Mia opened her mouth to speak, and Adrian cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Don"t even go there. "

Steve wasn"t so easily intimidated. "I have to admit, she puts up a convincing argument. "

"I"m not interested. Period. End of discussion." He polished off his beer and refrained from ordering a third.

"Fine." Steve"s stare was all too knowing. "But just for the record, I think the little spitfire has gotten to you, and maybe this is possibly about more than just posing for a beefcake calendar. "

Adrian"s first instinct was to deny Steve"s very astute statement. But his older brother knew him well, knew what he"d been through in the past, and knew the emotional wringer one woman had put him through that had affected his views on relationships with the female gender and not letting any woman close ever since.

Steve sighed and stood. "And on that note, I"m outta here. I promised Liz I"d help her close up The Daily Grind tonight, and I"m hoping to get a caramel frappa-cino out of the deal." He waggled his brows, indicating that he was hoping for a whole lot more than just a cold coffee drink from his wife.

Scott grinned. "How"s married life?"

Withdrawing a large bill from his wallet, Steve tossed it onto the table for his drink and tip. "A h.e.l.luva lot bet-ter than this," he said, and indicated the singles scene behind him, gathered at Nick"s to enjoy the band, play pool or darts, and generally attempt to pick up members of the opposite s.e.x.

Cameron shook his head and rocked his chair onto its back legs. "You and Eric are something else, from sworn bachelors to domestic bliss. You"re making us look bad. "

"What can I say, boys. I"m living the good life." The broad smile on Steve"s face attested to just how happy he was. "When the right woman comes along, then you"ll understand the domestic bliss thing, and actually enjoy it. "

With a chorus of "Good night," Steve left the bar, leaving Adrian to contemplate his brother"s comment, and how the right woman had changed both Steve and Eric"s bachelor lives. He"d never seen either of his brothers so mellow before, so content in their lives and the women they"d married. Adrian was beginning to feel like the odd man out lately, and restless in a way he couldn"t shake. Which was why he"d decided to escape for the weekend to the family cabina"a quiet sanctuary away from work and the craziness of life. Not to mention the old, painful memories that had been nagging him ever since Chayse had made him a target for her pinup calendar and he"d realized he wanted her in ways that defied the keep-it-simple rules he"d set for himself four years ago.

Undoubtedly, he was an earthy, physical guy who loved s.e.x and all the pleasures to be found in a woman"s body, and he could always find a warm and eager female when the mood struck him. But that"s all he allowed anymorea just hot, mindless s.e.x with women who knew the score right up front and wanted the same thing. To that end, he didn"t care what they thought of him, or how he looked in their eyes, because it was all about mutual give and take and carnal satisfaction, and they both walked away afterward with no expectations or regrets.

He scrubbed a hand along his jaw, forced to admit that even raucous s.e.x with a ready and willing partner had lost its appeal over the past few months. And he had a certain stubborn, persistent blond-haired beauty to blame for his lack of interest in any other woman, and his celibate life of late.

Chayse was so under his skin, he couldn"t get her out of his mind, his erotic dreams, his life, no matter how hard he tried. And whenever he felt the vibes between them, which was anytime they were in the same vicinity, it nearly devastated his senses and destroyed his restraint. Yet beyond their s.e.xual attraction, she exuded warmth and a genuine caring he was inexplicably drawn to, especially when she talked about her project or the kids at Chicago"s Children"s Hospital, where she visited and was a volunteer.

He cast an irritable glance toward the rest rooms just as Chayse exited. She headed back in the direction of the table, only to be waylaid by a tall, good-looking guy who grasped her elbow. She stopped, surprised but not upset by the man"s interception. He motioned to the dance floor with a charming smile and a nod of his head. She shrugged her shoulders in a "Sure, why not" kind of gesture and off they went together, mingling into the crowd dancing to the rock music the band was playing.

The pair started out innocently enough, with Chayse seemingly enjoying herself, but it didn"t take long for Casanova to make a move, using their close proximity to initiate a little touchy-feely with her. His hands came to rest on her shimmying hips, then boldly slipped around to her backside.

Jealousy, a sensation Adrian hadn"t experienced in much too long, reared its ugly head before he could stop the emotion. His temper flared at the other man"s predatory move toward Chayse, a possessive, unwelcome response he refused to act upon.

"Jesus, Adrian," Scott said, cutting through his dark, festering thoughts. "Would you stop glaring already?"

