school. I quit and got myself into a lot of trouble is what happened. Picture it—a big-shot kid with too much money and too little brains. I partied and did all the stuff that any knucklehead would do. For months I lived the high life, and I mean that literally. What a waste of skin I was in those days."

"You were young and stupid. There's no law against that."

"Yeah, well, there is a law against using drugs. There is a law against speeding around in fast cars. And there oughtta be one against the users that hit on me and encouraged the runaway madness."

"I wish I'd known you then."

"You wouldn't have liked me."

"I'd have cared enough to help you."

"You just answered your own question—about why I wanted a career helping street kids. Because I care! I know how it feels to be out of control, to be scared enough to take the next hit, and to hate myself for where I was going to end up afterward."

"Oh, Tyler, you're breaking my heart." She kissed his cheek and turned his face so he could see the love for him spilling from her eyes. "What did you do?"

"Well, first I thanked God that no one got hurt from any of my stunts. I accepted that my disgusting habits weren't a terminal illness but a curable sickness. And then I changed. I sought counseling from an uncle who worked here in Manhattan. He was a social worker who'd spent all his time with the street kids. I went to his office one day for my appointment, and he introduced me to a group of five messed-up posers. All were part of his caseload. Most of them were out-and-out bottom-feeders, but one was incredibly smart. He had the clear eyes of a dreamer, not the hazy eyes of hopelessness."

"You connected to him?"

"Big time! I felt his pain, and it woke something inside me. Frustration over his sad future had soured him. It was then I appreciated what all that money could do."

Her hand gently rubbed his chest as he talked. Pride lit her face. "Tell me." Her voice murmured the words to keep their circle of warmth from flowing too far beyond them.

"First I signed up to go back to school. Then, with my uncle's help, we established a foundation called Scholarships for the Streets. It's a simple premise. The criteria—for the kids to be able to apply—is that they have to have been registered in the welfare system at some point. It's the number one rule, and number two is that in the future they have to pay it forward. Seems when money is freely given it's not appreciated as much as when it's earned. I can attest to that myself. And so our foundation has a program where once the individual has finished his education, and has established himself, he will then apply to help someone else. Not only with money, because it's not just about the money, but with his or her time."

"I haven't heard about the foundation. Is it kept low-key on purpose?"

"Not really. We don't publicize because the word on the street telegraphs it straight to the kids it can affect. We've helped a lot over the last seven years. Dominic is one of our successes. He took seriously his pledge to pass it forward when he spoke to Lea that night."

"You must be so proud, Tyler. What a wonderful idea."

"It wasn't mine, I have to be honest. My uncle was instrumental in setting up the bulk of the rules and conditions. His wisdom about the streets and with the kids proved invaluable."

"Is he still working, or has he retired?"

"Actually, he's dead. Killed by some punks strung out on crystal meth. He was trying to coax them out of a basement suite the landlord wanted cleared. The owner of the building, fed up from too many complaints, called my uncle to come and talk them into moving out or he'd call the police. The guy was trying to cut the kids a break—mistakenly, as it turned out. The two boys, both only sixteen, had guns and a stash of product to protect. My uncle posed a threat to them, so they shot him. The police, furious, pursued them for days, not letting up until they had them in custody. I guess my uncle was a favorite with the department."

"What a horrible waste. I'm so sorry, Tyler."

"Yeah, me too. Hundreds came to his funeral, many of them under twenty, and they sincerely grieved for him. A legacy any man would be proud of. I was still in university when it all went down. My one regret is that I didn't get to work under him. To learn from his skillful way of judging character, and his utter clarity in believing in everyone's right to a good life."

"Well, I believe some people are naturals and don't need to be taught. People like you and your uncle. Kids may be cunning and smart, at least street smart, but that also works to help them cut through all the crap and recognize authentic from bull. You are your uncle—the real deal, Tyler, and they know it. They trust you because they feel your compassion."

"They feel yours, too, Annie. That's why I've never hesitated to bring anyone to you. Your heart is huge, and when the girls leave you they invariably come to me afterward to say how much they respect you and want to be like you."

"I'm so ashamed, Tyler. For such a long time I disliked who I was and hated my life. It took a tragedy to wake me up to see how lucky I am. I don't wish to spoil our evening, but remind me tomorrow to describe the day I had today. I need to share it all with you, every part."

