NIGHTOFLOVE

PROLOGUE

Steven Ryker paced his office at Ryker Air with characteristic energy, smoking a cigarette that he
hatedwhileheturnedtheairblueinquietmuttering.Achapterofhislifethathe'dclosedthedooron
fouryearspasthadreopened,leavinghisemotionalwoundsbareandbleeding.

Megwasback.

He didn't recognize his own fear. It wasn't a condition he'd ever associated with himself. But things
hadchanged.He'dgonethroughaperiodofmourningwhenMeghadwalkedoutonhimtobegina
balleticcareerinNewYork.He'dconsoledhimselfwithwomanafterwillingwoman.Butintheend,
he'dbeenalonewiththepainfulmemories.Theyhurt,andbecausetheystillhurt,heblamedMeg.He
wantedhertosufferashehad.Hewantedtoseeherbeautifulblueevesfillwithtears,hewantedto
seepainonthatexquisitefaceframedbysoftblondhair.Hewantedconsolationforthehellshe'dput
himthroughbyleavingwithoutawordwhenshe'dpromisedtobehiswife.

He put out the cigarette. It was a habit, like loving Meg. He hated both: cigarettes and the blond
memory from his past. He'd never had a woman jilt him. Of course, he'd never asked a woman to
marry him, either. He'd been content to live alone, until Meg had kissed him in gratitude for the
presenthe'dgivenherwhensheturnedeighteen.Hislifehadturnedoverthen.

Their fathers, hers and his, had become business partners when Meg was fourteen and her brother,
David,justalittleolder.Thefamilieshaddevelopedaclosenessthattiedtheirlivestogether.Meghad
beenasweetnuisancethatStevenhadtoleratedwhenheandDavidhadbecomebestfriends.Butthe
nuisance grew up into a beautiful, regal woman who'd melted the ice around his hard heart. He'd
giveneverythinghewas,everythinghehad,toMeg.Andithadn'tbeenenough.

Hecouldn'tforgiveherfornotwantinghim.Hecouldn'tadmitthathisobsessionwithherhadallbut
costhimhissanitywhensheleft.Hewantedvengeance.HewantedMeg.

Therewouldbeawaytomakeherpay,hevowed.She'dhurtherlegandcouldn'tdancetemporarily.
Butthatballetcompanysheworkedforwasinrealfinancialstraits.Ifheplayedhiscardsright,he
mightyethavethatonemagicalnightinMeg'sarmsthathe'ddreamedofforyears.Butthistime,it
wouldn'tbeoutofloveandneed.Itwouldbeoutofvengeance.Megwasback.Andhewasgoingto
makeherpayforwhatshe'dmadeofhim.

Megwasalreadyoutofhumorwhenshewenttoanswerthephone.She'dbeeninthemiddleofher
exercisesatthebar,andshehatedinterruptionsthatdivertedherconcentration.Aninjuryhadforced
her into this temporary hiatus at her family home in Wichita, Kansas. It was hard enough to do the
exercises in the first place with a damaged ligament in her ankle. It didn't help her mood when she
pickedupthereceiverandfoundoneofStevenRyker'swomenontheotherendoftheline.

Steven,thepresidentofRykerAir,hadbeenplayingtennisallafternoonwithMeg'sbrother,David.
He'dobviouslyforwardedhiscallshere.ItirritatedMegtohavetotalktohiswomenfriendsatall.
Butthen,she'dalwaysbeenpossessiveaboutStevenRyker;longbeforesheleftWichitaforNewYork
tostudyballet.

"IsStevethere?"afemininevoicedemanded.

AnotherinalonglineofSteve'scorporatelovers,nodoubt,Megthoughtangrily.Well,thisonewas
goingtobecomealostcause.Rightnow.

"Who'scalling,please?"Megdrawled.

Therewasapause."ThisisJane.Whoareyou?"

"I'mMeg,"sherepliedpertly,tryingnottolaugh.

"Oh."Thevoicehesitated."Well,I'dliketospeaktoSteve,please."

Megtwirledthecordaroundherfingerandloweredhervoiceanoctave."Darling?"shepurred,her
lipsclosetothereceiver."Oh,darling,dowakeup.It'sJane,andshewantstospeaktoyou."

There was a harsh intake of breath on the other end of the line. Meg stifled a giggle, because she
could almost read the woman's mind. Her blue eyes twinkled in her soft oval face, framed by pale
blondhairdrawnintoadisheveledbunatopherhead.

"Ihavenever...!"Anoutragedvoiceexplodedinherear.

"Oh,youreallyshould,youknow,"Meginterrupted,sighingtheatrically."He'ssomarvelousin bed!
Steven,darling...?"

Thephonewasslammedinherearloudenoughtobreakaneardrum.Megputaslenderhandover
hermouthasshereplacedthereceiverinitscradle.Takethat,Steven,shethought.

SheturnedandwalkedgingerlybackintotheroomDavidhadconvertedfromtheoldballroomintoa

practiceroomforhissister.Itdidn'tgetalotofuse,sinceshewasinNewYorkmostoftheyearnow,
butitwasawonderfullythoughtfulextravaganceonherbrother'spart.David,likeMeg,hadsharesin
Ryker Air. David was a vice president of the company as well. But the old family fortune had been
sacrificedbytheirlatefatherinanattempttotakeoverthecompany,justbeforehisdeath.He'dlost,
andthecompanyhadverynearlyfolded.ExceptfortheuncannybusinessacumenofStevenRyker,it
wouldhave.Stevepulledtheironsoutofthefireandmadethecompanysolvent.Heownedmostofit
now.Andheshould,Megthoughtcharitably.Heavenknew,he'dworkedhardenoughforitallthese
years.

Assheexercised,Megfeltwicked.Sheshouldn'thavecausedSteveproblemswithhiscurrentlove.
Theyhadn'tbeenengagedforfouryears,andshe'dlongagorelinquishedtherighttofeelpossessive
abouthim.

Pensively she picked up her towel and wrapped it around her long, graceful neck, over the pink
leotard she wore with her leg warmers and her pitiful-looking toe shoes. She stared down at them
ruefully.Theyweresoexpensivethatshehadtowearheroldonesforpractice,andanyoneseeing
herinthemwouldbeconvincedthatshewaspenniless.Thatwasalmostthetruth.Becausedespitethe
sharesofstocksheheldinRykerAir—thecompanythatSteven'sfatherandMegandDavid'sfather
had founded jointly—Meg was practically destitute. She was only a minor dancer in the New York
balletcompanyshe'djoinedjustayearago,afterthreeyearsofstudywithaformerprimaballerina
whohadastudioinNewYork.Shehadyettoperformherfirstsolorole.Presumablywhenshepassed
thatlandmark,she'dbehigherpaid,moreindemand.Unlessshemissedajump,thatwas,asshehada
weekago.Thememorywaspainful,likeherankle.Thatsortofclumsinesswasn'tgoingtogether
anystarringroles.Andnowshehadtheaddedworryofgettingherdamagedtendonbackinshape.
Theexercise,recommendedandoutlinedbyaphysicaltherapist,washelping.Butitwastorturously
slow,andverypainful,toexercisethosemuscles.Ithadtobedonecarefully,too,sothatshewouldn't
damagethemevenfurther.

She went back into her disciplined exercises with a determined smile still on her face. She tried to
concentrateonfluidityotmovementandnottheinevitableconfrontationwhenStevefoundoutwhat
she'd said to his girlfriend. Her whole life seemed to have been colored by him, since she was
fourteen and their fathers had become business partners. Her father had worshiped Steven from the
beginning.SohadDavid.ButMeghadhatedhimonsight.

Forthefirstfewyears,she'dfoughthimtoothandnail,notbotheringtohideheranimosity.Buton
theeveofhereighteenthbirthday,thingshadchangedbetweenthemquitesuddenly.He'dgivenhera
delicate pearl necklace and she'd kissed him for it, a little shyly. Except that she'd missed his lean
cheekandfoundhishard,roughmouthinstead.

Inallfairness,he'dbeeneverybitasshockedasMeg.Butinsteadofpullingawayandmakingajoke
of it, there had quite suddenly been a second kiss; one that couldn't be mistaken for anything but a
passionate, almost desperate exchange. When it ended, neither of them had spoken. Steven's silver
eyeshadflasheddangerouslyandhe'dlefttheroomabruptly,withoutsavingasingleword.

But that kiss had changed the way they looked at each other. Their relationship had changed, too.
Reluctantly, almost helplessly, Steven had started taking her out on dates and within a month, he

proposedmarriage.She'dwantedballetsomuchbythattimethatdespiteherragingdesireandlove
forSteve,shewastornbetweenmarriageanddancing.Steven,apparentlysensingthat,hadturnedup
the heat. A long bout of lovemaking had almost ended in intimacy. Steven had lost control and his
unbounded ardor had frightened Meg. An argument had ensued, and he'd said some cruel things to
her.

That same evening, after their argument, Steven had taken his former mistress, Daphne, out on the
townverypublicly,andanincriminatingphotoofthecouplehadappearedinthesocietycolumnof
thedailynewspaperthenextday.

Meg had been devastated. She'd cried herself to sleep. Rather than face Steven and fight for a
relationshipwithhim,she'doptedtoleaveandgotoNewYorktostudyballet.

Likeacoward,Meghadrun.Butwhatshe'dseenspokeforitselfandherheartwasbroken.IfSteven
could go to another woman that quickly, he certainly wasn't the type to stay faithful after he was
married.Stevenhadbeensoardentthatitwasmiraculousshewasstillavirgin,anyway.

Allofthosefactsraiseddoubts,thebiggestonebeingthatStevenhadprobablyonlywantedtomarry
her to keep all the stock from the partnership in the family. It had seemed quite logical at the time.
EveryoneknewhowambitiousStevenwas,andheandhisfatherhadn'tbeentoohappyatsomeofthe
changesMeg'sfatherhadwantedtomakeatthetimeoftheengagement.

MeghadgonetoNewYorkonthefirstplaneoutofWichita,tobemetbyoneofhermother'sfriends
and set up in a small apartment near the retired prima ballerina with whom she would begin her
studies.

Nicole,meanwhile,metSteveforcoffeeandexplainedthatMeghadlefttown.Afterward,Megheard
later,Stevenhadgottenroaringdrunkforthefirst,lastandonlytimeinhislife.Anoddreactionfora
manwhoonlywantedtomarryherforhersharesofstock,andwho'dthrownheroutofhislife.But
Steven hadn't called or written, and he never alluded to the brief time they'd spent as a couple. His
behaviorthesedayswasascoldashe'dbecomehimself.

Stevehadn'ttouchedhersincetheirengagement.Buthiseyeshad,inawaythatmadeherkneesweak.
It was a good thing that she spent most of her time in New York. Otherwise, if she'd been around
Steven very much, she might have fallen headlong into an affair with him. She wouldn't have been
able to resist him, and he was experienced enough to know that. He'd made sure that she kept her
distanceandhekepthis.Butthelingeringpassionshefeltforhimhadn'tdimmedovertheyears.It
wassimplyburied,sothatitwouldn'tinterferewithherdreamsofbecomingaprimaballerina.She'd
forcedherselftosettle;she'dchosennottofightforhislove.Herlifesincehadhardlybeenahappy
one,butshetoldherselfthatshewascontent.

Steve still came to the Shannon house to see David, and the families got together at the annual
companypicnicsandbenefits.Thesedays,thefamilymeantStevenandhismotherandMegandher
brotherDavid,becausetheolderShannonsweredeadnow.

MasonRyker,Steven'sfather,andJohnandNicoleShannonhaddiedintheyearssinceMegwentto

NewYork;Masonofaheartattack,andJohnandNicoleinaprivate-planecrashtheveryyearMeg
hadleftWichita.AmyRvkerwasasprotectiveofMegasifshe'dbeenhermotherinsteadofSteve's,
but she lived in West Palm Beach now and only came home when she had to. She and Steven had
neverreallybeenabletobeareachother'scompany.

Steven had women hanging from the chandeliers, from what Amy told Meg on the occasions when
shecametoNewYorktowatchMegdance.Hewasseriousaboutnoneofthem,andtherehadnever
beenawhisperofaseriouscommitmentsincehisbriefengagementtoMeg.

Meg herself had become buried in her work. All she lived and breathed was the dance. The hours
everydayofgruelingpractice,thedietingandrigidlife-styleshelivedmaderelationshipsdifficultif
notimpossible.Sheoftenthoughtshewasalittlecoldasawoman.SinceSteven,she'dneverfelther
innocencethreatened.Menhaddatedher,ofcourse,butshewastooconsciousofthedangerstorisk
the easy life-styles some of the older dancers had once indulged in. These days, a one-night stand
couldbelife-threatening.Besides,Megthoughtsadly,onlyStevenhadevermadeherwantintimacy.
Hermemoriesofhimweredevastatingsometimes,despitetheviolentpassionhe'dshownherthelast
timethey'dbeentogether.

She stretched her aching muscles, and her mind wandered back to the mysterious Jane who'd
telephoned.WhothehellwasJane?shewondered,andwhatdidStevenwantwithsomeonewhocould
speakthathaughtilyoverthephone?Shepicturedamilkylittleblondewithavoluptuousfigureand
stretchedevenharder.

It was time to take off the lean roast and cottage potatoes she was cooking for supper by the time
Davidwalkedinthedoor,stillinhistennisoutfit,lookingaspleasantandjovialasever.Hehadthe
samecoloringhissisterhad,buthewasshorterandalittlebroaderthanshe.

He grinned at her. "Just thought I might mention that you're in it up to your neck. Steve got a call
whilewewereathishouse,andyourgooseisabouttobecooked."

ShestoppeddeadinthehallasStevenRykerwalkedinbehindherbrother.Stevewasalittleoversix
feettall,verydarkandintimidating.Heremindedherofactorswhoplayedmobsters,becausehehad
thesamethreateninglookabouthim,andevenadeepscardownonecheek.Ithadprobablybeenput
therebysomejealouswomaninhischeckeredpast,shethoughtvenomously,butitgavehimarakish
look. Even his eyes were unusual. They were a cross between ice blue and watered gray, and they
could almost cut the skin when they looked as they did at the moment. The white shorts he was
wearingleftthemuscularlengthofhistanned,powerfullegsbare.Awhiteknitshirtdidthesamefor
hisarms.Hewasincrediblyfitforamanonthewrongsideofthirtywhosatatadeskallday.

Rightnow he lookedvery casual, dressedin his tennis outfit,and that wasthe most deceptive thing
about him. He was never casual. He always played to win, even at sports. He was also the most
sensuous,sexymanshe'deverknown.Oreverwould.Justlookingathimmadeherweak-kneed.She
hidherreactiontohimasshealwayshad,inhumor.

"Ah,Steven."Megsighed,battingherlongeyelashesathim."Howlovelytoseeyou.Didoneofyour

womendie,oristheresomesimplerreasonthatwe'rebeinghonoredbyyourpresence?"

"PardonmewhileIgooutbackandskinarock,"Davidmumbledwithagrin,divingquicklypasthis
sisterinamostungentlemanlywaytogetoutofthelineoffire.

"Coward!"sheyelledafterhimasthedoorslammed.

"Youwouldn'tneedprotectionifyoucouldlearntokeepyourmouthshut,MaryMargaret,"Steven
said with a cool smile. "I'd had my calls forwarded here while I was playing tennis. Jane couldn't
believewhatshe'dheard,soshetelephonedmyhomeagainandgotme.ItsohappenedDavidandI
hadstoppedbackbythehousetolookatanewpaintingI'dbought.Icanceledthecallforwardingjust
intime—orImighthavebeenleftinblissfulignorance."

Sheglaredathim."Itwasyourownfault.Youdon'thavetohaveyourwomentelephoneyouhere!"

Theglitterinhiseyesgotworse."Jealous,Meg?"hetaunted.

"Of you? God forbid," she said as casually as she could, and with a forced smile. "Of course I do
remembervividlythewonderfulthingsyoucandowithyourhandsandthosehardlips,darling,but
I'mquiteurbanethesedaysandlesseasilyimpressed."

"Careful,"hewarnedsoftly."Youmaybemorevulnerablethanyourealize."

Shebackeddown."Anyway,"shemuttered,"whydon'tyoujusttakeJaneThingamaboboutforasteak
andwarmherbackupagain?"

"Jane Dray is my mother's maiden aunt," he said after a minute, watching her reaction with
amusement."Youmightrememberherfromthelastcompanypicnic?"

Megdid,withhorror.Theolddowagerwasapeople-eaterofthefirstorder,whoprobablystillwore
corsetsandcursedmoderntransportation."Oh,dear,"shebegan.

"Sheisnowhorrifiedthatherfavoritegreat-nephewissleepingwithlittleMeggieShannon,whoused
tobesuchasweet,innocentchild."

"Oh,myGod,"Meggroaned,leaningagainstthewall.

"Yes.Andshe'llmorethanlikelyrushtotellyourgreat-auntHenrietta,whowillfeelobligedtowrite
tomymotherinWestPalmBeachandtellherthescandalousnewsthatyouarenowascarletwoman.
Andmymother,whoalwayshaspreferredyoutome,willnaturallyassumethatIseducedyou,not
thereverse."

"Damn!"shemoaned."Thisisallyourfault!"

Hefoldedhisarmsoverhisbroadchest."Youbroughtitonyourself.Don'tblameme.I'msuremy
motherwillbeutterlyshockedatyourbehavior,nevertheless,especiallysinceshe'stakengreatpains
totrytomakeupforthelossofyourownmotheryearsago."

"I'llkillmyself!"shesaiddramatically.

"Couldyoufixsupperfirst?"Davidasked,stickinghisheadaroundthekitchendoor."I'mstarved.So
isSteve."

"Then why don't the two of you go out to a restaurant?" she asked, still reeling from her horrid
mistake.

"Heartlesswoman."Davidsighed."AndIwassolookingforwardtothepotatoesandroastIcansmell
cookingonthestove.

He managed to look pitiful and thin, all at the same time. She glared at him. "Well, I suppose I can
managesupper.Asifyouneedfeedingup!Lookatyou!"

"I'm a walking monument of your culinary skills " David argued. "If I could cook, I'd look healthy
betweenyourvacations.

"It isn't exactly a vacation," Meg murmured worriedly. "The ballet company I work for is between
engagements, and when there's no money to pay the light bill, we can't keep the theater open. Our
managerislookingformorefinancingevennow."

"He'llfindit,"Davidconsoledher."It'sanestablishedballetcompany,andhe'sagoodfinanceman.
Stopbrooding."

"Okay,"shesaid.

"Dowehavetimetoshowerandchange?"Davidasked.

"Sure,"shetoldhim."Ineedtodothatmyself.I'vebeenworkingoutallafternoon."

"Youpushyourselftoohard,"Steveremarkedcoolly."Isitreallyworthit?"

"Of course!" she said. She smiled outrageously. "Don't you know that ballerinas are the ideal
ornament for rich gentlemen?" she added, lying through her teeth. "I actually had a patron offer to
keep me." She didn't add that the man had adoption, not seduction, in mind, and that he was the
caretakeratherapartmenthouse.

IncrediblySteve'seyesbegantoglitter."Whatdidyoutellhim?"

"ThatIpaymyownway,ofcourse."Shelaughed.Sheheldontotherailingofthelongstaircaseand
leanedforward."Tellyouwhat,Steve.Ifyouplayyourcardsright,whenIgettothetopoftheladder
andstartearningwhatI'mreallyworth,I'llkeepyou."

Hetriednottosmile,buttelltalelinesrippledaroundhisfirm,sculpturedmouth.

"You'reimpossible."Davidchuckled.

"Imakeyourtaciturnfriendsmile,though,"sheadded,watchingStevewithtwinklingeyes."Idon't

thinkheknewhowuntilIcamealong.Ikeephistemperhoned,too."

"BecarefulthatIdon'thoneitonyou,"hecautionedquietly.Therewassomethingsmolderinginhis
eyes, something tightly leashed. There always had been, but when he was around her, just lately, it
threatenedtoescape.

Shelaughed,becausethelookinthosegunmetal-grayeyesmadehernervous."Iwon'tprovokeyou,
Steven,"shesaid."I'mnotquitethatbrave."Hescowledandshechangedthesubject."I'msorryabout
AuntJane,"sheaddedwithsincereapology."I'llcallherandexplain,ifyoulike."

"There'snoneed,"hesaidabsently,hisgazeintentonherflushedface."I'vealreadytakencareofit."

Asusual.Shecouldhavesaidit,butshedidn't.Stevendidn'tletgrassgrowunderhisfeet.Hewasan
accomplishedmoverandshaker,whichwaswhyhiscompanywasstillsolventwhenothershadgone
bankrupt.Shemadeaslightmovementwithhershouldersandproceededupthestaircase.Shefelthis
eyesonher,butshedidn'tlookback.

WhenMeghadshoweredandchangedintoalacywhitepantsuit,shewentbackdownstairs.She'dleft
her long blond hair in a knot, because she knew how much Steven disliked it up. Her blue eves
twinkledwithmischief.

Steve had changed, too, and returned from his house, which was barely two blocks away. He was
wearingwhiteslackswithasoftblueknitshirt,andhelookedelegantandunapproachable.Hisback
was broad, his shoulders straining against the expensive material of his shirt. Meg remembered
withoutwantingtohowithadfeltallthoseyearsagotorunherhandsupanddownthatexpanseof
musclewhilehekissedher.Therewasathickpeltofhairoverhischestandstomach.Duringtheir
briefinterlude,she'dlearnedthehardcontoursofhisbodywithdelight.

He could have had her anytime during that one exquisite month of togetherness, but he'd always
drawnbackintime.Shewonderedsometimesifhe'deverregrettedit.Secretlyshedid.Therewould
never be anyone else that she'd want as she had wanted Steve. The memories would have been
bittersweetifthey'dbeenlovers,butatleasttheymightfilltheemptinessshefeltnow.Herlifewas
dedicatedtoballetandaslonelyasdeath.Nomantouchedher,exceptherballetpartners,andnoneof
themexcitedher.

She'dalwaysbeenexcitedbySteven.Thathadn'tfaded.Thepasttwotimesshe'dcomehometovisit
David,thehungershefeltforherex-fiancehadgrownunexpectedly,untilitactuallyfrightenedher.
Hefrightenedher,withhisvastexperienceofwomenandhisintentwayoflookingather.

He turned when he heard her enter the room, with a cigarette in his hand. He quit smoking
periodically, sometimes with more success than others. He was restless and high-strung, and the
cigarette seemed to calm him. Fortunately, the house was air-conditioned and David had, at Meg's
insistence,addedahugefilteringsystemtoit.Therewasnosmellofsmoke.

"Nastyhabit,"shemuttered,glaringathim.

He inclined his head toward her with a mocking smile. "Doesn't your great-aunt Henrietta dip
snuff...?"

Shesighed."Yes,shedoes.Youlookverymuchasyourfatherusedto,"shemurmured.

Heshookhishead."Hewasshorter."

"Butjustassomber.Youdon'tsmile,Steve,"shesaidquietly,andmovedgracefullyintothebigfront
roomwithitsmodernblackandwhiteandchromefurnitureandsofthoney-coloredcarpet.

"Smilingdoesn'tfitmyimage,"hereturned.

"Someimage,"shemused."Isawoneofyourvicepresidentshideinahangarwhenhespottedyouon
the tarmac. That lazy walk of yours lets everyone know when you're about to lose your temper. So
slowandeasy—sodeadly."

"It gets results," he replied, indicating that he was aware of the stance and probably used it to
advantage with his people. "Have you seen a balance sheet lately? Aren't you interested in what I'm
doingwithyourstock?"

"Financedoesn'tmeanmuchtome,"sheconfessed."I'mmuchmoreinterestedintheballetcompany
I'mworkingwith.Itreallyisintrouble."

"Joinanothercompany,"hesaid.

"I'vespentayearworkingmywayupinthisone,"shereturned."Ican'tstartalloveragain.Ballerinas
don'thavethatlong,asarule.I'mgoingontwenty-three."

"So old?" His eyes held hers. "You look very much as you did at eighteen. More sophisticated, of
course.ThegirlIusedtoknowwouldhavediedbeforeshe'dhaveinsinuatedtoaperfectstrangerthat
shewassharingmybed."

"Ithoughtshewasoneofyourwomen,"Megmuttered."Godknows,you'vegotenoughofthem.I'll
betyouhavetokeepacomputerfilesoyouwon'tforgettheirnames.NowonderJanebelievedIwas
oneofthemwithoutquestion!"

"Youcouldhavebeen,once,"heremindedherbluntly."ButIgotnobleandpushedyouawayinthe
nickoftime."Helaughedwithouthumor."Ithoughtwe'dhaveplentyoftimeforintimatediscoveries
afterweweremarried.Morefoolme."Heliftedthecigarettetohismouth,andhiseyeswereice-cold.

"I was grass green back then," she reminded him with what she hoped was a sophisticated smile.
"You'dhavebeendisappointed."

He blew out a soft cloud of smoke and his eyes searched hers. "No. But you probably would have
been.Iwantedyoutoobadlythatlastnightweweretogether.I'dhavehurtyou."

Itwasthenightthey'dargued.Butbeforethat,they'dlainonhisblackleathersofaandmadeloveuntil

she'dbeggedhimtofinishit.Shehadn'tbeenafraid,then.Buthehadn't.Evennow,thesensationshe'd
kindledinherbodymadeherflush.

"Idon'tthinkyouwouldhave,really,"shesaidabsently,herbodytinglingwithforbiddenmemories
asshelookedathim."Evenso,IwantedyouenoughthatIwouldn'thavecaredifyouhurtme.Iwas
wildtohaveyou.Iforgotallmyfears."

Hedidn'tnoticetheimplication.Heavertedhiseyes."Notwildenoughtomarryme,ofcourse."

"Iwaseighteen.Youwerethirtyandyouhadamistress."

Hisbackstiffened.Heturned,hiseyesnarrow,scowling."What?"

"Youknowallthis,"shesaiduncomfortably."MymotherexplainedittoyouthemorningIleft."

Hemovedcloser,hisleanfacehard,unreadable."Explainittomeyourself."

"YourfathertoldmeaboutDaphne,"shefaltered."Thenightweargued,shewastheoneyoutookout,
the one you were photographed with.Your father told me that you were only marrying me for the
stock.Heandyourmothercaredaboutme—perhapsmorethanmyowndid.Whenhesaidthatyou
alwayswentbacktoDaphne,nomatterwhat,Igotcoldfeet."

Hishighcheekbonesflushed.Helooked...stunned."Hetoldyouthat?"heaskedharshly.

"Yes.Well,mymotherknewaboutDaphne,too,"shesaidheavily.

"Oh,God."Heturnedaway.Heleanedovertocrushouthiscigarette,hiseyesbleak,hopeless.

"Iknewyouweren'tcelibate,butfindingthatyouhadamistresswassomethingofashock,especially
whenwe'dbeenseeingeachotherforamonth."

"Yes.Iexpectitwasashock."Hewasstaringdownintotheashtray,unmoving."Iknewyourmother
wasagainsttheengagement.Shehadherheartsetonhelpingyoubecomeaballerina.She'dfailedat
it,butshewasdeterminedtoseethatyousucceeded."

"Shelovedme..."

Heturned,hisdarkeyesrivetingtohers."Youran,damnyou."

She took a steadying breath. "I was eighteen. I had reasons for running that you don't know about."
Shedroppedherevestohisbroadchest."ButIthinkIunderstandthewayyouwerewithme.Youhad
Daphne.Nowonderitwassoeasyforyoutodrawbackwhenwemadelove."

Hiseyesclosed.Healmostshudderedwithreaction.Heshookwiththeforceofhisrageathisfather
andMeg'smother.

"It's all water under the bridge now, though," she said then, studying his rigid posture with faint
surprise."Steve?"

Hetookalong,deepbreathandlitanothercigarette."Whydidn'tyousavsomething?Whvdidn'tyou
waitandtalktome?"

"Therewasnopoint,"shesaidsimply."You'dalreadytoldmetogetoutofyourlife"sheaddedwith
painfulsatisfaction.

"Atthetime,Iprobablymeantit,"herepliedheavily."Butthatdidn'tlastlong.Twodayslater,Iwas
morethanwillingtostartover,totryagain.Icametotellyouso.Butyouweregone."

"Yes."Shestaredatherslenderhands,ringless,whilehermindfoughtdownthefloodofmiseryshe'd
feltwhensheleftWichita.Thefearhadfinallydefeatedher.Andhedidn'tknow...

"Ifyou'dwaited,Icouldhaveexplained,"hesaidtautly.

Shelookedathimsadly."Steve,whatcouldyouhavesaid?Itwasperfectlyobviousthatyouweren't
readytomakearealcommitmenttome,evenifyouwerewillingtomarrymeforyourownreasons.
AndIhadsometerrorsthatIcouldn'tface."

"Didvou?"heaskeddully.Heliftedthecigarettetohischiseledmouthandstaredintospace."Your
fatherandminewereinvolvedinasubtleproxyfightaboutthattime,didanyonetellyou?"

"No.Whywouldtheyhaveneededto?"

"Noreason,"hesaidbitterly."Noneatall."

Shehatedthewayhelooked.Surelywhathadhappenedinthepastdidn'tstillbotherhim.Hispride
hadsuffered,though,thatmightexplainit.

Shemovedcloser,smilinggently."Steve,itwasforeverago,"shesaid."We'redifferentpeoplenow,
andallIdidreallywastospareusbothalittleembarrassmentwhenwebrokeup.Ifyou'dwantedme
thatbadly,you'dhavecomeafterme."

Hewinced.Hisdarksilvereyescaughthersandsearchedthemwithanguish."You'resureofthat."

"Ofcourse.Itwasnobigthing,"shesaidsoftly."You'vehaddozensofwomensince,andyourmother
saysyoudon'ttakeanyofthemanymoreseriouslythanyoutookme.Youenjoybeingabachelor.IfI
wasn'treadyformarriage,neitherwereyou."

Hisfacetautened.Hesmiled,butitwasnosmileatall."You'reright,"hesaidcoldly,"itwasnobig
thing. One or two nights together would have cured both of us You were a novelty, you with your
innocentbodyandbigeyes.Iwantedyou,allright."

Shesearchedhisface,lookingforanytraceofsoftening.Shedidn'tfindit.Shehatedseeinghimthat
way, so somber and remote. Impishly she wiggled her eyebrows. "Do you still? Feel like
experimenting?Yourbedormine?"

Hedidn'tsmile.Hiseyesflashed,andoneofthemnarrowedalittle.Thatmeanttrouble.

Heliftedthecigarettetohislipsonemoretime,drawingoutthesilenceuntilshefeltlikeanidiotfor
what she'd suggested. He bent his tall frame to put it out in the ashtray, and she watched. He had
beautifulhands:darkandgracefulandlong-fingered.Onawoman'sbody,theyweretendermagic...

"No,thanks,"hesaidfinally."Idon'tlikebeingoneinaqueue."

Hereyebrowsarched."Ibegyourpardon?"

Hestraightenedandstuckhishandsdeepintohispockets,emphasizingthepowerfulmusclesinhis
thighs, his narrow hips and flat stomach. "Shouldn't you be looking after your roast? Or do you
imaginethatDavidandIdon'thaveenoughcharcoalinourdietsalready?"

Shemovedtowardhimgracefully."Steve,Idislikeverymuchwhatyou'vejustinsinuated."Shestared
upathimfearlessly,hereyeswideandquiet."Therehasn'tbeenaman.Notone.Thereisn'ttimein
mylifeforthesortofemotionalturmoilthatcomesfrominvolvement.Emotionalupsetsinfluence
thewayIdance.I'veworkedtoohard,toolong,togolookingforcomplications."

Shestartedtoturnaway,buthislean,stronghandswereonherwaist,stillingher,excitingher.

"Yourhonesty,MaryMargaret,isgoingtolandyouinhotwateroneday."

"Whylie?"sheasked,peeringoverhershoulderathim.

"Why,indeed?"heaskedhuskily.

Hedrewhercloser,restinghischinonthetopofherblondhead,andherheartracedwildlyashis
fingersslidslowlyupanddownfromherwaisttoherribcage.

"WhatifIgiveintothatlastbitofprovocation?"hewhisperedroughly.

"Whatprovocation?"

Histeethclosedsoftlyonherearlobe,hiswarmbreathbrushinghercheek."Yourbedormine,Meg?"
hewhispered.

Meg wondered if she was still breathing. She'd been joking, but Steve didn't look or sound as if he
were."Steve..."shewhispered.Hiseyesfelltohermouthasherheadlaybackagainsthisbroadchest.
His face changed at the sound of his name on her lips. His hands on her waist contracted until they
bruised and his face went rigid. "Mouth like a pink rose petal," he said in an oddly rough tone. "I
almosttookyouonce,Meg."

Shefeltherselfvibrating,likedrawncord."Youpushedmeaway,"shewhispered.

"I had to!" There was anger in the silvery depths of his eyes. "You blind little fool." He bit off the
words."Don'tyouknowwhyevennow?"

Shedidn't.Shesimplystaredathim,herblueeyeswideandclearandcurious.

Hegroaned."Meg!"Heletoutalong,roughbreathandforciblyeasedthegripofhisleanhandsand
pushed her away. He shoved his hands into his pockets and stared for a long time into her wide,
guilelesseves."No,youdon'tunderstand,doyou?"hesaidheavily."Ithoughtyoumightmaturein
NewYork."Hiseyesnarrowedandhefrowned."Whatwasthattalkaboutsomemanwantingtokeep
you,then?"

Shesmiledsheepishly."He'sthecaretakerofmyapartmenthouse.Hewantedtoadoptme."

"GoodGod!"

Sherestedherfingersonhisarms,feelingtheirstrength,lovingthem.Sheleanedagainsthimgently
withsubdueddelightthatheightenedwhenhishandscameoutofhispocketsandsmoothedoverher
shoulders."Therereallyisn'troominmylifeforcomplications,"shesaidsadly."Evenwithyou.It
wouldn'tbewise."Sheforcedalaughfromhertightthroat."Besides,I'msureyouhaveallthewomen
youneedalready."

"Ofcourse,"heagreedwithmaddeningcarelessnessandacuriouswatchfulness."ButI'vewantedyou
foraverylongtime.Westartedsomethingthatweneverfinished.Iwanttogetyououtofmysystem,
Meg,onceandforall."

"Haveyouconsideredhiringanexorcist?"sheasked,resortingtohumor.Shepushedplayfullyathis
chest, feeling his heartbeat under her hands. "How about plastering a photo of me on one of your
women...?"

Heshookhergently."Stopthat."

"Besides," she said, sighing and looping her arms around his neck, "I'd probably get pregnant and
there'd be a scandal in the aircraft community. My career would be shot, your reputation would be
ruined and we'd have a baby that neither of us wanted." Odd that the threat of pregnancy no longer
terrifiedher,shethoughtidly.

"MaryMargaret,thisisthetwentiethcentury,"hemurmuredonalaugh."Womendon'tgetpregnant
thesedaysunlesstheywantto."

She turned her head slightly as she looked up at him, wide-eyed. "Why, Mr. Ryker, you sound so
sophisticated.Isupposeyoukeepaclosetfulofsupplies?"

Heburstoutlaughing."Hell."

Shesmiledupathim."Stopbaitingme,"shesaid."Idon'twanttosleepwithyouandruinabeautiful
friendship.We'vebeenfriendsforalongtime,Steve,evenifcautiousones."

"Friend, enemy, sparring partner," he agreed. The smile turned to a blank-faced stare with emotion
suddenly glittering dangerously in his silver eyes. His chest rose and fell roughly and he moved a
handintothethickhairknottedathernapeandgraspeditsuddenly.Heheldherheadfirmlywhilehe
startedtobendtowardher.

"Steve..."sheprotesteduncertainly.

"Onekiss,"hewhisperedbackgruffly."Isthatsomuchtoask?"

"Weshouldn't,"shewhisperedathislips.

"Iknow..."Hishardmouthbrushedoverhersslowly,suggestively.Hispowerfulbodywentverystill
andhisfreehandmovedtoherthroat,strokingittenderly.Histhumbtuggedatthelowerlipthatheld
stubbornlytoitsmateandbrokethetautline.

Her hands pressed at his shirtfront, fascinated by warm, hard muscle and a heavy heartbeat. She
couldn'tquitemanagetopushhimaway.

"MaryMargaret,"hebreathedjerkily,andthenhetookhermouth.

"Oh,glory...!"shemoaned,shivering.Itwasajoltlikedivingintoicewater.Itburnedthroughher
body and through her veins and made her go rigid with helpless pleasure. He was far more expert
thanhe'dbeenevenfouryearsago.Histonguegentlyprobeditswayintothewarmdarknessofher
mouth and she gasped at the darting, hungry pressure of its invasion. He tasted of smoke and mint,
andhismouthwasrough,asifhe'dgonehungryforkisses.

Whileshewasgatheringupwillpowertoresisthim,hereacheddownandliftedherinhishardarms,
crushingherintothewallofhischestwhilehisdevouringkissesmadeheroblivioustoeverything
exceptdesire.AtthecenteroftheworldwasSteveandhishunger,andshewassuddenly,shockingly,
doingherverybesttosatisfyit,tosatisfyhim,withherarmsclinginghelplesslyaroundhisneck.

He lifted his mouth to draw in a ragged breath, and she hung there with swollen lips, wide-eyed,
breathinglikeadistancerunner.

"Ifyoudon'tstop,"shewhisperedunsteadily,"I'lltearyourclothesoffandravishyourighthereon
thecarpet!"

Despite his staggering hunger, the humor broke through, as it always had with her, only with her.
Therehadneverbeenanotherwomanwhocouldmakehimlaugh,couldmakehimfeelsoalive.

"Oh,God,whycan'tyoushutupforfiveminutes?"hemanagedthroughreluctantlaughter.

"Self-defense,"shesaid,laughing,too,herownvoicebreathlesswithtracesofpassion."Oh,Steve,
canyoukiss!"shemoaned.

Heshookhishead,defeated.Heletherslidedownhisbodytothefloor,closeenoughtofeelwhathad
happenedtohim.

"Sorry,"shemurmuredimpishly.

"Onlywithyou,honey,"hesaidheavily,theendearmentcomingeasilywhenheneverusedthem.He
heldherarmsfirmlyforaminutebeforehelethergowitharuefulsmileandturnedawaytolight
anothercigarette."Odd,thatreaction.Ineedalittletimewithmostwomen.Itwasneverthatwaywith
you."

Shehadn'tthoughtaboutitinfouryears.Nowshehadto,andhewasright.Theminutehe'dtouched
her, he'd been capable. She'd convinced herself that he never wanted her, but her memory hadn't
dimmedenoughtoforgetthesizeandpowerofhiminarousal.She'dbeenalittleafraidofhimthe
firsttimeithadhappened,infact,althoughhe'dassuredherthattheywerecompatibleineveryway,
especially in that one. She didn't like remembering how intimate they'd been, because it was still
painful to remember how it had all ended. Looking back, it seemed impossible that he could have
gonetoDaphneaftertheyargued,unless...

Shestiffenedassherememberedhowdesperatelyhe'dwantedher.Hadhebeensodesperatethathe'd
neededtospendhisdesirewithsomeoneelse?

"Steve,"shebegan.

Heglancedather."What?"

"Whatyousaid,earlier.Wasitdifficultforyou,"shesaidslowly."Holdingback?"

"Yes."Hisfacechanged."Apparentlythatdidn'toccurtoyoufouryearsago,"hesaidsarcastically.

"Alototthingsdidn'toccurtomefouryearsago,"shesaid.Shefeltadawningfearthatshedidn't
wanttoexplore.

"Don't strain your memory," he said with a mocking smile. "God forbid that you might have to

reconsideryourposition.It'stoodamnedlate,evenifyoudid."

"Iknowthat.Iwouldn't...Ihavemycareer."

"Yourcareer."Henodded,buttherewassomethingdisconcertinginthewayhesaidit,inthewayhe
lookedather.

"I'dbetterseeabouttheroast,"shemurmured,retreating.

He studied her face with a purely masculine appreciation. "Better fix your lipstick, unless you want
Davidmakingembarrassingremarks."

"Davidisterrifiedofme,"sheinformedhim."Ioncebeathimupinfullviewofhalfourclassmates."

"Sohetoldme,buthe'sgrown."

"Nottoomuch."Shetouchedhermouth.Itwasfaintlysorefromthepressureofhishardkisses.She
wouldn'thaveexpectedsomuchpassionfromhimafterfouryears.

"DidIhurt?"heaskedquietly."Ididn'tmeanto."

"You always were a little rough when we made love," she recalled with a wistful smile. "I never
minded."

His eyes kindled and before he could make the move his expression telegraphed, she beat a hasty
retreatintothekitchen.Hewasoverwhelmingatcloserange,andshecouldn'thandleanaffairwith
him.Shedidn'tdaretry.Havinglivedthroughlosinghimonce,sheknewshe'dneversurvivehaving
togothroughitagain.Hestillwantedher,butthatwasall.Shewasfiledunderunfinishedbusiness,
and there was something a little disturbing about his attitude toward her. It wasn't quite unsatisfied
passiononhispart,shethoughtnervously.Itwasmorelikeadeeplyburied,long-nurturedvendetta.

ItwasprobablyagoodthingthatshewasgoingbacktoNewYorksoon,shethoughtdimly.Andnota
minute too soon. Her knees were so wobbly she could barely walk, and just from one kiss. If he
turned up the heat, as he had during their time together, she would never be able to resist him. The
needsshefeltwereoverpoweringnow.Shewasawomanandshereactedlikeone.Itwasherbadluck
that the only man who aroused her was the one man she daren't succumb to. If Steve really was
holdingagrudgeagainstherforbreakingofftheirengagement,givingintohimwouldbearecipe
fordisaster.

Supperwasaratherquietaffair,withMegintrospectiveandSteventaciturnwhileDavidtriedtocarry
theconversationalone.

"Can'tyoutwosaysomething?JustawordnowandagainwhileItrytoenjoythisperfectlycooked
potroast?"Davidgroaned,glancingfromonesetfacetotheother."Haveyouhadanotherfight?"

"Wehaven'tbeenfighting,"Megsaidinnocently."Havewe,Steve?"

Stevenlookeddownathisplate,deliberatelycuttingapieceofmeatwithoutreplying.

Davidthrewuphishands."I'llneverunderstandyoutwo!"hemuttered."I'lljustgoseeaboutdessert,
shallI?Ishall,"hesaid,buthewastalkingtohimselfashelefttheroom.

"Idon'twantany,"shecalledafterhim.

"Yes,shedoes,"Stevesaidimmediately,catchinghereyes."You'retoothin.Ifyouloseanothertwo
orthreepounds,you'llbeabletowalkthroughaharp."

"I'madancer,"shesaid."Ican'tdancewithafatbody."

He smiled gently. "That's right. Fight me." Something alien glittered in his eyes and his breathing
quickened.

"Somebodyneedsto,"shesaidwithforcedhumor."Allthatfemininefawninghasruinedyou.Your
mothersaidthatlinesofwomenformeverywhereyougothesedavs."

Hiseyescontemplatedhiscoffeecupintenselyandhisbrowfurrowed."Didshe?"heaskedabsently.

"Butthatyounevertakeanvofthemseriously."Shelaughed,butwithoutmuchhumor."Haven'tyou
eventhoughtaboutmarrying?"

Helookedup,hisexpressionbrieflyhostile."Sure.Once."

Shefeltuncomfortable."Itwouldn'thaveworked,"shesaidstiffly."Iwouldn'thavesharedyou,even
whenIwaseighteenandnaive."

Hisevesnarrowed."YouthinkI'mmodernenoughinmyoutlooktokeepawifeandamistressatthe
sametime?"

Thequestiondisturbedher."Daphnewasbeautifulandsophisticated,"shereplied."Iwasgreenbehind
theears.Totallyuninhibited.Iusedtoembarrassyou..."

"Never!"

Therewasmutedviolenceintheexplosiveword.

Sheglancedupathimcuriously."ButIdid!Yourfathersaidthat'swhyyouneverlikedtotakemeout
inpublic..."

"Myfather.Whatachampion."Heliftedthecoldcoffeetohislipsandsippedit.Itfeltascoldashe
did inside. He looked at Meg and ached. "Between them, your mother and my father did a pretty
damnedgoodjob,didn'tthey?"

"Daphnewasafact,"sherepliedstubbornly.

He drew in a long, weary breath. "Yes. She was, wasn't she? You saw that for yourself in the
newspaper."

"I certainly did." She sounded bitter. She hated having given her feelings away. She forced a smile.
"But,astheysay,noharmdone.Ihaveabrightcareeraheadofmeandyou'reamillionaireseveral
timesover."

"I'mthat,allright.Ilookinthemirrortwiceadayandsay,luckyme."

"Don'ttease."

Heturnedhiswristandglancedatthefaceofthethingoldwatch."Ihavetogo,"hesaid,pushingback
hischair.

"Areyouofftoabusinessmeeting?"sheprobedgently.

He stared at her without speaking for a few seconds, just long enough to give him a psychological
advantage."No,"hesaid."Ihaveadate.Asmymothertoldyou,"headdedwithacoldsmile,"Idon't
haveanyproblemgettingwomenthesedays."

Meg didn't know how she managed to smile, but she did. "The lucky girl," she murmured on a
prolongedsigh.

Stevegloweredather."Youneverstop,doyou?"

"CanIhelpitifyou'redevastating?"shereplied."Idon'tblamewomenforfallingalloveryou.Iused
to."

"Notforlong."

Shesearchedhishardfacecuriously."IshouldhavetalkedtoyouaboutDaphne,insteadofrunning
away."

"Letthepastlie,"hesaidharshly."We'renotthesamepeoplewewere."

"Oneofuscertainlyisn't,"shemuseddrvly."Youneverusedtokissmelikethat!"

Hecockedaneyebrow."Didyouexpectmetoremaincelibatewhenyoudefected?"

"Ofcoursenot,"shereplied,avertinghereyes."Thatwouldhavebeenaskingtheimpossible."

"Fidelitybelongstoacommittedrelationship,"hesaid.

She was looking at her hands, not at him. Life seemed so empty lately. Even dancing didn't fill the
great hollow space in her heart. "Being in a committed relationship wouldn't have mattered," she
murmured."Idoubtifyou'dhavebeencapableofstayingfaithfultojustonewoman,whatwithyour
trackrecordandall.AndI'mhardlyaravingbeautylikeDaphne."

Hestiffenedslightly,butnoreactionshowedinhisface.Hewatchedherandglowered."Nicetry,but
itdoesn'twork."

Sheglancedup,surprised."Whatdoesn't?"

"The wounded, downcast look," he said. He stretched, and muscles rippled under his knit shirt. "I
knowyoutoowell,Meg,"headded."Youalwaysweretheatrical."

Shestaredathimwithoutblinking."WouldyouhavelikeditifI'dgoneragingtothedoorofyour
apartmentafterIsawyouandDaphnepicturedinthatnewspaper?"

Hisfacehardenedtostone."No,"headmitted,"Iloathescenes.Allthesame,there'snoreasontolie
aboutthereasonyouwantedtobreakourengagement.Youtoldyourmotherthatdancingwasmore
importantthanme,thatyougotcoldfeetandranforit.That'sallshetoldme."

Megwaspuzzled,butperhapsNicolehaddecidedagainstmentioningDaphne'splaceinSteven'slife.
"I suppose she decided that the best course all around was to make you believe my career was the
reasonIleft."

"That'sright.Yourmotherdecided,"hecorrected,andhiseyesglitteredcoldly."Sheyelledfrog,and
youjumped.Youalwayswereafraidofher."

"Whowasn't?"shemuttered."Shewasaworld-beater,andIwasashelteredbabeinthewoods.Ididn't
knowbeansaboutmenuntilyoucamealong."

"Youstilldon't,"hesaidflatly."I'msurprisedthatlivinginNewYorkhasn'tchangedyou."

"Whatyouareiswhatyouare,despitewhereyoulive,"sheremindedhim.Shelookeddownagain,
infuriatedwithhim."Idance.That'swhatIdo.That'sallIdo.I'veworkedhardallmylifeatballet,and
now I'm beginning to reap the rewards for it. I like my life. So it was probably a good thing that I
foundouthowyoufeltaboutmeintime,wasn'tit?Ihadaluckyescape,Steve,"sheaddedbitterly.

He moved close, just close enough to make her feel threatened, to make her aware of him so that
she'dlookup.

Hesmiledwithfaintcruelty."Doesyourgoodfortunecompensate?"heaskedwithsoftsarcasm.

"Forwhat?"

"Forknowinghowmuchotherwomenenjoylyinginmyarmsinthedarkness."

Shefelthercomposureshatter,andknewbythesmilethathe'dseenitinhereves.

"Damnyou!"shechoked.

Heturnedaway,laughing."That'swhatIthought."Hepausedatthedoorway."TellyourbrotherI'll
callhimtomorrow."Hiseyesnarrowed."Ihatedyouwhenyourmotherhandedmetheringyou'dleft
withher.Youwerethebiggestmistakeofmylife.And,asyousaid,itwasaluckyescape.Forbothof

us."

Heturnedandleft,hissteadyfootstepsechoingdownthehallbeforethedooropenedandclosedwith
firmcontrolbehindhim.Megstoodwherehe'dlefther,achingfromheadtotoewithrenewedmisery.
Hesaidhe'dhatedherinthepast,butitwasstillthere,inhiseyes,whenhelookedather.Hehadn't
stoppedresentingherforwhatshe'ddone,despitethefactthathe'dbeenunfaithfultoher.Hewasin
thewrong,sowhywasheblamingMeg?

"Where'sSteve?"herbrotheraskedwhenhereappeared.

"Hehadtogo.Hehadahotdate,"shesaidthroughherteeth.

"GoodoldSteve.Hesurecandraw'em.IwishIhadhalfhis...Whereareyougoing?"

"Tobed,"Megsaidfromthestaircase,andhervoicedidn'tencourageanymorequestions.

Megonlywishedthatshehadsomeplacetogo,butshewasstuckinWichitaforthetimebeing.Stuck
with Steven always around, throwing his new conquests in her face. She limped because of the
accident, and the tendons were mending, but not as quickly as she'd hoped. The doctor had been
uncertain as to whether the damage would eventually right itself, and the physical therapist whom
Meg saw three times a week was uncommunicative. Talk to the doctor, she told Meg. But Meg
wouldn't,becausesheknewshewasn'tmakingmuchprogressandshewasafraidtoknowwhy.

Besides her injury, there was no work in New York for her just now. Her ballet company couldn't
perform without funds, and unless they raised some soon, she wouldn't have a job. It was a pity to
wastesomanyyearsofherlifeonsuchagamble.Shelovedballet.Ifonlyshewerewealthyenough
to finance the company herself, but her small dividends from her stock in Ryker Air wouldn't be
nearlyenough.

Daviddidn'thavethemoney,either,butStevedid.Shegrimacedatjustthethought.Stevewouldthrow
the money away or even burn it before he'd lend any to Meg. Not that she'd ever ask him, she
promisedherself.Shehadtoomuchpride.

She'd tried not to panic at the thought of never dancing again. She consoled herself with a small
dreamofherown,ofopeningaballetschoolhereinWichita.Itwouldbenicetoteachlittlegirlshow
todance.Afterall,Meghadstudiedballetsinceherfourthbirthday.Shecertainlyhadtheknowledge,
andshelovedchildren.Itwasanoptionthatshe'dneverseriouslyconsideredbefore,butnow,with
herinjury,itbecameasecurityblanket.Itwastheretokeephergoing.Ifshefailedinonearea,she
stillhadprospectsinanother.Yes,shehadprospects.

Thenextmorning,itwasraining.Meglookedoutthefrontwindowandsmiledwistfully,becausethe
rain pounding down on the sprouting grass and leafing trees suited her mood. It was late spring.
Therewereflowersbloomingand,thankGod,notornadoesloomingwiththisshower.Therainwas

nice,itunexpected.

She did her exercises, glowering at the ankle that was still stiff and painful after weeks of patient
work.DavidwasattheofficeandnodoubtsowasSteve—ifhewasn'ttoowornoutfromthenight
before,shethoughtfuriously.Howdareherubhislatestconquestinherfaceandmakesarcasticand
painfulremarksaboutit?

Hewasn'tthepersonshe'dknownateighteen.ThatStevehadbeenaquietmanwithoutthecrueltyof
thisnewmanwhousedwomenandtossedthemaside.Orperhapshe'dalwaysbeenlikethis,except
thatMeghadbeenlookingathimthroughlovingevesandmissedallhisflaws.

She didn't expect to see him again after his harshness the night before, but David telephoned just
beforehelefttheofficewithaninvitationtodinnerfromSteve.

"We'vejustsignedanewcontractwithaMiddle-Easternpotentate.We'retakinghisrepresentativeout
fordinnerandStevewantsyoutocomewithus."

"Whyme?"sheaskedwithfaintbitterness."AmIbeingofferedasatreattohisclientorishethinking
of selling me into slavery on the Barbary Coast? I understand blondes are still much in demand
there."

Daviddidn'tcatchthebitternessinhervoice.Helaugheduproariously,coveredthemouthpieceand
mumbledsomething."Stevesaysthat'snotabadidea,andforyoutowearaharemoutfit."

"Tellhimfatchance,"shemumbled."Idon'tknowifIwanttogo.SurelyStevenhasplentyofwomen
whocouldhelphimentertainhisbusinessfriends."

"Don'tbedifficult,"Davidchided."Anightoutwoulddoyougood."

"Allright.I'llbereadywhenyougethome."

"Good."

Shehungup,wonderingwhyshe'dgivenin.Stevenhadprobablyinvitedoneofhiswomenandwas
goingtorubMeg'sfaceinhislatestconquest.SheherselfwouldnodoubtbetossedtotheArabfor
dessert.Well,hewasdueforasurpriseifhethoughtshe'dgoalongwithhisplotting!

BythetimeDavidopenedthefrontdoor,Megwasdressedinanoutfitshe'dboughtforaHalloween
partyinNewYork:ablackdressthatcoveredherfromjustunderherearstoherankles,setoffbya
widesilverbeltandsilver-sprayedflatshoes.Itwasimpossibletowearhighheelsjustyet,andeven
thoughherlimpwasn'tpronounced,walkingwasdifficultenoughinflats.Herhairwasinitsneatbun
and she wore no makeup. She didn't realize that her fair beauty made makeup superfluous anyway.
Shehadanexquisitelycreamycomplexionwithanaturalblushallitsown.

"Wow!"Davidwhistled.

Shegloweredathim."Youaren'tsupposedtoapprove.I'mrebelling.Thisisarevolutionaryoutfit,

notdebutantedressing."

"Iknowthat,andsowillSteve.But—"hegrinnedashetookherarmandherdedheroutthedoor"—
believeme,he'llapprove."

David's remark made sense until he escorted Meg into the restaurant where Steve—surprisingly
withoutawomanintow—andatall,verydarkArabinanexpensiveEuropeansuitwereseated.The
menstoodupasMegandDavidapproached.TheArab'sgazewasapproving.Thepuzzlepiecesasto
whyStevewouldbehappywithheroutfitfellintoplace.

"Remember that the Middle East isn't exactly liberated territory,"David whispered."You're dressed
verycorrectlyforthisevening."

"Oh,boy,"shemutteredangrily.Ifshe'dthoughtaboutit,she'dhavewornherbacklessyellowgown....

"Enchanté,mademoiselle,"theforeignersaidwithlazydelightashewasintroducedtoher.Hesmiled
andhisblackmustachetwitched.Hewasincrediblyhandsome,withevesthatwerelargeandalmosta
liquid black. He was charming without being condescending or offensive. "You are a dancer, I
believe?Aballerina?"

"Yes," Meg murmured demurely. She smiled at him. "And you are the representative of your
country?"

HequirkedaneyebrowandglancedatSteve."Indeed,Iam."

"Dotellmeaboutyourpartoftheworld,"shesaidwithgenuineinterest,totallyignoringSteveand
herbrother.

He did, to the exclusion of business, until Steve sat glowering at her over dessert and coffee. She
shifted a little uncomfortably under that cold look, and Ahmed suddenly noticed his business
colleague.

He chuckled softly."Steven, my friend, I digress. Forgive me. But mademoiselle is such charming
companythatshechasesallthoughtofbusinessfrommypoormind."

"Noharmdone,"Steverepliedquietly.

"I'm sorry," Meg said genuinely. "I didn'tmean to distract you, but I do find your culture
fascinating.You'reverywelleducated,"Megsaid.

Hesmiled."Oxford,classof'82."

Shesighed."PerhapsIshouldhavegonetocollegeinsteadoftryingtostudyballet."

"Whatasadlosstotheworldoftheartsifthathadbeenso,mademoiselle.Historiansaremany.Good

dancers,alas,arelikediamonds."

Hercheeksflushedwithflatteryandexcitement.

Steven's fingers closed around his fork and he stared at it. "About these new jets we're selling you,
Ahmed,"hepersisted.

"Yes, we must discuss them. I have been led astray by a lovely face and a kind heart." He smiled at
Meg."Butmydutywillnotallowmetodivertmyintereststooradicallyfrommypurposeincoming
here.Youwillforgiveusifweturnourmindstothematterathand,mademoiselle?"

"Ofcourse,"sherepliedsoftly.

"Kindofyou,"Stevenmurmured,hisdaggerglancesayingmuchmorethanthepolitewords.

"Foryou,Steven,anything,"sherepliedinkind.

Theeveningwasbothlongandshort.Alltoosoon,DavidfoundhimselfaccompanyingthetallArab
backtohissuiteatthehotelwhileStevenappropriatedMegandeasedherintothepassengerseatof
hisJaguar.

"WhyisitalwaysaJaguar?"sheaskedcuriouslywhenhewasinsideandtheenginewasrunning.

"IlikeJaguars."

"Youwould."

Hepulledthesleekcaroutintotraffic."LeaveAhmedalone,"hesaidwithoutpreamble.

"Ah. I'm being warned off." She nodded. "It's perfectly obvious that you consider me a woman of
international intrigue, out to filch top-secret information and sell it to enemy agents." She frowned.
"Whoistheenemythesedays,anyway?"

"MataHari,youaren't."

"Don'tinsultme.Ihavepotential."Shestruckapose,withherhandsuspendedbehindhernapeandher
perfectfacialprofiletowardhim."Withalittlecarefultutoring,Icouldbedevastating."

"Withalittlecarefultutoring,youcouldbeconcealedinanoildrumandfloateddowntheriverto
Oklahoma."

"Youhavenosenseofhumor."

Heshrugged."Notmuchtolaughaboutthesedays.Notinmylife."

Sheleanedhercheekagainstthesoftseatandwatchedhimashecontrolledthepowerfulcar.Itwas

oddthatshealwaysfeltsafewithhim.Safe,andexcitedbeyondwords.Justlookingathimmadeher
tremble.

"Whatareyouthinking?"heasked.

"ThatI'msorryyounevermadelovetome,"shesaidwithoutthinking.

Thecarswervedandhisfacetautened.Heneverlookedather."Don'tdothat."

Shedrewinaslowbreath,tracingpatternsintheupholstery."Aren'tyou,really?"

"Youmighthavebeenaddictive.Idon'tlikeaddiction."

"That'swhyyousmoke,"sheagreed,staringpointedlyattheglowingcigaretteinhislean,darkhand.

Hedidglanceatherthen,toglare."I'mnotaddictedtonicotine.IcanquitanytimeIfeellikeit."

"What'swrongwithrightnow?"

Hisdarkeyesnarrowed.

"What'swrong?Areyouafraidyoucan'tdowithoutit?"shecoaxed.

He pressed the power window switch, then threw the cigarette out when there was an opening. The
windowwentbackupagain.

Meg grinned at him. "You'll be shaking in seconds," she predicted. "Combing the floor for old
cigarettebuttswithaspeckoftobaccoleftinthem.Beggingstubsfromstrangers."

"Unwise,Meg."

"Whatis?Tauntingyou?"

"Imightdecidetofindanotherwaytooccupymyhands,"hesaidsuggestively.

Shethrewherarmsouttothesidesandclosedhereyes."Goahead!"sheinvitedtheatrically."Ravish
me!"

ThecarslammedtoahaltandMeg'seyesopenedaswideascups.Shestaredathim,horrified.

Heliftedaneyebrowasherarmsclutchedherbreastsandablushflamedonherface.

"Why,Meg,isanythingwrong?"heaskedpleasantly."Ijuststoppedtolettheambulanceby."

