he pushed the elevator button in a recession of clicks, her heart pounding as quick as her fingers pressed and repressed for the lobby level. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon. Not now, please don't let it be now."

Elevator doors wouldn't close fast enough.

Maybe he won't make it, maybe he'll take the hint and leave well enough alone...

But all hope of that happening diminished as a black shoe fit into the remaining six-inch gap. Like a bad dream, both doors bumped against expensive leather and slid open.

Damn it! It would have taken him at least ten minutes to shoot down the stairwell, enough time to get in her car and make tracks.

Kate took a deep breath as the doors retracted. Her gaze rose slowly from that expensive black leather shoe, to black pleated trousers, matching jacket, and a white shirt that sported a black bow tie. His formal tux would have to fit his athletic form perfectly, she silently noted, just like everything else this model wore.

Lingering between his intriguing corded neck a bit tight with tension, and a cleft chin dotted with a hint of stubble, knots of anxiety turned to scattered butterflies in the pit of her stomach.

"Nice of you to wait."

Pride propped her to press the lobby button again, this time in wordless retaliation. It did little good; one of his hands simply reached up to block the closing doors before he strode into the elevator.

Sliding doors shut.

She mustered as much foreign flippancy as she could, turned away from him, and slowly paced the twelve by twelve carpeted reciprocal. "Shouldn't you be somewhere else?"

"You started something I'd like to finish."

"A first."

"Pardon?"

"This isn't the place to have at me."

"Wrong, it's the perfect place to end these games."

The span of silence that followed between them was so thick, the soft vibrations of Jazz that filtered from overhead speakers sounded more like a full-scale concert.

Putting an end to her pacing, she glanced down and pretended to study her sling-back shoes as she prepared herself for the worst. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and silently lined up all the excuses she was going to need in order to survive this emotional disaster.

"Katie?" The gentle touch on her shoulders startled her. Burying all her anxieties, she opened her eyes hoping her best poker face showed.

Oh double damn. Her vision met the reflection of a full-length mirror that ran the back of the wall; Devin StGeorge standing behind her. Plain to see how vulnerable she felt, she held her ground and stared at their image in spite of it.

Her classic petit features surrounded in a silver gray satin gown in front of his black tuxed athletic build gave an intriguing visual of delicate against strength. As her gaze further roamed the reflection, the rugged features she'd been avoiding made her heart skip a beat.

A mouth that knew exactly how to persuade was still parted from uttering her name. Blue midnight eyes that held the capacity to probe her soul searched . . . wondered . . . speculated. Stray wisps of coal hair too stubborn to stay corded up at his nape framed a face so rakishly appealing, she had to give herself moments to gather her thoughts.

Kate gave herself a mental shake. "I don't need placating 'GQ'." His movements though a mirror were a shock to her senses. His touch from one bare shoulder caressed its way up her neck and trailed over her fluttering pulse while his other hand weaved into reddish ebony waves of her hair, gently tugged, and expose more of her throat to both their gazes. "Actually, I was about to ring your neck."

It took every ounce of courage to smile with indifference. "Should I scream?"

His grasp loosened and she pulled away, walked over to the button panel, and pounded her index finger against the 'open doors' button. Nothing. She pressed a floor. Nothing again. A quick random succession of buttons. The same results.

He was quick; she'd give him that. It just hadn't dawned 'till then just how quick he managed to sabotage her surroundings.

Whirling around she found him leaning against the wall with arms crossed as-calm-as-you-please. "Don't worry, someone's bound to discover the elevator's out of order."

"Fix it."

"And miss out on this fantastic opportunity? Oh come on, Red."

Eyeing a near-by fire extinguisher, then him, she spoke her thoughts out loud. "Female photographer murders egomaniac model. Women all over the world rally Kate McDowell for Sainthood. International Holiday underway. Yes, indeed 'GQ', this is one fantastic opportunity."

"Ouch," Devin St George winced with soft laughter, "and you said spontaneity was one of my better qualities?"

"You were in front of the camera at the time." Turning to the panel again she opened the compartment labeled with a phone emblem for just such emergencies. The damage stared right back at her. Three ripped wires.

She didn't have to pick up that phone to know the connection wouldn't work. "This is turning out to be one heck of an evening." Turning to lean against the wall, she slowly slumped down until she sat on the carpet. When she reached up to rub throbbing temples, she dreadedly asked, "What's this going to solve?"

She chanced a glance at him. He still stared in her direction. "The truth."

"I apologize for ruining your evening. There. Now fix the elevator."