"That guy has his hand on her a.s.s," he bit out, disgusted with himself for caring so much.

Cameron grinned with keen male insight. "And you wish it were your hand on her a.s.s instead, don"t you?"

Adrian couldn"t argue the truth, so he didn"t even try. Through a narrowed gaze, he watched as Chayse removed the other man"s wandering hands from her bottom, but the chump merely grabbed her around the waist, jerked her hips to his, and ground himself lewdly against her. She stiffened and braced her hands against his shoulders to hold him away, but her partner wasn"t letting go and used the crush of people around them to his advantage.

Adrian"s hand curled into a fist, and the muscles in his arm bunched with tension. He wanted to pummel the guy, then tear him apart, limb by limb. "He"s practically molesting her out on the dance floor. "

"Then maybe you ought to go over there and do something about it," Mia suggested oh so helpfully.

"Maybe I will." Watching the other man ignore Chayse"s attempt to slip from his grasp again, Adrian felt as though he"d been prodded with a hot brand, provoked beyond reason. Because it certainly wasn"t any sort of reasoning that had him strolling across the room and into the fray of writhing, dancing bodies to rescue her.

Coming up behind the guy, Adrian placed his hand where neck met shoulder and applied a firm pressure with his fingers that immediately caught the other man"s attention.

"What the h.e.l.l?" The other man instantly let go of Chayse and tried to whirl around to face his accoster, but Adrian"s unrelenting hold prevented him from moving freely.

"The lady"s with me," Adrian said, low and menacing, and gave the guy a push to the side. "Touch her again, and I won"t be responsible for my actions. "

The other man straightened his shirt and shot Adrian a scathing glance. But after taking one look at Adrian"s superior size and strength, the chump obviously thought better of challenging him and left the dance floor.

Adrian had every intention of dragging Chayse back to the table, but before he could do so she slipped her hands around his neck, ensnaring him with her arms and holding him in place with her sultry, disarming gaze.

She shook her head in wonder, causing those soft, disheveled waves to caress her cheek and jaw. "Talk about trading one bundle of trouble for another," she teased.

"Just say thank you," he said gruffly, and placed his hands lightly on her slender waist, because it was the safest place to keep them when he was so d.a.m.ned tempted to slide them elsewhere.

She swayed closer with the beat of the music, aligning their bodies even more intimately than she"d been with the previous guy. This time, of her own free will. "Thank you, though I didn"t need the help. "

His body responded to the warmth and softness of her supple curves, hardening him in a scalding rush of need. "What? You like being mauled by men?"

She laughed, the provocative vibration causing her b.r.e.a.s.t.s to jiggle enticingly against his chest. "Now that all depends on the man and the situation, though I have to agree that this wasn"t the right man or situation. If you hadn"t shown up when you did, he would have been the very unhappy recipient of having my knee jammed up against his groin. "

He winced at that unpleasant image, and quickly realized that this sa.s.sy, spirited woman easily could have held her own with her dance partner.

"You, however, are the right man, in many ways." Her fingers played with the rebel-long strands of hair at the nape of his neck, and she tipped her head to the side. She smiled up at him flirtatiously, that lush mouth of hers displaying a wealth of erotic potential. "What is it going to take to change your mind about posing for my calendar?"

So, they were back to that again. "Absolutely nothing." He released a long exhalation just as an idea entered his mind, one that would benefit them both and finally end this agonizing situation for him. "Why don"t I just write you a substantial check, donate it to your charity, and we can leave it at that?"

"I don"t want your money, Adrian," she said softly, and glided her hands along his shoulders and down to his chest in a too arousing caress. "I want you. "

Her words held a dual meaning, one that encompa.s.sed her pursuit of him for her calendar, and the other holding a more seductive, s.e.xual connotation. He would"ve liked nothing more than to take her up on that second offer, to finally slake the l.u.s.t that had been riding him hard for the past hour and was increasing with each slow, rhythmic slide of her body along the length of his.

And if he wasn"t careful, that l.u.s.t was going to overrule his common sense. "You"d be better off taking the money, sweetheart, because that"s all you"re getting from me. "

She mulled that over for a moment. "Tell you what, I"ll make a deal with you. "

He had to admit that he was curious to hear what she had to say, not that he"d agree to any kind of compromise. "What kind of deal?"

