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Excitement poured through Luke as he studied the very shapely, denim-clad backside swaying in front of him. Elena Richardson was bent over an open box, humming softly to a tune playing on the radio.

His hands itched to reach out and slide over the rounded globes, which he hoped would bring her head around so her eyes met his. Eyes he was sure could tell a story of their own. He could think of so many uses for a woman with such vivacious curves. His mouth watered at the thought, causing the majority of his life’s blood to pool in his groin.

His eyes were trained on the band of flesh showing just above her low-slung jeans, revealing the top of what appeared to be thong panties. Evidently her panties did not have to follow the same rules that the tight fitting jeans hugging her hips did. The wisp of pink triangle at her lower back was proof of that. The lack of panty lines and the little bit of pink silk nestled in the crevice of her bottom almost made him groan. There was just something about a woman in sexy, almost-not-there-panties that brought everything in a man to life.

A bit belated he realized he had an audience. An arched brow and a wicked gleam, in what could only be described as mystical gold cat eyes, told him he had been caught.

She tried to ignore it, but the feeling of being watched, no hunted, was overwhelming. The hair-raising feeling had plagued her for the past few minutes. She couldn’t shake it off. Just on the off chance someone had come into the store without her realizing it, she peeked over her shoulder. The air whooshed out of her lungs at the sight behind her.

The tall, extremely well-built man, who looked to be in his early to mid thirties, was looking at her as if she were Little Red Riding Hood and he was the Big Bad Wolf ready to gobble her up. With his legs braced wide and his ham-like fists clenched tight, he was intimidating and oh, so sexy.

Her heart felt as though it would pound its way right out of her chest; it took what seemed like forever to catch a breath.

Just the thought of this exceptionally large man doing to her what she so wanted to experience made her core quiver and puddle. Thinking this was the man she was supposed to interview for the bogus position of stock boy at her lingerie store, Leather and Lace, and not wanting to take the chance of such a fine specimen getting away, she quickly stood and turned toward him.

“Good, you made it,” she said, sounding a little breathy. “We can worry about the paperwork later, why don’t I get you started?”

Laney watched as the beast of a man took notice of the room around him. Rows, racks and bins of lingerie covered every possible surface while still allowing customers the room to move around comfortably. She couldn’t imagine that such a masculine man had ever been in a room with so much lace. He didn’t look relaxed. He also didn’t seem like the type to hang out in women’s clothing stores.

His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed. The muscled cords running along his neck rippled with the action, making her want to touch her lips to the spot. She watched as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Was he nervous?

“Paperwork?” he asked quizzically.

“Yeah, you know. Name, Social Security, the type of stuff I need to get you on the books.” She waved a hand in the air as if to dismiss something trivial. “But for now we’ll just get you started.”

Watching his face sent a wave of apprehension zinging through her. He seemed confused. Like he had no idea what she was talking about. He was here for the job, wasn’t he?

Reaching the storeroom, Laney turned toward him. Would he agree to her plan? The thought brought a dimpled smile to her face. He made no effort to hide the ferocity of the lust his face revealed. A look, she was sure, he knew had the tendency to make women weak at the knees.

She cleared her throat, hoping to find her voice and break the spell his deep brown eyes held over her. “Um… Mr…”

“Thomas. Luke Thomas, and you are?” he asked in a husky voice.

“Oh! Sorry,” she replied as she stuck out her hand. “It’s Elena Richardson, Laney.”

The feel of his very large, very strong hand as it engulfed her much smaller, much softer one sent a shiver up her spine. The abrasive pad of his thumb made sensual movements over her knuckles for just a moment before he released her. Such a simple, tantalizing gesture was all it took to embed her decision in stone. This was the man who would teach her what she had been missing, if she had to tie him to the bed to get it accomplished. The thought of him tied to her canopy bed almost made her giggle. It also brought along with it heat. Pure, raw heat, the type she hoped would feed the flames of the desire he did nothing to hide.

“Mr. Thomas, there was one thing I wanted to speak to you about before you get started,” she said, trying to sound as professional as possible under the circumstances.

“Luke, please. And may I call you Laney?” he asked.

Laney gave him an affirmative nod then forced herself to continue. “Besides helping as a stock boy and with errands, I would like to speak to you about some help of a more…personal nature.”