Free Lethal Exposure by Lori Wilde

breath, he ran a hand through his hair and stared at his computer screen. Why couldn’t he concentrate? Why did all his ideas feel flat? How come every time he tried to visualize a blockbuster spin campaign, he saw Julie’s arresting features instead?
    Face it, she’s got you so horny you can’t think straight.
    Dammit. He had to stop this. But how?
    Make love to her. That’ll get her out of your system.
    But were the potential complications worth the risk? She could deny it all she wanted, but Julie DeMarco was the happily-ever-after type. The sort you brought home to Mama for Thanksgiving dinner. For some reason she was trying too hard to act wild. Her motivation was what concerned him most. Why had she propositioned him out of the blue? Was she trying to get back at a boyfriend?
    So what if she was? Revenge sex could be pretty damned hot.
    Sebastian looked at the crumpled papers all around him, thought of the PR campaign that was going nowhere and realized he didn’t have much of a choice.
    Just then, there was a knock on the door. Grateful for the distraction, he put his laptop aside, got up and went to answer it. He found a bellboy standing in the hallway. “Yes?”
    “Package for Mr. Black.”
    He took the big box, gave the guy a generous tip and lugged it into the room. His name and room number were written on the box, but that was it. No return address.
    Curiosity had him cutting the ribbon and ripping off the brown paper wrapping. He took off the lid and peered inside. He laughed at the pair of black cowboy boots, matching black Stetson and a brand-new lasso.
    At the bottom of the box was a folded note.

    I’m naughtier than you could ever guess, cowboy. Wear this outfit and meet me at Lone Star riding stables adjacent to Confidential Rejuvenations on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. That is if you have the balls.
    Instant sweat popped out on his forehead as heat licked through his belly. Sebastian flipped the note over searching for a signature, but instead of a name he found the following postscript.

    PS—Expect the unexpected.

5
    EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.
    Julie’s rousing postscript ricocheted through Sebastian’s mind. Did she have any idea how seductive those words were? His interest was provoked, his curiosity piqued, his desire for sexual adventure fueled. His entire body tingled with heightened awareness.
    He thought about the kiss they’d shared in the restaurant. The memory escalated his anticipation. He had three condoms tucked into his shirt pocket. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d been this crazed with lust.
    This woman was a lot more complicated than first impressions led him to believe.
    It was just before ten o’clock on Sunday morning and Sebastian paced the visitors’ parking lot of the Lone Star riding stables. He had learned from his research on Confidential Rejuvenations that the hospital had a contract with the riding stables to provide therapeutic recreation for inpatients undergoing treatment, and Confidential Rejuvenations’ employees were allowed to ride for free. In exchange, the stable owners got discounted health care.
    He wore the outfit Julie had sent. Black cowboy boots, Stetson, lasso slung over his shoulder. Plus, he’d added jeans and a Western shirt he’d bought at his hotel’s gift shop. He felt like a big dork, but no one had paid the slightest bit of attention to him, so maybe he blended in better than he thought.
    In the green pastures of the expansive paddock, well-cared-for horses grazed. The animals made him think of his childhood and thinking of his childhood made him antsy. He’d traded fields for asphalt for a reason.
    Five minutes passed.
    He paced the parking lot. Where was she? A flick of his wrist and he checked his watch. She’d said ten. He was sure of it. He pulled the note out of his wallet to double-check. Yep, 10:00 a.m. It was now eight minutes past the hour.
    Another couple of minutes passed and he fretted that she’d stood him up.
    Had she