Chapter One

The house was a wreck, and Jason Devlin was exhausted.

He sat at the kitchen table, his head bent low over a cup of steaming coffee. The eleven-to-seven shift he'd just come
from had him feeling worn to a frazzle. At around one o'clock this morning, he'd had to chase a teenager through a
swampy field. The boy had failed in his first attempt at robbing a convenience store. Jason suspected the teen's sudden
loss of nerve, and the fact that he wasn't carrying a weapon of any kind, were good signs that deep down the kid was
decent. He was just a little mixed-up at the moment. It happened. Good kids sometimes made bad choices. Jason saw
evidence of it every day.

After talking with the boy and his parents, Jason was certain the justice system would be lenient in this case and give
the misguided teenager another chance. Inhaling deeply of the rich coffee, Jason desperately hoped an infusion of
caffeine would give him enough energy to spend what was going to be a long day with his bright-eyed, giggly toddler.

As though the very thought had conjured his twenty-month-old daughter, little Gina pattered into the room. She
marched right up beside his chair.

"Gina's poopie," she announced. Then she promptly clamped her index finger and thumb on her nose to protect herself
from the smelly fumes coming from her soiled diaper.

Jason looked down, and despite his fatigue, found himself smiling into her angelic face. Her blue eyes were clear and
inquisitive, her long, deep-chestnut curls matched his own wavy hair to a T in color and thick texture.

He had often wondered what it would be like if Gina had favored her mother in looks, rather than himself. A familiar
twinge of guilt accompanied his thought of Marie. He hated the very idea that his wife had died giving birth to their
beautiful daughter, had grappled often with the concept of why an event so miraculous could also have been so tragic.

Sighing heavily, he shoved away the gloomy thought. He had too much to do today to be dwelling on the depressing
past.

"Well then, little lady," he said, the weariness he heard in his voice just one more reminder that he'd been up all night,
"we need to take care of that."

He pushed out the chair and shifted in the seat, planting his stockinged feet on either side of her tiny body. She
grinned up at him and reached out to clutch a handful of the pant leg of his navy blue uniform.

"Yes." She gave an emphatic nod of agreement.

Jason stood up, pulling Gina into his arms, and started across the kitchen. As his leg swung into his second step, his toe
came into sudden, sharp contact with the wooden duck pull toy that sat in the middle of the tile floor. Pain shot up his

toe, radiating through his entire foot like hot pulses of liquid fire.

The toy quacked flatly as it plowed into the small tower of plastic building blocks nearby. The tower toppled over,
scattering blocks all over the already cluttered floor.

Inhaling sharply, Jason controlled the curse that was on the tip of his tongue. Ever since Gina's birth he'd tried hard to
banish foul language from his vocabulary. It wasn't an easy task when his work as a cop brought him into contact with
some very unsavory individuals in some pretty nefarious situations. Especially when he worked the third shift, as he
had last night. Besides that, these days it seemed that cursing was an acceptable practice, even among his colleagues
and friends.

Jason remembered when, just a few days ago, Gina's grandfather, Jack, had become angry over the fact the paperboy
had, yet again, tossed his newspaper into the yew bush. The man had let loose a loud curse, and Gina went around
saying, "Damn it to hell," all day long. Of course she hadn't a clue what she had been saying, she only knew she had
been proud to have learned some new words.

Gina twisted in his embrace and looked down at the floor. "Daddy hurt ducky?" she asked, alarm keen in her gaze.

"Ducky is fine," he assured her gently, trying valiantly to ignore the violent demise that came to mind for the darned
duck.

Jason swallowed the pain that throbbed through his foot and limped down the hallway to Gina's bedroom.

"Here we are." He put his daughter down on the changing table and automatically reached for a disposable diaper,
setting it within easy reach.

The tabs on Gina's soiled diaper made a loud zipping sound as he tugged them apart, but Jason didn't hear it.

His mind played back the "disagreement" he'd had with Gina's sitter when he'd arrived home from work this morning.
He couldn't understand why Mrs. Haskell had become so indignant. All he'd asked her to do was stay with Gina a few
more hours so he could get some much-needed sleep. He'd even offered to pay her time and a half.

"I told you last week when I took this job," she'd stated, "I don't do housework. I don't cook. I don't do laundry.
don't work overtime."

Mrs. Haskell had quit right then and there. "I just don't think this arrangement is going to work out," she'd said. "I don't
have to take this."

She'd lost him completely with that last statement. Not once during the past week had he asked her to clean the house
—although he could certainly see that the house needed a good cleaning. He hadn't asked her to cook a thing. In fact,
he'd made Gina's meals ahead before leaving for work. And Mrs. Haskell hadn't washed one stitch of Gina's clothes;
however, the ripe odor coming from his daughter's clothes hamper was a sure sign that her laundry needed doing.

How in the world had his and Gina's lives become so unorganized? he wondered.

A self-deprecating chuckle escaped from his throat. Who was he kidding? He was the world's worst housekeeper. And
although he loved Gina dearly, he also knew he was the world's worst father. All thumbs and with not an ounce of
common sense when it came to being a parent. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out how he could stare down a
gun-wielding thief in the worst part of town, but fall completely to pieces at the mere sight of a slight rash on his
daughter's delicate, alabaster skin. It made no sense, but it was a concept he had to deal with on a day-to-day basis.

He used a fragrant, moist baby wipe to clean Gina's small rear end.

It had looked as though Mrs. Haskell was going to be the answer to his prayers. So what if she didn't pick up after Gina?
He'd kind of grown used to toys being strewn from one end of the house to the other. He could live with the clutter.

But then the department had informed all the police officers that there would be a few months of forced shift rotation.
One week Jason would work days, the next he'd work evenings and the next, nights. It was hell.

Jason had worked his first night shift just last night. He'd been so tired when he'd gotten home this morning just after
seven that all he'd wanted to do was dive right into bed., But as he'd come through the front door, Mrs. Haskell had
been putting on her jacket. The woman had slept in the guest bedroom and looked very refreshed and ready to start
her day. Gina, too, had gotten a full night's sleep, judging from her rambunctious behavior since his arrival home.

He'd been so tired, he hadn't thought, he'd simply asked Mrs. Haskell if she'd stay long enough for him to catch a few
hours of sleep. And the woman had up and quit.

Now Jason was back to square one with regards to a sitter for his daughter.

Gina squirmed on the quilted changing pad.

"Wait, honey," he said. But he'd taken too long to change her diaper. Unless he turned into an octopus with eight arms,
he knew he was going to lose this battle.

She wiggled, whined and complained until Jason was afraid she'd fall from the table. She wanted down onto the floor,
and she wanted down now.

"Okay, okay."

He set her down and she ran off squealing gleefully in all her stark-naked glory.

"But we need to put your diaper on," he called as she disappeared from sight.

Heaving an exhausted sigh, he went off after her.

Jason knew he needed to find a sitter. And he needed to find one before his eleven o'clock shift began tonight. Of

course he could always call one of the guys. Reese or Derrick would probably agree to take Gina for the night. They
certainly had done it in the past.

But there was no guarantee that his daughter would sleep through the night. And both Reese and Derrick had to be at
work early. Both also had children of their own to worry about.

Maybe Jack and Ellen—

He snuffed out the thought before it even formed. Ever since Gina was born, Jason had made it a habit not to impose
on his in-laws. Maybe as a last resort...but they both had jobs and needed their rest, especially since they were getting
on in years.

Lord, he hoped he wouldn't have to call in to work and excuse himself from duty again. The chief had been so good to
him since Marie had died and Jason had found himself the single parent of a newborn daughter. But Jason felt that he'd
been cut enough slack. He wanted to show the department—hell, he wanted to show
little girl without being a burden to friends, family and co-workers.

Damn if his back wasn't up against the wall.

Da-gone it! He'd just cursed twice. He swiftly and silently berated himself. If he was thinking the words, it wouldn't be
long before he was saying them. Stress wasn't a good enough reason to be teaching Gina language she didn't need to
be repeating.

He had to find a new sitter. Today. But could he find someone of whom Jack and Ellen would approve? It had taken him
weeks to find Mrs. Haskell, and days to convince his in-laws that the woman was qualified to watch Gina. Could he—

The deafening crash made his heart skip a beat and had him running down the hallway toward the sound. His knees
nearly buckled when he heard Gina scream.

Jason burst through the kitchen doorway and took a moment to assess the situation. Pots and pans from the bottom
cupboard had obviously tumbled, or more likely been tossed, onto the floor. And a surprised laugh burst from him when
he saw the predicament his daughter had gotten herself into.

Evidently Gina had decided to play a game of hide-and-seek, one of her favorite pastimes. She'd cleared out the pots
from the cabinet and had tried to crawl inside the perfect hidey-hole. But she'd run into a problem. The cabinet door
had swung shut before she was all the way inside, and now she was pinned, her bare behind peeking from the wedge
of darkness. The fact that she was stretched out over top of the pot lids that were still in the cabinet made it
impossible for her to push the door open and free herself. The simple force of gravity held her captive.

Gina let out a yelp of frustration that had Jason chuckling even harder. At least she wasn't hurt. Her scream had scared
him witless for a second. He hated to admit it, but he knew he could better handle himself against an armed attacker
than he could at just the thought of Gina being hurt or in pain.

"I'm here," he crooned softly as he came to her rescue.

He opened the door wide, crouched down onto his knees and helped her to her feet. "We really need to put a diaper on
your bare butt, Miss Gina. Then we need to get you into some clothes, and then we have to clean up this house a little
bit."

But his daughter was off and running before he could capture her, her high-pitched giggles echoing in his ears. He
looked after her, but didn't move. He simply didn't have the energy to play a game of chase. Leaning back on his heels,
he rubbed his hand over his face. "Give me strength," he whispered in prayer.

The whole house looked like a cyclone had gone through it—and one had—a cyclone by the name of Gina.

What was he going to do about a sitter? he thought for the umpteenth time. He was desperate here. His daughter was
running around the house as naked as a jaybird and he felt too darned exhausted to do anything about it.

Shifting his weight, he sat down on the floor among the pots, pans, brightly colored plastic blocks and, of course, Gina's
infamous wooden duck. Jason lowered his gaze to avoid looking around him. He needed help, and he needed it badly.
Resting his chin on his palm, he simply sat there, dismally wondering how he could be so inept.

* * *

Katherine Anastasia Wellingford stood on the sidewalk outside the small, white Cape Cod house. Shifting her suitcase
from one hand to the other, she looked back down along the long row of similarly styled homes to the far end of the
residential street where the bus had dropped her off.

It had been her first experience on public transit, and she had to admit to having been pleasantly surprised by the ride.
The elderly driver of the rickety old bus had been more than amiable and courteous. He'd engaged her in conversation
and had even helped point her in the right direction as she got off the bus.

But no amount of friendly banter could calm the jitters that now erupted in her stomach. Digging deep into the pocket
of her neatly pressed, light wool trousers, Katherine clamped her fingers on the slip of paper and pulled it into view.
She checked the street name, trying hard to control the tremble of her hand.

She'd gotten Jason Devlin's house number from the head nurse at the Children's Hospital in Salisbury where Katherine
volunteered three days every week. The head nurse had gotten the man's address from a friend who lived in Bayview,
the wife of a policeman who worked with Mr. Devlin. The head nurse, Sharon Smyth—"Smyth, with a
always say, Katherine remembered with a grin—had helped her so much. The woman had been a godsend when
Katherine had decided that it was time for her to flee—no, she refused to think of her actions as running away. She
would think of it as moving from home to be on her own. She was twenty-five, for heaven's sake. It certainly was about
time she made her own way in the world, wasn't it?

Her mouth suddenly turned as dry as a ball of cotton. If her father found her, there would be hell to pay. And the fact
that she was more than certain he would search for her only made her tightly drawn nerves stretch even farther.

Katherine forcefully pushed the thought from her mind. She had to remain focused. And calm. She needed to find
employment and a place to stay. From what she'd heard, Jason Devlin was having trouble keeping a sitter for his little
girl. If the man needed someone to watch his child, and if Katherine could talk him into giving her the job, that would
take care of the money end of her troubles. She'd worry about a place to sleep tonight right after she'd spoken with Mr.
Devlin.

The concrete sidewalk that led to the front door was short. Katherine raised her hand to knock, but then looked down
at the suitcase she carried. It certainly would look odd for her to be bringing luggage when she had come to inquire
about a job.

She stepped off the small front porch and tucked the case behind the large yew bush growing beside the front door.
Inhaling deeply, she smoothed her hand over her hair, then down the front of her creamy silk blouse. She took a
moment to steel herself and then reached up and knocked on the metal screen door.

Thick doubt swarmed around her head like a dense mass of buzzing bees. What in the world did she have to offer Jason
Devlin? She'd never worked at a paying job in her whole pampered life. What if he found out she was running from—

No, she told herself, don't travel down that path. He won't find out. She couldn't let that happen.

Anther question bombarded her mind: why would this man choose her to care for his precious baby girl?

A second wave of dread hit when she realized that he very well might have already found the perfect baby-sitter for his
daughter. Her nurse friend had said she'd heard that the man was having trouble keeping a sitter. If he'd hired a sitter
who was doing a fine job... if he was no longer looking...

Don't panic, she told herself. Just don't panic.

The front door opened, and Katherine felt her eyes go wide. The man who stood before her looked rumpled and bleary-
eyed. The new growth of whiskers on his jaw was tinted a burnished copper, only a shade or two lighter than his russet-
colored hair. His lips were pressed firmly together, and Katherine couldn't tell if he was angry or irritated or just plain in
a bad mood. Her initial reaction was fear. But then she focused in once again on his gaze.

Looking beyond the bloodshot whites of his light blue eyes, Katherine could clearly see that the man was tired, really
stressed-out. He looked so haggard, in fact, that her heart went out to him. It looked to her as if he hadn't slept a wink
last night.

"Good morning," he said.

Then his mouth twitched with the beginnings of a smile—a smile, Katherine thought, that was sure to have been quite
charming. But evidently he didn't have the energy to hold the expression for long, and she watched him sigh and lean
heavily on the doorjamb.

"Are you okay?" The question slipped from her lips before she was able to stop it.

Now he did find the stamina to smile. And Katherine was right, his smile was charming. Actually it was more than that.

"Yeah," he told her, "I'm okay." His smile broadened as he added softly, "Thanks for asking."

A moment of silence followed, a moment during which Katherine actually found herself blushing and helplessly
averting her gaze from him.

Blushing? She, a woman who dined regularly with congressmen and senators, was
with not one, but two, U.S. presidents, and she couldn't believe she was finding it hard to look this man in the face.
What in the world was going on here?

Gathering her wits about her, Katherine tipped up her chin and looked him directly in the eye.

"Are you Jason Devlin?"

"I sure am," he answered. "What can I do for you?"

There was something in his eyes—something she couldn't quite put her finger on that caused her to look away again.
Although she conquered the urge, she could feel her hands begin to tremble.

This is silly, she silently scolded herself. But whatever was prodding her gaze to turn aside was now making her insides
churn and her brain go numb.

"Well," she began, "I have a friend...a nurse who works at the Children's Hospital in Salisbury—" she paused to swallow,
and she quickly ran her tongue across her lips before continuing. "Anyway, my nurse friend has a friend… and she lives
here in Bayview. In fact, she's the wife of one of your police officers ... well, not one of
is ...one of the officers you work with."

Perspiration broke out across her forehead, even though it was a cool spring morning. This was going terribly. She'd
had many classes in diction and public speaking. Her mother had thought the subject an important one, seeing as how
Katherine was destined to be the wife of politician. So why was she having such a hard time clearly communicating her
thoughts to this man?

She noticed that Jason Devlin's brows were raised he obviously waited for her to get to the point.

"So, well ... anyway," she stammered, "the friend of my friend—" Automatically her tongue darted out to moisten her
dry lips. If Katherine had one wish in the whole world right now, it would be for a cool sip of water that would cure the
dry throat her nerves had caused.

"She told me that you might be in need of a baby-sitter...for your little girl."

There, she thought, it was out. Finally.

She blinked several times, her heart pounding against her rib cage as she awaited his response.

He laughed; and her heart nearly stopped.

Katherine felt a frown bite deeply into her brow. It wasn't a big laugh, she analyzed. Just a small, weary chuckle. But
what did it mean?

Then the realization hit her: he'd found a sitter already. A perfect baby-sitter for his daughter, and he was laughing
because he thought it ironic that someone else would ask about the job when he had someone to fill the position. Her
hopes plummeted.

The tears that welled in her eyes took her completely by surprise. She certainly didn't want the man to see her cry!
Turning away, she said, "If you already have someone—"

"Wait! Please wait."

There was a note of desperation in his voice as he called out to her, opening the screen door as he spoke. The urgency
she heard was easily identified because she had felt it so keenly herself lately. Hope returned with a vengeance, and
she turned back toward him, her eyes riveted to his.

"Mr. Devlin," she said without thinking, "I really need a job. If you need someone to watch your daughter, then I hope
you'll consider me for the position."

He was smiling brightly now as he opened the door and ushered her inside. Somewhere in the confusion of her mind,
she recognized that Jason Devlin was a very handsome guy. It didn't matter that he looked bone tired. His smile
seemed to change his entire demeanor. He stood straighter, with his shoulders squared, and Katherine noticed for the
first time what a big man he was.

As she moved past him into the house, she got the distinct impression he was a solid mass of muscle. But then she
guessed he needed to be well developed, seeing as how he was a police officer. Being near him made her feel
somehow... safer.

What a weird thought, she mused, but she didn't have time to analyze it before he spoke.

"I didn't catch your name," he said.

Oh, great! All those lessons in etiquette and diplomacy, and she'd broken the first, most important, rule of introduction.
How could she have been so stupid?

Her mind whirled, fast and furious.

"Kath—" She stopped, panic tightening in her gut. She couldn't use her real name. Not if she wanted her where-abouts
to remain unknown. He was sure to have heard of her father. In the span of a heartbeat, she made her decision.

"Katie," she said, and reached out to offer him her hand.

His fingers were warm as they slid across her palm. He grasped her hand firmly and shook.

"Katie ...?"

Her brain went into a sudden frenzy of hysteria as she looked at his expectant face. He was waiting for her las name.
Why hadn't she prepared for this? Why hadn't she come up with a name to use?

A name filtered through her chaotic thoughts, and it was on her lips before she could think rationally.

"Smyth," she said, automatically adding, "with a Y.'

Chapter Two

Jason closed the door and turned to take a good look at the angel fate had sent him.

She was tall, he noticed, and slender. Her shoulder-length, softly curling blond hair was so light it seemed to glow in the
morning sunlight that slanted through the large front window. Her eyes were blue. Not the light sky color of his own or
Gina's, but a deep, jewel blue. A rich, dazzling color he would liken to the waters of nearby Pocomoke Sound on a calm,
sunny day. Her large eyes were fringed with lashes that had been darkened with a touch of mascara—the only trace of
makeup he could find on her beautiful, fine-boned face. Her nose was small and upturned at the end, her lower lip full
and...sexy.

Coughing into his closed fist, Jason did his best to cover the gasp of surprise brought on by his last thought. What had
gotten into him? he wondered. The woman had come seeking a job. He was quite certain she had no interest in being
ogled by an exhausted cop.

That's it! he reminded himself, you're overly tired.

That's what was making his thoughts shoot off into directions they didn't need to be going. He simply needed to keep
his mind on the issue at hand. The issue of hiring a sitter for his daughter.

"Well, Katie Smyth-with-a-Y—" He spoke the words lightly, hoping to cover the few silent and awkward seconds he'd
spent studying her. "Tell me a little about yourself."

Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, Katherine—no, Katie, she reminded herself—Katie felt he guard go up at
his request. She wanted to tell him everything he needed to know in order to give her the job. Yet, she knew she had to
be careful not to expose too much about herself, and having been taught to be honest and ethical, she couldn't live
with herself if she were to out and-out lie to the man.

But you lied about your name, a tiny voice told her.

That was necessary, she silently fought back.

But what about—

She hushed her conscience. She didn't have time to argue with herself about semantics, when her prospective
employer was waiting for her to speak.

"Well," she began, "I went to school in France. Then she said to clarify, "In Limoges."

"Limoges? Aren't they famous for their china or crystal or something?"

"Porcelain, actually." She couldn't hold back her smile as she said, "My mother loved the gifts I brought home to her."
Then her smile faded as she concentrated on what she said. "Anyway, I attended a small women's college there."

She watched Jason Devlin nod. "So you studied abroad," he said. "I'm impressed."

Wanting him to remain that way, she hurried on before he could ask her any detailed questions about her schooling. "I
can speak French, Spanish and a smattering of German." Then her conscience got the better of her and she added,
"Not fluently, of course."

"Wow," he said. "You speak four languages."

His awe-filled expression gave her a twinge of guilt. She would hate to have to admit that all the German phrases she
knew would probably fit into a Limoges tea-cup. But she did feel confident that she could hold her own in a
conversation with someone from France or Spain. Of course, area dialects could make things difficult, but—

"You said you worked at Children's Hospital in Salisbury?"

She blinked at his question. "Yes," she answered. She wasn't lying. She had
wages, but he didn't need to know that. "For the past three years I helped out in the terminally ill ward."

"I see."

Again he looked extremely impressed.

"It was my job," she went on, "to make the children as comfortable and as happy as possible. I played a lot of games,
sang a lot of songs. Often it didn't seem like a job at all."

Her last statement was entirely the truth. She loved spending time with the boys and girls. And it nearly destroyed her
every time one of them lost their battle to live. In the three years she'd volunteered at the hospital, eight children in
her ward had died. Mostly of cancer, but from other ailments, too. She remembered one precious, dark-eyed little boy
who had a genetic heart defect that the doctors couldn't do a thing about. She had become so close to Bobby that,
when he'd died, she'd nearly given up her work at the hospital altogether.

As though reading her thoughts, he commented, "I must have been tough ... dealing with kids you know aren going to
get better."

Katie nodded. She was relieved that he seemed to understand. Not only that, but there was a tenderness in his voice
that she found surprising. This man was not you stereotypical, hard-nosed, uncaring cop. No, Jason Devli might be big
and brawny, but she could tell he had a kind streak running through him.

"Is that why you decided to leave the job?"

His gentle question was spoken in a soft tone, but nonetheless, it startled her. Why hadn't she had the presencee of
mind to anticipate some of these questions he was asking her?

Things had happened so quickly last evening. The problems had piled, one atop the other, until all she'd focus on was
getting away. Early this morning she only had the time to worry about throwing some clothes into a bag and leaving
before her parents could awaken and stop her.

Well, the man has handed you a perfectly good excuse she thought. So use it.

Again she nodded silently.

"I can certainly understand," he said softly.

His eyes were intense with a sincerity that made Katie feel as though he fully comprehended and empathised with not
only the pain but also the pleasure she'd experienced in working with sick children.

"You know that I'm a single parent?" he asked.

She nodded. "I had heard that."

"Marie—my wife—died giving birth to our daughter."

Katie heard his voice crack just the slightest bit as he explained, and her heart went out to him. It was so obvious to
her that there was a huge amount of emotion pent up inside of him regarding his wife's death.

Several questions floated through her mind as she wondered how a woman could die in childbirth with all the advanced
medical technology in hospitals today. It simply didn't seem logical that a healthy woman could—

Katie had no idea if Marie Devlin had been a healthy woman. This thought only succeeded in churning up even more
questions, highly personal questions she didn't dare ask of the man she hoped would become her boss. Hearing the
silence grow, Katie thought it was becoming evident that he wasn't going to elaborate on his own questions, either.
Suddenly his forlorn demeanor changed.

"Well, Katie Smyth-with-a-Y—" a small smile pushed up the corners of his mouth "—I'd like to hire you right here on the

spot, but—"

The hesitation in his voice and in his body language made her heart patter a quick beat in her chest.

"—before I can," he continued, "I'll need to ask for a reference." He shrugged one shoulder a fraction. "I mean, I really
need a sitter—Mrs. Haskell just quit this morning—and you seem to be perfect for the job. But in these days and times,
you never know who will come knocking on your door. I hope you'll understand that I really feel it's necessary that I
check—"

"Of course," she rushed to assure him. "I understand completely. The head nurse of my ward said she'd be happy to
talk to you. Sharon—"

Panic seized her throat like murderous claws, killing off the mention of the woman's last name.

Smyth, she'd been about to say, with a Y. How could she have been so stupid as to have used her friend's last name?
She'd ruined everything! When Jason Devlin called the hospital, Sharon would be expecting the man to be asking about
Katherine Wellingford, not Katie Smyth. The question rattled around in her agitated mind: how could she have been so
stupid?

