Burning Seduction by Vella Day

him over, since he might already be a bit upset that she hadn’t told him she was moving in. Once he’d mentioned he had to help his brother on Sunday, she didn’t want to him to have to make a choice.
    Excited to learn if he was free tonight, she finished her shower and then toweled dry. Knowing that men always liked it when a woman made a home cooked meal, she’d asked Sharon for some advice. Her father’s assistant claimed if she could just get a man to taste her food, she might be able to land him in bed. Charlotte adored Sharon, and the fact she had helped save her father’s life had endeared her to Charlotte even more.
    After Sharon had helped with the unpacking on Sunday, she’d written down two fairly simple recipes she claimed all men liked. From the ingredients, the meal sounded wonderful. Charlotte had gone shopping Sunday night and purchased what she needed, figuring Trent would be over at some point.
    If he couldn’t come tonight, she’d make some spaghetti for herself and prepare the fancy dinner another time. Before she dressed in something sexy for him, she called to see if tonight would be the night.
    “Charlotte, are you okay?” Worry laced his voice.
    She smiled at the overprotective man. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
    Trent waited a beat before answering. “No reason.”
    Even if there had been, he might not share it. “I’m not sure if I mentioned it, but I moved into my own apartment Sunday, and wondered if you’d like to come over tonight?” She hoped she didn’t sound too needy, but she wanted to be with him again. The one time they’d made love only served to wet her appetite.
    Besides jumping his bones, she wanted to learn more about him, and she bet he’d be willing to play a game or two of chess like they had when they were up in his dad’s cabin. If, after a few glasses of wine, they ended up in bed, even better. Charlotte was well aware it would take some work to break through his tough exterior.
    “I should be finishing up here at the office in about a half an hour. Does that work for you?”
    Pinpricks of joy sizzled over her skin, and moisture pooled between her legs. “It does if I can make you dinner.”
    “You don’t have to. I can pick up something on the way.”
    Sometimes men could be a bit dense. “I have to eat, and I thought you might like to share.”
    Finally, she heard the chuckle she’d been waiting for. “Sounds fantastic. Can I bring a bottle of red or white wine?”
    She had several in her wine rack, but Trent was the type who wouldn’t like coming empty-handed. He’d even brought a six-pack to Dad’s party. “White would be fantastic. I’ll start dinner whenever you arrive.” She then gave him the address, and he said he knew the building.
    “See you soon.” He sounded excited, and her energy doubled. She couldn’t wait to seduce him.
    *     *     *
    Trent was thrilled that Charlotte had invited him over to her place. That way, if anything should happen, it wouldn’t look as if he only wanted her for sex. He wished he could spend hours chatting with her, finding out what she liked, but every time he came near her, his libido soared out of control. If only he knew what it was about her that drew him to her, he might be stay calm.
    With the white wine in hand, he knocked on her door, pleased she’d found a place in town since it was safer than being in a house on the outskirts. While the man who had been after her was now in prison, Trent still had the urge to protect her.
    The moment Charlotte opened the door, all thoughts of her stalker disappeared. His pulse raced and a few other body parts reacted. She had on a pretty skirt that showed off her long legs, along with an almost see-through blouse that made him want to rip it off. Clearly, she’d dressed to entice and wasn’t concerned her attire was better suited to summer than winter. He’d have to think about some gruesome detail of his case all during dinner in order to keep his