"Whatamb—"

Sirens and flashing red lights swept past them and vanished quickly into the distance. Meg felt like
sinkingthroughthefloorboardwithembarrassment.

Steven'seyesnarrowedjustalittle.Heloopedonelongarmoverthebackofherseatandstudiedher
inthedarkenedcar.

"Allbluff,aren'tyou?"hechided."Didn'tIwarnyouthatplayinggameswithmewouldgetyouinto
trouble?"

"Yes,"shesaid."Butyou'vedonenicelywithoutmeforfouryears."

Hedidn'tanswer.Hishandloweredtoherthroatandhetoyedwithawispofherhairthathadcome
loosefromherbun,teasingherskinuntilherpulsebegantoraceandherbodygrewhotinthetense
silence.

"Steven,don't,"shewhisperedhuskily,stayinghishand.

"Let me excite you, Meg," he replied quietly. He moved closer, easing her hand aside. His mouth
poised over hers and he began all over again, teasing, touching, just at her throat while his coffee-
scentedbreathcameintohermouthandmadeherbodyache."ItwaslikethisthefirstnightItookyou
out. Do you remember?" His voice was a deep, soft caress, and his hand made her shiver with its
tendertracing."Iparkedthecarinyourowndrivewayafterwe'dhaddinner.Itouchedyou,justlike
this,whilewetalked.Youweremoreimpulsivethen,muchlessinhibited.Doyourememberwhatyou
did,Meg?"

She was finding it difficult to talk and breathe at the same time. "I was very.. .young," she said,
defendingherself.

"Youwerehungry."Hislipspartedandbrushedhermouthopen,softlynibblingatituntilheheardthe
soundshemadedeepinherthroat."Youunbuttonedmyshirtandslidyourhandinsideit,rightdown
tomywaist."

Sheshivered,rememberingwhatthathadtriggered.Hismouthhadhitherslikeatidalwave,witha
groan that echoed in the silence of the car. He'd lifted her, turned her, and his hand had gone down
inside the low bodice of her black dress to cup her naked breast. She'd come to her senses all too
soon,fightingtheintimacy.He'dstoppedatonce,andhe'dsmileddownatherasshelaypantinginhis
arms,onfirewiththefirsttotaldesireshe'deverfeltinherlife.He'dknown.Then,andnow...

"Youweresoinnocent,"hesaidquietly,remembering."YouhadnoideawhyIreactedsoviolentlyto
suchalittlecaress.ItwaslikethefirsttimeIletyoufeelmeagainstyouwhenIwasfullyaroused.
Youwereshockedandfrightened."

"Myparentsnevertoldmeanything,andmygirlfriendswerejustasstupidasIwas,theymadesure
ofit,"shesaidhesitantly."Allthereadingintheworlddoesn'tprepareyouforwhathappens,forwhat
youfeelwhenamantouchesyouintimately."

Hishandsmoothedovertheshoulderofherblackdress,backtothezipper.Slowly,gently,heeasedit
down,controllingherpanickedmovementwithcarelessease.

"It'sbeenfouryearsandyouwantit,"hesaid."Youwantme."

Shecouldn'tbelievethatshewasallowinghimtodothis!Shefeltlikeazombieasheeasedthefabric
below the soft, lacy cup of her strapless bra and looked at her. His big, lean hand, darkly tanned,
strokedhercollarboneanddown,smoothingovertheswellofherbreastswhilehelookedatherin
thesemidarkness.

Hismouthtouchedherforehead.Hisbreathwasalittleunsteady.Sowashers.

"Letmeunhookit,Meg.Iwantyouinmymouth."Thishadalwaysbeenhissharpestweapon,thisway
oftalkingtoherthatmadeherbodyburnwithdark,wickeddesires.Herforeheadrestedagainsthis
chinwhilehisfingersquicklydisposedofthreesmallhooks.Shefeltthecoolaironherbodyevenas
hemovedherbackandlookeddown,hisposturesuddenlystiffandpoised,controlled.

"MyGod."Itwasreverent,thewayhespoke,thewayhelookedather.Hishandscontractedonher
shouldersasifhewereafraidthatshemightvanish.

"Iletyoulookatme...thatlastnight,"shewhisperedunsteadily."Andyouwenttoher!"

"No.No,"hewhispered,bendinghishead."No,Meg!"

His mouth fastened on her taut nipple and he groaned as he lifted her, turned her, suckling her in a
silencethatblazedwithtensionandpromise.

Her fingers gripped his thick hair and held on while his mouth gave her the most intense pleasure
she'deverknown.He'dtriedtokissherthiswaythatlong-agonightandshe'dfoughthim.Ithadbeen
too much for her already overloaded senses and, coupled with his raging arousal and the sudden
determinationofhisweightonherbody,she'dpanicked.Butshewasoldernow,withfouryearsof
abstinencetoheightenherneed,striphernervesraw.Shewasstarvedforhim.

Hismouthfedonherwhilehisfingerstracedaroundthefirmsoftnesshewasenjoying.Shefelthis
tongue,histeeth,theslowsuctionthatseemedtodrawtheheartrightoutofherbody.Sheshuddered,
helpless, anguished, as the ardent pressure of his mouth only made the hunger grow.He felt her
trembleandslowlyliftedhishead.

"Noo...!"Shechoked,clutchingathim,tryingtodrawhismouthbacktoherbody."Steve...please...
please!"

Hedrewherfaceintohisthroatandheldher,hisarmspunishing,hisbreathasraggedasherown.

"Please!"shesobbed,clinging.

"Here...!"Hefoughtthebuttonsofhisshirtopenanddraggedherinsideit,pressingherclosetohim,
so that her bare breasts were rubbing against the thick hair on his chest, teasing his tense muscles.
"Meg," he breathed tenderly. "Oh, Meg, Meg...!" His hands found their way around her, sweeping
down her bare back in long, hungry caresses that made the intimacy even more dangerous, more
threatening.

Her mouth pressed soft kisses into his throat, his neck, his collarbone, and she felt the need like a

knife.

He turned her head and kissed her again, a long, slow, deep kiss that never seemed to end while
aroundthemthenightdarkenedandthewindblew.

Somewhere in the middle of it, she began to cry—great, broken sobs of guilt and grief and
unappeased hunger. He held her, cradled her against him, his eyes as anguished as his unsatisfied
body.Butslowly,finally,thedesireinbothofthembegantorelax.

"Don'tcry,"hewhispered,kissingthetearsfromhereyes."Itwasinevitable."

She turned her face so that he could kiss the other side of it, her eyes closed while she savored the
rare,exquisitetenderness.

Whenshefelthislipsreluctantlydrawaway,sheopenedhereyesandlookedintohis.Theyweresoft,
justforher,justforthemoment.Softandhungry,andsomehowviolent.

"You'reuntouched,"hesaidhuskily,hisfacesettingintohard,familiarlines."Evenhere."Hishand
smoothedoverherbare,swollenbreastandasifthefeelofitdrovehimmad,hebenthisheadand
tenderlydrewhislipsoverit,breathinginthescentofherbody."Totally,absolutelyuntouched."

"I.. .can't feel like this with any other man " she confessed, shaken to her soul by what they were
sharing."Ican'tbearanotherman'sevestotouchme,muchlesshishands."

Hisbreathdrewinraggedly."WhyinGod'snamedidyouleave,damnyou?"

"Iwasafraid!"

"Ofthis?"Hismouthopenedoverhernippleandshecriedoutattheflashofpleasureitgaveherto
feelitsointimately.

"Iwasavirgin,"shegasped.

"Youstillare."Hedrewheracrosshim,onebighandgatheringherhipsblatantlyintothehardthrust
of his, holding her there while he searched her eyes. "And you're still afraid," he said finally,
watchingtheshockedapprehensiongrowonherface."Terrifiedofintimacywithme."

Sheswallowed,thenswallowedagain.Hereyesdroppedtohisbarechest."Not...ofthat."

"Thenwhat?"

Hisbodythrobbed.Shecouldfeeltheheatandpowerofitandshefeltfaintwiththeknowledgeof
howdesperatelyhewantedher."Steven,mysisterdiedinchildbirth."

"Yes, I know. Your father told me. It was such a private thing, I didn't feel it was my place to ask
questions.Ijustknowshewastwelveyearsolderthanyou."

Shelookedupathim."Shewas...likeme,"shewhisperedslowly."Thinandslender,notverybiginthe

hipsatall.Theylivedupnorth.Itsnowedsixfeetthewintershewasreadytodeliverandherhusband
couldn'tgethertoahospitalintime.Shedied.Sodidthebaby."Meghesitated,nibblingherlowerlip.
"Childbirthisdifficultforthewomeninmyfamilv.MvmotherhadtohaveacesareansectionwhenI
wasborn.Iwasveryshelteredandaftermysisterdied,mothermadeitsoundasifpregnancywould
be a death sentence for me, too. She made me terrified of getting pregnant," she added miserably,
hidingherfacefromhim.

Heeasedhisintimateholdonher,stunned.Hishandguidedhercheektohisbroad,hair-roughened
chestandheheldherthere,lettingherfeeltheheatofhisbody,theheavyslamofhisheartunderher
ear.

"Weneverdiscussedthis."

"Iwasveryyoung,asyousaid,"shereplied,closinghereyes."Icouldn'ttellyou.Itwassointimatea
thingto say, andI was alreadyoverwhelmed by you physically.Every time youtouched me, I went
light-headedandhotandshakyallover."Hereyesclosed."Istilldo."

Hisfingerstangledgentlyinherhair,comfortingnowinsteadofarousing."Icouldhavereassured
you,ifyou'donlytoldme."

"Perhaps."Shenuzzledhercheekagainsthim."ButIhadterrorsofgettingpregnant,andyoucameon
verystrongthatnight.Theargument...seemedlikeareprieveatthetime.Youtoldmetogetout,and
thenyoutookDaphnetoapublicplacesothatitwouldbeinallthepapers.Itoldmyselfthatchoosing
dancingmademoresensethanchoosingyou.Itmadeiteasiertogoaway."

He lifted his head, staring out the darkened window. Seconds later, he looked down at her, his eyes
lingeringonherbreasts.

Shesmiledsadly."Youdon'tbelieveme,doyou?You'restillbitter,Steven."

"Youdon'tthinkI'mentitledtobe?"

Sheshiftedagainsthim,hereyesadoringhishardface,totallyatpeacewithhimeveninthisintimacy
now."Ididn'tthinkyoucaredenoughtobehurt."

"Ididn't,"heagreedreadily."Butmypridetookafewblows."

"Nicolesaidyougotdrunk..."

Hesmiledcruelly."DidsheaddthatIwaswithDaphneatthetime?"

Shestiffened,hatinghim.

His warm hand covered her breast blatantly, feeling her heartbeat race even through her anger. He
searchedhereyes."Istillwantyou"hesaidflatly."Morethanever."

Sheknewit.Hisfacewasalivewithdesire."Itwouldn'tbewise,"shesaidquietly."Asyouoncesaid,

Steven,addictionsarebestavoided."

"YouflatteryourselfifyouthinkI'mcrazyenoughtobecomeaddictedtoyouagain,"hesaidwitha
faintlymockingsmileasalltheanguishofthosefouryearssatonhim.

Megwasarrestedbyhisexpression.Thementionofthepastseemedtohavebroughtallthebitterness
back,alltheanger.Shedidn'tknowwhattosay."Steven..."

Hishandpressedcloser,warmagainstherbareskininthetaintchillofthecar."Yourballetcompany
needsmoney.Allright,Meg,"hesaidsoftly."I'llgetyououtofthehole."

"Youwill!"sheexclaimed.

"Oh,yes.I'llbeyourcompanyangel.Butthere'saprice."

Hisvoicewastoosilky.Shefelttheapprehensionasifitweretangible."Whatistheprice?"sheasked.

"Can'tyoufigureitout?"heaskedwithfainthauteurinhissmile."ThenI'lltellyou.Sleepwithme.
Givemeonenight,Meg,togetyououtofmysvstem.Andinreturn,I'llgiveyoubackyourprecious
dancing."

Megspentalong,sleeplessnightagonizingoverSteven'sproposal.Shecouldn'treallybelievethat
he'dsaidsuchathing,orthathe'dactuallyexpectedhertoagree.Howcouldhisfeverishardorhave
turnedtocontemptinsoshortatime?Itmustbeasshethought:hewantednothingmorethanrevenge
because she'd run out on him. Even her explanation had fallen on deaf ears. Or perhaps he hadn't
wantedtobelieveit.Andhadn'thebeenjustasmuchatfault,afterall?Hewastheonewho'dsenther
away.He'dtoldhertogetoutofhislife.

Shewishednowthatshe'dremindedhimofthatfactmoreforcibly.Buthisslowlydrawledinsulthad
made her forget everything. Shed torn out of his arms, putting her clothes to rights with trembling
handswhilehelaughedharshlyatherefforts.

"Thatwascruel,Steven,"she'dsaidhoarsely,glaringathimwhenshewasfinallypresentableagain.

"Really? In fact, I meant it," he added. "And the offer still stands. Sleep with me and I'll drag your
preciouscompanybackfromthebrink.Youwon'thavetoworrvaboutpregnancvy,either,"headded
ashestartedthecar."I'llprotectyoufromitwithmylastbreath.Yousee,Meg,thelastthinginthe
world I want now is to be tied to you by a child." His eyes had punctuated the insult, going slowly
overherbodyasifhecouldseeunderherclothes."AllIwantisforthismadnesstobeover,onceand
forall."

Asifiteverwouldbe,shethoughtsuddenly,whenhe'dleftheratherdoorwithoutawordanddriven
off. The madness, as he called it, was going to be permanent, because she d taken the easy way out
fouryearsago.Shehadn'tconfessedherfearsandmisgivingsaboutintimacywithhim,orchallenged
himaboutDaphne.She'dbeenafraidtosaywhatshethought,evenmoreafraidtofightforhislove.
Instead,she'dlistenedtoothers—hisfatherandherownmother,who'dwantedMegtohaveacareer
inballetandneverriskpregnancyatall.

ButSteven'smotiveswereevenlessclear.She'doftenthoughtsecretlythatStevenwasrathercoldin
anyemotionalway,thatperhapshe'dbeenrelievedwhentheirengagementended.Hisverycourtship
ofherhadbeenreluctant,forced,asifitwastotallyagainsthisbetterjudgment.Meghadthoughtat
thetimethatlovewassomethinghewouldneverunderstandcompletely.Hehadsolittleofitinhis
ownlife.Hisfatherhadwantedapuppetthathecouldcontrol.Hismotherhadwithdrawnfromhim
when he was still a child, unable to understand his tempestuous nature much less cope with his
hardheadeddeterminatiorinallthings.

Stevenhadgrownupaloner.Hestillwas.Hemightuseawomantoeasehismasculinehungers,but
he avoided emotional closeness. Meg had sensed that, even at the age of eighteen. In a way, it was
Steven'sverydetachmentthatshe'drunfrom.Shehadthewisdomtoknowthatherloveforhimand
hisdesireforherwouldnevermakearelationship.Andatthebackofhermind,alwaysinthosedays,

washerunrealisticfearofchildbirth.Shewonderednowifhermotherhadn'tdeliberatelycultivated
thatfear,toforceMegintoline.Hermotherhadbeenamajormanipulator.JustlikeSteven'sfather.

Meg had gone quickly upstairs the night before, calling a cheerful good-night to her brother, who
waswatchingalatemovieinthelivingroom.Sheheldupverywelluntilshegotintoherownroom,
andthentheangrytearswasheddownfromhereyes.

Anightofloveinreturnforfinancing.Didhereallythinksheheldherselfsocheaply?Well,Steven
could hold his breath until she asked him for financial help, she thought furiously! The ballet
company would manage somehow. She wouldn't meet his unreasonable terms, not even to save her
career.

BythetimeMegwasupandmovingaroundthenexlmorning,Davidhadalreadygonetotheoffice.
Shehadaheadacheandaverysoreanklefromjustthesmallamountofwalkingshe'ddonethenight
before. She couldn't quite meet her own eves in the mirror, though, remembering how easily she'd
surrenderedtoSteven'shotardor.Shehadnoresistancewhenshegotwithinafootofhim.

She washed her face, brushed her teeth and ate breakfast. She went to the hospital for her physical
therapyandthencamebackhomeanddidstretchesforseveralminutes.Allthewhile,shethoughtof
Stevenandhowexplosivetheirpassionhadbeen.Itdidn'thelphermood.

Davidcamehomelookingdisturbed.

"Whysoglum?"Megteasedgently.

He glanced at her. "What? Oh, there's nothing," he said quickly, and smiled. "If you haven't cooked
anything,supposewegooutforanicesteaksupper?"

Hereyebrowsarched."Steak?"

"Steak.Ifeellikechewingsomething."

"Ouch.Badday?"shemurmured.

"Vicious!"Heshrugged."Bytheway,Ahmedsaidthathedliketojoinus,ifyoudon'tmind."

"Certainlynot!"shesaid,smiling."Ilikehim."

"SodoI.Butdon'tgettooattachedtohim,"hecautioned."Therearesomethingsgoingonthatyou
don'tknowabout,thatyou'resafernotknowingabout.ButAhmedisn'tquitewhatheseems."

"Really?"Shewasintrigued."Tellmemore."

"You'llhavetotakemywordforit,"hesaid."I'mnotriskinganymorescathingcommentsfromthe

boss.Hewasoutforbloodtoday.Oneofthesecretariesthrewadesklampathimandwalkedoutof
thebuildingwithoutseverancepay!"

Meg'seyebrowsarched."Steven'ssecretary?"

"Asamatteroffact,yes."Hechuckled."Everybodyelseranforcover.NotDaphne.Isupposeshe'd
knownhimforsolongthatshecanhandlehim."

Meg'sheartstoppedbeating."Daphne—theDaphnehewassleepingwithwhenheandIgotengaged?"

David'sevesnarrowed."Idon'tthinktheywerethatintimate,andcertainlynotafterheaskedyouto
marryhim.But,yes,they'veknowneachotherforyears."

"Isee."

"Shewasthereasonyouarguedwithhim.Thereasonyouleft,asIremember."

Shetookadeepbreath."Partofit,"shereplied,correctinghim.Sheforcedasmile."Actuallyshedid
a good turn. I'd never have had the opportunity to continue my training in New York if I'd married
Steven,wouldI?"

"Youhaven'tletamannearyousinceyouleftWichita,"Davidsaidsagely."Anddon'ttellmeit'sdue
tolackoftimeforasociallife."

Sheliftedherchin."MaybeSteve'sanimpossibleacttofollow,"shesaidwithanenigmaticsmile."Or
maybehetaughtmeabitterlessonaboutmalelovalty."

"Steven's not what he seems,"he said suddenly. "He's got a soft center, despite all that turmoil he
creates.Hewasdeeplyhurtwhenyouleft.Idon'tthinkheevergotoveryou,Meg."

"Hispridedidn't,heevenadmittedit,"sheagreed."Butheneverlovedme.Ifhehad,howcouldhe
havegonetoDaphne?"

"Mendostrangethingswhentheyfeelthreatened."

"Ineverthreatenedhim,"shemuttered.

"No?"Hestuckhishandsintohispocketsandstudiedheravertedface."Meg,inallthevearswe've
knowntheRykers,Stevenevertookawomanaroundformorethantwoweeks.Heavoidedanytalk
of involvement or marriage. Then he took you out one time and started talking about engagement
rings."

"Iwasanovelty."Shebitoffthewords.

"Youwere,indeed.Youmeltedrightthroughthatwalloficearoundhimandmadehimlaugh,made
himyoung.Meg,ifyou'deverreallylookedathim,you'dhaveseenhowmuchhechangedwhenhe
waswithyou.StevenRvkerwouldhavethrownhimselfunderabusifyou'daskedhimto.Hewould
havedoneanythingforyou.Anything,"headdedquietly."Hisfatherdidn'twantSteventomarryyou

because he thought Steve was besotted enough to side with you in a proxy fight." He smiled at her
shockedexpression."Don'tyouseethateveryonewasmanipulatingyoufortheirowngain?Youand
Stevenneverhadachance,Meg.Youfellrightintolineanddidexactlywhatyouweremeanttodo.
AndtheonewhoreallypaidthepricewaspooroldSteven,inloveforthefirsttimeinhislife."

"Hedidn'tloveme,"shechoked.

"That'strue.Heworshipedyou.Hecouldn'ttakehiseyesoffyou.Evervthinghedidforthatonelong
month you were engaged was designed solely to please you, every thought he had was for your
comfort,yourhappiness."Heshookhishead."Youweretooyoungtorealizeit,weren'tyou?"

Shefeltasifherlegswouldn'tholdher.Shesatdown,heavily."Heneversaidaword."

"What could he have said? He isn't the type to beg. You left. He assumed you considered him
expendable. He got drunk. Roaring drunk. He stayed that way for three days. Then he went back to
work with a vengeance and started making money hand over fist. That's when the women started
showing up, one after another. They numbed the ache, but he was still hurting. There was nothing
anyonecoulddoforhim,exceptwatchhimsufferandpretendnottonoticethatheflinchedwhenever
yournamewasmentioned."

Shecoveredherfacewithherhands.

He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't torture yourself. He did, finally, get over you,
Meg.Ittookhimayearandwhenhegotthroughit,hewasabetterman.Buthe'snotthesameman.
He'slostandgainedsomethingintheprocess.It'shardenedhimtoemotion."

"I was an idiot," she said heavily, pushing back her loosened hair. "I loved him so much, but I was
afraid of him. He seemed so distant sometimes, as if he couldn't bear to talk to me about anything
personal."

"Youwerethesameway,"heprompted.

She smiled wistfully. "Of course I was. I was hopelessly repressed and introverted, and I couldn't
believethatamanwhowassuchamanwantedtomarryme.Istoodinaweofhimthen.Istilldo,a
little.ButnowIunderstandhimsomuchbetter...nowthatit'stoolate."

"Areyousurethatitis?"

Shethoughtaboutthenightbefore,abouthisexquisiteardorandthenthepainandgriefofhearing
himpropositionher.Shenoddedslowly."Yes,David,"shesaid,liftingpain-filledblueeyestohis."I'm
afraidso."

"I'msorry."

Shegottoherfeet."Don'ttheysaythatthingsalwaysworkoutforthebest?"Shesmoothedherskirt.
"Wherearewegoingtoeat?"

"Castello's.AndI'msorrytohavetotellyouthatsoisSteve."

Shehatedthethoughtoffacinghim,butshewasnocoward.Sheonlyshruggedfatalistically."I'llget
dressed,then."

Hetoldherwhattimetheyneededtoleaveandwentofftomakealast-minutephonecall.

Megwentupstairs."IthinkI'llwearsomethingred,"shemurmuredangrilytoherself."WithaV-neck,
cuttotheanklesinfront,andwithslitsupbothsides..."

Shedidn'thaveanythingquitethatrevealing,butthereddressshepulledoutofitsneatwrapperhad
spaghetti straps and hinge. It was close-fitting, seductive. She left her blond hair down around her
shouldersandusedmuchmoremakeupthanshenormallydid.Shehadsomejewelryleftoverfrom
theolddays,withdiamonds.Shegotitoutofthesafeandworeit,too.Thesongaboutgoingoutina
blazeofgloryrevolvedinhermind.ShewasgoingtogiveStevenRykerhell.

AsDavidhadsaid,hewas,indeed,intherestaurant.Buthewasn'talone.AndMeg'spoorhearttooka
divewhenshesawwhowaswithhim:aslinky,sultryplatinumblondewithasmoothtan,wearinga
blackdressthatprobablycosttwicewhatMeg'shad.ItwasDaphne,ofcourse,drapedagainstSteve's
armasifshewereanexpensivepieceoflint.MegforcedabrilliantsmileasAhmedrosefromthe
table,inadistinguisheddarksuit,andsmiledwithpureappreciationassheandDavidapproached.

"Mademoiselle prompts me to indiscretion," he said, taking her hand and bowing over it before he
kissedtheknucklesinavervcontinentalway."Iwillbitemytongueandsubduethewordsthattease
mymouth."

Meg laughed with delight. "If you intend asking me to join your harem," she returned impishly,
"you'llhavetowaituntilI'mtoooldtodance,I'mafraid."

"Iamdevastated,"hesaidheavily.

Stevenwasstaringather,hissilvereyesdangerous."Whataninterestingchoiceofcolor,Meg,"he
murmured.

Shecurtsied,grimacingasshemadeherinjuredanklethrobwiththeaction."It'smyfavorite.Don't
youthinkitsuitsme?"sheaskedwithachallengeinhereyes.

Heavertedhisgazeasifthewordshadshamedhim."No,Idon't"hesaidstiffly."Sitdown,David."

DavidhelpedMegintothechairnexttoAhmedandgreetedDaphne.

"Howdidyoumanagethis?"Davidaskedtheotherwoman.

"Helikeshavingthingsthrownathim,don'tyou,Steven,darling?"Daphnelaughed."Igotrehiredat
ahighersalary.Youshouldtryityourself."

"No,thanks."Davidsighed."I'dbefrog-marchedtotheelevatorshaftformypains."

"Idon'tsupposeMegisthetypetothrowthings,areyou,dear?"Daphneasked.

"Shall we find out?" Meg replied, lifting her water glass with a meaningful glance in Daphne's
direction.

Davidputahandonherwrist,shockedbyherreaction.

"Forgive me if I've offended you," Daphne said quickly. She looked more than a little surprised
herself. "Heavens, I just open my mouth and words fall out, I suppose," she added with a nervous,
apologeticglancetowardSteven.

StevenwasfrowningandhiseyesneverleftMeg's.

"Noneedtoapologize,"Megsaidstiffly."Irarelytakeoffense,evenwhenpeopleblatantlyinsultme."

Stevenlookeduncomfortableandtheatmosphereatthetablegrewtense.

Ahmedstoodup,holdinghishandouttoMeg."Iwouldbehonoredtohaveyoudancewithme,"he
offered.

"Iwouldbehonoredtoaccept."MegavoidedSteven'seyesasshestoodupandletAhmedleadher
ontothedancefloor.

Heheldherverycorrectly.Shelikedthecleanscentofhimandthehandsomefacewithliquidblack
eyes that smiled down at her. But there was no spark when he touched her, no throbbing ache to
possessandbepossessed.

"Thankyou,"shesaidquietly."Ithinkyousavedtheevening."

"Daphnehasnomaliceinher,despitewhatyoumaythink,"hesaidgently."Itisquiteobviouswhat
Stevenfeelsforyou."

Megflushed,lettinghereyesfalltohiswhiteshirt."Isit?"

"This dancing...it hurts you?" he asked suddenly when she was less than graceful and fell heavily
againsthim.

Sheswallowed."Myankleisstillpainful,"shesaidhonestly."AndnotmendingasIhadhoped."Her
eyesliftedwithpanicintheirdepths."Itwasabadsprain..."

"Anddancingisyourlife."

Shegnawedonherlowerlip,wincingasshemovedagainwithhimtothebluesymusic."Ithashadto
be,"shesaidoddly.

"MayIcutin?"

Thevoicewasdeepandcuttingandnotthekindtoignoreunlessabrawlwasdesirable.

"But of course," Ahmed said, smiling at Steven. "Merci, mademoiselle" he added softly and moved
back.

StevendrewMegtohim,muchtooclosely,andrivetedherinplacewithonelong,powerfularmas
hemovedhertothemusic.

"Mvanklehurts,"shesaidicily"andIdon'twanttodancewithyou."

"Iknow."Hetiltedherfaceuptohisandstudiedthedarkcirclesunderhereyes,thewancomplexion.
"Iknowwhyyouworethereddress,too.ItwastorubmynoseinwhatIsaidtoyoulastnight,wasn't
it?"

"Bingo,"shesaidwithacoldsmile.

Hedrewinalongbreath.Hissilverevesslidoverthelengthofherwavinghair,downtoherbare
shoulders.TheyfelltoherbreastswherethesoftVatthenecklinerevealedtheirexquisiteswell,and
hisjawclenched.Thearmatherbackwentrigid.

"You have the softest skin I've ever touched," he said gruffly. "Silky and warm and fragrant. I don't
needthisdresstoremindmethatIcan'tthinksanelywhenyou'rewithinreach."

"Thenstayoutofreach,"sheshotback."Whydon'tyoutakeDaphnehomewithyouandseduceher?
Ifyoudidn'tonthewayhere,"sheaddedwithhauteur.

Shemissedastepandhecaughther,easily,holdingherupright.

"Thatankleishurtingyou.Youshouldn'tbedancing,"hesaidfirmly.

"Thetherapistsaidtoexerciseit,"shesaidthroughherteeth."Andshesaidthatitwouldhurt."

Hedidn'tsaywhathewasthinking.Iftheanklewaspainfulafterfivelongweeks,howwouldshebe
abletodanceonit?Woulditholdherweight?Itcertainlydidn'tseemasifitwould.

Shesawtheexpressiononhisface."I'lldanceagain,"shetoldhim."Iwill!"

Hetouchedherfacewithlean,carefulfingers,tracedhercheekandherchinandaroundherfull,bow
mouth."Foryourself,Meg,orbecauseitwaswhatyourmotheralwavswanted?"

"ItwastheonlythingIeverdidinmylifethatpleasedher,"shesaidwithoutthinking.

"Yes.Ithinkperhapsitwas."Hisfingertracedherlowerlip.Oddhowtremulousthatfingerseemed,
especiallywhenitteasedbetweenherlipsandfeltthempart,feltherbreathcatch."Areyoustillafraid
ofmakingababy?"hewhisperedunsteadily.

"Steven!"sheexclaimed.Shejerkedherfacebackanditflushedred.

"Youmademethinkaboutwhathappenedthatlastnightweweretogetherbeforewefought,"hesaid,
asifshehadn'treactedtothequestionatall."Irememberwhenyoustartedfightingme.Iremember
whatIsaidtoyou."

"Thisisn'tnecessary...!"shebrokeinfrantically.

"Isaidthatifwewentalltheway,itwouldn'treallymatter,"hewhispereddeeply,holdinghereyes.
"BecauseI'dlovemakingyoupregnant."

Sheactuallyshiveredandherbodytrembledasitsoughtthestrengthandcomfortofhis.

Hecradledherinhisarms,barelymovingtothemusic,hismouthatherear."Youdidn'tthinkIwas
goingtostop.Andyouwereafraidofababy."

"Yes."

Hisfingersthreadedintohersoft,silkyhairandhedrewherevencloser.Hislegstrembledagainst
her own as the incredible chemistry they shared made him weak. And all at once, instantly, he was
fullycapableandshecouldfeelit.

"Don'tpullawayfromme,"hesaidroughly."Iknowitrepulsesyou,but,myGod,itisn'tasifIcan
helpit...!"

She stilled instantly. "Oh, no, it isn't that," she whispered, litting her eyes. "I don't want to hurt you!
Youusedtotellmenottomovewhenithappened,remember?"

Hestoppeddancingandhiseyessearchedherssohungrilythatshecouldhardlybeartheintensityof
thelooktheyweresharing.

Hislipspartedashetriedtobreathe,enmeshedbyhishungertorher,bythebeautyofheruplifted
face,thetemptationofherperfect,innocentbodyagainsthis."Iremembereverything,"hesaidtautly.
"Youhauntme,Meg.Nightafteremptynight."

Shesawthestraininhisdarkfaceandfeltguiltythatsheshouldbethecauseofit.Herhandpressed
flatagainsthisshirt-front,feelingthestrengthandheatandunderitthefeverishthrobofhispulse.

"I'msorry,"shesaidtenderly."I'msosorry..."

Hefoughtforcontrol,hiseyesliftingfinallytostareoverherhead.

Meg moved away a little, and began talking quite calmly about the state of the world, the weather,
dancinglazilywhileherecovered.

"Ihavetostopnow,Steven,"shesaidfinally."Myanklereallyhurts."

Hestoppeddancing.Hiseyessearchedoverherface."I'msorryaboutwhatIsaidtoyoulastnight,
whenIaskedyou,"hesaidcurtly."Iwantedyoutothepointofmadness."Helaughedbitterly."That,at
least,hasneverchanged."

Hereyesadoredhim.Shecouldn'thelpit.Hewasmoreperfecttoherthananythingintheworld,and
whenhewasclosetoher,shehadeverything.Butwhathewantedwoulddestroyher.

"Ican'tsleepwithyouandjust...justgoonwithmylife,"shesaidsoftly."Itwouldbeanothernight,
another body, to you. But it would be devastating to me. Not only my first time, but with someone
whomI..."Sheavertedhereyes."SomeoneforwhomIoncecaredverymuch."

"Lookatme."

Sheforcedhereyesuptohis,curiousabouttheirsuddenintentscrutiny.

"Meg,"hesaid,asthemusicbeganagain,"itwouldn'tbejustanothernightandanotherbody."

"Itwouldbeforrevenge,"sheargued."Andyouknowit,Steven.Itisn'taboutlovemaking,it'sabout
gettingeven.Iwalkedoutofyourlifeandhurtyou.Nowyouwanttopaymeback,andwhatbetter
waythantosleepwithmeandwalkawayyourself?"

"DoyouthinkIcould?"heaskedwithabitterlaugh.

"Neither of us would really know until it happened." She stared at his chest. "I know you'd try to
protectme,butyouaren'tquiteincontrolwhenwemakelove.Youcertainlyweren'tlastnight."She
raisedherface."ThenwhatwouldwedoifIreallydidgetpregnant?"

His lips parted. He studied her slowly. "You could marry me," he said softly. "We could raise our
childtogether."

Thethoughtthrilled,uplifted,frightened."Andmycareer?"

Thepleasurewashedoutofhim.Hisfacelostitssoftnessandhiseyesgrewcold."That,ofcourse,
would be history. And you couldn't stand that. After all, you've worked all your life for it, haven't
you?"Helethergo."We'dbettergobacktothetable.Wedon'twanttoputthatankleatrisk."

Theydidgobacktothetable.HetookDaphne'shandandkeptitinhisfortherestoftheevening.And
everytimehelookedatMeg,hiseyeswerehostileandfullofbitternessandcontempt.

David and Meg, who'd taken a cab to the restaurant, rode back to their house with Ahmed in his
chauffeuredlimousine.Steven,Megnoticed,hadn'tevenofferedthemaride;heprobablyhadother
plans,onesthatincludedDaphne.

"It's been a great evening," David remarked. "How much longer are you going to stay in Wichita,
Ahmed?"

"Untilthelastoftheauthorizationsaresigned,"theothermanreplied.HeglancedatMegwithslow,
bold appraisal in his liquid black eyes."Alas, then duty forces me back to my own land. Are you
certainthatyouwouldnotconsidercomingwithme,machou?"heteased."Youcouldwearthatdress
andenchantmeasyoudance."

Megforcedasmile,butshewashavingsomemisgivingsaboutherfuture.Heranklewasnostronger
thanwhenitwasfirstdamaged.Herconcerngrewbytheday.

"I'mveryflattered,"shebegan.

"Weareallowingourwomenmorefreedom,"hemused."Atleasttheyarenolongerrequiredtowear
veilingfromheadtotoeandcovertheirfacesinpublic."

"Areyoumarried?"sheaskedcuriously."Aren'tMoslemsallowedfourwives?"

Thelaughterwentoutofhiseyes."No,Iamnotmarried.ItistruethataMoslemmayhaveuptofour
wives,butwhileIacceptmanyoftheteachingsoftheProphet,IamnotMoslem,mademoiselle.Iwas
raisedaChristian,whichprecludesmefrompolygamy."

"That'stheroad,justupahead,"Davidsaidquickly,gesturingtowardtheirstreet."Youhaven'tseen
ourhome,haveyou,Ahmed?"headded,smilingattheotherman.

"No."

"Docomein,"Megasked."Wecanofferyoucoffee.Yourchauffeuraswell."

"Anothertime,perhaps,"Ahmedsaidgently,glancingbehindthematadarkcarintheneardistance.
"Ihaveanappointmentthiseveningatmyhotel."

"Certainly,"Megreplied.

"Thanksfortheride.I'llseeyoutomorrow,then,"Davidsaidastheypulledupinthedriveway.

Ahmed nodded. "Friday will see the conclusion of our business,"he remarked. "I should enjoy
escortingthetwoofyouandourfriendSteventoaperformanceatthetheater.Ihaveobtainedtickets
inanticipationofyouracceptance."

Megwasthrilled."I'dloveto!David...?"

"Certainly,"herbrothersaidreadily.Hesmiled."Thankyou."

"Iwillsendthecarforyouatsix,then.Wewillenjoyaleisurelymealbeforethecurtainrises."He
didn'toffertogetoutofthecar,buthesmiledandwavedatMegasDavidclosedthedoorbehindher.
Thelimousinespedoff,withthedarkcarclosebehindit.

"Ishebeingfollowed?"sheaskedDavidcarefully.

"Yes,heis,"Davidsaid,butheavoidedlookingather."Hehashisownsecuritypeople."

"1likehim,"shesaidastheywalkedtowardthefrontdoor.

David glanced at her. "You've been very quiet since you danced with Steve," he observed. "More
trouble?"

She sighed wistfully. "Not really. Steven's only shoving Daphne down my throat. Why should that
botherme?"

"Maybehe'stryingtomakeyoujealous."

"Thatwillbetheday,whenStevenRykerstoopstothatsortoftactic."

Davidstartedtospeakanddecidedagainstit.Heonlysmiledasheunlockedthedoorandletherin.

"Ahmedisverymysterious,"shesaidabruptly."It'sasifhe'snotreallywhatheseemsatall.He'sa
verygentleman,isn'the?"sheaddedthoughtfully.

Hegaveherablankstare."Ahmed?Uh,well,yes.Certainly.Imean,ofcourseheis."Helookedasif
hehadtobitehistongue."But,despitethefactthatAhmedisChristian,he'sstillverymuchanArabin
hiscustomsandbeliefs.Andhiscountryisahotbedofintrigueanddangerrightnow."Hestudiedher
closely."Youdon'twatchmuchtelevision,doyou,Meg?Notthenationalnewsprograms,Imean."

"They'remuchtooupsettingforme,"sheconfessed."No,Idon'twatchthenewsorreadnewspapers
unlessIcan'tavoidthem.Iknow,"shesaidbeforehecouldtauntheraboutit,"I'mhidingmyheadin
the sand. But honestly, David, what could I do to change any of that? We elect politicians and trust
themtohaveourbestinterestsatheart.Itisn'tthebestsystemgoing,butIcanhardlyrushoverseas
andtellpeopletodowhatIthinktheyshould,nowcanI?"

"Itdoesn'thurttostayinformed,"hesaid."Althoughrightnow,maybeit'sjustaswellthatyouaren't,"
headdedunderhisbreath."Seeyouinthemorning."

"Yes."Shestaredafterhim,frowning.Davidcouldbeprettymysterioushimselfattimes.

Daviddidn'tinviteStevetothehousethatweek,becausehecouldseehowanymentionofthemancut
Meg.ButalthoughWichitawasabigcity,itwasstillpossibletorunintopeoplewhenyoutraveledin
thesamesocialcircles.

Megfounditoutthehardwaywhenshewenttoamen'sdepartmentstorethatherfamilyhadalways
frequentedtobuyabirthdaypresentforDavid.SheranalmostliterallyintoStevethere.

Ifshewasshockedanddispleasedtomeethim,thereversewasalsotrue.Helookedinstantlyhostile.

Hereyesslidawayfromhistall,fitbodyinthepaletansuithewaswearing.Ithurttolookathimtoo
much.

"Shopping for a suit?" he asked sarcastically. "You'll have a hard time finding anything to fit you
here."

"I'mshoppingforDavid'sbirthdaynextweek,"shesaidtightly.

"Byanoddcoincidence,soamI."

"Doesn'tyoursecretary,"shestressedtheword,"performthatsortofmenialchoreforvou?"

"Ipickoutgiftsformyfriendsmyself,"hesaidwithcoldhauteur."Besides,"headded,watchingher
face,"IhaveotherusesforDaphne.Iwouldn'twanttotirehertoomuchinthedaytime."

Insinuatingthathewantedherrestedatnight.Meghadtofightdownangeranddistaste.Shekepther
eyesontheties."Certainlynot,"shesaidwithforcedhumor.

"Myfatherwasrightinthefirstplace,"hesaidshortly,angeredatherlackofreaction."Shewould
havemadetheperfectwife.Idon'tknowwhyittookmefouryearstorealizeit."

Her heart died. Died! She swallowed. "Sometimes we don't realize the value of things until it's too
late."

Hisbreathcaught,notquiteaudibly."Don'twe?"

Shelookedup,hereyesfullofbluemalice."Ididn'trealizehowmuchballetmeanttomeuntil1got
engagedtoyou,"shesaidwithacoldsmile.

Hisfistsclenched.Hefoughtforcontrolandsmiled."Aswesaidoncebefore,wehadaluckyescape."
He cocked his head and studied her. "How's the financing going for the ballet company?" he added
pointedly.

Shedrewinasharpbreath."Justfine,thanks,"shesaidvenomously."Iwon'tneedany...help."

"Pity,"hesaid,lettinghiseyespunctuatetheword.

"Isit?I'msureDaphnewouldn'tagree!"

"Oh, she doesn't expect me to be faithful at this stage of the game," he replied lazily. "Not until the
engagement'sofficial,atleast."

Megfeltfaint.Sheknewthecolorwasdrainingslowlyoutofherface,butshestoodfirmanddidn't
grabforsupport."Isee."

"Istillhaveyourring,"hesaidconversationally."Lockeduptightinmysafe."

She remembered giving it to her mother to hand back to him. The memory was vivid, violent.
Daphne.Daphne!

"IkeptittoremindmewhatafoolIwastothinkIcouldmakeawifeofyou,"hecontinued."Iwon't
make the same mistake again. Daphne doesn't want just a career. She wants my babies," he added
flatly,cruelly.

Shedroppedhereyes,exhausted,almostillwiththepainofwhathewassaying.Herhandtrembledas
she fingered a silk tie. "Ahmed invited us to dinner and the theater Friday night." Her voice only
wobbledalittle,thankGod.

"Iknow,"hesaid,andsoundedunhappyaboutit.

She forced her eyes up. "You don't have to be deliberately insulting, do you, Steven?"she asked
quietly."Iknowyouhateme.There'snoneedforallthis—"Shestopped,almostchokingontheword
thatalmostescaped.

"Isn't there? But, then, you don't know how I feel, do you, Meg? You never did.You never gave a
damn, either." He shoved his hands deep into his pockets and glowered at her. She looked fragile
somehowinthepalegreenknitsuitshewaswearing."Ahmedisleavingsoon,"hetoldher."Don'tget
attachedtohim."

"He'safriend.That'sall."

Hissilvereyesslidoverherbowedheadwithfainthungerandthenmovedawayquickly."Howare
theexercisescoming?"

"Fine,thanks."

Hehesitated,bristlingwithbadtemper."Whendoyouleave?"heaskedbluntly.

Shedidn'treact."Attheendofthemonth."Heletoutabreath."Well,thankGodforthat!"Hereyes
closed briefly. She'd had enough. She pulled the tie she'd been examining off the rack and moved
away,refusingtolookathim,tospeaktohim.Herthroatfeltswollen,raw.

"I'llhavethisone,please,"shetoldthesmilingclerkandproducedhercreditcard.Hervoicesounded
odd.

Stevenwasstandingjustbehindher,tryingdesperatelytoworkuptoanapology.Itwasbecominga
habit to savage her. All he could think about was how much he'd loved her, and how easily she'd
discardedhim.Hedidn'ttrusther,but,God,hestillwantedher.Shecoloredhisdreams.Withouther,
everythingwasflat.Evennow,lookingatherfedhisheart,upliftedhim.

Shewassolovely.Fairandsweetandgentle,andallshewantedwasapairoftoeshoesandastage.

He groaned inwardly. How was he going to survive when she left again? He never should have
touched her. Now it was going to be just as bad as before. He was going to watch her walk away a
secondtimeandpartofhimwasgoingtodie.

Daphnewascomingwithhimtonightorhedidn'tthinkhecouldsurviveMeg'scompany.ThankGod
forDaphne.Shewasafriend,andquitecontenttobethat,butshewashiscoconspiratoraswellnow,
partofthisdangerousbusinessthatrevolvedaroundAhmed.Shewasprivilegedtoknowthingsthat
nooneelseinhisorganizationknew.Butmeanwhileshewasalsohiscamouflage.Daphnehadaman
ofherown,oneofthetwogovernmentagentswhowerehelpingkeepacarefuleyeonAhmed.But
fortunately,Megdidn'tknowthat.

Stevenwas in somedanger. Almost asmuch as Ahmed. Hecouldn't tell Megthat without having to
give some top-secret answers. Daphne knew, of course. She was as protected as he was, as Ahmed
was. But despite his bitterness toward Meg, he didn't want her in the line of fire. Loving her was a
disease,hesometimesthought,andtherewasnocure,notevenatemporaryrespite.Shewasthevery
bloodinhisveins.Andtoher,hewasexpendable.Hewasofnoimportancetoher,becauseallshe
neededfromlifewastodance.Theknowledgecutdeepintohisheart.Itmadehimcruel.Buthurting
hergavehimnopleasure.Hewatchedherwithpossessiveeyes,achingtoholdherandapologizefor
hislatestcruelty.

Herpurchasecompleted,Megleftthecounterandturnedawaywithoutlookingup.Steven,impelled
byforcestoostrongtocontrol,gentlytookherarmandpulledherwithhimtoasecludedspotbehind
somesuits.

Helookeddownintohersurprised,woundedeyesuntilhisbodybegantothrob."Ikeephurtingyou,
don'tI?"hesaidroughly."Idon'tmeanto.HonesttoGod,Idon'tmeanto,Meg!"

"Don't you?" she asked with a sad, weary smile. "It's all right, Steve," she said quietly, averting her
eyes."Heavenknows,you'reentitled,afterwhatIdidtoyou!"

Shepulledawayfromhimandwalkedquicklyoutofthestore,thecarsandpeopleblurringinfront
ofhereyes.

Stevecursedhimselfwhilehewatchedheruntilshewascompletelyoutofview.He'dneverfeltquite
sobadinhiswholelife.

MegspenttherestoftheweektryingtopracticeherexercisesandnotthinkaboutSteveandDaphne.
David didn't say much, but he spoke to Steve one evening just after she'd met him in the store, and

MegoverheardenoughtorealizethatStevewastakingDaphneoutfortheevening.Itmadeherheart
ache.

Shetelephonedthemanagerofherballetcompany,TolbertMorse,onThursday.

"Gladyoucalled,"hesaid."IthinkImaybeonthewaytomeetingourbills.CanyoubebackinNew
Yorkforrehearsalsnextweek?"

She went rigid. In that length of time, only a miracle would mend her ankle. But she hesitated. She
didn'twanttoadmittheslowprogressshewasmaking.Deepinsidesheknewshe'dneverbeableto
dancethatsoon.Shecouldn'tforcethewordsout.Dancewasallshehad.Stevehadmadehisrejection
ofMegveryblatant.Anyhopeinthatareawasgoneforever.

Herdreamofaschoolofballetforlittlegirlswasslowlygrowing,butitwouldhavetobeopenedin
Wichita. Could she really bear having to see Steven all the time? His friendship with David would
meanhavinghimatthehouseconstantly.No.Shehadtogetheranklewell.Shehadtodance.Itwas
theonlyescapeshehadnow!Steven'slatestcrueltyonlypunctuatedthefactthatshehadnoplacein
hislifeanymore.

Fightingdownpanic,sheforcedherselftolaugh."CanIeverbereadyinaweek!"sheexclaimed."I'll
betherewithmytoeshoeson!"

"Goodgirl!I'lltellHenriettayou'llwantyouroldroomback.Ankledoingokay?"

"Justfine,"shelied.

"ThenI'llseeyounextweek."

He hung up. So did Meg. Then she stood looking down at the receiver for a long time before she
could bring herself to move. One lie led to another, but how could she lie when she was up on toe
shoestryingtointerpretballet?

She pushed the pessimistic thought out of her mind and went back to the practice bar. If she
concentrated,therewaseveryhopethatshecouldaccomplishwhatshehadto.

DavidpausedinthedoorwaytowatchherFridayafternoonwhenhecamehomefromwork.Hewas
frowning,andwhenshestoppedtorest,shecouldn'thelpbutnoticetheconcerninhiseyes,quickly
concealed.

"How'sitgoing?"heasked.

Shegrinnedathim,determinednottoshow'herownmisgivings."Slowbutsteady,"shetoldhim.

Hepursedhislips."Whatdoesthephysicaltherapistsay?"

Hereyesbecameshutteredandsheavoidedlookingdirectlyathim."Oh,thatitwilltaketime."

"You'resupposedtostartrehearsinginamonth,"hepersisted."Willyouactuallybereadybythen?"

"It'sinaweek,actually,"shesaidtautly,andtoldhimaboutthetelephonecall.Heprotestedviolently.
"David,forheaven'ssake,I'llbefine!"sheburstout,exasperatedtohearherownfearscomingfrom
hislips.

Hestuckhishandsintohispocketswithalongsigh."Okay.I'llstop.Ahmed'sgoingtobehereatsix."

"Yes,Iremember.Andyoudon'thavetolooksoworried.IknowthatheinvitedSteveandDaphne,
too."

Hisshouldersroseandfellheavily.Heknewwhatwasgoingon,buthecouldn'ttellMeg.Shelooked
hauntedandhefeltterrible."I'msorry."

SheforceddownthememoriesofherlastmeetingwithSteven,thepainfulthingshe'dsaid."Why?"
sheasked with studiednonchalance. She dabbedat her face withthe towel aroundher neck. "I don't
mind."

"Right."

Sheliftedhereyestohis."WhatifIdidmind,David,whatgoodwoulditdo?Iran,fouryearsago,"
shesaidquietly."Icouldhavestayedhereandfacedhim,facedher.IletmyselfbemanipulatedandI
threwitallaway,don'tyouunderstand?Ineverrealizedhowmuchitwouldhurthim...."Sheturned,
tryingtocontrolhertears."Anyway,he'smadehischoicenow,andIwishhimwell.I'msureDaphne
willdoherbesttomakehimhappy.She'scaredabouthimforalongtime."

"She'scaredabouthim,yes,"heagreed."Buthedoesn'tloveher.Heneverdid.Ifhehad,he'dhave
marriedherlikeashot."

"Maybeso.Buthemighthavechangedhisfeelingstowardher."

Hegaveherawryglance."Ifyoucouldseethewayhetreatsherattheoffice,youwouldn'tbelieve
that.It'sstrictlybusiness.Notevenaflirtatiousglancebetweenthem."

"Yes,butyousaidthatitallcametoaheadwhenshequit."

Hegrimaced."Soitdid."

Herheartfeltasheavvaslead.Sheturnedawaytowardthestaircase."Anyway,I'mgoingbacktoNew
Yorksoon."

"Sis,"hesaidsoftly.Shepausedwithherbacktohim."CanIhelp?"

Sheshookherhead."But,thanks."Shechoked."Thanksalot,David."

"Ithoughtyoumightgetoverhim,intime."

Shestudiedherhandonthebanister."I'vetried,youknow,"shesaidalittleunsteadily.Shedrewina
smallbreath."Idohavemydancing,David.Itwillcompensate."

Hewatchedhergoupthestaircasewithaterriblecertaintythatballetwouldn'tcompensateforalife
withoutSteve.Herveryposturewaspained.Heranklewasn'tgettinganybetter.Shehadtoknowit.
Butshemustknow,too,thatStevewasn'tgoingtogiveintowhateverhefeltforher;notwhenhe'd
beenhurtsobadlybefore.Davidshookhisheadandwentupstairstohisownroomtodress.

Thelimousinewasprompt.Megdidn'thavemanydressythings,butonceshe'dboughtaspecialdress
forabanquet.Sheworeitthisevening.Itwasastrappyblackcrepecocktaildresswithafullskirtand
alaced-upbodice.Davidgaveheranoddlookwhenshecamedownstairswearingit.

"Ahmedwillfaint,"heremarked.

She laughed, touching the high coiffure that had taken half an hour to put up. Little blond wisps of
hair trailed around her elegant long neck. "Not right away, I hope," she murmured. "It isn't really
revealing,"sheadded,toplacatehim."Itjustlookslikeit.ItwasabighitwhenIworeitinNewYork
City."

"Thisisn'tNewYorkCity,andSteven'sgoingtogothroughtheroof."

Thesoundofhisnamemadeherheartleap.Hereyesflickered."Stevencandosowithmyblessing."

Hegaveuptryingtoreasonwithher.Buthedidpersuadehertoaddalacyblackmantillatotheoutfit
byconvincingherthatStevenmighttakehisrageoutonDavidinsteadofMeg.

Thelimousinewasverycomfortable,butMeghadtheoddestfeelingthatshewasbeingwatched.She
glancedoutthebackwindowandnotonebuttwocarswerefollowingalongbehind.

"Who'sinthatsecondcar,Iwonder?"shemurmured.

"Don'task."Davidchuckled."Maybeit'sthemob,"hemused,leaningcloseandspeakinginarough
accent.

"You'rehopeless,David."

"You'rerelatedtome,"herepliedsmugly."Sowhatdoesthatmakeyou?"

Shethrewupherhandsandlaidherheadbackagainsttheseat.

Itwasaneveningshewasn'tlookingforwardto.Allweek,she'ddreadedthis.ButonceAhmedwas
gone,shewouldn'tneedtoseeSteveagainsocially.Shecouldavoidhimuntilshelefttogobackto
NewYork.Meanwhile,ifthesightofhimwithDaphnecutherheartout,therewasnobodytoknowit
exceptherself.

Steven's reaction to the black dress was almost the same as it had been to the red one she'd worn
before,onlyworse.Megrememberedtoolatethatthedressshe'dhadonthenightsheandStevenhad
partedhadbeenblack,too.

Afteraratherstrainedbutdeliciousmeal,Megheadedfortheentrancelobbywhilethemenpaidthe
bill.

An uncomfortable-looking Daphne excused herself. Meg only nodded with forced politeness and
stayed where she was. She had no intention of sharing even a huge ladies room with her rival.
Unfortunately that left her unexpectedly alone with Steve, when Ahmed and David also excused
themselves.Stevewasfuming.

"Wasthatdeliberate?"heaskedMeg,noddingtowardherdress.

Shedidn'tpretendignorance.Shepulledthemantillacloseraroundhershoulders."No,"shereplied
afterapause."Notatall."

He leaned against the wall and stared down at her, oblivious to the comings and goings of other
patrons.Thebuzzofconversationwasloud,butneitherofthemnoticed.

"Youworeblackthenightweargued,"hesaidtautly.Hecaughthergazeandheldithungrily."Youlet
meundressyouandtouchyou."Hisfacehardened."MyGod,youdoenjoytorturingme,don'tyou,
Meg?"

"Ididn'tdoitonpurpose,"shesaidmiserably."Whydoyoualwaysthinktheworstofme?"

"I'mconditionedtoit,becauseI'musuallyright,"hesaidthroughhisteeth.Hedraggedhiseyesaway,
lookingtowardwheretheothershaddisappeared."Damnthemfordesertingus!"

Hisviolentangerwastelling.Shemovedcloser,unabletoresistthepowerandstrengthofhim.His
colognewasthesamehe'dwornthen.Shegotdrunkonthescentasshelookedupintosilvereyesthat
begantoglitter.

His eyes darkened as she approached, stopping her in her tracks. She hadn't realized quite what she
wasdoing.

"Feelingadventurous?"heaskedwithacoldsmile."Don'triskit."

Sheclutchedherpurse."I'mnotriskinganything.Iwasjustgettingoutofthewayofthecrowd."

"Really?"Hecaughtherhandinhisandjerked.Underthecoverofhisjacket,hepressedthebacksof
herfingersdeliberatelyagainstthehardmuscleofhisupperthigh,holdingitthere."Lookatme."

She panicked and pulled back, but he wouldn't let go. His strength was a little frightening. "Steven,
please!"shewhispered.

"Therewasatimewhenyoucouldn'twaittobealonewithme,"hesaidunderhisbreath."Whenyour
handstrembledafteryoufumbledmyshirtopen.Doesdancinggiveyouthatincrediblehigh,Meg?"
heasked."Doesitmakeyousobwiththeneedforaman'sbodytoburyitselfdeepinyours?"

Shemoanedatthementalpictureshewasproducing,shockingherself.Shedraggedherhandaway
andallbutrantoescapehim,blindlyfindingherwaytoherbrother.Shefoundhiminthehall,onhis
waybacktowherehe'dlefther.

"Thereyouare,"hesaid."Readytogo,sis?"

"Where'sAhmed?"sheasked,flusteredandunabletohideit.

"He'llberighthere."

Ashespoke,Ahmedcamethroughanotherdoor,lookingforamomentasifheweresomeoneMeg
hadnevermet.Anothermanwaswithhim,asmallerandverynervousmanwithupliftedhands,who
wasgrimacingasAhmedspokeinacuttingsofttonetohiminalanguageMegcouldn'ttranslate.

The smaller man sounded placating. He made a gesture of subservience and abruptly departed as if
hispantswereonfire.

Ahmed muttered something under his breath, his black eyes cruel for an instant as he turned to the
Americans.HesawtheapprehensioninMeg'sfaceandtheexpressionabruptlyvanished.Hewasthe
mansheknewagain,smiling,charming,unruffled.

Hestrodetomeether,bendingtokissherknuckles."Ah,mydancinggirl.Areyoureadytosample
thetheater?"

"Yes,indeed,"shesaid,smilingback.

"Iwillhavethedriverbringthecararound."

"I'll,uh,helpyou,"Davidsaidnervously,withanincomprehensibleglanceoverMeg'sheadatSteven.

"What'sgoingon?"Megaskedcuriously.

"Aproblemwiththecar,"Stevensaidsuavely,smilingdownatDaphneashelinkedherhandinhis
arm."Shallwego,ladies?"

Theywereonthesidewalk,whentheworldshiftedtendegreesandchangedlives.AsStevenleftthe
womentofollowAhmedandDavidacrossthestreettowherethelimousinehadjustpulledup,acar
shotpastthemandsoundslikefirecrackersburstontothesilenceofthenight.

It seemed to happen in slow motion. The car sped away. Steve fell to the pavement. Ahmed quickly
kneltbesidehimandmotionedtheothersbacktowardtherestaurant.

Daphne screamed. David caught her arm and rushed her toward the building yelling for Meg to
follow.ButMegwasmadeofsternerstuffandterrorgaveherstrengthshedidn'tknowshehad.She
rantowardSteve,notawayfromhim,deaftothewarnings,thecursesStevewasrainingonherasshe
reachedhim.

"Getbackinside,youlittlefool!"heraged,hiseyesfurious."Meg,fortheloveofGod...!"

Shedidn'tregistertheterrorthatmingledwithangerinhisface."You'vebeenhit,"shesobbed.Her
handstouchedhim,wherebloodcamethroughhistornjacketsleeve."Steven!"

"Oh,myGod,getheroutofhere!"hegroanedtoAhmed."Getundercover,bothofyou!Run!"

ButAhmedwouldn'tgoandMegclung.Shewouldn'tbemoved."No!"shewhisperedfeverishly."If
theycomeback,they'llhavetogetbothofus...!"sheblurtedout,shakingwithfearforhim.

Sirensdrownedoutanyreplyhemighthavemade.HisstunnedeyesheldherswhileAhmedgottohis
feet in one smooth movement, and his gaze searched the area around them. Satisfied that no other
would-be assassins were lurking nearby, Ahmed murmured something to Steven and moved away
towardtwomen—adarkoneandafairone—withdrawnpistolswhomadeadiveforhim,through
thecrowdthatwasgatheringjustasthepoliceandparamedicsrushedforward.Meg'sheartstopped,
butAhmedapparentlyknewthemenandallowedhimselftobesurroundedbythemandescortedto
safety.

MegsatonthepavementnexttoSteve,holdinghishand,whiletheparamedicsquicklycheckedhis
armandbandagedwhatturnedouttobeonlyafleshwound.Herwhitefaceandhugeeyestoldhim
thingssheneverwouldhave.Hisfingersentwinedinhersandhewatchedherwithfascinationwhile
stingingmedicineandantisepticwasappliedtothefirmmuscleothisupperarm.

"I'mallright,"hetoldhersoftly,histonereassuring,comforting,butfullofwonder.

"Iknow."Shewasfightingtears,notverysuccessfully.