"I'm listening, if you care to explain now. We can tell the cabbie to drive around."

"No, it'll keep. We're already at Dominic's, and you know what? There's no room in tonight's pleasure for sadness or regret. All I care about is that Lea is safe, and Dominic wants us to help him celebrate."
Chapter Twenty-Five

Arriving at the crowded, noisy café, Annie and Tyler were quickly surrounded and absorbed into the laughing group. Their obvious happiness, a flare to the ones who knew them personally, lifted everyone's mood higher. The music, played by a mediocre neighborhood band, blasted through the balloon-decorated room, and many couples took to the floor.

Annie excused herself to go and find Dominic and Lea, who were secluded in the kitchen. As she swung the door open, the two young people jumped apart, guilty smiles on their faces.

"Hi, you two. Tyler and I just arrived, and we're getting into the swing. Nice party, Dom. Thanks for inviting us. And Lea, I can't tell you how ecstatic I am about your news, and the way everything's turned out. I have to admit you had me worried when we didn't hear anything. On the other hand, I'm so happy to see you, sweetheart, that I won't give you heck for not letting us know sooner that you were okay."

She walked toward Lea with globby eyes and her arms open wide, inviting the teen in. Lea rushed to Annie to get her hug. The difference between the sullen, dirty girl of a short while ago and the glowing, pretty girl of tonight was staggering, and Annie, overcome with emotion, had a hard time to keep it in control.

As they embraced, Annie stroked the softly flowing hair, noting the pretty butterfly hairclips used to lift the mass away from Lea's animated face. Her crisp white, tucked-in shirt emphasized the lean waist that Annie hugged, and Lea's fragility brought out every protective cell in her mentor. Annie sent up a prayer of thankfulness that she was able to hold this precious girl—this precious living girl.

"Annie, I'm so sorry about your apartment. Dominic was telling me you thought maybe Doug had broken in."

"It might have been him, but no one is sure, so let's forget about it for tonight. We don't want anything to spoil the festivities. I'm so happy you're here safe with Dom."

Dominic patted both shoulders before he beat a hasty retreat and left them to their affectionate displays and their girlish jabbering.

"Annie, I'm sorry I worried you. That night, after I took off, I didn't know what to do at first, until I thought seriously about Dominic's offer. I'm still terrified that Doug will find out where I am and come looking for me. Some days I can't breathe for fear he'll hurt Dom or you or even Tyler. I wouldn't put it past him. He's sick, Annie, sick in his soul. He's so strung out on drugs that he doesn't care what he's doing half the time."

"Just stay close to Dominic, and call Tyler or me if you need help. Where are you living? Tyler said something about upstairs here."

"I've been staying with Dom on his couch and coming down to work with him in the kitchen each day. He's been super-nice to me, Annie."

"Honey, that isn't hard to do. You're a sweet person."

"Says you! No one else in my life has ever worried about me like that. I'm not sure how to deal with you caring so much, but it makes me wanna be the person you think I can be." She rested her cheek on Annie's hair and squeezed Annie's smaller body tightly.

The tears in the teen's eyes could be heard in her wobbly voice. Annie was touched beyond anything she'd ever known. Being held in such respect made her feel humble.

"Lea, look at me." She moved a step back from the girl and took her hands to hold. "I love you, and I care about what happens to you. I was born as a single child, to older parents, and I never knew what it would be like to have a sister, except in my imagination. I always felt sort of cheated, because I think having another girl as family must be wonderful. So would you like to be my adopted baby sister?"

Lea's eyes grew big and shone with gladness. "A sister? You know what? I used to lay awake at night and wish I had one to talk to and confide in, someone to look after and care for. Annie, I'd love to be your family. Except, I'm not sure I know how."

"We'll just figure it out as we go along. It's settled then. From this day on, we're family. Never think of me again as just a friend, think of me as someone who belongs to you, and I'll think of you in the same way."

Adoration lit the teen's face. She bobbed her head up and down repeatedly, too overcome to speak. Gulping and blinking, she grasped Annie's hands tightly. Her top teeth bit down on her bottom lip to stem her transparent emotions and stop the lip from wobbling. Finally, she got herself under control, and she spoke as if taking a vow.

"I love you too, Annie, and I'll forever be there for you when you need me. I promise." While she talked, and with every word she spoke, Lea's gripping hands tugged and added pressure until she was white-knuckling Annie to the point of pain. They hugged again, both silently committing.