"Sharon said she could tell you all about my work with the children." The rest of the sentence came out rough, as
though she'd forced the words from her sandpapery throat. And she had.

"I'll write down the number for you," she said.

Katie reached for her purse, tugged it open and fumbled inside for pen and paper as a means of giving herself some
time to think.

Come clean, a tiny voice yelled at her. Tell the man the truth. Now!

But he's a police officer. He'd never condone her behavior. He'd never allow her to hide out here if—

The sudden agitation that churned her emotions had her fingers trembling violently. She couldn't tell him she'd lied
about her name. He'd think she was a horrible, terrible person. And she wasn't.

She didn't want him to think badly of her, she'd just met him. Dear Lord! Her mind was in such a spin.

Katie darted a glance at him, and she answered his smile with a shaky one of her own. Then she focused on the well-
organized interior of her purse. The pen was right there. So was the small pad of notepaper.

Calm down, she lectured herself. This wasn't the end of the world. She should just ride out this wave and see where it
took her.

Extracting the pen and paper, she scribbled down the name and telephone number.

"The head nurse's name is Sharon Smyth," she said as she handed him the information.

He took a moment to read it. "Smyth, with a Y," noted. "Are the two of you related?"

Katie shook her head. "No, it's just a coincidence, believe it or not."

She gave a halfhearted chuckle, but she felt horrible lying to him. He was going to find out who she was. She just knew
it.

You don't know that, she thought. Don't borrow any more trouble than you already have. Sharon knows your
circumstances. Maybe she won't give you away.

But Sharon didn't know Katie was going to literally steal her last name! She wanted to kick herself.

She raised her gaze to his face and saw that he was still studying the slip of paper she'd given him.

"This is really strange," he murmured.

Tell him the truth! Her gut wrenched. Tell him!

"Uh, Mr. Devlin—"

"Jason," he corrected, lifting his eyes to hers. "Call me Jason."

At that moment the cutest little girl Katie had ever seen entered the room. Katie couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped
from her lips, and she was laughing because the toddler was just as naked as she could be. The child's small face
exuded a terrific amount of irritation as she marched right up to Jason and tugged on his pant leg.

"Daddy," she huffed angrily, "find Gina."

"I'm sorry, honeybun." He reached down and scooped her up into his arms. "We need to get you dressed."

The little girl's frown deepened. "Gina hide. Daddy come."

Katie smiled. Gina was obviously at the age where she was still trying to figure out the English language. Katie loved
the sweet sound of her voice.

Suddenly she realized for the first time how lovely it would be to take care of a bright child who was healthy and happy
—although Gina didn't look all that happy at the moment. However, it was then that Katie understood just how much
she really wanted this job. It would be a new start—in so many ways.

"Well, Gina," Jason said, "I didn't come find you because I was busy talking to—" He hesitated. "Gina, this is Katie," he
introduced. "Katie, Gina."

"Hi, there, Gina."

The anger in the child's clear blue eyes, so like her father's, faded instantly. Gina's gaze lit with a cheerful, inquisitive
light that told Katie she was a trusting, good-natured child.

"Hey, lady," Gina greeted.

"It's Katie, not lady," her father corrected.

She frowned at her father. And Katie watched as Jason teased his daughter with a lopsided grin that soon had the child
giggling. It was a charming sight, one that had Katie smiling, and she felt that smile all the way to the tips of her toes.

But then the scene changed dramatically. Gina's eyes grew wide. Jason's brow gathered in obvious confusion, regarding
his daughter's expression, and then his eyes, too, went wide.

"Gina!" he said.

"Uh-oh." The child's gaze displayed a sudden sorrow.

Finally Katie understood what was happening. She watched a wet pool make a downward trek as it stained, Jason's
shirt.

"Uh-oh, is right," Jason said sternly.

Gina looked at Katie. "Gina peed, lady."

The toddler shook her head in a deeply regretful manner that made Katie cover her mouth to keep from laughing out
loud.

"Here," Katie said to Jason as she took a step closer, "Why don't you let me diaper her?" Then Katie directed her next
question at Gina. "Would you let me dress you?"

"Sure, lady."

Gina reached out for Katie.

"That way," Katie said to Jason, "you can get changed and make your phone call."

He nodded his agreement.

Jason handed his daughter over, and Katie set the child onto the floor, keeping Gina's damp skin well away from her
silk blouse.

"There are baby wipes on the changing table," he told Katie.

Taking Gina by the hand, Katie said, "She'll show me. Won't you, Gina?"

The little girl turned her innocent eyes up to her daddy. "I like lady."

The statement warmed Katie's heart, and when she saw Jason Devlin's smile widen, the warmth spread all throughout
her body.

Katie started down the hallway, then stopped.

"Oh," she said, "that number I gave you will ring at Sharon's station. You won't have to go through the hospital
switchboard."

"Thanks," Jason said. But as he watched the golden-haired angel disappear down the hall with his daughter, he couldn't
help the niggling doubt that gnawed at the back of his mind. Those deep blue eyes of hers
but...

Maybe it was simply because he'd had so many bad experiences with baby-sitters. Or maybe it was the fact that he
was a cop and saw the awful treatment that children often were given. Or maybe it was just the fact that he was a
father and he loved his daughter dearly. But he really felt he needed to make a call to Children's Hospital and check out
Katie's reference.

He wanted Katie Smyth to be the one. He wanted her to be the perfect person to watch over his precious Gina. It would
make his life so much easier right now. However, he had to admit that it was strange that Katie would have the same
last name as the woman she'd specified as her reference.

Coincidences did happen, he reminded himself. But then she'd given him a telephone number and said that he could
use it to contact this head nurse—direct. Was there some reason she didn't want him to go through the hospital
switchboard? Heck, for all he knew, the number Katie had given him could ring through to a telephone of a private
residence somewhere. Anywhere.

In his line of work one had to be a pretty good judge of character. A cop often had to have an intuition where people
were concerned, and sizing someone up in the few moments of a first meeting wasn't always easy. But Jason hadn't felt
any of the usual warning signs inside him that would have alerted him to any darkness or deception hiding in Katie
Smyth's character.

He truly felt she was exactly what she appeared—a woman who was friendly and honest, a woman who was capable
and qualified, a woman who was looking for career change—

And she was a woman who was beautiful, to boot. Jason's mouth literally dropped open, so stunned was he by the
thought. He hadn't noticed a woman physically for... months and months.

Immediately, thoughts of Marie crept into his mind. His wife had died nearly two years ago. He'd been married to the
woman for more than ten years before she'd passed away. Had he ever, in all that time, thought of her as ... beautiful?

A huge tidal wave of guilt crashed into his brain, seizing up his thoughts, threatening to drown him in a sea of thick,
heavy remorse. Struggling his way out of this dark, oppressive place in his mind, Jason shoved his fingers through his
hair and vowed to steer clear of it in the future. And the only way to do that, he felt certain, was to focus on the
attributes Katie Smyth possessed that would make her a good baby-sitter for his daughter.

Those attributes had nothing to do with the physical, so it didn't matter that Katie's eyes were as blue as a sapphire
sea, or that her skin was as milky white as—

Stop! his mind commanded, and he felt the dense cloud of guilt hovering at the fringes of his consciousness, ready to
roll over top of him, to wrap him in an engulfing fog. But he pushed it back, lecturing himself to concentrate harder on
what was important.

Katie Smyth had said she'd worked with children. The woman had experience, she had training. Granted, her
knowledge had come from working with terminally ill children, Jason thought, but wouldn't that tend to make Katie all
the more patient and caring? He thought so.

Without even bothering to change his shirt first, Jason went into the kitchen and picked up the phone. He'd call
information to get the telephone number of Children's Hospital in Salisbury. He'd ask if they employed a head nurse by
the name of Sharon Smyth. That way he'd feel certain he could believe whatever it was the nurse had to say about
Katie.

* * *

As she walked down the hallway, Katie recognized the lump in her throat as a knot of sheer fear. She would hate it if
Gina's father found out she'd lied to him.

But only about your name, she reasoned. You're a competent woman who could care for his daughter.

Well, she hoped he found that out by calling the head nurse at the hospital. And she hoped that was all he found out
from Sharon.

The thing to do, she felt, was to put the anxiety out of her mind for the time being. The matter was out of her hands
now. If he found out...then, he found out. But, Lord, she hoped he didn't!

The little girl's bedroom could easily have been declared a disaster area. Pull toys, dolls and colorful wooden building
blocks were only a few of the items Katie saw strewn about. The room needed straightening up. Toys were on the
unmade twin-size bed, on the white dresser, the changing table. There were even several stuffed animals tossed on
the deep sill of the window.

Katie was certain Gina never wanted for anything to play with. The room looked like a veritable toy store.

"Okay," she told Gina, who had been silently staring at her with a keenly inquisitive gaze since the two of them had left
Jason. "Let's hop up here and get a diaper on.'

After plucking up three stubby, plastic flowers from the changing table, Katie set them aside and then reached to lift
the toddler onto the table. The diapers were close a hand and Katie also found a clean white T-shirt nearby. In no time
Gina was partially dressed.

"What would you like to wear today?" Katie asked.

She hadn't expected an answer, really, but had voiced the question to fill up the silence that seemed to hang in the air.

"Shorts!"

Katie's brows rose. It seemed that Gina was an extremely decisive child.

"Well," she said, "it's really not warm enough for shorts. So let's look for something else."

Lifting Gina onto her hip, Katie went to the dresser and pulled open a drawer with her free hand. She saw sweat-pants
and turtleneck shirts, cute pastel-colored cotton tops and at least three dozen mateless socks, all tossed together in
the drawer.

"Gina, it looks like your whole room needs to be re-organized," she commented.

She gazed at Gina, whose tiny brow was knit with confusion.

"We need to clean up in here," Katie explained further.

Gina's face brightened. "Clean up!" She clapped her hands.

Katie chuckled. But then an idea came to her. She wouldn't have time to do the entire room, but if she at least put all
the toys into the toy box and made the bed, maybe she could show Jason Devlin what an asset it would be to have her
around.

Tugging a pair of lace-edged denim jeans, a long-sleeved knit top and some matching socks from the drawer, Katie
hurried back to the changing table and helped Gina wriggle into the clothes. As she did so, she wondered how she
could get the little girl's help.

Her thoughts turned to Mary Poppins, and she remembered how the magical nanny had made work into a game. Katie
decided to try that approach.

"Gina," she said, filling her tone with an enthusiasm she knew would pique the child's interest, "how would you like to
have a race?"

The little girl's face lit up like the sun. "A race!" she mimicked.

Katie nodded. "Let's see who can put the most toys into the toy box." She set Gina down onto the floor. "Ready? Set?
Go!"

The two of them raced around the bedroom, gathering up small dishes, satiny doll clothes, two soft teddy bears, a half
dozen shiny shapes Katie knew had to be pieces to some game that should have been kept together, plastic sailboats
and other toys, tossing everything into the brightly colored storage box.

Finally the floor, the bed, the changing table, the dresser, even the windowsill were clear of the clutter of toys.

"Now—" Katie smiled at Gina "—how about if Katie makes your bed?"

Gina clapped her approval. "Lady make bed!"

Turning to the bed, Katie was surprised to feel a tug on her pants. She looked down.

"Gina help?"

The hope exhibited on the cherublike face tugged at Katie's heart.

"Of course you can help."

With patient instruction, Katie showed Gina how to straighten the sheet and blanket, fluff the pillow and tuck in the
spread. Of course the job could have been done in less than half the time without the toddler's help, but Katie knew
this could be an important lesson for the little girl. It was so clear to Katie that the discipline of organisation and picking
up after one's self wasn't practiced in the house. Learning to do a few chores would certainly be good for Gina.

The pink spread had white ruffles across the bottom and looked neat and lovely with the feminine white furniture in the
room. Katie stood back, plunked her hands on her hips and remarked, "Your room really looks nice, don you think?"

She had to suppress a smile when she saw Gina place her hands on her small hips and nod.

"Looks nice, I fink," Gina said.

"I think so, too."

Katie whirled around at the sound of Jason's deep voice.

Her heart leapt up into her throat at the sight of him. She tried to read his expression. Was he angry? Had Sharon said
anything to give her away?

Before he had time to speak, Katie noticed that he'd changed, not only his shirt, but his trousers, too. He was no longer

wearing his officer's uniform. The soft knit shirt and jeans he now wore hugged his muscular physique like the
polyester uniform couldn't. Helplessly her gaze was drawn down the length of his body. He looked...good.

Her eyes were riveted to his firm thighs when she realized she should be looking at his
and she couldn't bring herself to raise her gaze.

"Daddy," Gina said, "Lady and Gina cleaned up."

Katie grasped this opportunity to direct her eyes on Gina.

"I know, honeybun," Jason said. "And your bedroom looks better than it has in—" He laughed lightly. "Ever. Thanks,
Katie."

She smiled at him, feeling terrifically relieved that he hadn't noticed the way she'd gawked at him only a second
before.

"Gina?" Jason's tone was soft. "Would you like Katie to be your new sitter?"

Katie felt her blood whoosh through her ears. Had she heard correctly?

"Lady! Lady!" Gina ran to her father, squealing gleefully, and he pulled her up into his arms.

Searching Jason's face, Katie waited silently for him to speak.

"I talked to Sharon—" he grinned "—or rather, she talked to me. I only had to identify myself, and she went off on a
tangent. She was very impressed with your work with the children at the hospital. She went on and on about how
dedicated and effective you are."

Relief flooded through every muscle in Katie's body.

"She sent you a message." Jason looked a little sheepish. "I wasn't going to say anything, but you'd probably find out,
anyway. Well, Sharon told me to tell you that if you'll come back to the hospital, she'll do everything she can to see
that you get a raise."

Katie pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. Good old Sharon, she thought.

Katie knew Sharon had mentioned a raise in her imaginary salary, not for Katie's sake, but for Jason's. Sharon had
wanted Jason to think that Katie's efforts would be missed at the hospital. The woman had certainly come through for
Katie—with flying colors!

"I think," Katie said quietly, "that I'd like to take this job. That is, if you're offering it to me."

"Oh, I'm offering it, all right." He tilted his head a fraction before he continued. "But there are some things you need to

know..."

Katie found herself smiling. "What things?" she prompted.

Gina wiggled from his arms, and he set her down on the floor. She went across the room to choose a toy from the box
she and Katie had just filled.

Jason heaved a sigh. "You see," he began, "I have to work swing shifts for a couple of months. I'm helping, to train
some new officers. This week I'll be working 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. I worked my first night shift last night, in fact."

No wonder he looked so beat, she realized. The man had worked all night and then come home to have his baby-sitter
quit on him.

Suddenly an idea dawned in Katie's head. "So, are you telling me that you would need me to spend the night here?"
She blinked. "For the rest of the week, I mean?"

"Yeah," he said, his tone thick with apology.

Her smile brightened. "This is great. I was going to have to find a room to rent or an apartment or something this
afternoon."

"You were?" His expression told her he was wondering why she didn't have a place to stay.

"I'm new in town," she quickly explained. "And I don't have transportation. So, this will work out just fine."

Then the concept of staying right here, being a live-in nanny for a week, grew. It formed into something even more
beneficial—both for herself and for Jason.

"Uh...Mr. Devlin," she said.

"Call me Jason."

As soon as she heard his words, she remembered he'd already made the request earlier.

"Jason." She grinned self-consciously, then when she continued, there was a touch of hesitancy in her voice. "I can see
that you need someone to...clean up around the house."

Now he looked a little embarrassed, and she felt bad that she'd caused it. But this was too important for her to stop
now.

"I'd be willing to act as housekeeper," she said. As the thoughts came to her mind, they were spilling from her lips.
"And I could do the grocery shopping ... and the cooking..."

The cooking? How can you offer to do the cooking? her brain screamed at her. The closest she'd ever come to cooking
a meal was to suggest a dinner menu to the cook who worked for her parents.

And the grocery shopping. Ha! You wouldn't know the dairy aisle from the frozen food department.

Katie felt her jaw tighten. Shut up, she commanded the doubting Thomas in her head. I'm not stupid. I'll learn.

If she could learn the fine art of entertaining a foreign diplomat from a third-world country, she could certainly learn
how to make meat loaf and mashed potatoes.

Again she allowed the words to tumble from her mouth before she let her fear freeze them in her throat. "I'd be happy
to help out around here in any way I could... if you would be willing to provide me with room and board."

She watched him rake his fingers through his russet hair.

"I'd absolutely love to have some help with the house, and with the shopping and cooking." He shook his head
regretfully. "But I have to tell you, I can't afford to pay you any more than I was paying Mrs. Haskell. And she didn't lift
a finger around here."

"Oh, I'm not looking for more money," Katie quickly assured him. "Just a place to stay—" she looked over at Gina "—
and a cute little girl to look after."

When Katie shifted her gaze back to Jason Devlin' face, she saw something in his gray-blue eyes, something she
couldn't quite read. There was gratitude there, yes, and she was feeling plenty of that herself so that she recognised
the emotion when she saw it. But there was something else, too. But then it was gone, and he took a step toward her,
offering her a handshake.

"Then you have a job," he said, smiling brightly. "And I think we're all going to get along just fine, Katie Smyth-with-a-
Y."

Chapter Three

Her new world was a wonderful place. The rich, heady aroma of beef stew thickened the air, and Katie couldn't help but
feel proud that she'd prepared the meal all by herself. Of course, the cookbook she'd found—written expressly for
beginners—had been a godsend. And the package of frozen vegetables she'd discovered in the freezer hadn't hurt,
either. The process had been quite simple, really, and the cookbook had broken down the preparation into easy-to-
follow steps. Before Katie knew it, she had a wonderful-smelling stew bubbling on the stove.

Glancing around the kitchen, she felt pleased and satisfied that the floor was clear of the clutter of toys. Yes, the floor
could use a good scrubbing, but that could wait for another day. She'd been busy all afternoon taking care of, and
picking up after, one little chaotic whirlwind named Gina.

Earlier this morning when Katie had accepted Jason's offer of a job as live-in nanny and housekeeper, she had quickly

agreed to start right away, so that Gina's daddy could get some much-needed sleep before he had to get up and go
back to work. Katie had been so excited to realize that her worries of a paying job and a place to hide—no, she silently
corrected, a place to stay—were all taken care of. At least for the time being, anyway.

Wanting to make the best possible impression on her new employer, she'd thrown herself into cleaning the house. Well,
not actually cleaning, but picking up all of Gina's toys and clothes that seemed to be strewn from one end of the house
to the other. She'd never in her life seen a child with so many things to play with and so many outfits to wear. The
house looked like a veritable toy and clothing store. Katie suspected that the overabundance of material things were
Jason's way of compensating Gina for not having a mother. She didn't think that was a healthy way for Jason to be
raising his daughter; however, it was much too soon for her to be butting her nose into his business by voicing her
opinions to him of good parenting practices.

What did she—a twenty-five-year-old single woman, whose only exposure to children consisted of a few hours a week
volunteering at the local hospital—know about raising a child?

Katie couldn't help but chuckle softly. Yes, she'd better keep her opinions to herself.

"Lady!" she heard Gina yell at the top of her lungs, "Gina needs you!"

Racing out of the kitchen and down the hallway, Katie rushed into Gina's bedroom.

"Shhh." She placed her index finger against her pursed lips. "I've reminded you lots of times today that Daddy's
sleeping, Gina," she whispered. "We need to be very quiet."

"Gina needs you," the toddler repeated, only this time in an urgent whisper that mimicked Katie's.

The warm, strong tug on her heartstrings seemed familiar now. Katie had felt it each time that Gina had "needed" her
throughout the day when the little girl had recited those three words. It felt nice to be needed, but, Lord, this child was
a high-attention baby.

Then Katie glanced around the room. There were several dolls lying helter-skelter in one corner. A teddy bear was right
in the middle of the floor, and Gina had just dumped out a carton of wooden blocks.

"Gina," Katie said softly, "didn't we talk about putting away one toy before getting out another one?"

A stubborn frown planted itself in the little girl's forehead. "Don't wanna," she proclaimed stubbornly.

"Then how is your room going to stay pretty and neat?" Katie asked. "Remember how much your daddy, liked it when
your bedroom was all cleaned up? He'll be up soon. You don't want him to see everything all messy again, do you?"

Gina looked at the dolls, the teddy and the carton of blocks, then she looked up at Katie, panic clearly expressed on her
darling little face. "Lady help Gina?"

Katie smiled gently. "Of course I will."

As the two of them made a game of picking up the toys, Katie was bothered by something that seemed to nibble at the
back of her brain. Something disturbed her about what she'd said to Gina, but whatever it was wouldn't come out of
the shadows of her mind enough so that she could get a good look at it.

The front doorbell rang, and Gina squealed happily.

"Shhh," Katie reminded the toddler, all the while wondering who would come calling for a visit at the dinner hour.

As she and Gina went down the hall toward the front door, Katie passed Jason's closed bedroom door. The sound of
water running in the master bath was evidence that Gina's daddy was awake and in the shower. Katie felt her heart
quicken at the thought of his reaction to all of her work, and the hot meal she'd prepared. She hoped so much that he'd
be pleased, not only with her efforts, but also with his decision to hire her to care for his daughter and his house.

Gina ran ahead of her, through the living room into the small foyer, and tried to tug open the door. Katie chuckled at
her struggle and said, "Here, here. Let me help you."

She opened the door and grinned as Gina scurried to see who was standing on the doorstep. The fact that the toddler
nearly knocked her down in the process had her laughing under her breath. Katie made the quick assumption that this
little girl was an extremely social person and not in the least shy.

"Hi! Hi!" Gina jumped up and down.

"How's my big girl today?"

Katie stepped from behind the door. "Hello," she said.

The man and woman standing on the other side of the full-length screen tipped up their faces in unison. The happiness
with which they had greeted Gina changed dramatically to a mixture of confusion and wariness.

"Who are you?" the woman asked, her tone blunt and blatantly unfriendly.

Katie's smile faltered. "I'm ...Katie," she said, hesitating just a bit, "Katie Smyth." She wondered if she sounded as
though she'd lived with the name all her life rather than the one day that she really had.

"Where's Mrs. Haskell?" The woman craned her neck to try and look into the house. "Why isn't she here? And where's
Jason?"

The bombardment of questions took Katie aback. She absently pointed over her shoulder. "He's in the shower at the
moment. He just woke up. You see, he worked ... through ... the—"

Her response had caused the woman's eyes to grow round with sudden alarm—an alarm that made Katie's words fade

in her throat. Who were these people? she wondered. They obviously knew Gina, and vice versa, but they hadn't
offered the courtesy of introducing themselves.

"Just who are you?" the woman demanded.

Katie felt her brows shoot skyward as did her blood pressure. She couldn't help but take offense at this lady's outright
rudeness. Katie recognized that she was under attack, but she hadn't the slightest idea why. What had she said or done
to upset these people?

"Now, Ellen—"

It was the first time the gentleman had spoken. His voice was steady and calm, despite the confusion that was written
all over his weathered face.

"—the young woman has already told us her name." He directed his gaze once again on Katie. "How do you do? My
name is Jack Cole. This here's my wife, Ellen. We're Gina's grandparents."

Katie seemed to shift into automatic pilot when Mr. Cole finally obtained the wherewithal to perform the formalities. A
smile plastered itself on her mouth, and even though she might not have been in the friendliest of moods after what
had just transpired, she knew the couple, as relatives of her employer, deserved to be treated graciously.

"Won't you come in?" she asked, and at the same time she eased open the screen door.

He'd said their last name was Cole, she recalled, not Devlin. That meant they must be the parents of Jason's deceased
wife. Katie felt her stomach jitter with a sudden case of nerves, and she didn't understand why that should be.

As soon as the Coles stepped into the house, Katie felt that the emotional charge emanating from the older couple was
turning the small, boxlike foyer into a prison cell.

"Nana bringed present?"

Gina's bright little voice broke the tension in the air that seemed to have condensed into an impermeable fog.

The woman grinned down at the toddler, even though Katie could see that the distress never left her faded green eyes.

"Of course I did, baby," she cooed. "Does Nana ever come and visit without a present for her precious little girl?"

Gina greedily snatched at the small, brightly wrapped package.

Katie cleared her throat. "Was Jason expecting you?" she asked.

It was a perfectly legitimate question. Jason hadn't mentioned to her that company was coming. Her mind flashed to
the stew simmering on the stove. She hoped there was enough to go around if Jason happened to invite his in-laws to

dine with them.

"Expecting us?"

Oh, no, Katie thought. Ellen Cole's tone was colored with enough sarcasm to tell her that the woman felt she'd
definitely overstepped her bounds.

