Page 104 of Crossed Wires: The Complete Series

“I’m not going to hurt you.” His words sounded ridiculous even to himself. He’d gagged her and was now straddling her naked body, holding her legs to the mattress with his own after tying her to the bed. Regardless of who she was or why she was there, she’d be insane not to be afraid of his intentions.

She twisted her head, trying to dislodge the shirt from her mouth.

“If I take it out, do you promise not to scream?”

She blinked rapidly then nodded her assent.

He pulled the material away, ready to replace it if she broke her vow.

“Untie me.”

“No.” Andrew reached up to touch his tender cheek, his fingers finding the raised welts she’d put there with her long nails. “Who are you?”

Her breathing was labored, coming in hard pants after their fight. Even so, her gaze hardened and he knew she wouldn’t talk.

Something inside him cracked. He’d been traveling for days, stealing only a couple hours sleep here and there. This woman had broken intohishouse. She had some nerve acting like he was the villain. By God, he’dmakeher talk.

“I’ll give you one more chance to answer my question. Tell me who you are or you won’t like the consequences.”

She stilled beneath him, her intelligent gaze sizing him up. He should climb off the bed and call the cops. If he was in his right mind, that’s exactly what he’d do. Having her arrested would certainly be the kinder response. As it was, he wasn’t in the mood to be merciful.

Instead of answering, she threw his question back at him. “Who areyou?”

“None of your business. Give me your name. Now.”

She bit her lip nervously. “I’m Amy.”

Amy? Mike’s Amy?

Andrew leaned back on his haunches, his mind whirling. Had Mike set this up? Past experience had obviously convinced his friend he’d never consent to a blind date. But would Mike actually go so far as to throw this woman into his bed?

Andrew knew the answer. It was more than possible. It was actually quite probable. Mike had the extra key to the house. He knew Harper was away and Andrew was back in town.

Andrew recalled a lifetime of little surprises his best friend had tossed his way. The high-class call girl who’d shown up at his door on his twenty-fifth birthday. The so-called conference that had really turned out to be an impromptu weekend trip to Vegas, complete with nonstop gambling and a private show with five of the hottest strippers Andrew had ever seen. Or this past year when Mike had managed to score tickets to the Super Bowl, but told Andrew they were headed to Indianapolis for his cousin’s bachelor party. He’d let Andrew bitch for three hours in the car about missing the big game, only letting him in on the surprise when they’d reached the entrance to the stadium.

Mike was the master of the unexpected, so it wasn’t farfetched that his friend would go to this extreme in a hookup. It would also explain his friend’s easy capitulation when he refused to go on a date with the woman earlier. Mike didn’t push the issue because he knew Amy was already here.

He grinned as his annoyance lifted. Amy was beautiful and feisty, with a hot accent. Australian, if he wasn’t mistaken, though he’d need to hear her say more before he could be sure. His best friend knew he was a sucker for a girl with an accent. For the second time in one night, it looked like Mike was going to be able to say, “I told you so.”

And since Mike had gone to so much trouble, far be it from Andrew to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Chapter2

Amy frowned as the expression on the stranger’s face morphed from anger to one of pure desire.

When she’d first woken up to discover the man in her room she’d struck out without a thought to the fact she was completely naked. Now, she was feeling far too exposed and vulnerable. If she couldn’t figure a way out of this predicament, she was in trouble. Big trouble.

“I answered your question. Now answer mine. Who are you?”

The man no longer seemed quite as menacing as he had earlier. In fact, his eyes had softened, giving him an almost friendly look. “You know who I am. You and I have a mutual friend. One who’s fond of surprises.”

Amy blinked rapidly. Surprises? She recalled Harper’s comments on the phone earlier. Harper had promised her a surprise, but this? What the hell was this?

The truth began to collapse in on her. It was her sexual fantasy.

Sex with a stranger.

Oh my God. There was no way Harper would set up such a thing. Was there?

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