Valerie looked at Antonio's tie. "I'd hoped you wouldn't do anything rash."

"You give me too much credit, princess. I'm not ethical like you."

She looked into his eyes, disappointment knotting her stomach. "You would have caused a scene here tonight?"

"If not here, then somewhere. Yes, I would have."

She blinked, fighting back tears. How could someone be so cruel? He would have ruined her reputation on nothing more than circumstantial evidence. She hadn't misjudged him. He was a bastard.

He snapped, "Don't look at me that way."

"What way?" Her throat closed, tears were imminent.

His voice dropped low, sensual. "As though your sexy blue eyes can see right into my soul."

Uncertainty gripped her, the room closed in. "Imagine how surprised I am to find you have no soul."

"Ouch." He flinched. "You've got claws, princess." His smile flashed evil.

She wanted to wipe it off his face--with her lips. She choked on the desire, zinged with energy, amazingly alive. Like she hadn't felt in days, like she never felt with Troy. Guilt, fear, passion, anger. The conflicting emotions warred with her sanity, and panic swamped her.

"I can't do this, Antonio..." Her voice broke and she gasped for breath.

She broke away from him and ran. The opposite direction from where her boyfriend's big, safe arms would protect her. In the empty lobby, she veered toward an exit, then changed direction and darted around a corner where a couch sat hidden in a dark alcove between two potted palms.

She sat and began the steady breathing technique and pressed the reflexology spot on her wrist which together should hold off anxiety. Then gave up and dropped her head into her hands and broke down crying.

"Cara mia, no." He sat next to her, his warm arm wrapped around her shoulders, comforting. He stuffed his handkerchief in her fingers. "You know I'm not worth crying about."

She sat bolt upright and glared at him, allowing her anger to emerge, effectively preventing the panic attack from overtaking her.

"You arrogant bastard."

"That's one of my best features."

"I'm not crying because of your cruelty, I'm crying because of mine! I never act this way. Something about you brings it out in me." She tried to shrug off his arm, but he wouldn't budge.

"Should we analyze it? We've got a couch right here," he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"You are not funny!" She dabbed at her eyes with his handkerchief. She must be a mess. Her makeup running, her eyes red, and her nose sniffly.

He laughed. "You're sexy when you're mad."

"Don't. Don't try to laugh this off. This is the cure I need to get you out of my system."

His face sobered. Quietly he said, "How can I be in your system when I've never held you." He tightened his arm around her, with the fingers of his other hand he caressed her jaw. "And I've never tasted..." His lips pressed hot against her neck, his tongue teased her skin.

"Wait," she murmured breathlessly.

He continued his assault. "And we've never really kissed," he whispered, nipping her ear with his teeth. The bite sent waves of passionate chills down her body.

Oh, God, what was she doing? They were in the middle of Caesar's Palace and she'd arrived with another man.

"No." She straightened her arms and pushed him away, looked into his beautiful brown eyes and almost lost her willpower again.

"Yes. It's going to happen." He smiled his charismatic, irresistible smile, "Runny mascara and all."

She broke free and stood, catching her breath. How was he able to make her lose control? Her knees shook with excitement and her libido commanded her to fling herself onto his lap and let him kiss her senseless.

"Antonio." He sat there patiently waiting for her, so handsome it made her ache to touch him. His smile was too confident, as though he knew there wasn't a woman capable of resisting him.

She took a step toward him...

Just as her boyfriend came around the corner.