“Is that the way you hear it?” She laughed tightly, despite the headache that was pounding relentlessly in her ears. “I guess you’ve got the wrong information.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, a sudden seriousness killing his smile. He looks old, Erin thought to herself. The sunny college-boy looks only survived when he smiled.

“What I mean, Lee, is that I’m out of a job,” she explained, her words a little less caustic than they had been. “I’m sorry. I can’t loan you any money. I just don’t have it.”

“You? You’ve got to be kidding!”

“I’m not!” She shook her head to emphasize her point.

“You must have a savings account—something!”

“Not much,” she admitted. “And anyway, I don’t feel that I owe you any favors. That might sound a little cold-blooded, but it’s the way I feel.”

Lee began to bite his lower lip, and his eyes darted around the landing. “Look, babe, I’m desperate. I need to get my hands on some bread, and fast!”

“Why don’t you get a job?” she asked, and hated herself for the acidic sound of the sarcasm.

A stricken expression covered Lee’s face. “A job? I’ve been looking for a job night and day. It’s…just that the right…opportunity hasn’t presented itself.”

Erin rubbed her hands against her temples and gave Lee a final sorrowful expression. “I’m sorry about that too,” she said honestly, “but if you don’t mind, I’m tired, and I’m going back to bed.” He must have misinterpreted her feelings, because as she reached for the handle of the door, Lee was against her, his body molding tightly to hers. She tried to wriggle out of his embrace, but there was no escape.

“Erin, baby,” he growled. “Why do you enjoy teasing me?”

“What? Lee, let go of me. What are you doing?” She felt the power of his body push against her and force her rigidly against the cold, hard wood. His hands reached for the knotted belt of her robe, and she could feel his long, cold fingers probe against the flimsy fabric of her nightgown. A shudder of fear stiffened her spine.

“Let me go,” she hissed, but his lips, dispassionately cool, descended on her open mouth. A sinking sensation of fear swept over her as his tongue pressed ruthlessly against her gums. With all the strength she could gather, she lifted her bare foot and hoisted her knee sharply upward, but Lee had anticipated the move and dodged the misplaced blow.

“So you want to play rough,” he growled, and pulled her hands over her head to pin them cruelly against the door frame.

“Lee! Stop this. You’re acting like a lunatic,” she asserted, but the command in her voice was diminished by the fact that her words were trembling.

“Let her go!” Kane’s voice commanded from the lower landing. At the sound Lee turned.

“What?” Lee studied the source of the noise. The man, tall and dark, was stripped to the waist, wearing only faded jeans as he began to slowly ascend the stairs. “Hey, look, mister,” Lee said guardedly. “Why don’t you mind your own business? This is my wife….” Lee jerked his head in Erin’s direction. “We’re just having a little disagreement….”