When the back door of the restaurant blasted open, they jumped apart at the noise, both heads twisting to see the cause of such a ruckus. Doug and two of his buddies swaggered into the kitchen.

"Now ain't that sweet, boys? Two lessies getting it on."

Annie stepped in front of Lea and demanded, "What the hell are you doing here? Get out!"

"Whaddaya think? I've come for my girl. Lea, you dumb bitch, you've had your fun, now let's go." He leaned past Annie, and jerked his thumb at the girl, seething with disgusting arrogance, expecting her instant obedience.

Even if Lea intended to obey, Annie stood fast in front of her and had no intention of moving any time soon.

"She isn't going anywhere with you, creep." Annie's arm went around behind her, a protective barrier, keeping Lea in the safe zone behind her body.

"Listen you, Miss Big-Shot, Nosey-Parker, I've had about enough out of you. She's mine! And she's coming home with me where she belongs."

He reached behind him to the waist of his jeans, and a gun appeared in his hand. He held it down by his side, but the threat was blatant.

Before Annie could stop her, Lea pushed forward to stand next to him and played the best role she ever had. "Hey, Annie, back off. We're cool. He's totally boss. I told you I'd had enough of this place, but you wouldn't listen to me. I belong with Doug."

She slid alongside him, in front of his gun hand, and wound her arm over his shoulder.

"Doug, she's lying." Annie had to make him see reason. "She doesn't want to go back with you. Let her have her chance at a decent life. She'll have that if she stays. Please! Don't force her to be your slut, because we both know, with you, it's what she'll end up. Employed here, she can save and get an education, make something of herself. Don't mess things up for her, if you care about this girl at all."

"What about me? I care about me. What's in it for this guy?" He shoved Lea aside and pointed at his chest. "I don't give a shit about her having the good life." He smirked, and the slurred words were toned with disgust.

At that moment, Lea turned, grabbed his arm and bit the fatty part above his wrist as hard as possible. He dropped the gun and screamed. "Shit, woman! Let go." Then he hauled off and slapped her so hard she ended up spinning across the room until the counter stopped her flight. He started after her.

Alarmed, Annie picked up the weapon and swung around to confront the two bystanders only to see their butts disappearing out the door. Meantime, Doug reached out for Lea's hair and twisted his hand in the long strands, hauling her to her feet. He stopped when Annie cried out. "You touch her, you bastard, and I'll shoot you, sure as hell."

That caught his attention, as Annie had hoped. He turned threateningly towards her instead. "Give me that, bitch, or I swear you'll be sorry." Not believing she'd use the weapon, he dove at Annie and grabbed the pistol. At the same time he pushed her against the island where pots and pans were stacked. They cascaded in a mass to the floor.

At that moment, Tyler burst into the room and saw Doug striking Annie. From the look of fury on his face, nothing in the world could have blocked his dash across the space to tackle the other man. His wild backhand picked the guy off his feet and slammed him against the far wall, where he slid down like slimy, melting grease. Tyler followed him with only one intention, and that was written clearly on his enraged face.

The gun had dropped harmlessly to the floor. Dominic, who'd come in behind Tyler, picked it up and threw it to the people standing at the doorway before he proceeded to pry Tyler off the bloody, beaten, whimpering coward.

"Enough, Ty, _amico mio_. He's had enough." Dominic wrapped his young, strong arms around Tyler. "We've called the cops, and they'll be here soon. Look, Annie needs you. You go with the girls and get them a drink. I'll handle this rubbish."

Tyler looked over at Annie and blinked the hate from his eyes. He shook his head and his reddened fists slowly unwound and hung relaxed down by his sides. Lea and Annie both approached him warily and reached out their hands for him to come.

"Honey, we're okay. Truly! Both Lea and I are fine. Let's go and get a drink—we're fine."

Tyler hauled Annie to his side with his right arm, and snagged Lea with his left. The three-way hug settled nerves and slowed down heartbeats. Making their way into the front of the restaurant, Annie noticed everyone's attention riveted on them. Curiosity was rampant. The keyed-up partygoers wanted the rundown on what had happened, but they hesitated to bombard the shaken trio. The hum of excited questioning voices quieted once the three appeared unhurt, and a calmer atmosphere settled over the room.

