Outside, the air was warm and the smell of rain lingered deliciously close. Burning torches lit up the pool and the surrounding tropical plants gave the garden a manufactured resort atmosphere. Most guests had ventured outside into the warm night. Annie recognized many of them from TV shows or rock videos. Some of these people should be her clients. Probably she should know their names. Her father would have. He'd have made it his job to know their likes and dislikes, where they lived, what they did in their spare time and the name of their pet ferret.
"So, Annie," said Rick, leaning close, "you should come see my band play."
Her initial reaction was to lean back, but remembering her original agenda, she touched him on the sleeve. He smiled. "Sure," she murmured in what she hoped was a seductive voice. "When?"
"Tonight." He placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned close to her ear. "Afterwards, we can go somewhere quiet," he whispered. "Be alone."
Ooops. Maybe she should lay off the flirting before things got out of hand.
A tinkle of laughter floated on the breeze. She glanced up and saw Zack with his arm around a giggling Melanie. He was hugging her to his chest, her br**sts squished against him, and they were laughing at something. Probably Annie. Just then, Zack's face half turned towards her, and she thought she saw a flicker of turmoil in his eyes. But maybe she just imagined it since he was too far away for her to see his eyes and she really, really wanted him to be jealous.
But then he was laughing again, caressing Melanie's bare arm. A sick sensation squelched Annie's stomach and the desire to throw up was overwhelming. Maybe it was just the champagne.
Maybe she was jealous.
"Hey," Rick said. "You listening to me?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure." She lay a hand on his chest. Two can play at this game. "Um, Rick?"
"Yeah?"
"Would you mind kissing me?"
He grinned. "Don't mind if I do." He placed a hand on either side of Annie's face and leaned close, taking his time.
She closed her eyes and waited. The sick feeling in her stomach took her mind off what she was about to do. Just as well, because she had a sneaking suspicion that if she thought too much about it, she'd back out.
But the kiss never came. Instead, the hands on her face were ripped away and so was Rick.
"Get out of here," growled a voice that made Annie's heart gallop. She opened her eyes to see Zack standing toe to toe with Rick. He was taller, bigger and more physically imposing so she didn't really blame Rick for scampering away without a second glance.
"What are you doing?" she demanded in a hushed whisper, not wanting to draw attention.
Zack rounded on her. His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides and she wouldn't have been surprised to see steam coming out of his ears. His expression was no longer unreadable. He was downright furious.
"I should ask you that question." He took a step toward her and she took one back, just like she had in the lounge with Rick.
"I was practicing. Like you taught me."
Zack felt like he was having a heart attack. The pounding in his chest had been painful when he saw that jerk touch Annie, but now it was unbearable. He put his palm against his heart in an attempt to still it, but was unsuccessful. He knew nothing would make the pain go away, not until the image of Annie with another man had disappeared.
No, not Annie with another man, Annie enjoying herself with another man.
But he could only blame himself, and that made the pain worse. Not only had he encouraged her to flirt, he'd made it clear he wasn't interested in her. He couldn't blame her at all. The Annie he'd just witnessed in action was a product of his creation. And he hated it. He wanted the old Annie back. The soft, sweet Annie with the biting attitude and sparkling eyes.
"Annie..." He didn't even recognize the sound of his own voice. It came out strangled and filled with an emotion he never knew he possessed.
Fear.
"Annie, don't do this." He took another step toward her and she took one back.
"Don't do what, Zack?" Her eyes spat sparks at him and her lips, usually so inviting, formed a grim line. "Don't flirt with anyone? Don't watch you flirting with other women?"
"I wasn't flirting—"
"No? Her br**sts were all over you."
"I didn't notice—"
"Didn't notice! Are you blind? And now you have the gall to get angry with me for doing exactly what you wanted—flirting. Well, let me tell you, I'm tired of your contrary attitude. You want everything and nothing. You want to sleep with me but you don't want the emotion that goes along with it. Then you tell me I can't spread my wings a little and flirt with other men." She threw up her hands and took another step back when he moved closer. "I thought this was what you wanted me to be. Everything I am tonight, everything I've done, is because of you. You showed me how to be this flirtatious, popular woman. Now you want me to stop." She shook her head. "You're exactly the man I thought you were when we met, Zack DiMarco, an arrogant—"
Annie, teetering on the edge of the pool, flailed her arms around like a windmill. She'd taken one step too many. Zack grabbed her around the waist but over-balanced and fell forward, forcing her into the pool ahead of him. They fell into the water with a resounding splash.
A round of applause greeted them when they surfaced. Everyone thought cooling off in the pool was a great idea and several people joined them, fully clothed.
"Are you okay?" Zack asked as he caught Annie around the waist.
She shrugged him off, swam to the side and hauled herself out of the pool. Her soaked top clung to her body, outlining her curves seductively. He followed her, wanting to hide her from the ogling eyes but was unsure how he'd be received. She'd probably slap him, going by the vibes coming off her.
He strode to her side. "Annie, where are you going?"
"Home."
"I'll drive you."
"You'd better, because I'm not waiting for a cab." Apparently the dip hadn't cooled her temper.
They stormed past an open-mouthed Louisa Mondeo and a dogged servant carrying towels and mopping up their drips. She called goodbyes after them and Zack managed to thank her politely while keeping up with Annie.
They drove to Santa Monica in tortuous silence, giving him time to think. But he didn't like the conclusions he came to.
He'd created a monster. What had happened to his sweet little Annie? The girl with a sassy attitude was still there but she was a beautiful woman now, with an undeniable animal magnetism that men couldn't ignore when she flirted with them. She'd always had it, hidden just below the surface, but he'd released it when he encouraged her to let loose, flirt a little and enjoy herself. He'd dug his own grave when he fell for her, and filled it in when he allowed other men to see what he saw—an exquisite and sensual woman with intelligence and a sense of humor.