"Now, honey—" Jack Cole patted his wife's hand "—how could the girl possibly know that we live right next door?" He
grinned at Katie, but his voice, too, took on an edge as he explained, "We're over here nearly every day. And seeing
that we're family, we don't need an invitation."

Then he turned his attention back to Ellen. "Let's go on inside and wait for Jason." As he ushered his wife and
granddaughter into the living room he said, "And I don't know about you, but I want to see Gina open her present."

Katie stood rooted to the foyer floor. This man and woman seemed downright hostile, and they didn't even know her.
And they lived next door. Maybe her new world wasn't going to be as wonderful as she'd first imagined.

Ellen Cole's words replayed themselves in Katie's mind. "Does Nana ever visit without bringing a present for her
precious little girl?" Jack Cole's followed close behind. "We're over here nearly every day."

If Gina's grandparents came to visit daily and brought her a present each and every time they stopped by, it was no
wonder that the house looked like a toy and clothing factory. Maybe, Katie thought, she'd been hasty to blame Jason for
showering his daughter with gifts that were meant to compensate for the death of her mother.

But regardless of who bought the presents, Katie mused darkly, this wasn't good for Gina. Not at all.

Mrs. Cole's harsh whisper wasn't lowered enough to escape Katie's attention. "But, Jack, we still don't know who she
is." The woman's agitation caused her to speak so quickly that the words nearly tumbled one over the other. "Or what
she's doing here. Especially when Jason's in the shower. Did you hear how she announced the information? Like it's an
everyday occurrence for Jason to take a shower with some ... some ... woman in the house. I'm hurt that he never even
told us he was seeing someone."

A silent gasp rushed from Katie's open mouth. No wonder Jason's in-laws had been antagonistic toward her. They were
under the mistaken impression that she was dating Jason. She had to set them straight. Right now.

But before she could get from the foyer to the living room, Katie heard Ellen Cole's panicky words continue.

"It's much too soon. Don't you agree, Jack? Shouldn't Jason at least have had the common decency to warn us about—"

"Now, Ellen," her husband broke in, "let's not go jumping to conclusions."

But his placating words didn't hide the worry so obviously expressed in the man's voice. He, too, was upset by the idea
that his son-in-law might be taking a personal interest in another woman.

"Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Cole," Katie gently interrupted, "but I think there's something here that needs to be cleared
up. I'm..." Words suddenly failed her, and she found her brain spinning in a quandary as she searched for the perfect
way to explain the situation.

It was evident in the way these two people were looking at her that they thought she was usurping their daughter's
place or memory or something. She hated the thought that anyone would feel threatened by her presence.

But she had to be careful with Jason's in-laws' feelings. Did she admit right up front that she had just met Jason and
that they did not share any kind of personal relationship? Or should she avoid that subject altogether and focus on the
fact that she was just the hired help?

Finally, Katie decided that in order to totally clarify the situation, she needed to be blunt, honest and up-front. As much
as was possible, anyway.

"I'm not seeing your son-in-law in any personal sense," she said, keeping her tone calm and unemotional. "You see, I'm
here to take care of Gina."

"But what happened to Mrs. Haskell?" Ellen Cole asked.

Katie shook her head. "I really don't know the specifics. All I do know is that she apparently quit early this morning."

"Oh." The woman's distressed gaze became tinged with regret. "But she seemed so perfect."

Jack Cole nodded, agreeing with his wife. "Yes, she may not have been pretty to look at, but she
competent enough."

What had made Mrs. Haskell so perfect, Katie mused silently, probably had nothing to do with the woman's child-care
skills. Oh, no. Mrs. Haskell probably had been old as the hills or plump as a side of beef. Katie felt certain that the only
baby-sitter Ellen Cole would deem "perfect" would have to be someone who would never be noticed, physically or
emotionally, by her son-in-law. It had quickly become obvious to Katie that Jason's in-laws were looking for a sitter with
whom not only Gina would be safe, but Jason also. If their son-in-law stayed "safe," then so would Marie Devlin's
memory.

Are you really being fair, though? she asked herself. You don't even know these people. Could it be that you're
misinterpreting their intentions just as they had mistaken the situation when they first arrived?

Just as Katie was about to wipe the slate clean and give Jack and Ellen Cole the benefit of the doubt, Jason's mother-in-
law opened her mouth and spewed forth a fountain of hurtful words that led Katie to believe her first impression was
the right one, and that these people didn't deserve the benefit of any doubt.

"I don't like this." The small statement was laced with ugly hostility. "You're much too young and pretty to know a thing
about children."

Being an optimist, Katie decided to take the woman's opinion as a backhanded compliment, rather than the out-and-
out insult she knew Ellen had meant to level at her.

The woman is feeling threatened, Katie reminded herself. She wasn't entirely certain of this hypothesis; however, the
tense atmosphere kept her brain in such turmoil that she knew she'd never figure it out completely until she had some
quiet time to reflect. But having focused on Ellen's motivation rather than her method, Katie tried hard to conjure
empathy for the woman standing before her.

"I'll be happy to tell you about my past experience with children," Katie offered gently.

"That won't be necessary."

The deep timbre of Jason's voice drew the gaze of everyone in the room.

"Daddy!"

Gina ran to her father and flung herself at him.

"Hey, there, pumpkin." He picked up his daughter and planted a loud kiss on her cheek.

Katie's eyes seemed riveted to Jason. He looked so different. His blue gaze was clear and alert. The dark circles that
had been under his eyes earlier were gone. She'd noted his handsome face that morning, but since he'd had a good,
sound sleep, she had to admit that the descriptive word he now brought to mind was more along the lines of
rather than merely attractive.

He'd obviously just shaved, and his strong jaw looked silky smooth. Katie found herself wondering what his skin would
feel like against her fingertips.

The thought shocked her, making her eyes go wide. Her pulse fluttered, and she felt oddly shaken by the sight of him.
To hide her reaction to him she raised one hand, curled her knuckles and pressed them to her lips.

Even though she tried to conceal her physical response to her devastatingly handsome employer, improper thoughts
continued to plague her. Helplessly her gaze traveled down the length of his taut body. He wasn't wearing his uniform,
but the collared cotton shirt he wore emphasized his broad, hard chest and tapered waist. The soft, worn fabric of his
blue jeans fitted his muscular thighs like a second skin. Although she knew he was a police officer and that his vocation
made it imperative that he remain in top physical condition, she could have been completely ignorant of what he did
for a living, yet somehow know intuitively that he had a job that required a strong and able physique.

Katie couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to flatten her palms against his chest and smooth them down
along his firm, flat stomach.

Her mouth grew dry as attic dust, and she felt her face suffuse with the heat of embarrassment. She dragged her gaze
up his body to look once again on his face, and she was relieved to see his attention was centered on his in-laws, and

that they had been busy saying their hellos. She darted a quick glance at the Coles, and found a great deal of solace in
the fact that both Jack and Ellen seemed to be focused completely on their son-in-law.

Jason greeted Jack and Ellen with a smile. Yet he was more than a little aware of the acute sadness that pervaded
every cell of his body each time he saw them. His in-laws were a constant reminder of Marie. Not that that was a bad
thing. Jason had loved his wife dearly, but it seemed that a day didn't go by without the Coles becoming a physical
reminder that their beloved daughter had died giving him a daughter.

Of course they never came right out and voiced the accusation. But Jason felt it just the same.

Then again, he did realize that the heavy guilt plaguing him could very well have been conjured all on his own. It might
be that the blame he carried wasn't caused by the Coles, but was simply triggered by them, after being created in his
own conscience, by his own memories.

As he'd walked down the hallway, Jason had heard Ellen's sharp tone as she'd voiced the opinion that Katie wasn't
experienced enough with children. Both his in-laws had nitpicked all the sitters he'd hired until, one by one, they had
quit. And the women they had recommended for the job had either been too old to be competent, or they simply
hadn't wanted to work.

The greetings he'd exchanged with the Coles had been fraught with an underlying tense emotion, and he'd recognized
that his in-laws were upset by this change—another in a long line of changes—in baby-sitters for Gina.

He looked beyond Jack and Ellen to Katie. Her blond hair tumbled gracefully about her shoulders, her beautiful face
was calmly composed. A lovely woman, the very picture of an angel.

Jason suppressed his smile. He couldn't help thinking of her in that heavenly manner, especially after she'd come to his
rescue that morning.

Katie Smyth had been so eager for a job. And it looked as though she truly was efficient and capable. He'd noticed how
clean the living room was, he'd smelled the wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen. He wouldn't have Ellen saying
anything that would make Katie feel unwelcome.

He understood that his mother-in-law was only concerned about her granddaughter, but he needed Katie. There was
something about her ... something that allowed his mind to rest easy. He'd enjoyed nine restful hours of sound sleep—
with no tossing and turning, no nightmares about Gina's safety. He hadn't experienced that in many, many months.

"Katie," he said finally, "would you be kind enough to give me a few moments alone with Jack and Ellen?"

"Certainly."

He watched her head bob, and she averted her gaze from his.

She started to cross the living room toward the hallway. "I have some things to do in my bedroom. I didn't have time to

unpack today—"

"Unpack?"

Ellen's one-word question could easily have been described as a screech.

Jason cringed, and automatically he reached out to comfort his daughter who had begun to whimper. Katie had
stopped only inches from him and turned to look toward Ellen.

"Shhh," he crooned to Gina. "It's okay." But all the while he comforted his daughter, he was keenly aware of the
mysterious and sensual smell of Katie's perfume wafting about him. Her silk blouse, and her satiny skin beneath, were
scant inches from his reach. For one weird, outlandish moment, he felt a strong urge to extend his hand and run his
fingertips down the warm, soft length of her arm. He shook his head to clear his brain. What was the matter with him?

"It's okay," he repeated, this time to Katie.

Thankfully she took his words as he'd meant them, as a gentle dismissal. Jason needed to explain the situation to Jack
and Ellen, and he felt certain he would be better able to do that if he wasn't preoccupied with Katie.

Preoccupied? Wasn't that an odd word for him to be using with regard to Katie? he wondered. But he didn't have time
to dwell on the thought.

"Can I take Gina with me?" Katie asked softly from the hallway. "I can surely keep her busy for a few minutes."

"Please," he told her, and he set his daughter down on the floor. "Gina, go in and help Katie."

"But," Ellen protested, the panic she obviously felt continuing to make her voice louder than normal, "she didn't open
her present."

"Nana angry?"

Gina looked concerned. Her innocent question and big, sad-looking eyes seemed to evaporate the tension that had
coalesced around them all.

Jason watched as Ellen blinked several times.

"No, honey," Ellen told Gina. "Nana's not angry. You go ahead and help Katie, and Granddad and I will see you in a little
while."

Gina took Katie's hand, and together they disappeared around the corner.

Jason turned to his in-laws, intending to assure them of the new nanny's competence. But Jack and Ellen spoke, beating
him to the punch.

"Do you think you've made a wise choice?" Jack asked.

"She can't possibly be experienced with children," Ellen added in a rush. "She's much too young."

Jason sighed. He hoped he could reassure them, because the thought of losing Katie as a nanny and a housekeeper
just when it looked like the woman was going to be the answer to all his problems... He sighed again.

"Listen," he said, "how about if we sit down and talk."

He indicated the couch, and he sat down in his big easy chair.

Jason planned to make every effort to put their concerns to rest. He'd never gone against Ellen and Jack when they had
had a problem with any of the sitters in the past. But in this case he felt he just might have to put his foot down.

* * *

Katie stayed in her bedroom with Gina for about fifteen minutes. They spent the time unpacking Katie's clothing and
toiletries from her single suitcase. Getting the child involved in the chore had been easy—didn't all children thrive on
praise and positive feedback? Gina's most satisfying activity had been opening the large, bottommost drawers of the
dresser all by herself.

The trepidation that sat like a rock in Katie's stomach never eased. She knew the Coles didn't want her to have this job.
And it had nothing whatsoever to do with how well she could or could not care for Gina. Jack and Ellen Cole didn't want
her within miles of Jason. She knew that as surely as she knew her own name.

But worrying about whether they would cause her to lose her newfound position as Gina's nanny would change
nothing. Katie simply had to trust in the Fates. Still, she sent a quick prayer heavenward just to be safe.

When the clothes were all hung up or folded and put away, Katie decided she really should check on the stew that had
been left simmering on the stove's lowest temperature. Luckily the hallway led to a back entrance to the kitchen. Of
course she had to pass the living room doorway, but Katie had hurried along with Gina in hand.

"Mmm," the child commented when they reached the kitchen. "Smells good."

Katie smiled when Gina rubbed her tummy.

"Gina's hungry."

"Well, that's good," Katie said. "Because dinner will be ready in just a few minutes."

Katie fastened the toddler in her high chair, a safe distance away from the oven, and gave her several books to keep
her busy. Katie stirred the stew, then reached up to set the oven temperature. Then she went to the refrigerator for the
round cardboard carton of biscuits. She popped the ready-made dough open, placed the rounds on a cookie sheet and

slid them into the oven.

She decided that if the biscuits were ready before Jason was ready to eat, she'd simply keep them warm by tucking
them in a clean and heated tea towel.

The salad was the only dish left to be made. She was rinsing the lettuce leaves when Jason entered the kitchen.

"Boy, that sure smells good," he said.

She turned to smile in response to his compliment, but she couldn't keep the anxious questions from showing in her
eyes.

"It's okay," he said, obviously perceiving her concern.

But before he could elaborate, Gina's books tumbled to the floor and she was calling for her father's attention.

"Here, here." He went to her high chair and picked up her books. "Are you hungry?"

The toddler nodded, then looked toward the living room.

"Nana?"

"Nana will be back later," Jason assured his daughter.

It was then that Katie remembered Gina had never opened the present her grandparents had brought her. The gaily
wrapped box was still sitting on Katie's bed, forgotten. Apparently Gina was so used to receiving gifts that the
specialness was gone. It seemed that all the little girl really received from the toys and games and clothes were a few
minutes of initial excitement. Somehow, Katie thought that was sad.

She placed the bowl of salad on the table, surprised when Jason reached out and encircled her wrist with his warm,
strong fingers. Katie stopped dead and gazed into his eyes.

"I meant it when I said it's okay," he said quietly.

Her throat convulsed in a small, nervous swallow. "But it was obvious to me that they don't want me here."

She couldn't bring herself to be more specific than that.

"Don't you think I've noticed—" he continued to hold her wrist captive in a gentle, silken embrace, his other hand
sweeping wide to indicate the room, the house, around them "—what you've done here? You've succeeded in
accomplishing what I haven't been able to do in months. I've never had this kind of help. Never."

"But Mr. and Mrs. Cole—'

He cut off her words with a quick shake of his head. "You have to understand. They love their granddaughter. In their
eyes, no baby-sitter is going to be good enough, or experienced enough, to care for Gina."

Then his gray-blue gaze softened. "But they'll come around. They'll see how well you handle Gina. You'll prove yourself
to them, I have no doubt."

He looked around the clean, clutter-free kitchen, then glanced pointedly at the pot of stew bubbling on the stove.
"You've already more than proved yourself to me," said.

His smile was devastating. Katie felt her heart rate quicken at the sight of it, and she feared he would feel her pulse
throb at the pressure point where his fingertips pressed against her wrist.

However, there was something sad and enormously endearing about his smile. Something that made her want to reach
up and cradle his jaw in the palm of her hand. Something that made her want to assure
okay.

But she fought the urge. This man was her employer, and it wouldn't be seemly for her to be too forward or too
personal.

His words regarding the Coles echoed through the fog of her emotion-wracked brain.

"No sitter is going to be good enough to care for Gina."

Ellen Cole had lost this battle, but Katie knew the woman wouldn't give up until she won the war and saw to it that
Katie was banished from the Devlin household.

Nibbling on her lower lip, Katie debated whether or not to be open and honest with Jason regarding her thoughts on his
in-laws' opinions of her. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that her child-care abilities had nothing whatsoever to
do with the Coles' dislike of her. But, Katie wondered, would she be stepping out of line to explain that to Jason? And,
worse yet, would he even believe her?

In the eternity of three scant seconds, Katie made up her mind. She smiled at Jason and said, "Let's eat."

Chapter Four

An audible groan escaped from Katie's throat as she replaced the telephone receiver into its cradle. Ellen Cole was
going to drive her stark, raving mad. And as Katie entered her third week in the Devlin household, she realized that's
exactly what the woman was hoping for.

Gina's grandmother had called her five times today, and just as many times yesterday, and the day before. Of course,
Ellen telephoned from her workplace under the guise of checking up on her granddaughter, but Katie knew Ellen was
hoping to upset her to the point where she quit her job as Gina's nanny. Jason had told her of the trouble he'd had
keeping a sitter, and Katie wondered just how many of her predecessors had received Ellen's harassment-by-phone. No

wonder Jason couldn't keep a sitter.

Of course, Katie always greeted Ellen's inquires with calm patience. But the woman was really beginning to try every
ounce of her patience.

And if the days were difficult, the evenings were even worse. Jason was now working during the day, which meant he
was home in the evenings. And that prompted Ellen and Jack to visit—and they stayed at the house long into the
evening. The couple used the excuse that they wanted to play with their granddaughter. And their visit always lasted
until their little "excuse" was tucked into her bed and they had no other option but to go home.

"They've always been attentive to Gina," Jason had remarked, "but they've never been this attentive."

Even now Katie had to smile at his naivete.

Ellen and Jack loved Gina, of that Katie had no doubt. But their nightly visits to the Devlin house, she was certain, were
more of an effort to keep Jason busy—thus keeping him oblivious to Katie's presence. And the Coles were doing an
extremely thorough job.

Not that Katie wanted Jason to notice her. Not by any means. Even though Jason was an attractive man, Katie couldn't
help but wonder what her parents would think if she and her employer were to become involved.

Why, her father would have an apoplectic fit!

The Jason she'd come to know was good and kind. A man who wanted to use his time here on earth in service to his
fellow human beings. He spent his working hours serving and protecting the citizens of Bayview and the surrounding
area.

That sounded like such a grandiose ideal to uphold, but in the three weeks Katie had spent living in Jason's home, she'd
come to learn that that ideal fit him to a T. He was honest and upright, always trying to do the right thing for everyone
else—sometimes even to his own detriment. Jason's heart was pure. But Katie knew her father would only see him as a
cop. A man uninterested in political power or wealth. A man unfit for the daughter of a congressman.

Katie sighed, realizing that Jason was the exact opposite of Everett.

Her heart began to pound fearfully in her chest. No, she commanded herself,
might think the world of the man, but she knew she simply couldn't...she simply

Pressing her flattened palm to the base of her throat, she pushed the whole ugly situation from her mind. She'd
escaped. She was safe. For the time being, anyway.

"Hello."

Katie looked across the kitchen, the sight of Jason's handsome face bringing a smile to her own. "Hi," she said. "I didn't

hear you come in." Then her eyes widened with alarm. "You're early, aren't you? I haven't even started dinner yet."

"It's okay." He gave her a charming smile. "I am early. And I don't want you to cook tonight. I want to take you and Gina
out. For burgers. Maybe we'll go to the mall afterward, or something."

"Okay," Katie said. But she sensed there was more he wasn't saying. "Is everything all right? Did you have a bad day at
work, or something?"

"No, no," he assured her.

But he averted his gaze, and she knew there was something else on his mind. Something other than a visit to the
nearest fast-food restaurant.

"Jason—" she waited until his eyes were on her "—what is it?"

His cheeks puffed out as he sighed. He shook his head. "I feel so guilty," he said. "But I can't help it. I need a break."

"A break?"

Jason actually looked sheepish, and Katie raised her brows in a silent question.

"From Ellen and Jack," he finally admitted. "Don't get me wrong. I love them, and I'm glad that they want to visit with
Gina. I feel bad, but—" he sighed again "—I just need an evening alone with my daughter."

"That's nothing to feel bad about. You deserve some time alone with Gina. I'm certain she would love that. The two of
you should go out for burgers."

"Well..." he began.

Again he averted his gaze, and Katie thought the hesitant expression that came over his face was very appealing. It
was impossible to keep her smile from widening.

"I'd like you to come with us, if you don't mind," he said.

He ran his fingers through his russet hair. Katie's head tipped a fraction to one side, thinking that he seemed almost
embarrassed.

"I mean you're so good with Gina," he explained. Then he chuckled. "I could use your help. And besides—" his eyes
darted to the floor "—I've begun to think of you as part of our little family here."

The sight of him standing there in the kitchen doorway looking so unsure as he asked her to have dinner with him and
his daughter was so endearing to Katie. This man was so sweet, so open, so utterly alluring.

She stifled a gasp. Allowing herself to become attracted to him would be a horrible mistake. Jason was her boss, and
she needed this job. And she didn't even want to imagine how her father would react.

"So," Jason said, boldly lifting his eyes to hers, "what do you say? You want to go out for burgers?"

"Daddy!" Gina raced at her father.

"Whoa there, pumpkin head." He swung her high into the air. "How are you today?"

"Hamburgers!" she shouted.

Jason laughed. "You don't miss a thing, do you?"

Gina squirmed in her daddy's arms until she was facing Katie. "Lady go?" the toddler asked.

Katie looked from Jason to Gina and then back again. She should stay home, she told herself. She should let Jason take
his daughter to dinner so they could spend some time together. But the two of them created a picture that was so
darned cute, she wasn't able to resist their invitation.

"Sure," she told them. "Let's go get some burgers."

* * *

"Ellen and Jack do mean well."

Katie looked across the table at Jason, but kept the dubious rejoinder on the tip of her tongue to herself. Instead, she
took a moment to glance over at Gina who was playing on the indoor playground.

Jason wiped his mouth on a paper napkin. "I mean, they do love Gina. And they care about me. I hate the thought that I
sometimes feel..."

She studied him as he searched for words to explain the emotions he was experiencing.

"Invaded?" she supplied. His expression told her she'd described his feeling perfectly. "Your in-laws have been invading
your space every night," she went on. "It's only natural that you'd feel the need to spend an evening without them."

He actually looked relieved, and Katie's heart swelled with a sudden, unexpected joy when she realized that she'd been
able to ease his guilt.

Jason reached out and slid his hand over hers. His palm felt smooth and warm, and he curled his fingers around her
hand and gently squeezed.

"Thanks," he told her. "Thanks for understanding.' Then he pulled his hand back to his side of the table.

He looked out over the small playground, searching for Gina. While his attention was focused on his daughter, Katie let
her eyes rove over his profile. He was a good-looking man, a good-hearted man, and he was so considerate where his
in-laws were concerned.

Irritation flared inside her at the thought that Jack and Ellen's motives weren't as pure as Jason thought they were. If he
understood that fact, if he was told the real reason his in-laws were visiting every evening, maybe Jason would feel less
guilty about wanting a little space.

But how could she tell him? she wondered. How could she explain that Ellen and Jack Cole were afraid that Jason was
going to take a personal interest in the woman he'd hired as Gina's nanny? Why, she was going to come off looking
arrogant, presumptuous and downright brazen.

But then again, if she didn't tell him, Ellen and Jack were going to continue to make Jason's life miserable. The couple
was going to continue to make her own life miserable.

Of course, she could handle whatever Ellen Cole dished out. But Katie hated to see Jason suffer with the guilt that was
plaguing him.

"Jason," she said quietly.

He turned his blue gaze on her, and Katie was struck with the thought that his eyes were the color of a summer sky on
a cloudless afternoon—clear and full of sincere light that revealed a guileless soul.

"I have something I want to tell you," she said.

His entire countenance seemed to intensify with curiosity, and Katie felt there was no one else in the whole restaurant
but the two of them. This was something she'd noticed during the weeks she'd lived in Jason's house; any time she
wanted to talk with him, he gave her his undivided attention. This intense regard made her feel special somehow,
although she knew he wasn't giving her any kind of extraordinary treatment, that this was just his way. Still, she
couldn't deny the warmth his attention brought deep inside her.

When she didn't speak right away, he grinned. "So what is it you wanted to tell me?"

Her face flamed with heat. She wished she wouldn't become so distracted by the small traits in his character she found
wonderful.

"Well," she began, "it's about Ellen and Jack. And—their nightly visits."

She'd piqued his interest, she could tell by his attentive expression. Katie prayed that the right words would come out
of her mouth. Words that would explain what she wanted to say without harming or shocking Jason too much. Words he
would be able to trust and believe.

"I…I…" she stammered. She stopped, took a deep breath and started over. "I don't doubt their love for Gina." Her gaze

darted away from him for a split second before returning to his face. She blinked. "But their reasons for coming over
every single night are a little more complicated than simply visiting their granddaughter."

