Liana stretched one long, shapely leg out the bedroom window, and then the other. Her bare feet found footholds on an old trellis, and she eased herself carefully down the side of the house. The brief physical exertion brought out a sweat that made her skimpy clothing cling to her damp flesh. It was only six a.m. and she was already hot, tired, and irritable.

Mere seconds after her feet touched ground, she was joined by an aging but aggressive Pekinese who still managed to stir up more trouble than a whole litter of puppies.

"If you plan to go with me, then plan to behave yourself," she admonished in a whisper.

Smokey responded with an unblinking stare from beady eyes and an energetic wagging of his tail. He looked ready for action, and Liana frowned at the idea. The Peke followed closely as she walked from the big, white farmhouse that had belonged to her family for more than a century.

They passed the barn without attracting attention and then moved slowly through the dairy herd's grazing pasture. Once they had crossed the western corner of her dad's farm toward his farthest boundary fence, they would be nearing Liana's favorite hideaway.

She forced herself to relax and enjoy the freshness of the country morning. The grass was high and thick, deeply green and covered with dew. Turtle doves cooed a love song while the rooster crowed his superiority from the hen house. The scent of freshly mown alfalfa hay hung sweetly in the morning haze, and Liana inhaled deeply. She'd forgotten how much she loved the smell.

"I've been away an awfully long time, haven't I?" she asked her miniature sidekick.

Three sharp barks and some frantic prancing answered the question. Then Smokey dashed under the white board fence that separated her dad's land from land belonging to the Drenasis estate. He wiggled beneath the bottom rung as Liana swung to the top, straddling the rail while hungrily surveying the tranquil sight before her.

The pond was the size of a football field, and was continually flushed by an artesian spring. It had always been a private playground for her.

Poor Mr. Drenasis had lived the life of a recluse until she'd befriended him at the age of twelve. She'd been allowed the run of his mansion home and spent hours listening to tales of his Greek homeland. He'd died last year without any known heirs. She felt a twinge of guilt for having been too busy to come home for the funeral.

His fabulous home and thirty-five-hundred-acre farm had sold at a sheriff's auction to some business tycoon from New York. She supposed that technically she was trespassing, yet she didn't hesitate to jump the fence. She doubted that the new owner would ever set foot on this section of land. If he'd bought the place as an investment, he probably wouldn't care about the unproductive and isolated portion of his property.

This place was as much a part of Liana's life as her own backyard. The sparkling pool with its halo of willow trees held special memories. She moved toward the pond and seated herself on a large, flat stone facing the water.

Smokey dropped at her feet, apparently exhausted, but she doubted his inactivity would last. He was getting old, yet he had a youthful penchant for mischief. She adored him even if he was a nuisance.

The sun penetrated the thick morning haze and shone like a golden arrow piercing the sky, striking the water with a shaft of brilliance. The temperature was already in the mid-eighties, and the humidity soared even higher. Central Ohio was having an unusually hot springtime this year.

The atmosphere seemed more stifling after her walk, and Liana fretfully tugged at her cotton top. There wasn't a puff of air to stir the breeze, yet the gentle gurgling of the water echoed in the stillness of the morning. The sound was a tantalizing invitation for her to cool her fevered limbs in the pond's refreshing depths.

She'd always followed the rule about not swimming alone. Her parents would be alarmed if they knew she'd come this far, and they'd be appalled at the thought of her exerting enough energy to swim.

"What the hell?" she groused, giving Smokey her undivided attention for an instant. "I'm not an invalid."

He snorted, and so did she. The water gently mocked her inhibitions. Its cooling depths taunted and coaxed. It was a delightful temptation that she had little will to resist. She slid to the ground, stepped out of her shorts, and pulled off her top. Then her fingers bravely unfastened the hooks of her bra, tossing it to the flat rock where she'd been sitting. Defiance waned somewhat as she considered removing her bikini briefs.

"Modesty," she explained out loud.

With a tinkling laugh closely followed by a sigh of self-indulgence, she slid her overheated body into the coolness of the pond. The caress of gently rippling on her bare skin sent tiny shivers of awareness to every nerve ending, and she gasped when the tingling sensations flowed over her.

Due to the constant churning of the artesian spring, the water was cool and lapped against her flesh with a rhythmic motion that was totally erotic. Liana closed her eyes and savored the feel. She badly needed relief from the physical tension and emotional strain of the past few months.

