every movement of her body, the way her lips were made for fantasy nights, those eyes, dark and mysterious like the woman herself.
He could read that power she wore like a cloak just as easily as he could read the aura surrounding her. She hid her powerful energy, hid every dark shadow inside her, presented a different face to the world than what was deep inside of her. But he saw her—all of her—and he wanted what he saw. What man wouldn’t? This was a woman a man would never get out of his mind. He saw instantly why Jean-Claude La Roux was so obsessed. She crawled inside a man before he ever had a chance to run. Just with one smoldering look. That innocent seduction.
Through it all, there was something else. Something much deeper that he reacted to. Elemental. Elusive. She was far more than that bright innocent seductress every other man would see and want. She was filled with sorrow. Lost. He wasn’t a hero. He wasn’t the man who stepped forward and saved the innocent. He was lost himself. Shadows had invaded a long time ago and stolen his life. But he would give anything he had left to be the man who found a way to save Judith Henderson. He wanted to be that man and it made no sense. She was a complete stranger, but that tiny piece of humanity left in him reached for this woman.
“Mr. Vincent?”
Her voice was as seductive as the rest of her. Velvet soft. Stroking over his skin like the touch of fingers. She was already inside of him. He could feel her there where he could never get her out.
“Miss Henderson?” His accent was perfect. He was already firmly anchored in his role as Thomas Vincent, an American businessman recognized in the art world with enough credentials to impress anyone. Like any good cover, he’d worked on it for some time, in case he ever needed an American businessman. The art was easy enough, he had studied hard and with his ability to retain what he read, it was simple enough to pull out his extensive education and add it to the role he immersed himself in.
Judith took another step toward him, her gaze moving over his body. Even in his elegant, perfectly fitting suit, he knew he wasn’t much to look at. He had the physique of a bodybuilder, impossible to hide. His tapered waist and narrow hips only exaggerated the bulk of his chest, arms and shoulders. His eyes were penetrating and deep blue-green, almost an aqua, his natural color. He normally wore tinted contacts, but it had been necessary to give a little of himself to this woman. What there was left of him—and it wasn’t much.
“Yes, I’m Judith Henderson. I hope I haven’t kept you waiting long. I was held up at the studio and didn’t have a number to reach you. I’m so sorry.”
A man would forgive this woman anything, especially when she looked at him with such obvious sincerity. Her eyes were enough to drown a man. He slowed his breathing and took control of his rapidly beating heart. He sent her a smile—a real one. Her head jerked up and she blinked rapidly, a sign that his crooked smile had an effect on her.
He found he didn’t want to play her, not the way he did other marks, but every move was smooth and practiced, traits drilled into him since childhood. He hadn’t been the most handsome man in their school; he’d been too rough and edgy to be called that, but he had undeniable charm and a hard, muscular body a woman couldn’t help noticing. Sometimes, the scars on his face and body were a deterrent, but more often, women found them intriguing.
“No problem. Sea Haven is beautiful. I spent the time wandering around. You’d said you might be a few minutes late and it gave me the opportunity to look at the gallery location. Sea Haven certainly appears to be everything the advertisement said.”
“If you’re looking for a place to raise a family,” Judith said, “this is the perfect place.”
He flashed another smile. “No family. I just decided I wanted out of the rat race. At my age, peace
He could read that power she wore like a cloak just as easily as he could read the aura surrounding her. She hid her powerful energy, hid every dark shadow inside her, presented a different face to the world than what was deep inside of her. But he saw her—all of her—and he wanted what he saw. What man wouldn’t? This was a woman a man would never get out of his mind. He saw instantly why Jean-Claude La Roux was so obsessed. She crawled inside a man before he ever had a chance to run. Just with one smoldering look. That innocent seduction.
Through it all, there was something else. Something much deeper that he reacted to. Elemental. Elusive. She was far more than that bright innocent seductress every other man would see and want. She was filled with sorrow. Lost. He wasn’t a hero. He wasn’t the man who stepped forward and saved the innocent. He was lost himself. Shadows had invaded a long time ago and stolen his life. But he would give anything he had left to be the man who found a way to save Judith Henderson. He wanted to be that man and it made no sense. She was a complete stranger, but that tiny piece of humanity left in him reached for this woman.
“Mr. Vincent?”
Her voice was as seductive as the rest of her. Velvet soft. Stroking over his skin like the touch of fingers. She was already inside of him. He could feel her there where he could never get her out.
“Miss Henderson?” His accent was perfect. He was already firmly anchored in his role as Thomas Vincent, an American businessman recognized in the art world with enough credentials to impress anyone. Like any good cover, he’d worked on it for some time, in case he ever needed an American businessman. The art was easy enough, he had studied hard and with his ability to retain what he read, it was simple enough to pull out his extensive education and add it to the role he immersed himself in.
Judith took another step toward him, her gaze moving over his body. Even in his elegant, perfectly fitting suit, he knew he wasn’t much to look at. He had the physique of a bodybuilder, impossible to hide. His tapered waist and narrow hips only exaggerated the bulk of his chest, arms and shoulders. His eyes were penetrating and deep blue-green, almost an aqua, his natural color. He normally wore tinted contacts, but it had been necessary to give a little of himself to this woman. What there was left of him—and it wasn’t much.
“Yes, I’m Judith Henderson. I hope I haven’t kept you waiting long. I was held up at the studio and didn’t have a number to reach you. I’m so sorry.”
A man would forgive this woman anything, especially when she looked at him with such obvious sincerity. Her eyes were enough to drown a man. He slowed his breathing and took control of his rapidly beating heart. He sent her a smile—a real one. Her head jerked up and she blinked rapidly, a sign that his crooked smile had an effect on her.
He found he didn’t want to play her, not the way he did other marks, but every move was smooth and practiced, traits drilled into him since childhood. He hadn’t been the most handsome man in their school; he’d been too rough and edgy to be called that, but he had undeniable charm and a hard, muscular body a woman couldn’t help noticing. Sometimes, the scars on his face and body were a deterrent, but more often, women found them intriguing.
“No problem. Sea Haven is beautiful. I spent the time wandering around. You’d said you might be a few minutes late and it gave me the opportunity to look at the gallery location. Sea Haven certainly appears to be everything the advertisement said.”
“If you’re looking for a place to raise a family,” Judith said, “this is the perfect place.”
He flashed another smile. “No family. I just decided I wanted out of the rat race. At my age, peace
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