Was she deliberately flirting with him? Maybe she thought that was what was expected of her. Later, when they were off the air, he’d explain to her that she didn’t have to act that way with him. He wasn’t Naughty Nick. They would just do the show the way he always did, ask for donations and forget about all the flirting and sexy talk.
If only he could convince his body to do the same.
AT 9:00 THE MORNING show ended and Erica and Adam were off the air. Now their job was to talk to the people who stopped by to donate, take turns answering the phones for people who wanted to make pledges, and do the occasional live call-in throughout the day.
In between times they were free to take a break to eat or freshen up in the bathroom, though they weren’t supposed to get too far from the bed.
Erica watched as Adam signed autographs for a trio of smiling women. She didn’t really blame them for smiling. Dressed in rumpled pajamas, his hair tousled, he looked like a man who’d just rolled out of bed. And one who hadn’t spent his time there working or sleeping.
Flirting with him had come naturally. But then she’d decided to try turning up the heat a notch. Why not? There was no way he could pretend she was just another co-worker when they were so close together—both in nightclothes and in a bed. Why not take advantage of that to let him know how she really felt? And if she was lucky, one thing might lead to another and they’d never be “just friends” again.
She was busy reviewing the schedule on the clipboard when Carl stopped by. “How’s it going?” he asked.
“Good. How did I sound?”
“Great. You got everything you need here?”
Adam turned away from his admirers and joined them. “We could use a fan,” he said. “It’s too warm in here.”
Carl looked at Erica. “She said she was cold earlier.”
She coughed, recalling the excuse she’d made up for wearing the flannel. She wished now she’d packed sexier clothes. She’d had to settle for the tank top but it had served the purpose and gotten Adam’s attention. “I’m fine now,” she said.
“You did good,” he said again. “Keep it up. I like the sexy stuff. The listeners love it, too.”
Adam frowned. “About the sexy stuff,” he said. “Nick’s not here, so we don’t have to do that.”
“Didn’t you hear me?” Carl said. “I said keep it up. Besides, you two sounded like you were having fun.”
Adam shifted from one foot to the other, avoiding looking at Erica. “Sure. I just don’t want people to get the wrong idea.”
She laughed. “Don’t worry about me. And hey, maybe my reputation could use a little spicing up.”
“Great. Now some big bruiser of a boyfriend will come looking for me with a baseball bat.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t have a boyfriend—big bruiser or not.”
“Then see, no problem,” Carl said. “Have fun with it. But not too much fun.”
She made a face at him. “Aren’t you the spoilsport.”
“There’s security cameras all over the place.” He pointed to opaque plastic domes in the ceiling. There was one directly over the bed. “They’ll record everything you do.”
“Everything?” So much for her plans to seduce Adam.
He winked. “Everything.”
“Thanks for the warning,” Adam said. “But it wasn’t necessary. Erica and I are professionals.”
“Yeah, well last time I looked you were a man and a woman, too.”
Adam’s frown was a real scowl now. “I won’t get out of line.”
Carl shrugged. “I didn’t say anything, did I?”
Had they forgotten she was here? What if she wanted to get out of line? “How’s Nick?” she asked, anxious to change the subject.
“Okay. I saw him after he came out of surgery. They had him on a morphine pump and he was feeling no pain. He’s got a pin in his leg and a cast up to his thigh, and his shoulder’s all bandaged up.” He wiped his face with an oversize green bandanna. “He’s lucky he wasn’t killed.”
“Poor guy.” She shuddered. “Funny how a few minutes can change everything, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Adam was looking at her. Was he thinking about how this changed things between them, too?
“Now get back in bed.” Carl shooed them toward the bed. “We want some photos for the Web site.”
She settled back against the pillows beside Adam, smiling for the camera, all her senses focused on the man beside her. They were almost touching, but not quite, the satin sheets bunched up between them.
“No, no, no. Act like you like each other.” Carl stood beside the cameraman, motioning for them to move closer together. “This is supposed to be sexy. Attention-getting. You’re having a good time, remember? It’s for a good cause.”
She glanced at Adam, who wore a pained expression. “Carl, I—” he began.
She couldn’t decide if he was shy or simply had an overdeveloped sense of propriety. She absolutely refused to consider that he might not want to get closer to her. She couldn’t be that far off in reading the signals he was sending out when no one else was around.
Fine, then. She’d be happy to help things along a little. She pulled the sheets from around them and slid closer, her hip snugged up against his, his arm brushing the side of her breast. “How’s this?” she asked, and threw both arms around him.
“Great! Great! Adam, put your arm around her. That’s it. Now big smiles!”
The flash blinded them, but it did nothing to dim her awareness of Adam’s arm around her or the warmth of his body against hers. He’d gotten over his reluctance quickly enough, his fingers kneading her waist, his body angling toward hers slightly. Only a half-turn and they’d be facing each other, looking into each other’s eyes, their lips almost touching….
“That’s great. You look hot. We’ll get a million hits on the Web site with these.”
“I think a million’s a little optimistic,” Adam said, his arm still wrapped around her. “It’s not the Paris Hilton video.”
“Now there’s an idea.” Carl’s eyes took on a wicked gleam. “Video. I’ll have to talk with the Web designer about that.”
“Hey, Adam, come over here and check this schedule, will you?” their production assistant, Mason, called.
Did she imagine his reluctance to pull away from her? She hugged a pillow to her chest and watched him climb out of bed and cross the floor to speak with Mason. Obviously Adam had enjoyed the cuddling as much as she had. If she could only figure out a way for them to enjoy it when no one was looking…no one but all those security cameras.
She glanced up at the smoked plastic dome. Was there someone sitting at a console somewhere, monitoring them right now? She stuck out her tongue just in case. That’s what they got for spoiling her fun. Wonder if she could cover them with a sheet…?
“What are you looking at?”
She started as he joined her in the bed once more. “I’m thinking how boring it must be for whoever monitors those cameras,” she said.
“This is probably more exciting than staring at screens full of furniture all day, which is what they usually do.”
She laughed. “So far it’s been fun.”
His eyes