She'd been such a fool. Too impatient, too ambitious, too careless with her health. After cramming four years of college study into three years, she'd set out to make a name for herself in New York. She'd worked sixteen-hour days and pushed herself to the limit until she'd landed in the hospital with pneumonia complicated by mononucleosis.

The doctors told her if she didn't take care of herself, she'd irreparably damage her lungs and liver.

Her parents had been frantic, and she'd rashly promised to move home with them for the entire summer.

"The fever must have cooked my brain," she murmured as she began to swim across the pool with sure strokes and natural grace.

She felt stronger every day. She wanted to get back to work, and the inactivity was driving her nuts. If only Rod were home, she thought wistfully. He was due back any day now. She wouldn't feel so bereft once he was here.

Rodney Govern was the tall, dark, handsome man of her dreams. She'd loved him for as many years as she'd known him, and that was all her life. He was two years older than she and had attended an out-of-state college while she'd commuted to Ohio State University.

Their time together had been limited. He'd spent the last five years globe-hopping from one engineering project to another while she'd devoted her every waking breath to a career in interior design.

Rod would be home from South America soon, and they could discuss the future. They hadn't spoken of marriage lately, but it had been a shared dream to one day many and raise a family.

Slowly swimming back and forth across the pond, she utilized every swimming stroke she'd ever learned. She was regaining her strength, and it felt marvelous. From now on she intended to guard her health.

Gradually, prompted by a childish urge to disrupt the pond's tranquillity, she began to play more energetically. She dove to the bottom and skimmed the water's depth until she was forced to surface for air. Then she splashed and kicked to see the spray sparkle in the sunlight in all its prismatic glory. Standing on tiptoe, her waist-length hair cloaking her nudity, she threw handfuls of water at the sun and laughed delightedly as it showered back down on her upturned face.

A contented smile transformed earlier weariness to loveliness when she eventually allowed the pool to return to its peaceful state. Now she would float lazily on her back. She felt vitally alive and totally sensuous as the sun's rays bathed her naked breasts with erotic heat.

She considered the fact that her restlessness might be due to unsatisfied physical and emotional needs. Her discontent might be attributed to more than a lengthy recovery and the curtailing of her career. Maybe the summer would bring an end to the restless yearnings, she mused dreamily while an unusual stillness settled around the pond.

Suddenly, inexplicably, Liana's serenity was shattered by an intense feeling of vulnerability. Her feet dropped to the pool bottom, and her head shot up proudly, blue eyes searching for the cause of her unease.

Her senses were highly attuned to her surroundings and alerted to danger. Her glittering gaze scanned the embankment until locating the cause of her sensual alarm. A tall, tanned, blond man leaned nonchalantly against the boulder where she'd been sitting earlier.

Disturbingly masculine and potentially dangerous, he returned her shocked glance with bold disregard for her privacy. His arms were crossed over his chest and he appeared relaxed. Liana immediately got the impression that he was patiently waiting for her to make one wrong move.

He was Rod's size; six feet tall, lean and muscular, but from her angle, he took on the dimensions of a giant. His brazen eyes remained glued to her, and she felt hot color scorching its way over her neck to her cheeks.

Never having found herself in such an outrageous situation before, she wasn't sure how to react. Should she play it cool? Act the dumb blonde? Defend herself with a good offense? The last idea appealed most, so she summoned a haughty manner and spoke to the rude giant.

"Are you aware that this is private property, and that you are trespassing?" she inquired coolly.

"I know it's private property," came his sexy, deep-throated reply while his perusing gaze mocked her. "I also know which one of us is trespassing."

His voice sent shivers down her spine, and his meaning was clear. Damn! He had to be the new owner, she speculated grimly. She felt like a thief caught stealing.

Trying not to show her dismay, she seethed at the injustice of being caught in so humiliating a situation. Worse, he looked ready to enjoy himself at her expense.

Why wasn't he in New York? Her parents said their new neighbor had visited and then disappeared again. Who'd have thought a busy tycoon would be prowling around a field at this time of the morning? And why didn't he look anything like she had him pictured?

He'd been featured in an article by the local newspaper, but their photo made him look dark and fiftyish while in reality he was blond and thirtyish. She made a mental note never to let them photograph her.

