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When Scott arrived at Mary’s building, the only thing he’d decided was to follow her lead. Perhaps conversation wouldn’t be so strained tonight. If she opened up, maybe he’d find out she was just as much fun as her sister. Molly’s candor and liveliness, Mary’s body and sexuality.

Scott winced.

There I go, merging them again. He had to stop playing Pygmalion; it wasn’t fair to either of them. But as much as he knew he shouldn’t, he’d spent way too much time fantasizing about a woman who didn’t really exist.

He paused outside the door to her apartment and took a deep breath.

Just follow her lead and keep it honest.

He knocked. As if she’d been waiting just inside, Mary suddenly swung the door open and backed away.

“Hello, Scott.”

Good. At least she’s smiling.

“Hi.”

He took a few steps into the apartment and turned as he heard the door click shut. He was about to ask her something safe—like how her day had been—when suddenly, his words were cut off by her lips.

Her arms coiled around his neck like man-eating vines, and their bodies fit together from chest to knee as perfectly as matching puzzle pieces. Mary nipped his bottom lip with her teeth and then licked it playfully.

Hot damn. Scott’s brain cells reengaged and he was about to return her fervor, when Mary broke the kiss and took a determined step away.

“I decided to take Molly’s advice,” she said. “Now I can work with a clear head. I won’t be wasting time wondering whether or not we’re going to kiss.”

Scott shook his head in amazement. Leave it to Molly to tackle a problem head-on.

“I take it your sister knows what happened between us last night?” Suddenly, with this realization, disappointment flooded him. Molly knowing about his sexual interlude with Mary gnawed at his gut.

“Yes, she does.” Mary broke off her smile and cleared her throat. Hadn’t it occurred to her that he might not have wanted Molly to know?

Just forget it. Don’t make this so complicated. His body clamored to head back down the path Mary had started it on with that kiss.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to get right to work,” she said.

“You’re kidding, right? You just got my pistons firing.” Then he remembered the deal he’d made her agree to the previous evening. “Wait, you’re absolutely right. I’ll go get ready.”

Scott headed straight into the bathroom, enjoying the look of confusion he’d seen on her face at his swift acquiescence. He quickly undressed, donned the robe and emerged.

Mary set one of her stools in front of a lighted backdrop. “I’d like to try this pose tonight.” She sat on the stool and modeled the desired pose, resting a leather-bound book on the top of one thigh. Her right heel hooked on a rung of the stool while her left leg was extended, foot flat on the floor.

“I thought you wanted a pose with a couple?”

She shifted her gaze away from his. “I want to try this last pose.” She made no mention of the previous evening’s sofa session.

Scott felt no hesitancy as he handed her the robe. But he wondered whether Mary would comply as easily.

“All set?” Molly took his robe and laid it across the back of the sofa, fighting to keep her gaze from his sex.

I can do this. She’d gotten that kiss out of her system and should be able to concentrate on drawing. Two hours max, and Scott will have completed his modeling assignment.

“No.”

The negative response had her struggling to recall what she’d asked. Oh, yes. Was he ready?

“What’s the matter?” She looked around for some clue as to what was wrong.

“You seem to be forgetting something.” His expression gave nothing away.

Molly ticked through a mental checklist but came up empty. “What?”

“Don’t you remember the deal we made last night?”

Her brows furrowed in bafflement. She remembered a lot about last night, but…

“I guess not,” he answered his own question. “You must have been as tired as I was. Think back. You took some photographs without my consent. I promised to forgive you on one condition.”

She twirled her worry ring with her thumb, thinking. After replaying that portion of their conversation, her cheeks grew hot with the recollection.

“Ah, I see it’s coming back to you.” His grin widened.

“You weren’t serious, were you?” She tingled all over at the prospect of Scott calling in his marker.

“Totally serious. You can start drawing as soon as you take off your clothes.” There was a devilish look of desire in his eyes.

“Scott,” she began. Molly had no doubt she could talk her way out of this situation, but tight-lipped Mary had two choices. Comply or refuse.

“Don’t trust yourself?” He raised one eyebrow.

Molly couldn’t let his challenge go unaccepted, and she was honest enough to admit she hungered for more of what they’d shared last night. Actually, had thought of nothing else since then.

Without a word, she set down her graphite and took a step away from the easel. She may not be able to verbally taunt without giving herself away, but damned if she wasn’t going to tease him in a way only Mary could.

She began a very slow, very deliberate striptease. Scott’s self-confident grin lost some of its oomph as she slid open the top button on the front of her oversized shirt. Button by button, she taunted him as the V opening spread wider and lower.

His jaw came unhinged when she peeled the shirt from her shoulders, revealing her bare breasts. She was certain Scott was holding his breath as she untied the drawstring of her cotton lounge pants, loosened the waistband and let them drop. She stepped out of the rumpled cloth and made a 180-degree turn, allowing him a rear view of her hot pink thong and all it didn’t cover.

This is too much fun. Turning in profile, she hooked her thumbs under the top of her panties. Then, with the speed of chilled honey, she dragged her panties down, down, down.

By this time, Scott’s penis had awarded her performance a standing ovation. Molly licked her lips in anticipation, hungering for him in a way she had never wanted any man. But this was just a preview of things to come, so to speak. First, they needed to work.

“Does this fulfill my end of the bargain?” She was totally turned-on but, as long as Scott didn’t regain his composure and turn up the heat, she thought she could maintain control.

“Oh, yeah,” he replied, standing.

She forged ahead. “Good. If you’ll just sit back down in the correct pose, I’ll get started.”

She picked up her graphite and waited with one brow cocked, giving Scott a silent reminder that he’d initiated this showdown. Bluff called and looking pretty darned frustrated, he settled back onto the stool.

“You don’t play fair,” he said. “Unlike some people, I can’t turn myself on and off like a light switch.”

“Your idea,” she reminded him, and then set to work.