Her gaze captured his and searched deep, past those emotional barriers he"d erected and seemingly touching a piece of his soul in the process. "Tell me what you"re really hiding from, and maybe I"ll back off. "

Adrian"s lungs squeezed tight, making normal breathing difficult. How the h.e.l.l she"d managed to hit him where he was most susceptible, he didn"t know. And he wasn"t about to stick around to find out, either. Needing to get away from Chayse and her too accurate intuition, he released her abrupdy, pulled her arms from around his neck, and headed toward the men"s room without looking back.

Once inside and certain he was alone, he slammed his fist against one of the steel doors, which did nothing to dissolve the reckless frustration gripping hima"s.e.xual and otherwise. He paced the length of linoleum floor like a caged animal, hating how Chayse so easily threatened his restraint when he was a man who prided himself on controla"in his life, with his job and business, and especially with women.

At least until her, he acknowledged, and shoved his hands through his thick hair. Now he was constantly grappling for the upper hand between them, and battling an upheaval of emotion he had no use for. And the last thing he wanted or needed was the complication of a woman who got to him on such an innate level.

He heard someone enter the rest room and turned around, stunned to find Chayse standing just feet away from him. She locked the main door as if to keep him from bolting again, then leaned against it.

He jammed his hands on his hips and summoned his most intimidating scowl. "Just in case it"s escaped your notice, you"re in the men"s rest room. "

She ignored his sarcasm, and that direct, probing look was back in her eyes again. "Mia mentioned that your brothers nicknamed you the Wilde One, because you"ve always taken sports and other adventures to the extreme. Is that true?"

"Yes." Uncertain what she was getting at, he waved an impatient hand between them. "What"s your point?"

"How wild and daring are you really?"

Furious at her audacity in challenging his manhood, he slowly closed the distance between them until he was looming in front of her. The little spitfire was attempting to pressure him, trying to eventually break him down so he"d give her what she"d been wanting from him for the past four months.

It wasn"t going to happen.

He flattened his hands against the door on either side of her shoulders, trapping her against a hard slab of wood and his taut, unyielding body. His mouth twisted with a perverse smile. "You"d like to know just how daring I am?"

Instead of shrinking back from the bite in his tone, that stubborn, defiant chin of hers lifted. "Yeah, I would, because it seems to me you"re not quite living up to that risk-taking reputation of yours. "

Because he wasn"t willing to do her calendar. He inhaled a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. G.o.d, she was bold and brazen, and incredibly brave to provoke him when he was feeling so hot, edgy, and resentful. "Well, let me show you just how wild and extreme I can be. "

Before she could so much as utter a comeback or realize his intent, he captured her mouth with his. Her lips parted as she sucked in a quick, startled breath, and he shoved his fingers into her hair and held her head in his hands, rendering her immobile as he delivered a demanding, open-mouthed, tongue-tangling kiss she couldn"t escape.

Knowing how tough and obstinate she was, he wasn"t at all gentle with her, determined to instigate a bit of uncertainty in that confidence of hers so she"d back off. He was also h.e.l.l-bent on making sure she knew what he wanted from her, what he"d greedily take given the opportunitya"her body. He shifted closer and poured everything into the hot, ruthless kissa"aggression, dominance, and the desperate need to purge her from his mind, his dreams, his entire system.

Fire pooled in his belly, and lower, his anger mingling with an undeniable need to possess her in every way imaginable. She didn"t resist him as he continued to consume her mouth the same way he wanted to ravish her body, with his lips, teeth, and tongue, and the craving for her grew stronger, a ravenous heat and hunger he was hard pressed to keep at bay.

His thick erection nudged her mound, and he slid a muscular thigh up between her legs until his knee pressed against her s.e.x, forcing her to ride him. G.o.d, he"d never, ever needed a woman as badly as he ached for Chayse. Despite how she aggravated him, he wanted to worship her with his hands, taste her everywhere with his tongue until she begged him to let her come. Then he wanted to f.u.c.k her until she screamed with the pleasure of it, and he finally gave himself over to the hot, pulsing release he"d denied himself for too long.

She shuddered and moaned, and it was the pressure of her fingers digging into his arms that snapped him out of his carnal thoughts. He immediately let her go and stepped back so he wasn"t crushing her against the door, so that he wasn"t wrapped so intimately around her. They stared at one another, both of them breathing hard, panting. Her violet eyes were wide and dilated, her expression stunned and just a tad bit uncertain.