Standing at the bar, Tyler shakily ran his hands through his hair, and they remained crossed behind his head. He forced his breathing to slow down by taking in large amounts of air and holding it in before slowly exhaling. Annie ordered him a cold beer and put it down in front of him. She rubbed his shoulder and waited for his tremors to stop.

"Honey, we're fine. Just relax. Lea, tell him."

"Ty, Annie and I will be okay now, thanks to you coming in when you did. That slime attacked us with a gun. The police will have to deal with him now. He'll go to jail for sure."

Just then the police siren's annoying wail ceased as it stopped out front. Two younger officers walked in and instantly took charge.

They made their way into the kitchen, only to reappear shortly escorting a handcuffed Doug. He didn't look good; his bloody face was swollen, and he couldn't walk upright. One of the officers, showing little sympathy, forced him outside to the waiting vehicle, while the other stopped to question Dominic.

"Hey, Dom, had a spot of trouble here tonight, I see?"

Since the two officers had enjoyed many free pizzas and bullshitting sessions with Dominic over the last couple of years, it was obvious whose side they were on. "Yeah, Jim. That bad-ass, junkie, piece of shit and two of his poser friends broke into the kitchen and attacked Annie and Lea at gunpoint. The girls are both fine, thank goodness. Tyler happened along just in time to shut him down. Lea said his two buddies took off out the back door like scared rabbits." Dominic stepped over to the end of the bar where the gun had been left. He flipped it over, passing it to the nearest officer handle first. "You'd better take this with you. And, by the way, we'll be pressing charges."

"Great! We've been looking for this fellow for a coupla weeks now. Mr. Big-shot's been up to a lot more mischief than this little party. We'll be needing a few statements from those involved, and then we'll leave you to get on with your celebrations." With a wink, he mumbled, "When our shift's over in about an hour, we'll be back to help celebrate."

Dom smacked him on the back the way men do who like each other. "Great, thanks, Jim."

For the next fifteen minutes, everyone took turns with the officers in the kitchen, telling their version of the story. Thankfully, the tension died down once the police cars drove away.

"Tyler, did you get into any trouble? Outside, I heard Doug screaming threats about you attacking him. What did the police say about that?" Annie's concern showed in her shaky voice.

"Self defense. Once Dom and I explained what happened, and you and Lea corroborated it all, they were happy to believe us. Doug and his slugs are just bad news. Getting them off the streets is a civic duty to all New Yorkers. Look, come with me for a minute. I need to hold you." He led her into the kitchen, and for the second time that night, they interrupted Lea and Dominic in a tender embrace.

"Sorry, you two." Tyler's wry grin of envy said it all.

"S'okay. We've got to get this party organized. Now we really have something to celebrate. You two can have a few moments alone, but then you have to join us. Remember, you're the guests of honor. At the very least, we expect a speech."

They turned to leave the room, Lea's hand tenderly gripped in Dom's. He stopped her at the door, and with his right hand he caressed her face, a touching gesture that brought tears to Annie's eyes. He turned back to look at Tyler, lifted his fist and placed it over his heart. He stared straight into Tyler's eyes and nodded. Through gathering moisture Annie watched Tyler return the salute. Then the door swung closed behind the two young lovers.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Tyler's muscular arms encircled Annie gently, as if she was fragile, paper-thin crystal. His rioting emotions calmed as soon as he held her close. After he'd seen Doug struggle with Annie and shove her, blinding rage eliminated principles. An age-old force rose inside of him, blocking out every coherent thought. He'd never believed he could kill another human being, but he knew differently now. He could and would, to protect his own. It was a mind-blowing insight. He didn't know how he felt about it.

"Tyler. Thank you for saving the situation. It was out of control. I was terrified."

"You were terrified? I was crazy, Annie. Literally! I never realized I could resort to violence of any kind. Now I know I'd kill to save you. It's staggering how much you mean to me."

"My heart was in my throat when you jumped him. For a minute I thought he'd picked up the gun." She began to cry, and her obvious angst triggered an emotional release within him. He feverishly clutched her to him, snuggling her into his embrace. A shuddering sigh broke as tears ran down his face and into her hair.

Annie became aware of Tyler's breakdown and ended her own waterworks in order to soothe him. She accepted his need of her strength at the moment and welcomed being able to do something for him for a change. In a way, it healed her, also. He was the strongest man she knew. Sharing his distress left her feeling honored and blessed.