"Oh?" He swiveled around on the hard plastic bench seat until his whole body was facing her.

"Yes," she went on. "You see, I overheard some things Ellen said to Jack that first evening I met them. And then your
mother-in-law said something to me." She hesitated as doubt gathered in a lump in her throat. Would he believe her
when she finally was able to get out what she was trying to say?

"Something that led me to believe—" Why was she finding this so hard? "—that she and Jack think that...' She let the
sentence trail and simply looked at him.

Jason's small smile was encouraging. "They think that what?"

"That ...that we...that we might—"

This was so hard! It sounded so presumptuous of her to be even thinking the thought, let alone voicing it.

Then she realized there was another way to say this. She could remove herself from the equation altogether. She could
focus on Jack and Ellen's motives, on their fear and how it was connected to Jason.

"Your in-laws," she began again, this time a little more confident, "are afraid of losing their place in your family. They're
afraid that your circumstances might change, and that if that were to happen then your feelings for them might
somehow diminish."

There was a frown between his burnished brows, and Katie felt the urge to reach out and smooth her fingertips across
it.

"They're afraid my circumstances might change." He whispered the words almost to himself, his frown deepening. "I'm
not sure what you mean, Katie."

Her belly tightened with apprehension. She wondered if she should be sorry that she brought up the subject.

"Um..." Taking her bottom lip between her teeth, she searched her brain for words that could simplify her thoughts.
Clarify them, actually. Taking a deep breath, she said, "They don't want you to become involved with someone...
another woman. I think that they're worried that you might fall in—"

She simply couldn't bring herself to say the word love. Katie heaved a great sigh. "Jack and Ellen would feel threatened
if you were to ever... come to have feelings for another woman."

There, she thought, that certainly made it plain and simple.

But the wrinkle in his forehead only became more pronounced.

Katie sat back and was silent. She'd taken him far enough along the path. He was smart enough to go the rest of the
distance on his own. She knew he thought the best of Jack and Ellen, but surely he wouldn't allow his love for his in-
laws to blind him to what they were doing to him. And to her.

He was quiet for several long moments. Finally he said, "You believe that Jack and Ellen think that I—" he pointed to his
chest "—might come to have feelings for you." He pointed in her direction. His light blue gaze held an intensity that
took her breath away.

She hadn't expected him to echo her words in such an intimate manner. Katie had tried to take herself out of the
situation, but he'd placed her right smack in the center of it.

The embarrassment that rushed through her turned her cheeks a bright red. She couldn't seem to make her tongue
work in order to respond.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to make you feel self-conscious, but you used the word
said that they were afraid we might ... become involved or something."

"Actually, I...I didn't go that far." She stumbled over her speech in her rush. "I started out with
confused, almost trapped. She didn't want him to think that she presumed there was a possibility of a relationship
between them.

Damn it! She was sorry she'd brought the subject up at all.

"But that's what you meant, wasn't it?"

He wasn't going to let it go. And she couldn't deny what she'd said. And despite the embarrassment she was feeling,
wasn't the whole point of the matter to be honest and open so he would realize his in-laws' intentions?

Lifting her gaze to his, she nodded. "That's exactly what I meant."

"But that's ridiculous."

His exclamation stunned her, and it must have shown on her face, because he quickly reached across the table and
took her hand in his.

"Not that the idea is beyond the realm of possibility," he said in a rush.

His touch was like a low, vibrating current that caused her skin to tingle with warmth. Her reaction to him added yet
another onslaught of emotion to the chaos she was already feeling inside.

"You're a beautiful woman, and I'm a red-blooded male. I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I wasn't attracted to you."

She sought out his gaze. His eyes were huge. Almost imploring. It was so obvious to her that he felt he might have

insulted her and he felt awful about it.

"It's me," he continued, his words and expression becoming even more hurried and impulsive. "There's no way you
would be—I can't imagine you ever feeling—"

He stopped abruptly, swallowed, blinked, then pursued his apology in, obviously, the only way he knew how: to blame
himself.

"I'm not the kind of man a woman like you would find attractive."

"And why not?"

The small, simple question slipped from her lips before she even had time to think. A tiny frown passed across his
handsome features.

"Well ...I," he began, "I've been married. I'm a widower. A widower with a baby daughter. No woman in her right mind
would take on such a tremendous responsibility.

Her head bobbed in a small up-and-down motion. "You're right when you say that Gina's a pretty big responsibility. But
we're talking about you. It bothers me to think that you feel women wouldn't find you attractive. You're an extremely
handsome man. And you're—" even though she hesitated, she found herself smiling at what she was about to reveal
"—you're very well built."

Is that an understatement or what? The question popped, unbidden, into her mind as she darted a helpless gaze at the
broad expanse of his powerful chest and shoulders. She forced herself to look into his eyes.

"You're more than attractive, Jason." Much more, she added silently. "You're attractive on the outside—and on the
inside. I've seen you with Gina, and your in-laws. You're kind and considerate. You're..."

She let the sentence trail when she saw the look on his face. Was he actually blushing?

The fact that her praise embarrassed him let her know just how modest and unassuming he was. And Katie couldn't
help but find those traits very sexy.

"I wasn't fishing for compliments," he said. "Honest." Then he grinned. "But flattery will get you—" his small shrug was
charming "—just about whatever you want."

She chuckled with him, knowing his joke was a means of taking the attention off himself. But then something
happened. Something intense. Something mysterious.

The air around them seemed to throb and grow thick. Their eyes locked and held. Neither one of them moved a muscle
for several long moments.

Katie felt her heart hammering against her ribs, felt her blood rushing through her system, felt her whole body quiver
with some new and exciting emotion she couldn't seem to identify.

But then Jason's light blue eyes hazed over with what looked to be doubt or— Just as she was about to place a name to
what she saw exposed on his face, he leaned away from her, pulling his hand back to his side of the table.

Sheer instinct forced Katie to dart a quick glance toward the playground. Gina was having a grand time rocking on a
tiny, child-size jet that had been painted bright orange.

Looking back at Jason's now—benign countenance, Katie was left wondering if what she'd thought had happened had
really happened. He turned his head to search for Gina.

But what had happened? she was left asking herself. Had anything happened? Or had it all been her imagination?

"I guess I'd better talk to Jack and Ellen," Jason murmured.

He was facing her again, but his eyes were on the table, the paper soda cups, the salt and pepper shakers, anything
but her face.

Something had happened. She was sure of it. Why else would Jason avoid looking at her? Why else would she perceive
this sudden awkwardness between them—an awkwardness that had never been present before?

Oh, yes. Something had definitely happened. Katie might not be about to explain what had taken place, but something
had occurred, all right. Something on a very ... personal level.

* * *

Later that same night, Katie was still puzzling over the things Jason had said to her over dinner.

Jason was busy reading Gina a bedtime story, and Katie sat in the living room, trying hard to concentrate on the
mystery novel she'd found in the bookcase. But she failed miserably; the words continued to run together as her dinner
conversation with Jason—specifically the part where they had both admitted the other was attractive—kept running
through her head.

Ever since she'd moved into the Devlin house, she'd been conscious of Jason's presence whenever he was home. And
even while he was at work or out running errands or visiting friends, Katie found herself thinking of him often. It was
only natural; she was living in the man's house, taking care of the man's daughter.

But over the past few hours her awareness of him had become ... acute, keen, bordering on obsessive.

Oh, I haven't acted obsessive, she silently scolded herself.

But she had been extremely aware of him. And he of her.

After dinner Jason had asked if they could stroll around the mall. Katie had agreed. And the entire time they had
window-shopped they had darted almost-shy glances at each other. Both of them had thought their looks had been
secret, covert. But over and over she had caught him, and he had caught her. And over and over their eyes had locked
long enough for their hearts to beat once, twice, three times, before they would avert their gazes to the floor or to Gina
or to some shiny new item in a store window.

It had been an odd and wonderful game. One that had Katie feeling quite exhilarated.

Focusing on page five of the book that lay in her lap, she forced herself to read the page for the third time. She still
couldn't seem to work out how the body in the novel had gotten from the library of the rambling old house to where it
lay sprawled at the base of the curved staircase.

"She's asleep."

The sound of Jason's soft voice took her attention from the murder mystery.

"Good," she told him. "She enjoyed having dinner out and then walking around at the mall."

Their gazes touched and then slid apart. That heaviness was back in the atmosphere. It enveloped them like thick,
cloaking fog. Katie was finding it hard to breathe.

She'd never before experienced this awkwardness with Jason. They had spent many evenings together, after Gina had
gone to bed, without the least bit of self-consciousness cluttering the air. But things were different now. Both had
confessed that they found the other attractive, and Katie was finding out just how much that disclosure was changing
their relationship.

The silence was tense, and it became increasingly more uncomfortable with each passing second.

She wanted him to address this awareness that had suddenly sprung up between them. She wanted him to bring it out
into the open where they could talk about it. Maybe even explore it. But he remained silent.

Unable to stand the uneasiness any longer, she said, "Well, I guess I'll go to bed."

She didn't feel the least bit tired. In fact, she felt vibrant and on edge. She wanted to...

Placing the book on the end table, she decided she didn't know what she wanted to do. But she did know she didn't
want to sleep; however, Jason's continued silence was forcing her to act on her words.

She rose from her seat. "Good night," she murmured, and then she took several steps across the room toward the
hallway.

"Katie, wait."

A shadow of a smile crossed her mouth. But she made certain that no hint of it showed when she turned to face him.

"Yes?"

He studied her face, his steel blue eyes filled with emotion. His feet remained rooted to the floor, and it seemed as if he
simply couldn't bring himself to move or speak.

"Did you want to say something?" she prompted. Fear now pounded at her temples. What would she do if he chose to
ignore what they both knew was right in front of their faces?

His voice was soft and warm as velvet. "I, uh, just wanted to say good-night."

Disappointment welled up inside her, sharp and painful.

Why couldn't he acknowledge what he was feeling?

Why couldn't she bring herself to voice what was going on inside her? Swallowing around the aching lump that had
gathered in her throat, Katie knew the answer to this question.

Ever since she was a little girl, she'd gotten the unspoken message from her parents, teachers, friends—from society
as a whole—that it wasn't seemly for a woman to approach a man for whom she had feelings.

She admired Jason, thought he was handsome. He appealed to her as no other man ever had—and she'd been
introduced to many far more cosmopolitan men from all over the world. Yes, she thought, she would even go so far as
to say that she desired Jason. But she simply didn't feel right making the first move.

"Well," she said, her voice soft and full of reluctance, "good-night."

She watched the taut muscles in his neck contract as he swallowed. And when she looked into his eyes, she frowned.

There in his powder blue gaze she read ... something. A need. A want.

He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to be close to her. He wanted to explore this new awareness that they had
discovered. She could see it in his eyes so clearly that it was nearly a tangible thing. But he was being held back. By
what, she had no idea.

Jason was communicating his feelings to her silently. Did she want to let the opportunity pass? If she did, would he be
left thinking she wasn't interested? But then, what if she was reading the signs wrong?

The questions made her feel frantic to act. But how? And what if she was reading the signs wrong?

No, her brain replied emphatically. His desire to pursue whatever it was that was hanging between them was as clear
as shining crystal. His feelings were obvious. Now all she had to do was decide if her own yearning to explore this

magnetism was strong enough to force her to act.

In a split second she found herself walking the few steps it took to get to him. The closer she got, the heavier and less
breathable the air became.

Before she even had time to contemplate her actions or her words, the question was forming in her throat. With the
tiniest of exhalations, it was on her tongue, passing over her lips.

"Would you like to kiss me?"

Chapter Five

'So, what did you do?"

"Yeah, Jason, how did you answer the woman's question?"

Jason leaned back against the high booth seat and stared across the table at his friends, Derrick Cheney and Reese
Newton. The steaming cups of coffee that sat on the Formica tabletop were forgotten as his friends waited for his reply.

These men had been his buddies since way back in their college days, and Jason respected their opinions of him. He'd
come to them for some advice, but now he was feeling a little self-conscious about what they might say upon hearing
of his behavior toward Katie.

He and Derrick and Reese had formed a sort of club—a club of single dads who looked to each other for support in
raising their kids. He'd never come to his friends for advice regarding women. Hell, up until now, he hadn't needed any
advice regarding women. But the golden-haired beauty living in his house had his emotions in turmoil, and he felt a
tremendous need to vent about it to someone.

Derrick picked up a teaspoon and absently smoothed his fingers over its handle. "Come on, Jason. Tell me you kissed
her."

Reese frowned at Derrick. "There was no way he kissed her. The woman is his daughter's nanny. You know what trouble
he's had keeping a sitter. He has to keep their relationship strictly on a business level."

"But," Derrick said, "she asked him if he wanted to."

Their voices faded in with the rest of the background noise of the small, busy coffee shop. Remaining silent, Jason let
his friends argue, and he utilized the time to try to sort out his feelings.

Katie was a beautiful woman. Her honey blond hair looked shiny and soft, her creamy skin looked smooth and silky, her
perfect pink lips looked full and lush.

His throat tightened with a nervous swallow. Everything about her looked wonderful. The thing about it was, he

couldn't bring himself to actually touch. Something inside him just wouldn't allow it.

He was attracted to Katie Smyth. That was a fact he couldn't disclaim. He had been since the first day she'd arrived on
his doorstep.

Jason hadn't allowed himself to dwell on his feelings, though. For one thing, he never expected someone like Katie—a
woman as gorgeous and graceful as an angel—to find him in any way attractive. For another, he simply hadn't thought
of himself as available.

"Come on, Jason—" Derrick reached across the table and nudged Jason's forearm to get his attention "—are you going
to tell us what's happening behind those closed doors at your house or not?"

"Yeah, man," Reese added, "don't tell me you were stupid enough to kiss the woman who's been the answer to your
months and months of baby-sitting problems."

"Well, actually..."

Before Jason could get a word out, Derrick frowned at Reese.

"You're acting like an ass again," he said. "Always Mr. Negative."

Reese took the comment in stride and grinned. "That's my job."

"I mean it this time." Derrick's frown deepened. "Jason's been without a woman in his life for nearly two years.
Everyone needs a little tenderness."

The grin on Reese's face transformed to a grimace. "And ever since you've been seeing Anna, you've turned into Mr.
Sap."

"I have not—"

"Guys, guys," Jason said. "Let's not fight, here."

Derrick and Reese both looked at Jason with surprise in their eyes.

"We weren't fighting," Reese told him.

"Yeah, we were just having a discussion. Man-to-man."

There was a moment of silence during which Jason wondered if the conversation would ever get back around to his
problem.

Derrick leaned his elbows on the edge of the table. "So, what's the problem? It's obvious to me that your new nanny

wants a relationship. When she asked if you wanted to kiss her, in essence, she was asking to be kissed."

"And that's the problem." Reese followed up his contribution with an emphatic nod of his head. His tone grew dead
serious as he added, "The woman is too forward. She's up to something."

Jason caught Derrick's gaze. The two men sent a silent message back and forth, then broke out in uncontrollable
laughter.

"What?" Reese bristled under their humor. "What the hell are you two laughing at?"

"You," Derrick said between chuckles.

"What the hell for?"

Jason snickered. "Because you said that exact same thing about Anna when Derrick first met her."

"Yeah," Derrick continued, "and you say that about every single woman you meet."

"I do not." Reese's gaze narrowed into a scowl. "But now that you've made me think about it, most women
something."

Derrick and Jason just laughed.

Finally Derrick said, "Jason, getting information out of you is like pulling teeth tonight. Did you bring us here to tell us
what's going on, or what?"

"I did," he proclaimed. "And I plan to." He paused a moment while the waitress refilled their cups with hot coffee. Once
the girl left, Jason cleared his throat and began, "Well, I didn't kiss her."

"See there," Reese piped up happily. "I knew the man wasn't stupid."

Derrick only groaned. "And why not?" he asked Jason. "You told us weeks ago when you hired her that she was a
knockout. Everything you've said about her has been wonderful. She's great with Gina, she keeps the house in order.
She cooks, shops." He shook his head. "She even does the laundry. You have a gold nugget there, if you ask me."

"Jason pays her to do all those things," Reese pointed out. "He doesn't need to go messing up a perfect arrangement
with personal entanglements."

Jason looked at Derrick. "I'm afraid Reese might be right."

Reese gloated silently, and Derrick rolled his eyes.

"But what do you want?" Derrick asked. "How do you feel about her?"

Heaving a sigh, Jason was silent a moment while he contemplated the questions. What

Katie was an attractive woman. And he felt drawn to her. But when he thought of holding her in his arms, of kissing her
lips, he felt weird inside. It was almost a fear that welled up inside of him.

God, he couldn't admit that to these guys! They would razz him about it till his dying day.

"I don't know," he finally said.

It really wasn't a lie. He knew what he was feeling, yes. But he didn't know why he was feeling it. And he didn't think it
was necessary for a man to be entirely honest with his buddies until he'd had a chance to work everything out in his
head first.

"Well, you'd better find out in a hurry," Derrick said. "Because if you leave a gold nugget lying around for very long,
someone else is going to find it."

"Speaking of gold nuggets," Jason blurted out, snatching at this chance for a new topic of conversation, "is Anna ready
for the wedding?"

Derrick's eyes warmed at the mention of his fiancee. He grinned. "Yeah," he said. "She's all excited. She says that she's
chosen a bridal gown that's going to surprise me."

Jason chuckled. "Knowing Anna's colorful taste in clothes...do you really think she can surprise you?"

Shaking his head, Derrick replied, "You know my Anna."

"We sure do," Reese chimed in, a hint of sarcasm lacing his words. "I still say she's rushing this wedding."

"You would!" Jason playfully socked Reese on the arm, happy to razz his friend about his overly suspicious nature
where women were concerned. He grinned, relieved that he and his new nanny were no longer the subject of the
discussion.

* * *

It was after eleven when Katie went in to check on Gina for the last time before going to bed herself. Jason had started
another week of working the night shift.

Since making the stupid mistake of asking Jason if he wanted to kiss her, Katie couldn't help but notice how the
atmosphere in the house had grown uncomfortable. She should never have approached him. She should never have
tried to force a progression in their relationship.

A horrified shiver coursed across her skin even now as she remembered how he'd been so surprised by her question.
He'd stiffened and stammered. He'd been so embarrassed that after a few floundering moments

embarrassed. Finally they had said a hasty good-night in unison, and Katie had escaped to her room. It was so obvious
to her now that Jason simply didn't want a relationship with her.

Well, that wasn't really true, she had to admit. She knew he was interested in her. Over the past few days since the
incident, the attraction she'd sensed he'd felt all along still sparkled in his eyes, showed in his expression every time
she noticed him studying her. And she noticed him studying her often.

Tucking the blanket over Gina, Katie whispered her usual quick prayer for the child's safety, then closed the bedroom
door and went down the hall to her own room.

As she slipped out of her clothes and into a long satin nightie, her mind returned once again to Jason.

She felt that something was holding him back, and after their long, awkward weekend together, she thought she knew
what it was—guilt.

Jason had talked a little about his wife, Marie. Katie hadn't minded listening to him reminisce. She hadn't minded, that
is, until he'd begun to vaguely imply that he wasn't entitled to live happily since his wife had died.

Oh, he hadn't come right out and said those words exactly, but Katie had gotten his message as though it were as
clear as cool spring water. And she'd become quite certain that his heart was surrounded by a thick wall of guilt
constructed by his memories of Marie. Judging from the things he'd said, Katie surmised that he'd subconsciously
decided that his interest in her as a woman constituted happiness, and that only seemed to place more bricks on the
barrier protecting his heart.

It was probably just as well, Katie thought as she slipped between the cool, cotton sheets and reached up to snap off
the bedside light. She couldn't hide from her parents forever. Just as she couldn't hide from the situation with Everett.
And once Jason discovered who she was and that she'd used him to hide out—

A noise made her jerk to attention, and she bolted upright in the bed. Her spine stiff with sudden fear, she listened
hard to the silence. Had she really heard something unusual? she wondered. She'd been so preoccupied with her
thoughts she couldn't be sure.

Never in the weeks since she'd lived here had she felt the least bit afraid to be alone in the house with Gina. Was her
imagination working overtime because her emotions were in such a tizzy over Jason?

There! She heard it again. A light thumping sound on the outside of the house.

What could it be? A dog from the neighborhood sniffing around the garbage cans, maybe. A branch tapping against the
house. She dismissed this last notion, realizing that there wasn't a tree close enough to the house to make such a
noise.

Another thud sounded in the inky blackness, and Katie's heart rate accelerated. This time the noise was much closer to
her bedroom window.

Easing the covers back, she crept out of bed and made her way to the window. The shade was pulled down to the sill,
and she reached out, intending to take a peek into the yard.

A shadow rose up on the shade, and the cold claw of fear raked its way down Katie's spine. She backed up from the
window several steps, her breath frozen in her throat.

Whoever it was, outside the window, reached out and pushed against the screen.

He's coming inside! her mind screamed at her. He's breaking into the house!

Then she noticed the long, narrow shadow thrown against the shade by the object the intruder was carrying. A gun?
But why would a thief bring an unwieldy rifle if he intended to rob a house? Maybe it was a stick, she thought. A stick
he intended to use to break the glass if the window was locked.

Gooseflesh broke out on her bare arms as her muscles became numbed by the stark terror that swept through her like
a gust of icy wind. Then her hands began to tremble, but the cold fear seemed to have congealed all logical thought.
She couldn't move, couldn't think. She'd never felt so vulnerable and alone in her life.

Gina. The small whisper came from somewhere in the back of her brain. Katie might feel terrified, but she was the
child's only means of defense against this intruder.

The thought gave her muscles new life. As swiftly and silently as was possible, Katie rushed down the hall and into
Gina's room. She scooped up the sleeping toddler and hurried into Jason's bedroom where she knew she could locate
the nearest phone.

With shaky fingers, she dialed 911. Sitting stiffly on the edge of the bed, she cradled Gina in one arm and gave the
dispatcher all the information that was asked of her.

Somehow she felt safer here in Jason's room, with his things around her, the scent of his woodsy cologne lingering in
the air.

But rational thought returned, bringing with it a horrifying question—had she checked to see if the doors were locked
before going to bed? The fearful chaos that crowded her mind again made it impossible for her to remember.

Even though the dispatcher argued with her to stay on the line until a police officer was on the scene, Katie placed the
telephone receiver into its cradle and hurried out of the room. There was someone outside the house trying to get in,
and she refused to make it possible for him to simply walk through the door. If he was planning on breaking in, he was
going to have to work for it. She raced to the front door.

Locked. She sighed, clutched the still-sleeping Gina to her chest, and rushed across the living room floor and into the
kitchen.

Katie stopped dead in the middle of the room. The dull thumps she'd heard outside her bedroom window were now

coming from the other side of the back door. The frilly white curtain covered the glass, so she was unable to see the
person outside. But the moon threw a wavy gray shadow against the curtains.

Her eyes fixed instead on the bronze-colored knob. An overwhelming panic made her chin begin to tremble and her
eyes well with moisture when she saw the doorknob slowly begin to turn.

A sudden thought shone through the dark chaos in her brain—her father! Had her father found her? Had he hired some
goon to bring her home? Her heart was pounding so loudly she was certain the sound of it was going to awaken Gina.

He was a powerful and influential man, she knew. She'd seen him play some conniving tricks on his political
adversaries. But would he stoop to breaking the law? She didn't think so. She knew her parents loved her dearly. They
wouldn't terrorize her like this.

Something hard and solid smacked against the door glass, not with enough force to break it, yet loud enough to make
Katie jump and squeal at the unexpected noise. Gina's eyes blinked open, and immediately sensing Katie's fear, the
little girl began to cry.

"Shhh," Katie crooned to Gina, certain that if the intruder was alerted to their presence, he would be led to commit
some violent act.

There was a scuffling sound on the other side of the back door. Without waiting for the door to crash open, Katie
clutched Gina to her and blindly ran out of the kitchen.

* * *

"But I did slow down, Officer."

Jason leaned on the car door and inhaled, attempting to discover whether or not the driver had been drinking. "Well,
sir," he told the man, "that wasn't a Yield sign. It was a Stop sign."

Darting a glance back at his patrol car, Jason could see Danny, the young officer he was training, speaking on the
dispatcher. Jason had instructed Danny to request a 10-26A on the driver of the car they had stopped. He grinned
watching Danny nod at the radio as the dispatcher relayed the report of traffic violations.

Jason turned back to the driver. "Have you had anything to drink this evening, sir?"

"I don't drink alcohol," the man said. "I was visiting with my girlfriend across town—"

"Hey, Jason!"