He should have been gratified that he"d finally managed to crack that resolve of hers, but instead his gut twisted with contrition for his barbaric behavior. He"d never treated a woman so roughly before, not that she"d tried to stop him. No, she"d let him have his way with her, accepting his penchant for being a.s.sertive and in control.

While he still had her off balance, he pressed his advantage. "If you insist on getting those pictures, you"re going to have to spend the weekend alone with me at my cabin to get them. And I can just about guarantee that if you"re enough of a risk-taker to join me, we"ll finish what we started here tonight. Are you willing to take that chance?"

Still seemingly dazed by all that had transpired, she shook her head and whispered, "No. "

He unlocked the door and eased it open for her. "Didn"t think so, and trust me, you"ll be better off, in every way, by finding someone else to pose for your calendar. "

For the first time ever, she issued no argument and slipped out of the bathroom, and most likely out of his life. Just as he wanted.

He ought to have been overjoyed for accomplishing his goal. Unfortunately, the victory left a bitter taste in his mouth and generated yet another unwanted emotiona"regret for what might have been.

Chapter Two.

Adrian wasn"t going to be happy to see her, of that Chayse was certain. Lying in the large hammock secured to the thick porch posts of his family"s small, cozy cabin while waiting for her outdoor man to arrive, Chayse basked in the warmth of the early morning sun on her face and bare legs. She was more than prepared to deal with his wrath, more than willing to spend the weekend with Adrian to get the pictures she wanted, and ultimately rise to his dare and show him just how much of a risk-taker she could be.

Especially after chickening out with him the evening before.

Chayse winced at the cowardly recollection of how she"d bolted, a moment of weakness she didn"t plan to repeat. After spending most of the night berating herself for letting Adrian intimidate her with the hottest, most provocative kiss she"d ever experienced, she"d gotten up early this morning, her resolve rejuvenated and her fort.i.tude stronger than ever. She hadn"t gotten through life by shrinking from a confrontation, or allowing anyone to coerce her into backing down from something that mattered to her.

She"d learned the valuable lesson of being strong and determined at the age of fourteen, after the death of her ten-year-old brother, Kevin. Her mother"s emotional withdrawal had followed, and her parents ultimately divorced, leaving her floundering for a place to belong. She"d learned to depend on no one but herself, and developed the courage to take chances and fight for what she believed in, or wanted. And she believed in this calendar project that was a tribute to her brother, and she wanted Adrian"s gorgeous face and s.e.xy body to grace not only the cover, but the pages within.

She breathed the crisp, cool spring air, knowing she could have found another outdoor man to take Adrian"s place. It sure would have been a much easier task than going head to head with the Wilde One himselfa"and she"d almost given up on him for good after he"d rattled her senses with his kiss last night.

There was also her own burning curiosity about Adrian and his true reasons for refusing her request time and again. She knew he was hiding something. She"d always had an eye for that kind of thing, for seeing deeper than the surface. She supposed that uncanny ability came from being a photographer, of being able to really look into a person"s eyes, or read body language and recognize subtle nuances that n.o.body else seemed to notice. Adrian was much too defensive about a photo shoot most men would have fun doing in the name of charity, and she was here to discover why. She"d always relished a good challenge, and Adrian was one big complex puzzle that intrigued her.

She was back in the ring for another round, and this time she was doing so with a clear understanding of the ultimatum he"d given her. That if she made the decision to pursue him for the photos she wanted, not only was she going to have to spend the weekend alone with him, but there would be a heck of a lot more going on between them than picture taking.

A shiver stole through her, puckering her nipples against her ribbed tank top and eliciting a tumble of excitement in the pit of her belly. Oh yeah, she knew and accepted his terms, and she was perfectly aware that her unexpected presence was the equivalent of handing herself over to him on a silver plattera"naked and his for the taking. Willingly so.

She hadn"t had s.e.x in a good long time, and if the chemistry that had ignited between them last night was any indication, she was in for one heck of a wild, satisfying weekend. And in the end, they"d both leave this cabin having gotten exactly what they wanted from each othera"a win-win situation in her estimation.

The thought put a smile on her face, and with the push of her sandaled toe against the porch railing, she set the hammock into a slow, relaxing swing. She sighed and closed her eyes, saturating her senses with the sounds of chirping birds and the rush of water flowing through the creek that ran alongside the cabin. She couldn"t help but envy Adrian for having such a peaceful place to escape to, a hideaway retreat tucked away just outside of the Kankakee River State Park and surrounded by trails and trees and craggy rocks. She appreciated Mia giving her the directions she"d needed to get here and surprise Adrian.

