Lethal Exposure by Lori Wilde Page A

not to come by tonight.
    He’d planned on spending the weekend alone, working on the campaign. He also wanted to figure out what was happening to him where Julie was concerned, and why it bothered the hell out of him that she hadn’t called him like she said she would. But then he’d gotten back to his empty hotel room at the end of the week, and he knew the only way to get her out of his head was to be with other people.
    Now here she was. Looking damned gorgeous in a red sweater and blue jeans. He hungered to know what it would feel like to be inside of her. He’d been imagining it all week.
    Dammit, he was getting a boner.
    To distract himself, he handed the Shiraz he’d brought to Elle, picked up a plate and headed for the buffet table. He loaded up on food, not even paying attention to what he was getting. Julie muddled him that much.
    “Scoot down everyone.” Elle waved a hand. “Make room for Sebastian.”
    Dante shifted, creating an opening on his side of the table directly across from Julie.
    But Julie wasn’t looking at Sebastian, rather she was attacking her baked potato with the gusto of a someone who hadn’t eaten in a week. Was she really that hungry? Or was it a dodge so she wouldn’t have to look at him?
    Several moments passed, and he was certain now she was avoiding him, but he didn’t know why. What misstep had he made? Had he not satisfied her in the hayloft? Had she faked her orgasm? His male ego flattened at the notion. She had seemed distant all week. But he hadn’t pushed her. This was her game. She’d set the rules. Maybe she’d stopped playing and hadn’t bothered to clue him in.
    Elle introduced him to her guests. Some of them—like Dante and Tanner—he’d already met at Confidential Rejuvenations, but he didn’t know Carlisle, Bridget, Brad or Sabrina.
    “And last, but certainly not least, this is Julie DeMarco.” With a flourish of her hand, Elle indicated Julie.
    “We’ve met,” Sebastian said.
    “Oh, that’s right,” Elle said, feigning innocence. “I forgot.”
    Like hell, he thought.
    Julie finally looked up.
    They stared into each other’s eyes, forks poised over their plates.
    I know what you taste like. He telegraphed her the thought with his eyes.
    She drilled him a look that said she was trying to gauge the depth of his soul. He noticed their chests were rising and falling in tandem as if inhaling and exhaling simultaneous breaths of air. There was such primal desire written on her face. The look was at once vulnerable and exceedingly tough.
    It touched him, her naked strength.
    He had an irresistible impulse to reach across the table and cup her cheek in his palm. If they hadn’t been surrounded by people, he would have done just that. Only his awareness of his public image kept his hands on his fork and knife.
    Her eyes rounded as if he had caressed her. As if she knew how much he wanted to kiss her. She was holding her breath. Intentionally trying not to match his rhythm now, he wondered?
    If he were to finger the pulse at her throat would he discover her blood was pounding as fast as his own? Did she have any idea how much he hungered for her? What would she do if she knew that underneath the fancy napkin in his lap he was rock-hard for her?
    “So tell us, Sebastian, how did you get into public relations?” Dante asked as he uncorked the bottle of wine Sebastian had brought and began pouring it for his guests. “Was it a family business?”
    “No. PR came naturally to me,” he said, never taking his eyes off Julie. “I’m a glass-half-full kind of guy and I’ve been told I have a talent for putting things in the most positive light.”
    “You must come across some very interesting things in your line of work,” Elle said.
    “No more than any of the rest of you, I’m sure. When you work with the public…” He trailed off, leaving his meaning open for interpretation.
    Julie shot him a sly, seductive smile that snatched his breath from his