"You're going to wrinkle like a prune," came a low taunt that snapped Liana's attention back to him and made her even more disgruntled.

"I can't get out of the water with you here," she countered. "Why don't you do whatever you came to do and then leave?" The rudeness was uncharacteristic, but she was feeling pretty defensive.

"What if I came for a swim?" he asked softly, his gaze sliding to her awkward position in the water.

Liana tried to cover her breasts while bouncing on tiptoe to keep her mouth above water. The water was crystal clear. There was no way to adequately shield herself. It was infuriating, and his suggestive tone didn't help matters.

"If you'll allow me some privacy, I promise I'll get out of your way as soon as possible," she managed. "Then you can have the whole pond to yourself!"

"What if I want to share?" he replied smoothly, his eyes gleaming with devilish delight.

"Tough luck," Liana dared.

She probably shouldn't antagonize him, but she was too agitated to think of being tactful. This arrogant giant wanted to provoke her instead of being polite and leaving her in peace.

The newspaper article had hinted that Nate Harden was keen on his own privacy, but he wasn't going to give her any. Her dignity was suffering quite a blow, and she was furious for getting caught in such an embarrassing situation.

"Where did you leave your clothes?" the giant finally asked, his gaze never straying from Liana's nude form.

"They're right behind you in the grass," she said, not believing he hadn't seen them. He was standing directly in front of the same flat boulder she'd sat on earlier.

A large hand reached across the rock and lifted her bra. "If you mean this flimsy yellow thing," he teased outrageously, "then you'll be nearly as naked after you're dressed as you are now."

The heat in Liana's face grew hotter, and so did her temper. The audacity of the man made her grind her teeth and count to ten. No one had ever humiliated her so thoroughly in such a short span of time. He didn't even try to hide his delight at her predicament.

"My underwear is no concern of yours, Mr. Harden. Just leave, and I'll worry about my clothes."

The giant reluctantly ignored her while searching the area for additional clothing. Liana looked, too, but there was no sign of her denim shorts and tank top.

She moved closer to the bank as an unwelcome thought took shape in her mind. Smokey was notorious for carrying off her belongings, and she hadn't put everything out of his reach. If he'd made off with her clothes, she'd ring his shaggy neck. Why hadn't she considered the possibility?

"You didn't happen to see a brown and gray Pekinese, did you?" she asked hesitantly. Her question was followed by an instant of total silence and then the explosive sound of masculine laughter.

The deep-throated laugh should have grated on her nerves, yet it shivered over her body like a caress. She didn't care for her primitive response to his rumbling tone.

"You think the situation's so amusing?" she snapped in an attempt to shame him.

The effort failed, and she was forced to rein her temper until his amusement subsided. Then he added fuel to the flames of her anger with his next statement.

"I think your pet is proving to be this man's best friend," he declared with husky enjoyment. Then he was laughing at his own humor.

Liana's eyes narrowed. She moved still closer to the bank so that she could berate him without the risk of swallowing water. The last thing she wanted right now was mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

"I'm pleased to have supplied you with so much amusement, but if you don't mind, I'd like to get out of the water. You are in my way. Most self-respecting gentlemen would turn their backs or find a way to help me."

Another roar of laughter followed her fruitless attempt to shame him. Liana was shocked at the amount of control she needed to suppress her anger. She was actually trembling. She had an urge to climb nude and dripping from the water and smack his handsome, mocking face.

If the gossips were to be believed, he was no stranger to women. Nudity probably wasn't a novelty for him. It was for her. The thought compounded her humiliation.

She glared at her tormentor, her gaze scouring his features as she assessed him thoroughly. Few men were a real threat once they'd been studied, understood, and categorized. She wanted to immunize herself against this man.

He was startlingly attractive. To her artist's eyes, his body looked sculpted to perfection. His face was tanned and smooth-shaven, his jaws firm and his mouth wide. With his lips parted in a wide grin, he revealed beautiful, straight teeth. The total effect left her strangely shaken.

The gleam in his eyes sparked a shiver of awareness that thrilled her, yet fueled her resentment.

"If the idea of gallant behavior causes so much hilarity," she tossed at him, "I'll settle for common courtesy."