She heard his movements, but refused to take another glance until she heard soft words nearby, "Here, lean forward."

Her eyes fell on his jacket. Since she knew it wouldn't do any good disputing his gesture, she eased forward to instantly be enveloped by the warm and woodsy scent that was totally him. As a last moment pot shot, she sarcastically murmured, "Ever the gentleman" under her breath.

"Don't count on it", Came the dry reply.

A minute later an undone bow tie fluttered on her lap. Dumbstruck, Kate cautiously picked it up and eyed the item with weary amusement. "A memento?"

She glanced up just in time to watch the man undo remaining shirt buttons . . . slowly shrug the shirt off . . . Dear heaven above . . .

Kate held her breath, all coherent thought flying out the window as muscle, sparse dusted black hair, and golden bronzed skin did more for her own body temperature right then, than Devin StGeorge's jacket could ever do.

How many times had she glimpsed him like this behind a camera lens? Had her camera serve that much of a barrier all that time?

"Um . . . Devin?"

The shirt fell on her lap with all the insinuation of trouble in the making. Staring at it, she told her heart to calm down and her hormones to quit reminding her she was human.

Then the soft clink of something interrupted those thoughts. Even though she didn't have to look in order to realize what that was, she glanced up anyway.

Elongated fingers were undoing the strap-belt from its buckle.

"Devin . . . " Hands stopped in mid-motion as her eyes roamed up muscular plains and met mischief blue that queried along-side a mouth that tried hard to suppress humor. "That's Smooth Operator playing, not The Striper. Besides, all I'm carrying tonight is plastic, no bills."

That smile won out and turned to soft laughter. "Funny, Red." The soft hiss of fine leather drawn from belt loops seconds later was added to the mounting pile on her lap. "I hate being confined in a starched shirt, irritates the hell out of my skin."

Turning away she still tried to get her bearings. "Most guys wear a T-shirt underneath."

"Too suffocating. Can't breath with that many clothes on."

All too suddenly the man eased down to the carpeted floor beside her.

From the corner of her vision she watched him unlace shoes moments later that were haphazardly discarded, followed by socks.

"Hmmm, much better."

Human nature prompted her to go ahead, give into temptation even though common sense knew better. Compromising, she glimpsed the wall mirror.

Kate always thought pure sin was a heaping scoop of double-Dutch brownie ice cream covered in rich melted fudge. What met her vision in the mirror made her realize she'd gone through life way too sheltered.

Devin StGeorge leaned against the wall, head tilted back just so, lips parted and eyes closed while that lithe body stretched catlike. Masculine toes curled into the carpet with pleasure as he purred provocatively, "New shoes are hell."

The flicker of eyelash was the only giveaway he'd been studying her reaction all that time.

Of all the sneaky . . . conniving . . .

With a whole lot of exasperation, she threw the bundle of clothes on her lap right at him. "What luck, I'm stuck in an elevator with a closet nudist."

Tossing clothes away he had nerve to tease her further, "Oh, then if you don't mind. . . ?"

From the corner of her eye she spotted his hands reach for the waist of his trousers, the top button undone before she quickly put a stop to what he was about to unzip. "Don't you dare."

Her eyes locked with that amused gaze that non-the-less probed her thoughts. Incased hard, aroused male pressed against her palm bringing scorched memories of a night nearly a month ago when temptation crossed into sweet bliss.

His blunt stare silently dared her to consider the possibilities again, but it only took a split second to also remember the man's heart never ventured where his libido wound up.

She tentatively pulled her hand away and read the disappointment in his eyes.

"Coward."

"Excuse me?"

He quickly assessed her wardrobe with mock curiosity. "Pardon me Miss Sunnybrook Farms, but I couldn't help notice your lack of clothes this evening. Tell me, what's under the gown?"

Ok, he had her there.

The silk was so drapy, even wearing an under-slip would have caused unsightly ripples. It was quite a daring move to wear a dress like this, but just once, she gave into the impulse to calculatedly throw in his face what he'd never have again.

She had Jenean to thank for it, too. If it wasn't for her friend's reminder of all the numerous times she promised to make her next party, Kate wouldn't have worn the dress and she certainly wouldn't be in this sort of situation now.

"Are you implying I'd purposely wear this gown to get your attention?"

The touch of fingertips under her chin turned her gaze to meet fathomless depths so close, warm swirls of air caressed her lips. "No. To torture the living hell out of me."

In a matter of moments she was back on her feet. Hoping her actions seemed more exasperated with his ego instead of jumbled emotion, she walked over to the other side of the elevator. "I'm flattered I could fluster the notorious StGeorge."

