Irresistible Wildness

scrub, trees, and other natural vegetation. Nathalie followed his car into the circular drive surrounding a rock fountain. The house was like something out of a Fr

two levels, one set farther back than the oth

ck. From the angle of the house to the drive, she could see an infinity pool, water pouring over its edge like a waterfall. Below that was a putting g

or concrete pad between the two structures. One door slid up silently, and he pulled the Challenger inside. She climbed out of the modest sedan she'd

se value she could only guess. Probably a million dollars i

to my pla

y racing down t

down t

one, shooting toward the silver Aston

kes speed,"

ways th

ccident," sh

So now he feels he has to keep moving so

at always made her smile. Darius

happ

up. It had all been a long time ago, yet

seven. A speeding teenager

y that had nowhere near

as on h

rry, Na

ir behalf. And more th

ine how diffi

suffered brain damage. In many ways, i

ld. But he was alive. And she w

And he's doing well. I lo

ents obviously did a great

id," sh

old Darius this much of their story, so she might as well finish it for him, even though so

years ago in a plane cra

ke. She was average height, but he was so t

ve been reall

ted on Zion, on doing everything she could for him and,

always so good at giving advice, and my

hem to be here. Darius reached for

very proud of how yo

er heart rate, and the heat of his body. He was so completely there as he used their connec

rage is

and over hers. Almost. The facility was spotless, with not a single oil stain in sight. Vinyl pathways had been laid down between th

cularly her garage. She moved ahead of him so that his hand fell away from hers. Without his touch, she felt close to norma

much space he

use the cars you have

out those spaces for a while. I'm glad to be able to

hanic and you fix

d along the row

ntion buil

most of the fun stuff. But he helps out on a project

intensity back in his e

nds-on ki

shed again. She didn't like this awareness of a man she could never be with in a million, billion years. Her

is arm each time. They all had hourglass figures and wore sexy designer dr

ring minions to do it for him. Nathalie couldn't put the pieces of the puzzle that was Darius Spencer together in a

uld have to remain a mystery. Needing another distraction from the heat still

doing a whole lot of wor

ve been, since I was a kid. Even now, I can alw

Darius?" Zion called

st a workbench, his arms crossed, dra

y lives w

centrate on his words, no

e in Peiscke Altera. He's better

o you do fo

he felt she ought to explain w

nterview th

ay?" He look

icat

y did love matching people up

hers, no

Zion. No cous

are of him all

we're fine

better at asking questions than she was, and that was pretty impressive, given that she asked questions for a living. Why,

he last two men she'd let get close-and after she'd watched the way the wealthy father of the teen who'd

of energy, even more so than usual. As though he felt he

as he fished in his

Maserati Alfieri

" Zion s

enough, there could be one day." He did,

least." He pointed his remote at the closest doo

toward the sports car. To Nathalie, his feet always seemed on

do all this," she s

ng it," he

meet people who are as excited abo

uld build a Maser

He's got pictures of it

eri kit car." Darius put his hand on the small of her ba

is notebook on

she should, she turned slightly, pulling away, trying to focus on what he was saying ins

n't get a kit for it, he wouldn't

ig

thalie didn't know. She couldn't see anything special

rry abo

Like I said, I like your brother." Another

you, too." Rushing ahead of them, Zion hadn'

use

is invitation-and just how badly she wanted t

ink that's

ay yes." He gave her another s

and he said it was fi

re jo

serious. Hey, Z

rive over if I could t

hat she was seriously out of her d

't dat

he asked

ot afraid

not afraid," sh

uth on hers. Afraid of just how much she loved seeing him smile at her. Afraid of being so starved for male affection that she'd be tempted to let herself become a plaything for a

ne at night. And it's too late

ht, so that you can find som

side the garage, and she wondered how on earth he'd h

ow you. We just met, and only becaus

in, clearly a deliberate tactic, given that he had to kno

know each o

ie, say yes," he

he shot Zion a shocked glance. She might have

," Darius said

t drive faster th

se those thrilling moments sitting beside Darius in his fast car this afternoon had been the best ones she'd experienced in a very lon

es

s she was. Not an ex-thief who still battled his demons, who knew that he could never change the blood he came from, no matter how

intensity he'd never felt before. And maybe if he hadn't felt that same intensity from her, even as she'd tried to hide it, he could have let her go. But as he stood in

o, and he'd probably been in rehab for a good part of his life since. Yet he had a boundless nature. A Maserati Alfieri 1960. On the drive over from the hangar, Zion h

Alfieri kit car. Then again...his friend Argus Montefalco had recently told him about a guy in Europe who could scrounge up just about anything. Darius started to get an idea, one th

interr

watching

oaning since we're going to have to

at I can get back to it." Despite their razzing,

why Argus had picked up Darius call in the middle of a take for his home improvement show. Darius would drop anything for any of the

s the country, manufacturing his own line of machines and tools. But the last time he'd held a pai

'd always been the guy that had not only liked working with his hand

ntact info for t

el Ro

lass fabrication. You said

it to you now. Th

Memorial Day. Bring beer

ce versa. The Maserati Alfieri 1960 wasn't a life-and-death issue that he needed to discuss. It wasn't a busine

ing about Nathalie..