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Yancy struggled to keep from saying anything else to Mauve. Boy, she knew just how to cut him to the quick. The bad sex thing was like a sucker-punch to a male’s ego, even worse when it was brought up continually. He’d always prided himself on giving women satisfaction in bed, but she had to keep reminding him that in her case, he hadn’t.

Bitch.

What had she expected? She’d caught him at a low point, a time when he wasn’t in charge of all his faculties. If he had been, he’d have remembered that Aztec had a rule against bedding fellow agents—it never would have happened.

Yes, he’d been attracted to Mauve the minute he saw her that first day, but he knew they could never be more than colleagues. Not with that specific clause in place. His job was too important to him to allow a pretty face to jeopardize it. Besides, Mauve strutted around like she was God’s gift to the male population and that wasn’t a turn-on to him.

He couldn’t abide women who knew they could get what they wanted with a bat of an eyelash, a wink of an eye or a flash of enough skin.

There was no denying that Mauve O’Connor was hot. Even now, after her constant berating, a smile in his direction could still get her further than anyone else.

He hated that. No woman had ever had that kind of control over him before, fruitless considering it’d get him nowhere with her now, yet another insult to his ego.

Shaking off the negative thoughts, he pulled up to The Sands, still not sure how he was going to lure Cadence Fleming after she threatened to call the cops last night. It hadn’t been her idea, but she certainly hadn’t tried to stop her friend from making the threat.

He killed the engine and took a deep breath.

An idea struck him.

He smiled and turned to Mauve. “How about we go in for lunch together today. You appear interested in me and we’ll see if that doesn’t get her attention. Women are more inclined to want a man who’s dating another woman.”

“Is that right?” The three words reeked of sarcasm, as if she didn’t believe his theory.

“That’s what I’ve noticed. Weird as it is, it’s that whole, ‘men think with their heads, women with their hearts’, thing.”

Mauve snorted. “I use my brain, thank you. So, I do believe that hypothesis is flawed. Besides, if we wanted to stereotype, men think with the heads of their penises.”

Yancy refused to allow her to goad him further. He was going to keep his cool no matter what. “Will you do it or not?”

“All right. I’ll do it for Aztec.”

He opened his car door and came around to Mauve’s side. She was already out of the Cobra waiting for him.

Yancy scowled, then grasped her hand and pulled her toward the entrance to the restaurant. She wouldn’t even allow him to be courteous, to open the damn door for her. Stubborn woman.

At The Sands, he stopped. “You’re going to have to look as if you want to be with me. That face says otherwise.”

She yanked her hand free. “Don’t worry. As soon as we walk through that door, no one will be able to tell how disappointing the sex was with you.”

Yancy gritted his teeth, then tamped down his fury and opened the door, shoving her into the restaurant.

She was going to pay for that last remark—actually eat her words before the day was over. He had a plan all right and it wasn’t going to thrill Mauve O’Connor one bit.

“I see you’re back,” Cadence said as she came to greet them.

“Yes, but this time I brought a friend.” For sport, Yancy patted Mauve’s ass and smiled at Cadence.

Both women looked at each other.

Yancy’s smile broadened, though his hand burned from where it had made contact with Mauve’s behind. Damned woman got him back without even knowing it.

“Would you like a table or a booth?” Cadence asked in a clipped tone.

Yancy’s plan was working. Ms. Fleming sounded jealous.

“A booth. It’s more intimate.” His eyes met and held hers. Oh yeah, she wanted him. At least her eyes said she did.

He flashed his pearly whites and watched Cadence swallow repeatedly.

“Follow me.” Cadence whirled around and led them to a back booth, then dropped the menus on the table and stalked away.

Mauve took a seat. “What the hell was that about?”

Instead of Yancy sitting across from her, he slid in next to her and draped his arm over her shoulder.

“Get away from me,” she muttered under her breath.

“We’re dating, remember?”

She slid forward in the seat, and his arm dropped. “Just keep your hands to yourself.”

Yancy shrugged. “Hey, I thought the ass pat was a nice touch.”

“For you maybe.”

He let the remark slide and flipped the menu open on the table. “What are you going to have?”

She snatched the other menu and opened it. “Are you buying?”

“Yes, so don’t worry about cost.”

She snorted. “Big spender, huh?”

“Cadence is coming back. Kiss me.” He grasped Mauve’s shoulders and pulled her close, smashing his lips to hers. Her body tensed, a reaction that only made him work harder to get her to respond. His tongue slid along her soft, supple lips, expecting resistance, only to be rewarded when her mouth opened, her tongue uniting with his.

On cue, his body reacted, intense desire ripping through him. To get closer, he slid his hand up her neck to behind her head, deepened the kiss, amazed at how sweet and demanding her mouth became.

A need blazed deep inside him, his cock fighting a painful battle against his jeans.

A foot shuffling and a light sigh alerted Yancy to Cadence’s presence.

What the hell was wrong with him? This was supposed to be an act, a performance for Cadence’s benefit, not the most incredible kiss he’d ever shared with anyone.

Shit! Mauve is the woman who said you bombed big-time in bed. Don’t think that way.

He shifted on the seat, then turned to find Cadence standing by the booth, an order pad in hand, her face flushed pink. Her blue eyes narrowed on him, indicating annoyance.

Yancy glanced at Mauve, whose face matched Cadence’s. Bright red, her mouth parted, her eyes flaming with desire.

God, how he wanted to kiss her again, but that wouldn’t get the job done.

There was a fine line with women. Too much attention toward another only pushed them away. His job was to seduce Cadence, not Mauve, no matter how appealing that idea might be.

*

Mauve’s heart pounded—her body all tingly and hot. She could still feel Yancy’s tongue on hers, could still taste him—a vivid memory that hardened her nipples and had her crossing her legs to keep them from shaking.

Why did he have to be so good at kissing, and bring back their night together? Better yet, why did she want him to do it again?

If they hadn’t been interrupted, she had a sneaking suspicion they’d have been under the table in another couple of minutes.

No man had ever made her forget where she was.

Damn him.

“Are you two planning to order entrées?” Cadence asked in a none-too-friendly tone. “Or are you going straight for the dessert?”