The nervous tone of Danny's voice had Jason pushing himself away from the car.

"The dispatcher requested a 10-100."

A frown formed on Jason's brow. It wasn't often that the dispatcher cleared the air for an emergency message.

Danny listened for a second, relaying the words as they came over the radio.

"There's an Ida Boy," Danny said, then cocked his head toward the radio.

Trespasser outside, Jason mentally translated the confidential code signal. But that was a routine call, one that
shouldn't have been broadcast as an emergency message.

When Danny looked at him again, the young man's face had gone pale. "Oh, Jason..."

The frown between Jason's eyes deepened. "What, Danny? What is it?"

"Dispatch says it's ...it's at your address."

Hot adrenaline shot through his system, making his muscles tense into hard knots. But he stood stock-still for an
instant as his logical mind churned the information over.

He turned to the driver of the car he'd stopped for a traffic violation. "I'm not going to ticket you." He gave him a stern
look. "But it's not because you weren't in the wrong. In the future you need to obey the traffic signs. They're there for a
reason."

"Yes, Officer," the man said. "I know that. And thank you, sir."

But Jason barely heard the man's words as he hurried to his cruiser. His body was tight with worry. His baby girl's life
could be in jeopardy. And Katie—

Jason inhaled deeply. He had to keep his thinking clear and calm. He was training Danny, and he didn't want this young
cop to see him lose his head.

"We're going, aren't we?" Danny asked.

Jason only nodded.

"At least the trespasser is outside."

As far as we know, Jason thought silently. He prayed he wouldn't hear the dispatcher call "Ida Charles," letting them
know the trespasser had gained entrance.

"Listen—" Jason snapped himself into his seat belt and noticed that his partner did the same "—call in a 10-69, let them
know we're en route to the scene. Oh, and you'd better request a 10-52. We need permission to leave the area."

Jason started the light dome on top of the car flashing and pressed the accelerator to the floor as they crossed the

intersection that marked the southern perimeter of his sector.

"Get on the radio, Danny! We'll be pulling up in front of my house before you even get the okay for us to be there."

Danny fumbled with the radio handset, and Jason kept his gaze focused on the road ahead of him. Automatically he
checked and rechecked the sparse traffic around him and thanked the Fates that it was late enough for most people to
be home and not out driving on the roads.

A dozen should haves whizzed through his mind. He should have refused to work these swing shifts, then he'd have
been home tonight. He should have refused to be a part of the training program—the very cause of the swing shifts. It
didn't matter that he hadn't been given a choice, he should have thought about his daughter's safety first. He should
have installed floodlights on the back of the house. That way his yard could have been lit up at the flick of a switch—

Stop! he told himself. He could easily drive himself stark, raving mad. But the idea that something bad might happen
to Gina and Katie had his normally calm and logical mind turning to mush.

Horrible visions kept intruding into his brain—visions of his family being hurt by some stranger.

He slid to a halt, his front wheel bumping up onto the grass. There were two police cars parked in front of his house,
and Jason felt relieved that other officers were on the scene.

As he ran toward the front door, the calm professionalism in him overrode the chaotic worry in his brain, and he
noticed that all the lights in the house were on and several neighbors were watching.

He burst into the living room where a fellow officer, Mike, assured him that everything was under control.

"Katie!" Jason shouted. He looked at Mike. "Where is she?" he asked. "And where's Gina? Are they all right?"

"They're both in the back bedroom," Mike told him. "Sam's with them. The house was dark when we arrived. We
searched the yard, front and back first. The back door was wide open, so we searched inside. We found Katie with
Gina."

Jason's brain screamed at him to find Katie and his daughter, to see for himself that the situation was under control.
But the cop in him needed more information concerning the incident.

"Forced entry?"

"Actually, no," Mike said. "But the nanny told us she couldn't remember if she'd locked the door."

"I locked it before I left for work." Jason's voice was suddenly sharper than he intended as he asked, "Did Katie open
it?"

Mike shook his head. "She says no."

"Then something isn't making sense here."

"I'd better tell you," Mike said, "Katie was extremely upset when we arrived. She refused to leave your daughter,
refused to leave the master bedroom, so Sam decided to take her statement back there."

"They're in my room..." Jason said the words more to himself than to Mike. Why would Katie hole up in his room? he
wondered.

Danny came in through the front door. "I talked to some of the neighbors," he told Jason.

"Tell Mike what they had to say—" Jason lifted his hand and pointed in the direction of the hallway "—because I haven't
had a chance to check on—" guilt flooded him because he knew that Katie came to his mind just as much as Gina did
"—to check on my daughter."

"Sure," Danny said.

When Jason walked into the room past Sam, he saw that Katie's normally milky skin was pale with fear. She was seated
on the very edge of his mattress, and at the sight of him she stood. But she didn't move an inch from the bed. In fact,
she glanced back over her shoulder to where Gina lay sleeping in the middle of the mattress. Relief flowed warm
through his veins. Gina was safe and sound.

Then, helplessly, his eyes traveled down the length of Katie's body, and he noticed the glimmery fabric of the pale pink
satin nightgown she wore. His robe covered her shoulders like a cape, the cotton terry cloth looking much too
masculine and coarse against the soft and feminine image she made standing there in the slinky, formfitting gown. The
dryness of his throat made it difficult for him to swallow.

He raised his eyes once again to Katie's beautiful face, and he tried to focus on the situation at hand. This woman had
taken good care of his daughter. Despite the fear she must have experienced. He felt grateful. He felt ...he felt...

Jason simply couldn't put a name to the heated emotion that pumped into his heart, seeped into every muscle of his
body.

"Are you all right?" he asked, not realizing that he'd whispered the question in a frantic tone.

She nodded, and although Jason knew full well that Sam was standing there with them, he suddenly felt as though he
and Katie were all alone.

Obviously sensing that they needed time together, Sam cleared his throat and said, "I'll be out in the living room with
Mike."

The officer left the room, closing the door behind him.

Katie rushed at him. "Oh, Jason," she said, hurling herself against his chest. "I was so scared."

"It's okay."

He wrapped his arms around her, and when he felt her tremble in his embrace, something happened to him.
Something unexplainable. Something wild and irrational.

"Oh, Katie," he said against her golden hair. He hugged her tight against him. "I was scared to death, too."

The delicate, womanly scent that clung to her skin aroused him and made his blood throb fiery and thick through his
body.

She looked up at him. "You were?"

His nod was small, almost imperceptible. "I was afraid you'd be hurt. I was afraid someone wouldn't get here in time. I
was afraid..." He let the words fade, unable to actually voice the horrible thoughts that had crashed around in his head
as he'd urged the car to go faster and faster. "I was just so damned afraid. For Gina. For you."

The tenebrous expression that deepened her blue eyes was gut-wrenchingly mysterious, and it ignited in him an
impulsive desire. Their gazes locked and held for what seemed like endless moments. Jason felt as though he'd
suddenly jumped onto a raft with Katie—a raft that was sweeping them into the frothy waters of wildly churning white
rapids. And as he felt himself being whisked along this swiftly moving stream of passion, he knew without a doubt that
he was going to kiss her.

Chapter Six

His mouth captured hers in a kiss that was urgent and forceful. And it was just what Katie needed.

She knew without a doubt that he wouldn't normally have kissed her—that this kiss had been provoked by the chaotic
emotions Jason was experiencing. His muscles were tense with all that he was feeling, every powerful fiber and sinew
of his shoulders and neck seemed to strain under her fingertips. But wanting and needing him so, she refused to worry
about the repercussions of their actions. She denied her misgivings regarding the future and allowed herself to be
carried along on the swift current of the moment.

The moist heat of his velvet tongue ran across her lips, melting every icy shard of fear that had frozen inside her. With
his strong arms surrounding her, his palms flat against her back, it was so easy to lean against him and let all the
anxiety trickle from her body.

His lips whispered from her mouth to her jaw, and she pulled back her head so he could move unhindered. She slid her
hand down his uniformed chest, the heat emanating from his body, the pounding of his heart sending wave after wave
of chills coursing across her skin.

Her heartbeat, too, was thudding wildly against her ribs.

His hands smoothed across her back, and she felt the terry-cloth robe slip off her shoulders. Jason loosened his

embrace just enough for the robe to fall to the floor. And when his fingertips came into contact with the heated satin of
her nightgown, she heard a small, throaty groan escape from deep in his chest as he murmured her name.

The rich, deep tone of his voice caused his chest to vibrate under her palm, and she took a slow, shaky inhalation. He
smelled so warm, so male, so wonderful. And he made her feel safe. And at this moment in time it was the security he
offered her that attracted her more than anything else.

Yes, she'd admired him before tonight. She'd found him handsome. But she'd fought the magnetism that drew her to
him, because he'd sent signals that he simply wasn't ready.

However, being in his arms, his teeth nipping at her earlobe, Katie surrendered to her desire to feel, to taste, to touch—
surrendered to the hunger that had been pent up for far too long.

Sliding her hands up and over his massive shoulders, she pulled herself closer to him, reveling in the feel of his lips on
her neck, the sound of his breathing in her ear. She weaved her fingers into the glistening chestnut hair at the back of
his head, and with the barest pressure, guided his mouth once more to hers.

His lips were hot and moist, yet the intensity of the kiss seemed to ebb. The urgency she'd felt only a moment before
was gone, replaced with a soft and gentle exploration, and she was happy to allow his languid investigation.

But then his hands slid around her, his thumbs grazing the underside of her breasts. The satiny fabric of her gown
heightened the sensation, and her nipples budded to life. She'd meant to allow him all the time he needed to slowly
explore this new and unknown connection they'd made, but suddenly she was once again lost to her own urgent
demand for him, her own overwhelming need to play an active part in what was happening.

"Jason," she whispered against his open mouth.

She took his face between her hands intending to plant a kiss on his lips that would define every nuance of emotion
raging through her. But when she looked into his sky blue eyes, the expression she read there stopped her cold.

It was as if she'd awakened him from some kind of sensual trance when she'd said his name. The doubt, and yes, guilt,
she saw in his gaze nearly turned her stomach. She felt horrible that she might have caused him to touch her in a way
he now regretted.

Katie let her palms slip from his face, and she stepped away from him.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. Feeling suddenly naked, she reached down to snatch up the robe. "I never meant to—"

"Katie."

She straightened, the robe forgotten, and dragged her gaze to his face. His guilt seemed to have disappeared, but she
couldn't even begin to guess what emotion had come to take its place.

"It's pretty obvious that we need to talk," he told her, his voice sounding rusty and grating. "But—" he glanced over his
shoulder at the closed bedroom door "—right now I...ah, I have to go see what's going on out there. I have a job to do."

Katie simply nodded her understanding.

"I'll stay here with Gina, if you don't mind," she said.

Jason closed the door, and Katie was left to sort out her thoughts alone. Easing herself down onto the edge of the bed,
she tucked the blanket around Gina's shoulders.

The little girl had been so frightened when she'd awakened in Katie's arms. And when they had heard the back door
crash open, Gina had screamed loudly enough to make Katie's eardrums ring. Katie had tried to calm the child, but
she'd been terrified herself.

But Katie could truthfully say she was no longer afraid of whomever had been trying to enter the house. How could she
be with all these policemen prowling about the property? However, she couldn't deny the apprehension that ate away
at her stomach like tiny mice gnawing on a wedge of cheese—apprehension regarding what Jason might say to her
when this was all over.

* * *

Jason couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd come out into the living room where his fellow officers had
congregated to discuss the clues they had found—clues left by the intruder who had frightened Katie and his daughter.
But what Sam and Mike and Danny were hinting at simply wasn't possible.

"Are you sure?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Look," Sam said, "Katie told me that the man was short. Or rather, his shadow was short. And that he was carrying
some kind of weapon. Something that threw a long, thin shadow against the shade. Like a stick, she called it."

"And I checked out the soil under the window," Mike said. "There were footprints all along the house, leading up to the
back door. The prints came up to the house from the backyard and then led back out into the backyard. They were too
small to be made by a man. A boy maybe...or a lightweight woman."

Young Danny cleared his throat. "I talked to your neighbor. The one directly across the street. And he says that a couple
of dogs began to bark and he looked out the window just in time to see..."

"What, Danny?" Jason asked. "What exactly did Oliver see?"

"He says he saw—" Danny's upper lip broke out in a sweat. "A woman," the young man was finally able to say. "He saw
a woman running behind your house. In a housecoat." His Adam's apple bobbed nervously. "And she was carrying a
broom."

"And my neighbor is sure the woman was my mother-in-law?"

Jason tried to hide the disbelieving tone of his voice as he asked the question, but he simply couldn't. They had tried to
tell him that they suspected Ellen as the intruder, but he hadn't been able to even entertain the suggestion until they
had spelled out the facts they had gathered.

The evidence was strong. But this whole scenario was just impossible. Why would Ellen do such a thing?

Then he looked at Sam. "You said there was one thing that Katie said. Something that didn't add up."

Sam nodded. "Katie mentioned that the 'man' she saw silhouetted on the window shade had a hat on. You know, a
toboggan-type hat. She said the tie—the hat string—was dangling down."

"Yeah," Danny added excitedly, "but, see, the neighbor swears that your...your mother-in-law wasn't wearing any kind
of hat. Only a light-colored housecoat that flapped out as she ran in the direction of her own back-yard."

"It's dark," Jason was quick to point out. "I don't even see how Oliver can be sure it was Ellen."

"Well—" Sam was the cop who had the most seniority of the group, so it was only natural for him to be the bearer of
bad news. "While you were in there with Katie, the three of us conducted a little test. I sent Danny to your backyard,
and Mike and I went to your neighbor's front step." The man's tone lowered an octave. "The streetlight illuminated the
area between the houses enough that we could see him. No problem."

"Okay, so what about the hat that Katie saw and Oliver didn't?"

Jason felt helpless against the mounting evidence, and he knew his voice sounded a bit frantic as he queried his co-
workers. His mind was reeling with the idea that Ellen might try to break into his house. What purpose would she have
for doing such a thing? And she knew that Katie and Gina were home. Yet, she also knew that he was working tonight
and would be away from the house.

No, way! he told himself. Don't even think it. Oliver must be mistaken.

But Danny said the neighbor had been certain. And now that Jason thought about it, he remembered that he'd bought
Ellen a pale yellow robe for Christmas last year.

The robe that she loved and wore often. The thought passed, unexpected, yet clear as daylight, through his mind. Then
another piece of information filtered into his foggy brain—Ellen had a key to his house. That would answer the question
about the back door being open when the other officers arrived.

Now he felt more confused than ever. He ran his fingers through his hair as he awaited an answer.

Mike and Sam only shrugged and shook their heads.

"Has anyone talked to her?" Jason asked the three of them.

Danny averted his gaze, his face and neck tingeing pink. Mike looked at Sam to deliver the consensus they had
evidently come to.

"Well, Jason—" Sam reached around to hitch up his pants "—we thought you'd want to be the one to do that."

"Her house is pitch-black," Danny chimed in helpfully.

That piece of news was more telling than all the other evidence that had been gathered up to this point. Jason knew his
father-in-law might sleep like the dead, but Ellen, in direct contrast, was a light sleeper. If something untoward was
happening on their residential street, Ellen was the first to know about it. She was constantly keeping an eye on
neighbors' houses whenever she was at home. The fact that three police cars were parked out front, and Ellen hadn't
come over to see what was happening, was extremely significant indeed.

"Okay, okay," Jason said, his mind whirling so that he felt more than a little distracted. He'd never experienced
anything remotely like this before. And if he were to find out Ellen had been the intruder, what was he to do? Arrest his
own mother-in-law?

Now, don't go anticipating something like that, he told himself firmly. Just go talk to Ellen before letting your mind work
overtime.

"Hey, man," Danny said, "we think it might be her, but we don't know for sure."

Jason looked at the trooper-in-training and knew that he was only trying to be supportive. Danny was attempting to
offer him a little hope in a pretty hopeless situation.

"I mean," the young man said, "she might not even be awake over there."

"Oh, she's awake all right," Jason commented dryly. "I'd bet my pension on it."

He heaved a sigh as he crossed the grassy expanse of yard between his house and that of his in-laws. Why in the world
would Ellen want to barge into his house? he wondered. There had to be some logical explanation.

And then it hit him. All the pieces fit together in a hammer-heavy puzzle that struck such a blow that his forward
momentum stopped completely. He stood in Jack and Ellen's driveway, his head shaking slowly as Katie's words floated
up from the back of him mind.

"They're afraid of losing their place in your family," Katie had told him. "Afraid your feelings for them might diminish if
you were to become involved with another woman."

Jason remembered with clarity how cute Katie had looked as she'd forced herself to be honest in the terribly awkward
situation. Her face had flamed when she'd said the words she felt he so needed to hear.

He remembered telling Katie that he'd talk to Jack and Ellen regarding their concerns. But he hadn't. He'd put it off and
put it off, reluctant to bring up such an uncomfortable topic with his in-laws. And this was where his procrastination had
gotten him.

Oh, there was a logical explanation for Ellen's behavior tonight. Logical... and malicious.

His gut told him that Ellen had been intent upon frightening Katie—frightening her to the point where she'd quit her job
as Gina's nanny.

Anger boiled up inside of him hot and thick. How dare she try to throw Katie into a panic! And Gina... His little girl had
probably been scared to death.

The strong, protective instinct inside him made him grind his teeth together in fury. He'd never said a cross word to
Ellen, or Jack. Not in all the years that he'd been married to their daughter. But he had a few for them now.

He stared up at their front door, and out of the corner of his eye he saw the curtain at the picture window move. He'd
been right. Ellen was awake. And now she was forewarned of his imminent visit.

His anger seemed to grow with each step he took. He mounted the concrete steps and knocked on the door.

Ellen didn't answer right away. Jason realized she was playing possum, that she wanted him to think she was
innocently sleeping. He knocked on the door again, this time just a little louder.

The door opened while he still had his knuckles drawn back. Jason suspected Ellen didn't want Jack to be awakened by
his banging.

"Jason—" her voice was breathy "—what is it? Is everything all right?"

She tried to make the question seem full of concern and guileless, but the fact that her eyes were wide with fear, her
gaze darting about and full of nervous tension, gave her away the instant he looked at her.

"Everything's fine," he told her sternly, "now."

Looking at the woman, he could see how Katie could have mistaken the shadow of Ellen's neatly coiffed hair and
dangling earrings as a toboggan hat with ties:

"Oh?" She didn't open the screen door, and she didn't ask him inside. Then she glanced over her shoulder into the dark
house before returning her eyes to him.

"We need to talk, Ellen." The angry fire burning deep in his gut flamed even hotter. "I need to come in."

"You know you're welcome anytime, Jason," she said. A nervous smile flitted across her lips. "But it's late. And Jack's
sleeping."

"Well maybe we need to wake him."

"Oh, no," she exclaimed. "Please—"

"Look, Ellen. I know it was you. Oliver saw you. He saw you running across the backyard in your housecoat—with a
broom." His mouth set in a grim line as he waited for some response from her. But she remained stubbornly silent, and
that only infuriated him more.

He reached out and pulled open the screen door. "And I'll just bet that if I were to go back into your laundry room, I'd
find that broom and a pair of shoes that are damp from the grass."

"Please, Jason!" She stepped in front of him in an effort to block him from entering the house. "I don't know what you're
talking about."

But Jason saw the tears welling in his mother-in-law's eyes. Telltale tears that proved her guilt.

As a policeman, Jason witnessed female tears often. Usually the sight of a weeping woman conjured compassion and
concern in him. But Ellen's guilty tears only made him resentful. Resentful and furious.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," he said. "I know what you did. And I know why you did it."

Her eyes flew open, displaying her utter surprise and shock.

After a tense, silent moment, Ellen blinked once, twice. She knotted her hands in front of her.

"If you know what I did—" her words came slowly, haltingly, and were spoken in an ever-so-soft tone "—and you know
why I did it—she swallowed "—then you must understand—

"I don't understand," he cut in viciously. "I don't understand, Ellen. Because there's no excuse good enough that would
explain why you'd scare the wits out of my little girl."

"But, Jason, I never meant to frighten Gina." Ellen's wide eyes grew even wider. "You have to believe me. I love her. I'd
never harm her in any way."

His mother-in-law cried openly now. But it was as though his heart was surrounded with stone, so little did her tears
affect the anger boiling in his belly.

Never had he been so angry. He never permitted anger to play a part in his work as a cop. A police officer couldn't
effectively protect and serve the public if he allowed his personal feelings to invade his attitude or his responsibility.

But now he realized that his personal feelings were encroaching into every aspect of his job here. He was so angry at
Ellen, in fact, that he began to worry that he might say or do something he would regret.

"Please say you believe me," Ellen went on. "I didn't mean to hurt Gina. I thought she'd be asleep. I didn't even realize
she was awake and crying until I unlocked the back door. Once the door was open, I heard Gina. And I saw that woman
running out of the kitchen..."

Then he watched his mother-in-law's eyes grow hard.

"She was the one who—

Jason cut her words to the quick with an upraised hand. "I'm too angry to talk about Katie tonight," he told her curtly.
"I'm just too damned angry."

At that moment Jack sauntered into the small foyer. His hair was sticking up at the back of his head, and it was clearly
evident to Jason that his father-in-law had just gotten up out of bed, awakened from a sound sleep.

"What is it, Jason?" he asked, groggily. "Is Gina sick or something?"

Ignoring her husband completely, Ellen reached out and placed her fingers on the sleeve of Jason's uniform. "Please
don't be angry. You have to understand why she needs to go."

Jason gritted his teeth, pulling his arm away from the woman's touch. "I told you, I don't want to discuss that right now.
But I will tell you this. Katie deserves an apology. And she damn well better get it."

Ellen's face fell, while her husband's expression continued to display his utter bewilderment.

"Will somebody tell me what's going on here?" Jack asked.

"I'll let Ellen have the honor of explaining," Jason said. Then he looked at his mother-in-law. "I can fix this. I'll tell the
other officers that there was some kind of misunderstanding on your part." His eyes narrowed. "But this better not
happen ever again. I mean never."

He turned to leave, but then swiveled his head toward her, imprisoning her with his steely gaze. "I might be able to fix
things for you legally. But I refuse to fix the situation between you and Katie. Remember what I said, Ellen. Katie
deserves an apology."

* * *

Katie gently placed Gina in her bed and pulled the soft blanket up and over the child's back. She'd come to love the
bright and perky little girl in the few weeks that she'd been here. Gina's long, auburn curls framed an inquisitive blue
gaze and a ready smile reminiscent of her father's.

The very idea that the child she was responsible for was in danger tonight frightened Katie terribly. If the intruder had
entered the house, how could she have protected Gina? she wondered. As she stared down at the sleeping form, Katie
rubbed her hands up and down her arms feeling vulnerable and ... lacking.

Silence vibrated in the air. She'd never been afraid to be alone before, but now the quiet made her feel uncomfortable.

"This is silly," she whispered aloud in the darkened room.

She knew Jason was nearby. Knew the police officers were still at the house. She'd heard them go out the front door,
their voices a gentle murmur as they talked on the front walkway. Still, the uneasiness she felt spurred a tremendous
urge to actually see Jason's strong, muscular body as he stood tall and intimidating in his policeman's uniform. Seeing
him would allow her to feel safe and secure.

For her own peace of mind, Katie snapped on the low-wattage night-light before leaving Gina's bedroom. She went into
her room and slipped out of Jason's big, bulky terry-cloth robe, replacing it with the long, clinging satin one that
matched her nightgown. She felt certain that the other officers would be leaving and that Jason would remain behind to
talk to her. She wanted desperately to look good when he came back into the house.

After running a brush through her hair, Katie went out into the living room and drew back the drapes at the front
window enough so she could see out. Yes, she noticed, all three of the other officers were getting into two of the police
cars.

Jason locked his own cruiser, pocketed the keys and turned toward the house. He looked so big out there in the dark, so
able to protect her. From just about anything.

But she knew he couldn't protect her from the way she'd come to feel about him. Before tonight, she'd wanted badly to
be in his arms. And now that she'd been held in his embrace, felt the taste of his lips on hers, the experience had only
whetted her appetite for more.

Almost as though her gaze reached out and physically touched him, he lifted his face and stared directly at the
window, catching her watching him. The outside light above the front door illuminated his face, yet Katie couldn't begin
to identify all the emotions that seemed to play across his expression. And although he looked at her, unblinkingly, his
gait didn't hesitate in the least as he walked toward the house.

She lost sight of him when he stepped up to the front door. But the sound of the front latch opening caused her heart
to patter.