Leaning against the wall for support, her body tried to recover from the almost kiss that would have happened.

The silence of Jazz was too deafening to think it could be that easy. She glanced his way.

With knees drawn up, arms crossed in front, his gaze turned serious. "What's the matter Kate?"

A little weary from all the sparring, she decided it was probably time for some honesty. "I don't want your pity."

"I don't know what planet you're from lady, but I've been doing my damndest to show you pity's the last thing on my mind."

"I'm looking for more than testosterone here, Devin."

His unwavering gaze narrowed. "You think I used you the first time?"

"You wanted me, you had me."

"I see. And what was your motivation, Kate? Everyone else had him so why not me?"

The remark struck with wounding capacity. Silently refusing to be baited, she bit back her retort in hopes that his ego would get her out of this elevator that much sooner.

He continued on with sarcastic flippancy, "Hmmm, well I'm glad I lived up to your expectations. Feel free to mention my name to the next circle of friends looking for a little diversion."

Fighting off another wave of emotional hurt she turned away, took a deep breath, and hated herself more for her reply. "You're very good at what you do."

"Why thank you. Another satisfied female. I love a good reference."

Before she could rethink impulsiveness, she tugged off her sling-backs and with split second timing hurdled them at him. Too bad he ducked just in time to watch her shoes hit the wall where his head laid moments before.

The way he glanced at that very spot, then her, spoke volumes of insinuation "Ooooo...we're making progress."

"You deliberately goaded me!"

His eyes widened with mock shock while one of his hands flattened against his chest in wounded pretense. "I wonder why?" Slowly rising from the floor, his gaze wandered around the elevator lost more to outspoken thoughts than his surroundings. "Maybe because you're the most exasperating female I've ever come across in my life?" His stare pointedly turned her way. "Probably."

"Just my luck that's an admiral trait by your standards."

The scrutinizing stare still full of insinuation had her nervously adjusting his jacket.

"Among others. Still cold?"

If it were anything but that almost too innocent voice backed up by bedroom eyes, she would have given him points on sincerity. However, it didn't take a genius to figure his off-handed comment was based on her aroused condition he discovered a moment before.

"I'll survive."

It was easy to see her double-edged answer was taken like a thrown down gauntlet. Leaning back against the wall, his expression changed to thoughtful contemplation. "That's another thing I like about you, Red, your gumption."

Rolling her eyes, feeling her headache gain force, she wearily shook her head. "Devin . . ."

With a held up palm, he put her protests on hold as he continued "No, really, once you make up your mind you stick to it. Take this situation," His eyes darkened to even deeper fathomless depths as he focused on her lips, "here you are holed up with a half naked man bent on seducing you - thoroughly I might add - and you've already made up your mind to hold out. Not typical behavior for a woman who's already given into the moment, but granted, you're not typical."

One of his hands casually combed through coal tresses in back of his nape sliding off the tied cord so the long strands fell free. "All I can think about is the last time you screamed ecstasy. Ironic isn't it? Here I am pondering ways to make you tremble again, and all you're thinking about is the best way to get around it. Yup, gumption all right."

Not quite sure what he meant, she cautiously asked, "Did you just insult me?"

"Not quite, but I'm working on it."

Counting to ten didn't help, but it did give her the opportunity to reevaluate his words. Crossing her arms in front of her she ground out. "Just because I won't give into the moment - in an elevator of all places - doesn't label me frigid."

"Frigid? Did I say frigid? Aw Red, anything but."

"And it doesn't mean I'm not human."

"Didn't say that either."

"Then what in the world is your problem, for pete's sake?"

His head tilted a bit to the side and amusement turned to curiosity, "I was wondering what made you forget gumption the first time."

With an exasperated groan she scanned the four walls of the elevator, then up at the ceiling.

Maybe...but it was too high up to reach any panels. Even if she got to the elevator's roof, it wasn't a guarantee she'd make her way to a floor. "StGeorge, if someone doesn't discover us soon, I swear, you won't live to see the light of day."

She glanced back just in time to see him shrug shoulders indifferently while his gaze focused on her haphazard sling-backs on the carpet floor. "Sue me for speculating."

No, it's more than that, she thought. Suddenly she understood what he was talking about, and she didn't like it one bit. "No you don't. Just because I was fool enough to say what I did at the party, doesn't mean you get another personal account."

His gaze came up connecting with hers quicker than if she'd turned on a light switch. That smile returned with a vengeance. "Can't take it back though, can you?"