"Shush, my love. I'm safe. Everything's okay now." Giving him a few minutes to calm himself, she rocked him and snuggled as close as she could get. Her lips found his neck and she nuzzled and kissed. After a short while he sighed and searched for her mouth with his salty lips. It was a kiss of commitment.

Of healing.

Of sexual awakening...

"Tyler, stop! They're expecting us. Get out of my bra." She giggled. A wonderfully, normal sound after the turbulent emotions they'd just encountered.

He laughed, loudly and with gusto. "Come on, sweet darlin'. Let's go boogie."

The music was in full swing, and so were the couples crowded on the dance floor. Tyler swept Annie into a quick two-step, and they circled the floor, stopping every few minutes to shake hands with those wanting to congratulate them on the happy outcome from the earlier commotion.

Lea and Dominic danced up to them, and Dominic cut in, forcing a change of partners. He pulled Annie into his arms.

"Take care of my girl and I'll take care of yours. And no funny stuff."

"Yeah, no hanky-panky."

"What?" Dominic's face was bewildered.

Annie danced him away while intercepting a wink from Tyler and a glimpse of his beautiful one-sider.

"Never mind him, Dom. He watches too many old movies. I need to thank you for what you've done for Lea. She's a new person since she's been here with you. She bit that sucker like a wildcat, and I know it was to protect me."

"She loves you, Annie."

"I love her, too. One day she'll be a woman to be reckoned with, and I intend to be there and watch it happen."

"She told you yet? She's planning to return to high school to get her diploma."

"No, she didn't. But I'm glad. I'll help her all I can."

"She's also planning to register with Ty at Social Services and apply for a scholarship from a private foundation here in New York. The same one that helped me. With that money, plus earning a wage here, she'll be able to cover most of her education costs. She talks about having a career the same as Tyler, working with street kids."

"That is great, Dom. I'm as proud as a mama bear, for heaven's sake. And she'll do it, too."

"She's been a big help in the kitchen this last while. She's a hard worker. You know, Annie, I'm pleased for her, too."

"You should be, Dom. She's great, and I couldn't be happier for her—for you both." Before she could say anything else, she was grabbed from behind as two strong arms wrapped themselves around her stomach and a chin came to rest on the top of her head.

"What are you two cooking up? You're so engrossed in your conversation you didn't see me waving. Lea's going to start the goodies and wants you to help her, Dom. I believe she's a bit leery about being alone in the kitchen."

"I'm on my way. We prepared the majority of the food earlier and left it on trays in the cooler. It shouldn't take long to heat everything up. Then we'll serve. We're trying out a few new recipes today. You're all our guinea pigs tonight."

"Hmm, that sounds ominous." Tyler's face scrunched up.

"Trust me, dude, you'll love this stuff. Most of it's Lea's concoctions."

"In that case, no problem."

Dom pushed at Tyler jokingly as he walked away. Annie heard him muttering "smart-ass" in a voice tinged with laughter.

Annie turned and sashayed into Tyler's waiting arms at the same time as the band switched to a hip-hop song with a catchy beat. Astonished, Annie stepped back and watched as Tyler danced. She stared at him, mouth open, watching his fluid hip movements and sexy gyrations. She could feel her body being wooed. For heaven's sake, the man should be arrested.

His grinding body rolls had her mouth drying up. It was hard to swallow. And when he began swaying with his arms held out, her nipples ached, her juices flowed and her eyes crossed. He stared at her and smiled, all the while moving his hips in a way that reminded her of what they'd been doing earlier in the evening. It was the most seductive movement she'd ever witnessed, and she couldn't take it any longer. She moved in for the kill, winding her petite self around him. Their dirty dancing was x-rated, and soon their heavy breathing forced them to quit it altogether. Eyes were ogling them. They'd put on enough of a show.

Annie whispered. "This is what I missed, Tyler, what I searched for." She kissed the hand she held.

"I don't understand. What do you mean—what you were you looking for?"

"Fun! Just good clean fun with lots of happy people. Being a part of it all. You know—nightlife and excitement, feeling alive. I don't think I'm explaining it very well, I'm sorry."

"You're doing a pretty fine job, little one. I get it, I really do. You stick with me and you'll have a lifetime of fun and excitement and all the, ahh, nightlife you can handle."

"You promise?"

