Willis almost toppled into a gaggle of models. Jason caught his arm and set him upright before any runway careers were shattered.

“Watch out, big guy.” Jason patted him on the back.

Willis tried to straighten his glasses. He was a darling drunk, but it was time for us to leave. He’d begun sucking down drinks as soon as Jina walked away from us. I’d done the best I could with Gary, but even I could tell that maybe I should have tried a different, non-garlicky tack.

“Could you help me get him to a cab?” I asked Jason.

“Yeah, no problem.” Jason wrapped his arm around Willis’s shoulder. “Let’s blow this taco stand.”

“Commander.” Willis nodded and let Jason lead him through the crowd. “Long live the Vocknar Fleet.”

I followed and eyed the myriad opportunities to snag wallets and jewelry. But I’d promised Willis I wouldn’t. Damn it. Not that he’d know if I just snagged a bracelet or two. I reached for a golden bangle on a woman near the door, but pulled back at the last second.

Willis was ruining my mojo.

The cool night air kissed my skin as we emerged from the stuffy atrium. Jason shuffled Willis down the front walk toward a waiting line of cabs and cars.

I stopped and considered my options. Go back inside and steal enough to try and make a dent in Hannah’s debt, or make sure Willis got home safely. The pull of protecting my sister was strong, enough so that I took a step backward. But when Willis turned to look at me, his glasses just as lopsided as his smile, a nagging warmth erupted in my chest. I tapped my clutch, the weight of Todd’s wallet giving me the hope of instant cash.

Jason dropped Willis into the cab, then stood waiting for me.

I knew I’d regret passing up on the smorgasbord of goodies inside, but my feet carried me toward Willis.

“You kids have fun tonight.” Jason kissed me on the cheek, then guided me into the cab.

“Thanks.” I sat, and he closed the door.

“Willis, where’s your apartment?”

He mumbled and leaned back against the grubby seat. I grabbed his wallet and flipped to his ID. After giving the cabbie his address, I scooted next to Willis, who draped his arm across my shoulders.

“Exquisite.” He pulled me against his chest and rested his chin on my crown. “Fucking hot, you know?”

I laughed against his lapels and relaxed in his arms. “Thanks.”

“So hot but”—he hiccuped—“not so great at the advice. Wait, where are we?”

“We’re going to your place.” I pulled back and stared into his eyes.

“My place?” His eyes flicked to my lips.

I straightened his glasses. “Yes.”

His hand roved down my back, pressing against the curve of my ass. “Spending the night?”

“No.” I pressed my thighs together to dull the buzz he’d started there. “I’m just making sure my cash cow stays safe.”

He massaged my hip. “You have a cow?”

I laughed. “You’re drunk.”

“Naahh.” He lifted me into his lap.

“Hey.” I flattened my hands on his chest. “You are frisky when you’re blitzed.”

“What’s your name?” He brushed my hair out of my face.

“Scarlet.”

He snickered. “No, I’m Scarlet. You’re someone else.”

“I told you. My license says Scarlet Rocket.”

Sliding his hands to my waist, he gripped me. “I could tickle it out of you.”

Laughter, the pure sort that comes from down deep, rolled out of me. “You could try.” I leaned close so I could whisper in his ear. “But I’ll warn you. I fight dirty.”

He groaned, a rumble against my chest as he nuzzled into my hair. “Devil.”

The taxi slowed and stopped in front of a residential building on the edge of the East Village.

“Nice, Sparky.” I dug around in Todd’s wallet and fished out some cash for the driver.

Getting Willis out of the back seat took some pulling, but he eventually made it to his feet.

“I’m fiiiine.” He hiccupped and missed the step up to the curb, tumbling to the ground.

The doorman to his apartment rushed out and helped me get Willis off the sidewalk.

“Looks like Mr. Halloran had a fun night.”

“I think I drove him to drink.” I draped one of Willis’s arms across my shoulders and hustled him across the sidewalk as the doorman helped keep him steady from the other side.

“She did. Gene, there was this woman.” Willis grabbed Gene’s jacket and swayed in the doorway. “She had the crazy eyes.”

