I cupped his jaw and pulled away. My semi-panicked gaze searched his face. I saw passion, tenderness and growing concern.

"Is something wrong, sweetheart?"

My eyes widened. Sweetheart. He'd freaking called me sweetheart. A cold sweat broke out all over my body. Why would he call me sweetheart, unless… "I didn't fill out an application," I said, my voice trembling.

A blank screen suddenly shuttered over his eyes. A silent moment ticked by, then another. He stepped away from my touch and crossed his arms over his chest. He was going for a pose of casual disregard, but a bead of sweat trickled from his temple, ruining the effect. Too, the lines around his mouth were taut. Desire still held him in its clasp.

"That's good," he said, no emotion in his voice. "I didn't ask you to."

A shudder, this one having nothing to do with desire, racked me. He didn't want me to fill the damn thing out because-I could only guess at the answer, and I didn't like it. Either he viewed me as so far beneath him I was non-bridal material, which offended me in an ironic sort of way, or he already knew he wanted a commitment from me.

Commitment…just the word made me want to vomit. Commitment with a client-I think I really did throw up in my mouth a little. Being tied down to someone wasn't what bothered me. It was the thought of being tied to someone who would one day treat me badly, one day lose all interest in me, one day stop loving me.

One day make me feel like I was worth less than garbage.

Richard had treated me very well in the beginning of our relationship. He'd catered to my every need. He'd done everything in his power to ensure my happiness. How quickly that had faded once he had me tied to him.

Maybe I was assuming too much here, though. Maybe Royce called every woman sweetheart. Maybe he didn't see me as bride material, but as the perfect candidate for some sort of bizarre sexual ritual he'd picked up on his many travels. A ritual I was perfectly willing to experience.

Wasn't I? I was so confused at the moment.

"What do you want from me?" I asked softly.

He gave no reply. But a muscle ticked in his jaw, I noticed.

"You're a handsome man, Royce, and you have money. You can have any woman you want. Why make them fill out applications? Are you that desperate to get married?"

The ticking branched to his eyes. Combined with the fury now flickering in his gaze, it made him appear truly menacing. A man who made his enemies tremble with fear and his lovers shiver with desire. "That's not your concern, Naomi." Pause. "Is it?"

Undeterred, I persisted. "A new reality show? You wanted to build a portfolio of naked pictures? You're tired of online dating?"

Silence. Heavy, stilted silence.

Finally, watching me all the while, he said, "Maybe it was forced on me. Maybe I offered up a challenge-think you know so much about what I need, then find me the perfect girl-and someone took the initiative. Maybe, when the applications started pouring in, I realized I'm getting older and I've never been in love. Maybe," he ended in a quiet tone, "I saw my chance."

My blood alternately turned hot and cold. Even if he hadn't liked the situation at first, he'd just admitted he was seriously considering those stupid applications now That he was looking for a wife. "So you really mean to do it? You really mean to choose a bride?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not."

I gulped. "Either way, I'm not the one for you." My head fell forward and I stared down at my hands. "I don't want your love or a ring. And I-" Come on. Just say it. "And I don't want your kisses."

His expression darkened, and his lips edged into a fierce frown. "I don't recall asking for your love or your hand in marriage."

Ouch. "I've been in love before," I explained, to ease the sting of my words. "I didn't like it."

He reached out slowly, giving me every opportunity to run away. Stupid me, I didn't. One more touch would be okay. I could handle one more touch. His fingers closed around my wrists gently and tugged, maneuvering me back into a kissable position.

"I liked the taste of you," he said. "A lot." He trailed feathery kisses along the length of my jaw and I liquefied again. Even my Tigress purred her enjoyment. He licked the seam of my lips. "And I think you liked the taste of me. A lot."

A sharp lance of desire warred with a cold knot of regret. "No," I forced myself to say. "No."

He looked disbelieving and aroused and oh, so tempting all at once. "Yes," he said quietly. "You want my kisses."

"Despite what you said, I think you want more than a kiss. I can't give more." Each point of contact between us sent heated blood pounding through my veins like an awakened river.

Thankfully he dropped his arms to his side and shoved both of his hands into his pockets. "You wanted to give me more. I felt how your body responded. Another minute or two and we would have been on the floor, naked."

I didn't refute it. Couldn't, for that matter. He would have seen the lie in my eyes had I tried. Desire this intense couldn't be hidden, and I knew it. "So what?" I said, suddenly defensive. "A girl has the right to change her mind."

"You're right," he said, using that quiet tone again. "A girl can change her mind."

Smart, smart man. Diabolical, but smart. He'd just issued an invitation I had trouble resisting: change your mind again and kiss me.

"I'm sorry." I swallowed, forcing the words out. "I'm truly sorry I let things get out of hand. I am not a tease, really." I twisted the hem of my shirt between unsteady fingers. "I'm not sure what happened to me; I've never acted like this before."

He pushed a hand through his hair, his body relaxing. "Finally, words I like."

I frowned. "What does that mean?"

His lips inched up in a smug, half grin. "Figure it out. If you've never acted this way before, it means I'm the only man-"

I slapped a hand over his mouth, cutting off his words. Damn me and my big mouth. Why not just admit I was desperate for him, too, while I was at it?

He pried my hand from his face and I saw he was still grinning. His fingers curled around mine, squeezed, then released me. "If I did it once, you can damn well count on me doing it again."

I felt the color drain from my face. He was right. Shit, he was right. Before I had time to work up a good panic, he added, "Get used to the idea of me kissing you, Naomi. Looks like it's inevitable."

"Wanna bet?" my Tigress growled before I could stop her. Well, well, well. She'd finally decided to do something besides purr.

Challenge gleamed in Royce's eyes. "You enjoy losing, Naomi?"

"I wouldn't know," I said with bravado. "I've never lost."

A wicked glint lit his eyes. "Well, sweetheart, I'll try to make your first experience as pleasurable as possible for you." His sultry threat rang in my ears long after he strode away and slammed the door.