His laugh was loud and had everyone nearby smiling, too. "Yeah, I promise."

Food was carried out and placed on a side table, and the smells of hot pepperoni, onions and mushrooms, mixed with those of cheese and dough was enough to start her drooling. Filling up on cold beer and slabs of pizza had the crowd settling down even more. Laughter and music filled the room with happy ambience.

Pretty soon Dominic stood and whistled for quiet. "I wish to thank you all for coming tonight to help us celebrate two years of success."

He lifted his glass and yelled, _"Grazie."_

After the furor lessened, he said, "I also want to apologize for the earlier disturbance in the kitchen. I'm glad that it all went down okay, and to tell you the truth, now that the scumbag is in jail, my girl Lea can come out of hiding and start working towards a fresh future." He lifted his glass again and yelled louder. _"Grazie a Dio_. Thank you, Lord!"

Again he waited for the noise to abate, and as he made the next announcement, his tone became extremely emotional.

"Most important, I need to say thank you to my guests of honor, Tyler Jones and Annie Hynes. They ain't ordinary people, ya know? They're angels in disguise. I can never repay them for their faith and trust in me. If it wasn't for those two, I wouldn't be where I am now, or the lucky man I am today."

A small voice interrupted. "And me too, Dom. Thank them for me, too."

Dominic continued after a wink at Lea. "My girl wants to add her thanks, as well. Come up here, Annie and Tyler, and let me make a toast to you guys."

Tyler put his hand in the small of Annie's back and guided her to where Dominic stood, all eyes upon them. The applause was shatteringly loud, and whistles and thumps added to the noise. It was a few more seconds before quiet reclaimed the room. During that time Dominic hugged first Annie and then Tyler. He raised his glass and shouted. "To my best friends, Tyler and Annie."

A round of applause and more shouting occurred before Tyler could control the happy crowd. He lifted his arms and waved his hands, giving them the signal that he had something to say. Within a moment, out of respect, a pin could have been heard dropping. Annie moved away from him so she could watch and listen.

"Thank you, Dom and Lea, for the nice words, and I'll tell you both now that Annie and I feel exactly the same way about you two." He grasped Dominic's hand and nodded at Lea. "Friends are a special gift that gives us an identity, and you've made us feel like champions tonight.

Now, I wish to make another toast to Annie, my future wife, and invite you all to join us here to celebrate the happy day. Invitations will be forthcoming, right, Annie?"

The world around her faded. She looked at Tyler, her man. Really looked. Delight radiated from his expressive face, and a feeling swelled, filling her insides. Never having known such a quivering emotion, she didn't immediately comprehend what it meant.

Happiness? Yes!

Love? Oh, absolutely!

But somehow that didn't cover all she was experiencing. There was something more, something hard to grasp, something...

Then, as their eyes met, she knew. It was pure, unaltered joy. The most beautiful sensation she'd ever known. Tears filled her eyes, and she bit at her bottom lip. She wouldn't sob out loud. But her jiggling chin signaled her emotional state, and everyone stared in a silence you could chew. She gripped her hands together. Finally, her throat cleared so she could speak. "Is this a proposal?"

"Oh, yeah!" He grinned that damn one-sided smile and she was a goner.

Airborne, she was in his arms like a flash. With her legs wrapped around his hips and her lips glued to his, the answer was obvious. The following eruption of cheers and congratulations was the loudest of the night. One raspy voice, unsurprisingly, came through loud and clear—but only to her.

" _Good going, Annie. You did it!"_

* * *

Later, on the way home, Annie felt she had to confide in Tyler. They needed to start their new relationship with total honesty and openness.

"Tyler, do you believe in guardian angels? Don't think I'm crazy. But I need to know."

Annie, fascinated by the bright color that suffused his cheeks, waited for him to jeer, or at the very least tease her for asking such a question. He surprised her.

"Well, actually I've been in close contact with one lately."

Hurt overwhelmed her at his supposed sarcasm, until she remembered his embarrassment. What's going on, she wondered. Prompted by an unknown source, she asked him, "Does your angel have a name?"

Shyly, he answered, "I call her _Celi_."

Afterword:

Thank you so much for reading _My Cheeky Angel._

I loved writing this story and I hope you enjoyed reading it. If so, I would ask you for a favor. Wherever you purchased this book, please take a few minutes and leave an honest review. Authors enjoy hearing that readers like their stories, and hopefully, others will read your words and choose to buy the because of your sentiments.