"We'dbettergethimoutofhere,"theofficerinchargesaidgrimly,staringaround."Don'tsparethe
horses.We'llberightbehindyouwithyourfriends,"hetoldSteve."Younglady,youcancomewith
me,"headdedtoMeg.

"No."Sheshookherheadadamantly."Wherehegoes,Igo!"

Thepolicemansmiledfaintlyandmovedaway.

"Don'tgetpossessive,MissShannon,"Steveremarkedwithoutsmiling."Idon'tbelongtovou."

Megbegantorealizejusthowpossessiveshewasactingandshefeltembarrassedandalittleguilty.

"I'msorry,"shesaid,falteringly."IforgotaboutDaphne..."

Hisfaceclosedupcompletely.Heavertedhiseyes."Youwereupset.It'sallright."Hegottohisfeeta
little unsteadily. "Go with the others," he told her. He turned when she hesitated, his eyes flashing.
"WillyousendDaphnehere,please?"

"Ofcourse,"shesaidthroughnumblips."Ofcourse,Iwill."

Somuchforfeelingprotective.She'dgivenherselfawayandhedidn'tcare.Hedidn'tgiveadamn.He
wasstillbearinggrudgesforoldwounds.Whyhadn'tsheknownthat?

Hestartedtospeak,butshewasalreadywalkingaway,hercarriageprouddespitethefaintlimp.He
wondered if his heart might burst at the feelings that exploded into it. He couldn't tell her what was
goingon;she'dbesaferthatway.

"Stevenwantsyoutogowithhim,"MegtoldDaphne,refusingtomeethershockedeyes."He'satthe
ambulance."

"But,shouldn'tyou...?"Daphneaskeduncertainly.

Meglookedather."Heaskedforyou,"shesaidunsteadily."Pleasego."

Daphnegrimacedandwent,buttherewassomethingnewinherface,anditwasn'tdelight.Shepassed
oneofthetwomenwhohadguardedAhmed,theblondone,andsmiledathimrathersecretively.He
gaveheraspeakingglancebeforeatersecommentfromhistall,darkpartnercapturedhisattention.

Megwatchedcuriouslyuntilherbrotherinterruptedherthoughts."Areyouallright?"Davidasked.

"Yes,"shesaidslowly.ShemovedtowardtheArabwhilehiscompanionsweremomentarilydiverted
bypolicemen."Ahmed,areyouokav?"sheaskedthetallmangently."Intheconfusion,

IsupposeIactedlikeanidiot."

"No. Only like a woman deeply in love," he said gently, and he smiled. "I am fine. I seem to invite
Allah'sprotection,doInot?Ihavenotascratch.ButIwouldnothavehadmyfriendStevenshoton
myaccount."

"He'llbefine.Steve'slikeoldleather,"Davidsaid,chucklingwithrelief."They'rewaitingforus."

"Idon'tsupposeanyonewouldliketoexplainwhat'sgoingontome?"sheaskedthemenwhenthey
weresituatedinthebackofthepolicecarheadingtowardthehospital.

David thought carefully before he replied. "We're selling some pretty sophisticated hardware to
Ahmed's country. He has a hostile neighbor, a little less affluent, and they've made some veiled
threats.We'vehadoursecuritypeopleandsomegovernmentpeoplekeepinganeyeonthem.Tonight,
theycameoutintheopenwithabang.They'remakingtheirprotestsknowninaprettysolidway."

"YoumeantheytriedtokillStevebecauseyouboughtaplane?"shegasped,turningtoAhmed.

Ahmedgrimaced.HeexchangedacomplicatedglancewithDavidandthenshrugged."Ah,thatisso.
Simplified,ofcourse,butfairlyaccurate."

"TheytriedtokillSteven.Oh,mygosh!"sheburstout.

"Equally simplified and fairly accurate," David added grimly. It wasn't the truth, but he couldn't tell
herwhatwas.

"Stevedoeshavegovernmentprotection?"sheasked.

"Ofacertainty."Ahmedgesturedoverhisshoulder,andMegsawabigblackcarfollowingthemand
thepolicecaraheadofthemthatcarriedStevenandDaphne.

"Whoarethey?"sheaskednervously.

"CIA,"Davidsaid."Theyhadusundersurveillance,butnobodyreallyexpectedthistohappen.Now,
ofcourse,we'llbeonvideoifwesneeze."

"You'rekidding!"Hervoicesoundedhigh-pitchedanduncertain.

There was a tiny noise and she jumped as "Gesundheit,"came in an amused drawl from the police
car'sradio.

Stevenwas patched up,given a tetanusshot and released withan uneasy Daphneat his side. Ahmed
andDavidkeptMegtoobusytalkingtosuffertoomuchatthesight.

Then they were all taken to police headquarters where two tall, tough-looking men—the same two
who'dsurroundedAhmedaftertheshooting—satdownwiththegroupandbegantoaskquestionsof
everyoneexceptAhmed.ThatgentlemanhadbeenmetbyasmallgroupofveryrespectfulArabswho
surroundedhimandprecededhimintoanotherroom.Itdidn'toccurtoMegjustthentowonderwhy,
ifStevewasthetarget,thesegovernmentagentshadrushedtoprotectAhmed.

Ashespokewithhispeople,Ahmed,again,lookedlikesomeoneconsiderablymoreimportantthana
minor cabinet minister of a Middle Eastern nation. His very bearing changed when he was
approached, and he seemed not only more elegant, but almost frighteningly implacable. The liquid
blackeyes,whichforMeghadalwaysbeensmiling,werenowicycoldandthreatening.Hespoketo
the men in short, succinct phrases, which the other Arabs received with grimaces and something
oddlylikefear.

Megfrownedatthebyplay,drawnbackintotheconversationbytheCIA.

"AreyouapermanentresidentofWichita?"theblondoneasked.

Sheshookherhead."No.IliveandworkinNewYorkmostofthetime.I'vehadasmallinjury..."

"Leftankle,tornligaments,physicaltherapyandrestforonemoreweek,"thebig,dark-headedagent
finished for her. Her mouth fell open and he leaned forward. "Gesundheit," he said, grinning
wickedly.

Davidlaughed."Meg,Ihopeyoudon'thaveanyskeletonsinyourcloset."

Megsuddenly remembered thenight in Steve'scar and flushed. Shedidn't dare lookat him, but the
big,darkagentpursedhislipsanddeliberatelyturnedhisheadaway.Shecouldhavegonethroughthe
floor.

Therewereafewmorequestionsandsomeinstructions,butitwassoonoverandtheywereallowed
toleave.

Ahmed was in the hall with the other Arabs. The government agents greeted him with quiet respect
andabriefconversationensued.Henodded,saidsomethinginArabictohiscompanionsandmoved
forwardtosavgoodbvetohisfriends.

Megcamelast.Hetookherhandinbothofhis,andthedarkauthorityinhisfacemadeherstart.This
wasnotthecharming,pleasant,lazilyfriendlymanshethoughtsheknew.Ahmedwasquitesuddenly
somethingoutofherexperience.

"I hope that the evening has not been too strained for you, mademoiselle. I hope to see you again
soon,andunderkindercircumstances.Aurevoir."

Hekissedherhand,verylightly.WithanodtoSteveandDavid,hestrodebacktowardhismen.They
surroundedhimquickly,flinginghurried,respectfulquestionsafterhim,andfollowedhimoutinto
thenightwiththebigdarkgovernmentmanastepbehind.

MeghadtheoddestfeelingaboutAhmed.Shehadtobitehertonguetokeepthewordsfromtumbling
out.ButherconcernnowwasonlyforSteve.Hereyesslidaroundtowherehewasstandingcloseto
Daphneandthetallblondagent."They'llcatchthemenwhotriedtokillhim,won'tthey?"sheasked
Davidworriedly.

"Suretheywill.Don'tworry,now,it'snothingtodowithyou."Hehelduparestraininghandwhenshe
opened her mouth to ask some more questions."Steve was barely scratched, despite the amount of
bleeding.He'llbecarefullylookedafter.Everything'sfine."

"WhatisStevesellingtoAhmed?"sheaskedagitatedly.

"Afighterplane.Veryadvanced.Allthelatesttechnology.Thegovernmentapproves,becausewe're
alliesofAhmed'sstrategicallyplacedlittlenation."

"Butifthey'retryingtostopthesale,whyshootatSteve?"

Megwastooquick."Probably,theywereshootingatbothofthembutStevegotthebullet,"hesaid.

"Oh."Sherelaxedalittle."Butwhatiftheytryagain?"

"Itoldyou,they'regoingtobesurroundedbygovernmentpeople."

"Won'ttheytrytogetAhmedoutofthecountrynow?"

David grimaced. "I don't know. Calm down now, Meg. Try not to worry so much. It's all under
control,believeme."

Meg finally gave in. David did look less concerned now, and she had to accept that Steve would be
protectedfromfurtherattacks.

David, meanwhile, was shaking inside. What he and Steven had learned from the CIA agents and
Ahmedwasenoughtoterrifyanyone.Ahmedcouldn'tgohomejustnow,andwhilehewasinWichita,
he was in mortal danger. It was far more serious than a protest over an arms sale. A coup was in
progressinAhmed'snationandAhmedhadbeentargetedbyitsleaders.

Ahmed's position was top secret, so Meg couldn't be told. Only Daphne knew, because of her
engagement to Wayne Hicks, the blond CIA agent. She was an unofficial liaison between the
governmentmenandAhmed.Thereweresecretswithinsecretshere.Itwasatrickysituation,made
moresobySteven'sapparentrelationshipwithDaphnewhileMegstoodbyhelplesslyandfumed.

MegglancedatSteven."Areyougoingtobeallright?"sheaskedwithoutmeetinghiseyes.

"I'mindestructible," he saidtautly. "I onlyneeded a bandage, believeit or not.I'd better get Daphne
home,"headded.

"Thanks,Steve,"Daphnesaidgently,smilingupathim.

Meg looked away, so she didn't see Daphne's expression or Steve's. Her heart was breaking. She
smileddullyandtookDavid'sarm."Inthatcase,I'lltakemybrotherandgohome.Goodnight,then."

Davidgotthemacabrightoutsidethedoor.PresumablyDaphnewasgoingtodriveSteven'sJaguar.

Meg sat quietly in the corner of the cab, still trying to focus on the shocking, violent events of the
night. The shots, Steve's wound, Ahmed's incredible transformation from indulgent friendliness to
menacing authority, the police, the government men, the hospital...it all merged into a frightening
blur.Megclosedhereyesonthememories.DaphnehadwonandtheonlycourseofactionMeghad
wastoconcedethefieldtotheotherwomanoncemore.IfStevelovedher,she'dstayandfight.Buthe
didn't.Hadn'themadeitabundantlyclearthathepreferredDaphne?

Alwaysbefore,she'dhadthesanctuaryofherNewYorkapartmenttorunto.Butnow,withherankle
in this shape, she knew for certain that it would be a very long time before she was fit enough to
danceagain.Avery,verylongtime.Shehadtoconsideranewcareer.Ifshecouldn'tdance,shehad
tofindawaytosupportherself.Aballetschoolwastheidealway.She'dstudiedballetallherlife.She
knewshecouldteachit.Allsherequiredwasasmallloan,astudioandthewilltosucceed.

TheflyintheointmentwasthatitwouldhavetobehereinWichita.NewYorkCitywasfullofballet
schools, and rental property cost a fortune. She'd never be able to afford to do it there. Here in

Wichita, she was known in local circles, even if the family was no longer wealthy. Her roots went
backfourgenerationshere.Thedownsidewasthatshe'dhavetoseeStevenoccasionally,butperhaps
shecouldhardenherheart.

Meanwhile,StevenandDavidwouldbefinenow,surely,withtheCIAwatching.Andofcourse,they'd
getAhmedoutofthecountry.

But,wouldshebefine,shewondered?ItwaslikelosingStevenalloveragain.Shedidn'tknowhow
shecouldbearit.

Meg went to bed and didn't sleep. Steve had taken Daphne home. She was tormented by images of
DaphneinSteven'sarms,beingthrilledanddelightedbyhiskisses.Shecouldn'tbearit.

Shecouldn'tsleeponFridaynight,andwaslistlessalldaySaturdayandSunday.Sheworkedonher
exercises,butherlackofprogressjustmadehermoredepressed.ShewenttosleeponSundaynight,
butagaincouldn'tresteasily.Shegotoutofbedanddecidedtogodownforacupofhotchocolate.
Maybeitwouldhelphersleep.

Sheopenedherdoorandheardmovementdownstairs.Herfirstthoughtwasthatitmightbeaburglar,
butthelightswereallon.

Shewenttothebanisterandleanedover.Davidwasinthehallputtingonaraincoat.

"David?"shecalled,surprised.

Heglancedupather.Heheldabriefcaseunderhisarm."Ithoughtyouwereasleep."

"Ican'tsleep.

"Iknow.Well,I'vegottorunthisstuffovertoAhmed..."

"It'smidnight!"

Hegloweredather."Ahmeddoesn'trecognizelittlethingslikethehourofthenight.Andbeforeyou
startworrying,I'vegotanescortwaitingoutside.Trytogetsomesleep,willyou?"

Shesighed."Okay.Becareful."

"Surething."

She wandered back into her bedroom. She heard a door slam twice and David's car pulling away.
Odd,twoslams,butshewassleepy.Perhapsshe'dcountedwrong.

She looked at herself in the mirror, in the sexy little lavender night slip that stopped at her upper
thighs.Shelookedveryalluring,shedecided,withherhairdownherbackandthosespaghettistraps
threateningtoloosenthelowbodicethatdidn'tquitecoverthefirmswellofhercreamybreasts.She

sighed.

"Toobadyourhair'snotplatinum,"shetoldherreflection."Andyourlegsaretoolong."Shemadea
faceatherselfbeforesheopenedthebedroomdoorandwanderedslowlydownstairs,carefulnotto
letherweakanklemakeherfallasshenegotiatedherwaydown.Acupofhotchocolatemightjustdo
thetrick.

Sheyawnedassheambledintothekitchen.Butshestoppeddeadatthesightofthemanstandingthere,
staringatherwitheyesthatdidn'tquitebelievewhathewasseeing.

"Steven!"shegasped.

Hewasfullydressed,alightbluesportsjacketpairedwithnavyslacks,awhiteshirtandabluestriped
tie.Buttherewasnobulgehighuponhisleftarm,nobandage.

"Whyareyouhere?"sheaskedbluntly,gettingherbreathback.Sherefusedtotrytocoverherself.
Let him look, she thought bitterly. "And do try to remember not to sneeze," she added, glancing
aroundparanoidly."They'veprobablygotvideocameraseverywhere.Oh,Lord!"sheaddedsuddenly,
glancingdownatherstateofundressandrememberingthatdark-hairedagentwiththewickedsmile.

"Therearenohiddencamerashere,"hereturned."Whywouldtherebe?"Hissilvereyesnarrowed.
"Whichisjustaswell,becauseIdon'twantanvoneelsetoseeyoulikethis."

"For your eyes only?" she taunted. "Well, save it all for Daphne, Steve, darling. What do you want
here?Davidjustleft."

"Iknow.I'mheretokeepaneyeonyouwhilehe'sgone."Heshoulderedawayfromthedoorfacing.
"Youaren'tplanningtocutyourvisitshortandgobacktoNewYork,areyou?"heaskedbluntly.

Shedidn'twanttoanswerthat.Heranklewaskillingherthismorning,fromtheslightexerciseithad
beenputthroughthenightbefore.Shecouldhardlywalkonit.Thethoughtofdancingonitmadeher
nauseous.

"AmIbeingaskedtoleavetown?"shehedged.

"No.Quitethecontrary."Hestuckhishandsintohispocketsandstudiedherthroughnarrowedeyes.
"IthinkitmightbebetterifyoustayinWichita.Butdon'tgooutwithoutDavid,willyou?"

"They shot at you, not me," she reminded him, and had to choke down the fear the words brought
back.Hecouldhavebeenkilled.Shedidn'tdarethinkaboutittoomuch."You'rereallyallright,aren't
you?"sheaddedreluctantly.

"I'mreallyallright."Hesawtheconcernshecouldn'thide,butheknewbetterthantoreadtoomuch
into it. She'd loved him once, or thought she had, before she decided that dancing was of prime
importance. He stared at her with growing need. Dressed that way, she aroused him almost beyond
bearing.Hedidn'tknowifhecouldkeephishungerforherundercontrol.Thatgown...!

Shestareddownatherbarefeet."I'mgladyouweren'thurt."

Hedidn'treply.Whenshelookedupagain,itwastofindhissilvereyesrivetedtoherbreasts,tothe
pink swell of them over her bodice. The look was intimate. Hungry. She could almost see his
heartbeatincreasing.

"Don't,Steve,"shesaidquietly.

"If not me, who, then?" he asked roughly, moving slowly toward her. "You won't give yourself to
anyoneelse.You'retwenty-threeandstillavirgin."

Shegnawedherlowerlip."Ilikeitthatway,"shesaidunsteadily,becausehewasclosenow,towering
overher.Shecouldfeeltheheatofhisbody,smellthespicycolognehewore.Itwasafragrancethat
she'dalwaysconnectedwithhim.Itarousedher.

"Thehellyoudo.Youwaitedforme.You'restillwaiting."Hissilvereyesdroppedtoherbodiceand
foundtheevidenceofherarousal."Youcan'tevenhideit,"hetauntedhuskily."AllIhavetodoislook
atyou,orstandclosetoyou,andyourbodybeginstoswellwithwantingme."

Sheswallowed."Don'thumiliateme!"shewhisperedtightly.

"Thatisn'twhatIhaveinmind.Notatall."Hishandscameoutofhispockets.Theymovedslowlyto
thesmoothcurveofhershouldersandcaressedawaythetinyspaghettistraps.Hisbreathwasather
temple,onhernose,hermouth.Sheachedforhimineverycellofherbody.

"Steve."Shechoked."Steve,whataboutDaphne...?"

"Daphnewho?"hebreathed,andhismouthsettledonhersashishandsmovedabruptly,sendingthe
gowncareeningrecklesslydownherbodytolandinasilkenlavenderpoolatherfeet.

Right and wrong no longer existed separately in Steve's tormented mind. Meg wanted him and he
wanted her. All the pain and anguish of the past four years fused in that one thought as he felt her
mouthsoftenandopenunderhis.Hekissedheruntilshewentlimpinhisarms,untilhisownbodv
went rigid with insistent desire. And only then did he lift his head to look at what his hands had
uncovered.

MegfelttheimpactofSteven'seyesonherbarebreastslikeahotcaressonherskin.Shestoodbefore
him in only a pair of lacy, high-cut pink briefs, insecure in her nudity. But when her hands lifted
automatically,hecaughtherwristsanddrewherhandstohischest.Hissteelyeyesheldherswhilehe
pressedthemthere.

"Don't hide from me," he said quietly. His eyes fell to her body and sketched its pink and mauve
contours with slow, exquisite appreciation. "You're more beautiful than a Boticelli nude, Mary
Margaret."

"You'reforgettingDaphne."Shechokedoutthewords,beyondprotest."Shehasaholdonyou."

Hewasstillstaringather,unblinking."Youmightsaythat."

"Steve..."

"Don't talk, Meg," he replied, his voice deep and soft, almost lazy as his dark head started to bend
towardher."Talkingdoesn'taccomplishadamnedthing."

"Steven,youmustn't...!"

"Oh,butImust,"hebreathedashismouthopenedjustabovehertautnipple."Imust...!"

Shefeltthesofttracingofhistonguejustbeforethefaintsuctionthattookherbreastrightintothe
darkwarmthofhismouth.

Steve heard her gasp, felt her whole body go rigid in his grasp. But he didn't stop. He nuzzled her
gently and increased die warm pressure. A little sound passed her lips and then she began to push
towardhim,notawayfromhim.Hegroanedagainstherashishandsslidupthesilkysoftnessofher
backanddrewherintothearousedcurveofhisbody.

Meghadstoppedthinkingaltogether.Theinsistenthungerofhismouthmadeherbodythrobindie
mostincredibleway.Shecradledhisdarkheadagainsther,leaningbackinhisembrace.Shefeltasif
shewerefloating,drifting.

Steve was kneeling, easing her down to die floor, his mouth against her. He pulled her over him,
partinghersmoothlegssothattheywerehiptohip.Hismouthmovedtoherotherbreast,thentoher
throat and finally up to her parted lips. He kissed her with slow, aching passion, all the while
exploringherbodywithdeft,surehands.Hewhisperedthingsshecouldn'tevenhearfortheroarin
herears.Andthenheshiftedher,justalittle,andshefeltthearousedthrustofhimashisbodybegan
torocksensuallyagainsthers.

Shegaspedandstiffened,becauseeventheirmostintimatetimehadn'tbeenquitethisintimate.

Heliftedhishead.Hissilvereyesweremistywithdesireashesearchedhers.Hemoved,deliberately,
so that she felt him intimately, and a wave of pleasure rippled up her body. She couldn't hide the
shocked delight in her eyes. He smiled, slowly, and moved again. This time her hands gripped his
shouldersandsherelaxed,shylybringinghimintoevengreaterintimacywithher.

Hisleanhandslidupherthigh,tracingitsinnercurve.Shesawhismouthjustbeforeitsettledonhers
again.Hetouchedherasheneverhad.Wavesofpleasurejoltedher.Shetriedtoprotest,butitwasfar
toolate.Shebegantowhimper.

Histonguetangledwithhers,thrustdeepintohermouth.Shefelttearsinhereyesasheheldherin
thrall. Her body arched helplessly toward him. She felt his mouth sliding down to her breasts,
possessingher.Hestrokedheruntilshewasweepingwithhelplessdesire,hervoicebreakingasshe
whispered,pleaded,begged.

The husky pleas, combined with the sensual movement of her body over his, removed him
sufficiently from reality so that it was impossible for him to pull back in time. He kissed her. His
mouthbitintohersandshefelthimmove,feltthesofttearingofherbriefs,felttheaironherbody.
Sheheardtheraspofazipper,themetallicsoundofabelt.

Hepulledherupsothatshewassittingwithherlegsoneithersideofhim.Sheheardhisbreathing,
roughandunsteadyatherear,ashisleanhandssuddenlygrippedherbarethighsdeliberatelyandhe
liftedher.

"Easy,"hewhisperedashebroughthertohimandslowlypulledherdown.

Shehadasecondtowonderaboutthefaintthreatofhisholdonher,andthenhismouthopenedon
hersandshefeltthefirstinsistentthrustofhimagainsttheveilofherinnocence.

Hereyesflewopen.Shecriedoutattheflashofhotpain.Heheldherstill,breathingroughly.Hisface
was rigid, his teeth clenched, his breathing audible through his nose. He looked into her wide,
frightenedeyesandheldthemashepulledherslowlydownonhimagain.

"Don'tbeafraid,Meg,"hewhispereddeeply."It'sonlygoingtohurtforafewseconds."

"But...Steve..."Shegasped,tryingtofindthewordstoprotestwhatwashappening.

"Letmeloveyou,"hesaidunsteadily.Hishandstuggedheroverhimandheshivered.Hisfacewas
tormented,hiseyeslikesilverfires."God,baby...letme.Letme!"Hegroundoutthewords.

Sheknewthatitwouldbeimpossibleforhimtostop.Shelovedhim.Thatwasallthatreallymattered
now.Shegavein,yieldingtothepain,herhandstautonhisshoulders.Herholdonhimtightenedand
sheflinched.

"Just a...little further. Oh, Meg," he growled, shivering as he completed the motion and felt her all
around him. His eyes closed and he shivered. Then they opened again and searched hers as he
repeatedtheslow,deliberatemovementofhishipsuntilhispossessionofherwascompleteandthe
linesofstrainleftherface.Thenherested,hisbodyintimatelyjoinedtohers,andgentlypushedher
disheveledhairbackfromherface.

Sheswallowed.Therewasaweinhereyesnow,alongwithlingeringpainanddoubtandshock.

"I'vewaitedsolong,Meg,"hesaidunsteadily."I'vewaitedallmylifeforthis.Foryou."

Herfingerstrembledonhisshirtfront."Steve,you're...partofme,"sheburstout.

Color burned along his high cheekbones. "Yes." He moved, as if to emphasize it, and she blushed.
"Unfastenmyshirt,Meg.Letmefeelyourbreastsagainstmyskinwhilewelove."

Whilewelove.Shemustbeinsane,shethought.Butshewastooinvolvedtostop,topullback.She
wasinthralltohim.Herhandsfumbledwithhistie,hisjacket,hisshirt.Shefumbled,butfinallyshe
strippeditalloffhim.

Herhandsspearedthroughthethickmatofhairthatcoveredhimfromcollarbonetobelowhislean
waist.Shelookeddownandstaredhelplessly,herbodytrembling.Hispowerfulhandsliftedherup
justalittle,smilingeventhroughhisneedattheexpressiononherface.

"Steve..."

He tilted her face and brought his mouth down on her lips with exquisite tenderness as he began to
guideherhipsagain.Thistimetherewasnopainatall.Therewasafaintpleasurethatbegantogrow,
toswell,toencompassher.Shegaspedandhernailsbitintohisshoulders.

"Likethis?"hewhispered,andmovedagain.

She sobbed into his shoulder, her mouth open against his neck, clinging to him as he increased the
rhythmandpressureothisbody.Hishandclenchedinthehairathernapeandhecaughthisbreath,
shivering.

"Relax,now,"hesaid,slidingahandunderherthightopullhertohimroughly."Yes...!"

Hisimagebegantoblurinheropen,startledeyesasthepleasurebecamesuddenlyviolent,insistent.
She felt herself tense as he lifted to her as they knelt so intimately together, shivering with every
movement, reaching for something she couldn't quite grasp. Her strength gave out, but his was
unfailing,endless.

"Helpme,"shewhisperedbrokenly.

"Tell me how it feels, Meg," he whispered back, his voice rough, deep as he pushed up insistently.
"Tellme!"

"It'ssosweet...Ican't...bear...it!"Shewept.

"NeithercanI."Hishandstightenedonherthighsalmosttobruisingpainandhelostcontrol."Meg....
Meg....!"

Shefelthimgorigidjustbeforehermindwassubmergedinaheatedrushofpleasure.Itwasakind
ofpain,shethoughtblindly.Akindofsweet,unbearablepainthathitherlikealightningbolt,lifting
herinhisarms,makinghercryoutwiththeanguishitkindled.Shedidn'tknowifshecouldbearit
andstayalive.

Steven's heart was beating. She felt the heavy, hard beat against her breasts, felt the blood pulsating
throughhimasheeasedherdownonherback,stillapartofhim.Herelaxed,hisarmscatchingthe
bulkofhisweightwhilehestruggledtobreathenormally.Theintimacyoftheirpositionwasbeyond
herwildestdreams.Sheclosedhereyes,experiencingitthrougheverycellofherbody.

Hecouldhardlybelievewhathe'ddone.Therushofpleasurehadalmostknockedhimout.He'dbeen
sodesperateforherthathehadn'tevenremovedallhisclothing.He'dfoughtthembothoutoftheir
garments and taken her sitting up on the carpet, when her first time should have been in a bed with
theirweddingnightbeforethemandeverythinglegalandneatlytiedup.Andworstofall,hehadn't
hadtheforesighttouseanysortofprotection.Hegroanedaloudassanitycamebackinacoldrush.
"Oh,hell!"Hegroundoutthewords.

He levered himself away from her and got to his feet a little shakily. He zipped his trousers with a
viciousmotionofhishandsbeforehefumbledacigaretteoutofthepocketofhisdiscardedshirtand
litit.Heputonhisshirt.Hedidn'tlookatMeg,whofinallymanagedwithtremblinghandstoslideher
gownbackon.Thebriefswerebeyondwearingatall.

Stevesmokedhalfthecigarettebeforehecrusheditoutinanashtrayonthetable,onethatDavidkept
forhim.Hebuttonedhisshirtandreplacedhistieandjacketbeforehespoke.

Bythen,Megwassittingontheveryedgeofthesofa,feelinguncomfortableandveryashamed.

Hestoodoverher,searchingfortherightwords.Impossible,really.Thereweren'tanyforwhathe'd
done.

"You'llbesoreforawhile,"hesaidstiffly."I'msorryIcouldn'tspareyouthepain."

Shewrappedherarmsaroundherselfandshivered.

Hekneltjustinfrontofher,hishandonthesofabesideherashesearchedherwan,drawnface.

"Meg,"hesaidroughly,"it'sallright.Youdon'thaveanythingtobeashamedof."

"Don'tI?"Tearsrolleddownhercheeks.

"Oh,baby,"hegroaned.Hepulledherdownintohisarmsandsatonthecarpet,cradlingheragainst
him.Hislipsfoundherthroatandpressedtheregentlv."Meg,don'tcry."

"I'measy,I'mcheap...!"

"Youarenot."Heliftedhisheadandheldhereyes."Wemadelovetoeachother.Isthatsoterrible?If
Ihadn'tgonecrazyandchasedyouaway,itwouldhavehappenedfouryearsago,andyouknowit!"

Shecouldn'treallyarguewiththat.Hewastellingthetruth."WillyoutellDaphne?"sheasked.

"No,Iwon'ttellDaphne,"herepliedquietly."It'snoneofherbusiness.It'snoone's,exceptours."

She still felt miserable, but some of the pain eased away as he smoothed her against him. Her eyes
closed and she wished that she never had to move away again. He was warm and strong and it felt
righttobelyingwithhimthisway.Whathadhappenedfeltright.

His lean hand smoothed over her flat belly. He drew back a little and stared down at it, his face
troubled.

Sheknewwhathewasthinking.Ithadjustoccurredtoher,too.

"Youdidn'tuseanything,"shewhispered.

"Iknow.Damnmeforafool,Iwastoofargonetocare."Heliftedhisevestohersandgrimaced."I'm
sorry.Itwasirresponsible.Unforgivable."

Herblueeyessketchedhisdarkface,downtohisstubbornchinandthebreadthofhisshoulders.

"Whatareyouthinking?"heaskedcuriously.

"Youwereanonlychild"shesaid."Didyourfatherhaveanysisters?"

He shook his head. His brows curved together and then a smile tugged at his firm mouth as he
searchedhereyes."Boysruninmyfamily,Meg.Isthatwhatyouwantedtoknow?"

Shenodded,smilingshyly.

Hisbighandpressedslowlyagainstherbelly."Ababywouldcostyouyourcareer,"hesaidslowly.

Shelookedupathim."Youdon'tthinkmyanklewon't?"

Theexpressiondrainedoutofhisface,leavingitblank."Whatdoyoumean?"

She threw caution to the wind. It was time for honesty. Total honesty, despite the cost. She'd truly
burnedallherbridges.

"Ithurtsjustfromwalking.It'sswollen.It'sbeenweeks,andit'snobetter."Shetracedapearlybutton
onhisshirtwithherfingernailassheforcedherselftofacethefearshe'dbeenavoiding."Rehearsals

beginattheendofnextweek,butitmightaswellbeyesterday.Steve,Iwon'tbeabletodance.Notfor
alongtime.Maybenotever."

Hedidn'tmove.Hiseyessearchedherface,buthedidn'tspeak,either.

Shelookedupathimmiserably."WhatwillhappentoyouandDaphneifIgetpregnant?Itwouldruin
everything for you ." She sighed wearily, closing her eyes as she laid her cheek on his chest. "Oh,
Steve,whyislifesocomplicated?"

"Itisn't,usually."

"Itisrightnow."Shebitherlowerlip."Wouldyou...wantababy?"

Hisbodybegantothrob.Lightburstinsidehim.Achild.Alittleboy,perhaps,sincetheyraninhis
family.AbondwithMegthatnothingcouldbreak.Thethoughtdelightedhim.

Buthedidn'tanswerimmediately,andMegthoughttheworst.Shehadtofighttears."Isee,"shesaid
brokenly."Iguessyou'dwantmetogotoaclinicand—"

"No!"

"Youwouldn't?"

"Of course I wouldn't!" he said curtly. He held her face up to his. "Don't you even think about it! I
sweartoGod,Meg,ifyoudoanything...!"

"But,Iwouldn't!"shesaidquickly."That'swhatIwasgoingtotellyou.Icouldn't!"

He relaxed. His hand moved to her cheek and brushed back the disheveled hair around its flushed
contours."Okay.Makesureyoudon't.Peoplewhodon'twantbabiesshouldthinkbeforetheymake
them."

"Likewejustdid,"sheagreedwithaflickerofherdryhumor.

Heliftedaneyebrow."Right."

She relaxed a little more. He did look marginally less rigid and austere. "I could have said
something."

"Ofcourse.Exactlywhendidyouthinkofsayingsomething?"

Sheflushedanddroppedhereyes.

"That'swhenIthoughtofsayingsomething.Itwasabitlate,ofcourse."Hefrownedslightlyandhis
silvereyestwinkled."Itwasveryintense,wasn'tit?Evenforyou."

"I'dwantedyouforalongtime,"sheconfessedquietlv.

"AndI,you."Hedrewinalong,slowbreath."Well,it'sdone.Nowwehavetolivewithit.I'llgetyour
ringoutofthesafeandbringitover.Wearenowofficiallyreengaged."

"ButSteve,whataboutDaphne?"sheexclaimed.

"IfyoumentionDaphneonemoretimetoday,I'll—!"hemuttered.Helethergoandgottohisfeet,
pullingherupbesidehim."She'llunderstand."

"Youhaven'taskedifIwanttobeengagedagain,"sheprotested,tryingtokeepsomecontroloverher
owndestiny.

Hepulledhertohimandhishandcurvedaroundherflatstomach."Ifyou'vegotababyinhere,you
don'thavemuchchoice.MymotherwouldbringtheshotgunallthewayfromWestPalmBeachand
pointitatbothofusbeforeshe'dseeherfirstgrandchildbornoutofwedlock."

She smiled, picturing his mother staggering under the weight of one of Steven's hunting rifles. "I
guess she would at that." She glanced at him wryly. "And I'd already be sitting on your doorstep
wearing a sign—and maternity clothes—so that everyone would know who got me pregnant in the
firstplace."

Hefelttheworldspinaroundhim.Hemustn'treadtoomuchintothatbeamingsmileonherface,he
toldhimself.Afterall,withherankleinthiscondition,shehadnocareerleft.Hewasstillsecondbest
inherlife.Atleastshewouldwantachild,ifthey'dmadeone.

Shelookedupandencounteredthecoldangerinhisfaceandknewinstantlythatdespitehishunger
forher,allthebitternesswasstillthere.

He shrugged. Bending, he pushed back her tousled hair. "I want you. You want me. Whatever else
there is, we'll have that." He sighed gently. "Besides, if the attraction we feel is still strong enough
fouryearsafterthefacttosendusmakingloveonthecarpet,itisn'tlikelytoweaken,isit?"

"Forheaven'ssake,Steve!"sheexclaimed,outraged.

"Meg,you'rerepressed."Heshookhishead."WhatamIgoingtodowithyou?"

"Youmightstopembarrassingme,"shemuttered.

Hiseyebrowjerkedashestaredather."MybeautifulMaryMargaret,"hesaidsoftly."WhenIwakeup
inthemorning,I'llbesurethatIwasonlydreamingagain."

"Didyoudreamofme?"sheaskedinvoluntarily.

"Oh, yes. For most of my life, I think." He searched her soft eyes. "'There be none of Beauty's
daughterswithamagiclikethee...'"hequotedtenderly,andwatchedtheheatriseinhercheeks."Do
youlikeLordByron,Meg?"

"Youneverreadpoetrytome,"shesaidwithasadlittlesmile.

"Iwantedto.Butyouwereveryyoung,"herecalled,hisfacegoinghard."AndIwasafraidtotrustmy
hearttoofar."Helaughedsuddenlyasallthebitternesscamesweepingback."GoodthingIdidn't.You
walkedoutonme."

"Youmademe,"sheshotrightback."Youknowyoudid."Theangereasedasshesawthepainedlook
onhisface."Youhaven'thadalotoflove,Steven,"shesaid."Idon'tthinkyoutrustedanyoneenough
toletthemclosetoyou—notDaphne,andcertainlynotme.Youlikemybody,butyoudon'twantmy
heart."

Hewasshocked.Hestaredather,searchingforwords.Hecouldn'tevenmanageananswer.

"I'dloveyou,ifyou'dletme,"shesaidgently,herblueevessmilingathim.

Hisjawclenched."Youalreadydid,onthefloor,"hesaidcoldly.Allsortsofimpossiblethingswere
forminginhismind.Hefeltvulnerableandhedidn'tlikeit.Heglaredather."Youdidn'teventryto
stopme.Sinceyoucan'tdanceanymore,whatahellofamealticketI'llmake!"

Shestaredathimandsuddenlysawrightthroughtheangrywords.Sheknewwithaflashofintuition
thathewasstillfightingher.Hecared.Perhapshedidn'tknowit.Perhapshe'devenconvincedhimself
thathereallylovedDaphne.Buthedidn't.Eventhoughshewasinnocent,Megknewthatmendidn't
losecontrolasStevehadtonightunlessthereweresomepowerfulemotionsunderlyingthedesire.He
wasfightingher.Ithadbeenthatallalong,hisneedtokeepemotionalentanglementsatbay.Hewas
afraidtoriskhisheartonher.Whyhadn'tsheseenthatyearsago?

"Nocomeback?"hetauntedfuriously.

Shesmiledagain,feelingfaintlymischievous."Areyougoingtobringmyringbacktonight?"

Hehesitated."Meg..."

"Iknow.It'swayaftermidnightandDavidwillbehomesoon,Isuppose,"sheadded."Butyoucould
cometosuppertomorrownight.Andbringmyringback"sheemphasized."Ihopeyouhaven'tlost
it."

Heglaredather."No,Ihaven'tlostit.Ican'tbringittomorrownight.Ihaveadinnermeetingwith
Ahmed.Daphne'scomingalong,"heremindedher.

Shefeltalittleuncertainofherground,butsomethingkepthergoing,proddedheron.

Shemovedtowardhim,watchinghisexpressionschange,watchinghiseyesglitter.Shecaughthimby
the lapels and went on tiptoe, softly brushing her body against his as she reached up and drew her
mouth tantalizingly over his parted lips. She could feel his heartbeat slamming at his ribs, hear his
breathing.Hewasacting.Itwasasham.Shebithislowerlip,gently,andletgoofhim,movingaway.

"Whatwasthatallabout?"heaskedgruffly.

"Didn'tyoulikeit?"sheaskedsoftly.

Hisjawclenched."Ihavetogo."

"Todinner,perhaps.ButnottoDaphne'sbed.Notnow."

"WhatmakesyousosurethatIwon't?"hedemandedwithamockingsmile.

She searched his eyes. "Because it would be sacrilege to do with anyone else what we just did with
eachother."

Hewouldhavedeniedit.Hewantedto.Buthecouldn'tforcethewordsout.Heturnedandwenttothe
door,pausingjusttomakesurethelockwasonbeforeheglancedback.

"Buyaweddinggown,"hesaidcurtly."Andifyoutrytorunawayfrommethistime,I'llfollowyou
straighttohellifIhaveto!"

Heclosedthedoorbehindhim,andMegstaredatitwithajumbleofemotions,theforemostofwhich
wasutterjoy.

Steve was feeling less than pleased. He had Meg, but it was a hollow victory. Despite the exquisite
pleasureshe'dgivenhim,hewasnoclosertocapturingherheart.Hewanteditmorethanhe'dever
realized.

Shecaredabouthim.Shemust,togiveherselfsogenerously.ForMeg,physicalneedalonewould
neverhavecausedsuchasacrifice.Buthehadtorememberthathercareerwasnolongerapointof
contentionbetweenthem.Hercareerwashistory.

Evenifshecaredabouthim,balletwouldhavecomefirstifithadbeenanoption.Heknewit.And
thatwaswhatmadehimsobitter.

Laterthatsamenight,afterarefreshingshower,Megwenttobed,feelingtired.Butshebarelysleptat
all,wonderingatthewaythingshadchangedinherlife.

David gave her curious looks at the breakfast table. "You look like you haven't slept at all,"he
remarked.

"Ihaven't,"sheconfessed,smilingathim."StevenandIgotengagedagainlastnight."

Hecaughthisbreath.Thedelightinhiseyessaideverything."Sohefinallygavein."

"Notnoticeably,"shemurmureddryly.

"He'stakenthefirststep,"hereplied."Youcan'texpectafinefightingfishtojustswallowahook,you
know."

"Thisfightingfishisapiranha.He'sverybitter,David,"shesaidquietly.Shesippedcoffee,herbrows
knitted."He'sneverreallyforgivenmeforleaving—eventhoughhedrovemeaway.

Hesmiledather,hiseyeskindandfullofwarmth."Igatherthathe'llbeovertonight?"

"Probablynot.IdoubtifDaphnecansparehim,"shemuttered."He'shavingdinnerwithher."

Hegrimacedattheexpressiononherface.Heknewwhatwasgoingon,andthatStevecouldn'ttell
her.Neithercouldhe.

"Thingsaren'talwayswhattheyseem,"hebegan.

"Itdoesn'tmatter,youknow,"sherepliedwithresignation."Ilovehim.Ineverstopped.Thepastfour
yearshavebeensoempty,David.I'mtiredofrunningfromit.Atleasthestillwantsme,youknow.I
maynotwinentirely,butI'llgiveDaphnearunforhermoney,"sheaddedwithatinysmile.

"That'sthespirit.Youmightconsider,too,thatifhedidn'tcare,whywouldhewanttomarryyou?"

Shecouldn'ttellhimthat.Shechangedthesubjectandledhimonadiscussionoflocalpolitics.

Butshedidgoaroundinadazefortherestoftheday.Shewouldn'thavebelievedwhathadhappened
if it hadn't been for the potent evidence of it in her untried body. Her memories were sweet. She
couldn'tevenbebotheredtoworryaboutDaphneanymore.ShedidworryaboutSteven.Ifacrazed
terroristwasafterhim,howwouldtheauthoritiesbeabletostophim?AndwhataboutAhmed?

The questions worried her, so she found solace in her exercises. Even so, she only did them
halfheartedly.Ballethadbeenherlifeforyears,butnowshethoughtaboutlovingStevenandhaving
ababyofherown.Suddenlyherfearofchildbirthseemedtodiminish,andherdisappointmentover
herinjuryfaded.Balletwasahobby.Itwasnothingmorethanahobby.Shewasday-dreamingnow,
oflittlebabyclothesandbassinetsandtoysscatteredaroundaroomthatcontainedStevenandherself
aswellasaminiatureversionofoneofthem.Anythingseemedpossible;lifewassweet.

Steven tossed and turned until dawn and went into the office in a cold, red-eyed daze. His life had
shiftedwithoutwarning.He'dmadelovetoMegandnothingwouldeverbethesameagain.Ifhewas
besottedwithherbefore,itwasnothingtowhathewasnowthathe'dknownherintimately.Hewasn't
certainthathecouldevenwork.

Daphnebroughtinthemail.Shesawhisworriedexpressionandpausedinfrontofthedesk.

"Something'swrong,isn'tit?"sheaskedwiththeeaseoffriendship."CanIhelp?"

"Sure,"heagreed,leaningbackinhisbigdeskchair."TellmehowtoexplaintoMeg,towhomI've
justbecomereengaged,whyI'mgoingoutwithyoutonight."

Shewhistled."That'sagoodone."

"Isntit?

"Can'tyougetpermissiontotellherthetruth?"

Heshookhishead."Yourownfiancetoldmenottotell.Hethinkstoomanypeopleareintheknow
already."Heclosedhiseyeswithalongsigh.Hisbodywaspleasantlytiredandstillfaintlythrobbing
fromitsexquisiteknowledgeofMeg.

"Isn'tshegoingbacktoNewYorktemporarily?"Daphneasked.

"I'mafraidtolether,"hesaidwearily."AtleasthereshecanbeprotectedalongwithDavid.ButIcan't
tellherwhat'sgoingon.I'mgoingtohavetoaskhertotrustme,whenInevertrustedher."

"Ifshelovesyouenough,shewill,"Daphnesaidwithcertainty."Andanyway,surelyitwillallbeover
soon."

"God,Ihopeso!"

"How'sthearm?"

"It wasn't exactly a major wound," he mused, chuckling. "The bullet broke a small vein. I've got a
bandage over it. Funny, I didn't even notice—" He broke off, feeling uncomfortable as he
rememberedthenightbefore,whenheandMeghadbothforgottenit.Hechangedthesubject,quickly.
"HaveweheardfromAhmedtoday?"

Shegrimaced."Indeedwehave.Hecameinsurroundedbybodyguardsandgovernmentagents,and
eventuallycheweduponeofthegirlsinthetypingpool,whostoppedbawlinglongenoughtotakea
leafoutofmyveryownbook.Shethrewapaperweightathimonhiswayout."

"What?"

"Calmdown,itwasaverysmallpaperweight—notinthesameleagueasthelampIthrewatyou—and
shemissedonpurpose,too,"Daphnesaidquickly,withagrin."Hewassurprised,tosaytheleast.In
hiscountry,womendon'treactlikethat."

"Idon'tguesstheydo.CertainlynotwithAhmed!"

"But,then,Briannaourtypistdidn'tknowwhohewas,"Daphneremindedhim."Andshestilldoesn't.
Shetoldmethatifhesetsfootinthebuildingagain,she'squitting,"sheadded."Sheisaveryangry
younglady,indeed."

"Ineedtohaveawordwithyourfiance,"Stevesaid."Justtoseewhatelseneedsdoingsowecanwind
upthismess."

"Ahmed's under twenty-four-hour guard. He's used to it, of course. I understand he had a slight
altercationwithhisbodyguardwhentheydidn'tseetheassassinscominglastnight."

"Inoticedthebruises,"Stevenmentioned.

"I'msorryaboutMeg,"Daphnesaid,grimacing."Iseemtokeepcomplicatingthingsforher."

"Notyourfaultthistime,"hesaid."Orlasttime,either.Itwasmypridethatsentherrunning.Ihope
I'llhavebetterlucknow.

"SodoI,"Daphnetoldhimsincerely."We'regoodfriends,Steve.Wealwavshavebeen.I'msohappv.
Ihopevou'regoingtobe,too,youandMeg."

Heonlynodded."We'dbettergettowork."

"Yes,sir,"shesaidwithagrin."I'llsendWaynein."

Daphne'sfiancewasblondandblue-eyed,ascreamingcontrasttohispartner,whowastallandvery
darkandhadasenseofhumorthathadalreadysentStevenupthewall.

Thedarkonelookedaroundverycarefully,evenpeeringunderSteve'sdesk.

"Lookingforbugs?"Steveaskedwithatwinkleinhiseyes.

"No,"hereplied."Paperweightsandblue-eyedbrunettes."Hegrinned."She'sadish."

"Yes,sheis,butyou'reonduty,"Waynetoldhispartner.

"SoIam."Hestraightened,wipedthesmileoffhisfaceandstaredgrimlyatSteven."Sir,haveyou

noticedanybombsorenemymissilesinyouroffice—oof!"

Waynecalmlyremovedhiselbowfromhisfriend'sribs."I'mgoingtofeedyoutoasharkonournext
assignment."

Thetallermanliftedbothbushyeyebrows."Copycat.JamesBonddidthattoanenemyagentinoneof
hisfilms."

"Areyousureyou'resuitedtothislineofwork,Lang?"Wayneaskedsomberly.

"Plentyofpeoplewithbadgeshaveasenseofhumor."Langglaredathisfriend."Plentymoredon't,
ofcourse."

"Tothematterathand,"Wayneinterrupted,glancingatSteve."Weneedyouritineraryfortherestof
theweek,rightdowntotheminute.Andifyouplananymoreimpromptueveningoutings..."

"Not me," Steven said with a slow grin, indicating his arm. "I've gone right off night life without
adequateprotection."

"Fair enough. We're now in the process of bugging everything you own, from cars to houses to
aircraft, as well as Mr. Shannon's home," Wayne continued, noticing Steve's faint color with absent
curiosity."Wewouldhavedoneitsooner,butuntilthismorningwehadn'tquitedecidedabouthow
much surveillance was required. It would be pretty stupid to overlook protection for your chief
executive, Mr. Shannon, and his sister, especially since they were seen in the company of Ahmed.
These people will use whatever bargaining tools they can get, and Ahmed's loudness for Miss
Shannonwasprettyobvious."

Stevedidn'tlikerememberingthat.HewasjealousofAhmednow—jealousofanymanwholooked
atMeg.

"Isn'titdangerouspoliticallytoletAhmedstayhere,intheStates?"Steveaskedsuddenly.

"Certainly,"Lang told him. "Suicidal, in fact." He grinned and his dark eyes twinkled. "But we're
responsible for him. So if we send him home and somebody blows him away, guess who gets the
blame?"

"We'reinbetweenarockandahardplace,"Wayneagreed."That'swhywe'regoingtokeepAhmed
hereandseeifwecandrawtheotheragentsoutintotheopenagain."

"Theywereintheopenlastnight."

"Ah," Lang replied, "but it was just a routine surveillance until then. We didn't have any advanced
warning of an assassination try until the coup attempt was made in Ahmed's home country. And by
then the terrorists were already in position here and making their move. Now that we know what's
afoot,we'reready,too."

"We'reonit.We'llhandlethis.HowaboutMissShannon?"WayneaskedSteven."Canyougetherout

oftown?"

"Ican,"Stevenagreed."ButwhatiftheyfindoutthatsheandIareengagedagainandmakeagrabfor
her,whereshe'stotallyunprotected?"

ThesmilevanishedfromLang'sface."You'reengagedagain?"

Stevennodded.

LangexchangedalongglancewithWayne."Thatchangesthings.We'dbetterkeepherintown.But
shecan'tknowwhy,"heemphasized.

Steven just nodded, because Wayne had already told him that. He could break their confidence, of
course,butnowthatthehouseandhiscarandGodknewwhatelsewasbugged,hecouldn'ttellMeg
anyplacethattheywouldn'toverhear.Hewasgoingtohavetowatchwhathesaidaltogether.Andthe
complicationwasthathenotonlycouldn'ttellMegthat,buthewouldn'tbeabletotouchherwithout
beingoverheard.Hecouldhavegroanedoutloud.

Megwashomealonethatafternoon.Davidwasstillatwork.

StevendroveuptotheShannonhousejustafewminutesafterquittingtime,casuallydressedinjeans
andaknitshirt,toppedoffwithasuedejacket.

HesmiledatMegwhensheopenedthedoor,approvingtheprettybluesundressthatcomplemented
herfairness.She'dleftherhairdown,andheachedtogethishandsinitssilkylength.

"Givemeyourhand,"hesaidwithoutpreamble.

She lifted the left one, and he slid the sapphire and diamond engagement ring he'd given her four
yearsagosmoothlyontoherringfinger.Itwasaperfectfit.

Heliftedthehandtohislipsandkisseditverygently.

"Oh,Steve,"shewhispered,reachinguptohim.

Hecaughtherwristsandsteppedback,painfullyawareofsurveillancetechniquesthatcouldpickup
heavybreathingamileaway.Helaughedalittleshortly,tryingtoignoreMeg'sshocked,embarrassed
expression.

"Howaboutsomecoffee?"heasked.

She faltered a little. "Of course," she said. "I'll, uh, I'll just make some." She was near tears. They'd
madelove,they'djustgottenreengaged,andsuddenlyStevencouldn'tbearhertotouchhim!

Hefollowedherintothekitchen,grimacingatherexpression.Hecouldn'ttellhereverything,buthe
hadtotellherthis,atleast.

Assheturnedonthefaucettofillthedripcoffeemaker,Stevereachedoverhershoulderandtookthe
coffeepotaway,leavingthewaterrunningjustbriefly.

Hebenttokissher,whisperingunderhisbreath,"We'reonCandidCamera."

Shelethimkissher,butherwideeyesstayedopen.Hedrewback,shuttingoffthefaucet.

Shewassuddenlyveryalert.Shelookedaroundtheroom.

"Achoo?"shewhispered.

"Gesundheit!"camethedeep,chuckledreply.

MegwenteveryshadeofscarletunderthesunasshelookedatSteven.Shegaspedinhorror.

"It'sallright,"hesaidquickly."They'veonlyjustdoneit!"

Shechewedtheendsofherfingersastheflatstatementfinallybegantomakesenseandsherelaxed.
"Oh,thankgoodness!"

Thebackdooropenedandthebig,darkagententered,afingertohislips.

He whipped out a pad and pencil and wrote something on it, showing it to Meg and Steve. He'd
written:Ourteamwasn'ttheonlyonewranglingbugsaroundherethisafternoon.Watchwhatyousay.

Dotheyhavecameras?Stevescribbledonthepaper.

The agent shook his head, grinning. He made a sign with two forked fingers like someone poking
eyesout.

Stevegavehimathumbs-upsign.Theagentputawayhispadandpencilandlookedatthecoffeepot
longingly.

Meg held up five fingers. He grinned and started back out. Then he glanced at the two of them and
madeakissingmotionfollowedbyafirmshakingofhishead.Megstuckhertongueoutathim.He
smotheredalaughashelethimselfbackoutthedoor.

Megbusiedherselfwiththecoffeepot,worriedaboutlivinginagoldfishbowl.Itwouldbelikethis
from now on, she was sure, until they caught the people who were responsible for the attack at the
restaurant.

"Cream?"Stevenaskedwhenshepouredcoffeeintotwocups.

"I'llgetit."

She handed it to him, carrying a cup of black coffee to the back door. A huge hand came out and
acceptedit.Shepeeredaroundthedoor,eyebrowsraised.Theagentmadeasignwithhisthumband
forefingerandeasedbackaroundthesideofthehousewithhiscup.

MegclosedthedoorgentlyandfollowedStevebackintothelivingroom.

"Ican'tstaylong.Ihaveadate,"hetoldMeg.

Sheglaredathim."Ofcourse.WithDaphne."

"AndAhmed,"hereplied."AttheSheraton.Morebusinessdiscussions."

Itdidn'toccurtoherrightthenwhyStevehadgivenawayhismovements,whenheknewthehouse
wasbugged."Idon'tsupposeIcouldcomealong?"sheasked.

"No."

"IlikeAhmed.Helikesme,too."

"Ofcoursehelikesyou.You'reblond."

Sheglaredathim.

"Andpretty."

Theglaresoftened.

"Andvery,verysweet."

Shesmiled.

Hesippedhiscoffee."Wherearewegoingtolivewhenwe'remarried?"

"IlikeAlaska..."

Hegloweredather."InWichita,Meg.Idon'tworkinAlaska."

"What'swrongwithyourhouse?"sheasked.

"It doesn't have much of a yard," he replied. "We'll need a place for a swing set and some outdoor
playthingsforthekids."

Sheflushed,avertinghereyes."Sowewill."

Hestaredatheruntilsheliftedherface,andhesmiled.Heslidhisarmoverthebackofthecouchand
hisevesnarrowed.

Hisheadmadeacoaxingmotion.

She put her coffee cup down, her blood throbbing in her veins, and went across to join him on the
sofa.

Heputhisthumboverhermouthandpulledherdownintohisarms.Ashishandlifted,hislipsparted

onhermouth,andhekissedherwithlong,slowpassion.Hishandfoundherbreast,teasingthenipple
tohardnesswhilehekissedherasifhecouldnevergetenough.

Whenheliftedhishead,hereyesweremistyanddazed,herbodydrapedoverhislap.

Helookedatherforalong,longtime.

"Ihavetogo,"hesaidquietly.

Shestartedtoprotest,butsheknewthatitwoulddonogoodatall.

"WillIseeyoutomorrow?"sheaskedmiserablyashehelpedherup.

"Probably."Hestoodclosetoher,hiseyestroubled."Lockthedoors.Davidwillbehomesoon."

"Mvbrotherisapoorsubstituteformyfiance,"shemuttered.

"It won't always be like this," he said solemnly. His silver eyes searched hers for a long time. "I
promiseyouitwon't."

She nodded. "Do be careful. The way you drive..." She stopped when he frowned. "Well, I'd like to
thinkyoucouldgetallthewayhomeinonepiece."

Heliftedaneyebrow."Doyouworryaboutme?"

"Allthetime,"shesaidhonestly,herblueeyeswideandsoft.

Hisheartracedashelookeddownather.Ifshewasputtingonanact,itwasagoodone.

Gentlyhebroughtheragainsthimandbenttobrushhisopenmouthsoftlyoverherown.Shemoved
closer. His arms enfolded her, cherished her. She wrapped herself around him and gave way to the
needtobeheld.

Butthingsgotoutofhandalmostimmediately.Hecaughtherhipsandpushedheraway,hisfacesetin
deep,harshlinesashetoughttocontrolhispassionforher.

"Gobackinside,"hesaidhuskily."I'llphoneyouinthemorning."

"Whydidyoubothertogetengagedtomewhenyouplantospendyournightswithanotherwoman?"
sheaskedmiserably.

"Youknowwhy,"hesaid,hisvoicedeep,hiseyesglittering."Don'tyou?"

Becausethey'dsteppedoverthelineandshemightbepregnant.Howcouldshehaveforgotten?She
movedbackfromhim,avertinghereyes.

"Yes,"shereplied,freezingup.She'dtriedtoforget,buthewasn'tgoingtolether.Shewasweaving
daydreams.Therealitywasthathe'dlosthisheadandnowhewasgoingtodothehonorablething.

"OfcourseIknowwhy,Steven.Sillyofmetoforget,wasn'tit?"

He scowled and his face tautened. She had the wrong end of the stick again. But he couldn't, didn't
dare,sayanything."Davidshouldbehereanyminute,"headded."Don'tgooutside,andlockthedoor
afterme."

"I'lldothat."

He glanced around. Nothing and nobody was in sight, but he was certain that one of the agents
guardingMegwasnearby.He'darrangedthatbeforehelefttheoffice.

"I'llphoneyoutomorrow.Maybewecangoout."

"Whatathrill,"shesaid.

Heglaredather."Keepitup."

"I'mtrying.

Hemadeanexasperatedsound,stuckhishandsintohispocketsandmovedtowardhisJaguar.

Afterhedroveaway,Megclosedthedoorandlockedit,andwentbackintothelivingroom.

Davidcamehomelongenoughtochangeandwentrightbackoutagain,apologizingtoMeg.Hehad
togoalongwithSteveandDaphnetohobnobwithAhmed.

"Iseverybodygoingexceptme?"Meggroaned,exasperated.

Davidgrinnedather."Probably.Haveaniceevening,now."

Sheglaredathim.Heleftandshebusiedherselfwateringherhouseplants.Thehousewasunusually
quiet,andshekeptimaginingnoises.Theymadeheruneasy,especiallyunderthecircumstances.She
heardmovementinthelivingroomandslowlystuckherheadaroundthedoortoseewhatitwas,her
heartpoundingmadly.

Butitwasonlythebigdarkagentstandingthere,grinningat"her.Heputafingertohislips,pusheda
buttononsomesmallelectronicdeviceinhishand,andchuckledasitemittedajarringnoise.

"There'llbeplentyofheadachestonight,"hemurmureddryly.

"Whatdidyoudo?"sheasked,andthenclappedahandoverhermouth.

"It'sokay.Ijammedthem."Hestudiedherthroughnarrowedeyes."Ineedtotalktovou."

"Whatabout?"sheasked,andwaitedalmostwithoutbreathingfortheanswer.

Hewasseriousthen,thetwinklegonefromhisdarkeyes.Hetoweredoverher,almostastallasSteve
andjustaboutasintimidating.Hepushedthebuttononthejammingdevicewithacalculatinglookon

hisface,shuttingofftheinterference.

"I'mgoingtogetyououtofhere,rightnow.Tonight.Iwantyoutocomewithme,noarguments."

Shehesitated."Shouldn'twecallSteveoryourpartner?"

"Nooneistoknow.Notevenmypartner."

Shedidn'tlikethesoundofthat.Shelikedthisman,butshedidn'tcompletelytrusthim.

"Whyisn'tyourpartnertoknow?"sheaskedcuriously.

Hemutteredsomethingunderhisbreath.Thenhecalmlypulledouthisautomaticpistolandleveledit
atherstomach.Heseemedtoraisehisvoicealittle."Becausehewouldtrytostopme,ofcourse,"he
replied."IplantoturnyouovertoAhmed'sbuddiesoutside.You'llbeahellofabargainingtoolfor
them."

"Youcan'tdothis!"sheexclaimed,thinkingofwaystoescape,butunabletocomeupwithanything.
Therewasanautomaticpistolpointedatherstomach.She'dhearditsaidthatevenakarateblackbelt
wouldhesitatetofightoffanarmedman."ButIcan,"heassuredher."Infact,I'mdoingit.Let'sgo."

