Mason entered the house, but the combination of irritation and sexual frustration was eroding his personal discipline.

"Something got your shorts in a bunch?"

Martina DeRosa, his housekeeper, was setting up the big coffee pot in the kitchen. She raised one eyebrow.

"Sorry. It flew out of my hands."

"Uh-huh." She gave him one of her up and down looks. "The expression on your face says different. Don't tell me it's that female out there."

"I'm not ...