Letting the window drape fall from her fingertips, Katie faced the doorway and waited the scant second it took for Jason
to appear. She could no more hold back the bright smile of relief that formed on her lips than she could have stopped
the hands of time.

"I never did get to thank you," she said in a rush. "I mean, for coming. I know that the other officers did everything
they could. They did everything perfectly, in fact. They arrived quickly, even though it felt like—" she grimaced "—
forever. But I never felt completely safe—" her gaze lowered to the floor, and then returned to his "—until you arrived."

Something flitted into his steel blue eyes. Yes, it was pure masculine pride, she saw. And her heart nearly split in two
from the tremendous amount of joy that swelled there.

"I guess you didn't find the guy?" Katie asked the question with her heart in her throat. She had seen the other officers
leaving. Had seen that they had no one in custody. But the idea of the stranger still out there some-where in the dark
frightened her.

She noticed that Jason looked a little uncomfortable.

"We had an eyewitness," he finally said.

"Oh?" She looked questioningly at him.

Jason nodded. "My neighbor, Oliver Roberts, saw—" He hesitated while he took a deep breath. "He saw—"

"He saw the guy?" she couldn't help but finish what Jason, for some strange reason, couldn't. "I've met Mr. Roberts,"
she went on. "He waves at Gina and me when we go out for walks. Did he give you a description?" Her eyes brightened
as a thought struck her. "Did he recognize the man? Who was it, Jason? Is it someone the police know? Are you going
to pick him up?"

Her body was visibly quaking now. She hadn't realized just how frightened she was at the idea that the intruder would
remain at large—and be able to return.

"Just hold on," Jason crooned softly.

He enfolded her in his arms, and Katie hadn't even been aware that he'd moved from where he'd been standing at the
doorway.

"I just feel so …vulnerable." The words came out sounding husky and full of emotion. She didn't like feeling out of
control. Didn't like feeling unsafe. It was the very reason she'd left home. The very reason she'd fled from Everett.

"You're okay now," Jason said. "We know who it was. And it isn't going to happen again."

She pressed her forehead against his chest, tears slipping silently down her cheeks. "Who was he, Jason?" she
whispered.

Please, God, she silently prayed, don't let Daddy be involved in this.

She couldn't deal with that situation right now. Didn't want to deal with the idea of failing her father. She loved him too
much to see disappointment in his eyes—disappointment that she'd caused.

Tipping up her chin, Katie raised her gaze to Jason's. "Who was he?" she repeated.

Jason heaved a sigh. He looked down into her face, sadness settling into the corners of his mouth. He reached up and
smoothed the pad of his thumb across the moist path of a teardrop.

"I don't want you to be upset," he said softly, "but I'm sure you're going to be."

Katie stood there, stock-still, in Jason's arms. The heat emanating from him didn't keep her blood from freezing in her
veins. The intruder had been sent by her father! And Jason knew everything. That she was not Katie Smyth. That she
had run from—

"It wasn't a he."

Several long seconds ticked by before Katie was able to react. She absently pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, a
frown biting deeply into her brow. Wasn't a man? She couldn't seem to think straight for the fog of panic and fear that
had coalesced in her brain.

Jason knew the identity of the person who had terrorized her and Gina tonight. She could see it written plainly in his
eyes. What was holding him back? Why couldn't he bring himself to reveal what he knew?

Then, as though a bright ray of light pierced the fog in her head, Katie knew without a doubt that this had nothing to do
with her parents. Nothing to do with the situation from which she'd run away.

Whoever had attempted to break into the house—a woman, he had implied—had known Jason. Katie's intuition told her
this was true, and she believed it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

"There's no easy way to tell you this." He inhaled deeply, grasped her shoulders in his big, protective hands and gazed
directly into her eyes. "It was Ellen."

"Ellen?" Her frown deepened. Katie swallowed around the hard knot of emotion that had formed in her throat.

"Why would she do such a thing? Did she need to get in the house? Had she knocked and I hadn't heard? Is that why
she came around to my window? But why didn't she—"

"Katie, stop!"

It was kind of a relief to find out that the intruder hadn't been a big, burly man intent on harming her and Gina—an
intimidating stranger that her mind had so easily conjured in its state of utter panic. But now Katie was left with a
multitude of questions as she studied Jason's face.

"Ellen didn't need to get inside," he went on softly. "And she hadn't knocked or rung the bell."

He pursed his lips for a moment, and she saw that hesitation return to his expression.

"Katie," he said, "Ellen meant to frighten you. She meant to frighten you enough to make you quit your job. Enough to
make you leave the house."

Katie felt her whole body react—felt her entire being on the verge of anger. And she knew that all she'd have to do to

fall headlong into the deep lake of fury was to remember how scared she was, how terrified Gina had been, when the
two of them had been in the kitchen waiting for horror to burst through the back door.

However, almost instantly, another emotion drowned the anger: compassion. The wave of sympathy that washed over
her was stunning in its intensity.

"I feel so sorry for her," Katie whispered softly. The pity that permeated every cell made her eyes prickle with unshed
tears. "She must feel awfully threatened by me to go to such lengths." She shook her head slowly, her next words
spoken absently, almost to herself. "I was scared," she admitted, "but only for a little while. Ellen's been afraid almost
since the day I arrived."

Now it was Jason's turn to shake his head, and the action drew her attention to his face.

"Oh, Katie. You really are something else."

His smile was gentle, and the good feelings emanating from him lent her a warmth that spread out in concentric circles
all the way to her fingers and toes.

"I was furious at Ellen," Jason told her. "And I expected you to be angry at her, too. But here you are, only considering
Ellen. What she's thinking. What she's feeling."

Katie shrugged. "Well, I do know why she did what she did. You and I have already talked about it."

"Yes, but that's no excuse for her actions."

"I'll agree with that," she said, nodding. "But I'll talk to her. And I'm sure we can work this out."

"She's going to talk to you," he said, his tone suddenly stern. "I told her she owed you an apology."

His chivalrous behavior flattered her. She slid her palms against his shirtfront until her hands rested on his massive
chest. "So, you stood up for me, huh?"

She moved a scant inch closer to him, and she recognized that he was aware of the change in the tone of her voice, in
the very tone in the atmosphere.

He seemed suddenly nervous, and Katie found his shyness charming.

"Well, yes," he said. Then he coughed lightly to clear his throat. "Yes, I did."

It was almost as if he was reluctant to take credit for his gallantry. And again Katie felt this enormous attraction to him
—an enormous attraction that reminded her that they had unfinished business to discuss.

"I don't want you to worry, Jason," she told him. "Ellen and I will work this out, you'll see."

He looked relieved; however, she didn't give him time to enjoy the feeling.

"But, Jason..."

She inched closer and stood on tiptoe to look into his eyes. A small smile of pleasure curled the corners of her mouth at
the little-boy nervousness expressed on his face.

"Don't we have something else we need to talk about?"

Chapter Seven

His steel blue eyes clouded over with—What was it? she wondered. Shyness? Self-consciousness? Fear?

But what did a strong, self-assured man like Jason have to fear from her? She wasn't certain, but she'd seen that
expression on his face before—on the evening when she'd asked him if he'd wanted to kiss her.

He'd turned her down that night, so she knew she needed to tread easy here.

She watched as his eyes closed and he stepped away from her, his head tipping to one side timidly. Dear Lord, but she
thought this bashful behavior was so cute, so sensually appealing.

He kept his eyes averted, and she began feeling a little self-conscious herself. Absently tugging on the satin sash of her
robe, she asked, "Have I done something wrong? Something to upset you?"

"No," he assured her, finally meeting her gaze. "Oh, no."

Good, she thought, relief flooding her. For a moment there, a horrible idea had passed through her brain, and she felt
she might have misread his interest in her altogether. But then she remembered the deliciously intimate kiss they had
just shared back in his bedroom, and Katie knew that Jason simply had to feel as attracted to her as she felt to him.

"Then, would you please talk to me?" she pleaded softly. "You're confusing me. What with the way you're acting now,
and the way you acted in the bedroom earlier tonight, I'm left wondering..." She lifted her hands, palms up. "Jason—"
her voice lowered to a near whisper "—what is it that's happening here between us?"

He combed nervous fingers through his deep russet hair and glanced around the living room. The awkward, little-boy-
lost expression on his face was more than a little endearing.

"I guess," he began haltingly, "after that display back in the bedroom, I don't have to...tell you how I feel. It's got to be
pretty obvious. But since we do need to talk about... what happened, I guess discussing my feelings would be the best
place to start."

She eased herself down onto the sofa cushion, hoping he would follow, but he didn't. He simply stood there a few feet
from her, and she could see him struggling with the chaos that was so obviously churning inside him.

When he didn't continue right away, Katie prompted, "Okay, I'm listening."

He took a couple of steps in one direction, then turned and paced back to his original position. Again he ran his fingers
distractedly through his hair. Finally, he trained his wide-eyed gaze on her, steady and intent.

"I'm—" he stopped long enough to swallow "—very attracted to you, Katie."

The grave tone of his voice took her by surprise.

"But I've already told you, I feel the same way about you," she said, meaning to assure him that what he was feeling
was okay with her. She forced a small smile onto her lips. "You make it sound like it's a horrible thing. Being attracted
to me, I mean."

He hurried to take a seat beside her. "That's not what I meant, at all," he assured her. "Over the past three weeks or so
that you've been here with me and Gina, I've felt alive. Happy."

As he was speaking, he slowly unfastened the buttons of his sleeves and rolled them to expose his forearms.

What he was saying should have made her dizzy with joy; however, the reluctance that continued to cloud his gaze
and his words had her feeling bewildered. He looked as though he wanted to take her hand, but he didn't. Her own
doubt kept her from acting for him, so she just sat there waiting for him to go on.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "It's just that..." His gaze lowered to a spot on the floor right
between his feet. Then his eyes returned to hers.

"To be honest with you, I never thought I'd marry again." He sat up straight. "Oh, I don't want you to think it wasn't
something I had come right out and decided. I hadn't really put the thought into words, to tell you the truth. It was just
an idea that crept up on me, kind of inchworm fashion, because I did want to keep Marie's memory bright for Gina. And
for Ellen and Jack."

After a moment of silence Katie said, "I see."

He shook his head. "I'm not sure you can. How can you understand, when I can't understand it myself? I don't know
what I was thinking, or how my remaining single would keep Marie's memory alive."

"Look, Jason..." She slid closer to him and placed her fingertips on his strong forearm, purely in the interest of
comforting him. "It was a noble thought. Your idea to keep your wife's memory alive, I mean. You were married to her.
You're raising the woman's child. Gina deserves to know her mother. She deserves to see pictures and videos. To hear
stories from you about what kind of woman her mother was. It's all a necessary part of making Gina feel loved and
secure."

Unwittingly her thumb skimmed back and forth on the corded muscle of his forearm. The texture of his heated skin
against hers lulled her with a warm, safe feeling.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," she said, "but it seems as though you're insinuating that you can't keep your wife's memory
alive and allow yourself to have a relationship with me at the same time."

It was spoken as a statement, but it was most definitely a question.

"Well," he said quietly, "I have been feeling guilty about my feelings for you. Somehow I feel like I shouldn't be happy.
So eager to come home from work."

Katie couldn't help the pleasure that pulsed through her at hearing those words. She nibbled on her top lip for a
moment before saying what was on her mind. "Don't you think Marie would want you to be happy?" Before he could
respond, an idea struck her. "Okay," she said in a rush, "just for a moment let's reverse things. If you had died rather
than Marie, would you have wanted her to go through life alone?"

"Of course not," he said automatically. "I'd have wanted her to go on with life. But that doesn't make me feel less
guilty."

Katie frowned. "I've never experienced this kind of situation before—" she shrugged one shoulder a fraction "—but I
have a sneaking suspicion that what you're feeling is quite natural. I mean, you loved Marie, and experiencing an
attraction for someone else—"

"That's just it," he interrupted. "What I'm feeling for you is so—" his discomfort seemed to return tenfold "—strong."
Heavy guilt coated his tone as he added, "Like nothing Marie and I ever had. Ever. Even at the very beginning of our
marriage."

She gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "I hope you're not expecting me to regret that, or to apologize for it. Because I
don't think I want to do that."

"No, I'm not expecting that," he said. "I guess I've been thinking about all of this for days now. Ever since the night you
asked me to kiss you, and..."

He actually blushed, and Katie's heart warmed.

In an attempt to relieve his embarrassment, she supplied, "And you turned me down?"

Nodding his head regretfully. "Exactly." His smile was self-conscious as he murmured, "I still can't believe I did that."

"It's understandable to me now. You've been dealing with a lot of stuff."

"Yeah, well..."

The chagrin that colored his expression had Katie feeling suddenly curious.

"There's more 'stuff' to tell you about," he said.

"Oh?"

He nodded. "If I'm going to be honest, I might as well go all the way. I want to tell you what's on my mind—" he dipped
his chin and studied his hands "—but I need you to know that this isn't easy for me."

He sounded grave, and the compassion in her heart magnified until her chest felt distended and achy. She wanted so
to make whatever it was he had to say somehow easier, but she knew she couldn't. All she could do was sit quietly and
listen.

"What makes it so hard," he went on, "is knowing that, as a man, I'm supposed to be strong and confident."

The words surprised her, and she wondered what he was getting at. She was happy that his gaze wasn't on her face,
happy that he couldn't see just how much he'd piqued her curiosity—because she saw him as all of those things. And
she thought it was intriguing that he obviously didn't see himself in the same way.

"As a man I'm supposed to see what I want and go after it. But—" his voice actually cracked from the nervous tension
that seemed to stretch it to the limit "—but you see it just isn't that easy for me."

A frown knitted her brow. When he lifted his face to look at her, she thought she saw something akin to apology
manifesting there.

"You see," he said, "I'm very attracted to you, Katie."

"There's a but in there, isn't there?" she asked softly. "What is it, Jason? It's okay. I want you to tell me what you're
feeling."

He pursed his lips for a moment, studying her. Finally, reluctantly, he said, "It's just that I don't know how to go about
—" Again his eyes turned from her. "I'm just not sure how to—"

By this point Katie began to feel his frustration, and the commiseration swelling inside her made her a bit impatient to
get whatever it was out into the open.

"What, Jason?" she blurted. "You don't know how to woo me?"

The question was out before she knew it. Horrified at how blunt she'd been, she slapped her fingers over her mouth.

Jason didn't even seem to notice. "You see, Marie was my high school sweetheart." He heaved a sigh before admitting,
"She's the only woman I've ever been, you know, intimate with. I mean I participated in the normal teenage necking
sessions with girls before meeting Marie. But those didn't mean anything. The kiss I shared with you meant a lot." His
face turned beet red. "And I think the only reason I did that was because I was half out of my mind with worry."

His expression was so sweet it nearly broke her heart into a million slivers. She'd never in her life met a man more
honest, more open, more tender. Yet at the same time, Jason was strong enough to lay bare this inadequacy that was

eating away at him.

It had been guilt that had made him turn her down when she'd offered him a kiss, just as she'd suspected. But there
had been something else riding on the coattails of the ghost from his past, and that something had been his insecurity
—insecurity caused by his inexperience with women.

She smiled warmly at him. "Jason, that isn't such a bad problem to have."

He nodded, but refused to face her.

Katie slid back onto the seat closer to him, reached up and pressed her palm to his cheek, gently guiding his gaze to
hers. "Believe me, I'm less experienced than you when it comes to intimacy," she said. "But if you're willing, I'd be
happy to muddle through solving this one with you."

The barest of smiles curled up one corner of his mouth. "I'm willing," he said.

"Then that's all it takes." Her voice lowered to a husky whisper. "Two consenting adults."

The other corner of his mouth curled, and unable to resist any longer, Katie reached up and pressed her lips right on
the spot. The heat that sprouted inside her was like a fast-growing vine that coiled and twisted its way all through her
body. Her blood pulsed, her heart raced, and the vine of her desire bloomed white-hot at the very center of her being.

She slid onto his lap, and she could feel his heart racing, too, under her palm. Pressing her cheekbone into the. sexy
curve where his jaw met his neck, Katie took a moment to inhale deeply of his warm, woodsy cologne.

The kiss they had shared earlier had been wild and swift, sparked by the commingling of the fear and relief that they
had both experienced. But the danger was gone the night was quiet and calm, and she felt the urge to slow down this
time, to explore these sensual feelings coursing through her.

Jason's arms slid around her, and she found herself smiling against his neck. "See," she told him, "this is something
that comes naturally. Something you never forget."

He chuckled, and she felt the vibration of it against her lips. It was a highly erotic sensation, and she parted her lips,
surrendering to the urge to taste his heated skin. The moment her tongue made contact with him, his chuckle
metamorphosed into a quick, heavy groan, and she felt her own breath catch in her throat.

The sash of her satin robe must have loosened, because when he slid his hand up along her arm, the robe slid from her
shoulder, exposing her skin to his touch. He jerked back his hand, as though he'd been burned.

Raising her face to gaze at him, she saw the uncertainty in his gorgeous steel blue eyes.

"It's okay," she told him.

With the tiniest of shrugs, Katie freed her other shoulder. And with no trouble at all, she was able to straighten her
arms, allowing the robe to cascade down her back, revealing the lace and satin of her nightgown.

There was a moment of awkwardness, when she couldn't help but wonder if she'd been too forward in her invitation.
Then his gaze began to wander. His eyes followed the curve of her neck and shoulder, and ever so slowly, centered on
the hollow of her throat. Katie actually felt the heavy stillness of the room, the intensity of his gaze pressing against
her in what almost felt like a physical touch.

Ever so gradually, his eyes lowered, inch by inch, until they came to rest on her lace-covered breasts. The pink lace
was whisper soft and it only heightened the pleasure she felt when her nipples budded to life beneath it.

Acute self-consciousness urged her to snatch up her robe and cover herself, or at least cross her arms in a protective
shield. But she fought the urge, because Jason's gaze returned to her face, his ragged breathing a clear sign that she
had nothing to feel apprehensive about. It was more than obvious that he was suffering the same heated desire as she.

"Katie."

Never had her name sounded more beautiful than it did whispered from his lips. Never had she felt more beautiful.
More desirable.

But he doesn't know who you really are. The icy voice at the back of her brain was like claws raking against slate. It
was both shocking and startling at the same time. A shiver raced across her skin.

Her name may be Katherine Anastasia Wellingford, but Katie Smyth was who she wanted to be. Especially at this
moment in time.

But you're lying to Ja—

Katie slammed shut that door of her mind, cutting off the grating, irritating voice of her conscience that seemed bent
on destroying this wonderful moment with Jason. Well, she wouldn't allow it. She simply wouldn't allow it!

At that moment Jason reached up, tucked his index finger under the thin spaghetti strap of her gown and slid it over
her shoulder. Then, he let it go free.

The strap didn't weigh much, but gravity still carried it midway down her upper arm. The lace covering her breasts
peeled back to reveal more of her creamy skin on one side. Again, his gaze lowered, and the desire lighting his eyes
made it possible for Katie to forget about everything except this man, this moment.

He leaned forward, kissing the flesh that had, an instant before, been covered with soft, pink-hued lace. His lips were
hot as liquid sunlight, and they melted every muscle in her body. She felt quivery and weak. And as his kisses moved
up her chest to pause at the hollow of her throat she thought she would die of suffocation. There was no physical
obstruction of her breathing, only the thick, hot desire that seemed lodged at the exact spot where his lips played
havoc.

Then he moved higher, nibbling his way up along one side of her neck to her ear. Katie worked to drag oxygen into her
lungs, but when his silky tongue grazed across her skin, fiery shards of icy heat shot through her, seeming to short out
all logical thought processes.

Passion pounded a steadily increasing beat in her veins. All she wanted was to taste his lips on hers. Feel his skin under
her fingertips. And she couldn't wait another moment.

Cradling his face between her hands, she guided him closer and closer. Their eyes locked and held, each gaze holding
a volcanic desire that threatened to explode.

This kiss was fierce and wild, so much more like the one they had shared earlier in the bedroom. And once again, Katie
felt herself being swept along the current of uncontrollable passion.

He hadn't said a word except to whisper her name, but his desire for her was revealed in his touch, in his heated kiss,
in the rock-hard swell of purely carnal pleasure pressing against her thigh.

Urges, wants and desires cluttered her brain until there was room for nothing else. All she could think about was
slipping out of her nightgown, tugging at the buttons and belt of his uniform and pulling it from his body. To lie with
him, gloriously naked, feeling the searing heat of his flesh touching hers.

His hands were all over her, on her back, her shoulders, her arms, her breasts. It was as though he was as frantic as
she to touch, to feel, to explore.

Mindlessly she tugged at his tie, loosening it enough to unfasten the top button of his shirt. She glanced down, and the
sprig of deep red chest hair peeking from beneath the collar of his stark white T-shirt only made her more impatient
and intent to see him. All of him.

Before she realized what was happening, Jason was pulling at her hands, working to imprison her wrists, and for a
moment she fought him.

"Katie, Katie," he said, his tone hoarse with emotion. "Stop.'

The sound of his voice was like a splash of cold, reviving water. She stilled, her eyes blinking to bring him back into
focus.

"I guess I lost control there for a minute." Her words should have sounded lame and embarrassing, but the sheer
honesty of them protected her.

His expression remained utterly serious as he remarked, "Me, too."

He kept her wrists encircled in his grip. His tongue darted out to moisten his lips. "But I don't want to move too quickly.
I think this may be very important. What we have here between us, I mean. And I want us to be in full control when we
explore it for the first time."

She knew he was speaking of the first time they made love together. The very idea filled her with such longing, such
joy. But Jason was right, they shouldn't move too quickly.

Besides, she thought, there were still things that needed to be said. Truths that needed to be revealed before she
would be free to give herself to him.

This thought made it easy for her to slide off his lap and onto the couch beside him. Her robe had fallen across his
knees, and she tugged it to her, stuffing her arms into the sleeves.

She should be ashamed of her wanton behavior. Especially when she had allowed this whole situation to happen—to
escalate—even though she knew full well she hadn't been completely up-front and honest with him. Guilt enveloped
her like a thick blanket of fog.

"I'm sorry." It was her voice that murmured the apology, but it sounded so distant to her ears.

"Oh, Katie," he said. "Please don't be sorry."

The compassion and entreaty in his tone only strengthened the heavy cloak of self-reproach that had her feeling
trapped.

"But you don't understand—"

"Of course I do." He smoothed a gentle hand down one side of her face.

His touch was healing, almost magical, and she wanted to lose herself in the moment. To push away the momentous
guilt that lay, cumbersome, on her shoulders.

"Because I'm feeling the same way," he went on. He let his hand drop from her face. "We got carried away, that's all.
And it's important that we keep our wits about us here."

She searched his gaze, wondering if he was telling her the truth. Or if he was feeling the need to give himself a little
space. He was dealing with a great many issues regarding every aspect of having a relationship with her. Hadn't he just
admitted that?

There were ghosts in his past. He'd told her that plainly. And he was struggling with them.

However, maybe she'd gone too far tonight, pushed too hard. She'd thought she'd only taken him where he had
wanted to go. But it is possible that in her zeal, she had revealed to him that her passion outweighed his. Maybe he
didn't feel for her as strongly as she felt for him. God, this second guessing was going to eat her alive.

Then stop it, she told herself.

It was the guilt that blanketed her. That's what was causing her to doubt all the good things she'd sensed between

herself and Jason.

But then again, what if he'd stopped, broken off their kiss because he really

She squeezed her eyes closed to shut off the questions.

Suddenly the space on the couch beside her was empty. Her eyes flew open and she saw Jason buttoning his shirt and
straightening his tie.

"It's late," he said.

That awkwardness was back in his tone, and his jerky body motions evinced a sudden nervousness that had Katie's
doubt and confusion returning.

"I really have to get back to work," he told her. "I asked the guys to give me a while so I could make sure you and Gina
were okay." He glanced away from her. "So I really need to go."

"Of course," she said. "I understand."

Concern intensified his gaze. "Are you going to be all right here? I mean, you're not afraid, are you?"

"Oh, no," she assured him. "I'll be fine. Gina and I will be quite all right here alone."

He tugged absently at the cuff of his sleeve. "You should probably..."

There it was again, she noticed. The discomfort he felt was tangling up his tone until his words seemed forced and
halting.

"...get some sleep." He turned on his heel then, striding out of the living room and out the front door, locking it
securely behind him.

Katie sat there listening to the quiet. She hadn't lied to him when she'd told him she was no longer afraid. Knowing the
identity of the frightening "intruder" had put to rest all of the paranoia and fear that had plagued her. But
contemplating Ellen's behavior caused her to feel upset. However, her confusion regarding Jason's conduct had her
knowing without a doubt that the last thing she'd be doing tonight was sleeping.