Gene nodded. “I’m far too familiar with crazy-eyed women, Mr. Halloran. Say no more.” He helped us to the elevator and hit the button for the twelfth floor. “If you can’t find his keys, come back down, and I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks.” I felt around in Willis’s pockets as the elevator doors closed and we rose smoothly to his floor. Snagging his keys from his side pocket, I supported him as we swayed to the only door on the short hallway. The key slid smoothly, and the white door swung inward.

“Lights?” I slapped around on the wall next to the door until I found a paddle switch.

An overhead glow illuminated a wide living room with worn but comfortable furniture. Light wood floors gave a warm feel to the masculine room. An open kitchen sat off to the left, and two doors opened to the right. I could make out the shape of a bed from the ambient city light in the room closest to the windows.

“Let’s go.” I edged around his leather sofa and pulled him past a writing desk and worn chair. His bedroom was mostly neat except for a few dress shirts tossed across a side chair, as if he couldn’t decide which one to wear to the party. I dropped him on the bed. He made an “oomph” sound and lay where he fell on the navy duvet.

My body practically floated from the loss of his heavy weight. Rolling my shoulders, I kicked my shoes off and knelt to unlace his oxfords. They came off quickly, and I yanked on his arm until he cooperated and got situated in the bed like a normal person.

I lifted his crooked glasses off and set them on his nightstand. Without the thick plastic frames, he was definitely more Superman than Clark Kent. Gorgeous.

He stared at me with glassy eyes and brushed his fingers through my hair, rubbing it between his thumb and forefinger. “Why are there two of you?”

I snorted. “Get some sleep.”

He grabbed my wrist as I started to rise from the bed. “Stay?”

“I need to get back to my place.”

“Just for a little while?” He let me go and shrugged out of his jacket, then tossed it to the floor. “I won’t try anything with either of you. Promise.”

His bedside clock read ten o’clock. Early, really, for a weekend. Hannah wouldn’t expect me home till well after midnight. But that didn’t mean staying was a good idea. I bit my lip, considering.

“Come on. I’ll tell my dick to be quiet. No talking from any ex-girlfriends.”

His puppy-dog eyes and ridiculous assertion melted my resistance. “Only for a little while. And no funny business.”

“None.” He tried to salute but smacked himself in the eye instead. “Yow.”

“Calm down.” I put his hand back to his side and crawled into bed next to him. Slinging one arm across him, I rested my cheek on his bicep. “Just for an hour.”

“An hour, okay.” He yawned. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“For getting me home and everything.”

“Technically, Todd’s cash got you home.”

He shook with laughter. “Fucker. Served that douche canoe right.”

I tended to agree. Todd was my typical mark—wealthy, full of himself, and in need of a good kick in the ass. By stealing from them when they least expected it, I was almost doing them a service. See, Todd? Things won’t go your way every time. Important life lesson learned.

“Does this mean there’s three of me?” Willis turned his head and pressed his lips to my hair.

“Hmm?” I should have told him to knock it off, but his little touches of affection soothed my rougher edges. Besides, he wouldn’t remember any of this in the morning.

“There’s two hot, amazing Scarlets that I can see, and there’s also me, Scarlet. That’s three Scarlets. We could have a threesome.”

I smirked. “Go to sleep.”

“Just a little nap, then I’ll wake up and talk you into some funny business.”

“Sure you will.”

“I’m glad we finally agree on something.”

He quieted and soon his breathing evened out, and I knew he was asleep. I should have gotten up and left right then, but his bed was warm, and I was comfortable.

Just for an hour. I snuggled against him and closed my eyes.

* * *

Firm lips on my shoulder pulled me from sleep. I was pressed against Willis, his minty fresh breath wafting to my nose as he dropped kisses along my skin.

“Sparky!” I pulled back and winced against the morning light. “What are you doing?”

He shrugged but didn’t back off. “Waking you up?”

I arched an eyebrow. “With your lips?”

He dotted a kiss on my nose. “Seemed like a good idea.”

“You aren’t hungover?”

“Yeah, but one look at you in my bed sort of turned things around for me.”

I looked over his shoulder to the sunlight streaming in. “What time is it?”

He pressed a kiss to my neck, sending goosebumps down my body. “Nine-ish.”