The rumbling sound of a vehicle driving up the dirt road leading to the cabin interrupted her peaceful interlude, and she opened her eyes to see Adrian"s red Jeep appearing around a bend in the road. He came to a long, skidding stop in front of the cabin, creating a billow of dust that settled over her just washed Honda Accord. With his fingers wrapped tight around the steering wheel, he remained perfectly still and stared up at her in shock, as if he couldn"t quite bring himself to believe she was for real. She grinned and waggled her fin-gers in greeting, making sure he realized she was no figment of his imagination.

She saw him close his eyes, take a deep breath, then slide from the driver"s side of the Jeep. He walked to the back of the vehicle and grabbed a duffel bag with one hand, and two plastic sacks of groceries with the other. Then he headed toward the cabin.

That he wasn"t happy to see her was an understatement. The man was downright furious, and he didn"t have to say a word to express his simmering anger. The tense set of his body, his clenched jaw, and his fuming silence said it all.

Despite the sudden rapid beat of her heart, she remained right where she wasa"on the hammock, waiting to take her cue from him. He climbed the steps, and without so much as looking her way or acknowledging her, he unlocked the door and entered the cabin with the screen door slapping shut behind him like a gunshot. The loud sound made her jump and question the wisdom of infringing upon his male domain.

She immediately pushed that thought out of her head. She would not let him intimidate her this time.

A moment later he came back out; still ignoring her, he returned to his Jeep to retrieve more bags of groceries. Once again, he entered the cabin without so much as eye contact, treating her as if she didn"t exist. That if maybe he didn"t acknowledge her, she"d go away.

Nope, not a chance.

She"d expected him to verbally vent his displeasure, but his silent treatment and his barely restrained temper were almost worse than him just getting p.i.s.sed at her and letting it out of his system. And sooner or later, she had no doubt his control would snap and he"d vent all that resentment shimmering off him in waves.

Hearing him moving around inside, making no attempt to deal with the woman waiting for him on the porch, she realized she had two choicesa"to leave and forget about Adrian, or face the gorgeous, moody Adonis inside and let him know she was here to stay. Since going home wasn"t an option, she headed down to her car to retrieve her overnight bag and camera equipment, and prepared herself for a confrontation.

It took her two trips to bring everything inside, and she set her belongings in the living room. The cabin was small, but well kept and nicely furnished in oak, beige tones, and hunter green accents. In a sweeping glance, she was able to see the entire layout of the place. Two doors led to two separate bedrooms, one that looked slightly larger than the other. There was a bathroom, and a cozy dining area that adjoined the kitchen.

Knowing Adrian was putting away his groceries, she headed in that direction. Her sandals clicked on the polished wood floor, announcing her presence, but he didn"t turn around and kept stocking the shelves with canned goods.

That was okay by her for the moment, since his backside was especially fine to look at. Leaning against the door frame, she eyed him from a professional standpoint, as a subject she"d be photographing. But it didn"t take long for feminine instincts to take over, and soon she was studying him as a man in his prime, physically and s.e.xually.

He had an amazing body, athletic and honed to perfection from his business that catered to extreme sports and outdoor adventures, and his obvious hands-on dedication to rock climbing, water rafting, and skiing in the winter. He was tall, with wide shoulders that tapered to a lean waist. Faded, well-worn jeans hugged his tight a.s.s and strong-looking thighs. There wasn"t an ounce of ex-cess fiat on his lean, muscled frame from what she could see.

He wore his pitch black hair longer than was stylish. The thick, glossy strands were tousled around his head from his drive in his open-air Jeep, adding to his bad-boy appeal. The man was outdoor rugged and a little rough around the edges, pure s.e.x and sin in one breath-stealing package. An untamable rebel who tempted her to take a walk on the wild side with him.

If only he"d acknowledge her.

Tired of his silence, she opted to lighten the atmosphere. "The hospitality around here sure is lacking. "

"If you want to be waited on, I suggest you go stay at the St. Claire." Finished stashing the perishables in the refrigerator, he twisted the top off a bottle of orange juice and chugged half the contents.

The St. Claire was one of Chicago"s finest hotels, and far beyond what her budget could afford. "Okay, so there"s no bellman to help bring in my bags or room service to make my meals. I can live with that. I swear I"m not high maintenance at all. In fact, I don"t need mucha""