"I'm sure that's convenient." Taking a deep breath she taped down whirlwind emotions and channeled them into anger. "You hear me getting all emotional about us, and automatically assume the best way to handle your guilt is cornering me to give the I'm-flattered-but-you'll-get-over-it speech."

She stopped herself before she said something more she'd regret if her temper got the best of her.

"Go ahead, Kate. Finish."

Prompting her with that soft whisper only made matters worse. After a short silent conflict between her heart's desire and her head's reasoning, she tossed reason out the window while emotions began to take their toll. "What's with you? Any man who was that cool the next morning would've reveled in the fact I was doing them a favor."

She expected some sort of sarcastic repertoire to jump in any minute, but thoughts of it didn't stop her from continuing. "The calls I didn't take, the visits I was scarce for? Didn't that give you a clue I chalked that night up as a fluke, Devin? I didn't want to hear it then, and I don't want to hear the it-was-nice scenario now. Go ahead, self righteously stand there and accuse me of being frigid just to appease your ego," She strode over to him, anger seething like an erupted volcano as she whipped off his jacket, flung it at him, and finished, "But don't think your doing me any favors!"

He didn't even have the grace to flinch as his jacket hit his chest dead-center, then fall to the floor.

She stood there taking gulps of air teetering on the brink between anger and hurt, praying he'd say something mean enough to keep her in the throes of hating him instead of giving into an emotional tidal wave of tears. He didn't disappoint her.

His expression hooded. His hand reached out, took a stray lock of hair, and gently tucked it behind her ear with all the insinuation of a parent placating a child. "Well, you sure told me."

That did it.

With a seething shriek of exasperation she did a quarter-turn, raced up to the elevator doors, and pounded her fists a few times and yelled, "Somebody! Anybody! I'm stuck in this elevator! Can anybody hear me?" Then turning around to face him, she seethed, "You know how to fix this elevator, fix it!"

"Don't you think your over-reacting - just a tad?"

Anger mounted to furry. Over-reacting? She'd show him overreaction. Turning back to the shut doors she doubled her pounding efforts and screeched "There's a dead man in here!" then glaring over her shoulder at one Devin StGeorge who was doing his best to keep laughter under wraps, she shouted even louder, "There will be a dead man in here if no one opens these doors right now!"

Her pounding slowed as she heard Devin StGeorge's laughter finally give in. Whirling around she watched him slump to the floor, eyes dancing with hilarity as he clutched his side. "God I missed you, Katie."

Eyeing the fire extinguisher she weighed the odds. So what if the puny size of it was only enough to give him a slight bump on the head; maybe it'd knock some commonsense into him.

Racing to it wasn't the problem, but she miscalculated the time factor of getting it down before he stopped her. The next thing she knew she was flat on her back, Devin right above her trapping her wrists at her sides.

"Damn you, Devin . . ."

"I thought a doomed man got a last request?"

She tried to struggle, but his strength was ridicules to out match. "Let me go."

"I also want last rights."

She almost choked on laughter. "Confession should take eternity alone."

Turning away, she placed her faith in the higher powers that were, and hoped for intervention.

"Forgive me, Red, I've made grave mistakes." He began, the words soft with the ring of sincerity too near her ear. "The first was eavesdropping on your phone conversation the morning after we made love, mistaking your brother as competition. The second was being too consumed with jealousy to let you believe the night before meant anything to me."

She turned to scan a mouth barely a breath away and midnight eyes that tenderly tried to relate their own cauldron of emotions as he continued. "The guy you called that morning. What did you say? 'No, can't make it tonight Dave . . . um . . . something's come up. I'll call you later. Yes, I love you too.' That ring a bell?"

"You thought my brother David . . .was some lover?"

Oh dear Lord, suddenly his behavior that morning made perfect sense.

Echo's of conversation earlier that evening in her best friend's kitchen, a room away from the party, returned with new clarity. That look of keen revelation he had when she discovered him eavesdropping wasn't just because he overheard her confessed feelings, but that he finally understood that phone call.

'Kate what's with you? You've been so out of sorts it's unreal.'

'I know, I'm just tired tonight, that's all.'

'I must have called the studio a dozen times before I finally got a hold of you. I thought you hated outside assignments?'

'Dave's short on staff and Joe, the photographer that usually does the sports shoots, is going through personal problems so big brother asked me to fill in. Its no big deal, but you know Basketball season - evening shoots. Morning's I've been checking proofs at the paper and afternoons I've been catching up on sleep.'

'That doesn't leave room for studio work. Kate, you know how fickle Designers are. If they can't get a-hold of you, competition wins over even if you're out of commission for a little while. Tell Dave to get someone else.'

