Chapter 1

I saw him the moment I walked into the party and I knew by the end of it, he'd fuck me. It wasn't quite rape. I still don't know what to call it.

Just how I knew that then, I can't say, but to me he was just a gorgeous looking hard bodied stranger, the kind of man who makes my knees go weak. His eyes followed me as I walked into the room, he'd definitely keyed in on me and I liked it.

I didn't even know his real name. The one that matched his photo ID, we discovered later belonged to a dead man. Instead he went by Buck Tatum and the information he provided. He played the part of the owner of a major importing company that specialized in custom made furniture.

By the time we discovered his real identity it was too late.

We knew that among the roster of guests, there would be those with identities as fake as ours. They likely would be running shell companies that served as a means to hide the real business that was of course, less than legal.

That's what our handlers suspected, the ones who recruited our firm to do the undercover work. They were of course sitting somewhere in an office or in a surveillance van down the street listening to information on the wires that we wore underneath our disguises. We knew that the party's guests would include bad guys coming in to react to the actions taken by Carlton Walker, the man we were hired to protect.

I didn't usually handle this kind of work. My partner, Dallas worked with his father who'd started the securities firm. I'd graduated with a accounting degree and they had me working that side of the business. Whenever I asked to work in the field on cases, they always told me no. That it required a certain set of skills I didn't have, that it was dangerous in its unpredictability.

Until this time when both of them asked me to fill in one of the undercover slots. The one where I played Dallas' date. Now I have to admit I had a thing for Dallas but I was a brunette with curly hair and he went for straight haired blondes.

I didn't think about any of this when I walked into the mansion owned by Carlton who hosted the party. I didn't even think of the role I had to play as Dallas' girlfriend.

I thought about how I rocked the black dress I wore which hugged my figure and wore sleeves just off the shoulder. My curly hair, pinned just off my face. I looked the part of a pretty young plaything for a wealthy playboy.

Dallas whispered to me to go canvass the room and see if I could ferret out anything suspicious. I saw the bar lining the wall of the entertainment room and walked towards it.

I ordered a vodka because I held my liquor well. I'd put back three margaritas at my 21th birthday last month so I could handle a few ounces of liquid fire.

Buck approached me for the first time then. He stood tall, just over six feet and broad shouldered. All muscle on his impressive looking frame, the kind that didn't come from a gym. In fact, he looked former military and maybe an athlete as well. Dark curly hair and a strong boned face, a crescent scar over one eyebrow. Stubble on his face and dark colored eyes that saw everything, against tanned skin.

My mouth would have watered if it hadn't been for the role I played. That of the spoiled and wealthy debutante type, a role completely alien to me. Sure I'd been sheltered during my life, had only one boyfriend who dumped me as soon as he graduated from college, one year ahead of me.

He smiled at me but his eyes held a calculated look. I tried to look bored but I struggled with it. Damn, he looked like a feline the way he moved, totally comfortable with himself.

"Hello ... I was going to buy you a drink..."

I forced a smirk on my face.

"It would have been a waste of your time trying that line on me," I said, "I'm here with my boyfriend over there."

He didn't even look at Dallas.

"Pity ... a pretty little thing like you with a guy like that," he said, "He's probably looking for his next score right now ... either for business or pleasure..."

I scowled at him. The nerve of the man. Playing my role didn't look all that tough now.

"How dare you say such a rude thing," I said, "I'll tell you that my boyfriend is very successful and extremely wealthy..."

Buck didn't look offended.

"That might well be ... but what does he do for you? Keep you happy in every way?"

God, the timbre of his voice, deep and dark made my skin tingle and the way his eyes penetrated mine. My heartbeat quickened.

"Meaning?"

His mouth curved into a smile.

"Meaning do you like the way he fucks you?"

I dropped my mouth open and that sure wasn't acting. My real self collided with the role I played and my fingers itched to slap him.

"How dare you! What gives you the right?"

He put his drink down smoothly on the counter.

"A woman as pretty as you deserves a good fucking," he said, "The kind where a man lays claim to you and ruins you for anyone else."

Now I really wanted to slap him. Instead I threw my drink at him right in the face. He didn't even blink, a look of cold anger flashed across his face and those eyes ... I felt the chill deep inside my core and god, had I gone too far? But then he chuckled and reached for a napkin to wipe his face.

"My mistake ... I'm sorry, can you forgive me?"

I just stared at him and then I finally nodded. For a moment I thought he might hurt me but now he almost looked chagrined.

"There's nothing to forgive. I really should get back to my date..."

I walked away but I felt him staring into my back. I felt a charge rush through me that it hadn't been just fear but something else that made me more uncomfortable.

Desire.

Dallas frowned at me when I walked over to him.

"What happened over there?"

I shrugged more nonchalantly than I felt.

"Oh ... nothing ... some guy made a pass at me and you'd be very proud at how I acted the spoiled little debutante."

He smiled and stroked my arm and I knew that deep down inside of him, he wanted more from me than just friendship. Something less than platonic but I also knew he'd never go there.

"Okay now's the time," he said, "Now we play the couple going off to find some privacy and when we're out of view, you'll get the disk."

I nodded. We both knew that early recon had indicated it was in Carlton's office.

"I'll get it before our marks have a chance to grab it," I said, "I just wish we had them IDed."