Megfeltherbreathcatchinherchestasshestareddownnumblyatthemuzzleofthepistol.Dozensof
wildthoughtspassedthroughhermind,noneofwhichlingeredlongenoughtoregisterexceptone:
shewasnevergoingtoseeSteveagain.

HerblueeyesliftedtoLang'sdarkones.Hedidn'tlookasifhemeanttokillher.

Hejerkedhisheadtowardthefrontdoorandindicatedthathewantedhertogooutit."Isaidlet'sgo,"
hesaid."Now."

Shehesitated."Can'twe...?"

Hetookherarmfirmlyandpropelledherforward.Shefeltthepresenceofthegun,evenifshedidn't
feelitstuckinherback.Shenoticedthathelookedaroundfromsidetosideasifhewasexpecting
company.

Perhaps the enemy agents would shoot him. But that wasn't likely. If they'd overheard what he said,
andthatjammerhadseemedtobeturnedoffatthelast,they'dbewaitingoutheretorhimtoturnher
over to them. Would they pay him? Of course they would. They'd keep her hostage and use her to
tradetoSteveforAhmed.Shefeltsick.

"Hey!"hecalledastheygottothefrontporch."Let'smakeadeal,boys.I'mcuttingmyselfinonthe
action!"

"Youturncoat,"Megcriedfuriously.

"Stopstruggling,"hesaidcalmly."Howaboutit!"

"We have already heard you," came a distinctly accented reply. "How much do you want for the
woman?"

Langturnedtowardthevoice."Letmecomeoverthereandwe'lltalkaboutit.Noshooting."

"Verywell!"

A shadowy figure appeared. Lang measured the distance from where the car was to where the man
wasandbegantowalkdownthemiddleofitwithMeg.

"Keepyournerve,"hesaidunexpectedly."ForGod'ssake,don'tgotopiecesnow."

"I'm not the screaming type," she muttered. "But I am not going to let you give me to those people

withoutafight!"

"Good.Uh,don'tstartfightinguntilItellyou,okay?Ibreathebetterwithoutextraholesinmychest."
Heliftedhisheadandmarchedherquicklyforward,beginningtoveeralmostimperceptiblywhenthe
carwasinrunningdistance.

"Wait!Stopthere!"thevoicecalled.

Langbrokeintoarun,draggingMegwithhim.Thesuddenmovementstartledthetwomenwhowere
inviewnow.GunswereraisedandLanggroaned.

"Stop!"theaccentedvoicewarnedharshly."Donotattempttoenterthecar!"

Langstoppedathisdarkbluecarwiththehandholdingthepistolonthedoorhandleandliftedhis
head.Thewindwhippedhisdarkhairaroundhisface."Whynot?"hecalledback."It'sagreatnight
foraride!"

"Whatareyoudoing?!"

"Ithoughtitwasobvious,"hereplied."I'mleaving."

"Youagreedtobargain!Letthegirlgoandyoumaygofree!"

"Makeme."

HepushedMegintohiscarandlockedthedoorfromthepassengerside.Hejumpedinontheother
sideandstartedthecar.Afteraglanceintherearviewmirror,hedroppeditingear,andshotoffas
twomencameintoview.Shotswerefiredintotheair,buthedidn'tevenslowdown.

Meg felt sick. She huddled against her door, wondering frantically if it would kill her to force the
handleandjumpoutatthespeedtheyweregoing.Lang'sactionsweremorepuzzlingbytheminute.
Washeholdingoutforabetterprice?

"Don't be a fool," Lang said curtly. He didn't look at her, but he obviously knew what she was
considering."You'dbekilledbyinches."

"Why?"Shegroaned."Why?"

"You'llfindout.Beagoodgirlandsitstill.Youwon'tcometoanyharm.Ipromise."

"Stevewillkillyou,"shesaidicily.

Hiseyebrowjerked."Probably,"hemurmured."He'llhavetowaitinline.ItwasallIcouldthinkofon
thespur-of-the-moment."Heglancedintherearviewmirrorandmumbledsomethingaboutaforce
thesizeofNATOcomingupbehind,inajumbleofinternationalagents.

"They'rechasingyou?"Shesmiledgleefully."Ihopetheyshootyourtiresoutandkidnapyouandsell
youintoslavery!"

Hechuckledwithpuredelight,glancingather."AreyousureyouwanttobeengagedtoRyker?I'm
twoyearsyoungerthanheisandI'vegotanauntwho'dpamperyoulikeababy."

"She'llbeveryashamedofyouwhenyouendupinprison,youtraitor!"sheaccused.

Heshookhishead."Oh,well.Duck,honey."

"Wha...?"

Hepushedherdownanddodgedasabulletcamecareeningthroughthewindshield,leavingshattered
glassalloverthefrontseat,includingMeg'slap.

"Oh,myGod!"shescreamed.

"Keepyourhead,"hesaidcurtly."Don'tpanic."

Anotherbulletwhizzedpast.Shekeptherheaddown,mentallyconsigninghimtothenetherreaches.

"Exciting,isn'tit?"heshoutedabovethegunfireandtheroaroftheengine.Hisdarkeyesglitteredas
heweavedalongthehighwayjustaheadofhispursuers."God,Ilovebeingasecretagent!"

Shestaredathimfromherhidingplaceonthefloorboardasifhewereamadman.

HewassingingthethemesonghornanoldspyTVshow,zigzaggingthecaronthedesertedhighway
asmorebulletswhizzedpast.

"Holdon,now,herewego!"

Hehitthewheelhard.Tiresspunonthepavement,squealinglikebanshees,andtheyweresuddenly
goingintheoppositedirectionacrossthemedian.Bluelightsflashedandsirenssounded.

"Thepolice!"shegasped."Oh,boy!Ihopetheyfillyoufulloflead!Ihopetheymountyourheadona
shortwaveantennaandthrowtherestofyoutothebuzzards!Ihope...!"

Hegrabbedforthemikeonhistwo-wayradio."Didyougetthesignal?Heretheyare,boys.Goget
em!"hesaidintoit.

Hestopped the carand as Megpeered over the brokendash, three assortedcolors and divisions of
police car went flying across the median and after the horrified occupants of the two cars that had
beeninhotpursuitofMegandLang.

"Now,admitit,"hesaid,breathingheavilyasheturnedtoher,grinning."Wasn'tthismoreexciting
thanwatchingsomestupidgameshowonTV?Thethrills,thechills,theexcitement!"

She felt sick all over. She started to speak and suddenly wrenched the door handle. He pushed the
unlockbuttononthedriver'sarmrestjustinthenickoftime.Meglosteverythingshe'deatenearlier
intheday.

Lang passed her a handkerchief and managed to look slightly repentant when she was leaning back
against the seat of the police car that had picked them up when one earful of enemy agents was in
custody.

"They ought to put you in solitary and throw away the key," the young police lieutenant told Lang
when Meg had finished sipping the thermos cup of strong black coffee he'd fetched for her. "You
poorkid,"hetoldMeg.

"Itoldyou,itwasallIcouldthinkof,"Landreplied,loungingnonchalantlyagainsttherearfenderof
thepolicecar."Ioverheardthemtalking.Thevweregoingtosnatchher.SoIjammedtheirsignalinto
thehousetogettheirattention,thenletthemhearmesellingherdowntheriver.Ibeepedyouguys
oncewewereinthecartoletyouknowsomethingwasgoingdown.Ididn'thavetimetodoanymore
thanthat.TheywereheadedtowardthehousewhenIdecidedtogetherout."

"Youdidn'thavetoholdagunonher!"thepolicemanraged.

"SureIdid,"hereplied."She'safighter.Shewasgoingtoargueormaybestartabrawlwithme.But
whenIpointedthepistolather,shewentwithmewithoutasingleargument.Andbecausetheythought
Iwasgoingtohandherovertothem,theydidn'tshootatmeuntilitwastoolate."

"Istillsay..."

Withalong-sufferingsigh,Langpulledouthisautomaticandslappeditintothepoliceman'spalm.

Theofficerstaredathim,puzzled.

"Well,lookatit,"Langmuttered.

Thepolicemanturneditoverandsighed,shakinghishead.

Lang held his hand out. When the weapon was returned to it, he pulled the missing clip out of his
pocket,slammeditintothehandleslotandcockedit,beforeputtingonthesafety.Thenhesliditback
intohisunderarmholsterandsnappeditinplace.

"Itwasn'tloaded?"Megasked,aghast.

"That'sright,"Langtoldher.Hegloweredather."AndyouthoughtIwassellingyouout.Shecalled
meeverythingbutaworm,"hetoldthepoliceman."Atraitor,aturncoat.Shesaidshehopedtheyhung
myheadonaradioantenna!"

Thepolicemanwastryingnottolaugh.

"Ididn'tknowyouweretryingtoprotectme,"Megsaidselfconsciously.

"Nexttime,I'llletthemhaveyou"hesaidirately."Thevcanthrowyouintosomebody'sharemandI
hopetheydressyouinsee-throughplasticwrap!"

Thepolicemancouldn'tholditbackanylonger.Heleft,quickly,chucklinghelplessly.

"Ilikethat,"Megsaidhaughtily."AtleastI'dlookbetterinitthanyouwould!"

"Ihavelegsthatmakewomenswoon,"heinformedher."Playgirlbegsmeforphotosessions."

"Withorwithoutyourgun?"shecountered.

Hegrinned."Jealousbecauseyoudon'thaveone?Pistolenvy."

Sheburstoutlaughing.Langwasincorrigible."Allright,Iapologizeforthinkingyousoldmeout,"
she told him. "But you were pretty convincing. I had no idea you had on a mask, figuratively
speaking."

"You'dbeamazedathowmuchcompanyIhave,"hesaiddryly.Heglancedupasacarapproached.
"Oh,boy."

Shelookedwherehewasstaring.Itwasabigblacklimousine.Herheartleapedwhenitstoppedanda
white-faced,shakenStevenjumpedout,makingabeelinetowardMeg.

Hedidn'tbreakstrideexcepttothrowaheatedpunchatLang,whichtheyoungermandeflected.

"She'sokay,"Langsaid,movingback."I'llexplainwhenyoucooloff."

"You'd better do your explaining from someplace where I can't reach you," Steve replied, and he
lookedmurderous.

"Itoldyou!"Wavneraged,movingintoviewbehindSteve."Youidiot,Itoldyounottodothingson
yourown!"

"IfIhadn'tthey'dhavecarriedheroff!"Langshotback,exasperated."WhatwasIsupposedtodo,call
forreinforcementsfromthetrunkoftheirdamnedcaronthewaytotheriver?"

"Theywouldn'tthrowyouinanyriver,you'dpolluteitandkillthefish!"

Lang'svoicebecameheatedasthetwomenmovedoutofearshot.StevenpausedjustinfrontofMeg
andlookeddownatherfromastrainedface.

"Areyouallright?"heaskedtersely.

"Yes, thanks to Lang," she replied. "Although I wasn't exactly thanking him at the time," she added,
noddingtowardtheremainsofthecarLanghadrescuedherin.

Stevedidn'tlookatitverylong.Itmadehimsick.HereachedforMegandpulledherhungrilyinto
hisarms.Heheldherbruisinglyclose,rockingher,whilehismindranrampantoverallthehorrific
possibilitiesthathadkepthimragingallthewaytothesceneafterWaynehadgottenthenewsfrom
thecitypoliceaboutthechase.

"IguessyoureveningwithDaphnewasspoiled?"sheaskedalittleunsteadily.

"Ifanythinghadhappenedtoyou,Idon'tknowwhatI'dhavedone,"hegroaned.

Sheeasedherarmsunderhisjacketandaroundhim,holdingon.Itwassosweettostandclosetohim
thiswaywhilearoundthemblueandredlightsstillflashedandvoicesmurmuredinthedistance.

"You'dbettergetherhome,sir,"thepoliceofficersaidgently."Everything'sallright,now."

"I'lldothat.Thanks."

He led her back to the limousine. "What about Lang?" she asked Steve. "And didn't his
friend...Wayne...ridewithyou?"

"Theycangowiththepoliceorhitchhike,"Stevesaid."EspeciallyLang!"

"WhataboutDaphne...?"

"I'mtakingyouhome,Meg,"hesaid."Nobodyelsemattersrightnow."

"IsDavidthere?"

Henodded."Hedoesn'tknowaboutanyofthis.Ididn'twanttoworryhim."

Shecrawledintohislapwhenthechauffeurstartedthecar,toSteve'samazement.

"Yourseatbelt,"hebegan.

"I'vehadmyclosecallfortonight,"shetoldhischest."Letmestay.

His arms curved around her, pulling her closer. They rode home like that, without a word, cradled
together.

Davidturnedwhitewhenhelearnedwhathadhappened."Buthowdidtheyknow?"hegroaned.

"The house is bugged," Meg said, sitting down heavily on the couch. "Lang had some sort of
jammingdevice..."

"Heblewupthebugs,"Davidexplained."Scrambledtheircircuits.Oneoftheagentsexplainedmat
devicetome,butIhadn'tseenoneuntilIgothome.WhenIsawitlyinghere,andyouweregone,I
knewsomethinghadhappened.ButIcouldn'tfindoutanything."

"Sorry,"Stevensaid."ItookoffoutthedoortheminuteIheardwhathadhappened,withWaynetwo
stepsbehindme.Ididn'twanttoworryyou."Hegrimaced."IhavetophoneDaphneandtellherwhere
weare."

Megdidn'tlookathimasheliftedthereceiveronthetelephoneanddialed.

"I'llgoupandchangemythings,"shetoldDavid.Shehadpiecesofglassonherskirtandinherhair.
"It'sbeenaprettyroughnight."

"Icanimagine.Yourelimping!"

"Ialwayslimp,"shesaiddully."It'sworsebecauseI'vewalkedonit."Shelaughedmirthlessly."Idon't
thinkit'sgoingtogetanybetter,David.Notever."

Hewatchedhergowithquietconcern.Stevehungupthephoneafterhe'dexplainedthingstoDaphne
andturnedtoDavid.

"Thiswholethingisgettingoutofhand,"hesaidtersely."Ican'ttakemuchmoreofit.Shelookslike
aghost,andthatdamnedfoolagentcouldhavekilledherdrivinglikethat!"

"Whatifhehadn'tgottenheroutofthehouse,Steve?"Davidasked,tryingtoreasonwithhisfriend.
"Whatthen?"

Itdidn'tbearthinkingabout.Stevestuckhishandsintohispockets."MyGod."

"Howaboutsomecoffee?"Davidasked."Iwasabouttomakeapot."

"Icoulddrinkone.They'llhaveAhmedunderguardlikeFortKnoxbynow.I'llgoupandseeabout
Meg.Shewassick."

"Thatdoesn'tsurpriseme.Herankleisbotheringher,too."HeturnedtoSteve."She'snotgoingtobe
abletodance.Youknowthat,don'tyou?"

Stevenodded."Yes,Iknowit.Whyelsedoyouthinkshe'swillingtomarryme?"headdedcynically.
"Webothknowthatifshereallyhadachoice,herdamnedcareerwouldwinhandsdown."

"TrytorememberthatneitheryourfathernorourmotherwantedMegtomarryyou."

"Iknowthat."

"AndMegwasveryyoung.Afraid,too."HestudiedSteve."Hassheexplainedwhy?"

Stevelookedhunted."Shegavemesomesonganddanceaboutbeingafraidofpregnancy."

"Shewasn'tafraidofit,shewasterrified.Steve,"headdedquietly,"shewaswithoursisterwhenshe
diedinchildbirth.Shewasvisitingduringthatsnowstormthatlockedthemin.Shewatchedithappen
andcouldn'tdoathingtohelp."

Steventurnedaround,hisfacecontorted."Megwasthere?Sheneversaidanythingaboutthat!"

"Shewon'ttalkaboutitstill.Itaffectedherbadly.Allthishappenedwhileyouwereawayatcollege.
Megwasonlytenyearsold.Itwas,is,apainfulsubject.Itwasneverdiscussed."

"Isee."PoorMegNowondershe'dbeenafraid.Hehadn'tknown,herfatherhadtoldhim,butatthe

time he had not felt comfortable asking questions. He felt guilty. He wondered if she was still that
afraid,andhidingit.

"GoonupandgetMeg.I'llfixthatcoffee,"Davidsaid,clappinghisfriendontheshoulder.

MegwasjustclimbingoutoftheshowerwhenSteveopenedthebathroomdoorandwalkedin.

Shegasped,clutchingthetoweltoher.

"Youblushnicely,"hemused,smilinggently."ButIknowwhatyoulooklike,Meg.Wemadelove."

"Iknow,but..."

He took the towel from her hands and looked down at her, his silver eyes kindling with delight.
"Prettylittlething,"hemused."Icouldgetdrunkonyou."

"David is just downstairs,"she reminded him, grabbing at her towel. "And spies have bugged the
wholehouse.They'reprobablywatchingusrightnow!"

"Theywouldn'tbugthebathroom,"hemurmureddryly.

"Oh,wouldn'tthey?"

Hemovedtowardher,pullingherintohisarms."No,"hewhispered,bending."Isthisbetter?I'llhide
you,Meg,fromanyeyesexceptmyown."

Shefelthismouthnibblesoftlyatherlips,teasingthemintoparting.

"Youtasteofmint,"hewhispered.

"Spearminttoothpaste,"shemanagedtosay.

"Openyourmouth,"hewhisperedback."Iliketotouchit,inside."

Sheshiveredalittle,butsheobeyedhim.Hishandssmoothedoverherfirmbreasts,savoringtheir
silkywarmthashetoyedwithhermouthuntilshefeltherbodygotautwithdesire.

"Iwantyou,"hebreathedintohermouth.Hishandsliftedherhipsandpressedthemtohis."Wecould
liedownonthecarpetinhereandmakelove."

Shefelthislipsmovedownherthroatuntilhismouthhungrilykissedherbreasts.

"David—"shechoked"—isdownstairs."

"Andwe'reengaged,"hewhispered."It'sallrightifwemakelove.EvensomeofthePuritansdidwhen
theywereengaged."

"Steve,"shemoaned.

Hekissedherslowly,hungrily,movinghismouthoverhersuntilshewasmindlesswithpleasure.

"On second thought,"he said unsteadily, lifting her gently into his arms, "the carpet really won't do
thistime,Meg.Iwantyouoncool,cleansheets."

Shelookedupintohiseyes,herarmslinkedaroundhisneck.Herblondhairwaspinnedup.Wispsof
itteasedherflushedcheeks.Hisgazewentalloverher,lingeringonherbreasts.

"Youwantme,don'tyou?"heasked,hisvoicedeepandsoftinthestillnessoftheroom.

"Ineverstopped,"sherepliedunsteadily."But,Daphne...!"

"Idon'tsleepwithDaphne,"hesaidashismoutheaseddownonhers.

MaybethatwaswhyhewantedMeg,shethoughtmiserably.Butnoneofitmadesense,muchlesshis
hungerforher.Helostcontrolwhenhetouchedher,andshewaspowerlesstostophim.

"Steve,Ican't,"shegroanedasheleanedoverherwithdarkintent.

"Whynot?"

"David's just downstairs!" she exclaimed. He was trying to remember that. But looking at Meg's
beautifulnudebodymadeitreallydifficult.Sheshamedthemostprizedsculpturesintheworld.

"Whydidyounevertellmethatyouwerewithyoursisterwhenshedied?"heaskedsoftly.

Shestiffened.Herfacedrewupandthememorieswerethere,inherwide,hurteyes.

He smiled wryly and pulled the cover over her. He sat down beside her, fighting to control his
passion.She'dhadenoughexcitementforonenightandshewasright.Thiswasn'tthetime.

"Didn'tyouthinkI'dunderstand?"hepersisted.

"Youwantedmeverymuch,"shebeganslowlv."Butyouweresodistantfrommeemotionally,Steve.
Theonetimewecameclosetobeingintimate,youactedasifprecautionsdidn'tmatteratall.AndI
wasyoung,andshyofyou,andveryembarrassedaboutdungslikesex.Icouldn'tfindtherightway
totellyou,soIfrozeupinstead.Andyoublewupandtoldmetogetoutofyourlife."

"I'd waited a month to touch you like that," he reminded her. "I went overboard, I know. But you
obsessedme."Hesmiledwithself-contempt."Youstilldo,haven'tyounoticed?ItouchyouandIlose
control.Thathasn'tchanged."

"Youdon'tlikelosingcontrol."

Heshookhishead."Notevenwithyou,littleone."

Shereachedupandtouchedhischin,hismouth."Ilosecontrolwhenyoutouchme,"shereminded
him.

"Youcanaffordtonow.Yourdancingwon'tcomebetweenusanymore."

"Don'tsoundlikethat.Don'tbesocynical,Steve,"shepleaded,herwideeyessearchinghis."You're
coming up with all sorts of reasons why I want to marry you, but none of them has anything to do
withtherealone."

"Andwhatistherealone?Mymoney?Mybody?"headdedwithacoldsmile.

"You can't believe that I might really care about you, can you?" she asked sadlv. "It's too much
emotion."

"TheonlyemotionthatinterestsmeistheemotionIfeelwhenI'vegotyouunderme."

Shecolored."That'ssex."

"That'swhatwe'vegot,"heagreed."That'sallwe'vegot,whenyouremoveallthefrillsandexcuses.
Anditwillprobablybeenough,Meg.YoucanfindawaytofillyourtimehereinWichitaandspend
mymoney,andI'llcomehomeeverynightpantingtogetintobedwithyou.Whatelsedoweneed?"

He sounded so bitter. She didn't know how to reach him. He was avoiding the issue because he
couldn'tfindawaytofaceit.

"Yousaidyouwantedachild,"sheremindedhim.

"Imeantit."Hefrownedslightly,rememberingwhatDavidhadtoldhim."Didyoumeanit,Meg?"

"Oh,yes,"shesaidgently.Shesmiled."Ilikechildren."

"I'veneverhadmuchtodowiththem,"heconfessed."ButIsupposepeoplelearntobeparents."He
slowlypulledthecoverawayfromherbodyandlookeddownatherwithcurious,quieteyes."Ididn't
think about anything that first time. Certainly not about making you pregnant." He touched her
stomach hesitantly, tracing a pattern on it while she lay breathlessly looking up at him. "Meg, how
woulditbeifwemadelove,"hesaidslowly,meetinghereyes,"andweboththoughtaboutmakinga
babytogetherwhilewedidit?"

Shefeltherheartbeatracing.Shestaredathimwithvulnerableeyes,herfeelingssoapparentthatshe
couldseehisheartbeatincrease.

"Thatwouldbe...veryexciting,"shewhisperedhuskily."Wouldn'tit?"

He drew her hand slowly to his body and let her feel the sudden, violent effect of the words. His
breathstilledinhisthroat.

"Damnyourbrother,"hesaidunsteadily."Iwanttostripoffmyclothesandpullyouunderme,right
here,rightnow!"

Shereachedup,tugginghisfacedown.Hekissedherwithslowanguish,aroughmoanechoinginto
her mouth. His hand explored her, touched and tested her body until he made it tremble. She
whimperedandheclenchedhisteethwhilehetriedtofightit.

"Wecan't."Shewept.

"Iknow.Oh,God,Iknow!"Hebroughtheruptohimandheldherroughly,crushingheragainsthim
sothatthesilkyfabricofhissuitmadeafaintabrasionagainsthersoftness."Meg,Ineedyouso!

"Ineedyou,too,"shemurmured,shakenbytheviolenceofherhungerforhim."Somuch!"

"Doyouwanttoriskit?"hewhisperedatherear."Itwouldhavetobequick,Meg.Nolongloving,no
tenderness." Then he groaned and cursed under his breath as he realized what he was offering her.
"No!"hesaidviolently."Oh,God,no,notlikethat.Noteveragain!"

Heforcedhimselftoletgoofher.Hisgriponherarmswasbruisingasheliftedawayfromherand
thensuddenlylethergoandturnedaway.Hewasshaking,Megsaw,astonished.

"I'm going to get out of here and let you dress," he said with his back to her. "I'm sorry, Meg" He
turned around, slowly, and looked down at her. "I want lovemaking," he said quietly, "not raw sex.
Andweneedtothinkaboutthis.Ifyou'renotalreadypregnant,weneedtothinkverycarefullyabout
makingyouthatway."

Shesmiledgently.Hesoundeddifferent.Heevenlookeddifferent."Idon'tneedtothinkaboutit,"she
saidsoftly."Butifyoudo,youcanhaveallthetimeintheworld."

Colorranalonghischeekbones.Helookedatherwitheyesthatmadeamealofher.Finallyheclosed
them,shivering,andturnedawayfromher.

"I'll see you downstairs," he said in a faintly choked tone. He went out without looking back and
closedthedoorfirmly.

Megsawsomethinginhisfacebeforehelefttheroom.Itwasenoughtoeraseeveryterrorthenight
hadheldandgiveherthefirstrealhopeshe'dhadofahappyfuturewithhim.

ButifMeghadexpectedthatlookinSteve'seyestochangeanything,shewasmistaken.He'dhadtime
to get himself together again, and he was distant while he drank coffee with Meg and David
downstairs. She walked him to the door when he insisted scant minutes later that he had to leave.
Daviddiscreetlytookthecoffeethingsintothekitchen,togivethemalittleprivacy.

"When this is over," he told Meg, "you're going to marry me, as quickly as I can arrange a
ceremony."

"Allright,Steven,"shereplied.

Hetoyedwithastrandofherblondhair,notmeetinghereyes."Daphneisn'twhoyouthink,"hesaid.
"I can't say more than that. But a lot of people aren't what you think they are." He lifted his eyes to
hers."I'lltellyouallofit,assoonasIcan."

It was an erasing of doubts and fears. A masquerade, and almost time to whip off the masks. She
searchedhissilvereyesquietly."Icareforyouverymuch,"shesaidsimply."I'mtiredoffightingit,
Steven.I'llbehappywithwhatyoucangiveme."

Hisjawclenched."Idon'tdeservethat."

Shesmiledimpishly."Probablynot,butit'strue,justthesame."Shemovedcloserandreachedupto
kiss him very tenderyv. "I'm sorry David wouldn't go away so that we could make love," she
whispered."BecauseIwantto,very,verymuch."

"SodoI,littleone,"hesaidtautly."Itgetsharderandhardertostayawavfromyou."

"ButnothardenoughtomakeyougiveupDaphne?"sheprobeddelicately,andwatchedhimcloseup.

"Giveittime."

She shrugged. "What else can I do?" she asked miserably. She sighed and leaned closer, so that his
mouthwasagainstherforehead."Iloveyou,"shesaid.

He held her with mixed emotions. She didn't quite trust him, but he hoped she was telling the truth
aboutherfeelings.Hewasintoodeeptobackoutnow."I'llseeyoutomorrow.Langhadbetterbeon
hiswaytothemoon,"headdedirritably.

"Don'thurthim,"shesaidsoftly."Hereallydidsaveme."

"Iknowwhathedid,"hemuttered,anditwasinhiseyeswhenheliftedhishead."Maybethey'llgive

himtoAhmedasagoing-awaygift."

"Ahmedisn'tgoingaway,ishe?IthoughthewasbasedinWashington,D.C."

Stevestartedtospeak,butdecidedagainsttellingherwhathe'dbeenabouttosav."You'llunderstand
evervthinginadayortwo.Justafewlooseendstowrapup,nowthatLang'sprecipitatedthings.Don't
worn.You'reallrightnow."

"WheneverI'mwithyou,I'mallright."

"Areyou?"heaskeddryly."Iwonder."

Shedrewbackandsmiledupathim."Goodnight,Steven."

He stuck his hands into his pockets with a long sigh. "Under different circumstances, it would have
been a hell of a night," he remarked. He studied her long and hard. "You're lovely, Meg, and much
morethanjustphysicallypretty.Idon'tknowwhyIeverletyougo."

"Youdidn'tfeelsafewithme.Youstilldon't,doyou?"

"Youwereacareerballerina,"heremindedher.

"Iwasanidiot,"shereplied."Ididn'tknowyouatall,Steven.IwasyoungandsillyandIneverlooked
belowthesurfacetoseewhatthingsandpeoplereallywere.Youwereafraidofinvolvement.MaybeI
was,too.Iranforsafety."

"Youweren'ttheonlyone."Hiseyesnarrowed."ButIgethomicidalwhenyou'rethreatened"hesaid
quietly."AndyvougethystericalwhenIam,"headded."Don'tyouthinkit'salittlelateforeitherofus
toworryaboutgettinginvolvednow?"

Shesmiledruefully."We'reinvolvedalready."

"To the back teeth," he agreed. He drew in a long breath. "In more ways than one "he added with a
quickglanceatherbelly.

Shelaughed."Iwassoafraidofitfouryearsago,"shesaidsoftly."Andnow,Igotobedanddream
aboutit."

Hishandsclenchedinhispockets.Hesearchedhereyesclosely."Itwouldreallymeanthelossofany
hopeofacareer,evenifyouranklehealsfinally,"hesaid."Howcouldyoutakeachildwithyouto
NewYorkwhileyourehearseanddance?Howcouldyouhopetoraiseitbylongdistance?"

"IthoughtImightteachballet,hereinWichita,"shebeganslowly."It'ssomethingIknowverywell,
andtherearetwootherretiredballerinasintownwhoworkedwithmewhenIwasyounger.Icould
getaloanfromthebankandfindavacantstudio."

Lights blazed in his eyes. "Meg!" he groaned softly. He bent and kissed her, his mouth slow and
tender.

Shewasstunned.Why,hedidn'tmind!Whenhedrewback,theradianceinhisfacestoppedherheart.

"Icouldhelpyoulookforastudio,"hesaid,hisvoicedeepandhesitant."Asforthefinancing,Icould
stakeyouatalowerinterestthanyoucouldgetfromthebank.Therestofitwouldbeyourproject."

"Oh,Steven!"

Hebegantosmile.Heliftedherbythewaistandheldherclose."Wouldn'tyoupinefortheBroadway
stage?"

"NotifIcanworkatsomethingIloveandstilllivewithyou,"shesaidsimply."Ineverdreamedyou'd
acceptit."

Hiseyesblazedintohers."Didn'tyou?"

Herarms looped aroundhis neck andshe put her mouthsoftly over his,kissing him with growing
hunger.Hetriedtodrawbackandherarmscontracted."Kissme,"shewhisperedhuskily,andopened
her mouth. He made a sound that echoed in the quiet hall and she felt his tongue probing quickly,
deeply,intothedarkestreachesofhermouthwhileherbodythrobbedwithsuddenpassion.

TherewasaringingsoundsomewhereinthebackgroundthatSteveandMegweremuchtooinvolved
tohear.

A minute later there was a discreet cough behind them. Steve drew back and looked blindly over
Meg'sshoulder,hismouthswollen,histallbodyfaintlytremulous.

"That was Lang," David said with barely contained amusement. "He said to tell you that there's a
surveillancecamerainthehallandtheotheragentsarediscussingfilmrights."

StevedroppedMegtoherfeet.Heglaredaroundattheceiling."Damnyou,Lang!"

Meg leaned against Steve, laughing. "He's incorrigible. One day we'll hear that someone has
suspendedhimoverapondofpiranhasattheendofaburningrope."

"Please,givethemsomemoreideas,"Stevepleaded,glancingupagain.

"Doyoureallythinkthereareanytheyhaven'talreadyentertained?They'rehighlytrainedafterall,
right,Lang?"Megcalledwithawickedgrin.

Stevemutteredsomething,droppedaquickkissonMeg'slipsandleftthehouse.

Theofficewasbuzzingwithexcitementthenextmorning,allaboutthewildchaseandthecaptureof
enemy agents. Daphne had told half the people in the building, apparently, because Steve got wry
grinseverywherehewent.

Ahmedcameinlateinthemorning,surroundedbyhisbodyguards.Helookedalittlepaleanddrawn,
buthewassmiling,atleast.

Daphne started to say something to him, abruptly thought better of it and left him in Steve's office.
Thedoorclosedsoftlybehindher.

"Megisallright?"Ahmedaskedquietly.

"She's fine. And none the wiser for it," Steve replied heavily. He leaned back in his desk chair and
propped his immaculate black boots up on the desk. "But I'm going to have a lot to say to Lang's
superiors about the way he protected her. With any luck, they'll send him to Alaska to bug polar
bears."

Ahmedsmiledslowly."Iunderstandtherewassomethingofastiramongthesurveillancepeoplelast
evening.Somethingaboutman-eatingfishandburninghemp..."

"Nevermind,"Stevesaidquickly."What'sthelatestaboutthecoupinyourcountry?"

Ahmedsatdownintheleatherchairacrossfromthedeskandcrossedoneelegantlegovertheother.
Hisbearingwasregal,likethetiltofhisproudheadandthearrogantsparkleinhisblackeyes.

"Ah, my friend, that is a story indeed," he said pleasantly. "To shorten it somewhat, the assassins
captured last night by your government's agents were the weak link in a chain. We will learn much
fromthem."AhmedlookedveryhardwhenhiseyesmetSteve's.

Stevefeltchillsgodownhisspine.Ahmedhadbeenhisfriendforalongtime,butthereweredepths
tothemanthatmadehimuneasy.HemightnotbeaMoslem,butAhmedwaseveryinchanArab.His
thirstforvengeanceknewnoboundswhenitwasaroused.

"Whendoyouleaveforhome?"

Ahmed spread his hands. "Today, if it can be arranged. The sooner the better, you understand." His
blackeyesnarrowed."IwouldnotwillinglyhaveputyouandMegandDavidatrisk.Ihopeyouknow
this,andunderstandthatitwasnotmydoing."

"OfcourseIdo."

"Meg...youhavenottoldher?"headdedcarefully.

"Ithoughtitbestnotto,"Stevesaid."Thelesssheknowsthesafersheis.Fornow,atleast."

Ahmedsmiled."Iagree.Sheisunique,ourMeg.Ifshedidnotbelongtoyou,myfriend,Icouldlose
myheartveryeasilytothatone."

"You'reinvitedtothewedding,"Stevereplied.

"You honor me, and I would enjoy the occasion. But the risk of returning to your country so soon
afterthisunfortunateattemptatanoverthrowistoogreat."

"Iunderstand."

"Iwishyouwell,Steve.Thankyouforallthatyouhavedoneformypeople—andformyself.Ilook
forwardtofutureprojectssuchasthisone.Withyourhelp,mycountrywillmoveintothetwentieth
centuryandlessenthechanceofinvasionfromoutsiderorces.

"Watchyourback,willyou?"Steveasked."Evenwiththeculpritsincustody,youcan'tbetoocareful."

"Irealizethis."Ahmedgottohisfeet,resplendentinhisgraybusinesssuit.HesmiledatSteveasthey
shookhands."Takecareofyourself,aswell,andgivemybesttoyourbrotherandthesobeautiful
Meg."

"She'llbesorrythatshedidn'thavetheopportunitytosaygoodbyetoyou,"Stevetoldhim.

"Wewillmeetagain,myfriend,"hesaidwithcertainty.

Stevenwalkedhimtotheouteroffice,whereaslender,dark-hairedgirlwasglaringattheArabfrom
behind a propped-up shorthand tablet with information that she was copying into the computer. She
quicklyavertedhereyes.

DaphnemotionedtoSteveandpointedatthetelephone.

"I'llhavetogo.Haveasafetrip.I'llbeintouchwhenwegetalittlefurtheralongintheassembly."

"Yes."

Steveshookhandsagainandwentbackintohisofficetotakethetelephonecall.

Daphnehesitated,hopingtoprovideabufferbetweentheangrylookinAhmed'seyesandtheintent
lookinBrianna's,butStevehungupthetelephoneandbuzzedher.Shegrimacedasshefinallywentto
seewhathewanted.

Ahmedstoodovertheyoungwoman,hisliquidblackeyesnarrowedasheglaredather."Youhave
hadtoolittlediscipline,"hesaidflatly."Youhavenobreedingandnomannersandyoualsohavethe
dispositionofaharpyeagle."

Sheglaredbackathim."Weren'tyoujustleaving,sir?"sheaskedpointedly.

"IndeedIwas.Itwillbepleasanttogetbacktomyowncountrywherewomenknowtheirplace!"

Shegotoutofherchairandwalkedaroundthedesk.Herprettyfigurewasdrapedinasilkydarkblue
suitandwhiteblousethatemphasizedhercreamycomplexionandhugeblueeyes.Shegotdownon
herkneesandbegantosalaamhim,tothehowlingamusementoftheotherwomeninthetypingpool.

"Howdareyou!"Ahmeddemandedscathingly.

Briannalookedupathimwithlimpideyes."But,sir,isn'tthisthekindofsubservienceyoudemand

fromyourcountrywomen?"sheaskedpleasantly."IwouldhatetooffendyouanymorethanIalready
have.Oh,lookatthat,anastybughaslandedonyourperfectlypolishedshoe!Allowmetosaveyou,
sir!"

Shegrabbedaheavymagazinefromtherackbesideherdeskandslammeditdownonhisshoewith
allhermight.

HeragedinArabicandtwootherunintelligiblelanguages,hisfaceruddywithbadtemper,hiseyes
snappingwithit.

Daphnecamerunning."Brianna,no!"shecriedhoarsely.

Ahmed was all but vibrating. He didn't back down an inch. Daphne motioned furiously behind her
untilBriannafinallygotthehintandtookoff,makingadashfortheladies'restroom.

"Inmycountry..."hebegan,hisfingerpointingtowardBrianna'sretreatingfigure.

"Yes,Iknow,butshe'sinsignificant,"Daphneremindedhim."Amereflyspeckinthefabricofyour
life.Honestlysheis."

"Shebehaveslikeasavage!"heraged.

Daphnebithertonguealmostthrough.Shesmiledtightly."You'llmissyourflight."

He breathed deliberately until some of the high color left his cheekbones, until he was able to
unclenchthetautfistsathisside.HelookeddownatDaphneangrily."Shewillbepunished."Itwasa
statement,notaquestion.

"Oh,yes,ofcourse,shewill,"Daphneswore,withherfingerstightlycrossedbehindherback."You
cancountonthat,sir."

Ahmedbegantorelaxalittle.Hepursedhislips."Amonthinsolitaryconfinement.Breadandwater
only. Yes. That would take some of the spirit out of her." His dark eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "It
wouldbeatragedy,however,tobreaksuchabeautifulwildspirit.Doyounotthinkso?"

"Indeed,"Daphneagreedquickly.

Henodded,asifsavoringthethought."Yourcountryhassuchoddpeopleinit,mademoiselle,"hesaid
absently."Secretagentswithquirks,secretarieswithuncontrollabletempers..."

"It'saveryinterestingcountry."

He shrugged. "Puzzling," he corrected. He glanced at her. "This one," he nodded toward the door
whereBriannahadgone."Sheismarried?"

"No,"Daphnesaid."Shehasayoungbrotherinacoma.He'sinanursinghome.Shehasnofamily."

Hisdarkbrowsdrewtogether."Nooneatall?"

Sheshookherhead."JustTad,"shereplied.

"Howoldisthis...Tad?"

"Ten,"Daphnesaidsadly."Therewasanautomobileaccident,yousee.Theirparentswerekilledand
Tadwasterriblyinjured.Theydon'tthinkhe'lleverrecover,butBriannagoeseverydaytositbyhis
bedandtalktohim.Shewon'tgiveuponhim."

Hisfacechanged."Awomanofcompassionandloyaltyandspirit.Apearlofgreatpriceindeed."

Daphneheardthebuzzerandwenttoanswerit,leavingAhmedtorejoinSteve.

SteveputtheArabonaplane—acharteredplaneownedbyAhmed'sgovernment—laterthatmorning,
withDaphneandtwotaciturnAmericanagentsathisside.

"Haveasafetrip,"Stevesaid.

"How can I help it?" Ahmed muttered, glancing at the number of armed guards in his country's
uniformgathered at thewalkway to theplane. "Many thanks foryour help," headded to the agents,
andDaphne,whowasstandingclosetothetallblondagent.

"Itwasourpleasure.Anytime,"Waynereplied.

Langgrinnedathim."Justgiveusaday'snoticeandwe'llcoveryouliketarpaper,sir,"hereplied.

Steveglaredathim."Andwatchyoureverymoveonhiddencameras,"headdedicily.

"WhatcanItellyou?"Langsighed,liftinghishandsandlettingthemfall."Iamaspy,afterall.Iget
paidtospyonpeople.It'swhatIdo."HelookedsomberashefacedAhmed."You'djustbeamazedat
thethingsyouseeonahiddencamera,sir.Likelastnight,forinstance..."

Stevemovedtowardhimthreateningly.

Lang grinned. "Actually," he clarified, "I meant this rich guy we were watching who likes to play
videogamesandwhenhewins,hetakesoffallhisclothesandpoursJell-Ooverhimself."

"Sohelpme!"Stevebegan.

Langthrewupbothhands."I'llreform.Ireallywill.I'mgoingtoaskthatlittlebrunetteoutandseeif
she'dliketotakemeon,"headded."She'sdishy,isn'tshe?Ihearshelikestothrowthingsatforeign
men.GoodthingI'mdomestic."

AhmedlookedatLangwithkindlinganger,andStevesawproblemsahead."Bettergetaboard,"Steve
toldtheArab."Keepintouch."

Ahmed seemed to realize where he was and to whom he was speaking. He shrugged, as if he'd

experiencedaminortemporaryaberration."Ofcourse.Aurevoir,myfriend."

He waved and turned to go into the plane, with his entourage at a respectful distance, watching his
back.

"Regal,isn'the?"Langsaidwithreluctantadmiration."I'msorrytoseehimgo."HegrinnedatSteve.
"Nowthatthisisallover,areyousureyou'regoingtomarrythatgirlofyours?Idolikehertemper."

"SodoI,"Stevereplied."Yes,I'mgoingtomarryher.Andthenexttimeyoupointacamerainmy
generaldirection,ithadbetterhavealenscapon."

"Yes,sir,"Langsaid,chuckling."You'llbegladtoknowthatasofnowyouareofficiallyunobserved.
Butifyou'dliketheresultsofourstrawpolllastnight,wethinkyou'dgiveValentinoarunforhis
money."Hethrewupahandandwalkedaway.Waynefollowedhimaminutelater,leavingasighing
DaphnebehindwithSteve.

"AreyoureallygoingtomarryWayne?"Steveaskedastheywalkedbacktowardtheairportentrance.

"Theminutewecanarrangeaceremony.HowaboutyouandMeg?"

"I'vegotalotofexplainingtodo,"hereplieddryly."ButIthinkshe'llunderstand.Ihopeshewill,at
least."

"She'sasweetwoman,Steve.You'reverylucky."

"Don'tIknowit,"hemused.

HeleftDaphneattheofficeandgavehimselftherestofthedayoff.Firstontheagendawastotell
Megthetruth.

Shewassprawledonthecouchgoingoverprojectionfiguresthebankhadgivenherwhenshewent
to inquire about starting up her own business. Steve came in the old way, through the back door
withoutknocking,andstoodoverherwithreliefwrittenalloverhim.

"It'sover,"hetoldher."Ahmed'sonaplanehomeandthesecretagentshavegonetorootoutenemy
spiessomewhereelse.We'refree."

Sheputdownherfiguresandsmiledupathim."So?"

"So,"hereplied,droppingdownbesideher,"nowthatit'soverandwe'reunbugged,Icantellyouthat
DaphneisengagedtothatblondagentwhohangsoutwithLang."

"What?"

"Shewastheunofficialliaisonbetweenus.Shehadtogowherewedid."

"Butyousaid...!"

"Iwasn'tallowedtotellyouwhatwasgoingon,"hetoldher."NowthatAhmed'soutofdanger,there's
nomorerisk."Shefrowned."Ithoughttheywereafteryou."

"OnlyasawaytogettoAhmed."Hegotupandpouredbrandyintoasnifterandhandedittoher.

"DoIneedadrink?"sheasked.

"Youmay."

"Why?"

He smiled down at her. "Ahmed isn't a cabinet minister. He's the sovereign of his country. To put it
moresuccinctly...he'saking."

Meg took a good swallow of the brandy and coughed a little. "That explains a lot," she told him
finally."Hedidhaveamoreregalbearingthanyou'dexpectinapoliticalflunky.He'soutofdanger,
then?"

"Yes.Theoverthrowattemptdidn'tgodown.Theagencythoughthewassaferhereuntilitwasdealt
with. Ahmed's government is friendly to ours and we're fortunate to have access to his strategic
location when there are problems in the Middle East. The government is anxious to accommodate
him.That'swhytheysupportedthecompanywhenwedecidedtosellhimournewestjetfighter.It's
alsowhyhegottoppriorityprotectionherewhenhislifewasindanger."

"Istillcan'tquitebelieveit."

"Youhavetokeephisidentitytoyourself,however,"hetoldherwarningly."Becausehe'llbebackto
have another look at his purchase when we've got it closer to completion. His life may depend on
secrecy.Eveninthiscountry,therearenationalsfromhiskingdomwithgrudges."

"PoorAhmed."Shefrowned."Hemustnotenjoybeingguardedallthetime."Anotherthoughtcame
toher."He'saking,whichmeansthathehastomarryaprincessorsomething,doesn'tit?Hecan'tjust
marryforlove,canhe?"

"Idon'tknow,"hesaid.Hissilvereyessearchedhers."I'mgladthatIgottochoosemyownwife,"he
addedhuskily."NowthatI'vewaitedfouryearsforher,Idon'tintendwaitinganylonger."

"Yousoundveryimpulsive."

"I'llshowyouimpulsive."Hepulledhertoherfeetandbundledheroutthedoor.Severalhourslater,
thebloodtestswerecomplete,thepaperworkwasunderwayandtheweddingwasscheduledforthe
endoftheweek.

"You aren't slipping through my fingers again," he chuckled when they walked arm in arm into his
own house. "My mother will be delighted. We'll have to phone her tonight. By the way," he added,
"I've found three possibilities for your studio. I thought you might like to go and look them over
tomorrow."

"I'dloveto!"Shereachedupandhuggedhimwarmly,feelingasifshe'djustcomehome.Sheclosed
hereyeswithasighastheystoodtogetherinthedesertedhouse.Steve'shousekeeperhadlongsince
leftanoteaboutcoldcutsandgonehome."AmIstayingforsupper?"Megmurmured.

Heturnedhertohim."You'restayingforgood,"hesaidquietly."Tonightandeverynightfortherest

ofyourlife."

Shehesitated."But,Davidwillexpectme..."

He bent and began to kiss her, softly at first, and then with building intensity so that, after a few
minutes,shedidn'trememberherbrother'sname.Buttheyagreedthatonelapsebeforemarriagewas
enough.AndwhileMegsleptinhisarmsthatnight,sleepingwasalltheydidtogether.Theyhadthe
restoftheirlivesforintimacy,heremindedher.

Earlythenextmorning,StevetookMegaroundtothestudioprospectshe'dfoundforher.Shesettled
ononeinagoodlocationwithampleparking,nottoomanyblocksfromhisoffice.

"Now,"shesaid,smilingasshelookedaround,"allIhavetodoisconvincethebankthatI'magood
creditrisk."

Hegloweredather."I'vealreadytoldyouthatI'llstakeyou."

"Iknow,andIappreciateit,"shesaid,reachinguptokisshimastheystoodinthespaciousemptiness
oftheformerwarehouse."ButthisissomethingIneedtodoonmyown."Shehesitated.

"Doyouunderstand?"

"Oh,yes,"hesaidwithaslowsmile."Yousoundjustlikemeatyourage."

Shelaughed."DoI,really?"

Hestuckhishandsintohispocketsandlookedaround."You'llneedalotofpaint."

"That, and a little equipment, and some employees who'll be willing to work for nothing until I
establishaclientele,"sheadded."Nottomentionanadvertisingbudget."Sheclenchedherteeth.Was
shebitingoffmorethanshecouldchew?

"Startwithjustyourself,"headvised."Lessoverhead.Seeifyoucantime-sharewithsomeonewho
needs a studio at night. Perhaps a karate master. Put up some posters around town in key business
windows, such as day-care centers." He grinned at her astonishment. "Didn't I ever tell you that I'm
moreanideamanthananexecutive?Whodoyouthinkcallstheshotsonouradvertisingcampaign
andtrimsofffatfromworkstations?"

"You'reamazing!"sheexclaimed.

"I'mcheap,"hecorrected."Iknowhowtodoalotforalittle."

"Howaboutprinting?"

"Weusealargeconcernablockawayfromhere.Sincetheydealinbigjobs,theydon'tcostasmuch
asasmallprinterwould."

She was grinning from ear to ear. She could see it all taking shape. "The only thing is, how will I
teachwhenIcanbarelywalk?"sheasked,hesitating.

"Listen,honey,bythetimeyougetyourfinancing,yourcarpentrydoneandyouradvertisingout,that
anklewillbeuptoalotmorethanyouthink."

"Truly?"

Hesmiledatherworriedexpression."Reallyandtruly.Nowlet'sgettoit.We'vegotaweddingtogo
to."

Shewonderedifshecouldholdanymorehappiness.Itseemedimpossible.

They were married at a small justice of the peace's office, with David and Daphne and Wayne for
witnesses.Briannawaitedoutsidewithacameratotakepictures.

"Iforgottohireaphotographer!"Stevegroanedwhentheyexitedtheoffice.Hewaswearingablue
business suit, and a beaming Meg was in a street-length white suit with a hat and veil, carrying a
bouquetoflilyofthevalley.

"That'sallright,"Briannatoldhim."Iusedtohelpourdadinthedarkroom.HesaidIwasanatural."
She said it a little sadly, because she missed her parents, but not in any self-pitying way. "Stand
togetherandsmile,now."

Theystartedto,justasahugeblacklimousineroaredupandatall,darkmanleapedfromtheback
seat.

"AmIintime?"Langaskedhurriedly,rightinghistieandsmoothingbackhisunrulyhair."Ijustflew
infromLangley,Virginia,fortheoccasion!"

"Lang!"Megexclaimed,breakingintoasmile.

"Theverysame,partner,"hechuckled."Howaboutabigkiss?"

Stevesteppedclosertohisnewwife,withaprotectivearmaroundher."Tryit,"hesaid.

Langliftedbotheyebrows."Youwantmetokissyou,too?Yeeech!"

"Idonot!"Steveroared.

"That'safinewaytotreatamanwhoflewhundredsofmilestobeatyourwedding.Mygosh,Ieven
broughtapresent!"

StevecockedhisheadandstaredatLang."Apresent?Whatkindofapresent?"

"Somethingyou'llbothtreasure."

Hereachedintohiscoatpocketandtookoutapacketofphotographs.

Steve took the photographs and held them as gingerly as if they'd been live snakes. He opened the
envelopeandpeekedin.Buttherisquephotosheexpectedweren'tthere.Instead,theywerephotosof
Meg,fromallsortsofcameraangles;Megsmiling,Meglaughing,Meglookingreflective.

"Well,whatarethey?"Megasked."Letmesee!"

SteveclosedupthepackageandglancedatLangwithawrysmile."Thanks."

Langshrugged."ItwastheleastIcoulddo."Hehesitated."Uh,there'sthis,too."

HehandedSteveavideotapeandfolloweditwithawickedgrin."Fromthehallcamera...?"

Steveeyedhimwithgrowingsuspicion."lusthowmanycopiesofthisdidyoumake?"

"Onlyone,"Langswore,handonhisheart."Thatone.Andtherearenonegatives."

"Lang,you'reagoodman,"Megtoldhimwithconviction.

"OfcourseIam."HeturnedtoBrianna,stillgrinning."Well,hello,hello.Howaboutlunch?I'lltake
youtothisgreatlittleseafoodjointdownthestreetandbuyyouashrimp!"

"Ashrimp?"Briannaasked,hesitating.

Langpulledoutthechangeinhispocketandcountedit."Twoshrimps!"heannounced.

Briannasmiled,herblueeyestwinkling."Idloveto,"shesaid."Ireallywould.Butthere'ssomeoneI
havetogoandsee.Perhapssomeothertime."

Lang managed to look fatally wounded. "I see. It's because I can only afford two shrimps, isn't it?
Suppose,"headded,leaningdowntowardherwithatwinkleinhiseyes,"Iofferedtowashplatesafter
andboughtyouawholeplatterofshrimp?"Hewiggledhiseyebrows.

She laughed. "It wouldn't do any good. But I do appreciate the sentiment." He was very nice, she
thought,alittlesadunderthatclownishexterior,too.Butshehadsomanyproblems,andherstubborn
mindwouldkeepwingingbacktoatallmanwithamustache.Itwouldn'tbefairtoleadLangonwhen
shehadnothingtoofferhim.

"Ah,well,"Langmurmured."JustmylucktobesohandsomeanddebonairthatIintimidatewomen."

"That's true," Meg told him. "You're just devastating, Lang. But someday, some nice girl will carry
youofftohercastleandfeedyourumcakesandicecream."

"Sadist,"hegrumbled."Goahead,tormentme!"

"Wehavetogo,"Stevesaid."Thankyouallforcoming.Webothappreciateit."

"Don't mention it," David chuckled, bending to kiss his sister. "Where are you going on your
honeymoon?"

"Nowhere," Meg said. "We're going to wall ourselves up in Steven's house and stay there until the
foodallgoesmoldyintherefrigerator.Andafterthat,"shesaidsmugly,"I'vegotabusinesstoget
underway!"

"Nowseewhatyou'vedone,"Davidgroaned."Myownsister,acareerwoman!"

"Ialwayssay,"Stevemused,smilingdownathiswife,"ifyoucan'tbeatem,joinem."

"That's just what I say," Meg replied. She took his hand in hers, feeling very newly married and
adoringlyglancingattheweddingringonherlefthand.

When they got home, Steve lifted her gently in his arms and started up the staircase to the master
bedroom. She was a little nervous, and so was he. But when he kissed her, the faint embarrassment
wasgoneforever.

Hisopenmouthprobedhers,theintimacyofthekissmakingherweakwithdesire.Hewasmoving,
walking,andallthetime,hismouthwasonhers,gentlingher,seducingher.

Shedidn'tcomeoutofthefogofpleasureuntilhelaidhergentlyonthebedandundressedher.Then
hestartedtakingoffhisownclothes.Thesightofthatbig,hair-roughenedbodycomingslowlyinto
viewfrozeherinahalf-recliningpositiononthebed.Hewasthemostincrediblysexymanshe'dever
seen.

Their first time, she hadn't been able to look at him because there had been such urgency. But now
therewasallthetimeintheworld,andhereyesfedonhim.

Hesmiledgentlyashesatdownbesideher,hiseyesturbulentandfullofdesireasheleanedoverher.
"Iknow,"hesaidsoftly."Itwasn'tlikethisbefore.Butwehaveplentyoftimetolearnabouteachother
now,Meg.Alifetime."

Hebentslowlyandputhismouthgentlytohers.Inthelong,lazymomentsthatfollowed,hetaught
her how, watching the expressions chase across her shocked face as he made her touch him. He
smiledwithtautindulgenceuntilshe'dcompletedthetaskhesetforher,andthenheheldherhandsto
himandtalkedtoher,coaxedherintorelaxing,intoacceptingtherealityofhim.

"Itisn'tsofrighteningnowthatyouknowwhattoexpect,isit?"heasked,hisvoicedeepandtenderas
hebegantogentlyeaseheroutofthelastflimsygarmentsthatseparatedskinfromskin.

When he had, he rose and looked at her, his body visibly trembling as he studied the rounded,
exquisiteflushofherperfectbody,hersilkvskin.

His hand went out and tenderly traced her firm breasts, enjoying their immediate response to his
touch,hertrembling,heraudiblepleasure.

"You'rebeautiful,Meg,"hewhisperedwhenhisexploringhandtrespassedinanewway.Despitetheir

formerintimacy,thetouchshockedher.Shecaughthiswristandgasped."No,littleone,"hecoaxed,
bendingtokissherwideeyesshut."Don'tbeembarrassedorafraidofthis.It'spartofthewaywe're
goingtomakelovetoeachother.Relax,Meg.Trytoputawayallthoseinhibitions,willyou?You're
mywife.We'remarried.Andbelieveme,thisisperfectlypermissiblenow."

"Iknow,"shewhisperedback."I'lltry."

Hismouthbrushedoverhereyes,hercheeks,downherfacetoherthroat,hercollarbone,ontothe
silkensoftnessofherbreastswhilehediscoveredher.

Hismouthonherbreastsmadehershiver.Thefaintsuctionhemadewasasexcitingasthewayhe
begantotouchher,makinglittlewavesofpleasurerippleupherspine.Sheforgottobenervousand
herbodyrespondedtohim,liftingtomeethistouch.Hereyesopened,becauseshewantedtoseeifit
wasaffectinghim,too.

Itwas.Hisfacewastaut.Hiseyeswerenarrowandglitteryashelookeddownather,andshecould
feelthetensioninhispowerfulbodyasitcurvedagainsthersonthecoolsheets.

Henodded.Hiseyessearchedhersandhistouchbecamesofter,slower,morethorough.Shemadea
quick,shockedsound,andhishandsnakedunderhernecktograspahandfulofhairathernapeand
archherfaceupsothathecouldseeeverysoft,flushedinchofit.

"You...mustn't...watch!"shegaspedasahot,redmistwaveredhersurprisedeyes.

"I'mgoingto,"hereplied."Oh,yes,Meg,I'mgoingtowatchyou.I'mgoingtotakeyourightuptothe
moon.Thisisgoingtobeourfirstrealnightoflove.Hereandnow,Meg.Now,now,now...

Thedeep,slowchantwaslikewavesbreaking,thesamewavesthatwereslammingwithpleasureinto
her body. She held on for dear life and her voice sobbed, caught, as the pleasure grew with each
touch,eachhotwhisper.

Hewasmoving.Hewasoverher,againsther.Thepleasurewaslikeanavalanche,gaining,gaining,
rollingdown,pressingdownonher,pressingagainsther,pressing...into...her!

She felt the fierce throb of it, felt the slow invasion, felt the tension suddenly snap into a stinging,
white-hotpleasuresounbearablysweetthatitmadehercryout.

His hands were on her wrists, pinning her, his body above her, demanding, pushing, invading. She
heardhisharshbreath,hissuddenexclamation,thehoarsecryofpleasurethatknottedhimaboveher.
Asheshoutedhisfulfillment,shefellhelplesslyfromtheheighttowhichhe'dtakenher,fellintoa
thousanddiamond-splinteredfragments,eachmoreincrediblyhotandsweetthantheonebefore...

Hecriedoutwiththepleasureofit,hiseyeswideopen,hisfacetautwiththestrain."Oh,God...!"

Hesankoverher,helplessinthatlastshudder,andshecradledhim,onewithhim,partofhim,ina
unitythatwasevengreaterthanthefirstonethey'devershared.

Shetouchedhisfacehesitantly."Oh,Steven,"shewhispered,thejoyofbelongingtohiminhereyes,
hervoice,herface.

Hesmiledthroughthemostdeliciousexhaustionhe'deverfelt,tryingtocatchisbreath."Oh,Meg,"
hereplied,laughingsoftly.

Sheflushed,buryingherfaceinhisthroat."Itwasn't...quitelikethatbefore."

"Youwereavirginbefore,"hewhispered,smiling.Herolledoverontohisback,bringingheralong
withhimsothatshecouldpillowhercheekonhisbroad,dampchest."Areyouallright?"

"I'mhappy,"shereplied."Andalittletired."

"Iwonderwhy."

She laughed at the droll tone and burrowed closer. "I love you so much, Steven," she said huskily.
"Morethanmylife."

"Doyou?"Hisarmstightened."Iloveyou,too,mydarling."Hestrokedherhairgently,feelingfor
themomentasifhehadtheworldinhisarms."Ishouldneverhaveletyougo.ButIfeltsomething
foryousostrongthatitunnervedme."Hisarmsgrewsuddenlybruising."Meg,Icouldn'tbeartolose
you,"hesaidroughly,lettingallthesecretfearsloose."Icouldn'tgoonliving.Itwashellwithoutyou,
thosefouryears.Ididwildthingstryingtofilluptheemptinessyouleftinme,butnothingworked."
Hedrewinalongbreath,whileshelistenedwithraptfascination."I...couldn'tletyougoagain,no
matterwhatIhadtodotokeepyou."