* * *

It was after eight the next morning when Jason turned into the driveway, switched off the car's engine and stared at
the house. He felt as if a bunch of tightly coiled steel springs crowded in his stomach.

He ran his hand across his face. Although it had been a fairly quiet night on the streets of Bayview during the
remainder of his shift, he was exhausted. He guessed the emotional pandemonium he'd experienced last night had

taken its toll on him: his fear for Katie and Gina, his anger at Ellen and finally the overwhelming desire that had surged
through him when he'd kissed Katie.

He'd been stunned by the magnitude of passion that she'd conjured in him, shocked by the depth of his need for her.
He'd found it almost frightening, yet thrilling at the same time.

And the guilt those feelings had stirred! But thanks to Katie's gentle and understanding nature, he'd been able to voice
all those bad feelings, he'd been able to bring them out into the open and discuss them with her. And her view on the
situation had been enlightening. Katie had tried to make him understand his own feelings by hypothetically reversing
the circumstances with regard to his deceased wife. Jason truly believed in his heart that Marie would want him to be
happy. Because of Katie, he felt as though he understood the guilt. In fact, he felt he could move beyond it now.

So why was he sitting here in his car feeling like a timid schoolboy at the mere thought of going into the house and
seeing Katie? And why had he left last night with that incredible awkwardness hanging in the air?

He hated this uncertainty that hovered over him. He should march right in there, take her in his arms and plant a kiss
on her lips. He should invite her out on a date. Hey, he should invite her to go with him to Derrick's wedding! The
insecurity that swamped him made a sheen of perspiration break out on his forehead.

Damn his inexperience with women! Dear Lord in heaven. If Derrick or Reese ever got wind of this, they'd laugh
themselves silly. Here he was—Jason, the manly cop—and he couldn't even bring himself to kiss the beautiful woman
living under his roof without turning three shades of red. It was, it was...

"It's ridiculously stupid, that's what it is," he muttered. He slammed the car door shut and strode toward the front door.

The house seemed so still. He poked his head into his daughter's room. Her sleeping form made him smile, despite the
turmoil churning deep in his gut.

Katie's bedroom door stood open, and he saw that the room was empty. Just then the bathroom door was pulled open.
He turned and saw her standing there.

She'd obviously just had a shower; the moist, mysterious scent of her wafting around him like a thick, heated haze. Her
golden hair was damp, her face devoid of makeup, but she was still beautiful enough to take his breath away. She
looked all soft and feminine in that pink, clinging robe. The sight of her had him feeling tongue-tied.

"Hi," she said.

Her smile seemed tentative and full of questions, and Jason wanted to kick himself, because he knew he'd confused
her with the way he'd left last night.

Before he could speak, she went on, "I'd meant to be finished and dressed before you arrived this morning. I'd wanted
to have something ready for you to eat."

"Oh, that's okay," he told her. "I'm really kind of tired. I think I'll go straight to bed, if you don't mind."

She shook her head. "Of course I don't mind."

He didn't miss the disappointment in her voice. Again he silently cursed the wall of awkwardness that he automatically
built between himself and this woman.

Say something, darn it! a voice shouted at him. She needs to know what you're feeling, what you're thinking.

"I really am tired, Katie," he assured her softly. "Really."

The doubt in her deep blue eyes cleared a little.

Do something! the voice urged. Show her some sign of your intentions.

A stark-raving fear flared in his chest.

He took a tentative step toward her and reached out to touch her shoulder. The silky, heated feeling of the satin sent
his thoughts into overdrive, and he simply stood there like a dim-witted idiot.

Rip down that wall and let her see how you're feeling!

Fighting his fear with every vestige of his strength, Jason leaned toward her and planted a tiny kiss on the corner of her
mouth.

"Please, Katie," he heard himself whisper, "be patient with me."

He smiled at her then, and he felt tremendously rewarded when her eyes twinkled with relief.

Katie was still nodding in answer when he closed his bedroom door, leaving her alone in the hallway. Ever so slowly,
she reached up and lightly touched her fingertips to the spot on her smile where his lips had touched her mouth.

After seeing the expression on his face, the look in his beautiful blue eyes, after feeling his warm lips on hers, Katie was
certain she could—since he'd asked—have the patience of a saint.

She floated through the morning, feeding Gina breakfast and getting the child ready for the day. She didn't think
anything on earth would make her feet touch ground. Then the doorbell rang.

"Hello, Ellen." Katie stepped aside so the woman could come into the foyer.

"I had a day off," Ellen said, "so I thought I'd come see Gina. And you."

Katie couldn't help but smile at the derisive tone in which Ellen had spoken her last two words; however, she felt safe

since the woman's back was to her. She probably should feel angry at Ellen, if not for frightening her, then for scaring
Gina. But all Katie felt for Jason's mother-in-law was pity.

"Well, come right on in," Katie told her easily. "Gina and I were just getting out the finger paints." She moved from the
foyer into the living room.

Ellen followed close on her heels. "Oh, well, that sounds a little messy to me," she said. "Maybe I'll come back later."

"But I'm sure you want to at least say hello to Gina. She's in the kitchen."

Gina came into the room. "Nana!"

The child hugged Ellen's knees, and Ellen planted a quick kiss on the top of Gina's head.

"Nana paint?"

"No, honey," Ellen said. "Not today."

Katie saw the woman's eyes darting toward the hallway, nervous tension tightening her face.

"I saw Jason's car in the drive."

So she was worried about facing Jason after what she'd done last night, Katie realized.

"Yes, he's here," she said, "but he's sleeping."

"Oh."

Relief seemed to flood through the woman and she visibly relaxed.

"Gina, pick up all the blocks, so we can get out the paints." Katie moved to help, but Ellen stopped her with a light
touch on the forearm.

"Wait," Ellen murmured. "Actually, Katie ...I came to see you."

Katie stood, silent.

"I...I owe you an apology," Ellen blurted. "I'm really sorry about last night. I never in a million years thought Gina would
wake up." She bit her bottom lip a moment. "It was a horrible thing I did. Jack is furious at me. And so's Jason. I
shouldn't have done it, and I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me."

Believing she was a good judge of character, Katie knew the apology was, no doubt, not as sincere as it should be.
Ellen was making the effort for the simple fact that the men in her life were angry. But she understood the motivation

behind Ellen's actions—probably even more than Ellen did herself—and that helped her to allow Ellen to make amends.

"Done!" Gina proclaimed, thumping the lid of the drumlike container that held the blocks.

"Good job," Katie said. "Now, can you put them in your room for me?"

"'Den Lady paint?"

Katie nodded. "Then we'll paint."

As Gina toddled off, Ellen remarked, "She's still calling you Lady. It's so cute."

Smiling, Katie said, "Yes. I haven't been able to break her of it. And I'm not sure I want to. It is pretty cute."

Ellen's gaze grew serious. "My granddaughter has grown fond of you."

"And I've grown fond of her." Katie moistened her lips and quickly added, "I've come to like you too, Ellen. I hope we
can be friends."

The woman's face took on a strained look. "I'm worried, is all. About you ...and Jason."

Katie couldn't help but feel that Ellen was getting just a little too personal.

"Look, Ellen," she said, "I understand why you did what you did last night. I know you're afraid of the idea of Jason
becoming involved with another woman." She tilted her head. "But do you really think that's fair? I mean, Jason is a
young man. He has his whole life ahead of him. Do you really want him to live it alone? To raise Gina on his own?"

Tears shone in the woman's eyes, and Katie could tell that emotion was lodged in Ellen's throat, hot and thick. "He has
me and Jack." Her words sounded grating and rough.

Katie's voice grew gentle as she continued. "You and Jack can't give him what a—" she sought for a noun, reluctant to
use the word wife "—a life mate could. In your heart I'm sure you know that. You've spent lots of years sharing life with
Jack. Don't you want that same kind of happiness for Jason?"

She absently smoothed back a lock of her hair. Now was the time for a little honesty. "I don't know if anything's going
to happen between Jason and me. But whether it's me, or whether it's someone else, Jason
He needs someone to share the journey with. Just like you have Jack."

Now Katie felt her own throat constricting with scalding emotion. "It's terrible that your daughter died," she told Ellen,
her voice soft with sincerity. "It was an awful thing that Marie was taken from you all. But you never have to worry
about her memory dying. Because Marie will always be alive." She gave Ellen's fingers a gentle squeeze. "In Gina."

Chapter Eight

"You're kidding?"

The incredulous tone of Jason's voice as he spoke on the phone drew Katie's attention, and she watched him closely as
she wiped bits of scrambled egg from Gina's chin. The ringing telephone had interrupted Saturday morning breakfast.

"Well, does Derrick want to cancel?"

So the call was in regard to the wedding that was supposed to take place today, and from the words being spoken, the
plans weren't going too well.

Jason had told Katie that Derrick had met a school-teacher back in the fall. Anna and Derrick had fallen in love and
were to speak their vows today. A small, intimate ceremony, in a small, intimate church. It sounded so romantic to
Katie who knew her well-off, social-butterfly parents would never agree to such a thing for her, their only child. When
Jason had invited her to attend his friend's wedding, Katie had been overjoyed to have the opportunity to meet Derrick
and Anna.

"Well, we've got problems."

The sound of Jason's voice brought her out of her dreamy thoughts. But Katie didn't feel bad that she'd lost herself in
the idea of romance; in fact, she found a vague smile had sprouted on her lips. Was there a woman alive who didn't like
to fantasize about lacy white dresses and happily ever after?

Lifting her chin, Katie said, "What is it?"

"There was a fire at the church last night." His tone was grave. "The church where Derrick and Anna were to be
married."

"That's terrible."

"The minister was working at his office late," Jason said. "He put water on for tea and then fell asleep at his desk. Most
of the damage was from the smoke." Jason grimaced. "Reverend Cobb called the fire department, but rather than
getting himself out of the church, he tried to fight the flames. He's in the hospital with smoke inhalation, and there's no
way he can perform the ceremony today."

"My," Katie whispered, feeling an immediate affinity for Derrick's fiancee. "Anna must be so upset."

"That's the understatement of the century! She's at Derrick's. Derrick told Reese that she slipped in through the back
door and locked herself in his office. She won't see Derrick, but she's talking to him through the door. She's been on
the brink of tears all morning."

"The poor woman."

"She wants to call off everything, but Derrick's trying to convince her that they can salvage the day."

"A bride shouldn't have to 'salvage' her wedding day."

His pale blue eyes clouded over. "I just suggested to Reese that I take you over there so you could talk to Anna, but—"
he shook his head "—I'm not sure that's such a good idea if you're thinking like that."

Katie helped Gina spoon up another mouthful of scrambled egg. "Me?" she asked. "What could I say that would help
matters? Where's Anna's family? Her friends?"

"Her only family, a cousin I think, is supposed to arrive a little later today." He slid into the chair beside her and
covered her free hand with his. "You have to understand Anna. She's a little... different. A little eccentric."

Of all the things that Jason had just said, only one thing sank into Katie's head. "You mean to tell me that it's Anna's
wedding day and she has no family near, no friends, and she's finding out her plans are unraveling like a piece of
fabric?"

His cheeks puffed out as he exhaled loudly. "That about sums it up, yes." Without hesitation, he blurted, "She won't let
him comfort her or help to make—"

"And why should she let him in?" Katie's tone was sharper than she'd intended. "It's bad luck for the groom to see his
bride until the ceremony."

"Women," Jason swore under his breath.

Ignoring his remark completely, Katie used a moist cloth to clean Gina's fingers. "We need to go over there," she told
Jason. "Anna needs a friend. She needs someone to talk to."

"Good," Jason got up from the table. "I'll call Ellen and ask if she can sit with Gina now rather than later. Then I'll call
Derrick and tell him the cavalry's coming."

* * *

Katie stood in the hallway facing the closed door of Derrick's office. She had a choice in how she could approach Anna
and the situation, Katie decided. She could bustle in, full of a businesslike, takeover attitude. Or she could be of
commiserating mind toward the distraught woman she knew was behind the door.

When Katie had met Derrick just a few moments before, the man had been pacing madly, mumbling that he and Anna
must be married today. She would never admit it to anyone, but she'd felt his demeanor was quite comical. Oh, she
would never have laughed at him. She wouldn't dare have offended him in that way. But the nervous and agitated
Derrick she'd just met hadn't seemed the highly organized, analytical type that Jason had described on the ride over.
Katie guessed even usually collected, systematic people had their limits, too. Derrick had pleaded with Katie to do
whatever it took to calm Anna down and to please, please talk her into going on with the wedding.

After having promised to do her best, here she stood with her fingers curled, ready to tap on the door. Inhaling deeply,

Katie decided that she'd wait to see just how distressed Anna was before determining how to react.

"Well?" Jason prodded in a whisper. "Are you going to go in, or what?"

"I'm going," she said, keeping her tone hushed. "Why don't you go back into the kitchen with Derrick. Or go find your
other friend ... what's his name ...Reese?"

"I will, I will. But I thought I should introduce you."

Katie waved him away. "I'll introduce myself. No get."

He actually seemed relieved not to have to face Anna. Once he was out of sight, Katie rapped lightly on the solid wood
door.

"Derrick, please go away. I already told you, it's bad luck—"

"Anna, it's Katie, Jason's nanny," Katie said. "May I come in, please?"

"Is Derrick around?" This time Anna's voice was closer, more distinct.

"No."

A metallic sound grated lightly and the door inched open. Katie slipped through the narrow wedge, and the door closed
firmly behind her.

Anna was a beautiful woman, Katie saw. Her long black hair was full and shiny. She looked to be about the same age as
Katie was herself. Katie was immediately envious of those gorgeous cheekbones, but the woman's deep green eyes
were clouded with trouble.

"Hi," she said. "I'm Katie." She left it at that. A formal introduction was pretty silly at a desperate time like this.

In spite of the emotional turmoil Anna must be experiencing, Katie was happy to see the woman smile.

"Derrick came to the door a little while ago and told me you were coming." An inadvertent sigh escaped her. "Thanks."

A phone rang somewhere in the house.

"Well," Katie commented, "you look as though you're holding up pretty well." She felt her face color. "If I were in your
shoes..."

Anna shrugged. "I am awfully disappointed. Derrick is, too." Her eyes glistened with emotion. "I'd like to go ahead with
the wedding. But I don't see how we can."

"Of course you can," Katie rushed to assure her.

"But with no church. No minister."

"Derrick wanted me to tell you that he's calling churches all over town," Katie said brightly. "He'll find a church, you'll
see."

"It's more than just the church and the minister." A frown creased the narrow patch of skin between Anna's green eyes.
"Don't you think this could be a sign?" she asked, her voice a hushed whisper. "Derrick and I are so different." An ironic
exhalation burst from her throat. "Different is putting it mildly. I should have said that he and I are complete and utter
opposites. And this bad luck, this horrible situation, might be God or the Fates or whatever, telling us that we're making
a big mistake."

Anna paced absently toward the window. Katie felt a tremendous responsibility weighing on her shoulders. She needed
to say something to this woman. Something that would help to relieve the heavy doubt Anna was experiencing.

Then Katie noticed the colorful, flowing clothes Anna was wearing. The purples and greens and fuchsias should have
clashed garishly, but somehow the outfit... worked. Remembering Derrick's sedate gray trousers, his extremely
conventional button-down dress shirt, Katie realized the differences between these two people went beyond character
traits. But should differences keep people apart? she wondered.

"You love him, don't you?" The question slipped from her lips before Katie even realized it.

"Oh, yes." Anna nodded, her back to Katie.

"And you want to spend the rest of your life with, him?"

"Oh—" she turned to face Katie, her tone going all breathy with heartfelt emotion "—yes. More than anything in the
whole wide world."

There, Katie thought, that should be all the answer Anna needed. When two people loved each other and wanted to be
together forever, then nothing should be able to stop them.

As she stood there, thoughts of Everett flitted through her mind. Her parents had desperately wanted her to marry him.
They loved him like a son. She had grown up with Everett. She did love him—but not the way Anna loved Derrick. She
didn't love him the way a woman should love a man with whom she intended to spend forever.

Why hadn't she been able to tell her parents that? she wondered. Why had she felt forced to run from them, from
Everett, from the whole situation?

Because she knew she'd spent her whole life striving to make her parents happy, trying to make them proud. But in the
end, she'd discovered she just couldn't go through with it. Especially after Everett had—

"Katie!" Jason called from the other side of the closed door. When she didn't answer immediately, he rapped three
times.

Katie pulled the door open an inch and stared at a small wedge of Jason's handsome face. "Yes?" she asked.

"I need to talk to you," he said. "Don't worry, Derrick's not around." He shouldered the door open wide enough so he
could take Katie by the arm and pull her out into the hall.

"We've got trouble," he whispered. "Derrick can't find a church. He's called everywhere. And Anna's cousin just called.
The woman was supposed to be Anna's maid of honor. Well, she missed her train, she's never going to arrive on time."

"On time for what?" she asked him softly. "At this point there's no church, there's no minister. How can there be a
wedding?"

"Anna's saying that?" Jason said. "That there's not going to be a wedding?"

Katie was quiet a moment as she tried to decide how to answer his question. He was obviously upset, genuinely so, at
what was happening to Derrick and Anna. Her overwhelming love for Jason made her want to shield him from further
dismay.

"She's mulling over some troubling thoughts," she finally said. "But the fact that she's still locked in there—" Katie
indicated the office with a small jerk of her head "—determined not to invite bad luck by refusing to see the groom
must be a good sign that she wants to get married today."

"Yeah," Jason said. "That is a good sign."

"There is one very good thing..."

"And that is?"

Katie smiled at him. "Anna loves Derrick very much, and she wants to spend the rest of her life with him. She's voiced
those words to me. I'll go back in there and try to get her to focus on that while you guys decide what you're going to
do."

Jason's blue eyes softened with tenderness. There was a split second where he looked unsure of himself, but then he
moved closer to her, cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand and said, "You're a wonderful person, Katie. And I'm
really glad that you're here... with me."

Her smile widened, and her heart expanded with a warm and fuzzy joy. She searched his gaze, reluctant to let go of the
moment. "I'm happy I'm here—" her tone softened "—with you."

It was as though they were all alone, as though there were no other people in the house, in the world. Jason's' fingers
trailed up along her cheekbone, threaded into her hair. He leaned forward and gently kissed the warm spot on her face

where his palm had been. He studied her for a minute before he spoke.

"I wish..."

He let the sentence fade off, but Katie clearly understood his thought. She, too, had wishes of her own. Passionate
wishes.

One corner of his mouth tipped up in a sexy grin. "I really should get back to Derrick."

Reluctance was evident in his tone, and Katie's insides curled with a heated pleasure.

"He's usually a calm guy," he went on, "but this thing has him shook up."

Katie nodded. "I'll hold down the fort here with Anna."

His gaze roved over her face, as though he was afraid he wouldn't see her again for many days rather than just a few
moments and he wanted to imprint her image on his brain. The gesture made her feel wanted, cherished.

Then he said, "After this is all over, you and I are going to spend a little time alone, okay?"

Her smile beamed as she nodded in answer.

With what seemed like a great deal of unwillingness, he offered her a final smile and turned away.

As though she were a starving person in need of sustenance, her greedy eyes watched him closely until he
disappeared around the corner. Only then did she turn on her heel and push open the office door.

Anna still stood across the room at the window; however, she swiveled her head to look at Katie.

"Judging from the happy expression on your face," Anna commented, "there must be good news from someone."

Immediately Katie was barraged with an attack of guilt. How could she feel so deliriously happy, so deliciously
attracted to Jason when Anna's and Derrick's lives were in such turmoil? Her smile faded until no trace of it remained.

"Actually," Katie said, "the news isn't good."

"Oh?"

Anna faced her fully, took a couple of steps in her direction and paused at Derrick's desk. Reaching out place a
trembling hand on its solid wood top, she asked

"What's happened now?"

"It's your cousin—"

"Mary? What's wrong with Mary?"

Anna swallowed inadvertently. The trepidation reflected in those deep green eyes prodded to the surface Katie's most
compassionate emotions.

"She's fine," Katie assured her. "It's just that she's missed her train. There's no way she's going to make it—"

"Oh, Lord!"

Anna's exclamation was released in a grating whisper. She pressed her fingertips over her mouth. Katie thought her
heart would break as tears welled in the woman's eyes and slid silently down her cheeks.

"Oh, Anna, I'm so sorry."

But it was as though her apology fell on deaf ears.

Anna's eyes went wide suddenly. "This is a sure sign. She shook her head. "We shouldn't be doing this. shouldn't be
tempting the Fates by ignoring the things that are happening." She went toward the door. "I have to tell Derrick. The
wedding's off."

"Wait, Anna!" Katie said, raising her hand. "Just wait a minute."

Anna's troubled gaze swept from the door and locked on to Katie's face. The chaos churning in those green depths
made Katie frown, her chest actually aching with the concern and tenderness she felt.

"Please, Anna," she said softly, "don't charge out there just yet. What we need is a little clear thinking."

She felt too flustered to think clearly herself. How could she expect Anna to?

Anna stood silent, waiting.

Katie chewed her bottom lip a moment, uncertain as to what she should say.

"I don't know what God, or the Fates, or whatever, is trying to tell you here," Katie said. "I don't even know that they're
trying to tell you anything. But I do know that you told me how you feel about Derrick. I know that you love him. And I
know that the man out there that I met—the man who is literally beside himself with worry, thinking that you and he
might not be married today—I know that he loves you very much, too."

The dark, troubling thoughts that clouded Anna's gaze cleared a little as she listened to what Katie had to say.

"I know that you don't know me," Katie continued. "You have no reason to listen to anything I have to say. I don't know

what you've gone through with Derrick. I know nothing about your relationship. You say that the two of you are
opposites. Well, maybe that's so."

Her chin lifted a fraction. "But I say that you're opposites who have love on their side. And love can bridge many a
valley. Especially a love that's deep and wide and strong." She paused a moment and then quietly asked, "Is that the
kind of love that you and Derrick share?"

Katie watched Anna's eyes tear up as the woman nodded her head ever so slowly.

"So the church caught fire. So what?" Katie shrugged. "The kitchen's damaged, but not beyond repair. At least the
building didn't burn to the ground. And, yes, the minister's in the hospital—" This time there was concern in her tone.
"That is terrible, but even though he's not able to perform your marriage ceremony, at least the man is okay. And so
what—" she lifted her hands, palm side up "—if your cousin missed her train. She'll get here sometime, right?"

Anna blinked, seemingly startled that Katie would sum up all of the days tragedies in such a devil-may-care manner.

"Let's focus on what's important," she pointed out. "Let's put the proper things into perspective." Her tone lowered.
"And there are only three of those. You love Derrick." She counted off on her fingers. "Derrick loves you. And you want
to spend the rest of your lives together." Her hand lowered to her side, and her head tilted. "Anna, your forever
together can start now, today. And isn't that the most important thing of all?"

Anna looked almost convinced, and suddenly one final argument entered Katie's head.

"Could it be possible," she said, allowing the words to flow as they came to her, "that all the things that have happened
today—all the things you've seen as dire signs—aren't signs of sure failure at all? Maybe they're not symbols of a
dreadful future. Maybe they're a challenge."

A spark of interest lit Anna's green gaze.

"Yes," Katie went on, animatedly, "couldn't it just be possible that life is challenging both you and Derrick? And that if
you rise to the challenge, you'll learn that—together—there's nothing you can't conquer."

The stiff tension in Anna's shoulders melted with spoken word.

"You know," Anna said at last, "I think you may right."

"In this instance," Kate proclaimed boldly, "I know am."

Anna's smile widened and her whole body seemed to take on an ethereal calmness. "Would you go tell Derrick that I
want to marry him—today?"

Katie grinned.

"Tell him that I wouldn't mind saying my vows right out there—" she pointed toward the window "—in the backyard
right on the bay."

"What a lovely idea," Katie said.

Inhaling deeply, Anna straightened her spine in an obvious attempt to steel herself for what lay ahead. "There will be
dozens of phone calls to be made. So many things to be rearranged."

"Don't worry about a thing—"

A sharp knocking on the door cut Katie's sentence in half.

"Katie?"

Both women smiled at the urgency in Jason's tone.

"Katie, the caterer just arrived," he rushed ahead, "with two vans full of food. What are we going to do? Could you
come out here?"

Before she answered, Katie focused her full attention on Anna. "I can handle this," she said. "I've thrown many a
successful party in my day. I want you to make yourself dazzling for Derrick. I'll take care of the food and the flowers—I
take it Derrick has the florist's number? And I'll get a list of the guests from him, too."