“I can’t think when you’re kissing me like that.” Hannah was probably worried sick. I had to get home.

“I can’t think when I’m kissing you like this, either.” He grazed his teeth along my shoulder. “Now, about that spanking we discussed last night.” His lips pressed a warm kiss right below my ear, and I clutched his shoulders. He’d stripped off his dress shirt, and wore only a white undershirt.

“We can’t.” I wanted to. His firm body pressing against mine set off an explosion of need inside me. I’d been suffering through quite a dry spell, especially with this Hannah mess bearing down on me. How had I even slept through the night? I hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep from the moment she’d told me about her debt to Pauly.

“Hey.” He pulled back to face me. “What’s going on in your mysterious noggin?”

I palmed his cheek. “I was just thinking how cute you are.”

“That’s the spirit.” He moved in for another kiss, but I turned away.

“And how we’re working together.”

He groaned and buried his face in the crook of my neck. “I was going to, you know, put that on the back burner for the moment.”

“That doesn’t sound like you.” I ran my hands through his mussed hair. “Where’s my uptight Sparky?”

“He’s here, but he was trying to throw caution to the wind and go for it.” He shook his head gently. “I brushed my teeth and everything.”

“I appreciate your effort.”

“You just looked so—”

“Pretty?” I offered.

“Yes.” He smirked. “Pretty here in my bed. I gave myself a pep talk in the bathroom and figured I’d try to romance you a little.”

“Just a little?” I couldn’t resist the temptation to tease him. Hadn’t been able to from the first moment we met.

“Okay, a lot.” He stole a quick kiss.

I wanted to stay and have a quick no-strings-attached romp in his bed, but I knew that wasn’t how it worked—not when the thought of it sent me spinning. There was too much at stake for me to ruin it by letting my emotions decide my actions. No matter how cute his stubble looked in the morning light, or how thick his erection felt against my leg and–oh my god, how could I turn this down?

Disentangling myself, I sat up and straightened my dress. Priorities. I grabbed my small bag and slung it over my shoulder.

He flopped on his back and watched me stand and slip on my shoes. “You’re right. This would be a bad idea.” His gaze slid down my body. My nipples came to attention, and he definitely noticed, his eyes focusing there.

“Up here, Sparky.”

“Right.” He licked his lips and stood. “I’ll walk you out.”

“Thanks.” I headed back toward the front door, his living room décor masculine and friendly in the morning light. The set of Transformers action figures along the back of the kitchen sink made me smile, and I couldn’t miss the books scattered all over the place. The whole apartment said “bachelor,” or more accurately, “Willis.”

I reached for the front door handle, but his hand met mine, covering the back of it.

“You sure you have to go?” His warm breath tickled my ear as his palm lighted on my waist.

Leaning back against his hard chest, I ached for a chance at mindless abandon with him. His hands, his mouth, his everything.

My heart thunked hard against my ribs as he dotted light kisses along the side of my neck. I could leave, just walk out and keep things professional—that was the smart plan. His kisses numbed my logic, each flutter of his lips a step closer to disaster. But nothing about this was a good idea. He’d agree with me if he’d been thinking straight.

Problem was, I’d never played it safe. I turned, and he kissed me full on the mouth, his tongue twirling with mine as he twisted me to face him and pinned me against the door.

Had I ever been kissed like this? He tangled a hand in my hair, roping it and pulling so he could deepen the kiss. I dug my nails into his back as he pressed his body to mine, my nipples brushing his chest with each hasty breath. Sliding one hand to my ass, he gripped, and a small moan escaped me. Our tongues caressed and sought, each of us giving the other our breath, our heat. He kissed with a rough intensity, a need that matched my own.

I hitched up a knee as he slid his thigh between my legs. He smoothed his palm down my skin, edging beneath the fabric of my dress. I gasped as he came up for air and fastened his lips to my throat. Pleasure overrode every other emotion that tried to flicker to life inside me. When he shifted his leg against me, massaging my pussy with small strokes, I went weak like the love-starved hussy I was.