"Oh,Steve,youwon'thaveto!"Shekissedhimsoftlv,brushedhisclosedeyeswithherlips,clinging
fiercelytohimasshefeltthedepthofhisloveforherandwashumbledbyit."I'llneverwanttogo,
don'tyousee?Ididn'tthinkyoulovedmefouryearsago.IranbecauseIdidn'tthinkIcouldholdyou.
Iwassoyoung,andIhadanirrationalfearofintimacybecausemysisterdiedhavingababy.ButI'm
notthatfrightenedgirlanymore.I'llstaywithyou,andI'llfightanyotherwomantotheedgeofdeath
tokeepyou!"shewhisperedfiercely,clingingtohim.

Helaughedsoftly.Theyweresomuchalike."Yes,Ifeelthesameway."Hetouchedherforeheadwith
his lips, relaxing a little as he realized that she felt exactly as he did. "Ironic, isn't it? We were
desperatelyinloveandafraidtobelievethatsomethingsooverwhelmingcouldlast.Butitdid.Ithas."

"Yes.IneverthoughtI'dbeenoughforyou,"shewhispered.

"Idiot.Nooneelsewouldeverbeenough."

Sheliftedherevestohisandsmiled."Arewesafe,now?"

"Yes.Oh,yes."

Sheflattenedherhandoverhischest."Andyouwon'tgrindyourteethinthenightthinkingthatI'm
plottingwaystorun?"

Heshookhishead."You'regoingtobearesponsiblebusinesswoman.Howcanyourunfromutility
billsandstatetaxes?"

Shesmiledatthejibe."Goodpoint."

He closed his eyes, drinking in her nearness, her warm softness. "I never dreamed of so much
happiness."

"NeitherdidI.Icanhardlybelievewe'rereallymarried."

Her breath released in a soft sigh. "I really did love dancing, Steven. But dancing was only a poor
secondinmylifeYoucamefirsteventhen.Youalwayswill."

Hefeltasurgeofloveforherthatborderedonmadness.Herolledheroverontoherbackandbentto
kissherwithachingtenderness.

"I'ddieforyou,"hesaidunsteadily.Hiseyesblazedwithwhathefelt,allofitinhiseyes,hisface."I
hatedtheworldbecauseyouwantedtobeaballerinamorethanyouwantedme!"

"Ilied,"shewhispered."IneverwantedanythingmorethanIwantedyou."

His eyes closed on a wave of emotion and she reached up, kissing him softly, comfortingly. Tears
filledhereyes,becausesheunderstoodthenforthefirsttimehisfearoflosingher.Ithumbledher,
madehershakeallover.Shewasfrightenedattheresponsibilityofbeinglovedlikethat.

"Iwon'teverletyoudownagain,"shewhispered."Notever!

Iwon'tleaveyou,notevenifyouthrowmeout.Thisisforever,Steven."

Hebelievedher.Hehadto.Ifthiswasn'tlove,itdidn'texist.Hegaveinatlastandputasidehisfears.
"AsifIcouldthrowyouout,whenIfinallyknowwhatyoureallyfeel."Hekissedheragain,hungrily,
andasthefireskindledinhereyeshebegantosmilewickedly."PerhapsI'mdreamingagain..."

Shesmiledunderhishardmouth."Doyouthinkso?Let'ssee."

She pulled him down to her. Long, sweet minutes later, he was convinced. Although, as he told her
afterward,fromhispointofview,lifewasgoingtobethesweetestkindofdreamfortherestoftheir
livestogether;asentimentthatMegwholeheartedlyshared.

Meg opened her ballet school, and it became well-known and respected, drawing many young
prospectiveballerinas.Heranklehealed;notenoughtoallowhertodanceagain,butwellenoughto
allowhertoteach.ShewashappywithStevenandfulfilledinherwork.Shehaditall,shemarveled.

Theperformingballetslippersofflawlesspinksatinandpinkribbonsrestedinanacryliccaseonthe
grandpianointhelivingroom.Butinduetime,theycameoutagain,tobefastenedwiththeslender,
trembling hands of Steven and Meg's firstborn, who danced one day with the American Ballet

CompanyinNewYork—asaprimaballerina.

*****

SECRETAGENTMAN

Lang Patton felt absolutely undressed without his credentials and the small automatic weapon he'd
grownusedtocarryingonassignment.IthadbeenhisownchoicetoleavetheCIAandtakeajobwith
aprivatesecuritycompanyinSanAntonio.Hewashopingthathewasn'tgoingtoregretit.

He walked into the San Antonio airport—weary from the delayed Washington, D.C., flight—with a
carryonbagandlookedaroundforhisbrotherBob.

He was tall and big, dark-eyed and dark-haired, with a broad, sexy face. His brother was an older
versionofhim,butmuchslighterinbuild.Bobapproachedhimwithagrin,ayoungboyofsixheld
firmlybythehand.

"Hi,"Bobgreetedhim."Ihopeyoujustgothere.IhadtobringMikeywithme."

Thetowheadedboygrinnedupathim.Hehadafronttoothmissing."Hi,UncleLang,beenshooting
any bad guys?" he asked loudly, causing a security man who was talking to a woman at the
informationcountertoturnhisheadwithasuspiciousscowl.

"Not lately, Mikey," Lang replied. He shook his brother's hand and bent to lift Mikey up onto his
shoulder."How'sitgoing,pardner?"heaskedtheboy.

"Justfine!ThedentistsaysI'mgoingtogetanewtooth,buttheToothFairyleftmeawholedollarfor
myoldone!"

"Justbetweenus,theToothFairy'sgoingbust,"Bobsaidinaloweredvoice.

"CanIseeyourgun,UncleLang,huh?"Mikeypersisted.

Thesecurityguardliftedbotheyebrows.Langcouldhavegroanedoutloudasthemanapproached.
He'd been through the routine so often that he just put Mikey down and opened his jacket without
beingaskedto.

Thesecuritymancockedhishead."Niceshirt,orareyoushowingoffyourmuscles?"

"I'mshowingyouthatIdon'thaveagun,"Langmuttered.

"Oh,that.No,Iwasn'tlookingforagun.You'reLangPatton?"

Langblinked."Yes."

"Nobodyelseherefitsthedescription,"themanaddedsheepishly."Well,there'saMrs.Pattononthe

phonewhoasksthatyoustopbytheautopartsplaceandpickherupanewcarburetorfora'65Ford
Mustang,please."

"No,hewillnot,"Bobmuttered."Itoldhershecan'tdothatoverhaul,butshewon'tlisten.She'sgoing
toprovemewrongor...cowardlywoman,tosuckeryouintoit,"headdedindignantlytoLang,who
wasgrinningfromeartoear.

"His wife—my sister-in-law—is a whiz with engines," Lang told the security man. "She can fix
anythingonwheels.Buthe—"hejerkedhisthumbatanoutragedBob"—doesn'tthinkit'sladylike."

"What century is he living in?" the security man asked. "Gee, my wife keeps our washing machine
fixed.Savesusafortuneinrepairbills.Nothinglikeawifewho'shandywithequipment.Youshould
countyourblessings,"headdedtoBob."Doyouknowwhatamechaniccharges?"

"Yes, I know what a mechanic charges, I'm married to one," Bob said darkly. "She owns her own
repairshop,andshedoesn'tcarethatIdon'tlikehercoveredingreaseandsmellingofburnedrubber.
AllIamthesedaysisaglorifiedbaby-sitter."

LangknewwhyBobwasupset.Heandhisbrotherhadspenttheirchildhoodplayingsecondfiddleto
their mother's job. "You know Connie loves you," he said, trying to pacify Bob. "Besides, you're a
careermanyourself,andaterrificsurveyor,"Langarguedwhenthesecuritymanwascalledawayto
apassengerindistress."Mikevwilltakeafteryouoneday.Won'tyou,Mikey?"heaskedthechild.

"Notme.Iwanttobeagreasemonkey,justlikemymommy!"

Bobthrewuphishandsandwalkedaway,leavingLangandMikeytocatchup.

The Pattons lived in Floresville, a pleasant little ride down from San Antonio, past rolling land
occupied by grazing cattle and oil pumping stations. This part of Texas was still rural, and Lang
rememberedhappytimesasaboywhenheandBobvisitedtheiruncle'sranchandgottoridehorses
withthecowboys.Thingsathomewerelesspleasant.

"Timepassessoquickly,"Langremarked.

"Youhavenoidea,"Bobreplied.HeglancedatLang."IsawKirrydowntowntheotherday."

Lang'sheartjumped.Hehadn'texpectedtohearhernamementioned.Infiveyears,he'ddonehisbest
toforgether.Thememoriesweresuddenandacute,Kirrywithherlongwavyblondhairblowingin
thebreeze,hergreeneyeswideandbrightwithlaughterandlove.Therewereothermemories,notso
pleasant,ofKirrycryinghereyesoutandbeggingarecalcitrantLangtolisten.Buthewouldn't.He'd
caughtherinastateofundresswithhisbestfriendand,inajealousrage,he'dbelievedtheworst.It
hadtakensixmonthsforhimtofindoutthathisgoodfriendhadsetKirryupbecausehewantedher
forhimself.

"Itriedtoapologizeonce,"Langsaidwithoutelaborating,becauseBobknewthewholestory.

"Shewon'ttalkaboutyoutothisday,"wasthequietreply.Bobturnedintothesidestreetthatledtothe

Pattonhouse."She'sverypolitewhenyou'rementioned,butshealwayschangesthesubject."

"ShewentawaytocollegebeforeIleft,"Langremindedhim.

"Yes, and graduated early, with honors. She's vice president of a top public relations firm in San
Antonio.Shemakesverygoodmoney,andshetravelsalot."

"Doesshestillcomehome?"Langasked.

Bobshookhishead."SheavoidsFloresvilleliketheplague.Shecanaffordtosincehermothersold
theoldhomestead."HiseyesshiftedtoLang"Youmusthavehurtheralot."

Langsmiledwithself-contempt."Youhavenoideahowmuch."

"ItwasrightafterthatwhenyouwereacceptedfortheCIA."

"I'dappliedsixmonthsbefore,"heremindedBob."Itwasn'tasuddendecision."

"Itwasoneyouhadn'tsharedwithanyofus."

"Iknewyouwouldn'tlikeit.ButhereIam,backhomeandsafe,withsomeprettyexcitingmemories,"
Langreminisced.

"As alone as when you left." Bob indicated Mikey, who was lying down on the back seat of Bob's
Thunderbird, reading a Marvel comic book. "If you'd gotten married, vyu could have had one of
thosebynow."

LanglookedatMikeyandhiseyesdarkened."Idon'thaveyourcourage,"hesaidcurtly.

Bobglancedathim."AndyousaidIshouldn'tletthepastruinmylife."

Langshrugged."Ittendstointrude.LesssinceI'vebeenaway."

"But you still haven't coped with it, Lang, you're getting older. You'll want a wife and a family one
day."

Langcouldn'targuewithwantingawife.Itwasthethoughtofachildthatmadehimhesitate."Mylast
caseremindedmeofhowshortlifecanbe,andhowunpredictable,"hesaidabsently."ThewomanI
washelpingguardhadakidbrotherwho'dbeeninacomaforyears.He'solderthanMikey,butareal
nicekid.Igotattachedtohim."Hestretchedandleanedhisheadbackagainsttheseat."Ididalotof
thinkingaboutwheremylifewasgoing,andIdidn'tlikewhatIsaw.Sowhenanoldfriendofmine
mentionedthissecuritychiefjob,Idecidedtogiveitatry."

"Whatoldfriend?"Bobaskeddryly."Someonefemale?"

Langgloweredathim."Yes."

"Andstillinterestedinyou?"

"Lornagavemeupyearsago,beforeIstartedgoingwithKirry.ShewasonlythinkingthatImight
likeachange,"hesaid."It'snothingromantic."

Bobdidn'tsayanything,buthisexpressiondid."Okay,I'llquitprying.Whereisitthatyou'regoingto
work?"

"AcorporationcalledLancaster,Inc.,inSanAntonio.Ithasseveralholdings,andI'llberesponsible
foroverseeingsecurityinallofthem."

Bobmadeasoundinhisthroat.

"Whatwasthat?"Langaskedcuriously.

Bobcoughed,choking."Why,notathinginthisworld!"hesaid.Hewasgrinning."Ihopeyoulike
pancakesfordinner,it'sallIcancook,andConniewon'tbeinforhoursyet.Iusuallymakeheran
omeletwhenshegetshere."Hishandstightenedonthesteeringwheel."Ihatemechanics!"

"YouknewConniehadthistalentwhenyoumarriedhertenyearsago,"Langremindedhim.

"Well,Ididn'tknowsheplannedtoopenherownshop,didI?Forthepastsixmonths,eversinceshe
went into business, I've been living like a single parent! I do everything for Mikey, everything, and
she'sneverhome!"

Lang'sevebrowslifted."Doesshehaveanyhelp?"

"Can'taffordany,shesays,"hemuttereddarkly,pullingintothedrivewayofthestatelyoldVictorian
house they lived in. Out back was a new metal building, from which loud mechanical noises were
emanating.

Theelderlyladynextdoor,workinginherflowers,gaveBobanoverlysweetsmile."Howniceto
seeyouagain, Lang," she said. "I hope you didn't come home for some peace and quiet, because if
youdid,you'llfindmorepeaceandquietindowntownSanAntoniothanyou'llgethere!"

"You'rescreaming,Martha,"Bobsaidcalmly.

"I have to scream to be heard with that racket going on night and day!" the white-haired little ladv
said.Herfacewasturningred."Can'tyoumakeherquitatarespectablehour?"

"Bemyguest,"Bobinvited.

"Notme,"shemumbled,shiftingfromonefoottotheother."Trieditonce.Sheflungawrenchatme."
Shemadeasnifflingnoiseandwentbacktoworkinherflowers.

Langwastryinghardnottolaugh.Hetookhisflightbag,andMikey,outofthebackseat.

"Isthatallyouhave?"Bobaskedforthethirdtimesincehe'dgottenhisbrotherofftheplane.

"Idon'taccumulatethings,"Langtoldhim."It'snotsensiblewhenyourassignmentstakeyouallover

thecountryandaroundtheworld."

"Iguessso.Youdon'taccumulatepeople,either,doyou?"headdedsadly.

Heclappedabighandonhisbrother'sshoulder."Family'sdifferent."

Bobsmiledlopsidedly."Yeah."

"I'lljustgooutandsayhellotoConnie."

"Uh,Lang..."

"It'sallright,I'matrainedsecretagent,"Langremindedhimdryly.

"Watchyourhead.Placeisloadedwithwrenches."

Langbangedonthedoorandwaitedforthenoisetoceaseandbereplacedwithloudmutters.

Thedoorwasthrownopenandaslightwomanwithbrownhairwearingstainedbluecoverallsandan
AtlantaBravescappeeredupathim."Lang?Lang!"

She hurled herself into his big arms and hugged him warmly. "How are you? When Bob told me
you'dgivenuptheAgencytoworkinSanAntonio,Istoodupandcheered!Listen,whenyougeta
car,I'lldoallyourmechnicalworkfree.Youcanstaywithus—"

"No,Ican't,"hetoldher."IhavetobeinSanAntonio,butIcancomeandvisitoften,andIwill.I'llget
anicebigapartmentandsometoysforMikeytoplaywithwhenyoubringhimuptoseeme."

She grimaced. "I don't have a lot of time, you know. So many jobs and only me to do them. I can't
complain,though,workisbooming.WehaveanewVCRandtelevisionset,andMikeyhasloadsof
toys.IevenboughtBobadecentfour-wheeldrivetouseinhiswork."Shebeamed."Notbad,huh?"

"Not bad at all," he agreed, wondering if it would be politic to mention that gifts weren't going to
replace the time she spent with her family. He and Bob had scars that Connie might not even know
about.Godknew,LanghadneverbeenabletosharehiswithKirry,ascloseasthey'dbeen.

"Well,backtowork.Bob'scookingtonight,he'llfeedyou.I'llseeyoulater,Lang.Didyougetmethe
carburetor?"

Heflushed.

Sheglowered."Bob,right?Hewouldn'tletyou."Shestampedherfoot."Idon'tknowwhyinheaven's
nameIhadtomarryamalechauvinistpig!HelookedperfectlysanewhenIsaidyes."Sheturnedand
wentbackintothegarage,closingthedoorbehindher,stillmuttering.LangwascertainthenthatBob
hadneversharedthepastwithher.

"Well, did she scream about the carburetor?" Bob asked hopefully as he dished up black-bottomed
pancakesinthekitchen.

"Yes."

"Didshetellyouhowmuchstuffshe'sboughtusall?"headded."Nice,isn'tit?Ifweonlyhadherto
share it with, it might mean something. Poor old Mikey doesn't even get a bedtime story anymore
becauseshe'stootiredtoreadhimone.Ievendothat."

"Haveyoutriedtalkingtoher?"Langasked.

"Sure.Shedoesn'tlisten.She'stoobusyredesigningenginesystemsandimportantstufflikethat."He
put some pancakes down in front of Mikey, who made a face. "Scrape off the burned part," he
instructedhisson.

"There's a hamburger from yesterday in the refrigerator. Can't I have that instead?" Mikey asked
plaintively.

"Okay.Heatitupinthemicrowave,"Bobgrumbled.

"Thanks,Dad!CanIgowatchtelevisionwhileIeat?"

"Youmightaswell.Familyunity'sgonetohellaroundhere."

Mikey whooped and went to retrieve his hamburger from the refrigerator. He heated it up and
vanishedintohisroom.

"Poorkid.Hischolesterolwillbeashighasakiteandhe'lldieofmalnutrition."

Langwasstaringattheblackpancakes."Ithedoesn'tstarvefirst."

"Ican'tcook.Shedidn'tmarrymeformycookingskills.Sheshouldhavefoundsomebodywhowasa
gourmetchefinhissparetime."

"Whydon'tyouhireacook?"Langsuggested.

Bob brightened. "Say, that's an idea. We've got plenty of money, so why don't I? I'll start looking
tomorrow."Hestaredattheblackpancakesonhisownplateandpushedthemaway."Tellyouwhat,
I'llrundowntothecornerandgetusacoupleofMamaLou'sbarbecuesandwichesandsomefries,
howaboutthat?"

Langgrinned."That'smorelikeit."Hepaused."Whileyou'reatit,youmighttellConnieexactlywhy
youdon'tlikeworkingmothers.Ifsheunderstood,shemightcompromise."

"Her?Dreamon.AndIdon'tliketalkingaboutthepast.Goahead,"hesuggestedwhenLangpaused.
"TellmeyoueversaidanythingtoKirry."

Langdidn'thaveacomeback.Heshruggedandwalkedaway.

HespentalazytwodayswithBobandConnieandMikey,tryingnottonoticethedisharmony.Ifthe
couplehadn'teachbeensoindividuallystubborn,thingsmighthaveworkedoutbetter.Butneitherone
wasgoingtogiveaninchorcompromiseatall.

Before Lang left for San Antonio to see his new boss the following Monday, Bob had interviewed
fourwomentohousekeepandcookforthefamilv.TheonehefavoredwasaMexican-Americangirl
who had beautiful black hair down to her waist and soft brown eyes like velvet. Her voice was
seductiveandshehadafigurethatmadeLang'spulserunwild.Thiswasgoingtomeantrouble,he
thought,buthecouldn'tinterfere.Hisbrotherhadtoleadhisownlile.

Lancaster, Inc., was owned by a middle-aged man and his wife, a fashion-conscious socialite.
Although public shares were issued, it was basically a family-held company, and Lang liked the
ownersatfirstsight.Theywerestraightforwardabouthisdutiesandsalary,andtheymadehimfeel
welcome.

He was introduced to his immediate staff, a veteran ex-cop and a woman who was ex-military, two
very capable individuals who had been running the operation since the previous security chief left
becausehecouldn'ttakethepressure.

"Couldn'tstandthesightofblood,"EdnaRileysaidwithfaintcontempt.ShelookedatLangcuriously.
"IhearyouwereCIA."

Henodded."That'sright."

"Andbeforethat?"

"IwasastreetcopontheSanAntoniopoliceforce."

Ednagrinned."Well,well."

Tory Madison grinned, too. "Sure, I remember you," he said. "I retired about the same time you
joined.ButIcouldn'tstayquit.Inactivitywaskillingme.Ican'tkeepupwiththeyoungerones,butI
knowafewthingsthathelpkeepthegreenhornsoutoftrouble.I'madministrative,butthat'sokay.I
likemyjob."

Lang smiled at him. "When I've had time to look over the operation, I may have some changes in
mind.Nothingdrastic,"hesaidwhentheylookedworried,"likesweepingtherankscleanandstarting
over,sodon'tworryaboutthat,okay?"

Theyallrelaxed."Okay."

"Butwedoneedtokeepupwithnewmethodsinthebusiness,"headded."I'mprettyup-to-dateonthat
sinceIvejustcomebackfromthefront."

"We'dlovetohavecoffeewithyouandhearallaboutit,"Ednamurmured,tongueincheek.

"EverythingIknowisclassified,"Langsaid."ButIcansuretellyouaboutweaponstechnology."

"Oh,welearnedallaboutthatbywatchingthelatestLethalWeaponmovie,"Ednainformedhim.

"Not quite." He glanced at the dilapidated coffee machine. "First thing we're going to do is replace
that."

Ednaspread-eagledherthinframeinfrontofit."Overmydeadbody!"sheexclaimed."Ifitgoes,I
go."

Langpeereddownather."Makesgoodcoffee,doesit?"

"Thebest,"sheassuredhim.

"Proveit,"hechallenged.

Herdarkeyessparkled."Mypleasure,"shesaid,andproceededtocrankuptheveteranmachine.

Tenminuteslater,Langhadtoagreethattheycouldn'ttakeachanceonanewcoffeemakerbeingup
to those standards. His co-workers chuckled, and decided that the new addition might not be such a
pain,afterall.

Thenextday,dressedinhisbestgraysuit,red-stripedtieandneatlypressedcottonshirt,Langmadea
tourofthefivecompaniesundertheLancaster,Incorporatedumbrella.

ThefirstwasLancaster,Inc.,itself,whichownedandwaslocatedinahugeofficecomplexthatserved
as headquarters for several other San Antonio companies. There were ten security people, five day
and five night, who looked after the safety of the various buildings. One did nothing but assure the
safety of the parking garage adjacent to it, and inspected the parking permits of the complex's
occupants.Theotherspatrolledincarsandonfoot,maintainingahighlevelofsecurity.

He interviewed the personnel and found one particular man not at all to his liking. There was
somethingaboutthesecurityofficerthatdisturbedhim,moresowhenLangcaughthimcallingouta
verypersonalremarktooneofthewomenwhoworkedinthebuilding.Perhapstheywerefriends,
becausethewomansmiledwanlyandkeptwalking.ButLangrememberedtheincidentlater,whenhe
wastalkingtothebuilding'smainsecurityofficer.

Two of the headquarters' offices located in this complex— one a canning concern and the other a
meat packer—had been targeted by protestors from various radical groups, Lang was told by the
mainsecurityofficer,amanyoungerthanLang.Securitywasresponsibleforseeingtoitthatnoneof
thetenantsgothurt.Langaskedcasuallyifthemanhadanyproblemswithhispersonnel.Therewasa
pregnantpause,andhetoldLangthathe'dhadacomplaintortwoaboutoneofthemen,buthewas
keepingacloseeyeonhim.Langdidn'tlikethesoundofthat.

Lang'ssecondchargewasadepartmentstoreofvintageage,wheretwostoriesoffineclothingwere
underthecareoftwoday-securitypeopleandonenightguard.Theyoungerofthethreewasalittle
cockyuntilhelearnedLang'sbackground,andthenitwasamusingtowatchhimbackpedalandtryto

makeamends.

The third of the businesses was a small garment company that manufactured blue jeans. It had only
one security guard for day and one for night. Lang liked the night man, who was a veteran of the
DrugEnforcementAdministration.He'dhavetomakeapointofstoppingbyonenighttotalkover
oldtimeswithhim.

Thefourthcompanywasalicensedwarehousewhereimportedgoodswerebroughtandstoreduntil
theyclearedcustoms.

AndthefifthcompanyundertheumbrellaofLancaster,Inc.'ssecuritynetworkwasanewandthriving
companycalledContactsUnlimited.ItboastedsixexecutivesandtenemployeesintheLancaster,Inc.
officecomplexwhereLanghadstartedoutinvestigatinghissecurityforcethatmorning.

Lang spoke to the company president, Mack Dunlap, about any complaints he might have with the
company'ssecurity.Itwasafollow-uptothetalkhe'dalreadyhadwiththecomplex'smainsecurity
official,whowasunderLang'sauthoritynow.

"Notme,"Mack,atallbaldingman,saidbrightly."Butoneofourvicepresidentssaysthatoneofthe
day-securitymenmadeaverysuggestiveremarktoher."

Lang'seyesnarrowed."Didhe,now?"heasked."I'dlikeawordwithher.NaturallyI'mgoingtotake
suchcomplaintsveryseriously."

Mack'seyebrowswentup."That'snew.OldBaxter,whohadthejobbeforeyou,justlaughed.Hesaid
womenshouldgetusedtothatsortoftalk.Shehadwordswithhim,letmetellyou."

"Ican'tdoanythingaboutBaxter,butIcanpromiseyouthatanewyardstickwillbeusedtomeasure
oursecuritypeoplefromnowon."

Macksmiled."Thanks.Uh,rightdownthere,seconddoortotheleft.She'sinthisafternoon."

"I'llonlytakeaminuteofhertime,"Langsaidwithformalpoliteness.

Hewenttothedoor,notreallynoticingthenameplate,andknocked.

"Comein,"cameapoised,quietlyfemininevoice.

Heopenedthedoorandfrozeinthedoorway.

She was dressed in an off-white linen suit with a pea green blouse that just matched her eves. Her
blondhairwascutshortaroundherface,curlingtowardhighcheekbonesandabow-shapedmouth.

Shewaslookingdownataspreadsheet,herthineyebrowsdrawnintoaslightfrownasshetriedto
unravelsomefiguresthathadherpuzzled.

"WhatcanIdoforyou,Mack?"sheaskedabsently,withoutlookingup.

Lang'shandtightenedonthedoorknob.Allthememorieswererushingbackathimfromoutofthe
past, stinging his heart, his mind, making him hoarse. Bob's grinning face flashed in his mind, and
now he knew why his brother had reacted so strongly to news that Lang was going to work for
Lancaster,Inc.

"Isaid..."Kirrylookedup,andthosegreeneyeswentfromshocktofascinationtosheerhatredina
splitsecond.Shestoodup,asslenderandprettyasever,butwithanewmaturityabouther.

"Hello,Kirry,"Langsaidquietly,forcinghimselftosmilewithcarelessindifference."Longtimeno
see."

"WhatistheCIAdoinghere?"shewantedtoknow.

Langlookedaround."WhatCIA?"

"You!"

"Oh.I'mnotCIA.Well,notanymore,"hereplied."IjustwenttoworkforLancaster,Inc.I'mtheirnew
chiefofsecurity."Hegrinnedfromeartoearatherdiscomfort."Isn'titasmallworld!"

Kirrysatbackdown,asgracefullyasshecouldwithherheartbreakinginsideherbody.Sheforceda
smile,almostascarelessasLang's.

"Yes,"shesaid,"itisasmallworld.WhatcanIdoforyou,Lang?"

"Yourbosssaysyou'vehadsomeproblemswithoneofoursecuritypeople."

"Oh."

Hestuckhishandsintohispockets."Well?"

Sohehadn'tfoundoutwheresheworkedandcomejusttoseeher.Itwasbusiness.Thatshouldn'thave
disappointedher.Afterall,itwasfiveyearsagowhenhestormedoutofherlite.Butitdiddisappoint
her.

Hewasn'tsmoking.Intheolddays,therehadalwaysbeenacigarettedanglingfromhisfingers.She
wondered why he'd given it up. Perhaps they didn't let secret agents smoke or practice any other
addictionsthatmightputthejobatrisk.

"Mr.Eriksonseemstofinditamusingtomakevulgarremarkstome,"shesaid,easingdownintoher
chairwithassumednonchalance.

"TellMr.Eriksontocutitout."

"I have. He can't understand why I should find it offensive. I am a woman, after all. Women were
created,orsohesays,forman'spleasure,"sheaddedmeaningfully.

Hepursedhislips."Isee.Howoldamanarewediscussing?"

"He'ssomewherenearfifty,Iguess."

"Heshouldknowbetter."

"Ihopeyou'llmakethatclear.Icameveryclosetofilingchargesagainsthimyesterday."

"Forwhat?"

Shedidn'tlikediscussingitwithLang.Shehesitated.

"Wewerefriendsonce,"heremindedher.

"HewasmakingremarksaboutthesizeofmyfoundationgarmentsandwhetherornotIworeblack
ones.Thenheproceededtosay,"shesaid,takingabreath,"thathe'dbuymeoneifI'dputitonfor
him."

Langdidn'tlikethat,anditshowed."I'llhavetohavealittletalkwithhim.Ifithappensagain,Iwant
toknow."

Shemethiseveslevelly."Ifitdoes,I'llhavehimprosecuted.Nobodyshouldhavetotakethatkindof
abusejusttoholddownajob.Thisisagoodjob,too.Idon'twanttoloseit."

"You won't." He turned back toward the door, his hand on the knob, and looked back at her quietly.
"How'syourmother?"heasked.

"I have no idea," she replied coolly. "The last I heard, she and her fourth husband were living in
Denmark."

Heavertedhiseyesandleftwithoutaconventionalgoodbye.

Kirry unclasped her hands and discovered that they were cold and shaking. It had been a long time
sinceshe'dlethernervesaffectherlikethis.Evenfinalseverysemesteratcollegehadn'trattledher
thisbadly.Ofcourse,Langwasmuchworsethantests.

Shetriedtoconcentrateonherwork,buthermindkeptreturningtotheturbulentdaysbeforeLang
hadlefttown.Shemadeacursoryexaminationofanewfile,butshecouldn'tkeephermindonit.

Sheturnedherswivelchairaroundandlookedoutthewindow.Langhadjustleftthebuilding.Hewas
gettingintoalate-modelcarwithLancaster,Inc.,Securitywrittenonthesideofit.Hisdarkhairhad
the sheen of a raven's wing in the sun. She remembered how it had felt to touch it, to let it ripple
throughherfingersinthedarknessofaparkedcar.Somanyyearsago....

Thebuzzerdistractedher.Shepickedupthereceiver."Yes?"

"It's me, Kirry. Betty," her friend said, identifying herself. "You really get results, don't you?" She
laughed.

"Whatdoyoumean?"

"OurfriendEriksonjustgottheboot.HemouthedoffatDaddyLancaster'snewsecuritychiefabout
womenbeingfairgameforanyman.Hisjawisstilldangling."

Kirrycaughtherbreath."Langfiredhim!"

"Lang?"

"LangPatton.Thenewsecuritychief.I..usedtoknowhim,whenIwasyounger."

"Ah,sothat'showthewindblows."

"Youdidn'tthinkIwasgoingtotakeitmuchlonger?"sheasked.

"No.AndIwasn't,either.AllofusweresickofErikson'sinnuendos.We'regoingtotakeyououtto
lunch.Justthink,maybeMr.Pattonwillsendussomebodyyoungandhandsomeandsingle."

"He'llprobablysendyouanex-marinewithasweettooth."Kirrychuckled.

"Spoilsport.Listen,Erikson'sprettymad.Youshouldsteerclearofthisareauntilheleaves."

"I'mnotafraidofhim."

"Well,youmightbewisetoavoidhim,justthesame.Seeyoulater."

BettyhungupandKirrybitherlowerlip.Shehadn'twantedtocausetrouble.Mostmenwerepolite
andcourteous.ButEricksonhadbeenmenacingwithhisremarksandthewayhelookedatwomen.
Kirryfeltuncleanwhenshehadtopasshiminthehall.

At first she'd thought that perhaps she was overreacting. After all, she'd just come from university,
wheremenandwomenenjoyedanintellectualkinshipthatusuallyprecludedsexistremarksoneither
side.Butintherealworldthereweremenstillmentallylivinginanagewhenwomenweretreatedas
sexualproperty.IthadcomeasashocktoKirrytofindherselfworkinginthesamecloseareawitha
manwhofeltfreetomakesuggestiveremarkstoanywomanhechose.

EriksonhadactuallypinchedBettyonthebuttocks,andwhenshe'dslappedhim,he'dlaughedandsaid
wasn'tthatcute.Womenalwaysmeantyes,evenwhentheysaidno,headded.

Kirry could have told Lang a lot more than she had, but apparently he'd found out Erikson for
himself.Shefeltbothrelievedandsickatthefiring.Eriksonhadnofamily,buthewasanolderman
andhemighthaveahardtimefindinganotherjob.Forthat,shefeltguilty.Evenknowingthattheman
hadbroughtitonhimselfdidn'tmakeherfeelalotbetter.

ThephonerangandKirrypickeditup.

"Don'tthinkyou'regoingtogetawaywithit,tellingallthoseliesaboutme,"Eriksonsharshvoice
informedher."I'llgetyou.Countonit."

ThereceiverwentdownandKirryfeltacurlofrealfear.

Surelyitwasjustbadtemper.He'dgetoverit.Butinthemeantime,shewasgoingtomakesurethat
she never presented him with any opportunities to make his threat known. And perhaps she should
mentionittoLangJustincase.

Thateveningwhenshewenthome,shemadesurethatsheleftinbroaddaylight.Therewouldbeno
moreworkinglate,shetoldherboss,untilthethreatwasover,andMackhadagreedwholeheartedly.

Itwasalongwalkfromtheparkinglotintoherapartmentbuilding.Shelookedaround,butshedidn't

seeanythingoutoftheordinary.Shewentinside,gratefulthattherewasasecuritymanevenhere,and
quicklywentuptoherapartmentonthesecondfloor.

She'd decorated it with a lot of greenery and simple furniture. It was a lonely apartment, but very
pretty,andshehadherownlittlekitchenette.Notonlythat,therewasabalcony.Thebalconyhadbeen
the drawing card when she settled here. It overlooked the Alamo in the distance, and she had a
mesquitetreejustoutsideit,withlongfeatheryfrondsofgreenerytrailingtotheground.Sheloved
thetreeandtheview.Shehadaloungechairoutthere,soshecouldlazeinthespringsunlight.

Aftershechangedintojeansandaloose-knitblouse,shefixedherselfacupofcoffeeandslidonto
thelounger.Thesun,lateafternoonthoughitwas,feltgoodonherface.

She remembered another spring afternoon, the day she'd realized that she was falling in love with
LangPatton.She'dbeenlazingawayinthetreeinherfrontyardinFloresville.She'dbeenjustsixteen
years old. The Campbell house in those days was just down the street from the Patton home place.
LangwasoutofschoolbythenandworkingwiththeSanAntoniopoliceforce,buthecamehomeon
weekendssometimestovisithisparentsandhisbrother.He'dbeengoingwithamodelnamedLorna
McLane,butthey'djustbrokenup.Hewasalonenowwhenhecamehome.Kirrywasglad.Shedidn't
likethesuperiorwayLornalookeddownhernoseatpeople.

KirryhadalwaysknownLang.He'dbeenlikeabigbrothertohermostofherlife.

"Getdownoutoftherebeforeyoukillyourself"he'dcalleduptoher,grinningashestoodbelowin
ablackT-shirtandbluejeans.Hewaspowerfullybuiltandshelovedtolookathim.Itmadehertingle
allover.

"Itisn'tagainstthelawtoclimbtrees,"sheinformedhimpertly,laughing."Goarrestsomebodyelse."

"I'mveryhappywhereIam,thanks."Helookedforfootholdsandhandholds,andaminutelaterhe
wasupinthenextlimb,leaningbackagainstthebigoak'strunk."Here.Haveapear."Heproduced
onefromhispocketandretrievedhisownfromtheother.

Langhadnoticedher,too,thatday.Hiseyeshadbeenslowandboldonherlong,tannedlegsandthe
thrustofherbreastsinthefront-tiedblouseshewaswearingwithhercutoffs.Hehadn'tmadeamove
inherdirection.Butafterthatday,he'dteasedherandtheirrelationshiphadturnedtofriendship.

HowlongagoitseemedthatLanghadmadetimetolistentoherproblemsatschool.Hermotherwas
too busy getting married and divorced to pay Kirry much attention, and she had no other relatives.
ShegravitatedtowardthePattonplace.Lang'smotherhadbeendeadforyears.Nobodyevertalked
abouther,leastofallLang.WhenLang'sfatherdiedsuddenlyofaheartattack,Kirrywastherewith
quietsympathyandcompassion.ShesatandheldLang'shandallduringthefuneral.WhenBoband
Connie's son Mikev had been born, Kirry had gone with Lang to the christening. And all at once,
Langwaseverywhereshewent....

Theringingofthetelephonemadeherjump.Shewenttoansweritandhesitateduncharacteristically.
Surelyitwouldn'tbeErikson.Wouldit?

Herheartwaspoundingassheliftedthereceiver."Kirry?"

ItwasLang.Sherelaxed,butonlyalittle."Hi,Lang."

"IthoughtyoushouldknowthatIfiredEriksonthisafternoon,"hesaidquietly."Hewasprettymad.If
hegivesyouanytrouble,Iwanttoknowaboutit."

"Hecalledmebeforeheleft,"shereturned."Hesaidhewasgoingto'getme.'"

Therewasapause."Didthatfrightenyou?"

Shesmiled,andtwirledthephonecordaroundherfingers."Alittle."

"Really?"Therewasasmileinhisvoice."ThegirlIusedtoknowwouldhavelaidhisheadopenwith
abaseballbat."

"Mymothernevercaredaboutmeenoughtofightmybattles.Ihadtogrowuptough."

"Ifoughtsomeofthemforyou,"heremindedher.

"Oh,yes.Youweremyfriend."Theeyeshecouldn'tseeweresad,fullofbadmemories."Ihavetogo,
Lang."

"Wait."

"Wehavenothingtosay,"sherepliedsadly.

"I'msorryyouwouldn'treadtheletterIsentyou,Kirry,"hesaidafteraminute.

"Youdidn'ttrustme,"sheremindedhim."YouthoughtthatIwasatwo-timingplaygirl."

"Iwascrazywithjealousy,"hereplied."Didn'tyouknowthatI'dcooldownandcometomysenses
eventually?"

Shelaughedbitterly."Bythetimeyoudid,Idstoppedcaring.Iwasdatinganewguvatcollegeand
enjovingmyself"sheliedwithfinesse.Notforworldswouldshetellhimhowithadreallybeenwhen
herefusedtolistentoherexplanations.

Langfrozeinside.He'dthoughtKirrylovedhim.Ifshe'dtakenupwithsomeoneelsesoquickly,she
couldn'thave.Itwasanunexpectedblowtohisego."Thenitwasjustaswellthatyourefusedtoaccept
it."

"Wasthereanythingelse?"sheaskedpolitely.

"Yes. Let me know if you have any more contact with Erikson," he replied. "He's mixed up with a
coupleofthelocalouter-fringeelements.Ithinkhe'sloopy."

"Niceword."

"Doyouthinkso?"hesaid,grinning."I'mthinkingofbuyingtherightstoit."

"I'llcallyouifIhaveanytrouble.Thanksforchecking,Lang."

"Sure."

She put down the receiver, idly caressing it as she thought about how it had felt to kiss Lang. Pipe
dreams,sheremindedherself.Shecouldn'taffordtogothatrouteagain.Ithadreallybrokenherupto
losehim,especiallysincehermotherhadbeeninthethroesofanotherdivorceatthetime.Herhome
life had been virtually nonexistent, and that was one reason she'd gone off to university without a
protest.Itseemedlikealifetimeagonow.Shehadtomakesurethatitstayedthatway.

Langsettledinathishotelandwenttowork.Withinaweekhehadagrasponthesecuritysetupwithin
theLancasterorganization,andhewasconfidentthathecouldupgradeittoamoreefficientlevel.

Kirryworriedhim,though.She'dbeenverycautiousinhermovementsforafewdaysafterErikson
was fired, but she'd suddenly grown careless. Today she was working late, and it was already dark.
Langknewforafactthatherparkinglotwouldbedeserted.Hedecidedthatintheinterestofkeeping
hersafe,he'dbettercheckonher.

Sureenough,theparkinglotwasdeserted,exceptforanolder-modelbluesedanwithafamiliarface
init.

Confrontation,Langhadfound,wasthebestwaytoavoidrealtrouble.Hepulledupbesidetheblue
sedanandgotoutofhissecuritycar.Hewaswearinganautomaticunderhisarm,anecessityinhis
newlineofwork.Hehopedhewouldn'thavetopullit.

"Whatareyoudoinghere,Erikson?"Langasked."You'reonprivateproperty."

Erikson,athin,cold-eyedman,lookedvaguelydisconcertedbyLang'sdirectapproach."I'menjoying
theview."

"Enjoyitfromanotherperspective,"Langsuggestedtohimwithadangeroussmile."Andincaseyou
have any ideas about retribution, you'd do better to forget them.You may have had a few years
experienceinthearmyandasasecurityguard,butIwasCIAforfiveyears.I'veforgottentricksyou
neverevenlearned."

Theimpliedthreatseemedtobeenough.Withoutareply,Eriksonstartedhiscarandpulledoutofthe
parkinglot,givingLangaresentfulglareontheway.

Langwatchedhimdriveoutofsightbeforeheturnedandwentintothebuilding.

Kirrywasatherdesk,talkingonthephonetosomeonewhowasobviouslyaclient.

"Youhavenothingtoworryabout!"shewasreassuringthepartyattheendoftheline."Honestly,it's
allundercontrol.That'sright.We'lltakecareofeverything.Allyouhavetodoisjustshowup,okay?

Okay.We'lltakegoodcareofyou.Yes.Yes.Certainly.Thankyou!Goodbye."

Shehungupwithanaudiblesighofreliefandleanedbackinherchair.HergreeneyesfoundLangin
the doorway and she jumped, but not with fear. The impact of his presence had always caused that
reaction,althoughshewasusuallyabletohideit.Tonight,shewastired.Tenthingshadgonewrong
sinceshewalkedinthedoor,andshe'dspentthedayuntyingtangles.

"Ididn'tthinkanyonewasstillinthebuilding,"shesaid,sittingup.

"Icamebytochecktheparkinglot,"hesaid,shrugginghisbigshoulders.Thesoftfabricofhisgray-
and-tansportcoatmovedwiththeaction,andthebulgeunderhisarmwasvisible.

"You'rewearingagun,"sheaccusedinvoluntarily.

Hisexpressionwasunfamiliarashelookedather."I'vewornagunforalongtime.Youneverused
topayanyattentiontoit."

"ThatwasbeforeyousignedonwiththeCompanyandwentofftoseehowmanybulletsyoucould
collectandstilllive,"shesaidwithasweetsmilethatdidn'treachhereyes.

"Don'ttellmeyoucared,cupcake."

Sheloweredhereyes.Shewaswearinganeatgraysuitwithapalepinkknitblouse,andshelooked
fragileandverypretty.Langcouldn'tdraghisevesawayfromher.

"IthoughtIdid,"shereplied."Butyoucuredme."

Hemovedforward,clearedacornerofhercluttereddeskandperchedhimselfthere.Themovement
pulledhisslackstautacrosshispowerfulthighs.Kirryhadtofightnottolookatthem.She'dtouched
him there, once. She could still remember the impact of it, his hand guiding hers in the heat of
passion,hishoarsemoanwhenshebegantocaresshim.

"Whyareyoustillhere?"heasked,breakingintoherembarrassingthoughts.

"Business,"shesaid,clearingherthroat."I'mavicepresident.I'minchargeofarrangementswhenwe
haveourclientsmakepersonalappearances.Sometimesthingsgowrong,liketoday."

"Andyouhavetocleanthemup."

Shesmiled."That'sright."

"It'sdarkoutside."

"Yes,Iknow.Ihavethis,though."SheproducedakeychainwithasmallcontainerofMace.

He sighed gently. "Kirry, what if the wind's in the wrong direction when you use it? And do you
realizehowcloseyouhavetobe?"

Sheflushed."Well,Ihavethis,too."Sheheldupacannedscreamer.

"Great.Whatifthere'snobodywithinhearingrange?"

Shebegantofeelnervous.IftherewasonethingLangdidknowabout,itwaspersonalprotection."I
don'tlikeguns,"shebegan.

"Agunisthelastthingyouneed.Haveyoutakenanyself-defensecoursesatall?"

"No.Idon'thavetime."

"Maketime,"hesaidbluntly.

He looked concerned. That disturbed her. She began to make connections. His presence here, his
insistenceonprotectionforher...

"Somebodywasintheparkinglot,"shesaidastutely,hergreeneyesnarrowedandintentonhishard
face."Erikson?"

Henodded."Ithreatenedhimandranhimoutoftheparkinglot.ButIcan'trunhimoffapublicstreet,
youunderstand?There'snolawagainstit."

"Butthat'scalledstalking,"shesaiduneasily.

"Andrightnow,itisn'tagainstthelaw,"herepliedgrimly.

She recalled cases she'd seen on television, mostly of angry ex-bovfriends or ex-husbands who
stalkedandfinallykilledwomen.Thepolicecoulddonothingbecauseacrimehadtobecommitted
beforethepolicecouldact.Andbythetimethathappened,usuallyitwastoolateforthevictim.

"Hewouldn'tkillme,"shestammered.

"Thereareotherthingshecoulddo,"Langsaiddistastefully.

Her lips parted as she let out a quick breath. "I don't believe this," she said. "I was only defending
myselfagainstanimpossiblesituation.Inevermeant..."

"Doyouthinkitwouldhavegottenbetterifyou'dignoredit?"heaskedgently."Menlikethatdon't
stop.Theygetworse.Youknowthat."

Shepushedbackherwavyblondhair."Iknow,butIneverexpectedthis."Herwideeyessoughthis.
"He'llquit,won'the?He'llgettiredofitandgoaway?"

Hepickedupapapercliponherdeskandtwisteditbetweenhislong,broadfingers."Idon'tthinkso."

Herhandsfeltcold.Sheclaspedthemtogether,withasickfeelinginthepitofherstomachmaking
heruncomfortable."WhatcanIdo?"

"I'lltrytokeepaneyeonyouasmuchasIcan,"hebegan.

"Lang, that won't do," she said. "You can't watch me all the time. It wouldn't be fair to ask you to. I
have to be able to take care of myself." She looked down at her slender body, remembering that
Erikson was much taller and outweighed her by about sixty pounds. She smiled ruefully. "I can't
believeI'lleverfrightenanyonewithself-defense,butIguessI'llseeifIcanfindaclasstojoin."

"Mostofthemareatnight,"hesaid."Veryfewkarateinstructorscanaffordtooperateamartialarts
studiofull-time."

"SurelythereareSaturdayclasses,"shesaid.

"Maybe."Hesmiledtenderly."Butnobodycanteachyouself-defensebetterthanIcan.AndIcankeep
aneyeonyouintheprocess."

Sheavertedhereyes."Thatwouldn'tbeagoodidea."

He studied her down-bent head with faint guilt. "We were friends once. More than friends," he
remindedhersoftly."Can'tyoupretendthatnothinghappenedbetweenus,justforafewweeks,until
wecansolvetheproblemofErikson?"

Hereyeswerewary,distrustful."Idon'tknow,Lang."

"We'redifferentpeople,"hesaid,pointedly."IfI'mnot,whywouldIhavelefttheCompany?"

Shefrowned."Ihadn'tthoughtaboutthat.Whydidyouleaveit?Evenwhenyouwereyounger,allyou
talkedaboutwasbecominganagent."

"Igotmyprioritiesstraight,"hereturned.

"Didyoureally?"Hereyesnarrowed."HowdidyouknowthatLancaster,Inc.,neededanewsecurity
chief?"

"Afriendtoldme,"hesaid.Hewasn'tgoingtotellherwhothefriendwas.Notyet.She'dneverliked
Lorna, and the reverse was also true. Lorna didn't have any romantic designs on him, but he didn't
wantKirrytoknow.Notyet.

Hisdarkeyesslidoverherface,downtoherslenderbodyandbackupagain.Hewantedsobadlyto
askiftherewasamaninherlife,butthatwastoomuchtoosoon.Besides,hehadtobesureabouthis
ownfeelingsbeforehestartedtryingtocoaxhers.Hecouldn'tbeartohurtheragain.

"Idon'tknowifI'dbeanygoodatmartialarts,"shebeganslowly.

She was going to give in. He knew it instinctively, and it delighted him. He smiled at her without
mockeryormalice."Let'sfindout,"hesuggested.

Herbreathsighedout."Allright.I'llhavetofititinwithwork,though.When?"

"Twonightsaweek,twohoursanight,"hesaid."Andyou'llhavetopracticeathome,too."

"Thissoundslikealotofwork,"shemumbled.

"Itis.Butit'sworthit.Itcouldsaveyourlife."

"You're really concerned about Erikson, aren't you?" she asked. If Lang was worried, there was a
causeforconcern.

"Let'ssaythatI'mstayingontherightsideofcaution,"hecorrected.Hisbigshouldersliftedandfell
carelessly,andhesmiledather."Humorme.Foroldtimes'sake."

ShefrownedandchewedonafingernailwhilesheponderedtheanguishofbeingsoclosetoLang
whenshe'dspentyearstryingtoforgethim.

"Or am I overlooking the obvious?" he asked suddenly, and his face changed, hardened. "Is there a
maninthepicture,someonewhoexpectsyourcompanyintheevenings?"

Shewishedwithallherheartthatshecouldanswerhimintheaffirmative.Ridiculous,topinefora
manallthattime,andafterhe'dtreatedhersoshabbily.Buthedidlookdifferent.Hewasn'tthesame
hard-nosed, arrogant man who'd left Floresville to join the Company several years ago. He'd
mellowed.Thethreatwasstillthere,theruthlessness,buttherewasanewtenderness,too.

"No,Lang,"shesaid."There'snoone."

His eyelids flickered, but his face gave away nothing. "All right, then. Suppose we go shopping
tomorrowwhenyougetoffwork,andwe'llbegintomorrownight?"

Shefrowned."Shopping?Forwhat?"

Hechuckled."Waitandsee."

Kirrygroanedasshelookedatherselfinthemirror."Lang,itlookslikepajamas,"shemoaned.Lang
openedthedoortoherbedroomandleanedagainstthedoorjamb,hisarmsfolded,tostudyher.She
was wearing what they'd bought that afternoon; it was a white gi, the traditional karate uniform of
white pants and a white top with one side folded over the other. For a beginner, the first gi was
secured by a white belt. Colored belts had to be earned with new skills at each level of
accomplishment,thehighestofwhichwasblack.

Kirrylookedfragileindieoutfit,slenderandnotatallthreatening.Herheadwasbent,hershoulders
slumped,baringhernapewhereherhairwasshortinback.

"Letmeexplainsomethingtoyou,"hesaiddisapprovingly,jerkingawayfromthedoorframetostand
justbehindher."Thefirstruleofself-defenseistoneverlookvulnerable.Inthewild,ananimalwill
nevershowillness,rightuptothepointofdeath,topreventbeingattacked.Itisn'tmuchdifferentwith
people.Apotentialattackercanspotaneasyvictim."

"How?"sheasked,peeringintohiseyesinthemirror.

"You carry yourself as if you've already been beaten, didn't you know?" he asked gentlv. "Your
shoulders are thrown forward. You keep your eyes and head down when you walk.You clutch your
bagclose—notabadidea,butthewayyoudoitisadeadgiveaway."

"WhatshouldIdo,walkdownthestreetaimingkaratechopsateverytreeIpass?"sheasked.

Hegrinned."Notabadidea,ifyoucanlearnhowtoknockonedownthatway.Otherwise,passonit.
Listen,youhavetowalkasifyouowntheworldandknowfullwellthatyoucanbreakeverybonein
anattacker'sbody.Sometimesjustyourpostureisenoughtowardofftrouble.Standupstraight."

Shedid,givingherslenderbodyanaddedelegance.

"Nowholdyourheadup.Don'tmakelongeyecontact—amanmightconstruethatasaninvitation—
butdon'tkeepyoureyesdownasifyou'reafraidtolookatpeople."

"Iam,sometimes,"sheconfessedwithafaintsmile."Peopleintimidateme."

"Right.That'swhyyou'reinapublicrelationsjob."

"I can bluff enough to do my job. It's after work that gives me problems," she said with a sigh,
glancingcriticallyatherselfinthemirror."Idon'tmixwell."

"Youalwayswereshy,exceptwithpeopleyouknew,"herecalled.Hiseyesdroppedtohersoftmouth,

pinkwithlipstick,andheremembereditclinginghotlytohim,pleadingformorethananyhonorable
man could give her. He hadn't wanted to get married, and Kirry was not the sort of girl he felt
comfortable seducing outside of marriage. He'd talked about marrying her, and he knew that it was
whatshewanted,butthingshadn'tworkedout.Ithadbeenasadsituationaltogether,andhestillwasn't
proudofhissolution.Insteadofjusttellingherhedidn'twanttogetmarried,he'dmadearunforit.
And his best friend had unwittingly given him the escape he needed. Kirry had been the one who'd
sufferedthemost.

"Wouldyoumindnotlookingatmelikethat?"sheasked,liftinghergreeneyestohisdarkonesinthe
mirror. "This is nice of you, to teach me how to take care of myself, but I'd rather if it wasn't...
uncomfortable."

"Sorry,"hesaidabruptly."BacktowhatIwastellingyou,"hesaid,changingthesubject."Walkwitha
purposewhenyougoout,asifyouknowexactlywhereyou'regoing—evenifyou'relost.Keepyour
chinup,lookatpeople,butjustenoughtoletthemknowyouseethem.Whenyou'regoingtoyour
car, always have your keys in your hand, not in your purse. Look in the back seat and all around
beforeyouopenthedoorandgetin,andthenlockit.Don'tevergointoadarkparkinglotaloneat
night,ortoanautomatedbankteller.Womenhaveriskedthatandturnedupdead."

Sheshivered."You'refrighteningme."

"Iwantto,"hesaid.Hisdarkeyesdidn'tblink."Iwantyoutounderstandhowdrastictheconsequences
canbe."

"Womenshouldbeabletogowherevertheylike..."

"Don'thandmethat,"hesaidshortly."Soshouldmenandkids,buttheymustabidebythesamerules.
It's that sort of world. Nobody is safe in a city alone after dark—man, woman or child. Men get
attacked,too,youknow,evenifitisn'tusuallyforthesamereasonsthatwomendo."

"Ourcultureissick,"sheremarkedphilosophically.

"Whatever.Wedealwithitasbestwecan.WhatI'mgoingtoteachyouwillkeepyoualive,atleast.
Comeon.Getyourcoat."

"ButIthoughtweweregoingtopracticehere..."shebegan.

"Doyoureallyliketheideaofbeingthrownflatonyourbackonawoodfloor?"heaskedpleasantly.

Shegloweredathim."Whatdoyoumean,thrownonmyback?"

"Didn'tImentionit?Inkarate,thefirstthingtheyteachyouishowtofallcorrectly.You'regoingto
befallingalot,flatonyourbackandeveryotherway."

"You'rekidding!"

"Thinkso?"Hehandedherthelightweightcarcoatsheworeoncoolspringnights.

Sheputitonwitharesignedbreath.Shehopedshecouldworkwithbrokenbones.

Langhadafriendwhoranagym.Themanwasmiddle-aged,butverymuscularandfit,andheand
Langseemedtoknoweachotherfromwayback.

"Karate,huh?"theman,Tony,mused,studyingKirry."Isshetoughenough?"

Kirrydrewherselftoherfullheightandglaredathim."Shesureis,"shesaidwithajerkofherhead.

He chuckled. "Good. If Lang teaches you, you'll need to be. Most of his students quit after the first
nightwhenhewasonthepoliceforce,teachingitinhissparetime."

TonyambledawayandKirryfollowedLangovertoalong,thickmatonthefloorofthegymnear
thewall."Ididn'tknowyoutaughtkarate,"sheremarked.

"You didn't know a lot of things that I did," he replied carelesslv. "You know how to stretch, don't
you?"

"Yes.Idothateverymorning."

"DosomestretcheswhileIgetintomygi."

Hewalkedawaywithhisblackduffelbag,andKirrysettledontothemat.

Whiletheminutestickedaway,shebecameslowlyawareofcuriousglancesfromsomeoftheother
occupantsofthegym.Mostofthemwereworkingoutonmachines.Twoyoungwomenwerelifting
weights.Anotherwasdoingisometricexercises.

Loud noises from the other end of the gym drew her attention. She noticed several men gathered
around a punching bag near where Lang had gone. Someone was doing kicks and spins with
incrediblespeedandgrace,whichmadeKirrydizzy.Shepausedinherownstretchingjusttowatch
him.Hewentupwithahighjumpkickandthegymvibratedashisfootconnectedwiththehanging
bag.Helandedandturned,laughing,andshesuddenlyrecognizedhim.ItwasLang!

She stared at him as he spoke to the men and walked toward her. The gi fit him very nicely, loose
though it was, giving an impression of great strength. Her eyes fell to his belt and she wasn't
surprisedtoseethatitwasblack,thehallmarkofthehighestranksofskillinthesport.

"We'dbetterstoprightnow,"shetoldhimbreathlessly,"becauseI'mnevergoingtobeabletodowhat
youjustdid."

Hegrinned."Nottoday,anyway.Limberedup,arewe?"

Shegrimaced."Iguess."Sheeyedhimwarily."Didyoumeanit,aboutmakingmefall?"

Henodded."Don'tworry.There'sarightwaytodoit.Youwon'tgethurt."

Thatwaswhathethought.Justbeingclosetohimmadeallhersensesstir.

"Readytogetstarted?"heasked.Hiseyesfelltoherwatch.

"Takethatoff,"hesaid."Neverwearjewelryonthemat,it'sdangerous."

"Oh. Sorry." She stripped it off and slipped it into the pocket of her coat. There were no rings to
worryabout.Shehadn'twornaringsinceLanghadgivenherasmallemeraldoneforherbirthday.
Shestillhadit,safeinadrawer,butsheneverputiton.

She went back to the mat. He taught her how to approach the mat, because there was ritual and
reverence even in that. Then he taught her the bow to an opponent. Afterward, he taught her the
rigorousdisciplinedstretchesthatprecededallkaratelessons.Shewasworn-outfromthembeforehe
tookherbacktothematandshowedherhowtodoleftandrightsidebreakfallsandbackbreakfalls.
Shespentthenexthourfallingdown.Onceshemissedthematandlandedonherhiponthehardgym
floor.

"Yousaiditwouldn'thurt,"shemuttered,rubbingherbehind.

"Itdoesn't,ifyoulandwhereyou'resupposedto,"hereturned."Watchwhereyou'regoing."

"Yes,sir,"shemurmuredwithamischievousglance.

"Falldown."

Shegroaned."Whichway?"

"Yourchoice."

"Mychoicewouldbeanicehotbathandbed,"shetoldhim.

Hesmiled."Tired?"

Shehesitated,thenshenodded.

"Okav,tiger,that'senoughfortoday.Attention."Hecalledhertothebeginningstance."Bow."

Shebowed.Helefthertochangebackintohisstreetclothesandsheleanedagainstthewall,feeling
pummeled.

Thevdrovehomeinacontentedsilence.

"Whatkindofkarateisit?"sheasked."Duringthatlastbreakoneofthemenmentionedthatthereare
differentkinds."

"You'restudyingtaekwondo,"hetoldher."It'saKoreanformofmartialart,onewhichspecializesin
kicks."

"Kicks."

"You'vegotthelegsforit,andIdon'tmeanthatinanoffensiveway,"headded."Youhavelonglegs,
andthey'restrongones.Kicksarepotentiallymuchmoredangerousthanhandblows."

"I felt the gym shake when you did that jump kick, just after you put on your gi," she murmured
demurely.

He chuckled. "I did nothing but practice when I first joined the police force. While the other single
guyswereoutchasingwomenanddrinkingbeerintheirsparetime,Iwasinthegymlearninghowto
dospinkicks."

"You're...amazingtowatch,"shesaid,searchingfortherightwordtodescribetheelegantskillofhis
movements.

Hesmiled."Flattery?"

"Notatall!"

"Ifyouworkatit,youcandothosesamemoves,"hesaid."Plentyofwomenareblackbelts.Infact,I
workedonacasewithanotherCompanyagentwhohadahigherrankthanmine.Shetaughtmesome
newmoves."

Sheclosedup."Didshe?"sheasked,glancingoutthewindow.

Hesmiledtohimself.Thewomanhe'djustmentionedwasaretiredarmyofficerofsixty.Hewouldn't
disillusionKirrybypassingthatlittlebitofinformationalong.