'Jenean, a month isn't going to put me out. Besides I could use the time away from the studio. Dealing with models right now isn't a priority. In fact . . .'

'Katie what's wrong? Why are you crying? Oh, I'll kill him who ever he is! Katie?'

'I'll be fine. It's my fault anyway. I should have known better than to fall in love with him.'

'Oh now I'll really kill him. Sit down Hon. I'll grab some Kleenex and then we'll make plans for murder.'

'I can't believe I was so stupid. Sleeping with Devin StGeorge was definitely the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life.'

'Devin? Katie, honey, this is all about Devin?'

"Jealousy?" she cautiously murmured her thoughts out loud.

Midnight eyes glittered with flecked-chips of speckled indigo while words hinted at taped down possessiveness. "Knowing there was someone else that meant more to you then what happened between us? Red, you don't have a clue."

"Why did you let me believe the worst?"

"The last thing you needed to know was how involved I was." She saw sincerity touch his eyes as he drew closer. "So I played it cool," the brief touch of a soft kiss whisked across her lips, as he mussed regretfully, "A bit too cool."

"Devin . . ."

The release of one of her wrists resulted in his warm fingertips that gently pressed against her lips. "I had it all figured out. A few well placed calls to Designers and I'd be in your studio again. Seducing you away from him for the sake of good sex wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but I'd work out the rest once I got that far."

Fingertips outlined her lips slowly then ventured lower to gently tap against her chin. "The problem was, you put all projects on hold." His eyes darkened, glanced down at her parted lips then back to her stare. "It didn't take much to enlist Jenean's help. If she talked you into doing one project - just one - my chances of canceling out the competition was as good as done."

Her vision swept the determined handsome features of reckless coal tresses that framed deep midnight blue eyes, a slight narrow nose, and sensual mouth that fluttered her stomach into knots. "You've always been sneaky . . .underhanded . . . unfair," she managed breathlessly.

Trailing words that brushed along her lips made it damn hard to keep a clear mind. "Being in love drives me to it."

The words made her eyes mist as it all sunk in. He loved her. All along she thought he was trying to say goodbye only to find out he was lost out of his mind on how to make things work.

Leaning up she tested her own resilience as she kissed him lingeringly, then smiled up at him reading the tender passion he held for her. "So, now that you've entrapped me, Devin StGeorge, what's next with this plan of yours?"

As if on que, The Wedding March burst out from above speakers at double the volume that sensual Jazz had moments before. A female voice accompanied it seconds later. "There'll be a priest here within the hour when those doors open."

Kate fell into fits of laughter over the astonished shock on Devin's face. No, it didn't take a genius to figure whose voice that was booming into the elevator with all the seriousness of a messenger from heaven.

Tilting his head towards the ceiling, the man above her queried unbelievably, "Jenean?"

"Oh don't have a cow, Devin. Almost everyone knows security in this building is one of the best. I made sure video was off, but I couldn't help keeping the audio on."

"How'd you figure we were in here?"

"Please. Do you think I'd let Kate leave without knowing she was OK? I saw her enter the elevator with you in pursuit. Just be thankful I had sense enough to race down to the security office to run interference. You didn't injure him too bad now did you Katie? That ruckus I heard had me wondering."

She couldn't help it; the thought of her friend overhearing everything from thrown sling-backs, to her tousle on the carpet made her laugh all the more. It also had Devin pointedly glare her way. Shaking her head she reassured him between choked up laughter, "I didn't know . . . I swear!"

"Since I'm reasonably sure the situation's under control, I'll cut the audio. Oh, but before I leave you two alone, there's something you ought to know. This priest is ready to ordain Kate a Saint if marriage isn't on the agenda, Dev. Ta-ta you two."

The sounds of Jazz filtered in once again while Kate tried to get her laughter under control.

"You. You think that was funny?"

She shook her head trying her best to stilt laughter, and for a few moments she actually managed her best serious poker face as she teased, "How terrible of her to agree what a great Saint I'd make."

His gaze flared disbelief, and that was all it took to trip her into laugher once again.

That stare above her narrowed in mischievous promise, and moment's later fingers ran along both sides of her ribs with ticklish payback.

She squealed with unexpected surprise as she tried to out maneuver those fingers. "All right . . .I take it back . . . I take it back . . .I love you too much to become a Saint!"

Hard warm contours lowered slowly against hers, and midnight mischief turned to seductive coercion. Batting her lashes innocently she couldn't help murmur one last teasing retaliation using his own words playfully against him, "I guess you showed me."