My website at http://mimibarbour.com now has all my books listed with links to the various publishers to make it easy for you to find my other work.

While you're there, I'd really appreciate it if you would sign up for my newsletter so I can keep in touch. I only send out newsletters approximately once a month and you have my word that your address will never be shared.

Hugs,

Mimi

His Devious Angel

Angels with Attitudes - Book #2

A girl who hates men, and a man who needs love!

Men are scum, and no one can tell Sadie any different. It's why she stays away from them. Until a crazy, hotshot soldier runs her down with his convertible. Now because she's bruised and sore, she's stuck having to accept his help in her elite dog-walking business. Just her luck that some of the expensive pets go missing and Liam decides the puppy-mill rumour needs to be investigated. And once they're forced to spend more time together, darned if a spark doesn't start to ignite.

Without the angel forcing him to brake, Liam could have killed the gorgeous girl who ran in front of his car to save a little boy. He owed the rescuer big time and would pay his debt no matter that she acted cranky and became more difficult with every meeting. After all, how hard could it be to walk a bunch of mangy mutts?

Loveable Christmas Angel

Angels with Attitudes -Book #3

Aloha! Sweet romance, lovable angel, and a prickly little boy's Christmas wish.

Christmas in Hawaii! How lucky can a girl get? Except Leilani is bringing her mother's ashes home to Waikiki and has an urgent plea of help from an aunt she's never even met. After winning two free nights in prestigious Hotel Jordan, things take a turn she never expected. First she gets stuck in an elevator with the prickly, but luscious Mr. Jordan. Secondly, her aunt is a sick woman and only held on for one reason. She wants to pass on her most precious possession – her five-year-old grandchild. The same little fellow that takes one look at Leilani, slaps his fist on his hips and yells, "Go away!"

Kale is the owner of the Jordan Hotel Chain and he can't believe his rotten luck. He broke up with a spoilt brat of a girlfriend and now he's stuck in an elevator with a big-eyed, effusive tourist. How in the world can a guy who's so worldly get hooked on a lively beauty with more dilemmas than anyone he's ever met?
**Also author of...**

Vegas Series

— _Action–Packed Thrillers! —_

Vegas Series – Complete Boxed Set

Partners (Book 1)

Roll the Dice (Book 2)

Vegas Shuffle (Book 3)

High Stakes Gamble (Book 4)

Spin the Wheel (Book 5)

Let it Ride (Book 6)

***

The Vicarage Bench Series

— _Spirit Travel at its Best! —_

She's Me (Book 1)

He's Her (Book 2)

We're One (Book 3)

Vicarage Bench Anthology (Book #4 Includes Books 1-3)

Together Again (Book 5)

Together for Christmas (Book 6)

Together Always (Book 7)

***

Angels with Attitude Series

— _Angels Playing Cupid! —_

My Cheeky Angel (Book 1)

His Devious Angel (Book 2)

Loveable Christmas Angel (Book 3)

The Angels with Attitudes Collection (Book 4 -Includes books 1-3)

Adorable Christmas Angel (Book 5 - for Christmas 2014)

***

Elvis Series

She's Not You (Book 1)

Love Me Tender (Book 2)

***

Undercover FBI Series

Special Agent Francesca (Book 1)

Special Agent Finnegan (released in fall 2014)

***

Other Titles

The Surrogate's Secret

Mimi's Mix (Box Set)

' _Tis the Season (Box Set)_

Hearts, Flowers & Romance (Box Set)

Ten Brides for Ten Heroes (Anthology with 10 authors)

Christmas Runaway

All of Mimi's books can be purchased from her website:

http://mimibarbour.com
About the author:

Mimi Barbour lives on the beautiful east coast of Vancouver Island and fills her days with writing and promoting her work. The rest of her day is spent in her garden, doing minimal housework, and visiting with her husband while he cooks their dinner.

"The favorite part of my job is meeting the characters from each new book. Designing them the way I want and having them act however I think they should. It's thrilling, especially when most of my make-believe folks are so very interesting. They're fun and surprising, and in most cases people I would love to interact with in reality."
Contact Information

My website: http://www.mimibarbour.com/

My blogspot: http://mimibarbour.blogspot.com

Follow me on twitter: https://twitter.com/MimiBarbour

Or on Facebook