"Want to stop somewhere for a cup of coffee?" he asked. "I can't drink it at night," she said
apologetically."Iliketobeinbedbyten."

Hescowled."Woman,whatkindoflifeareyouliving!"

Notmuchofone,shecouldhavesaid."Oh,Istayupifthere'sagoodmovieon,"shesaiddefensively.

"You'retwenty-two."

"Twenty-three,"shecorrected.

"Twenty-three,then,"hereturned."You'retooyoungtospendthatmuchtimealone."

"Ididn'tsayIwasalwaysalone,"shesaidstiffly."Igooutondates!"Andshedid.Thelastonehad
been a newly divorced man who talked about his ex-wife and cried. The one before that was a
bacheloroffiftywhowantedhertomoveinwithhim.Shehadn'thadalotofluckinhersearchfor
companionship,leastofallwithLang,whosememoryhadstoodbetweenherandthemostinnocent
involvementwithanyoneelse.

Langdidn'tknowthetruecircumstances,though.HewaspicturingKirryinanotherman'sarms,and
hedidn'tlikeit.Hishandstightenedonthesteeringwheel.

"Youusedtosmoke,"sheremarked.

"Onlyoccasionally,"hereplied."ItwasinterferingwithmywindwhenIworkedout,soIgaveitup."

"Goodforyou,"shemurmured.

Hepulledintotheparkinglotofherapartmentbuilding.Acarpulledinbehindthem.Abluesedan.

Langsawitandsuddenlyspunhisowncararoundandheadedstraightforit.Hedidn'tlookasifhe
meant to stop, and the one glimpse Kirry got of his face made her cling to the seat for all she was
worth.

Apparently the ruthless maneuver got the message across to Erikson in the blue sedan, because he
burnedrubbergettingoutoftheparkinglotanddownthestreet.

"Damnhim,"Langsaidicilywhenhe'dparkedthecar."MaybeIshouldjustbeatthehelloutofhim
andputhiminthehospitalforafewweeks.Thatmightgettheideaacross."

Kirrywasunnerved.ShelookedatLangwarily."No,"shesaid."Youmustn'tdothat.He'dhaveyou
putinjail."

"He'dhaveahardtimekeepingmethere,"hereturnedwithasmile."Ihaveconnections."

Shetwistedhersmallclutchbaginherhands."IthoughtIwasdoingtherightthing,tellingyouabout
him..."

"Youdid,"hereplied."ThedaysofmenlikeEriksonareover.It'sjustgoingtotakeafewlawsuitsto
convincethemofit."

"Stalkerskillpeople,"shesaid,voicingherworstfear.

"Eriksonwon'tkillyou,"hereplied."AndafterI'veworkedoutwithyouforafewweeks,he'llregret
itifhecomeswithinstrikingrange."

Shesmiled."Thinkso?WhatamIgoingtodo,fallonhim?"

"You'reprettygoodatthat,"hesaidwithaninstructor'sprideinhisstudent.

"Thanks."

"I'llwalkyouup,justincase."

He got out of the car, locked it and came around to take her soft hand in his as they went into the
buildingandstoodwaitingfortheelevator.

Kirryshouldhavepulledherhandaway,butshecouldn'tmanage.Itbroughtbackmemoriesoftheir
firstrealdate.He'dheldherhandthen,too,andshecouldstillfeelthethrillofit.

"Itwasyourfirstdate,andyouweresonervousthatyouweretremblingwhenItookyouhomethat
night,"herecalled,glancingdownathersurprisedface."AmIreadingyourmindagain?"heasked,
lifting their clasped hands. "You aren't the only one with memories. They aren't all bad ones, are
they?"

Shedidn'tanswerhim.Theelevatordooropenedandtheysteppedintothedesertedconveyance.Lang
pushedthebuttonforherfloor.

"Wecouldhavewalkedup,it'sjustthesecondfloor,"sheremindedhim.

"Stayoutofstairwells,"herepliedseriously.

"Oh.Yes,Isee."

"Thatgoesforworkaswellashome,"headded.

The elevator door opened and he walked her down to the end of the deserted corridor, where her
apartmentwas.Henoticedthatshehadherkeyinherhandwhentheygotthere.Notumblingforitin
apurseorpocket.Hesmiled."Kirry?"heaskedassheunlockedthedoor.

Shehesitated,withherbacktohim.

"Doyouwanttheconventionalendtotheevening?"heaskedquietly.

Herhandclenchedonthedoorknobassherememberedhowitfelttokisshim."Itwouldn'tbewise."

"Probablynot."Heshovedhishandsintohispocketsandleanedhisshoulderagainstthewallnextto
thedoor.Hisdarkeyesslidoverherprofile."WhateverhappenedtoChad?"heasked.

Hereyesshottohis."Don'tyouknow?Hewasyourbestfriend."

"Notafterhebrokeusup,"herepliedtightly."Ordidn'tanyoneevertellyouthatIknockedtwoofhis
teethout?"

"No,"shesaid.Shehuddledcloserintoherjacket,chilledbythelookonLang'sface."Itwasalittle
late,though,wasn'tit?"

"Mademefeelbetter,"hesaidlaconically.

Hisbroadchestroseandfellunderthesoftknitshirthewaswearing.Therewasadarkshadowunder
it.Hewashairyunderhisshirt.Kirryhaddelightedinburyingherhandsandhermouthinthatsoft
thicket.

The sadness she felt was reflected in the eyes she lifted to his broad face. "You never really knew
anythingaboutme,"shesaidsuddenly,"exceptthatyoulikedtokissme."Shesmiledgently."Maybe
that'swhyyouwouldn'tlistenwhenItoldyouthatChadhadframedme."

Hedidn'tanswerher.Hiseyesfelltohermouthandlingeredthereuntilshemovedrestlesslyandher

handturnedonthedoorknob.

"ThefirsttimeIkissedyou,yougaspedundermymouth,"herecalledquietly."Itsurprisedmethat
youdidn'tknowwhatadeepkissfeltlike."

Shefeltuncomfortable.Hergreeneyesglitteredathimangrily."There'snoneedtorubitin."

"Ifyouhadn'tbeenavirgin,ourliveswouldhavebeenalotdifferent,"hecontinued."Iwantedyouso
badly that I couldn't think straight, but you were the original old-fashioned girl. No sex before
marriage."

"I'mstilltheoriginalold-fashionedwoman,"shetoldhimproudly."Mybodyismybusiness.Icando
whateverIwanttowithit,andthatincludesbeingcelibateifIfeellikeit."

"Nightsmustgetrealcoldinwinter,"hechided.

Hereyebrowslifted."Ihaveanelectricblanket,dearman,andnohealthworries.Isleeplikeatop.
Howaboutyou?"

Hedidn'tsleepwell.Hehadn'tforyears.Hismemorieswereoftheviolentvarietyandinthepastfew
months,they'dbecomeconstantandnightmarish.

"Idon't,"herepliedfrankly.

"Nowonder,"shereturned."Allthosewomen!"

"Kirry..."

Hecouldn'tdenyit,ofcoursehecouldn't.Shefoughtdownthejealousyandsmiled."Thanksforthe
lesson."

Heclampeddownhardonhistemper."Noproblem,"herepliedafteraminute."We'lldoitagainin
threedays.Rememberthosestretches.Practicethem."

HerminddartedbacktoEriksonintheparkinglot,andshefeltthreatened.Hereyesshowedit.

"Don't let him see that he's scared you," Lang said curtly. "Don't you dare let him know. Keep your
chinup.Lookathim,showhimyouaren'tintimidated.Makesureyou'rewithpeoplewhenyouleave
thebuilding,hereoratwork."

"Okav."

Hesmiledsoftly."You'retough.Rememberit.""I'lltry.Thanks,Lang."

"I'llbearound.Letmeknowifyouneedme."Shenodded.

Hepushedawayfromthewallandlookeddownatheralmosthungrilybeforeheturnedandwalked
slowlybacktowardtheelevator.

Kirrywantedtocallhimback.Sheknewthesightofthatretreatingback,becauseshe'dlivedwithit
alltheseyears.Itstillhurttowatchhimgo.Nothinghadchangedatall.

Whenhegottotheelevatorandpressedthebuttonheturnedandcaughtherstaringathim.Helooked
back,achingtoholdher.Hehadafeelingthathewasgoingtogetpostgraduatecoursesinself-denial
beforethisEriksonbusinesswasthrough.

Kirryliftedherhandinahalfheartedwaveandwentintoherapartment,closingthedoorandlocking
it behind her. She had to stop wanting Lang to kiss her. It would be the same old mess again if she
encouragedhim.Thistime,shewasgoingtobestrong.

That attitude lasted all night long. It got her to work and into the building, despite the sight of that
damnedblue sedan sittingon the streetin front of herapartment building andfollowing her all the
waytoLancaster,Inc.ShelookedstraightatEriksonwithoutasmileoraflinchasshewentintothe
building, and it seemed to disconcert him. Lang had been right, she thought as she went into her
office.Itreallywasworking!Shefeltbetterthanshehadsincetheordealhadbegun.

Kirry was promoting a public seminar for a local business firm that specialized in interior design.
She'd arranged for a special appearance by a famed European designer at one of San Antonio's
biggestmalls,andcoordinateditwithanamateurcompetitionforlocalcitizenswho'ddonetheirown
decorating.TheEuropeandesignerwastojudgetheentriesandKirryhadboughtadvertisingonlocal
televisionstationsandnewspapers,allofwhichhadpromisedtosendreporterstocovertheevent.

It was time-consuming and maddening to get all the details to fit together, though, and by the time
Kirryhadthemfinalized,shewasanervouswreck.

It didn't help that when she went out to her car that infernal blue sedan was sitting there like a land
shark,withEriksoninthefrontseatglaringather.

Furious, she went back into the building and called the police. She explained the problem to a
sympatheticofficeronthedesk.

"Ishiscarintheparkinglotofyourbusiness,MissCampbell?"heaskedpolitely.

"Well,no.It'sonthestreetacrossfromtheparkinglot."

"Apublicstreet?"

Shegrimaced."Yes."

Therewasapause."Idon'tlikesayingthis,butIhaveto.There'snolawagainstamansittinginhis
car,nomatterwhatthreatshemighthavemade.Ifhehasn'tactuallyassaultedyou,orsaidanythingto
you,thereisn'tasinglethingwecando."

"Buthe'sstalkingme,"shegroaned.

"Thelawneedstobechanged,"hetoldher."Anditwillbe.Butrightnow,thelawsaysthatwecan't
touch him. On the other hand, if he makes a single obscene remark to you, or touches you in
anyway..."

"He's been a military policeman and a security guard,"she said dully. "I expect he knows the law
backwardandforward."

"Yes,ma'am,I'msorry,becauseIimagineyou'reright.Iwishwecoulddosomething."

"SodoI.Thanksforlistening."

Shehungupandsatwithherheaddown.ShecouldcallLang,butsheknewwhathe'ddo.IfErikson
couldgetLangarrested,he'dhaveaclearfield.Shedidn'twantthat.Andhehadn'tharmedher,yet.
She had to keep her emotions under control. If she panicked and did something stupid, she'd be
playingrightintohishands.

Butwhatcouldshedo?Shegrabbedherpurseandwentbackouttotheparkinglot.Hewasstillthere.
Shedidn'tlookathimthistime.Shegotintohercar,lockedthedoors,starteditandpulledoutonto
thestreet.

Aglanceinherrearviewmirrortoldherthathewasfollowingher.

Well,shehadasurpriseinstoreforhimthistime.She'dspottedapolicecarcruisingdowntown.She
deliberatelypulledupbesideitandwatchedasEriksonfellback.Sohewasn'tquiteasconfidentashe
madeout.Thatwasusefulinformation.

Whenthepolicecarturned,Kirryturnedbehindhim.Shefollowedhimthroughthedowntownarea,
withEriksontrailingbehind.Then,withoutwarning,sheswungthewheelandturneddownanalley,
cutthroughandcameinbehindErikson.

Hewaslookingaroundforher,buthedidn'tseemtoseeher.Good.Shehadhimwhereshewanted
him.

HeturnedontoasecondarystreetandKirryturnedtheotherway.Shedlosthim,justtemporarily.It
wasarelieftoknowthatshecoulddoeventhat.

She went back to her building, parked the car in her spot, and rushed up to her apartment, quickly
securingthedoor.That'soneforme,Erikson,shethought.

Afewminuteslater,thetelephonerang.Shelettheansweringmachinecatchit,certainthatitwasan
irateErikson.ButthevoiceontheotherendwasLang's.

"Areyouthere,Kirry?"heasked.

Shepickedupthereceiverandturnedoffthemachine."Yes,Iam.Hi,Lang,"shesaid.

"Whatthehellwereyoutryingtodooutthere,incitehimtoviolence?"heaskedangrily."Youcan't

playgameswithamadman,Kirry!"

"Yousawme!"sheexclaimed.

"OfcourseIsawyou,"hemuttered.

"ButIdidn'tseeyou!"

"That'sthefirstruleofshadowingsomeone—don'tbeseen."

Shesmiled."Ididn'tknowyouwerelookingoutforme.Thanks,Lang!"

"I won't always be there. I can't always," he said, "so please exercise some common sense and stop
tryingtooutfoxErikson.He'snofool.He'llrealizewhatyoudid,anditwillmakehimangrier.Don't
you understand that his sort can't bear being beaten by a woman? He takes it as a challenge to his
manhood!"

"Well,poorhim.Whataboutme?"shestormed."DoIhavenorightsatall?Ihatehavinghimfollow
mearoundandstareatme,"sheaddedfuriously."Icalledthepolice,andtheysaidtherewasn'tathing
theycoulddo.Notathing!Whatifhekillsme?Cantheydosomethingthen?"

"You'regettingtoouptight,Kirry,"hesaid."Calmdown.Useyourmind.Ifhewasgoingtohurtyou,
he'dhavedoneitwhenIfiredhim.He'sonlytryingtowearyoudownandfreakyouout,tomakeyou
hurtyourselformakeafoolofyourself."

"Thatisn'twhatyousaid..."

"Ididn'tknow,"hereplied."Notatfirst.I'mstillnotcertainenoughtoriskyourlifebyguessingwhich
wayhe'lljump.We'llhandleit.Iwon'tlethimhurtyou."

Thecalmconfidenceinhisvoicesoothedherbadlystretchednerves."Iknowthat."

"And when I'm through with you, you'll be able to take care of yourself. We'll have another lesson
tomorrownight.Okay?"

Shesighed."Okay."

"Getsomesleep.I'llbeintouch."

Hehungupandshesmiled,thinkingthatmaybeitwouldworkoutallright.Shewasjustjumpy,that
wasall.

Thephonerang,andshelaughedasshepickeditup.

"Forgotsomething,didyou?"sheteased.

"Yeah," a cold, too familiar voice replied. "I forgot to tell you that tricks like you played on me
tonightwon'tworkagain."

"Leavemealone,Erikson!"shesnapped."Youhavenoright...!"

"Yougotmefired,yousnootylittletramp,"hesaid."Nowomandoesthattome.I'mthroughplaying
games."

"Listentome,youlunatic...!"sheveiledback,butthelinewasalreadydead.

Sheputthereceiverdownwithaslam,herfacehotwithtemper.Damnhim!Whatwasshegoingto
do?

Kirry had never felt so threatened in her life. She left her apartment the next morning and found
Eriksonrightinthefrontofthebuilding,sittinginthatbluesedan.

Withafuryshecouldn'tcontain,shepickeduparockfromthelandscapedcactiandflungitatthecar
with all her might. He ducked, shocked, but her pitching arm wasn't what it should have been. The
rockfellshort.Bygolly,shepromisedherself,thenextonewouldn't.Shepickedupthreebigrocks
andrantowardhiscar.

Before she could get started, he roared off, leaving her standing there, shaking. She fought for
control of herself and slowly dropped the rocks, brushing off her hands. The man was crazy, she
thoughtbitterly.Crazy!Andshecouldn'tdoathingtostophim!

Shegotintohercarandlockeditandwenttowork.Sheknewthebluesedanwouldbesittingthere,
on the street, and sure enough, it was. She was shaking as she got out and locked her own car and
startedtowardthebuilding.Therewerenorocksinthelandscapinghere,nothingthatshecouldthrow
athim.Hesmiledatherfromcoldeyesasshewalkedupthesidewalktowardherofficebuilding.

"Youcan'tstopmefromsittinghere,andtherearen'tanyrocks,baby,"hecalledtoher.

Shestopped,herkneesvibratingfromfearandtemper.Shelookedstraightintohiseyes."Ifyoudon't
stopnow,you'llwishyouhad,"shesaidquietly.

"Oh,yeah?Whatyougonnado,bigbadgirl?"hechallenged.

"Waitandsee,Mr.Erikson,"shesaid,andsmiledasifshehadeveryconfidencethathewasgoingto
windupwearingprisonblues.

Sheturnedandwalkedintothebuildingwithoutlookingback.

Mack's eyes narrowed as she passed him. "I saw him sitting there when I came in," he said. "I've
phonedthenewsecuritychiefandMr.Lancaster.They'reworkingonsomething."

"Abomb?"sheaskedpleasantly."Becausethat'swhatitmaytake.Hewon'tstop.Thelawcan'ttouch
him,andheknowsit."

"Isn'tyourmothermarriedtosomerichpersonoverseas?"Mackasked.

Shedidn'tliketalkingabouthermother."She'smarriedtoawealthyEnglishnobleman."

"Well,couldn'thehireyouahitman?"heasked.

She burst out laughing. "Oh, for God's sake, will you stop watching those mob movies?" she
mumbled,walkingoffintoherownoffice.

"It'sworthathought!"hecalledafterher.

Sheclosedthedoor.

Itwasabusyday.Shedidn'tgooutforlunch,choosinginsteadtohaveoneoftheotherwomenbring
ittoher.IfEriksonwantedtositoutthereandbakeinhiscaralldav,lethim.Shewasgoingtotry
pretendingthathewasinvisible.PerhapsLanghadbeenright—ifEriksonmeanttohurther,he'dhave
doneitbynow.Shejusthadtokeephernerveuntilhegottiredofwatchingherandgaveitup.

Langwaswaitingforherwhenshegottoherapartment.Foronce,Eriksonhadn'tfollowedherhome.
Butsheknewthathewasouttheresomewhere,watching,alwayswatching.

"Get your gi and let's go," Lang said as they reached her apartment. "I'm taking you out to dinner
beforewegotothegym."

"Youdon'thaveto..."

"Justahamburger,Kirry,notafive-coursemeal,"hesaidcurtly."Therearesomethingsweneedto
talkabout."

"Okay."Shegotherthingsfromtheclosetandturnedonheransweringmachine.

He held her bag while she locked up the apartment. He seemed very preoccupied and not a little
concerned. He hardly said a word all the way to a nearby hamburger joint, where they nibbled
burgersandfriesanddrankcoffee.

"You'reworried,aren'tyou?"sheasked.

He nodded. He sipped coffee, and his dark eyes narrowed over the cup as he studied her. "I had a
friendofminedosomeharddiggingintoErikson'spast.Hewasarrestedforkillingamanwhilehe
wasanMP.Hewasacquitted,butpeopleweregenerallysurethathedidit.Itwasaraciallymotivated
incident."

"Oh,boy,"shesaidheavily.

"Itgetsworse,"headded."He'scoveredhistracksprettygood,orhe'dneverhavegottenajobasa
securityofficer.He'sbeeninjailthreedifferenttimesonassaultchargesthatweredroppedbecause
thewitnessesrefusedtotestify.Thevictimswerewomen,"headdedquietly."Youngwomen.Twoof
themclaimedthatherapedthem,buttheyweretooafraidofhimtogotocourt."

Kirryfeltherfaceturningwhite.Shewasn'tafearfulpersonasarule,butthiswasanextraordinary
circumstance. She put down the rest of her half-eaten hamburger and fought to keep what she'd
alreadyeatendown.

"YourmotherlivesinEurope,"hesaid."Iknowyoutwodon'tgetalong,butitwouldbenefityouto
gooverthereandvisitherforafewweeksuntilIcangetsomethingdoneaboutErikson."

"Runaway,youmean?"sheasked."You'rethesecondpersontodaywho'smentionedmymother,but
Mackaskedifherhusbandcouldn'thireahitmantodealwithmyproblem."

Hepursedhislipsandhiseyestwinkled."Whatamagnificentsuggestion."

"Stopthat.Youwereagovernmentagent."

"So I was, dash the luck." He leaned back in his chair and searched her face. "You won't go to
Europe?"

Sheshookherhead."I'mnotrunning.He'snotgoingtomakeacowardoutofme,nomatterwhathe's
doneinthepast."

Hesmiled."Youalwaysdidhaveguts,Kirry,"hesaid,chuckling.

"Toomanytosuityourightnow,huh?"sheteased.

He caressed the paper cup that held a mouthful of warm coffee. "If you won't run, how about a
compromise?"

"Whatdidyouhaveinmind?"

"Safetyinnumbers."

"Iwon'tliveattheYWCA,"shesaid,outguessinghim.

"Thatwasn'texactlywhatIhadinmind."

Shehesitated.Shewasdoingitagain;readinghismind."Youwantmetomoveinwithyou.You're
verysweet,Lang,butIcouldn't...."

"I don't want to move in with you," he said bluntly. "I've explained the situation to your apartment
manager,andhe'sgivingmetheapartmentnextdoortoyou,"hesaidcalmly.

"Oh."Shefeltchastened.Hemadeitveryclearthatlivingwithherwasnotsomethinghewantedtodo.
Maybeitwouldn'thavebeenagoodidea,butithurtalittletothinkthathewouldn'tevenconsiderit.

"If you moved in with me, nobody would care," she said, surprising herself. "People don't sit in
judgmentoverthemoralvaluesoftheirfellowmananymore."

"Wanttobet?"

She felt and looked irritated. "All right, then, move in next door. I don't want you in my apartment,
anyway.You'dseduceme,"sheaccused,andwasamazedthatshecouldjokeaboutit.

"You wish," he countered dryly. "I'm very particular about my body. You might have noticed that I
keepitinraregoodcondition,andI'lltellyouflatthatit'singreatdemandbywomen.Idon'tshareit
witheveryonewhoasks."

Hereyebrowsliftedandhereyestwinkled."Youdon't?"

His broad shoulders lifted and fell. "It's a dangerous practice these days, sleeping around," he
remindedherwithaquietsmile.

Shesmiledback."Yes,Iknow.That'swhyIdon'tdoit."

Thesmilewasstillthere,buttherewassomethingsomberinhisdarkeyes.

"Evercomeclose?"heaskedverysoftly.

Shehesitated,andthenshookherhead."Onlywithyou,thatonetime,"shesaidinvoluntarily,andher
eyesflickeredwithpainfulmemoriesbeforetheyfell.

Heslidhishandsdeepintohispockets.Heremembered,asshedid,thewonderofthatnight.Nothing
in his life before or since had ever equaled it, as relatively innocent an experience as it had been.
Becauseheknewinhisheartthathewasn'treadyformarriage,he'dbeentoohonorabletoseducea
womanasinnocentasKirry,althoughtheirintimacyhadbeendevastatingjustthesame.

Thentheverynextday,Chadhaddroppedhisbombshellandtherelationshiphadshatteredforever.

"Yousitprettyheavyonmyconsciencesometimes,"hesaidunexpectedly.

Herevesliftedtohis."That'sashocker,"shemurmured."IthoughtIwasjustoneinaline."

"Fat chance." His gaze slid over her slowly, boldly. "I suggested that we get engaged, but I didn't
reallywanttogetmarriedandyoudid.Thatwastherealproblem.Iguessthat'swhyIbelievedChad,
andnotyou."

"That'swhatmymothersaid."

"Well,sheisastuteeverynowandthen,"heobserved.

"Itwastheonlytimeinourlivesthatshereallytriedtoactlikemymother,"shereminisced."Ineeded
her,andshewasthere.Evenifitwasafairlyinnocentthing,ithurtonceitwasover.

"DidyouthinkIgotawayscot-free?"heaskedcuriously.

Sheshrugged."Youwantedoutandyougotout."

"Ididn'twanttogetmarried,"herepeated."Thatdidn'tmeanIwasn'tinvolvedemotionally.Ithurtme,
too."

"That'shardtoimagine,"shesaid."Younevertookanythingseriously,leastofallme."

"You'd be surprised." He looked at her intently before continuing. "The apartment I'm getting isn't
verylarge,butIliketheview.Andit'sconvenienttoyours,ifEriksontriesanything."

Shedidn'tliketothinkaboutthat.Knowingwhatshe'd

learnedaboutthemanmadehervervnervous."Couldn'twemanagebetterifyoumovedinwithme?"
shesaid,thinkingoutloud."IhavetwobedroomsandIcancook."

"Icancook,too,"hevolunteered,ignoringheroffer."AndIdon'thaveaphobiaofvacuumcleaners.
ThislastoneIboughthaslastedawholemonth."

"Amonth!"

"Well,thedamnedthingsarelikeelephants.Whenyoudragthemaroundbythetrunkandgetthem
hungonfurniture,andjerkrealhard...itpullstheirlittletrunksoff!"

She laughed. He was as incorrigible as ever. He made her forget Erikson, even if just for a little
while.

"Feellikehelpingmemovetonight?"

"Ifwe'llhaveenoughtime,Iguessso."Shehadvisionsofluggingfurnitureupontheelevatorasshe
toyedwithhernapkin."Istheresomeonewho'dmindifyoustayedinmyapartment?"sheprompted,
curiousabouthisreasonsforrefusing.

"Awoman,youmean?"

Shenodded.

"No"hesaidgently."Thereisn'tanyone."

"Isee."

"Probablynot."Hechuckled."Finished?Let'sgofallonamatforacoupleofhours."

"I'mstillsorefromthelasttime,"shegroaned.

"Andwehaven'tevengottentothebag,yet."Hesighed."You'llhavetotakemorevitamins."

"Itsuredoeslooklikeit,"sheagreedgrimly.

Thesideandbackbreakfallswentonforever,butthisnighthebegantoteachherthehandpositions
aswell.Themoreshelearnedabouteconomicmovement,themorefascinatingitbecame.Shecould
understandhowpeoplelovedthesport.Therewereseveralwomeninthegymthisparticularnight,
beingtaughtaself-defenseclassbyTony,themanwhomanagedthegym.

"They'redoingalotmorethanweare,"shesaidpointedlytoLangwhileshewascatchingherbreath.

"Suretheyare.It'satwo-weekclass.Hehastogetthroughalotofmaterial.Andit'sjustbasicstuff,
likehowtobringahighheeldownonaninsteporputakneeinaman'sgroin.You'relearningalot
more,anditwilltakelonger."

"Oh,Isee."

"You'reapromisingpupil,too,"hehadtoadmit."You'retakingtoitlikeaducktowater."

"Whydidn'tyouevershowmeanyofthisyearsago,whenweweretogether?"sheasked.

He searched her curious eyes. "Because it was hard enough to keep my hands off you. A class like
this,withconstanttouching,wouldhaveputmerightovertheedge."

Hereyebrowsarched."Butyouneverwantedme."Sheblurtedoutthewords."Onlythatonce..."

Hemovedcloser,sothathisvoicewouldn'tcarry,soclosethatshecouldfeelthestrengthandheatof
hisbody."Iwantedyounightandday"hesaidhuskily."Youweretooinnocenttonotice."

"Imusthavebeen,"sheagreed."Butitdoesn'tseemtobotheryounow."

"I'molder,"hereplied."Andagooddealmoreexperienced."

Hereveswentcold."Ofcourse."

Heturnedaway.Thejealousyhesawinthosegreeneyesmadehisbodyache.Shestillfeltpossessive
abouthim,butthatdidn'tmeanshestillcared.Hehadtorememberthat,andnotreadtoomuchinto
herreactions.

"Let'strythisagain."

Hepositionedheronthematandinvitedhertouseoneofthehold-breakingpositionsonhim.She
wentthroughthemotionssmoothly,butshecouldn'tgethimontothemat.Hecounteredeverymove
shemade,laughing.

"That'snotfair,Lang,"shepanted,pushing."Youwon'tcooperate."

"Okay,goahead.Throwme."Herelaxed,standingstill.

Sheputherwholeheartintoit,steppinginwithoneleg,trippingwiththeother,pushingandpulling
until she broke his balance and put him down. But she underestimated her own stability, and in the
process,shewentdownheavilyontopofhim.

"Youaren'tsupposedtofallwiththevictim,"heinstructed.

She was too winded to move momentarily. One of her legs was between both of his, her breasts
flattenedonhischest,herhandsoneithersideofhishead.Itwasasurprisinglycomfortableposition,

ifshe'dbeenalittlelessawareoftheintimacyofit.

"Couldyouhelpmeup?"sheaskedbreathlessly.

"Whynot?You'vecertainlyhelpedmeup,"hesaidwithablatantsensualitythatbroughtablushtoher
facewhenheshiftedandmadethepointveryclear.

"Lang!"shegasped.

Hechuckledwithpuredelightasshescrambledoffhisbodyandgottoherfeet,redfaced.

"Well,fortunatelyforusboth,thesejacketsarelooseandhiplength,"hesaidasherosetotowerover
her.

"You'rehorrible!"sheexclaimed,pushingbackstrandsofdampblondhairfromhereyes.

"Youmightconsideritaformofflattery,"heremarked."Actuallythisconditionisn'taseasvtocreate
asyoumightthink.Notwithotherwomen,atleast..."

"Iwanttogohome,"shesaidstiffly.

"Suit yourself, but you're going to miss the best part. I was going to teach you how to deal with a
kick."

"Youcandothatanothertime,"shesaid,fightingforcomposure.

"Iwasonlyteasing,Kirry"hesaidgently.

Sheletoutalongsigh."I'mnotlaughing,"shemuttered.

"Getyourstuffandwe'lldropbymyapartmentandgetmystuff."

Shehesitated."Maybehe'llgiveitup."

Heshookhishead,andtherewaswearywisdominhiseyes."Notachance."

Lang's apartment was on the sixth floor of an old downtown hotel, and the decor was Roaring
Twenties.Itwasdarkandcramped,andLang'sbelongingsbarelyfilledonesuitcase.

"That'sall?"sheaskeduneasily,liftinghereyestohiswhenhe'dchangedinthebedroomandcame
outwithonesuitcaseandalongsuitbag.

"That'sit,"heagreed."Itravellight."

"Butyoumusthavemorethanthat!"

"Ido.It'satBobandConnie'splace."

"Oh,ofcourse.Iforgot.Youwouldn'twanttocarryheirloomsaroundtheworldwithyou."

"Speakingofheirlooms,"hesaidslowly,"whatdidyoueverdowiththeemeraldIgaveyou?"

Sheavertedhereyes."DoyoureallythinkI'dkeepsomethingthatremindedmeofyou,aftertheway
youdumpedme?"

"Yes,Ido,"hesaid.

Sheglaredathim."Imeanttothrowitaway."

"Iwouldn'thaveblamedvou,"heassuredher.Hesmiled."ButI'mgladyoudidn'thatemeenoughto
actuallydoit."

"It'saprettyring,"shecommented.

"Butyoudon'twearit."

"It'spartofthepast.Iwantedtostartover.IwenttouniversityandwhenIcameout,withamajorin
publicrelations,Iwalkedrightintothisjob.I'vebeenverylucky."

"You'realone,"heremarked.

"Iwanteditthatway,"shesaidshortly."WhenI'mready,I'llstartlookingforahusband."

"Haveanyoneinmind?"heaskedcarelessly,gatheringhisstuff.

"Mack,"shesaidtriumphantly.

Heraisedaneyebrowandgrinned."Dotell."

"Mack'ssettledandfinanciallysecure,andgoodcompany."

"You'dshriveluplikeapruneifhetouchedyou,"hescoffed."I'veseenthewayyoudrawyourlegs
upwhenhecomesclose."

"Youhavenot!"

"Kirry, you don't know a damned thing about modern surveillance techniques, do you?" he asked
dryly."Maybethat'sgood.I'dhatetomakeyouinhibitedwhenyoudancearoundyourbedroominthe
nude."

Shegaspedaudiblyandwentscarlet."YouPeepingTom!"

"Accidental,Iswearit,"hesaid,holdingupahand."Itwasthemirror.Ihadthecamerajustalittletoo
fartotheleft..."

Sheaimedablowathim,andhesidesteppedjustintime.

He laughed delightedly. "I thought you were spectacular," he said deeply."All pink and mauve and
blond.Anymphcaughtcavortingamongtheferns.Ididn'tsleepallnightlong."

Sheglaredathim."Ihateyou."

"Kirry," he said softly, "I didn't see much that I haven't already seen before. I know, you don't like
rememberingthat,butit'strue.

"IfI'dknownwhatwasgoingtohappenlater,thatyou'dbelievethosesickliesofChad's...!"

"You'dneverhaveletmetouchyou.Iknowthat,"hereplied,hisvoicequietandsomber.

Shewrappedhercoatcloseraroundhergi."I'mashamedofthatnight,anyway."

Thatstung."Ican'timaginewhy,"hesaidmatter-of-factly."Wewereengaged.Mostengagedpeople
makelove,anditisn'tasifwewentalltheway."

"They make love when they actually plan to get married. That's why you always held back before,
wasn'tit,becauseyouneverhadanyintentionofmarryingme?"

"Once or twice, I thought about it," he confessed. "You were hungry for that damned ring, for the
proposal.Ihumoredyou,becauseyouwanteditthatbadly.ButIknewthatI'dbenogoodashusband
materialuntilIgotthewanderlustoutofme.Itriedtotellyouthat,butyouweresoyoung."

"Youngandstupid,"sheagreed."Anddesperatelyinlove."

Heavertedhiseyes."Inlove,hell,"hesaidcurtly."Youwantedtosleepwithme."

"OfcourseIdid,butitwasmuchmorethanthat,"sheargued.

"You were only eighteen," he returned, moving toward the door. "It's ancient history now, anyway,
andwehavemoreim-portantthingstothinkabout."

"Sure."Sheopenedthedoorforhim,refusingtolookup.

Hewentout,lethermovepasthimandthenturnedoffthelightsandlockedthedoor.Later,he'dhave
atalkwiththemanagerabouthisbriefabsence,tomakesurethemanknewthathewasonlyleaving
temporarily.He'dpaytherentupinadvance,too,justincase.Withanyluck,Eriksonwasgoingtobe
abadmemoryinthenearfuture.

Kirryheldhisclothesbagwhileheunlockedtheapartmentnexttohersandopenedthedoor.Itwas
smaller than hers, but not much. It had a better view than hers did of the Alamo, and it looked as
thoughithadjustbeendecorated.Itwasdoneingreensandbrowns,andsomehowitsuitedLang.

"Yes,Ilikethis,"heremarkedashelookedaround.Heglancedbackather."Welivecloseenoughto
sharekitchenduty.YoucouldcookonenightandIcouldcookthenext."

"Thatwouldbenice,"shesaid.

"Butyoucan'tsleepover,"headdedsternly."Nousebegging,itwon'twork.Idon'tallowwomeninto
thebedroom.It'stoohardtogetthemout."

Shesmiledfaintly."I'llbetitis."

Hiseyebrowjerked."Wanttofindoutwhy?"heaskedsensually.

"Ihaveaprettygoodidea,"shereplied,droppinghereyes."You'reahardacttofollow."

Heturnedbacktowardherwithhishandsdeepinhispockets."Soareyou,"herepliedhonestly.

Hereyesscannedhisbroadfaceandshehadtobitedownhardtokeepfrombegginghimtokissher.
Thatwaylaydisaster,sheremindedherself.SheknewbetterthantoencourageLang

Sheturned."Well,I'llletyougetsettled.I'mtiredandIwanttogotobed."

Hefollowedhertothedoorandopeneditforher."I'vealreadycheckedoutthisplace,"hesaid."The
bedroomwhereyousleepisontheothersideofthewallofmine.Ifyouraponthewall,I'llhearyou.
Idon'tsleepheavily,ever."

"Thanks.That'snicetoknow."

"Wearagown,willyou?"heaskedonagroan."Ihavetokeepyouundersurveillanceforyourown
protection.Don'tmakeitanyharderonmethanyouhaveto."

Sheglaredathim."I'llwearbodyarmor,infact,"shesaidwithacurtnodofherhead."Goodnight,
Lang."

"Sleepwell."

"Iwantanicehotbathand..."Shehesitated,hereyesshootingtohis.

Hesighedwithresignation."Okay,I'llcutthecameraoffwhenIhearwaterrunning,willthatdo?"

"Youdon'tneedacamerainthebathroom!"sheexclaimed.

"That'sodd,thelastmanweprotectedsaidthesamething,"hetoldherfrankly."Wegotsomevery
interestingpicturesofhimandhislady...."

"Howisitthatyou'restillalive?"sheasked,exasperated."Notforlackofeffortbyiratetaxpayers,
that's for sure," he said with twinkling eyes. "Sleep well, little one. I'll be as close as a shout if you
needme."

"You'llgetashoutifyoudon'tturnthosecamerasoff,"sheinformedhim.

"Spoilsport,"hemuttered.

"Idon'twatchyoutakebaths,"sheassuredhim.

Hedidn'tsmileassheexpectedhimto.Hisdarkeyesheldhersuntilshefeltherkneesbuckle."Want
to?"heaskedsoftly.

Shegloweredathim."Fatchance,"shesaidsmartly.

Heshrugged."Yourloss,"heinformedherwithdancingeyes."Keepthedoorlocked."

Shegavehimaspeakinglook.

"Overkill,huh?"heteasedashewenttothedoorandopenedit."Howaboutridinginwithmeinthe
morning?"hesuggested."Icanguaranteeyouwon'tseeyourbluesedanbuddywhileI'maround."

"Hemighttakethatascowardice,"shesaidsimply.

"Listen,"hereplied,leaningbackagainstthedoor,"youcanpushyourbodyjustsofarbeforeitgives
outonyou.Stressisdangerous.Don'tletitgettothepointthatyournervesareshot.Ifyougoinwith
me,itwilltakesomeofthepressureoff.Don'tyouevenrealizehowtenseyouarelately?"

Shefeltthecoldnessofherownhandswithirritation."Yes,Iknow,butIdon'twanttomakehimthink
I'mafraid,evenifIam.

Hesmiled."Hewon't.He'llassumethatI'vetakenyouover.It'sthewaythatkindofmanthinks."

"Well,IguessIcouldridewithyou,"shesaid."Aslongasyoudon'treallytrytotakemeover."

Hisdarkeyesnarrowedandwanderedoverherasiftheywerecaressinghands."CouldI,Kirry,ifI
workedatit?"heasked,andtherewassomethingunfamiliarintheglintofhiseyes.

"Sorry,I'mimmune,"sherepliedpertly.

"To measles, maybe," he agreed."But not to me.You still blush when I look at you, after all these
years."

"Skinhysteria,"shecountered."Myporesareallallergictoyou."

Hechuckled."Rememberwhenwewenttotheparkthattime,andwoundupwithsixlostlittlekidsin
tow?TheywantedtoknowwhyyouhadfrecklesacrossyournoseandItoldthemitwasbecauseyou
wereallergictoicecream."

"And they almost cried for me." She smiled back. "Oh, Lang, we had such good times."The
expressioninherevesbecamesad."Youweremybestfriend."

He winced. "And you were mine. But several years ago, I was a bad marriage risk.You must have

knownit.TherewassomuchIwantedtodowithmylife,thingsIcouldn'thavedonewithafamily."

"Yes.LikejoiningtheCIA."Shedroppedhergazetohisbroadchest,becauseshedidn'twanthimto
seetheremnantsoftheterrorinthem.Shehadn'tknownexactlywherehewasforyears,exceptwhen
Connie and Bob, with whom she was still friends, let slip little bits of information about his work.
She'dworriedandwatchedthewholetime,afraidthathewasgoingtobekilled,thathe'dcomehome
in a box. The reality of seeing him again that first day he'd come to work for Lancaster, Inc. had
knockedherlegsoutfromunderher.Shewasstillreelingfromtheimpactofknowingthathe'dgiven
uptheoldlife.Andwonderingwhyhehad.

"Kirry?"heaskedsoftly,interruptinghermemories.

"What?"

Heshookhishead."Youweren'tevenlistening,wereyou?"hemused.

"Iwasthinkingabouthowitwaswhileyouwereaway,"shesaidinvoluntarily,scanninghiseyes."I
readaboutcovertoperationsinthenewspapersandwonderedifyouwereinthemiddleofthem,if
youwereallright."Shelaughed."Silly,wasn'tit.'

Hisfacehardened."ThatwaswhatIwantedtospareyou."

"Youwantedtosparemethefear?"Hergreeneyeswanderedoverhisbroadface."Andyouthought
youhad.Ofcourse,Istoppedlovingyoutheminuteyouwalkedawayfromme,right?"

Heleanedbackheavilyagainstthewall."Right,"hesaiddoggedly."YouhatedmewhenIleft."

Shesmiledsadly."IthoughtIdid,"sheagreed."Butitwasn'tthateasytoputyouinthepast,Lang.It
took a long time. There were so many memories. Almost a lifetime of them." She turned away. "I
guessit'sdifferentformen.It'sonlyphysicalwithyou."

"Whydoyousaythat?"

"It'strue.Menthinkwiththeirglands,womenwiththeirhearts."

"That'sstereotyping,"heaccused."Menfeelthingsasdeeplyaswomendo."

"Youwantedme,butyoucouldn'tbringyourselftodoanythingaboutit,"shesaid."Ifyou'dlovedme
enough,youcouldn'thavewalkedaway."

"Youletmewalkaway,"hesaidshortly."YoucouldhaveopenedthatdamnedletterIsentyou!"

"Did it say something besides goodbye?" she asked, her voice harsh. "I thought it was another
accusation,thatyoufiguredyouhadn'tsaidenoughaboutmylackofcharacterandmorals."

He stuck his hands into his pockets. "I knew about Chad by then. I'd had time to get my priorities
straight."

"Ididn'tknowthat,"sheremindedhim."AllIknewwasthatwhenyouleft,youheldmeincontempt
andneverwantedtoseemeagain.Yousaidso—explicitly."

His eyes narrowed with painful memory. "I'd never had to handle jealousy before,"he said. "It was
newtome.Besidesthat,Ifeltbetrayed.Chadwasmybestfriend."

"Oh,whyrehashit?"shemuttered,turningaway."Youwantedawayoutandhegaveyouone.That'sit
inanutshell.Ihopeyouenjoyedyourstintwiththegovernment,Lang.WhatIcan'tunderstandiswhy
yougaveitupandcameback."

Hisdarkeyesslidoverherhungrily."Can'tyou?"

She ignored the caress in his voice. "I'm tired," she said over her shoulder. "I'll see you in the
morning."

"Thatyouwill."Heopenedthedoor."Andyoureridinginwithme,whetheryouwanttoornot."He
closedthedooronheropenmouthedexpression.

She picked up a vase and almost—almost—flung it at the closed door. But it would only mean a
cleanup that she was too tired to do. Arguing with Lang wasn't going to change anything, and she
didn'thaveenoughnervelefttodwellonadeadpast.

Shestartedpastheransweringmachineandnoticedthatitwasblinking.Shedidn'twanttolistentothe
messages,becauseoneofthemwasprobablyErikson.Butherjobsometimesinfringedonherfree
time, because clients often called at night when they had more time to talk. She couldn't afford to
ignorethecalls.

Grimacing,shepushedtheReplaybutton.

ThefirstmessagewasfromMack,remindingherthathewasbringinginanewclientforhertowork
withthenextmorningandtobeontime.Thesecondwasawrongnumber.

The third, as she'd feared, was Erikson. "One night, your bodvguard won't be close by, and I'll get
you."

Hepurred."Whatareyougoingtodothen,YourHighness?"

The line went dead. She took out the tape and replaced it with another one. That nasty little remark
mightcomeinhandyincourtifEriksonmadeawrongstep.Sheslippeditintoadrawerandwentto
bed,totossandturnallnight.

When Lang rang her doorbell the next morning, she was dressed in a neat lavender dress with a
patternedscarf.Hewaswearingagraysportcoatwithtanslacksandared-and-whitestripedshirt.He
lookedverynice,butshepretendednottonotice.

"Here,"shesaid,handinghimthetapefromheransweringmachine.Shetoldhimwhatitwas.

He slipped it into his pocket with cold eyes. "He'll overstep one day soon," he promised her. "And
whenhedoes,I'llberighttherewaiting."

"He'ssick,isn'the?"sheasked.

"Sick,orjustplaindamnedmean,"hereplied.Hewaitedwhileshelockedherdoorandescortedher
outtohiscarintheparkinglot.

"Waitaminute,"hesaid,holdingherbackbeforeshecouldopenthedoor.

Hewentaroundanddidaquickcheckofthecar,evenunderthehood.Satisfied,heopenedthedoor
andhelpedherinside.

"Whatwasthatallabout?Youdon'tthinkhe'dgosofarastoblowupyourcar?"sheasked.

He shrugged as he pulled out into traffic. "Caution is worth its weight in gold sometimes, and you
neverknowwhichwayamanlikethatisgoingtojump."

"Isee."

Heglancedatherwithasmile."Don'tlooksoworried.Icandefuseabomb."

"Canyoureally?"

Henodded."Ifit'sasimpleone.TherewasthiscaseinEurope,whenwewere..."Hehesitated."Well,
that'sclassified.ButIhadtodefuseabomb,justthesame."

"Isthatsomethingtheytaughtyou?"sheasked,curious.

Hechuckled."No.It'ssomethingIlearnedthehardway."

Hereyesweresaucer-big."Thehardway?"

"Sure, by getting blown up." He glanced at her expression amusedly. "Kirry, it was a joke. I'm
kidding!"

Shemadeafutilegesturewithherhands."Inevercouldtellwhenyouwere,"shesaid,shakingher
head."IguessI'mhopelesslynaive,"shemuttered,glaringdownatthepurseinherlap."AtleastIcan
falldownprettygood,though,"sheaddedbrightly.

"Sureyoucan.AndwhenIgetyouthroughthebasicsofself-defense,you'llbeaholyterroronthe
street.Grownmenwillrunfromyouscreaming,"hepromised."Ican'timaginewhyyouhaven'tdone
thatbefore.Evervwomanshouldknowhowtotakecareofherself.Theyshouldteachitinschool."

"Theyhaveenoughtodoinschoolwithoutthat."

"No kidding, it could be part of gym class in high school, physical education. Mothers could stop

worrying so much about their girls if they knew how to foil an attacker." He glanced at her. "That
includesanoveramorousdate."

"Ihaveheardofdaterape,thanks,"shereturned.

Hechuckled."Inourcase,Iwastheonewithalltheworries.Youwereoneeagerwoman."

"Goahead,rubitin,"shegrumbled,shiftingawayfromhim.

"HowcanIhelpit?Youwerebeautiful,andyouwantedme.Youcouldhavehadanybody."

"Notquite,oryou'dneverhavegottenaway,"shesaid,tongueincheek.Itwasgettingeasiertohandle
theoldrejection,nowthatsheandLangwerefriendsagain.

"Think so?" He parked the car just outside her office building, glancing around. "No Erikson," he
said,nodding."Good.Maybehe'sterrifiedandgaveitup."

"Right,"shesaiddryly.

"IcouldgettestimonialsfrompeopleI'veprotectedwho'lltellyouI'mterrifying,"heinformedher
haughtily."Thislastguy,infact,saidthatitwasamiraclewestillhadacountrywithpeoplelikeme
guardingit."

Shelaughed."Themanwhosebathroomyoubugged?"sheasked.

"Theysaidtowatchhimallthetime,"hereplied."SoIwatchedhim.Allthetime."

Shejustshookherhead.Thensherememberedthathewaswatchingherall the time, too. Her eyes
spokeforher.

"Notinthebathroom,"hesaid."Notwhenthedoorisopenedorclosed.Scout'shonor."

"Youwereneverascout,"shecountered.

"IwasuntilIstartedmyfirstfire."Hesighed,remembering."Unfortunatelyitwasinthescoutmaster's
living room, on his carpet. Never could get him to understand how that accident happened. It was
Bob'sfault,anyway,"headdeddarkly.

"Bobwastheonewhogavemethestufftodoitwithandshowedmehow."

"DidBoblikethescoutmaster?"

"Cometothinkofit,hedidn't."

Shechuckled."Isee."

TheygotoutofthecarandLang'shandslidintohersastheywalkedtowardthebuilding.Hefelther
jerkandhisfingerscontracted.Hestoppedandlookeddownather.

"Toogoodtoholdhandswiththehiredhelp,arewe?"hemurmureddryly.

Shefelthisbigfingerscaressinghersandhisthumbfounditswaytohersoftpalm.Itwasstartingall
overagain,themagicshe'dfeltwhenhecameclose.

"No,"sheansweredsoftly,lookingstraightupintohiseyes."ButIdon'twanttorelivethepast."

"Notevenwithadifferentending?"heaskedsoftly."Ahappyendingthistime?"

Herheartskipped.Itwasjustagame,shetoldherself.Langwasplayingandshewaslettingherself
takehimseriously.

Shebegantolaughandtuggedatherhand."Letmego,youtease,"shemurmured.

Helookedstunned."Kirry,it'snot..."

The sudden roar of a car engine caught his attention. He jerked Kirry onto the curb just as an old,
dark-coloredsportscarsweptbyontheroad.

"Lunatic," Lang said angrily, glaring after the car. If it had been a blue sedan, he'd have gone right
afterit.

"Carelessdriversareeverywhere,"shesaid,brushingdownherskirt."I'mallright.Hemissedmeby
amile."

"Notquite."Hewaspale.Hiseyeswentoverherlikehands."Thatwastooclose."

"Atleastitwasn'tourfriendErikson,"shesaid.

Langnodded,buthewasn'tconvinced.Hetookherarmandescortedherintothebuilding.

Later,hetookouthislaptopandpluggedinwithasecretaccesscode.HecalledupEriksonsnameand
didsomecrosschecking.Heclosedtheterminalafewminuteslaterfeelingangryandsick.Erikson
hadtwovehicles.Onewasanoldblacksportscar.

Kirryhadalongday.Partofitwastakenupwithastaffmeetingandtherestwouldhavedraggedon
endlessly, because she was caught up with all her current projects. Mack had promised her a new
clientfirstthingthismorning,buttheclienthadaconflictinherschedule,sothey'dpostponedituntil
thenextday.

Bettystoppedbyherofficethatafternoon."How'sthenewclient?"sheaskedwithagrin.

"Idon'tknow.Shedidn'tshow.Macksaidwe'dtryagaintomorrowmorning,"shereplied.

"Iwasgoingtosuggestthatwegoouttoamovie,butIguessthat'snotagoodidea,withMr.Nastyon
theprowl."

"Langwouldhaveascreamingfit,"sheagreed.

"He'sgood-looking,"Bettyventured."Andthere'snocompetitionthere."

"NonethatIcansee,"Kirryreplied."Intheolddays,itwasadifferentstory.WhenLangandIstarted
goingtogether,he'djustbrokenupwithhiscurrentheartthrob.Shewasadish,too,amodel.Lorna
McLane."

Bettvfrowned."LornaMcLane?"

Kirrystaredather."WhatdoyouknowthatIdon'tknow,Betty?"

"Thenameoftheclientwhodidn'tshowupthismorning.It'sLornaMcLane."

Kirrysatdown."Whatdoesshewantwithus?"

"She'sworkedherwayuptheladdertoanexecutivepositionatalocalmodelagencythatspecializes
in south Texas location work. Mack says that she wants us to coordinate a fashion show for her,
publicityandall."

"Well,wecan'taffordtoturndownsomethingofthatmagnitude,"Kirrysaid."Besides,sheandLang
wereallwashed-upbeforeheandIevenstarteddating.Notthatitwouldmatteranymore,"sheadded
quicklywhenshenoticedBettywatchingher."LangandIarejustfriendsnow.He'soursecuritychief.
That'sall."

Bettystudiedherringlesslefthand."LornaandMrs.Lancasteraregoodfriends,didyouknow?"

Kirry'sheartstopped."GoodenoughthatMrs.LancastermighthavetoldheraboutLang'snewjob?"

Theotherwomannodded."Infact,goodenoughfriendsthatshetoldLangaboutthejobandputina
goodwordforhimwithherfriend,Mrs.Lancaster."

Sothatwashowhe'dmanagedtogetthejob."Nobodyevertellsmeanything,"Kirrymuttereddarkly,
hatingtheworldandfateforplayingsuchamonumentaljokeonher.

"I'msureeverybodymeantto.Listen,justbecauseLangworkshere,itdoesn'tmeanthatLornawillbe
hangingonhissleeveallthetime.Youcanleadahorsetowater..."

"Spare me." Kirry sighed and leaned back in her chair. She'd entertained false hopes and now they
werebeingdashed.Shefeltdepressed.Eriksonwasgoingtodestroyherpeaceofmind,andherewas
Lornatoaidandabethim.Sherememberedthewomanalltoowell;shewastallandslenderwithvery
dark eyes and hair. She was beautiful. If she still looked as she had when Lang left her, it wasn't
beyond the realm of reason that Lang might be tempted to try his luck again. After all, there was
nothingtostophim.Lornawaspresumablyunmarried,andsowasLang.AndKirry...well,shewas
right off the menu. She wasn't bad looking, but she couldn't compete with a top model. And while
Kirrywasold-fashioned,Lornahadneverbeensaddledwithcautioushabits.

"Youcan'tquit,"Bettytoldher,readingherexpression."Foronething,I'dhavenobodytogooutto
lunchwith."

"Iwon'tpromisenotto,"shesaidstubbornly.Sheglaredoutthewindow."Didyoueverhaveoneof
thosespellswhereeverythingseemedtogowronginthespaceofaweek?"sheasked.

Bettyletoutalongbreath."I'mgoingtogetyouacupofcoffee,"shesaid,turningaround."Itisn'ton
myjobdescription,butIthinkIknowmywayaroundacoffeepot."

"Betty, why did Lorna pick this agency when there are several in San Antonio? Was it because of
Lang,doyouthink?"

"If I were a betting woman, that would be first on my list," the other woman had to admit. "Still
carryingatorchforLang?"

Kirryglaredather."Iamnot.Idon'tevenlikeLang."

"Andpigsfly,"Bettysaidunderherbreathasshewentoutandclosedthedoorbehindher.

LangpickedKirryuplatethatafternoon,hiseyescautiousandwaryashelookedaroundtheparking
lot.

"Ihaven'tseenabluesedanallday,"Kirrytoldhimastheydroveoutoftheparkinglot.

"Oranoldblacksportscar?"heasked.

Shefrowned."Therewasablackcar."Hisexpressiongavehimaway.Helookedresigned."Don'ttell
me,"shesaidsardonically."Ericksonhastwocars,andoneofthemisblack."

"Bingo."

"Thisjusthasn'tbeenmyday."

"Why?"

Shelookedathimandfeltherlifegoingintoeclipse.Itwouldbetheoldstory,alloveragain,Lang
walkingawayfromher.

"Didyouknowthatwe'regettinganewclientattheagency?"sheaskedinstead.

"Ifthatexpressionisanythingtogoby,itmustbesomeoneIknow.Doweplaytwentyquestions,or
doyoujustwanttospititout?"

"LornaMcLaneisgoingtoletuspromotehernewmodelingextravaganza."

Hedidn'tlookather.Sheknew.Hewassureofit."Well,goodforher."

Kirrydidn'tmoveamuscle.Shewentrightonstaringthroughthewindshieldasifshe'dtakenrootin
theseat."Youknewshewashere."

Heshrugged."Yes,Iknew.HowdoyouthinkIgotthisjob?"heasked."ShephonedmeinD.C.,said
that it was on offer and suggested that I apply. You might remember that Lorna and I were an item
before you and I started going together," he reminded her gently. "But it was never that serious.
Then,"headdedtomaddenher.

She felt her heart drop. "Have you seen her since you've been back?" she asked, trying to sound
casual.

Hespearedaglancetowardher,findingherbroodingexpressionenlightening."Wehadlunchtoday,
infact,"headmitted,smilingatthevenomouslookinKirry'sfaceattheremark."She'salittleolder,
butstillaknockout.Prettyasapicture,infact."

Kirryclutchedherbagandstaredoutthesidewindow.

He felt ten feet tall. There was hope. She did still care! "Don't forget. We're having another lesson
tonight."

"ButIthoughtweweredoingthattomorrownight,"sheaskedabruptly.

"Itwas.Erikson'smakingmenervous,"hesaid."Ithinkagoodworkoutmightbenefitusboth.How
aboutyou?"

Shecouldn'tdisagree.Itwouldtakehermindoffatleastoneofherproblems.

"YouandLornaalmostgotmarriedonce,didn'tyou?"sheasked.

"ShewantedtobeamodelandIwantedtobeagovernmentagent,"hesaideasily,pullinguptothe
apartmentbuildingtheyshared."ShemadesomedemandsandImadesome,thenwebothdecidedthat
a parting of the ways was the best idea." He turned off the engine and looked at her, his dark eyes
somber."IwantedacareermorethanIwantedanythingatthattime.I'mnotreallysorry,inaway.I've
donealotofexcitingthings,Kirry.I'vegrownup."

"Itshows,"shereplied.Therewerelinesinhisfacethathadneverbeenthereintheolddays.Hehada
newmaturity,alongwiththeclowningpersonality."ButIlikedyoujustthewayyouwere."

"Ilikedyou,"hereturned,smiling."Youusedtobealotmorespiritedandfulloffun.You'vegone
quietonme,Kirry."

"I have a lot of responsibility with this new job," she said evasively. "And Erikson's been on my
mind."Shedidn'taddthatitwaskillinghertobearoundLangallthetime,withtheanguishofthepast
betweenthem.

"He'sbeenonmymindaswell.Buthe'llmakeaslip,Ipromiseyou,andwhenhedoes,I'llbestanding
rightnexttohim."

"Or I will," she said darkly. "Are we ever going to get to do anything besides fall on a mat?" she
addedplaintively."Iwanttolearnhowtodosomething!"

"Whatdidyouhaveinmind?"heaskedinadeliberatelyseductivevoice,andleanedtowardherwith
mockmenace.

"Learninghowtobreaksomebody'sarmwoulddonicely,"shesaid,smiling.

Heshivered."Aslongasitisn'tmine!"

"WouldIdamagemyfriend?"shechided."Shameonyou!"

Theywenttothegym,andLangwasaware,asKirrywasn't,thattheywerebeingfollowedagain.He
wantednothingmorethantostopthecarandgetout,andbeatthedeviloutofErikson.Butthatwould
beplayingrightintotheman'shands.Hehadtoplayacoolandcarefulhandhere,orhecouldput
Kirryinevenmoredanger.

Meanwhile,itwasgoingtobeaverygoodideatoteachhersomedamagingmoves.

Theydidthewarm-upexercises,andwentthroughthehandpositions.ThenLangbegantoteachher
escapemaneuvers.

"Thisisboring,"shemutteredwhenhehadherbreakachoke-holdforthetenthtime.

"Payattention,"herepliedtersely."Thisisn'tagame.Pretendthatit'sforreal,andactaccordingly."

Shetriedto,butherhandsweregettingtired.

"Okay,honey,ifthisistheonlywayIcangetdiroughtoyou...

Hishandstightened,andhemovedinwithamenacingexpression.Kirrypanicked,butshekepther
nerve.Usingthetechniquehe'dtaughther,shebrokehishandholdaroundherneck,steppedin,broke
hisbalanceandpushedhimneatlyontothemat.

He rolled as gracefully as a ball, got to his feet in a combat stance and rushed her, his hand rising
sharplyinasidehandposition.Hegaveaharsh,sharpyellandbroughthishanddown.

Kirrydidwhatcamenaturally.Shethrewherhandsoverherfaceandscreamed.

Therewerechucklesfromtheothersideofthegym,frommenwho'dseenLangusethatshocktactic
onyoungcopshewastraining,yearsago.

KirrycaughtherbreathandswattedangrilyatLang."Youanimal!"sheraged."Thatwasn'tfair!"

"Peoplearebornwithtwonaturalfears,"heinformedher."Fearofsudden,sharpnoisesandfearof
falling.Asharpcrycantemporarilyparalyze,asyousaw.That'soneofthemethodsIliketoteach.

Sometimesjusttheyellisenoughtobuyyousometime."

"It'sveryunpleasanttobeonthereceivingendofit!"

"Idon'tdoubtit.Butgettingusedtotheideaofanattackmightsaveyouoneday."