He shifted both hands to my ass and lifted, returning us to his bedroom as he took my mouth again. Laying me down, he covered me with his body. I kept my legs wrapped around his waist as he settled us into the bed, his mouth drugging me with kiss after kiss as he rocked his hips against mine. My clit was already throbbing, desperate for attention, and the thin fabric of my panties soaked.

I clutched his hair as he kissed to my chest, his tongue dragging a trail of fire along the tops of my breasts. My back arched, and he yanked down one side of the dress and captured a hard nipple in his mouth. A streak of arousal burst through me, coating everything in heat, and my mind blanked. He sucked and licked the hard bud until I was writhing beneath him. Then he repeated it with my other nipple until I was nothing more than a puddle of need.

Releasing the stiff bud with a pop, he edged down my body. When his wide palms spread along my inner thighs and pushed, I opened for him.

“Fucking hell.” His dark blue eyes met mine as he shoved my skirt up my hips. “Pink panties.” He licked the satin. “So wet.”

“Oh my god.” I gripped his bedspread.

My phone vibrated. I tried to ignore it. He hooked a finger in the lace at my hips and began to pull. My phone kept vibrating. Not just a text, someone was calling me. No one ever did that…except Hannah. And only when she was in trouble.

“Shit.” I sat up.

“Whoa.” His fingers slipped away from my panties.

“My phone.” I snatched my bag from the corner of the bed and dug through it till I found my phone. She’d already sent a few texts of “911.” “Shiiiitt.” My fire doused, I scooted to the edge of the bed and stabbed the call button. “Come on, come on.”

“Scarlet?” Willis sat next to me and rubbed my back as I yanked the neckline of my dress back into place.

“She’s been texting me. And she called so—”

“Hey.”

I’d never been so relieved to hear Hannah’s voice. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Pauly.” Her voice tremored. “He told me I have to work for him.”

“No.” I stood and hurried to the front door.

“Scarlet…” Willis called and followed me, but I wasn’t listening to him. All I could hear was the panic in Hannah’s voice.

“I’m coming. Right now. Stay in the apartment. Don’t open the door unless it’s for me.”

A sob rocketed through the speaker. “I’m getting dressed. He’s outside. I have to go.”

“No!” I stabbed my feet into my shoes and rushed into the hallway.

Willis cut past me and hit the down button on the elevator for me.

“You stay right where you are, Hannah. Don’t move. I told Pauly I would work this out. He needs to be patient.”

“I’m the one who screwed up, so I should be the one to—”

I hurried onto the elevator once it opened. “I don’t care who screwed up! We are in this together. I’m coming home. I’ll talk to him.”

The elevator doors closed and we descended, though I barely noticed Willis in the carriage with me.

“If I could just…cards…maybe…” Hannah’s voice died as I lost the signal.

“Hannah? Dammit!” I shoved my phone into my bag.

“Scarlet, what’s wrong?”

“I can’t talk about it.” I crossed my arms over my chest and willed the elevator to speed the hell up.

“It sounds like you’re in some kind of trouble.” He stepped closer and put his hands on my shoulders. “What can I do?”

The elevator doors opened, and I dashed out.

Willis’s voice thundered around me. “Gene, get her a cab.”

“Yes, sir.” Gene stepped out the front door, his hand already held high.

“I’m coming with you.” Willis stayed by my side.

I whirled. “No.”

“I want to help.” His earnest blue eyes reminded me why I should get far away from him. He was a sweet, sexy nerd who deserved better than a con artist, especially since I was working a long con on him.

“You can’t. This is between me and my sister.”

“And some guy named Pauly.” He dogged my heels as I darted out the front door.

“Yes.”

“Just let me come with you.” He grabbed my elbow as a cab pulled up to the curb.

I shook him off. “You’re sweet, Sparky. But you’re out of your depth here.” I couldn’t look him in the eye, so I dropped my gaze to the sidewalk. “And you aren’t wearing shoes.”

“I can get some.” He tilted my chin up. “Let me help you.”

“I can’t.”

“You can.” He lowered his eyebrows, his stubbornness seeking to overcome my own. But I couldn’t let him get any closer than he already was. It would only end in more trouble for him.

“No.” I stepped back and ducked into the waiting cab. “See you next weekend.” Closing the door, I gave the cabbie my address and prayed I wouldn’t arrive too late.