Erin couldn’t hide the disappointment that swallowed her. She had hoped that Kane would be home this evening or, at the very latest, Saturday.

“What? Oh, yes,” she agreed distractedly. “Mr. Jefferies moved out at the beginning of the week, and the cleaning people were here earlier today. I’m sure it will be ready by Sunday evening….”

“Good—I’ll see you then.”

“Good night, Kane,” Erin whispered, not wanting to hang up the phone and sever the frail connection that bound her so distantly to him.

“Erin?”

“Yes…”

A pause. “Good night.”

Erin felt an incredible loneliness as she hung up the phone.

“Oh, darling!” Kane murmured to himself as he heard her ring off. He slammed the receiver down in mindless frustration and rubbed his hands together anxiously, all the while leaning against the wall and staring at the clean, white telephone in his sister’s apartment. How was he going to handle his emotions for Erin? God, had it only been four days since he had last seen—or touched—her?

Somehow he had expected and silently hoped that once he had put some distance between himself and her, the miles would erase the goddesslike image of her body and that her likeness in his mind would fade, cooling his hot-blooded need for her. But he had been mistaken, grievously mistaken, and just the reverse had occurred. Instead of forgetting her, the image of her body was burned savagely on his mind and achingly in his loins. He felt an urgency, a driving need, warm and molten, that throbbed against his temples and fired his blood. He had to see her again, and he had to see her soon, or he would surely go out of his mind!

And the lies! Oh, God, how he hated his lies. The duplicity of his situation was eating at him, tearing at him from the inside out. He slammed a powerful fist against the wall. How could he lie to her and to himself? How long could the tense charade continue?

Kane had convinced himself that it would be a good idea to live near Erin, in the same building, in order that he might watch her more closely. But now, as he stood staring at the phone, he knew that it was only his mind playing games with him again. Another lie to justify his urgent need to be near her and protect her.

Protect her? He laughed mirthlessly at himself and reached for the tall glass of Scotch that he had poured before placing the long-distance call. Erin needed to be protected all right, from Kane Webster, from himself! He was the one who continued relentlessly and mercilessly to track her down, stalking her like some wild, criminal creature. He was suspicious of her and too much of a coward to admit it for fear of losing her. A damned hypocritical bastard, that’s what he was, he conceded to himself.

Kane’s hands were shaking from the turbulent emotions that were battling cruelly within his mind. He took a long drink, and groaned as the Scotch hit the empty bottom of his stomach. His thoughts were black and excruciating as he strode into the living room and levered himself down on his sister’s uncomfortable floral couch.