Shesawhispoint.Shewasstillgettingherbreath,andherheartbeatwasfrantic.

"Hadenough?"hetaunted,bringingbackherfightingspirit.

"Notonyourlife,"shetoldhimshortly."Ifyoucantakeit,Icantakeit.Doyourworst!"

Heproceededto,grinningalltheway.

KirryslumpedbesideLangonthematafteranhourofexercisesinbreakinghandholds,balanceand
repellingattacks.Shecouldbarelybreatheatall,andeveryboneinherbodyfeltasifithadtakena
beating."Givingup?"heteased.

"Onlyforthemoment,"shesaid,panting.Herfacewasredandherhairwasallawry.Langthought
shelookedlikeacharmingurchin.

"Rememberthedaywewentswimmingintheriver?"heremindedwithagentlesmile."Youalmost
drowned because you wouldn't admit that you couldn't last long enough to get across. 1 had to tow
youback."

"Ialmostmadeit,"shesaid,recallingtheincident.

"Andonthewayback,"hesaid,loweringhisvoiceashebenttostareintohereyes,"yourtopcame
off."

She felt the impact of his gaze as she'd felt it that day, when she'd experienced her first intimacy.
Lang'seyesonherbarebreastshadmadeherblushallover,hadmadeherheartrunlikeamadthing.
Hehadn'tembarrassedher,ormadefunofherplight.He'dliftedherveryslowlyoutofthewaterand
lookedather;justthat,thenhe'dputherbackdown,foundhertopandturnedhisbackwhilesheputit
onagain.Ithadbeensonaturalandtenderthatshe'dneverregrettedtheexperience.

"I remember the look on your face most of all," he continued quietly. "You were shocked and
delighted and excited, all at the same time. An artist would have gone nuts trying to capture your
expressions."

"Itwasthefirsttime,"sherepliedsimply."Iwasallthosethings.Ofcourse,itwasn'tuniqueforyou."

"Wasn'tit,Kirry?"Hewasn'tsmiling,andhiseyesweredarkwithsecrets.

Sheavertedherface."Well,itwasalongtimeago.We'redifferentpeoplenow."

Hethoughtofalltheplaceshe'dbeen,alltheadventureshe'dhad.Hethoughtabouttheclosecallsand
Kirry'slaughingeyes,suddenlyfilledwithtearsbecausehewouldn'tbelievehertheonetimewhenit
reallymattered.

"Ifailedyou,"hesaidaloud.

"Youwouldn'thavebeenhappytiedtome,"shesaid,lookingbackathim."Youwantedyourfreedom
toobadly.That'swhyitdidn'tworkoutforyouwithmeorLorna."

Hiseyesnarrowed."Lornawasdifferent"hesaidshortly.

"SheknewfromthebeginningthatIwasn'tinterestedinmarriage,andshetookmeonthoseterms.
ButIneverlaidanyconditionsonthelinewithyou.Ididn'tevenreallyruleoutmarriageatfirst."

"Until you thought I'd slept with Chad." She finished the thought for him. "And that hurt your pride
morethanyourheart."

"Love comes hard to some men, Kirry." He searched her eyes for a long moment. "And settling
down..."Hisvoicetrailedoffasheremembered,withoutwantingto,hisownchildhood.

"I knew you weren't ready." She dredged up a smile. "And despite the fact that you'd proposed, I
wouldn'thavemarriedyou,knowingthatyoureallywantedtheCompanymorethanme.Itwasniceto
pretend,though."

"Kirry," he began slowly, "I asked you once how you'd feel about trying again. You never really
answeredme.Iwasn'tkidding."

Herheartleaped,butherexpressionwaswary."Idon'tknow,Lang."

"We could start from where we left off," he told her. "You're a woman now, not a girl just past
adolescence.Wecanhaveafullrelationship,withoutanyofthehang-ups."

"Youmean,wecouldsleeptogether,don'tyou?"sheaskedbluntly.

Hestretchedouthislegandstudiedit,notlookingather."Yes.That'swhatImean."

"Ithoughtso."Shereachedintoherbagforhershoesandsocksandbeganputtingthemon,without
answering.

"Well?"heaskedshortly.

Hereyebrowslifted."Well,what?"

"Howwouldyoufeelaboutstartingover?"

"I don't like glueing broken mirrors back together," she told him. "And you know how I feel about
sleepingaroundalready."

"Itwouldn'tbesleepingaround,"hesaidangrily."You'donlybesleepingwithme."

"Forhowlong,Lang?"sheaskedmatter-of-factly,hergreenevesboringintohis."Untilyouhadyour
fill?"

Hesawthebitternessinhereyes."You'retwistingmywords."

"No, I'm not. You need a woman, and I'm handy," she said, her eyes glittery with anger. "Thanks.
Thanks a heck of a lot, Lang. It's so flattering to have a man look at me and see a half-hour's

entertainment!"

Shegottoherfeetandsodidhe,feelingfrustratedandangry.Shewouldn'tlethimfinish.Itseemed
asifshedidn'twanthimtomakeanyseriouspropositions.Ontheotherhand,shedidn'twantorlove
him enough to settle for just him, without the promise of permanent ties. That had always been the
barrierbetweenthem,anditwasstillfirmlyinplace.Kirrydidn'ttrusthim.

"Letmetellyousomething,"shecontinuedhotly,"whenIwantamantosleepwith,I'llfindmyown.
And it won't be some hotshot with a string of ex-lovers! I wouldn't sleep with you if you had a
medicalcertificatesignedbythesurgeongeneral!"

Shepickedupherbagandwalkedpasthimtowardtheentrance.

"Holditrightthere,"hesaidwhenhecaughtupwithherandblockedherway.Hisfacewaslivid,but
hewasinperfectcontrolofhistemper."Yougonowherewithoutmeatnight,orhaveyouforgotten
your'other'beau?"

She hesitated. Anger suddenly became less important than the fact that Erikson could be out there
waitingforher.

"I'm glad you've used your sense," Lang replied curtly. "Wait until I've changed and I'll take you
home.Afterthat,exceptfordoingmyjob,youandIarequits.Happy?"

"Ecstatic," she said with a forced careless smile. "I don't have to have a man in my life. I get along
verywellonmyown."

"So do I," he responded. "But if I get desperate, there's always Lorna. And she was never the old-
fashionedtype."

Withthatpartingstroke,whichwentrightthroughherheart,hesaunteredofftogetchanged.Justas
she thought, he was going back to Lorna. Well, he needn't think that she was going to stand around
bleedingtodeathemotionallybecausehecouldn'tmakeacommitment.

She stared down at the gi bag with dead eyes. She'd hoped that Lang might be different, but those
years abroad hadn't changed his basic attitudes at all. He still didn't need anyone in his lite
permanently,whileKirrycouldn'tsurvivealooserelationship.Shewastoointense,toopossessiveto
livewiththeconstantknowledgethatshewasjustapastime.Langwouldtakeherforgranted,useher
andcastherofflikeaworn-outshoe.Andwherewouldshebethen?Withherheartbrokenallover
again,that'swhere.

Langwasbackfiveminuteslater.Helookedfreshandcooldespitethefranticactivityofthepasthour.
Kirry,bycomparison,feltstickyandsweaty.Shefollowedhimouttothecarinsilenceandclimbed
inonthepassengerside.

Withquietcaution,Langcheckedthecaroutbeforehegotinandstartedit.Eveninhispresentmood,
hecouldn'tlethimselfforgethowunbalancedEriksonwas.Amanlikethatwasacunningenemy.It
wouldn'tdotobecomelax.

HeleftKirryatherdoorwithagood-nightthatwasjustbarelycivil—likeherstohim—andwentto
bed uncommonly early. He hadn't wanted to start a fight with her over the past or the present. He
wantedtosettledown;itwaswhyhe'dcomebackhereinthefirstplace.

ButKirrywouldn'tlisten.Perhapsshedidn'twantto.Hercareermightbeallsheneedednow,andjust
becauseshewasjealousofLorna,thatdidn'tensurethatshewasinlovewithhim.

He'dexaggeratedhisrelationshipwithLorna,justtoirritateKirry.Lornahadbeenadelightfulfling
yearsago,andshe'dnomorebeenseriousthanLanghad.Shewasstillaprettywoman,andhefound
her attractive. But Kirry had his heart. The thing was, she didn't want it anymore. Even less did she
wanthim.Thatwaswhathadangeredhimsomuch,whenjustlookingathermadehimgorigidwith
desire.

Well, he wasn't going to worry himself into a fit about it. He'd cross the bridges when he came to
them.Herolledoverandclosedhiseyes.Whatheneedednowwassleep.Plentyofsleep.

For days on end, there was no sign of Erikson at all. It was a shock to Kirry, who looked for him
everywherewithnervousapprehension.Butastimewentby,andtherewerenomorephonecallsor
surveillancefromhim,sheslowlybecamecomplacent.Shewashappy,too,becauseshebelievedthat
he'dgivenup.Maybehe'dputitallintoperspectiveanddecidedthatharassingherwasn'tworththe
possiblecosttohimself.Itevenmadesense—ifhewasn'tplayingsomepsychologicalgamewithher,
that was, lulling her into a false sense of security. She grew cautiously optimistic, though, when
nothinghappened.

Erikson'sabsencewastheonlythingthatgavehercauseforpleasure,however,becauseshe'dlanded
Lorna'saccount.ThatmeantshehadtospendconsiderableamountsoftimewithLorna,whowasnow
datingLangagain.AndLornaapparentlyfeltobligedtoshareeverylittledetailwithKirry.

"I do like the idea of making this ribbon-cutting appearance, dear," Lorna purred as they conferred
overabusinesslunch."Butitmustn'tinterferewithmyprivatelife.They'llsimplyhavetochangeitto
theafternoon.Langistakingmetotheopera."

Kirrydidn'tbetrayherfeelingsbyeventhebattingofaneyelash,butshewascertainthatthedurable
plasticsmileshereservedforLornawasgoingtobeonherlipswhenshewasburied.

"I'llseewhatIcando,"shepromisedtheotherwoman,mentallyanticipatingbeingcussedoutroyally
bythebusinessinquestion.Shewouldhavetodosomereallyfasttalkingtogetthemtoagreetowhat
Lornawanted.Eventhen,theymightnotcooperate.

"Good.Andonemorething,Kirry.Isitabsolutelynecessaryforyoutohaveanapartmentnextdoor
toLang's?"sheaskedwithvisibleirritation."Itseemstoinhibithimwhenwe'retogether."

"Hemovednextdoortomebecauseofthethreatsanex-employeeherewasmaking,"shetoldLorna.
Shedidn'tmentionthatLangmadesuresheheardhimbringingLornatohisapartmenteveryother
night.Orthathearingthetwoofthemlaughingnextdoor,aftermidnight,hadlefthersleeplessfor

thepastfourdays."Sincethethreatnolongerseemstoexist,Idon'tseewhyLangcouldn'tmoveback
tohisoldplace."Infact,she'dbedelightedifheleft.Thenshewouldatleastbesparedtheaudible
evidenceofLang'spleasureinLornascompany.

"Iknewyou'dagree!Itoldhimitwouldn'thurtyourfeelingsifImadethesuggestiontoyou!Menare
suchcowardsaboutwomen'semotions,aren'tthey?"

Soshe'dbeendiscussingitwithLang,hadshe?Kirrywasasangryasshewashurt."Hemighthave
askedmehimself,"shesaid.

"Oh,hecouldn'tbringhimselftodothat."Lornadismissedit."ButwhenItellhim,he'llbepleased."

"I'msurehewill."

"Now,aboutthenetworkcoverage,doyouthinkyoucouldgetCNNtocome...?"

Bytheendoftheday,Kirrywastotallywashed-out.Shecouldn'tremembereverfeelingquitesobad.

Langhadstoppedbyjustbriefly,astrangerwithhiscoldfaceandeves.Hehardlyspoketoheratall
lately unless he had to. He was remote and polite. She knew that he was still keeping her under
surveillance for her safety's sake, but there was nothing personal about it, and no warmth in him.
Kirrygrievedalloveragainfordiepast.Whycouldn'thehavestayedoutofherlife?shewondered
miserably.

He'dstuckhisheadintoherofficedoorjusttotellherthatshe'dbeonherownthatoneafternoon,as
hewastomeetLornaatalocalrestaurantforaquickdinner.Hecautionedheraboutwatchingoutfor
Erikson,whichledtoaheatedexchangeofwords.Itwasareliefwhenheleft.Shecouldfunction,she
toldherself,withoutsomeoneshadowingher.Shereallyfeltthatway.Untilshegottohercar.

Eriksonwassittinginthefrontseat.Shecametoasuddenhaltandgapedathim.Hewasback.She
wasn'tsafe.Hehadn'tgivenup.Shecouldhavecried.Itwasgoingtostartalloveragain,andshefelt
herstomachtyingitselfinknotsasshewonderedhowshewasgoingtocopewiththis.

"Hello,sweetthing,"hesaidwithacoldsmile."DidyouthinkI'dforgottenyou?"

"Getoutofmycar!"

"Makeme,"hechallenged.

She knew better than to try that. Erikson was a trained security officer. Her few hold-breaking
routines might work on a novice, but he probably had a colored belt, and hers was still white.
Knowingwhentobackoffwasasimportant,Langhadoncetoldher,asknowingwhentoattack.And
youneverattacked;youwaitedfortheopponenttocomeatyou,whichgaveyoutheadvantage.All
thesethoughtsworkedthroughhermindwhileshestaredatthemanoccupyinghercar."Okay,Mr.
Erikson.I'llletthepoliceextricateyouforme."

Sheturnedandwentquicklybacktowardthebuilding,red-facedwithtemper.Asshegottothedoor,

sheheardacardoorslam.Shewhirled.Eriksonhadlefthercarandwasonthewaytohis.Asshe
watched,hegotintoitanddroveslowlyaway,tootingthehornashereachedthecorner.

Foramomentshewavered,wonderingifsheshouldcallthepoliceanyway.Butitwouldhardlydo
anygood,whenhewasnolongerthere.

Shewalkedbacktohercarandopenedthedoor,justintimetoseethegrenadeonthefloorboard.She
gasped and started to step back, but it exploded. She covered her eyes instinctively, expecting the
concussiontoknockherbackward,butitwasonlyagasgrenade.Therewasaloudnoisethathurther
ears,thenhercarfilledwithnoxiousfumesandshegotoutofthewayintimetoescapeeverything
exceptastingingpaininhereyesandthroat.Thefumesmadehercough.

Itwasthelaststraw.DamnErikson!Sobbingwithbadtemper,shegotintothebuildingandcalled911.
Minuteslater,twopoliceofficersarrived.Langwasjustbehindthem.

Hestartedtowardher,grim-faced,butsheresistedtheneedforcomfort.Sheturnedtothefirstpolice
officerwhoreachedherandtoldhimexactlywhathadhappened.

Lang stood by, his face hard and unreadable, and listened while she talked and then answered
questions.

"He'slonggone,now,"shesaidmiserably."Ididn'tthinkhe'dtrytohurtme..."

"Ifhe'dwantedtodothat,itwouldhavebeenahandgrenade,notagasgrenade,"theyoungpatrolman
assuredher."Butthisqualifiesundertheterroristicthreatsandactslaw,andwecanalsogethimfor
breakingandentering."

"Ifwecangetanyprintsoffthecar,"anolderofficeramendedquietly.HelookedatKirry."Washe
wearinggloves?"

She remembered Erikson s hands on the wheel, and as they flashed into her consciousness, she
rememberedtheblackcoveringonthem.

"Yes,"shesaidmiserably.

"Theregoesthecase.It'syourwordagainsthis,"theoldermansaid.

"But...!"

"It'sthewaythelaw'swritten"hesaidirritably."Noneofuslikeit.Doyouhaveanyideahowmany
creepspreyonwomenandgetawaywithitbecausewecan'tdoanythingtohelpthem?God,I'dgive
anythingforastalkinglawwithteeth,butwehaven'tgotoneyet!Youaren'ttheonlyvictim,although
Iexpectitfeelsthatwayrightnow."

"Itdoes."

"Watchthisguy,"theolderpoliceofficersaidsuddenly."Youshouldn'thavebeenoutherealone."

Lang's face went hard and he actually flinched. "No, she shouldn't have," he agreed. "I'm chief of
securityhere,andIthoughthe'dgivenitup.Mymistake."

"Itcouldhavebeenafatalone,forher,"theoldermansaidbrutally.

Lang'seyeswereanguished."Don'tyouthinkIknowthat?"Hegrittedoutthewords.

Somethinginhisexpressionmadetheothermanleaveitalone.HeapologizedonceagaintoKirry
andleftwithhispartner.

"Ihavetodriveithome,"Kirrysaiddully.

"Youdonot.We'lllockitandleaveit.Foronething,itwillhavetobecleanedbeforeyoucandriveit
again."

"Oh.Yes,Isee,Ihadn'trealized..."Shewenttolockit,feelingnumbfromthebraindown.

Lang helped her into his car and drove her back to her apartment. "I'm sorry," he said through his
teeth.

"Itisn'tyourjobtowatchjustmeallthetime,"shesaidpatiently."Youhavelotsofpeopletoprotect."

"Ireallythoughthewasthrough.It'sbeenalmosttwoweekssincewe'veevenseenhim.Iactedlikea
greenagent,notlikeaprofessional.Iheardthecalloverthecitybandonmyscanneronthewayback
to the office. I had no idea what I'd find when I got here. I should have known!" His hand hit the
steeringwheelhardwithimpotentrage.

Hispridewashurt,shedecided.He'dfallendownonthejobbecausehismindhadbeenonLorna.He
didn'thavetosayso,butKirryknewit.Shestaredoutthewindowuntilheparkedthecar,andthenshe
followedhiminsidethebuildingandupontheelevatorwithoutaword.

She turned to him outside her apartment, feeling haggard and worn-out. "Thanks for bringing me
home."

Hescowled."Areyougoingtobeallright?"

"Ofcourse.I'mnotbric-a-brac,"shechided."Iwon'tbreak."

"Keepyourdoorslocked,"hesaid."Anddon'tstandnearanywindows."

"You'regettingparanoid,"shemuttered."Heisn'tgoingtocomeatmewithahigh-poweredrifle."

"Idon'tknowwhathe'sgoingtodo,"hesaidgrimly,runningahandthroughhisthickhair."Butwe're
notgoingtogetcarelessagain.Gotthat?"

"Iwasn'tcareless.Ilooked,andIdidn'tseeanybodyanywhereintheparkinglot,"shesaidangrily."I
didn'tseehimuntilIwasstandingrightnexttothecar.Ididn'tgocloseenoughtogetgrabbed."

"Whatifhe'dhadagun,Kirry?"heaskedinahauntedtone.

"Oh,forGod'ssake,heisn'tgoingtoshootme!"

Hedidn'tanswerher,orsmile.Hewasseeingherlyingfacedownonthepavement,hereyesopen,her
body broken from gunfire. He'd seen other agents go that way He knew, as Kirry didn't, how
unpredictablepeoplelikeEriksonwere.

"I'm all right," she said, driven to reassure him. "Don't go off the deep end, Lang, I'm fine." She
hesitated."Andifyouwanttomoveout,I'vealreadytoldLornait'sallrightwithme.I'mnotafraid..."

Hefrowned."Whatthehellareyoutalkingabout?"

"Lornatoldmethatyouweregettingtiredofhavingtolivenextdoortome,"shesaid."Shemustbe
insecure,becauseIgeteverylittledetailofwhatyoudowithher."

"Ididn'tsayanythingtoheraboutmovingoutofhere,"hetoldherangrily."Iwouldn'tevenconsider
ituntilthisEriksonsituationisresolved,onewayortheother."

Thatmadeherfeellight-headedwithjoy.Lornahadlied.Hedidn'twanttogetridofher!

"Ididn'tknowthatshewashavingthatmuchcontactwithyou,"hesaidcurtly.

"I'mhavingtohandleheraccount,"Kirrytoldhim."Theothersjumpedoutwindowsandhidinrest
roomsuntilIgotsaddledwithher.She'saperfectionistandshedoesn'tlikeme,butwegetalong.Ilet
herthinkshe'skillingmewithhertalesofdoglikedevotionfromyou.Workslikeacharm."

Hedidn'tlikethat."Doglikedevotionisn'twhatshegetsfromme."

"Oh,Iknowwhatshedoesgetfromyou.Shetellsmethat,too,"sheadded,andthistimeshecouldn't
keepthestingitcausedoutofherface.

"Thereisn'tanythingtotell,"hesaidthroughhisteeth."I'mnotsleepingwithher!"

Sheshruggedwithmajesticactingability."Don'tdepriveyourselfonmyaccount,"shesaidcarelessly.
"I'mcertainlynotnursinganyhopesinthatdirection.WhenImarry,andIwillsomeday,myhusband
isgoingtobemyfirstlover."

His pride felt as if she'd lanced it. His face felt hot as he glared down at her. "He'll have to be
somethingspecial,tosettleforavirginalwifethesedays,"hesaidicily,strikingout.

"Maybehe'llthinkhe'sblessed,"shecountered,refusingtoallowhiswordstobotherher."Ittakesan
intelligentwomannottoriskherhealthandherfuturehusband'sforthesakeofnotstandingoutina
crowd."

"Youpuritan,"heaccusedcoldly.

"My morals are my own affair, and none of your business. You're just the security chief for my

company!"

Hisdarkeyesslidoverhers."Tryagain."

"Youhavenorightto...Oh!"

Hepulledhercloseinhisarms,andhismouthwashardandhungryoverhersoftlips.Shestiffened
and tried to reject him, but his arms only closed more firmly, enveloping her against his big,
powerfulbodywhilehismouthnudgedandcoaxedandteaseduntilherlipsfinallyparted.

Even men, he didn't take immediate advantage of it. His open mouth brushed lazily over hers,
tormentingituntilshemoanedandbeganpushingupward,tryingtocapturehiselusivemouthagainst
herown.Itwasyesterday,andshewasinloveandachingforLang,alloveragain.

"Tell me what you want," he coaxed. His hands were on her hips, now, pulling and dragging them
againstthehardmalethrustofhim,somatshecouldfeeltheevidenceofhisneed.

"Lang."Shechokedouthisname.

"Comeon,"hesaid,daringher,"tellmewhatyouwantmetodo,Kirry."

"Not...fair,"shestammered.

"Islife?"Hishandslidintothethickshorthairathernapeandcontracted,tiltingherfaceatjustthe
angle he wanted. His eyes were vaguely frightening as they glittered down into hers. "Now," he
breathed,loweringhishead,"now,openyourmouthandtastemeinside,andletmetasteyou.Make
meforget..."

Shefelthismouth,warmandmoist,burrowingslowlyintoherown.Thecontactwithhisbody,the
strengthofhisarms,tookherownstrengthaway.Sheyielded,meltingintohim,unmindfulofthepast
orthefuturewhileshesavoredtheintimatetouchofhistongueslidingintohermouth.

Theeroticsymbolismofthecaressmadeherbodygotautwithsuddendesire.Sheshivered,andhe
laughed,thendeepenedthekisswithaslow,teasingrhythm.

Knots coiled in her lower belly. Her legs trembled helplessly and she moaned as the fever burned
higherbetweenthem.

Hisotherhanddroppedtotheverybaseofherspineandbegantomoveheragainsthim.Shemadea
soundthatwentrightuphisbackbone,andhismouthechoeditinthestillnessofthehallway.

Only the steady hum of the elevator broke them apart. He stepped back from her just as an elderly
couplegotofftheconveyance,glancedtowardthemindulgentlyandwalkedhandinhanddownthe
otherendofthehalltotheirownapartment.

Langfelttoodrainedtomove.Heheardthedoorcloseinthedistanceandonlythendidhelookat
Kirry.Sheseemedtobeasdevastatedashe.Shewasleaningbackagainstherowndoor,andhersoft

mouthwasswollenandredfromhiskisses.

"Icouldhaveyourightnow,"hesaid.Hisvoicewasdeepwithfeeling."Youknowit,too."

"Let'snotforgetLorna,"shesaidthroughthemaelstromofemotionsthatwerebuffetinghermind.

"DamnLorna!Iwantyou!"

Shehadtodraghereyesawayfromhis."You'veoverheated,that'sall,"shesaidstiffly."Anicecold
showershouldfixyourightup.

"Lornawouldn'tsendmeintoashower,"hesaidinasoft,threateningtone.

Hereyesnarrowed."Thenwhydon'tyougoandseeher,dearman."

Herlackofcooperationmadehimfurious."Thanksforthesuggestion,"hesaid."Imightdothat."

He whirled on his heel, in a furious temper, and stalked to the elevator. He jabbed the Down button
furiously,andasiftheelevatorknewhismood,itappearedpromptlyfromthefloorabove.Hegot
intoitwithoutevendartingaglanceatKirry.

Shecouldhavescreamed.Shewasn'tgoingtogotobedwithhimjusttokeephimawayfromLorna,
andifhethoughtshewas,hestilldidn'tknowherverywell.

Sheunlockedthedoorandslammeditfirmlybehindher.Howcouldhe!Whyhadhekissedherinthe
firstplace?Nowshewasgoingtotossandturnallnight,sickenedbyimagesofLornanudeinhisbig
armsinbed.Shehatedhim!Howintheworldhadsheeverimaginedthatshecouldlovesomeoneas
cruelasLang?Shewasgoingtohavetogetherselftogether.Langwasnolongerherconcern.The
soonersherealizedit,thebetter.

Lang, meanwhile, was driving aimlessly around town, and nowhere near Lorna's apartment. He
shouldneverhavetouchedKirrythatway.Nowhewasgoingtospendhoursrememberinghersoft
warmthinhisarms,thehungerinherkisses.Shewantedhim;shecouldn'thideit.

But he'd let her throw him off-balance with those stinging comments she made. She was jealous of
Lorna and afraid to trust him. That was the crux of the matter. He'd just have to learn to keep his
temper and try harder. But meanwhile, there was Erikson to deal with. The gas grenade had shaken
LangasmuchasithadKirry.HehadtodosomethingaboutEriksonwhiletherewasstilltime.

The next morning, Lang was more cautious than ever. He buzzed Kirry's doorbell thirty minutes
beforeshewasdueatwork.Shedraggedherselfoutofbedinhershortnightieandlookedthrough
thepeepholebeforeshereluctantlyopenedthedoor.

"Don'tstare,"shetoldhimirritably,herhairtousledfromsleep,hergreeneyeshalf-closedwithit.
"I'mnotapeepshow."

"Darlin',Ineversaidyouwere,"hedrawled,smilingattheexquisitetannedlengthofherlegsandthe
soft thrust of her breasts against the thin fabric. She had a devastating figure. "But in that rig, you
couldturnablindman'shead."

"Idon'twanttoturnyourhead.Ijustwanttogetdressedandgotowork.There'ssomecoffeeinthe
kitchen.YoucandrinkitwhileIgetchanged."

"You'resureyouwouldn'tliketogoinlikethat?"heasked,smilingatthepleasureshegavehimin
theskimpyoutfit.

Sheputherhandsonherroundedhipsandgloweredathim."It'sonlyabody.Lornahasonejustlike
it,asI'msureyoufoundoutalloveragainlastnight!"

Hiseyebrowsliftedandhesmiled."Jealous?"

"OfLorna?Hah!WhyshouldIbejealous?Idon'twantyou!"

"Youdidlastnight,"heremindedher.

"Iwon'tdignifythatstatementwithananswer.AndIdidnotwantyou!"Shewhirledandwentintothe
bedroom,pushingthedooralmostshut.Shestrippedoffthenightieandwasstandingthereinherlacy
pinkbikinibriefs,fumingwithbadtemper,whenthedooropenedandLang'seyesfrozeonherbody.

Kirrycouldn'tevenbreathe.ThewayLangwaslookingathermadehergohotallover."Don'tpanic
andstartleapingforcover,"hesaidquietly.Heputhishandsintohispocketsandleanedbackagainst
thedoorfacing."Ican'thelpstaring—you'reunbelievablyprettylikethat—butIpromiseIwon'ttouch
untilyouwantmeto."Shefelthotandcoldallover,andtherewereswellingsinherbodythatwere
familiar,leftfromthedayswhenLangmadesoft,slowlovetoherwithoutevercrossingtheline.

Sheshouldgetdressed,shetoldherself.Shewasbrazen,standingtherewithherbodyopentohim,
lettinghimlook.Oh,butitwassweettofeelhiseyes!Theymadeherthrobwithforbiddenpleasures.

Hesawtheneedinherface,inthefainttremblingofherlegs.Withasoftsoundinthebackofhis
throat,hejerkedawayfromthedoorandmovedtowardher.

Run,hermindsaid.Butherlegswouldn'twork.Hecamecloser,fillingtheroom,fillingherhungry
eyes.

Hestilldidn'ttouchher.Hesearchedherfaceinsilence.Afteraminute,asoftsmileflamedonhis
mouth.Hishandwenttohistieandslowlyunfastenedit.Hetosseditaside.Heslidoutofhisjacket,
anditfollowedthetieintoachair,whileKirryshiveredatwhatshesawinhisface.

"Idon't...wantto...now,"shewhisperedwhenhishandswenttohisshirt.Butshestillwasn'tmoving.

"NeitherdoI,"herepliedquietly."Butsomethingsarefated,Isuppose."

Hisshirtwasunbuttoned,removed,baringabroad,bronzedchestthickwithblack,curlinghair.He
broughtherhandstohisbelt.

"Takeitoff,"hewhispered.

Herhandstrembledonthebuckleandherwideeyessoughthisforreassurance.

"I'll take care of you. We won't take risks," he said, reading the apprehension. He saw her relax,
despitethetracesofguiltthatremainedinhersoftgreeneyes.Hebentandbrushedhismouthover
herclosingeyelids,hidingtheaccusationinthem."I'lltakealongtime,"hewhispered."Doyoutrust
menottohurtyou?"

She moved closer, drawn like a magnet to the feel of his hair-roughened chest against her bare
breasts.Sheshiveredasthenippleswenthardwhenshepushedintohimandletherarmsencirclehis
waist."Itrustyou,"shestated.

He let out a savage breath. He hadn't dreamed that it would happen like this. Years of wanting her,

waiting,hoping...Andshewasgivingin,withoutasingleprotest.

Thestillnessinthebedroomwashaunting.Aboveit,hecouldhearfaintstreetnoisesinthedistance.
Closer,hecouldhearKirry'storturedbreathing,feelthewarmthofitagainsthischestwhereherlips
touched.

"Willyouhateme?"heaskedheavily.

Sheliftedhermistyeyestohis."WillyouthinkI'mcheap?"sheaskedwithequalconcern.

Hesmiled."You?"hewhisperedtenderly.

Shepressedcloser,restinghercheekagainsthiswarmchest.Sheclung,trembling,asthefinalityofit
trespassedintohermind.

His big hands smoothed over her bare back, savoring its silkiness. "There's a condition," he said
throughatightthroat.

"What?"

"Afterward,youhavetoputtheringbackon."

Hereyesopened.Shecouldseetheheavyvibrationofhischest."Thering?"

Hismouthbrushedhungrilyagainstherhairandhishandspulledhercloser."Theengagementring,
Kirry,"hewhispered,andhismouthquicklyworkeditswaydownherflushedfacetohermouth.He
tookithungrilyandfeltitopen,feltherbodvquickenevenasheheardherhelplessmoanofpleasure.

Heinterpretedherresponseasanagreement,asacredoath.Afterthat,nothingonearthwouldhave
stoppedhim.

Heliftedher,hismouthstillcoveringhers,andcarriedhertothebed.

She looked up as he laid her gentry on the covers. "Are you going to close.. .close the bedroom
door?"

"Who'sgoingtoseeus,mydarling?"hewhispered.Hesliddownbesideher,lettinghiseyescaress
thesoftthrustofherbreastsbeforehismouthloweredtoteaseandtormentthemintorigidpeaks.

Kirrycouldn'thaveimaginedthepleasure.Itwasfrantic,all-consuming.Shelethimremovethefinal
barrier and then lay trembling, watching him with hungry eyes while he undressed tor her. She'd
never seen him totally nude. She looked at him now without embarrassment, glorying in the
perfectionofhispowerfulbody.

Heloweredhimselfagainsther,smilingatherexpression."Wecan'thavesecretsanymore,canwe?"
he asked gently. His mouth touched hers, and then roamed over her face while his hands began to
learn her with infinite patience and tender caresses. He felt her tremble, heard her soft gasps as he
wentfromoneintimacytoanotherintheraptsilence.

She'dneverimaginedmakingloveinbroaddaylight.Nowitseemednatural,perfect.Sheledwhere
he followed, awash in pleasure so intense that she had no control left when he finally paused for a
momenttoprotecther,andthenmoveddown.Shefelthisbodyslowlyinvadehersandsheshivered,
herhandsclutchingwithanticipationandalittlefear.

His mouth was at her ear, his breath hot and quick. His tongue teased inside her ear. His hand slid
downherbellyandhetouchedher,laughingwithintimatetendernesswhenshegaspedandherhips
archeduptoaccommodatehim.

"Lang!"shecriedout.

"Yes,isn'titshocking?"hebreathedwithjoyfulconspiracy."Shocking,earthy..."Hepusheddownand
heardthebreathleaveherbody."Andnowyouknowitall,don'tyou?"hewhis-pered,ashepossessed
hercompletely."Youknowme.Allofme."

"AndIknowall...of...you."

His body was moving. She felt him around her, within her, felt a tension that made her reach up to
him,movewithhim,searchingfortherightpressure,therightrhythm.Sheswallowed,gasping.She
felttheheatanddampnessofhimwithwonder.Sheheardhisroughbreathatherear,felthiscontrol
givewayatlast.

Hisleanhandgrippedherthighandtherhythmgrewruthless.Shewasbeyondcaringabouthowhe
heldher.Itwasthere,thepleasurewasthere,andshewas...about...totouchit...!

Shewassobbing.Sheheardherownvoicewithasenseofdisassociation,asifshewasnolongerin
herbodyatall,butsailingaroundwithLanginamiasmaofgoldenheatandthrobbingsatisfaction.
Shecriedoutsomethingandarchedherbacktoprolongtheexquisitesensationsthatrippledoverher
inwavesofpleasure.

Forafewseconds,therewasnothingelseintheworldexceptLang,whohadbecomecompletelypart
ofher.

Faraway,sheheardraggedbreathingandfeltacrushingweightthelengthofherbody.Sheopened
her eyes. The ceiling was there, with the sunlight reflecting on the light fixture. She moved her
fingersexperimentallyandfeltthecoldsilkofLang'sthickhair.Sherememberedthen,andsmiled.

Hefeltthesmileagainsthischeekandliftedhishead.Hiseyes,likehers,weresoftintheaftermathof
fulfillment.Heliftedhimselfenoughtoseeherfaceandsmiledback.

Herbodybegantothroballoveragain.Hehadn'tmovedawayandwhensheshiftedoneleg,shefelt
himintimately.Hisevesgrewmistywiththereturnofdesire,likeherown.

Hemoved,too,andwatchedherlipspart.

She reached up, arching her hips so that she caressed him in the most exciting way, and he reacted

withincredibleease.Hisbreathcaughtatthequickening.

"That'simpossible,"sheassuredhim."Ireaditinabook...."

"Writtenbyavirgin,nodoubt,"hebreathedintoheropenmouth,andbegantomoveagain.

"Lang...isn'titrisky...?"

Hestilled."Yes."Hebitofftheword."MyGod,yes!"Withanguishinhisface,heliftedawayfrom
her,andfellontohisback.Helaythere,hisfistsclenched,totallyvulnerablewhilehefoughttostill
thedemons.

Sheleanedoverhim,boldlywatchinghisfacewhilehestruggledwiththedesirehedidn'tdaresatisfy.
Hiseyesheldherswhileheforcedhimselftobreathenormallyuntilthepainsubsided.Hisgazeslid
downtohersoftbreastsandlingeredthere.Hepulledhercloserandkissedthemhungrily.

"Iwanttodoitagainandagainandagain,"shewhisperedsoftly,savoringhismouthonherbody.

"SodoI.ButIdon'twanttomakeababyinthefeverofit,"hewhisperedback.Heheldherclosethen,
whiletheyslowlycamedownfromtheheights.

Sheclosedhereyesandwentheavyagainsthim,gloriouslycontented."Doyoureallywanttomarry
me?"sheaskeddaringly.

"Yes,"hesaid.

Shedrewhercheekagainsthischest,andthecleanscentofhimcameupintohernostrils."When?"

"We can talk about dates later," he murmured, oddly reluctant to pin it down to a certainty. He
smoothedherhair."Wehavetogettowork."

Sheliftedherselftolookattheclockandgroaned."Oh,mygoodness,I'manhourlate!"

"Theworldwon'tend,"hemurmureddryly.

"That'swhatyouthink!Ihaveabusinessmeetinginahalfhour!"

"Lookatme."

Shedid,andhissmilewasherundoing."Don'tpanic,"hesaid."I'llgetyouthereintime."

Hekissedhergentlyandputheroutofthebed,stretchinglazilyashegottohisfeet."Comeon.We'll
havetimeforaquickshower."

He led her into the bathroom and put her into the shower with him. It took longer than it normally
would,becausehemadeherbathehimandthatledtoexplorationandsoftkissesthatmadehimgrit
histeeth.

"I'mnotprepared."Hechuckled,liftingheroutofthespray.Heturnedtheshoweroffanddriedher.
"Noaccidents."

His concern seemed rather beyond what she might have expected. She felt insecure. "I'll see the
doctor,"shepromised,"sothatwecanmakesurenothinghappensuntilwewantitto."

Hestudiedherraptfacequietly."Yourcareermeansalottoyou,doesn'tit?"heaskedsolemnlv."For
now,atleast?"

She read the thoughts in his face. "Yes," she said slowly. She frowned. "You.. .do eventually want a
child?"

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Of course I do. Now, let's get to work. Tonight, we'll drive
downtoFloresvilleandtellBobandConnieourgoodnews."

Shewantedtopinhimdownonthesubjectofafamily.Perhapshewasjustthinkingofher.Butthere
hadbeensomethinginhiseyeswhenshementionedchildren....

Hesmootheddownthefrown."Stopborrowingtroubleandgetdressed.Justlookwhatyou'vemade
medo,"hesaid,glowering."I'vebeenseduced,forGod'ssake!"

Hereyestwinkled."Whv,soyouhave.Wouldyouliketopresscharges?"

"I'dliketopresssomething,"hemurmured,chuckling.

"Ididoffer,"sheremindedhim.

Hebentandkissedhercarelessly."I'llbepreparednexttime."

"OrIwill,"sheadded.

WhileLanggatheredhisownclothesandbegantodress,shemovedtoherdresserandpulledouta
braandslipandquicklyputthemonwithherbacktoLang.Feelingalittleshynow,shewalkedtothe
closetandtookoutagreen,patternedshirtwaistdressandputiton.

"Youlookniceingreen,"hesaid.

"Thanks." She hesitated, suddenly remembering his abrupt arrival. "Why did you come by this
morning?"sheasked.

"I'mgivingyouarideintowork.AndIwantedtoknowifyougotanycallslastnight,"hesaidwitha
lazysmile.

She smiled back and shook her head. "There was nothing on the answering machine. Nobody
botheredmeatall.Isthissomenewtactiche'susing?"sheaskedthen."Ishetryingtodrivemecrazy
bywaitingseveraldavsbetweenincidents?"

"It's a good psychological trick," he agreed. "I wouldn't put it past him. But that gas grenade was

dangerous.Sometimestheystartfires.Ifithadbeenbeneaththeseat,andithadexplodedunderyou..."

"Igetthemessage,"shesaiduneasily.Hereyesmethisinthemirrorwhilesheputonmakeupandran
acombthroughhershorthair."Inotherwords,we'renotoutofthewoodsvet."

Henodded.

She put down the brush and searched in another drawer for her panty hose. She put them on while
Langwatchedwithappreciativeeyes,thensheslippedonherhighheelsandpickedupherpurse.

"Whataboutmycar?"sheasked."Youdidn'tgetitpickedup,didvou?"

Heshookhishead."Sorry.I'llseetoitthismorning."

Sheturnedandlookedathimblatantly."DidyouseeLornalastnight?"sheaskedslowly.

Heliftedanamusedeyebrow."IfIhad,doyouthinkI'dhavebeensohungrvforyou?"

Sheflushed."Well..."

Hedrewheragainsthim."Youstilldon'tknowmuch.Somemencangoallnight.Ican't.IfI'dbeen
with another woman all night, I wouldn't have been capable this morning. Does that answer the
questionyoucan'tquiteaskme?"

"Yes,"shesaidruefully."Sorry,Ishouldn'thavepried."

Hefrowned."Kirry,youtrustedmeenoughtoletmemakelovetoyou,"heremindedhersoftly."That
givesyoueveryrightintheworldtoknowaboutme.Ihaven'tsleptwithLorna,andIwon't.Iwantto
marryvou."

Hesaidhedid.Buthewouldn'ttalkaboutadateandhedidn'twanttoriskmakingherpregnant.She
almostmentionedthat,butwhatthey'dsharedwastoonewandexcitingtospoil.Shedecidedtolive
onedayatatime.Atleasthedidwantherforkeepsthistime.Shecouldsettleforthat.Fornow.

Shereachedupandkissedhimverysoftly.Herevesadoredhim.Shetriednottonoticetheindecision
inhis."Let'sgoseeifwe'refired,"sheteased,andsteppedawayfromhim.

"Right."

Hedrovehertotheofficeinafaintlystrainedsilence.He'dburnedhisbridgesthistime.Therewould
benogoingback.He'dcompromisedher,andasold-fashionedasitmightseemtoanothermodern
man,hefeltobligedtodotherightthingandmarryher.Hedidcareabouther,verymuch.Itwasjust
thathewastrappednow.Itdidn'tfeelascomfortableashe'dthoughtitwould,tobetotallycommitted.
Andshewantedchildren.

He loved Mikey, of course, but it would be different when the child was his own, and he became
responsibleforitandKirry.Shewasaworkingwoman.Shewantedacareer.Butshe'dsleptwithhim,
and now his old footloose days were gone forever, because he hadn't been able to hold back. He'd

wanted Kirry to the point of madness. He glanced at her, remembering how it had been, and he
couldn'tmanagetoregretthatheatedlovinginherbed.Nomatterwhatthecost,itwasworthit!He
onlyhadtogetusedtotheideaofbeingcommitted.Thatshouldn'tbesohard,hetoldhimselffirmly.
He'dgottenusedtobeingontheroadallthetimewhenhejoinedtheCompany,he'dgottenusedto
wearing a gun. He'd even managed to live with worse things. It would grow on him. And as for
children,he'dfindsomewaytoputheroff.Withthatcertaintyinmind,hesmiledatKirryandbroke
intocasualconversation.

Butshewasn'tfooled.Shesawtheworryonhisface,theindecisionhecouldn'thide.He'dgoneover
theedgewithherandnowhewassorryaboutit,shecouldtell.Hewasgoingtomakethebestofit,
buthowwasshegoingtobeabletolivewithamanwhowasforcinghimselftoactcontented?Itwas
aglimpseofanightmare.

TheonenicethingaboutthemorningwasthatEricksonwasnowhereinsight,ineitherofhiscars.
Butshe'dbeenoverlyrelievedonetimetoomany,soshewasn'ttakinganythingforgranted.Hemight
behidingnearby,waitingforhertorelax.

Langstoppedthecaratherofficedoorandturnedtoher."Don'tletyourguarddown,"hesaidgently.
"Justbecausewedon'tseehimdoesn'tmeanthatheisn'taround."

"Iwasjustthinkingthesamething,"shereplied.Hereyessearchedhis."I'msorry,"shesaidgently.

Hefrowned."Aboutwhat?"

Sheshruggedathinshoulderandforcedasmile."Youaren'tready,"shesaid."Youthoughtyouwere,
butyouaren't.Iwasasmuchtoblameasyouwereforwhathappened,soyoudon'tneedtofeelguilty.
You don't need to feel obligated to marry me, either. We were careful. There won't be
any...consequences."

He stared at her with conflicting emotions. "Are you sure you don't want to marry me, Kirry?" he
askedslowly.

Thewayhephraseditsaideverything.Shedidn'tdarecryorlookregretful."Ienjoyedwhatwedid,"
shesaid."Butwhenthenewnessworeoff,we'dstillbestuckwitheachother.YouhaveyourjobandI
have mine, and marriage isn't the end of the rainbow anymore. Maybe we'd better think about this
beforewejumpintoit."

"That's exactly how I feel," he said, and looked relieved. "But we can still be engaged, while we're
thinkingaboutit.Okay?"

Wimp,shetoldherself."Okay,"sheagreedtooreadily,andthengrimacedatherownscramblefor
crumbs.

"WecandrivedownandhavesupperwithConnieandBob.I'llcallthem."

"I'denjoyseeingthemagain."

"I'llpickyouuphereafterwork.Becareful."

Shenodded,hesitatingweakly.

Hiseyesbegantoglitter."Wantmetokissyou?"hemurmured,teasing.

Shestartedtodenyit,buttheironyofthesituationmadehersmile."Yes,"shesaid.

Hesmiled."Ilikethathonesty,"hesaid,hisvoicehuskyanddeep."Iwanttokissyou,too."

Shemovedcloserandtiltedherfaceupforhim.Heframeditinhisbighandsandbent,drawinghis
lipssoftlyoverherown.Butthepassionbetweenthemwastoorawandnewtoallowfortenderness
just yet, and very quickly, he had her close in his arms and was kissing the breath out of her. She
moaned,andhecametohissenses.

"Ican'ttakemuchofthat,"hesaidwithgraveyardhumor.Hetookouthishandkerchiefandremoved
thesmearedlipstickfromaroundhermouthandthenhisown."I'llcomebyandtakeyououttolunch,
ifyou'refree."

"I'mnot,"shesaidmiserably."IhavetomeetsomeofLorna'sgroupforabusinesslunch."

Hesighed."Okay.Anothertime."

Shenodded,reachingforthedoor.

He stayed her hand. "I haven't given Lorna any messages for you," he said quietly. "If she starts
handingouttidbitsaboutme,takethemwithagrainofsalt,willyou?"

Shesmiledoverhershoulder."Okay."

"I'llseeyoulater."

"Sure." She got out and walked into the building, and had to force herself not to look back. She'd
madeherbed.Nowshewasgoingtohavetolieinit.

"You're late," Mack grumbled the minute she walked in the door. "Lorna McLane has been on the
phone ten times asking where you were. She couldn't seem to locate our security chief, either." He
lookedatKirrysuspiciously."Doyouknowwhereheis?"

"Hewaswithme,"shesaid,fightingablush.

Mackhesitated."Oh."

"Youneedn'tlooksoshocked.LangandIareengaged,"sheadded.

Hisfacerelaxedintoabeamingsmile."Congratulations."

"Thosemightbealittlepremature.We'renotplanninganelopement."

"Youneverknow,"hereplied."Langstrikesmeasanimpulsiveman."

"Hestrikesmostpeoplethatway.Buthe'sactuallyverycautious,"shesaid,rememberinghimwiththe
familiarityofyears."He'sverymethodical.Healwaysthinksfirst."

She remembered that when she was alone in her office. Lang was extremely cautious, in fact. He
never leaped before he looked, or let his emotions lead him around. So why had he let himself go
withherthismorning?Despitethefactthathetookprecautions,itwastotallyunlikehimtoleapin
without considering the consequences. At the very least, Kirry's feelings for him would lead her to
expectcommitmentfromamanwhoseducedher.Heknewthat.Hadhereallylosthishead?Orhad
hechangedenoughthathemightactuallywanttomarryher?

Shedidn'thavetimetoponderthequestionforverylong.LornaMcLanecalledagain,andshewas
fuming.

"Wherehaveyoubeen,MissCampbell?"sheaskedinascathinptone."Ireallydon'thavealldavto
chaseyoudown.Doyouwantthisaccountornot?"

Kirrybithertonguetokeepfromtellingthetruth."Certainlywewantit,MissMcLane,"shesaidina
pacifyingtone."I'msorry,Iwasunavoidablydetainedgettingtoworkthismorning."

"ByLang?"camethepoisonousreply.

Kirry'shandtightenedonthereceiver."Ifyoumustknow,yes,"sherepliedcurtly.

"Youlittletramp,"Lornasaidhuskily.

"Lang and I are engaged to be married, Miss McLane," Kirry informed her. "What we do in our
privatelivesishardlyanyofyourbusiness!"

There was an indrawn breath and a long pause, with audible breathing. "He wouldn't... he isn't the
marryingkind!You'relying!"

"Ifyouthinkso,you'reatlibertytoaskhim."

"I'vecalledhimanumberoftimes,buthe'sneveraround.Iguesshe'sbeenwithyou."

"I'vehadsomeproblemshere.Langhasbeenteachingmeself-defense,"shereturned.

"Andafewothertricks,I'llbet.He'sawonderfullover,isn'the?"shedrawled."Butwaituntilyouget
him to the altar before you start looking for congratulations. He was engaged to me, once, too. He
doesn't want children, did you know?" she added with a poisonous note in her voice. "He has to be
freetowalkoutifhewantsto,sokidsareoutofthequestion."

"Hewantschildren.Webothdo,"shesaidhesitantly.

"Really?Pinhimdown,dear.Idarevou."

"MissMcLane,thisisreally..."

"I'll expect to see you at lunch," Lorna continued unabashed. "I've asked the Lancasters to join us
whilewediscussthedetailsofthispromotion.Iwouldreallyprefertohaveyourcolleague,Mack,
workonit.Ifindthatwomenaren'tquiteascooperativeasmenwhenImakesuggestions."

I'm not surprised, Kirry thought, but she didn't dare say it. She was trying to picture Miss McLane
wrappedfromtoestoeyesingreensatinandpinnedwithsafetypins.Itkepthersane.

"I'msureIdhavenoobjectionstoMackreplacingme,"Kirryvolunteered,thinkingthatMackwould
killherforsteppingdown.HehadnoaffectionforLorna.

"Then,we'llbeabletosettlethisamicably.I'msoglad."

"I'llseeyouatlunch,then."

"Indeedyouwill,"Lornapurred,andmadeitsoundlikeathreat.

LornahadasurpriseforKirryatlunch.NotonlyhadsheinsistedthattheLancastersbeinattendance,
butLangwasthere,too,lookingirritableandreluctant."I'msureyouwon'tmindifLangjoinsus,"
Lorna told Kirry privately. "I thought you might like the Lancasters to share in the news of your
engagement."

She moved away in a cloud of expensive perfume to greet the dark, elegantly dressed Lancasters
before Kirry could reply. "I know that I won't be giving away any terrible secrets if I tell you that
LangandMissCampbellaretobemarried,"LornatoldtheLancasters,smiling.

Kirrywantedtotellherthatfeatherswerestickingoutofhermouth,butshedidn'tdare.Shesmiled
instead,althoughshecouldn'tkeepitfromlookingstrained.

"Isthistrue?"Mrs.Lancasterasked,delighted.

Langstraightened.HeglaredatLornaandmovedclosertoKirry,takingherhandinhis."Yes,itis,"
hesaid,buthedidn'tsoundlikeahappybridegroom.

"Well, we must help with the arrangements for the wedding," Mrs. Lancaster continued, and her
husbandsmiledhisagreement."Whenisittobe?"

"Wehaven'tsetadate,"Langsaidstiffly.

"Surelyyouplantomakeitsoon,Lang,dear?"Lornamused,leaningbacktosmileathimwithhatred
inhereyes.

"There'snorush,"hesaidfirmly."KirryandIhaveplentyoftime."

Kirryknewthathedidn'tliketobepushed,buttherewasmoretoitthanthat.Hewassoobviously
reluctanttobepinneddownonadatethatitwasembarrassing.

"That'sright,"Kirrysaidquickly,backinghimuponlybecauseshedidn'tlikeLorna."Weplanona
longengagement."

"Isee,"Mr.Lancasterrepliedwithnarrowedeyes.

"Well,ifyou'renotplanningtostartafamilyrightaway,Isupposethere'snohurryaboutit,"Lorna
purred."Howmanychildrenareyougoingtohave,Lang?"sheasked."Twoorthree?"

Lang'sfacewentrigid."Wehaven'tdiscussedthat."

"Surelyyouwantason?"Lornapersisted.

Heglaredatherandthendeliberatelyglancedathiswatch.

"We'dbettergetstarted,"Mr.Lancastersaid,takingthehint."Weallhavedutiestoperform.Nowwhat
isthisaboutswitchingtheserviceonyouraccount,MissMcLane?"heaskedpolitely.

"It's nothing against Miss Campbell," Lorna assured him, "but I think Mack would be more...
accessible. I've spent the entire morning trying to track down Miss Campbell, who seems to be
celebratingherengagementwithalittle,shallwesay,excessiveenthusiasm?Youknowhowthejob
cansufferwhenpeoplehavetheirheadsintheclouds,"sheaddedwithasilverylittlelaugh.

Whv,youviciousshrew,Kirrywasthinking.Inonestroke,Lornahadmanagedtomakeherlooklike
anincompetentairhead.

"Iwaslatetowork,yes,"Kirrysaidangrily."Butitwashardlyderelictionofduty...!"

"Miss Campbell," Mr. Lancaster said sharply, and smiled pointedly. "We wouldn't want to alienate
MissMcLane,now,wouldwe?"

Kirryflushed."Excuseme.I'msorrythatIwasn'tavailablethismorning,andIcanassureyouthatin
thefuture..."

"Inthefuture,IwouldprefertodealwithMack,"shesaid,smilingatherwarmly."HeandIwillget
alongverywell.Andthisaccountissoimportant...."Shelethervoicetrailaway.

Kirrywasbeingrailroaded,andtheLancastersweretakingitallinwithoutquestion.Mrs.Lancaster's
friendshipwithLornaobviouslyinclinedhertobelievewhatevertheformermodeltoldher.Shegave
Kirryaspeakingglance.

"Indeedtheaccountisimportant,"Mrs.Lancastersaidcoolly."I'msurethatMissCampbellwon'tmind
lettingMacktakeitover."

The inference was that she'd better not mind. Kirry was losing ground and she didn't know how to
regainit.

"Of course I don't mind," she said diplomatically. "Miss McLane's satisfaction must be our first
priority."

Lornainclinedherheadgraciously."I'mdelightedthatyou'rewillingtocooperate.Heavenforbidthat
Ishouldcauseanytrouble.Butthispromotionmustbeperfect.Anditwillleadtoothers.Ihavemany
connectionsinthefashionindustry."

"I'mawareofthat,mydear,"Mrs.Lancastersaidbrightly."Yourinfluenceisfar-reaching,indeed."

Mr.LancasterwaswatchingKirrycloselv."Youhaveotheraccountstoservice,Ipresume?"heasked
hercurtly.Itwasthefirsttimehe'dtakenanvrealinterestinwhatshedidforhiscompany.

"I'vebeenworkingonapromotionalcampaignforanewchainofsoupandsaladbars,"Kirrytold
him."Thefirsttelevisionadrunstonight,infact,ateight."

"We'llbesuretowatch,"heinformedher.

Kirrywasconfidentthatthecampaignwouldbesuccessful,andshewasn'tworried,despitethefaint
threat in Lancaster's voice. She was obviously on trial now, thanks to Lorna's dirty work, but she
wouldn'tcower.Sheheldherheadupthroughtherestofthemeetingandsmiledasifshehadn'tacare
intheworld.

"I hope I'll be invited to the wedding," Lorna told Lang as the meeting broke up. "And the first
christening,ofcourse."

Langdidn'tsmile."Thatwasalowthingtodo,"hesaidquietly."Whatevervendettasyouhaveagainst
meshouldn'textendtoKirry.She'sneverdoneanvthingtohurtyou."

"No?"Lorna'seyesglittered."Shetookyouawayfromme,didn'tshe?"

"Nowomancantakeamanwhoisn'twilling,"heinformedher."YouandIarewaterandwax.We're
toodifferenttomakeapair."

"Youwantedme!"sheaccused.

Henodded."Youwereanimportantpartofmylifeforawhile.IhopeIwasasimportanttoyou.ButI
nevertoldyouanylies,ormadeanypromises,andyoudamnedwellknowit."

Shewasbarelyincontrolofhertemper.SheglancedatKirry,talkingtoMrs.Lancaster,andtooka
sharpbreath."Shelookssleptwith,"shesaidbluntly,lookingupintimetocatchLang'sexpression.
"So that's it. Poor little compromised virgin. Did you feel obligated to offer her marriage in
exchange,Lang?"sheasked."Howinteresting.DoyouknowwhatsortofpeopletheLancastersare?
They'refundamentalists."

"Areyoumakingthreats,Lorna?"heasked.

"Why,yes,Iam,"shesaidwithasmile."EitheryoubreakthatengagementorI'llgivetheLancasters
anearfulaboutherlackofmorals.AndwhenIgetthrough,shewon'thaveajob...orareference.You
doknowwhatImean,don'tyou,dear?"

She walked away, smiling. Lang stared after her with murderous eyes. He hadn't dreamed that she
couldbesospiteful.He'dtakenherouttomakeKirryjealous,buthehadn'tdoneitinanyspitefulor
obviousway.ForallLornaknew,hewassimplyrenewinganoldacquaintance.OnlyLornahadtaken
itseriously,andshewantedtoplayforkeeps.NowLangwasbetweenarockandahardplace.Either
hehadtomarryKirryimmediatelyorgiveherup,becauseifLornacarriedthroughwithherthreat,
Kirrywouldliterallybeaskedtosacrificehercareer.Herjobmeantalottoher.Heknewtoowell
howmuchcareersmatteredtosomewomen...

"You'reveryquiet,"KirryremarkedwhentheywereonthewaydowntoBobandConnie'shousein
Floresville."What'swrong?"

Heglancedatherandbackattheroad."Justthinking.HaveyouseenanythingofEriksontoday?"

She shook her head and wrapped her arms tightly around her chest, leaning back in the seat with a
shiver."Couldyouturnuptheheat,Lang?"

"Sure."Hefrowned."Youaren'tcatchingacold,areyou?"

Sheshookherhead."I'mjusttiredandworried.TheLancastersdidn'tlikewhatLornasaidatlunch,I
knowtheydidn't.WhatiftheythinkI'mtooincompetenttokeepon?"

"Aren'tyougoodatyourjob?"

"Well, yes, but so are a lot of other people. I'm original, at least. Which is more than I can say for
poor old Mack," she said, grimacing. "He doesn't like Lorna and he hates high fashion. He finds it
boring.He'snotgoingtodoajobshe'lllike."

"Whatdidyouhaveinmind?"heasked,smiling.

"Astar-studdedextravaganzawithsomesocialiteshelpingtomodelLorna'sclothingline,"shesaid.
"They'dnotonlylovethelimelight,they'dbuytheclothes.Itwouldmeanquicksalesandalotmore
than just surface promotion. At least one local debutante has a father who owns a network of
boutiques inter nationally. Even Lorna doesn't have connections like that." She shrugged. "But she's
not interested in my ideas. I tried to show her what I had in mind, and she just ignored me. She
wouldn'tevenlisten."

"Pityshedoesn'thaveanycompetition,"hemused."Youcouldputhernoseinasling."

"Shedoeshavecompetition,"sheremarked."Butthey'rerepresentedbyanothercompanyandasfar
asIknow,theydon'thaveanypromotionsplannedfortherestoftheyear."

He gave her a lingering look at a traffic light. "There is such a thing as taking the bit between the
teeth.Whydon'tyougotothecompetitionandoutlineyourideasandoffertotakethethingonasan
independentpromoter?"

Shegasped."Thatwouldbeunethical."

"GiveyournoticeatLancaster.Changejobs.Gamble."

"Lang,Ihavebillstopay,"sheexclaimedwithasurprisedlaugh."Ican'ttakeachancelikethat.I'm
notagambler."

"I'mnot,either,asarule.Butsometimesyouhavetotakeachance."

"Youdon'ttakechances."

"No?Iaskedyoutomarryme."

Sheavertedhereyesandstaredoutthewindowwithasinkingheart.

"Thatwasbadlyput,wasn'tit?"heaskedquietly."I'msorry.Iwastryingtocheeryouup."

"Lornasawrightthroughyoutoday,"shesaid."Shepushedyouintoacornerandasmuchasmade
youadmitthatyoudidn'twanttomarryme."

HishandtightenedonthesteeringwheelashewasforcedtorememberthethreatLornahadmade.

"Iadmittednothing."