"Forgive me my shortcomings, nymph," he apologized, with a tremor of amusement lacing his tone. "I'll turn around so that you can put on your .. er ... yellow thing. Then I'll play the gentleman and lend you the shirt off my back."

His eyes sparkled, but he turned his back and began to tug the blue chambray shirt from the waistband of faded, snug-fitting jeans.

Liana hesitated. She trusted him, strangely enough, yet she was oddly affected by the intimacy of his actions. He casually stripped off his shirt and exposed a gorgeous breadth of back and shoulder muscles.

She wasn't usually awed by bare torsos, but something deep within her responded to the pure male beauty of this one. The savagely sensual reaction alarmed her and warned her to proceed with caution.

"Are you coming out, nymph?" he cajoled softly. "Or will I turn around and find you've vanished into air?"

"Don't turn around!" Liana exclaimed as she pulled herself from the water and wriggled into the clinging fabric of her bra. It was flimsy, but preferable to being naked.

After a brief hesitation, she reached out and accepted the shirt offered over his shoulder. It was too big, too long, and disturbingly warm, but it felt good and smelled marvelous.

She struggled with the buttons and had barely fastened the last one when the giant turned. He leisurely surveyed her from the tips of her painted toenails to the hostile brilliance of her eyes.

Liana endured the inspection with as much dignity as possible. She tried to ignore him while wringing some of the excess water from her hair, but it was obvious to both of them that she wanted to get off his property.

"Thank you for the loan of your shirt, Mr. Harden," she said. "I'll see that it's cleaned and returned as soon as possible."

"How is it that you know my name, nymph?" he asked as an obvious delaying tactic.

"This is a small, tightly knit community. If you stay around very long, you'll find that everyone knows everyone else, and usually most of their business."

The giant didn't reply, but his features tightened. He apparently didn't like the idea of his personal business becoming public knowledge. Too bad.

"If everybody knows everybody else, then why haven't we met?" he taunted.

"I couldn't say," Liana lied.

"Or won't say," he argued, crossing his arms over his chest and causing a natural rippling of muscles. His eyes were more intent now. "You would have to be the Banners' baby girl home from New York for the summer."

"Would I?"

"I've been gone a few weeks," he said, "but if we were both residents of this community, we'd have met."

Liana flinched at the thought that he might already be well acquainted with her parents. She didn't need any additional aggravation in her life right now.

"You're probably right," she told him dismissively. Then she turned toward her dad's property. "I have to go."

She'd barely taken a step before a strong, tanned hand settled lightly but firmly on her arm, sending a jolt of awareness over her body. She turned, noting that the sprinkling of blond hair on his arm matched the curling mass of hair on his chest and the thick, wavy hair of his head.

"How are you going to explain your state of undress?"

The thought hadn't occurred to her, and she grimaced. This would definitely precipitate another round of scolding and coddling. Lately her parents were smothering her with tender loving care.

"I'm sure no one will be interested," she fabricated.

"Liar," he mocked softly. "I've gotten to know your parents, and I don't think they'd approve of your skinny-dipping in such an isolated spot."

"I was not skinny-dipping!" She protested hotly, her face flaming with embarrassment.

The arrogant arching of his brows declared that she might as well have been naked.

"I'm a little old for parental guidance," she argued. "I'll just climb back in my window, and they won't know I've been anywhere but the shower."

Stating the newly formed plan aloud made it seem feasible until Nate burst her little bubble of optimism.

"And what if I feel it my neighborly duty to inform them of your dangerous habits?"

"You wouldn't," she challenged.

"I might," he threatened.

"Why?" came her frustrated query. She didn't need added tension between her and her parents.

"I might consider it my moral obligation," he countered suavely.

"Liar," she accused, returning his earlier insult.

The strong column of Nate's throat thrust forward as he threw back his head and roared with laughter. Normally she enjoyed an exhilarating exchange of banter and the sound of husky laughter, but nothing about her encounter with Nate Harden felt normal. She was impatient to be gone,

"All right," he confessed when his laughter subsided. "I'm not a strictly moral person, but I'm pretty sure your parents are morally upright."

"So?"

"So what's it worth to keep me quiet?"

Liana glared at him and wondered how serious he was. "I have a feeling I'm about to be either blackmailed or compromised."

She knew her declaration appealed to his warped sense of humor, but she gave him credit for controlling his amusement this time.