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Strangers In The Night

Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd.

Chapter One

Not until she was ready for him.

A full moon shone through the high-rise window, illuminating a shadowy path into the living room. A sudden hiss permeated the deep silence and Josie's hand flew to her chest. But it was only Horatio, her boyfriend's temperamental Siamese. She bent down to pet the cat, her heart still racing in her chest. Her reaction had more to do with nerves than fear. She'd never done anything like this before.

Horatio seemed to sense her anxiety, jerking away from her and bounding underneath the sofa. As she rose to her feet, Josie reached into her bag and pulled out the list she'd made on the flight from Tempe. Lists always made her feel in control and she began to calm down as she found a pen in her bag to check off the first item.

1. Go to Adam's apartment.

He'd given her a key weeks ago, but she hadn't worked up the nerve to use it until tonight. Doubts had assailed her on the long drive from the Denver airport, but she'd stuck one of her motivational tapes into the car's cassette player and now she was ready for action. Almost. Her gaze moved to the second item on the list.

2. Undress.

With trembling fingers, she untied the silk scarf around her neck, then dropped it into the small bag she'd brought with her from the airport. The fluttering fabric enticed Horatio, who leaped out from under the sofa and pounced on it immediately, batting at the scarf with his paws.

She tried to take the scarf away from him, but his claws snagged the delicate fabric and she knew it was a lost cause. Ignoring the cat and his new toy, Josie kicked off her shoes before shedding her slacks and blouse. She tucked them all neatly into the bag, then pulled out a sheer red negligee, holding it up in front of her.

The transparent fabric and baby-doll design left little to the imagination, but the saleswoman at the boutique in Tempe had assured her that any man would find it irresistible.

Maybe she shouldn't wear anything at all.

Josie discarded that idea almost as soon as it entered her head. She wasn't that motivated. Her body was far from perfect, with her average bust and full hips. That was one of the reasons she wanted to surprise Adam in the dark. The negligee wouldn't provide much cover, but it was definitely better than nothing.

After slipping off her cotton bra, she dropped the negligee over her head. The hem whispered against the top of her thighs and a shiver rippled over her bare skin. Feeling overexposed, Josie took a deep breath and picked up the pen, slashing a line through the second item.

She had left Denver a week ago, after Adam had told her he wanted to take their relationship to the next level. She'd needed time to think about it, to debate all the pros and cons in her head before making a final decision. Josie had learned the hard way that acting strictly on emotion usually led to disaster.

Now bored with the scarf, Horatio leaped into a chair to watch her as she glanced at Item Three on her list.

3. Perfume.

The tiny but expensive perfume bottle she'd purchased in Tempe lay at the bottom of the bag, padded with several layers of bubble wrap to keep it from breaking. According to her research, this particular perfume was the most popular brand on the market. Josie dabbed the fragrance behind her ears, then touched her pulse points as the subtle aroma of jas-mine filled the air.

The cat sneezed once, then jumped off the chair and disappeared into the kitchen. She just hoped the perfume didn't have the same effect on Adam.

They'd been dating for three months, which was almost a record for her. Most men didn't stick around for more than one date, once she made it clear that she wouldn't be hopping into bed with them anytime soon. Passion too often made people irrational and she wasn't about to let herself fall into that trap. A trap that had destroyed her family.

She mentally shook herself, not allowing the past to interfere with the present. Her decision to sleep with Adam was based on logic as well as emotion. She liked him and he seemed to possess the qualities she was looking for in a man. Stability, common sense and a good work ethic. If it turned out they were physically compatible, she could start thinking about a future with him.

But first things first. After checking off Item Three, her gaze moved down the list to Item Four.

4. Protection.

No doubt Adam had his own supply of condoms, but she wasn't about to take any chances. She'd stopped at a drugstore just outside the airport and had spent twenty minutes comparing the different brands before finally making her purchase.

Retrieving the shopping bag from the side compartment of her bag, she hesitated, wondering if carrying the entire box of two dozen condoms into his bedroom might be too intimidating. She took out one and tucked the flat foil package into the waistband of her new red-lace panties, then dropped the box back into the bag.

Only one item remained. She took a deep breath, quickly scanning the list to see if there was something else she might have forgotten. Now that the moment was at hand, more doubts began to assail her. What if Adam didn't like surprises? What if he wasn't in a romantic mood? What if she didn't please him? Or he didn't please her?

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Strangers In The Night by Kristin Gabriel Copyright © 2004 by Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd.. Excerpted by permission.
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