She turned in her seat, adjusting her seat belt, and studied his profile. "You aren't ready," she said
simply."Toyou,commitmentisstilltheboogeyman.Youthinkofmarriageasasortofprison,with
childrenasthechainsthatkeeppeoplethere."

Hewinced."Kirry..."

Shetouchedhissleeve,feelingthewarmstrengthofhisarmunderit."Wecanbeengagedforalittle
while,untilImakeupmymindwhatI'mgoingtodo—staywiththeagencyortakethatchanceandgo
independent.ButIwon'ttaketheengagementseriously,andIdon'twantyouto.Yourconsciencemay
stingforawhileaboutwhatwedid,butyou'llgetoverit.Nothinghappened,Lang.Wejustmadelove.
Peopledoitallthetime.Nobigdeal."

"It was to me," he said shortly, glowering down at her. "And if it was no big deal, why haven't you
doneitbeforenowwithsomeotherman?"

Sheleanedherheadagainsttheseatandlookedathimquietly."Youknowwhy.You'vealwaysknown.
It'sbecauseIbelongtoyou."

His heart shivered in his chest. He couldn't look at her again. She was tying him in knots, but they
wereofhisownmaking.

Hedidn'twanthertobelongtohim.Hedidn'twanttobeaprisonerofhisconscienceorevenoflove.

Shewithdrewherhandandlookedoutthewindshield.She'dembarrassedhim.Attheveryleast,she'd
madehimuncomfortable."Don'ttortureyourself,"shesaidquietly."I'mnotaskingforanything."

"Iknowthat,"hesaidtersely.

Sheclosedhereyes,enjoyingthecompanyandthedarknessastheyspedtowardFloresville.Ifonly
they could keep driving forever, she thought. It would be lovely not to have to go back to all her
problemsandthefuture,whenLangwouldbeoutofherlifeagain,andforeverthistime.

She was dreaming. Lang had made love to her, and they were sprawled under a big oak tree by a
beautifulstreaminameadow,holdingeachother.Hewaswhisperinghowmuchhelovedher...

"Willyouwakeup?"hedemandedcurtly,shakingher."We'rehere,andallhellhasbrokenloosefrom
thesoundofthings!"

Shesatup,herdreamshatteredbyhisharshtone."What?"sheasked,confused.

"Listen!"

ThecarwassittinginthedrivewayoftheoldVictorianhousewherethePattonslived.Aloudvoice—
Bob's—wasdisclaimingsomeaccusationthatcamefromConnie.Inthebackground,asoftSpanish
voicewastryingtoassertreason.

"Housekeeper,myblueelbow!Youwerekissingher!"Conniewasraging.

"Iwasholdingherwhileshecried,becauseyouhurtherfeelings!"Bobyelled.Allthreeofthemwere
outlinedonthefrontporch."Youdidn'thavetoaccuseherofbeingahome-wrecker!"

"Well,sheis!"Conniesaid."She'seventakenoverMikey!HewantsTeresatoreadtohim,hewants
Teresatotakehimtoschool,hewantsTeresatositbyhimwhenweeat...he'smyson!"

"He'dneverknowit,wouldhe,whenyou'vegotyournosestuckinenginesalldayandhalfthenight!"

"Oh!" Connie threw up her hands and started to say something else when she noticed the car in the
driveway.ShesmootheddownhergreasycoverallsandglancedfromthecartoBob.

"Lang!"hisbrotherexclaimed,gratefulforthediversion."Lang,isthatyou?"

"Lookslikeit,"Langsaidruefully.HegotoutandwaitedforKirrytojoinhimatthesteps."Wejust
got engaged and thought we'd come and tell you. This doesn't look like the best time for an
announcement."

"Engaged?"Conniestumbled."YouandKirry?Again?"

"Weweren'tactuallyengagedthen,"Langsaidirritably."Wewerealmostengaged."

Connie'sfacesoftened."Well,well.Andwhenareyougettingmarried,soon?"

"Iwisheverybodywouldstopaskingthat!"Langburstout,runninganirritatedbighandthroughhis
hair.

"Wehaven'tsetadate,"Kirrysaidquicklv."Itwasverysudden.Wehaven'treallyhadalotoftimeto
talkaboutit,whatwithourjobs..."

"Well, of course they haven't," Bob told his wife. "Can't you stop throwing questions at them when
they'veonlyjustgottenhere?Teresa,makesomecoffeeandslicesomecake,willyou?!"

"Si,SenorBob,"Teresa'ssoftvoicecameback,followedbythescurryingoffeet.

"She'sasweetheart,"Bobsaidwithasmile.Itfadedwhenhelookedathishaggardwife."Shedoesn't

thinkso.Shedoesn'tevenappreciateallthehardworkTeresadoesheretosaveherwork."

"I'msureConnieappreciatesit,Bob,"Kirryinterjected."Canwegoinside?I'mcold."

"It'sallbutsummer,"Langmuttered."Howcanyouhavechills?"

"Areyoufeverish?"ConniefeltKirry'sforehead."Notatall,thankgoodness.Youknow,Ihadchills
whenIgotpregnantwithMikey..."

"There'snopossibilitywhatsoeverthatKirry'spregnant,"Langsaidshortly.

"Oh,Iknowthat,forheaven'ssake,"Conniemutteredathim."Iwasjustmakingastatement."

Langflushed,butnoonenoticedexceptKirry.Sheavertedhereyes.They'dtakenprecautions,andit
hadonlybeentheonetime.Shecouldn'tbepregnant.Thethingwas,precautionsdidfailonetimeout
ofahundred....But,no,shewouldn'tthinkaboutit.

"This is Teresa." Bob introduced the young Mexican-American woman with a smile. His eyes were
twinklingashelookedather."Ninita,ésteesmihermano,Lang."

"Muchogustoenconocerlo,señor,"shesaidwithasmile.Shehadalovelyroundfigureandbigbrown
eyesinaframeoflong,jetblackhair.Shewasabeauty.NowonderConniewasfurious!

"Ymi,"Langreplied."Sealegrodetrabajaraquí,señorita?"headded.

"Oh, sí,"she said without enthusiasm, and she looked worried. "Este familia es muy simpático,
especialamenteelninito."

ShelikedMikey.Shedidn'tmentionlikingConnie,whowasglaringateverybodywhospokeSpanish,
becauseshedidn't.

"SpeakEnglish,"Conniesaidharshly.

"She'slearning.Ittakestime."Bobshotbackthewords."Stopbeingsounpleasant!"

Connie put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "I will not. You're imagining yourself in love
withher,aren'tyou?"

Bobflushed."Forheaven'ssake...!"

"Admitit,youcoward!"Conniegoadedhim."Comeon,admitit!"

"She'sasweet,kindlittlethingwholikeskidsandhouseworkandmen!"hesaidfinally,hisdarkeyes
glaringather."Howdoyouexpectmetofeelabouther,whenmywifelooksandsmellslikeagrease
pitandneverhastimeformeorherson?"

Connie gasped and suddenly turned and ran for the bedroom, where she slammed the door with a
loudsob.

Bobgrimaced."NowI'vedoneit."

LangandKirryexchangedlooks."Ithinkwepickedabadnighttocome,"Langbegan.

"Therearen'tanygoodones,"hemuttered.HesawTeresa'shugeeyesfillwithtearsandmovedtoput
anarmaroundher."Noseatriste,amada,"hesaidsoftly."Todoesbien."

"Everythingisnotwell,"Langreplieddarkly."Andsheshouldbesad,sinceitseemstomethatshe's
abouttobreakupyourmarriage.You'reamarriedman.Bob.Whydon'tyouactlikeit?Theperson
whoneedscomfortingisyourwife,notyourhousekeeper."

Bob'sfaceflamed.HetookhisarmfromaroundTeresaandgloweredatLang."Idon'tneedyouto
tellmehowtoconductmymarriage!"

"No?"Langlookedpasthim.Conniewascomingoutofthebedroomwithasuitcaseinonehandand
Mikeybytheother.

"Wherearewegoing.Mom?"heaskedsleepily.

"Tomysister's!"sheinformedtheworld.SheglaredatBob."Whenyoucometoyoursenses,ifyou
do,I'llbeatLouise's."

"Whataboutyourpreciousbusinessoutback?"heasked.

"PutupaClosedsign.Youcanspellthat,can'tyou?"sheaskedsweetly."Inthemeanwhile,ToddSteele
hasavacancyforamechanicinhisgarage,andhe'llhiremeinaminute."

Hiseyesbulged."Iwon'thaveyouworkingforyourex-sweetheartwhojustgotdivorced!"hetold
her.

"Whynot?I'mabouttobedivorcedmyself!"

"Connie!"hewailed.

"Mom,whyareyouyellingatdaddy?"Mikeyasked,stilldrowsyandnotmakingmuchsenseofthe
confrontation.

"Becausehe'sdeaf,"Conniereplied,glaringatherhusband."Hedoesn'tunderstandsimplelanguage
like'fireher'!"

"Youcan'ttellmewhotofireinmyownhouse,"Bobinformedher.

"Itusedtobemyhouse,too,andMikeys,"Conniereturnedproudly."NowitseemstobeTeresa's."

Bob seemed to realize all at once what was happening to his life. "She's just the housekeeper," he
began.

"That'sright,"Conniereplied."Butyoudon'ttreatherlikeone."

"Youdon'ttreatmelikeahusband,"heretorted.

Conniedidn'tanswerhim."Saygood-nighttoeveryone,Mikey,"shetoldtheirson.

"Goodnight,"hesaidobligingly.

Connie smiled apologetically at Lang and Kirry, ignored the others and stalked out the door with
Mikey.Minuteslater,hercarstartedupandmovedoutofthedrivewayaroundLang's.

Bob'seyesnarrowed."Connieisn'tmywife,she'stheresidentmechanic.Shehasnotimeforanything
exceptherdamnedjob!MikevandIwerejustflotsam,don'tyourealizethat?Shedoesn'twanttobea
wifeandmother,shewantsacareer!Okay,Iletherhaveit.Butit'snotworkingout."

KirrystaredatBobwithcarelullyconcealedhorror.WassheseeingwhatmarriagetoLangwouldbe
like,exceptinreverse?Wouldheonlyhavetimeforhisjob,andhisfamilywouldbelittlemorethan
anafterthought?

Lang,too,washavingsomedifficultieswithhisthoughts.Kirrylovedherjob,too.Shewouldbelike
Connie, trying to juggle a job and children, if she had any. It would be a division of loyalties that
couldbemanaged,ifshelovedandwaslovedenough.ButhewasseeinginBob'srelationshipwith
Connie all the inherent dangers of marriage. He didn't like what he saw. He'd had cold feet before
aboutmarriage.Theywereice-coldnow.

"See what you're asking for?" Bob asked Lang with a humorless laugh. "She said she wanted a
husbandandafamily,butwhatshereallywantedwasagarage.You'dbetteragreebeforehandabout
whatkindofmarriageyou'regoingtohave,"hesaidbitterly.

"DidyouevertellConniehowyoufelt?"Kirryaskedhesitantly.

"UntilIwasblueintheface,butit'salwaysbeenwhatConniewants,notwhatIwant."Heglancedat
Teresaasshecameintotheroom,shyandquiet."Areyouleaving,too?"

TeresaexplainedinSpanishthatshewantedtogotoherbrother'shomeinSanAntonio.Sheaskedif
LangandKirrywoulddropheroff.

"Comeon,Teresa,"Langsaid."Youcanridewithus."

"Muchasgracias."ShewalkedtoBobandlookedupathimwiththosehuge,softeyes."Losiento.No
tepusefuriosoami,porfavor,"shewhispered.

Bob'sfacecontorted."OfcourseI'mnotmadatyou,"hesaidsoftly,andhisexpressionandtonegot
throughevenifthewordsdidn'tquiteregister.

Shesmiledathim."Hastaluego.¿Nosvamos?"

Langnodded."Wego.I'llbeintouch,Bob."

Bobhesitated."Don't...blamemetoomuch,"hesaidmiserably.

Langmovedforwardandhuggedhimwarmly."You'remybrother,youidiot,Ionlywantyoutobe
happy."

LangandKirrydroppedTeresaoffatherbrother'shouseontheoutskirtsofSanAntonio.Langwent
withhertothedoor,explainingthathissister-in-lawhadleftthehouseforthenight—withoutgoing
into any detail about the reason for it—and that it wouldn't be fitting for Teresa to spend the night
alone with Bob. The brother was gracious and appreciative, and Lang came back to the car feeling
lesssad.

"She'sgotanicefamily,"hetoldKirry.

"Yourbrotherisreallysmittenwithher,"Kirryreplied."I'msorryforConnie,becauseIdon'tthink
BobisgoingtobeabletoresistTeresa."

"Don'tbesosure,"hesaidcurtly.

"You'reworried."

"Ibelieveinmarriage.Sometimespeoplegiveuptooeasilyonarelationship."

"Sometimestheyhangontoonethathasnofuture."

He glanced at her, and his eyes became searching on her face. "Connie shouldn't have married," he
said."Sheshouldhaveopenedherowngarageandspentyearsbuildingitupbeforeshesettleddown."

"Yes."

Hesighedheavily."Youdon'treallywanttogetmarriedyet,doyou?"heaskedwithhisattentionon
theroadahead."Youwantacareer,justlikeConnie."

Herheartleaped.Wasthatwhathethought,thatajobmeantmoretoherthanmakingahomeforLang
and their children? Or was that what he wanted to think? Was he looking for a way to break the
engagementalready?Itfeltlikeareplayofthepast.

Shetwistedherfingersinherlapandwatchedthemtangleanduntangle."Somewomenaren'tcutout
tobemothers,Ithink,"shesaid."ConnielovesMikey,butshe'sneverbeenparticularlymaternal."

"It'salittlelateforhertofinditout,"hesaidangrily.

"Perhapsshedidn'tknowherself,"shesaid.Hedidn'treply.Hewastakingithard.Unusuallyhard.She
glancedathim."Somemenaren'tcutouttobefathers,either,Iguess."

Hestiffened."Really?"

"Youfreezeupeverytimesomeonementionsafamily,Lang,haven'tyourealized?"

Hishandsgrippedthesteeringwheelandthenrelaxed."Childrenmeanpermanentties."

"Iknow."Shesmiled."Youaren'tready,anymorethanConniewas."

"Neitherareyou,"hereturnedangrily."Youwantacareer."

"OfcourseIdo.Everyonewantstomaketheirmarkintheworld,butit'spossibletocombineacareer
withafamily,"shesaid,laughing."Peopledoitallthetime."

"LikeConniehas?"heaskedangrily.

"Connieishavingtrouble.She'sactingtoosingle-mindedlytojuggleajobandafamily."

"Jugglethem!"hesnapped.

Kirrywassurprisedattheantagonisminhisdeepvoice.SheknewthatthePattonboyshadlosttheir
motherwhentheywerejustalittleolderthanMikey,butLangneverspokeofher.Theirfatherhad
raisedthemandhe'ddiedwhenKirryandLangwerejustnoticingeachother.

"Lang,younevertalkaboutyourmother,"sheremarked.

"Ineverwill."

Shewasshockedatthevehemenceintheassertion."Noteventome?"

"Whatdoyouwanttoknowabouther?"heasked.

Shehesitated."Whatwasshelike?"

"Shewasacareerwoman,"hesaidwithacoldsmile,glancingherwav."Shewasoneofthosewomen
who should never have married. She didn't have time for Bob and me. She was too busy flying all
overthecountrytosellrealestate.Andonedayshewentupinaplanethatwasdueforanoverhaul,
but she couldn't wait because she might miss a sale. The plane went down and we buried her in
pieces."

Herbreathcaughtinherthroat."Oh,Lang,I'msosorry."

"Why?Weneverlovedher,damnher,"heretorted."Sheneverlovedus,either.Wewereanuisance,
aninconvenience.Shetoldourfathereverytimetheyhadafightthatsheneverwantedusinthefirst
place,buthe'dworriedhertodeathaboutwantingkids,soshegavein.Wewerehergreatestregret.
Shedidn'trememberabirthdaythewholetimewewerekids,andsheneverrememberedChristmas
presents.Imadeheranashtrayatschoolinclayandpainteditherfavoritecolors.Shethrewitinthe
trash."

Why hadn't he ever told her this? She realized then that Lang had never shared his deepest feelings
withher.Inalltheyearsshe'dknownhim,he'dneverspokenofhischildhoodatall—untilnow.And

sheunderstoodforthefirsttimewhyhewassoreluctanttomarry.

"Youthinkitwillbethesameforus,"shesaidsuddenly."YouthinkI'llbelikeyourmother."

He looked in the rearview mirror before he made the next turn, with smooth ease. "Won't you,
Kirry?" he asked with world-weary cynicism. "This is the era of single-parent families. I know all
aboutthat.Iwastheproductofone,evenifmyparentsweremarriedonpaper.Iwasalatchkeykid
fromtheageofsix.Wouldyouliketohearsomehorrorstoriesthatcamefromit?"

"I can imagine," she said. Her soft eyes slid over his face. "It's a different world. Lifestyles are
changing almost overnight. What used to be the norm isn't anymore. We can't go back to the past,
Lang.Weallhavetoadjust.Withtheeconomyinitspresentstate,mostfamiliescan'tmakeitonone
income,sowomenhavetowork.Ifwedidgetmarried,I'dstillhavetohaveajob."

Hegrimaced.Hedidn'tlikewhatshewassaving.Itwasalltootrue.Thevcouldhardlyhaveadecent
standardoflivingandchildrenonjusthissalary,asgoodasitwas.Andwhatifhebecamedisabled?
If Kirry couldn't work, how would she support herself and their family if something happened to
him?

"It'snotsuchabadthing,awomanbeingindependent,"shesaidgently.

"Mymothercertainlywas,"hesaid.

He turned into the parking lot of the building where they lived, closemouthed and quiet. Old
memorieswerehurtinghim.Hedidn'tlikerememberinghismotherandhersingle-mindeddevotion
tothealmightyjob.Hisfatherworkedasalaboreratafeedmill.Hedidn'tmakealotofmoneyand
heworkedlonghours,sohewasn'thomewhenBobandLanggothomefromschool.

Their mother could have had time for them if she'd wanted to. She was pretty much self-employed.
Herjobschedulecouldhavebeenrearranged.Butshewasalwaysgone.Andwhenshewashome,she
expectedLangandBobtohavethehouseworkdoneandwaitonherbecauseshewastired.

Their father had done his best to accommodate her, and that had made Lang and Bob resentful and
angry at the way she used him. When she died in the plane crash, their standard of living dropped
radically.But Lang hadn'tcried. Neither hadBob. Their father hadtried to explainit once, to make
them understand that she'd loved them, in her way, but she hadn't wanted to get married in the first
place.He'dcompromisedher,andthey'dhadto,forherparents'sake.Inthosedays,inasmallTexas
town,church-goinggirlsdidn'thavebabiesoutofwedlock.

"Myparentshadtogetmarried,"Langmuttered,staringintothepast.

"I'msorry."

Hecutofftheengineandturnedtoher."Whywereyouhavingchills?"hedemanded."CouldConnie
havebeenrightwiththatshotinthedark?"

"Weusedsomething,"shesaidweakly.

"Andnothingisfoolproof."Helookedhaunted."Tellme!"

"Ican'ttellyouwhatIdon'tknow,Lang,"sherepliedveryquietly."It'swaytoosoontoevenguess
yet."

He relented. His hand ruffled his own hair as he leaned back in the seat. "I don't want you to be
pregnant,Kirry,"hesaid.

She felt her body stiffen. That was blunt enough. "You can't forgive your mother, so I'm to be
punishedforhersins,isthatit?"

Helookedpuzzled."Thathasnothingtodowithit."

"Sure."Sheopenedthecardoorandgotout.Herlegsfeltshaky.Herself-confidencewasontheblink
entirely.

He got out, too, and followed her into the building and the elevator. He rammed his hands into his
pocketsandstaredatherbroodinglyastheywentup.

"Don'tpretendthatyou'dbethrilledaboutitanymorethanIwould,"hepersisted.

Shedidn'tlookathimoranswerhim.

Theygotoffontheirfloorandshepausedatthedoorofherapartment."Lornasaidthatyoudidn't
wanttolivehereanymore.Youdeniedit,butwasittrue?"

Hefrownedashestudiedher.Lorna'sthreatcamebackfullforce.Shewasavindictivewoman,and
Langknewfromthepastthatshedidn'tbluff.

"Whatifyoulostyourjob,Kirry?"

"I'dfindanother,"shesaid."I'mnothopelesslyuntalented."

"Ifyouleftunderacloud,itmightbedifficulttofindsomethingelseasgood."

"I'mnotgoingtobefired,"shesaidheavily."Lornamaynotlikeme,butMackdoes,andhecanclear
mewiththeLancasters.Itisn'tasifI'vedonesomethingunforgivable."

He looked worried and couldn't hide it. His dark eyes searched her green ones quietly. She didn't
knowwhatLornahadthreatened.Hecouldn'ttellher,either.

"Areyousurethattherewon'tbeanyconsequencesfromwhatwedid?"heaskedheavilv.

"You're worrying it to death because of one idle remark Connie made! Lang, I'm not pregnant, all
right?"

"Allright."Helaughedathisownconcern.Hewasoverreacting."Thenifyou'rethatsure,maybeit
wouldbebetterifwelettheengagementfadeaway."

Hereyesnarrowed."That'swhatLornawants,Igather?"

Hehesitated."Yes,"hesaid."That'swhatshewants."Hedidn'taddwhy.

Shesearchedhisfaceasifsheweresayinggoodbye.Infact,shewas."Thengiveherwhatshewants,"
shereplied."Idon'twanttosacrificemyfuturetoyourconscience.Theonlyreasonyouwantedthe
engagementinthefirstplacewasbecauseyoufeltguiltythatweslepttogether.That'sabadreasonto
marrysomeone,especiallywhenthereisnopossibilityofanyconsequences,"sheaddedfirmly.

Women were supposed to know if they were pregnant, he assured himself. She sounded confident.
Right now, getting Lorna out of the picture before she could damage Kirry's future was the most
importantthing.Letherthinkshe'dwon.Yes.

"Considertheengagementoff,then,ifthat'swhatyouwant,"hesaid.

Shemanagedasmile,butitwasstrained."It'swhatyouwant,"shesaid,pointedly."Youcan'tletgoof
thepast,canyou?Ineverknewwhyyoureallywantedout.Younevertoldmeanythingaboutyour
life,andIdidn'tevenrealizeit.Youwantedme.That'salliteverwas."

Hedidn'tdenvit,buthisfacewastautandhisevesunread-able.

Sheturnedaway."That'swhatIthought"shesaidquietly,assheunlockedherdoor.

Langwatchedherhungrily,avertinghiseyeswhenshelookedbackathim.

"I'llstillbearound,"heremindedher."Don'tletyourguarddownwhereErikson'sconcerned.Andif
you'drathernotkeepthelessonsgoingwithme,I'llhaveoneofmyadvancedstudentsworkwithyou.
Itwouldbeashametostopnow."

"Whateveryouthink,"sheagreedcomplacently.

Hiseyeswereweary."MaybeIamlivinginthepast,"hesaidthen."Thefactis,Idon'twantchildren
andIcan'tsettleforhalfamarriage.I'msorry.Sexisn'tenough."

She knew her face had gone pale, but she smiled like a trooper. "No, it isn't," she agreed. "See you
around,Lang."

Henodded.Hecouldn'ttrusthimselftospeak.

SheclosedthedoorwithafirmclickandLangstoodstaringatitwithhisheartinhiseyesforalong
moment before he turned and went back to his own apartment. It had never seemed as empty in the
past.

Kirrylayawakemostofthenight,thinkingaboutLang'scomments.Somehowshecouldn'tequatethe
man who'd said sex wasn't enough with the incredibly tender lover of the other night. It had been
much,muchmorethanphysicallust.Buthewouldn'tacknowledgeit.Andhe'dseemedwithdrawnthe

nightbefore,especiallywhenshe'dmentionedLorna.Shedidn'tknowwhatwasgoingon,butithad
tohavesomethingtodowithherjob.Wasshegoingtobefired?Didheknowsomethingshedidn't?

Perhaps he'd made that suggestion about an alternate campaign for a purpose. When she got up the
nextday,itwaswithanewresolve.Shewasn'tgoingtohangaroundandwaittobebumpedfromthe
companyroster.Shehadsomegoodideas.Lornamightnotappreciatethem,butsheknewsomeone
who would. She put in her notice that very morning, cautioning Mack not to share it with the
Lancasters just yet. He agreed, feeling personally that Kirry had been deliberately dealt a bad hand
throughLorna'scattyremarkstoherfriend,Mrs.Lancaster.

Kirry went to see Reflections, Inc., on her lunch hour. It was a new public relations firm, and the
ownerhadaleanandhungrylook.HehiredKirryonthespotwhenheheardsomeofherideas,even
going so far as to offer her a percentage of the business as well as a salary if she pulled in new
businessforthem.Herfeethardlyleftthepavementonthewaybacktowork.MarryingLangwould
havemadeherfloattwiceashigh,butnowthejobwouldhavetobehersatisfaction.Ifsheallowed
herselftothinkaboutlosingLangagain,she'dgomad.

By the time she got ready to leave the office, much later than she'd planned to, she'd forgotten all
aboutEriksoninthejoyoftheday.Hermindwasonhernewpositionandthedelightshewasgoing
to feel when she walked out the door for the last time. Her only regret was poor Mack. His ideas
weren't pleasing Lorna, and she was taking out most of her frustrations on him. Everyone in the
officecouldhearherdispleasure.

"I'llcope,"he'dtoldKirry,tongueincheek."Whenshe'shadenough,she'llgolookingforanother
agency.ThejokewillbeontheLancasters,notme."

Kirry had to agree, and she couldn't help feeling a little sting of pleasure at the thought. Mrs.
Lancaster hadn't learned that friendship had to be kept separate from business if she wanted her
companytoprosper.ByallowingLornatomanipulateher,she'dcostherselfalotofnewbusiness.
Andanemployeewhocouldhavehelpedherkeepit.

She was thinking about the markets she could help bring to Reflections, Inc., when she suddenly
realizedthatitwasdarkandshewasaloneintheparkinglot.

Hercarwasinplainview,andthelotwaslighted.Shelookedaroundquickly,buttherewasn'tanother
carinsight.Shewasbeingparanoid,shetoldherself.Eriksonhadn'tbeenseenallday.Itwashighly
unlikelythathe'dbelayinginwaitforhertonight.

She had her keys in her hand, locked in between her fingers to make a formidable weapon if
necessary.Shewalkedquicklyandhereyesdartedaroundcautiously.Sheunlockedthecar,butbefore
shegotin,shelookedinthebackseat.Thenshedashedinsideandlockedthedoorsagain.Safe!

Therewasnothingsuspiciousintheinterior,andshecheckedcarefully.Thenshestartedthecarand
putitingear.NoErickson.She'dworriedfornothing.

She turned the car out into traffic and drove toward her apartment building. It had been a very
profitable day. She wondered how Lang had fared, and if Bob and Connie had talked over their
differences.ItwouldbesadforlittleMikeyifhisparentsdivorced.Shefeltsorryforallofthem.She
feltsorriestforLangandherself.

As she pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building and turned off the engine, she looked
aroundcautiously.Buttherewereotherpeoplenearbyandsherelaxed.Nothingtoworn'about,she
assuredherself.Hewasgoingtogiveitup.Sheknewhewas.Shefeltbetterabouteverything.

She got her purse and locked the car, pulling her coat closer against the chilly night air. Her eyes
sparkledasshethoughtaboutheronepleasure,thechangeofjobs.

She walked into the apartment building and got into the elevator with a couple of other tenants.
Nobodyspoke.Shegotoffonherfloor,wonderingasshewalkeddownthehallifLangwasathome.
Shestaredathisdoor,butsheonlyhesitatedforaninstant.He'dmadehisfeelingsclear.Shewasno
longerpartofhislife.Infact,hemighthaveevenmovedoutbynow.Shewasjustgoingtohaveto
learnhowtolivewithouthim.

Sheunlockedherapartmentdoor,idlyawarethatitwasunusuallyeasytogetintotonight,andclosed
andlockeditbehindher.Sheturnedonthelightandwalkedintoherbedroomtochangeclothes.

Assheenteredtheroom,anarmcamearoundherneckandtrappedher,hurting.

"Hello, girlie." A familiar voice chuckled. "Did you think I'd forget about vou? Not a chance! It's
paybacktime,blondie."

Herheartranwild.Herkneesfeltlikejelly.Hewashurtingherandinaminutehe'dcutoffherwind.
Shehadtokeepherhead.Ifshepanicked,itwasallover.

"Mr.Erikson,you'llgotojail."Shegotthewarningoutthroughdrylips.

"Doyouthinkso?Itwillbemywordagainstyours.Nobodywillbelieveyou."Hisfreehandtouched
herblatantlyoverherjacket."Nice.Youfeelrealnice...."

Nowornever,shethought.Nowornever.Herheartbeatwentwildasshecamebackwithherelbow
rightintohisdiaphragmashardasshecould.Hisintakeofbreathandtherelaxingofthearmaround
hernecktolditsownstory.

Shewhirled,actinginstinctively,allLang'strainingfirmlyinplaceasshebroughtupherkneeinto
hisgroinandthensteppedin,brokehisbalanceandsenthimcareeningdownontothefloor.

Get out, she heard a voice in her head, don't be a heroine. She ran for the front door. Her hands
fumbledwiththelock,butonlyforasecond.Shegotthedooropenandranintothehall.Herhands
beatonLang'sdoor,andshescreamed,buthewasn'thome.Thehallwasdeserted!Sheheardnoises
comingfromherapartment.

Sherantotheelevator,givingwaytopanic,andpressedthebuttonrepeatedly.Buttheelevatordidn't

budge.Sherememberedthewarningaboutthestairwell,butshewastoofrightenedtoheedit.Itwas
theonlywayout.

Sheranintothestairwellandtrippedgoingdownthesteps,strainingthemusclesinheranklesothat
eachnewstepwaspainful.Shewasbreathingraggedlynow,andeverybreathhurt.Asobcaughtin
herthroatasshemadeittothegroundlevelandburstoutintothelobby.

Thesecurityguardfrownedashesawher,andhecametowardheratonce,withahandonthegunat
hiship.

"Areyouallright,MissCampbell?"heaskedquickly."What'shappened?"

"Inmy...apartment.Aman.Heattackedme,"shegasped.

Hisfacewenttaut.Hetookhertothemanager'sofficeandhandedherovertoaconcernedclerk,who
tookherinbackwhilethesecurityguardwentintothestairwell.

Kirryknewwhathewasgoingtofind.Eriksonwastoosavvytolethimselfbecaught.He'dbelong
gone,andoutforbloodnow.She'dhurthispride.Itwouldn'tbeagametohimanymore.He'dwantto
killher.

Nausearoseinherthroat,makinghersickallover.Theclerkhelpedhertotherestroom,justintime.
Shewaswhiteanddrawnwhenshewentbacktotheoffice,tofindthatthesecurityguardwasback,
andgrim-faced.

"Iknewhe'dbegone,"shewhisperedunsteadily."ButIhurthim."

"He got out over the balcony. Somebody must have seen him, though," he told her. "Nobody gets
away with that sort of thing in my building," he added coldly. "Is there someone you can stay with,
MissCampbell,fortonight?Idon'tlikethinkingaboutyoubeinguptherealone."

Shelaughedbitterly.Ithadn'toccurredtoherbeforethatshehadnothinginherlifeexceptfriendly
acquaintances like Betty. She had no family in this country; God only knew where her mother was,
andtherewasn'tanyoneelse.

"No,"shesaid,chokingdowntears."Ihavenoone."

Helookedworried.Hescowledashetriedtocomeupwithasolution."We'llhavetocallthepolice,"
hesaid.

Shedidn'thavethestrengthtoargue.Herwillpowerwasatitslowestebbinyears.

Thepolicecameandquestionedher.ShegavethemadescriptionofErikson,explainingtheproblem
andreferringthemtopeopleatheroffice—andtoLang.

"We'llpickhimup,"ayoungofficersaidcoldly."Hecan'tbetoohardtofind."

"Goodthingyouknewsomeself-defense,younglady,"hisolderpartneradded."Itaughtmydaughter

whenshewasjustakid.It'shandystuff."

"Youcansaythatagain,"sheagreedwithawansmile.

"I've called in one of our part-time security guards," the apartment security officer said, rejoining
them with a taut expression. "He'll be outside your apartment all night long, Miss Campbell. You
needn'tworry."

Shefelttearsslidingdownhercheeks."Oh,it'ssokind...!"shewhispered.

Helookedembarrassed."You'reatenant,"hesaid."Wecan'thavepeopleupsettingourtenants.Here,
now,don'tdothat.It'sallover."

The cluster of people in the lobby piqued Lang's curiosity as he came into the apartment building.
He'd had to interview applicants and then there had been a faulty burglar alarm that had to be dealt
with.Hewaswornfromtherigorsoftheday,andfromhatingwhathe'ddonetoKirry.DamnLorna,
hewasn'tgoingtoletherdictatehislifeorintimidateKirry.He'dtoldherso,too.And,he'dadded,if
shetoldtheLancastersaboutKirry,he'dhavesomethingtotellthemabouther.

Shehadn'texpectedthat.Herfacehadgonepaleandshe'dblusteredaroundfortenminutes.Butinthe
end,she'dgivenin.Shehadothermeninherlife,she'dinformedhim.Shedidn'tneedtodragupold
relationshipstokeepherwarm,andshedidn'twanthim,anyway.

Langhadfeltsorryforher.Butnotsorryenoughtohangaround.Hewasguiltyoverthewayhe'd
treatedKirry,andhe'ddonesomehardthinkingabouthispositiononmarriage.Hewasoverreacting
becauseofhismother,Kirryhadsaid,andshewasright.He'dcomebackwiththeintentionoftelling
herso,andsuggestingthattheymightthinkaboutstartingoveronemoretime.Buttherewouldbeno
moresecrets.Andwhateverproblemstheyencountered,they'dworkout.

Butthecommotionnearthemanager'sofficedistractedhim.Hewalkedtowardit,andsuddenlysaw
Kirry'swhitefaceandtornblouse.Erikson!

Hepushedhiswaythroughthecrushofpoliceofficerstoher,andwithoutaword,hepulledherinto
hisarmsandwrappedherupthere.

"Areyouallright?"heaskedwithoutagreeting.

Shewasstiffinhisarms,butshedidn'tpushhimaway."Eriksonwaswaitingformeintheapartment.
I remembered just enough of what you taught me to get away in time. But he's vanished. They're
searchingforhimnow."

Langliftedhisheadandlookedintohereyes.Shewasputtingupagoodfront,butthatwasfearinher
face.

"Damnhim,"hesaidthroughhisteeth.

"We'repostingamanoutsideherapartment,"thesecurityguardbegan.

"To hell with that. I'm taking her to my brother and sister-in-law's home. She'll be safe," he said
abruptly.

"Thatwouldbethebestthingyoucoulddo,"oneofthepolicemensaid."We'llgethim.Butshe'llbe
saferwherehecan'tfindher."

"I'lltakecareofher."Langturnedtothesecurityguard."Thanks,"hesaidhuskily.

Theothermanshruggedandsmiled.Sothatwasthewayofthings.Niceyoungwoman,andthatbeau
ofherswasprettyprotective.She'dbelookedafter.

Langwaitedforhertochangeandpackinherapartment,whilehetelephonedBobandexplainedwhat
hadhappened."Comeondown,"Bobsaidinasubduedtone."ConnieandMikeycamebacktoday."

"AndTeresa?"Langasked.

"Iwasafool.Connieisn'tspeakingtome,butifyoubringKirry,maybeitwillhelpallofusout.""I'll
seeyoushortly.Andthanks."

Hehungup.Kirrywasstillstandinginthedoorwayofherbedroom,inthesameclothes.

"Youhaven'tchanged,"hesaidgently.

"Idon'twanttogointherealone,"shesaidwithaself-consciouslaugh."Silly,isn'tit?"

"Notatall.Ithinkyou'reprettybrave,"hesaid,smiling.

Shesmiledback."Idon'tfeelit.Iwassick."

"Nowonder."Hecameintothebedroomwithher."Whatdoyouwanttowear?"

Shelaidoutsomejeansandatop.Beforeshecouldmove,hedid,tobeginundressingher.

Shelookedupathimlikeachild,hereyeswide,curious.

Hesmiledathertenderly."Icouldlearntolikethis,"heremarkedashestrippedheroutofeverything
exceptherbriefsandbra."You'reexquisitelydesigned,MissCampbell."

"Ifeelweakallover."

"Doyou?"Hepulledhercloseandbenttokissherwithbreathlesstenderness.Hishandssliddownto
her hips and his thumbs spread over her belly. He lifted his head and searched her eyes while he
touchedhergently."SodoI.MykneesbucklewhenIkissyou."

Thatmadeherlaugh."Theydonot."

Herubbedhisnoseagainsthers."Howdoyouknow?Youaren'tlookingdown."

Shedrewinaslowbreathandherfacewasworried."DidIhearyousaythatConniewasbackwith
Bob?"

"Forthetimebeing.He'scometohissenses."

"Mavbeshehas,too."Sheliftedherhandtohisfaceandhadtofighttearsatthehungershefeltforhis
love."Iwish..."

"What?"heaskedsoftly.

Shewithdrewherhand."Nothing.Weshouldgo."

"Withyoulikethat?"heasked."We'dbearrested."

"Ifyou'llletmego,I'llgetdressed."

"No, I don't like that idea,"he murmured. "Covering up such a beautiful body ought to qualify as a
crime."

Sheblushedandlaughed."Lang!"

Hetiltedherfaceupandkissedherwithslow,sweetardor."Wecouldmakelovebeforewego,"he
whispered.Hishandsmoveduptoherbreastsandteasedthem,possessedthem."Wouldyouliketo?"

"We'vealreadyagreedthatitisn'tagoodideaifweseeeachother,"sheprotestedweakly.

"Thatwasbefore,"hemurmuredagainstherlips.

"Beforewhat?"

"BeforeIdiscoveredthatIwouldn'tminditwehadababytogether."

Her body stilled against him. She lifted her eyes to his and found warm, dark secrets in them.
"Wh...what?"

Hebentandliftedherintohisarms."You'llstillhavetowork,"hesaidashecarriedhertothebed."I
make good money, but we'll have a better life-style with two salaries. Besides that, you need to be
self-supporting.Wecanfindagoodday-carecenter,onethatwebothfeelcomfortablewith,andI'll
learntododiapersandfeedhim...unlessyouwantto?"headdedwithawickedlysensuoussmileas
hiseyesdroppedtoherbreasts.

Sheshiveredwiththeforceofherfeelings."Oh,yes,I'dlike...to,"shemoaned."Lang,Iloveyouso
much,"shesobbed."Morethanmylife...!"

He eased over her and pressed her gently down into the mattress. His mouth covered hers and his
handsfoundfasteningsandrevealedthesoftbarenessofherbodytohismouthandhishandsandhis
eyes.

"Iloveyou,"hewhisperedback."Itwasthethoughtofafamilythatunsettledme.Ididn'tevenknow
why,untilyoumademerealizehowbadlymychildhoodhadscarredme.ButIthinkIcancometo
termswithit.TheonethingIcan'tdoiswalkawayfromyoutwiceinonelifetime.Sowe'lljusthave

tocope.

"Wewill.Iknowwewill."Herheartwasinhereyesasshelookedupathim."Lang?"

"Hmm?"hemurmuredagainstherthroat.

"Couldyoutakeyourclothesoff?"

Hechuckled."Iguessso.Wanttowatch?"

Herbreathcaught."Yes"shewhispered,hereyeswideandardent.

Helaughedunsteadilyashestoodandpulledoffeverythingthatconcealedhispowerfulbodyfrom
her.Whenheturnedbacktothebed,sheshiveredalittleinanticipation,becausesheknewnowwhat
pleasurehecouldgiveher.

Hesliddownbesideher,hiseyeswarmandalivewiththejoyotwhattheyweresharing."Wecanuse
something,ifyouwantto.

Shepulledhimdownwithlovingarms."You'resocertainthatIcan'tbeawifeandamotheratthe
sametime,aren'tyou?"sheaskedgently."Whydon'tyouletmeshowyou?"

"Darlin',"hewhisperedashecoveredheropenmouthwithhis,"I'dlovenothingbetter!"

Sheopenedherarmstohimashisbodymoveddowntopressagainsthers.Forendlessminutes,they
lostthemselvesinthesoftcaressesthatledtotheurgent,slow,sweetrhythmoflove.Therewasanew
tenderness in the expression of it, but the passion was just as familiar as the upswing of frenetic
pleasurethatleftthemshudderinginitsexquisiteaftermath.

"MyGod,"hegroanedintohermouthashisfullweightdescendedonher."AmIdreaming?"

"Ihopenot,"shewhispered,shaken.Herlegstangledinhisandshepressedherfaceintohisdamp
throat."Theworldtrembled,didn'tit?"

Helaughed."Andafewotherthings,"hemurmureddryly.

"Ilovethewayyouloveme,"shewhispered."Iloveyou."

"Showmeagain,"hesaidagainsthermouth,andhishipsshiftedslowlyagainsthers."Makemecrv
out."

"Butcanyou?"sheaskeduncertainly.

He moved sharply and chuckled at her wide-eyed wonder. "Let's see," he murmured, and pushed
down.

ItwasthreehourslaterwhentheyarrivedatBobandConnie'shouse.

"Weweregettingworried,"Bobsaidastheyclimbedoutofdiecarinhisdriveway."Kirry,areyou
allright?"

"Oh,I'mfine,"sheassuredhimwithasmile."I'malittlesore,butthat'snormal."

"ShelaidEriksonout,"Langaddedwithpride,gladthathisbrothercouldn'tseetheflushonhishigh
cheekbones."Iappreciateyourlettinguscomedown."

"Whatarefamilyfor?Connie,they'rehere!"

Conniecameout,inadress,lookingsubduedandsofemininethatLangactuallyleanedforwardfora
closerlook."Connie?"heasked,shocked.

Sheglaredathim."Yes,it'sme,can'tyourecognizemewhenI'mnotcoveredingrease?"sheasked
caustically.

Hegrinned."Well,cometothinkofit,no,"heteased.

Shehadherarmstightoverherbreastsandshewasn'tlookingatBob.ShemovedthemtohugKirry.
"Areyouallright,honey?"sheasked,concerned.

"I'mfine,"Kirrysaid,smilinghelplesslyatLang."We'reengaged,"shetoldthem.

"You'vealreadytoldus,don'tyouremember?"Connieaskedgently.

They hadn't known about the engagement being broken. Kirry and Lang exchanged glances and
smiles.

"Nouseexpectinganysenseoutofyoutwo."Bobchuckled."Comeonin.Mikey'sgonetobed.We'll
havesomecoffeeandcake."

"My cake, not hers," Connie said sharply to Bob, who looked uncomfortable. "I just baked it. I can
cook."

"Honey,Ineversaidyoucouldn't,"Bobbegan.

"Hmmph!"shemuttered,andledthewayintothehouse.

"She'sbeenlikethatsinceshegothere,"Bobsaidmiserably."Shetreatsmelikeanadulterer.Iswear
toGod,IneverputahandonTeresa."

"HaveyoutoldConniethat.'"

"Wouldshelisten?"hemuttered.

"Ifyoutellhertherightway,shemight,"Langmused,hiseyeswarmandlovingonKirryasshewent

intothekitchenwithConnie.

Bobglancedathisbrothercuriously."AreyouseriousthistimeaboutmarryingKirry?"heasked.

Langpaused,stickinghishandsintohispockets."I'mserious,"hesaid."Iguessthewaywegrewup
hadaworseeffectonmethanitdidonyou,Bob,"headded."Icouldn'tbearthethoughtotbringinga
childintotheworldwhosemothertreateditlikeanuisance."

"Ican'tbelieveyouthoughtKirrywouldbelikeourmother,"hemused."Kirry'samotherlytype."

"Notanymore,"Langtoldhim,withasenseofpride."She'sgotagoodmindandsheshoulduseit.
Besidesthat,she'soneofthebestkaratestudentsI'veevertrained,"headdedwithachuckle."Erikson
attackedherandshelaidhimout."Hiseyessparkledwithquicktemper."Damnhim,Ihopewecanput
himawayforever.Ifshehadn'tknownwhattodo,theleastthatwouldhavehappenedisthatshe'dhave
beenraped.Hemightevenhavekilledher."

Bobfrowned."Whatdidshedotohim?"

"Hewasasecurityguardattheoffice.Sheobjectedtobeingtalkedtolikeaprostitute."

Bob'seyebrowsrose."Howdidhekeephisjobsolong,withthatsortofattitude?"

"Women have kept quiet about harassment in the past. They've started objecting to it, and so they
should.Youknow,intheearlydaysofthecentury,despitethefactthatwomenweren'tpermittedthe
freedommenenjoyed,atleasttheyweretreatedwithrespect.Amanwhoinsultedawoman,married
orsingle,couldexpecttobebeatenwithinaninchofhislife.Thesedays,you'dbesurprisedatthe
languagemenfeelcomfortableusingaroundthem."

"Listen,haveyoueverheardConniewhenshehitherthumbwithahammer?"Bobmused.

Langclappedhisbrotherontheback."Pointtaken."

Kirry's bad experience was the talk of the evening, but the looks she and Lang were exchanging
amusedBob.

"Iguessyoustillhaven'tsetadate,"hecommented.

"Nextweek,"Langsaideasily,smilingatKirry'ssurprise."Ifyoudon'twantabigwedding,thatis."

"Ijustwantyou,"Kirrysaidhonestly."Ajusticeofthepeaceandasimpleweddingringwillsuitme
fine."

"That'showConnieandIdidit,"Bobsaid,hisdarkeyessearchinghiswife'ssubduedface."Weused
to sit up all hours just talking. We were good friends long before we wanted to live together. And
whenMikeycamealong,hewasthebeginningofthewholeworld."

Connie'seyessoftenedassherememberedherson'sbirth.

She stared at Bob with pain in her whole expression."And you're willing to throw away ten good
yearsforalittlegirlplayinghouse."

Hisfacehardened."Atleastshelikesit."

"For now," Connie agreed. "But she's very young. When she gets a few more years on her, she'll
realize that a woman has to be a person in her own right, not just an extension of her husband.
Thinkingupnewrecipesisn'tenoughanymore."

"Keeping a clean house and raising good children who were loved and given attention used to be
enough,"Bobsaidangrily.

"Ofcourseitdid,"hiswiferepliedwithasadsmile."Buttheworldhaschanged.It'ssotoughonone
salary.WhenIworked,Icouldaffordsomanynicethingsthatwecouldneverhavebefore.IguessI
wentwild."Sheshrugged,glancinguncertainlyatBob."Ialmostlostmyfamilyintheprocess.I've
decidedthatIwanttobeamechanic,butthatIdon'twantitmorethanIwantyouandMikey."

Bobstudiedthecoffeecupinfrontofhim."Idon'twanttostartgettingusedtoanotherpersonthis
lateinmylife,"heconfessed.

Shesmiled."Icouldworkforsomeone..."

Helookedup."Youcouldworkatyourownshop,intheback,"hesaidstiffly."Butyoucancloseup
on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and we'll spend those days, and Sunday, as a family. Meanwhile,
havingsomeonetohelpkeepthehousecleanisn'tabadidea."Beforeshecouldspeak,headded,"I
knowateenageboywholikestocookanddoesn'tmindcleaning.Mrs.Jones'sson,andhecoulduse
the money because he wants to go to one of those French cooking schools when he gets out of
school."

Conniewassurprised."Butyouhatemywork!"

"Iwasjealousofit,"heconfessedwithasmile.Helookedathisbrother."IguessLangandInever
talked enough about how we were raised. We were a dysfunctional family and never even knew it.
Nowwe'rebothhavingtolearnthatmarriageiswhatyoumakeofit."

Connie'sfacehadbrightened.SheflushedwhenBobsmiledwarmlyather,andhechuckled."Itisn't
sobad,havingamechanicinthefamily.Exceptthatmycarsuredoesrunrough,"headded.

"Icanfixit,"Conniemused.

"Iknow."

KirryfeltLang'shandcurvingaroundherswhereitlayonthetable.Shelookedathimwithherheart
inhereyes,andhisbreathcaught.

"Whereareyougoingtolivewhenyou'remarried?"Bobaskedthem,breakingthespell.

"Ilikethesecuritywhereweare,"Langsaidwithachuckle."Myapartmentorhers,itdoesn'tmatter.
I'dlivewithherinamudhut,"headdedsolemnly.

"Thatgoesdoubleforme,"shesaidsoftly.

"Untilthekidscomealong"headdedveryslowly,holdinghereves."ThenIthinkwemightwanta
house.Onewithabigyard,sowecanhaveadog."

Thereweretearsofpurejoyinhereyes.

"WillyougoonworkingforLancaster,Inc.?"Connieaskedher.

Kirrycaughtherbreath."Oh,thatremindsme!"Andshetoldthemwhatshe'ddone,andabouthernew
job.

Langburstoutlaughing."AndIthoughtyouweren'tlisteningwhenIsuggestedit."

"Iwaslistening.MacksaysMrs.Lancasterisgoingtobeverysorryindeed,becauseLornaisalready
talkingaboutpullingtheaccount."

"Thatdoesn'tsurprisemeintheleast,"Langventured."I'msorrythatLornagaveyouahardtime.I
hopeyoubelievethatIwasseriouswhenIsaidtherewasnothingbetweenus."

"Oh,ofcourseIdo,"sheassuredhim.Itwouldbeimpossibletobelieveanythingelse,whenhelooked
atherthatway,witheverythinghefeltnakedinhisface.

"Whatwilltheydotothatmanwhentheycatchhim?"Connieasked,concerned."Willtherebeenough
evidencetokeephimlockedup?"

LangwasrememberingthetimesEriksonhadgottenawaywithwhathe'ddone,andhewasworried.
"Ihopeso."

Kirrywasthinkingthesamething.SheclungtoLang'shandandtriednottobroodaboutit.Shehad
visionsofalong,drawn-outcourtcaseandlegalexpensesthatwouldbankruptthem.

"Don'tworryaboutit,"Langsaidsoftly.Hebentandkissedherforeheadsoftly."We'llworkitallout.
Ipromiseyouwewill."

Theystayedthenight,partingreluctantlyasshewenttotheguestroomandLangbeddeddownonthe
sofa. She didn't want to be away from him long enough to sleep. Apparently he felt the same way,
becauseintheearlyhoursofthemorning,hepickedherupoutofthebedandcarriedherbacktothe
sofa,bundlingherupinhisarmsuntilmorning.

Connie and Bob came upon them like that, and stood looking down at them with indulgent smiles,
theirarmsaroundeachother.

"Rememberhowthatfelt?"Bobaskedgently."Tobesomuchinlovethatyoucan'tbeartheagonyof
beingapartevenforalewhours?"

"Oh,yes."Conniereachedupandkissedhim."Istillfeellikethat.It'swhyIcamehome."

Hesmiledanddrewherclose."SodoI.I'mgladwebothwokeupintime,Connie."

"Marriagehastohavecompromiseoritcan'tlast.ForMikey'ssake,andourown,I'mgladwe'reboth
reasonablepeople."

He chuckled. "After last night, I'm not sure that I'm very reasonable anymore. In fact, I think I'm
loopy."Hewhisperedinherear,"Didyoureallydothat,ordidIdreamit?"

Sheflushedscarlet."Bob!"

The cry woke Lang and Kirry. They blinked and stared up at their hosts. Lang smiled sheepishly.
"Thisisn'tquitewhatitlookslike..."

"Looksliketwopeopleinlovetome."Bobchuckled."Comeandhavebreakfast,youidiots."

Laterintheday,LangandKirrydrovebackuptoSanAntonio.Bothofthemwereanxioustoseeif
anyprogresshadbeenmadeaboutErikson.Whattheydiscoveredshockedthem.

"Itwaskindoftragic,inaway,"thepolicelieutenantwhospoketothemattheprecinctsaidmatter-of-
factly."Hewasgoingtoofastandjustshotrightoffthebridge,throughtherailing.Wefoundhima
fewhoursago.Itriedtocallyouboth,butnoonewasathome."

"Wewereatmybrother'shouseinFloresville,"Langsaid.HepulledKirrycloser."It'sbeenahellof
afewweeks."

"Yes,Iknow.Thisisn'ttheonlystalkingcasewe'veeverhad,"thepolicemanreplied."I'vetalkedto
oneofourlegislators,andhe'swillingtointroducesomelegislationaboutit.He'dliketotalktoyou,
MissCampbell."

"I'dliketotalktohim,"sherepliedquietly.

"Atanyrate,you'resafenow,"hetoldher."Trynottoletitscaryou.Theworldisfullofpeoplewho
enjoyhurtingotherpeople.It'swhyIhaveajob."

"Thanks."

Theywalkedoutintothesunlight,andKirryclungtoLang'shand.

"Thisiswhywomenputupwithit,"shesaiduneasily.

"What?"

"Harassment on the job," she said simply. "They're afraid of something like what happened to me.
They're afraid of being the object of gossip by other employees, or being fired, or being
discriminatedagainst.Evenifyoukeepyourjob,peoplestillresentyou.Evensomewomenthinkit's
stupid for a woman to cause trouble because a man is vulgar in front of her, or because he makes
sexistremarks."

Heturnedtoher."Nobodyeverpromisedthatlifewaseasy.Sometimesit'sdangeroustodotheright
thing. Sometimes it causes heartache. That doesn't change the fact that people have a right to work
unmolested."

Shehesitated.Thenshenodded."Allthesame,Idon'tknowifI'dhaveenoughcouragetodoitagain
afterwhathappenedtome.

Hechuckled."Really?Ithinkyouhaveenoughcourage."

"You'reprejudiced."

"Iloveyoutodistraction,"hesaidsimply."Doesn'titshow?"

Herevessparkledwithdelightasshelookedathim."Coldturkeyandinbroaddaylight,even!You
mustmeanit."

"Didn'tyoubelieveme?"

"Yes,"shesaidafteraminute."Ididn'treallythinkIcouldcaresomuchaboutyouunlessyoucared
aboutme,too."

"Smartlady.WhendoyouleaveLancaster,Inc.?"

"Mondayafternext.Igotaraise,too,atReflections,Inc."Hegrinned."Evenbetter.Willitinvolveas
muchtravelingasyou'redoingnow?"

"No"shereplied,herfacebright."BecauseItoldmynewbossthatIwantedtobehomeatnights,and
hesaidthathe'sgottwosingleemployeeswholovetotravel,andthey'llcarrytheballinthatrespect.
Imayhavetogooutoftownoccasionally,butitwon'tbeeveryweek."

"ThatIcanhandle."Hepursedhislips."Myjobwillkeepmeintown,thankGod,soifyouhavetobe
away,Icanmindthekids."

"Kids?Plural?"

Hiseyesslidoverherwithkindlingdesireandslowpleasure."Ithoughtaboyandagirlwouldbe
nice."

"Didyou,now?BoysruninyourfamilyforthreegenerationsandI'mthefirstgirlinmyfamilyin
two. The odds are against little girls." He started to speak and she put her fingers over his mouth,
smiling."Ilikeplayingbaseball,don'tyouremember?AndIneverdidplaywithdolls."

Hechuckled."Okay.We'llseewhatweget."

"Whydon'twegohome,sincewedon'thavetogointotheofficetoday,andyoucanseewhatyou
get."

Hewhistledsoftly."Mykneesaregoingweak."

"Soaremine."Shepressedclosetohimastheywalkedtowardthecar.Sheallowedherselfalittlepity
forErikson."Hedidn'thaveafamily,didhe?"sheasked.

Heknewwhoshemeant."No."

"Poorman.Hewassick,Lang.Sickinthemind.I'msorryforhim."

"SoamI,inaway.Butitwasfate,honey.I'mgladyou'resafe.I'lltakecareofyou."

Shelikedthatprotectivenessinhim.Shenuzzledherfaceagainsthisshoulder."I'lltakecareofyou,
too,mydarling."

He kissed her forehead. "Let's stop by city hall and get the marriage license. Then," he added
softly,"we'llseehowwickedwecangetbehindcloseddoors."

Shedidn'thaveanargumentwiththat.

They were married less than a week later, with Bob and Connie and Mikev for witnesses, and they
managed a brief honeymoon trip to Jamaica. When they came back, Kirry started her new job and
founditmuchtoherliking.TheLancasterslosttheLornaMcLaneaccountinshortorder,alongwith
the promise of new customers. They apologized to Kirry, once they found out just how Lorna had
twisted things to make her look incompetent. Kirry accepted the apology gracefully, but wouldn't
return, even though Lang stayed with them. There were no hard feelings, and the Lancasters gave
themahandsomebelatedweddingpresentofasilverservice.

"Thatwasniceofthem,"KirryremarkedlaterasshewaslyinginLang'sbigarmsinbed.

"I thought so, too." He opened one eye as she propped over him. "You lost your breakfast this
morning.Wasitsomethingthatdidn'tsitwellonyourstomach?"

Shesmiledwickedly."It'ssomethingthatprobablywillsitwellonmystomachuntilitgetstoobig."

Botheyesopened,withloveandsoftwonder."Arewesureyet?"heaskedwithaglowingsmile.

Shenodded."Igotoneofthosekitsthismorning,anddidittwice.I'llgotothedoctortomakesure,
buttherewon'tbeanysurprises."

Hepulledherdownandkissedhertenderly,smilingagainsthermouth."Areyousurewe'regoingto
haveaboy?"

She laughed. "There's absolutely no chance that it will be anything else," she said smugly, and
squealedwhenhisfingersduggentlyintoherribs.

Sevenmonthslater,LangstoodinthehospitalroomwithCecilyMaureenPattoninhisarmsandone
eyebrowliftedwithsuperiorironydownathisprettywife.

"Goahead,"shechallenged."Iknowyou'redyingtosayit."

He chuckled. Then his face sobered and he looked at Kirry with such love that she flushed. "Thank
you,"hesaidgently."Ineverknewwhatlifewasallaboutuntiltheyputherinmyarms."

"Iknow,"sherepliedwithwonder."Lang,I'veneverfeltlikethis.Toknowthatwedidthat,thatwe
createdsomethingsoincrediblebetweenus."

"Andhadsuchdelightfromdoingit,"heteasedgently,lovinghersoftflush.Helookeddownathis
daughter."Isn'tsheabeauty?Daddyloveslittlegirls,"hecooedashekissedthetinyface."He'lltake
heronpicnicsandbuyhertoysandkillboyswhobreakherheart.Daddywillteachhertoshootguns,
anddomartialarts,andtrackspies..."

"And Mama will teach her how to promote people and write brilliant ads," she said with twinkling
eyes.

Langgrinnedather."Guesswhichthingsshe'sgoingtolikelearningbest?"

Kirry pursed her lips and didn't say another word. Their daughter was going to have a very
interestinglife,andtheirmarriagegotbetterbytheday.Shelookedbackovertherockyroadthey'd
traveledtothisdayandknewthatshe'ddoitalloveragain.Herwholeheartwasinhereyeswhenshe
smiledatherhusband,andinhiswhenhesmiledback.

ISBN:978-1-4268-1349-8

MANOFTHEHOUR

Thepublisheracknowledgesthecopyrightholderoftheindividualworksasfollows:

NIGHTOFLOVE

SECRETAGENTMAN

Allrightsreserved.Exceptforuseinanyreview,thereproductionorutilizationofthisworkinwhole
or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrievalsystem,isforbiddenwithoutthewrittenpermissionofthepublisher,HarlequinEnterprises
Limited,225DuncanMillRoad,DonMills,OntarioM3B3K9,Canada.

Thisisaworkoffiction.Names,characters,placesandincidentsareeithertheproductoftheauthor's
imaginationorareusedfictitiously,andanyresemblancetoactualpersons,livingordead,business
establishments,eventsorlocalesisentirelycoincidental.

ThiseditionpublishedbyarrangementwithHarlequinBooksS.A.

®andTMaretrademarksofthepublisher.Trademarksindicatedwith®areregisteredintheUnited
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TableofContents

NIGHTOFLOVE
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER1
CHAPTER2
CHAPTER3
CHAPTER4
CHAPTER5
CHAPTER6
CHAPTER7
CHAPTER8
CHAPTER9
CHAPTER10
CHAPTER11
SECRETAGENTMAN

Document Outline

NIGHT OF LOVE
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
SECRET AGENT MAN

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