Jason knocked again. "Katie? Katie!"

Now Katie was chuckling. "Remember, Anna—don't worry about a thing. This is going to be one beautiful wedding."

Chapter Nine

'Wasn't that an absolutely beautiful wedding?"

Katie nodded in response to Jason's softly spoken question, and her heart raced in her chest when he reached over and
took her hand in his. They stood there on the shore with the other guests, watching Anna and Derrick sail across
Pocomoke Sound and out into Chesapeake Bay in the waning afternoon sunlight. The one successful plan that the
newlywed couple had made was to sail north and honeymoon in historic Annapolis.

Turning to look behind her, Katie scanned the cluttered tables and chairs that had been hastily set up into rows for the
guests. She smiled as her eyes followed the paper streamers and delicate, puffy wedding bells that trailed from tree to
tree. Granted, the ceremony in Derrick's backyard had been quickly thrown together, but Katie felt it had been the
most romantic wedding she'd ever attended in her life.

Anna had made a breathtakingly gorgeous bride in her gown made of antique ivory lace. Katie's smile widened as she
remembered how surprised Derrick had been to see the woman of his dreams dressed in such a conservative manner.

He'd verbalized his astonishment over his new bride's choice of dress. Anna had only tossed him a flirtatious and
wicked grin, saying that underneath her traditional gown were wild surprises—surprises for his eyes alone. It hadn't
been long before the couple left for their honeymoon.

Even Timmy, Derrick's young godson who endearingly called the man Dad, had looked dashing in his small-size tux as
he'd stood up front acting as best man. Katie watched him rollicking and dodging between the chairs with Reese's son,
Jeffrey. Apparently Timmy was going to be staying with Reese and Jeffrey while Derrick and Anna were gone.

It was kind of nice, Katie thought, how Jason and Derrick and Reese watched out for one another, cared for one another
and helped one another out. Today had proven just how important it was to have good friends. Because Jason and
Reese were willing to give their all—lug tables and chairs, make dozens of calls in search of a minister who was free to
perform the ceremony and perform about a million other tasks—Derrick and Anna had been able to be married today.
Yes, this wedding had been just about perfect.

"Why are you smiling?"

Katie turned her head to look at Jason. His handsome face and tender smile made her insides go all soft and warm.

"I'm just thinking of Anna and Derrick," she answered. "I'm very happy for them."

Actually it was more than that. Weddings, anniversaries, any celebration of love, always did strange things to her. Her
heart turned all achy with sentiment, and persistent questions would begin to echo inside her head. Would she ever
find a soul mate of her very own? Someone with whom she could be herself? Someone who wouldn't expect her to
prove her love over and over as was the case with both her mother and her father?

Stop it, she gently chided herself. Just stop it.

She blinked and focused on Jason. His expression was intent and had grown quite intimate, his eyes seeming to hold a
secret just for her. The sight of him made it easy to push the uncomfortable questions from her head; however, she
was aware of the tinge of sadness that lingered on the outermost edges of her mind.

"You know," Jason told her, "this wedding probably wouldn't have taken place without you."

"Oh, stop." Katie felt her face flush. "Those two people love each other. I didn't do anything—"

"Yes, you did," he persisted. "I don't know what you said to Anna, but Derrick told me that he was certain she was
going to call the whole thing off. Whatever you did in there with Anna, you were perfect."

His compliment was like the sun's heat, and it evaporated the sad feelings that hung over her like a thin, hazy fog. Her
smile came without thought. This man always made her feel good. About herself. About her abilities as a nanny. And as
a woman.

"I only told her the truth," Katie said. "I only forced her to look at what was important. The love she and Derrick

shared." One shoulder hitched up a fraction. "That was all."

"That was all? What about all the other stuff you did?"

He tugged her arm, pulling her close to him as he walked away from the other wedding guests along the edge of the
water.

"Where are we going?" Katie asked.

"Never mind about that." He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. "Answer my questions. How could we have done
this without you? I mean you single-handedly took care of all that food. You made more than half the calls to the guests
to tell them the change in plans. You were the one who suggested we send Reese over to the church to catch anyone
who didn't get a call."

"Yeah," Katie murmured, "and I think ol' Reese will never forgive me for that."

"Oh, you'll have to ignore Reese's growl."

"I don't think he likes me much."

Jason chuckled, a warm, rich sound that made her insides giddy.

"Reese doesn't take a shine to women too easily," Jason told her. "You can't take it personally. It has nothing to do with
you. You see, he's been hurt in the past...badly. He just needs to get to know you."

Katie gazed back over the distance behind them where they'd left the others.

"He's not going to take a shine to the fact that we've left him with all the cleaning up to do," she pointed out.

Jason urged her ahead. "He'll be all right. Besides, you can't stop me now," he said. "Not when I'm feeling bold enough
to get you alone. Like I promised."

A sudden excitement stirred in Katie's blood. So that's what Jason was doing—getting her alone. Her pulse began to
pound, and her mind seemed to flood with chaotic thoughts, yet at the same time she felt weirdly serene for some
reason.

She knew the serenity came from simply being with Jason. She'd been aware, ever since the night Ellen had tried to
frighten her, that no other man had ever made her feel more safe, more secure, than Jason had. And the chaotic
thoughts? Those came from the fact that she knew, somewhere along the shore, Jason was going to want to stop
walking. Whatever he had in mind then had her feeling giddy with anticipation.

They had followed the gentle and natural curve of the shore, and Jason led her across the pebbled sand to a rise of
craggy rocks. He leaned up against one and pulled her to him.

He smelled so good, so warm, and the male scent of him mingled with the salty sea aroma that hung heavy in the air.
She splayed her hands flat on the wide expanse of his powerful chest. She'd never realized before how much firm, taut
muscle appealed to her. But then, she guessed, it wasn't just any muscular chest that would turn her on—only Jason's.

"What are you grinning at?"

Embarrassment flamed her cheeks and neck and, feeling completely unwilling to answer the question honestly, she
simply shook her head in silence.

Although she wasn't looking into his face, she could feel him smiling at her. Her heart was racing a mile a minute, and
it took every bit of courage she had to lift her gaze to his.

Why should she feel timid? she wondered. Isn't this closeness exactly what she wanted from Jason? Hadn't she even
been brazen enough in the past to urge him to kiss her? She'd wanted so badly for him to take the initiative in their
relationship, to sweep her off her feet, and now that he was showing an enthusiastic boldness, here she was feeling
shy. It simply didn't make sense. But then, when did love ever make sense?

Her eyes went wide as the thought popped into her head, but she didn't have time to ponder it before Jason began to
speak.

"I want to thank you," he whispered, tugging her closer, his arm sliding across her back. "From the bottom of my heart.
I really needed you today, and you came through for me. I want to show you just how much I appreciate all your
effort."

Katie stiffened in his arms. She resisted him, pushing against his chest. There was confusion in his pale blue eyes when
she gazed into them.

"Is that what this is about?" she asked. "A token of appreciation? 'Cause if that's—"

"N-no, no, Katie," he stammered, his bold self-assurance completely disintegrating. "I've wanted to be alone with you
all day." He swallowed hard. "I just thought that would be a good, uh—" he grimaced "—opening line."

Laughter bubbled up from inside her.

"Oh, Jason," she breathed, "I'm so sorry. I've been waiting for you to use a line on me for so long that I didn't see it
when it came."

She relaxed against him and trailed her finger lightly across his jaw. "I really am sorry." Her voice grew feather soft.
"So, go ahead, show me."

The uncertain look in his eye made her feel awful. He'd been the one who had set this wonderfully sensuous moment
into motion, and she had ruined it. She had to do something to rectify the problem.

Leaning over until her lips were a scant inch from his, she whispered, "Please."

That one tiny word gave him back every ounce of confidence she'd stolen from him.

His mouth captured hers in a kiss that was startlingly passionate. He hugged her tight with his strong arms, and Katie
sank into his loving embrace. His body was rock hard, but she'd never been so comfortable in her life. And when his
tongue bid entry into her mouth, she parted her lips and met him with a fervor she never knew existed in herself.

The heat of his kiss was nearly overwhelming. She heard a sigh escape from one of them, but wasn't certain from
whose throat it had come. His mouth moved from her lips to her neck, and Katie felt a delicious tingle radiate across
every inch of her skin.

She heard his breathing, rough and unsteady, as he gently captured her earlobe between his front teeth. Her head
relaxed backward, and the tiny kisses he planted at the hairline behind her ear nearly drove her mad with pleasure.

Although her muscles had gone slack, there was a part of her that remained tense and hot with the desire she was
feeling for him. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled, the groan emanating from deep in his chest communicating
a fierce, nearly primal, gratification. The fact that he found such obvious enjoyment in something as simple as the
scent of her hair, of her skin, made her feel wanted. Erotically so.

"Jason?"

The breathless sound of her voice took her by surprise and she moistened her lips with her tongue.

It was necessary for her to say his name a second time, before she was able to garner his attention. She smiled into his
face.

"I thought you said you didn't have much experience where women were concerned."

She reached up and smoothed the pad of her thumb across the bewildered frown that had instantly formed on his
brow. He obviously had no idea what she was talking about. And the fact that he didn't know he was driving her crazy,
the fact that his sensual actions weren't premeditated in any way, but utterly natural and pure, somehow made them
even more alluring for her.

"You're not going to make me explain it, are you?" she asked. The light chuckle that vibrated in her throat teemed with
flirtation, and when he remained silent, she grinned at him. "Okay, if you insist."

She was barraged with a sudden timidness. "Your kisses are ...how should I say this?" She clamped her bottom lip
between her teeth for a moment. "Well your technique is...well, it's wonderful is what it is."

Her compliment embarrassed him, and his gaze dipped and then refocused on her face.

"I know I told you we should take it slow," he said. "But, Katie, I'm just going to burst if I don't tell you what I'm feeling

right now."

There was tension in each and every angle of his handsome face, and his voice had taken on a seriousness that made
her soft smile fade into oblivion. He was about to announce something important, she knew without a doubt, and for
some unknown reason her stomach began to jitter with sudden nerves.

"I feel things for you, Katie," he said, "that I've never felt for another woman. Ever. In my whole life."

Studying his sky blue eyes, she understood what he was saying. It had to do with the other woman who had been in his
life, the other woman who had been in his past. And in mentioning her—without actually mentioning her by name—he
was revealing the magnitude of his feelings, and he was doing it as tastefully as he knew how.

Love filled her heart, overflowed it and spilled into her chest, expanding with a heated warmth that was overwhelming.
Tears prickled her eyelids, blurring her vision.

"And, Jason—" the words were so full of emotion that they sounded grating, as though they raked across her larynx "—I
feel things for you that I've never felt for another man. Ever."

What she'd just said was so close to a commitment. Why did that make her insides flutter like a thousand butterflies'
wings? she wondered. Isn't that exactly what she wanted? Isn't that what she'd been hoping for?

"You're so beautiful," Jason said, softly grazing his knuckles along her jawline. "You're good with Gina. And I can't tell
you how important that is to me. You're so down-to-earth, Katie. So real, so honest."

So real? So honest? The short, cruel questions stabbed at her like a well-aimed knife.

Jason didn't even know who it was he was talking to! He thought she was Katie Smyth, the competent nanny.

And in reality? In reality, she was someone completely and totally different from the woman she'd led him to believe
she was. That's why her subconscience had stirred up these nerves when Jason had become so serious, so intense.
Because deep down, in the remote recesses of her brain, she knew she couldn't commit herself to Jason—not when he
didn't know who she really was.

What in the world had she been thinking? Did she really believe that she could become involved with this man and not
have to answer to the fact that he didn't even know her real name?

She couldn't let things go on like this. She had to tell him the truth. Oh, why did he have to start confessing his
feelings?

Come on, now, Katie, she silently chided herself. Don't blame Jason for the predicament you're in. This whole dishonest
situation is your fault.

The smart thing to do would be to just tell him. Open your mouth and unburden yourself. Tell him you're the daughter

of a United States congressman—

Jason kissed one corner of her mouth, then the other. A groan rumbled deep in his chest.

"Oh, God," he whispered, "I love you, Katie." He tilted her head up toward him and covered her mouth with his.

She wanted to tell him she loved him, too. She wanted to tell him how desperate and deep her feelings were. But she
simply couldn't. Not as Katie Smyth. She couldn't do that to Jason. The words I love you could only honestly pass the
lips of Katherine Anastasia Wellingford.

She had to tell him the truth. But she was afraid, oh so afraid of losing this wonderful man, of losing this new-found
love. The sheer intensity of this fear easily overrode the need for honesty, and like water rolling down a gently sloping
hill, her emotions took the path of least resistance.

It was easy to become lost in his swift, overpowering kiss. Easy to let the feel of his solid body against hers sweep her
away until there were no thoughts left to rattle around in her brain. No thoughts at all.

* * *

The next morning Jason awoke to the sound of chirping birds. He'd lain there listening to their melodic song, letting it
fill him with the cheerful sounds of spring.

He wasn't one to lounge in bed in the morning, even on Sunday. But he just felt so lighthearted, happy. And as he went
into the kitchen, he opened the back door, welcoming the warm, flowery-scented breeze before going to fill the
coffeepot with water.

Whistling as he poured water into the coffeemaker, Jason couldn't help but ponder this good mood he was in. Katie was
at the root of it. Of that he was certain.

He walked toward the front of the house, but he didn't see the carpet or the furniture that was neatly arranged in his
living room. No, in his mind's eye was a vivid image of Katie's face as he'd kissed her yesterday afternoon.

Those few moments alone with her on the bay had been the most soul-stirring of his entire life. And all he'd done was
kiss the woman. Lord knows how he would react if he ever got the chance to actually sleep with her.

The thought made him pause with his hand on the knob of the front door. Should he be thinking like this? he wondered.
Was it wrong of him to contemplate such a development in their relationship?

He pulled open the door, stepped out on the porch and picked up the thick Sunday morning newspaper.

What was so wrong with the thought? He was a red-blooded male, wasn't he? Sexual thoughts were only normal. Only
natural. Besides, he had the utmost respect for Katie. He loved the woman. He'd even told her so.

A slow grin spread across his mouth. He was quite proud of the fact that he'd had the guts to actually say the words, to
express his feelings for her.

He closed the door and headed back toward the kitchen, the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee heavy in the air.

Tossing the paper onto the tabletop, he went to the counter to pour himself a mug of coffee. He couldn't wait for Katie
and Gina to wake up. Maybe they could do something special today. Just the three of them.

He settled into a chair at the kitchen table, unbidden thoughts of his moments alone with Katie floating through his
head. He smiled, the muscles of his face seeming to react to the memory with no help at all from his conscious mind.

There was one dimming thought, though, he realised Katie hadn't specified her feelings for him. Oh, she'd professed
that she'd never felt for another man what she felt for him. But what was that exactly?

Jason had to admit it—he was looking to hear the "L" word. He'd said it, and he'd wanted desperately to hear her say it,
too. But then—his smile stretched out on his mouth—after he'd told her he loved her, he hadn't given her the time to
speak before he'd attacked her with his kisses.

He spread out the paper on the table and took a sip from his mug of rich, steaming coffee.

Oh, well... He had a pretty good inclination of how she felt. The hot, heady passion in her kisses had spoken almost as
clearly as words.

Gazing down at the front page of the Sunday edition, he lifted his mug, intending to take another swallow. But the
picture there on the front page made every muscle in his body freeze. Coffee sloshed over the rim of the mug,
splashing onto the table and across the newspaper.

Katie's smiling face stared back at him. He'd never seen her with her hair swept up in such a grand fashion, never seen
her wear glittering diamonds like those around her neck and dangling from her ears, but it was Katie all right. He'd
spent the past three weeks dreaming of those large, clear eyes, that luscious curving mouth, that creamy, sweet-
smelling skin.

But it wasn't Katie's name that was listed in the caption under the picture. A frown bit deeply between his eyes. It
wasn't... it wasn't—

"What the hell is going on?" he muttered, forgetting all about his personal promise not to curse.

He scanned the article, words and phrases popping out at him like horrible surprises in a shocking nightmare.

"Missing woman," "last seen wearing," "foul play suspected," "reward for information."

"My God—" the words grated from his throat like the scraping of rusty nails "—she's Congressman Wellingford's
daughter."

Without thinking, he snatched up the section of the paper and stomped across the kitchen, mindless of the fact that he
was dripping a trail of black coffee on the linoleum floor as he went.

* * *

He rapped on her bedroom door, and without waiting for her to respond, pushed it open with a bang.

She bolted upright, clearly startled. "What?" she said. "What's wrong?"

"This," he said, ruffling the paper in the air. "This is what's wrong, Katie." His brows rose sharply. "Or should I call you
Katherine?"

Her sleepy blue eyes flew open wide.

Jason glanced down at the front page and read aloud, "Katherine Anastasia Wellingford, daughter of Congressman
William Wellingford, was last seen by her parents leaving her home in Salisbury. She was wearing a silk, ivory-colored
blouse and—"'

"Stop, Jason. Please. It's me, okay? It's me."

"Oh, but wait," he said, unable to squelch the sarcasm in his tone. "You haven't heard the best part. Let' see—where is
it? 'Although the Wellingfords have not been contacted with ransom demands,"' he continued read, "'foul play is
suspected."'

"Oh, no," she breathed.

He watched her swallow and smooth back her sleep-tousled hair. He stared at her, his gut wrenching with... Hell, he
couldn't decide what it was.

She shook her head and repeated, "Oh, no."

"Is that all you can say?" The question burst from him like a mini-explosion.

Her small pink tongue darted out to moisten her lips.

"I left my parents a note, Jason. I told them I would be okay. That I needed some time." She turned her head to glance
out the window. "I just needed a little time."

"A little time for what? What the hell were you thinking? You drop off the face of the earth, and you think your parents
are going to sit back and do nothing?"

She glanced at him, her eyes hazy with a strange mixture of bewilderment and apprehension.

"But I told you—"

There was something in her voice that pleaded for his understanding.

"I left them a note."

"It's been over three weeks. Nearly a month. Did it ever dawn on you to call
alleviate their fears?" His breath left him in a rush. "Obviously not."

There was an appeal in her big, blue eyes now, too. And as Jason looked at her, sitting there in the bed with her soft
hair tangled from sleep, with her lush, kissable mouth, her smooth velvety skin, he wondered why he couldn't locate
any of his tender emotions.

The sight of her, all soft and feminine, should have stirred in him some compassion, but all he could think of were her
parents. As a father himself, he couldn't imagine the terror of not knowing where his child was, or if she was even safe.
The man and woman who had brought Katie into the world must be worried sick about their daughter. Just as he would
be worried sick if Gina went missing. How in the name of heaven could Katie justify doing such a thing? He just didn't
see how there could be an excuse that was good enough to explain her behavior.

And for her to use his home as a hideout... The very idea made him feel betrayed, deceived.

"I'm going to ask you again," he insisted, "just what were you thinking? Why would you do such a thing?"

Again he watched as her tongue darted out to nervously skim across her lips.

"My dad," she began, then stopped.

She combed her trembling fingers through her hair. Clearing her throat, she then inhaled deeply and started again, "My
dad and mom made plans for me. They were pushing me to..."

A wrinkle creased her brow. She swallowed. "...to marry."

He saw a shiver course down her spine when she said the final word.

"I couldn't marry Everett. No matter how much they wanted me to. I didn't love him, you see. But in the end, I agreed. I
don't know why. They kept pushing and pushing. Promising a big wedding. An expensive honeymoon. A huge house. A
wonderful future. They were so certain he was the right man for me."

She wasn't even looking at him any longer. Her babble was sketchy at best, but Jason got the gist of her explanation.

"And then Everett—"

Her face grew pink with what Jason guessed to be embarrassment, and it confused him.

Without completing the sentence, Katie lifted her gaze to his. "I just couldn't marry the man. That's all. I just couldn't."
Her tone dropped to a whisper. "I just can't."

Jason hadn't felt angry up to this point. Betrayed, yes. Lied to, certainly. And those two things had made his belly burn.
But to hear that this woman had run away from home because she didn't want to get married! She didn't want the big
wedding her parents wanted for her.

She didn't want the expensive honeymoon, the huge house, the wonderful future.

"You just have no idea what you've done," he said. "I've been harboring the runaway daughter of a congressman. A
United States congressman." He could feel this anger heating his face, his eyes. "Do you know what kind of trouble he
could cause me? I'm a law enforcement officer. He could have my job. My livelihood. My God, you have no idea..."

The sentence trailed, leaving a thick and heavy silence hanging between them.

"I wouldn't allow Daddy to hurt you," she told him.

A sharp bark of laughter erupted from him. "Wouldn't allow?" His eyes grew wide. "It seems to me that you have no
control whatsoever over what your father does or doesn't do. From what you said the man has planned your whole life
—your husband, your house, your future. And rather than stand up to him, rather than tell him you don't like the
choices he's made for you, you choose to run away. To hide out like some frightened little girl."

He had hurt her. He could tell by the way she'd actually winced. Well, it was high time she grew up.

His gaze narrowed. "Granted, I've only known you for a little over three weeks, but I never would have guessed that
you were a poor little rich girl."

She gasped, and her mouth opened farther when he stalked to the bed and flung back the covers.

"You're going to call your parents, Katie." He made a disgusted sound. "Or rather, Katherine. Or whoever the hell you
are."

"I'm Katie, Jason," she said, sudden tears shining in her eyes. "I'm the same Katie you knew yesterday."

"Well," he told her flatly, "whatever your name is, you're going into the kitchen right now and call your congressman
father." He took her by the arm and hauled her to her feet.

Once she was out of bed, she shook off his hand, glaring at him. "Don't you manhandle me," she insisted. "Don't you
ever put your hands on me again."

Jason was completely taken aback by the magnitude and suddenness of her anger. The look on her face caused his
own fury to dissipate somewhat. He'd seen that expression before, he realized, while doing his duty as a police officer.
He'd witnessed that intense mixture of wounded humiliation and hot anger—in the eyes of dozens of battered women.

Confusion jumbled his thoughts. He had to be mistaken. Katie wasn't married. And being the daughter of a
congressman, she must have lived in a privileged and safe environment. However, he felt an overwhelming urge to
come right out and confront her about it.

He opened his mouth to do just that, but she interrupted him with another burst of heated words.

"I'll call my parents," she said, her gaze narrow, her fists curling into tight balls. "Not because some man demanded it
of me. But because I know it's the right thing to do."

Jason heard a slight tremor in her voice as she continued, "It's safe to call them now." Her gaze averted from his. "I can
take care of myself. I've learned that. Living here."

What was she saying? he wondered. What was the underlying message of her words? There was something going on
here. Something he wasn't privy to.

When she took a step toward the door, he reached out to her.

"Don't," she told him, her tone firm, unyielding. "Just don't."

She walked out of the room, and feeling bewildered he followed her into the kitchen. He heard the tones as she
pressed in the number buttons on the telephone. She talked softly for only a moment or two before gently replacing
the receiver into its cradle.

Her eyes were hard when she turned to face him. "They're on their way."

Chapter Ten

Katie felt as though her safe little world had turned upside down. Of course, she'd known from day one of coming into
Jason's house that she was living on borrowed time—that she'd eventually have to face her parents, that she'd
eventually have to confront Everett. But the eventuality she'd dreaded most of all was that of having to confess to
Jason that she wasn't who he thought she was. Well, now he knew.

Tugging her silk blouse off its padded hanger, she worried her bottom lip with her teeth. She had figured he would be
upset when she finally found the courage reveal her true identity. But she'd never imagined that he would turn on her
as he had done. His tone had been full of sarcasm and anger, and his scathing words had stung like a scorpion's
stinger.

The fact that he'd found out who she was before she'd had the chance to tell him herself only made matters worse, she
knew. She should have told him days ago.

Heck, she should have been honest with the man right up front.

Katie frowned. But if she had told Jason as she had stood there on his doorstep that she was Congressman

Wellingford's daughter and that she needed a place to lay low for a while, he would never have hired her as Gina's
nanny. He would never have allowed himself to become embroiled in her problems. But then again, having come to
know Jason, she thought he just might have taken pity on her. He just might have invited her into his home and offered
her sanctuary.

However, she hadn't given him the chance to offer anything. She hadn't given him the chance to even understand her
situation. She'd simply invaded his home with her false identity and her half truths, and she'd forced him into giving
her a safe haven without him even knowing what he was doing.

Katie hated to think that she'd destroyed their relationship. That she'd completely demolished any chance of their
being together. Her love for Jason had grown so strong that it startled her at times. And after yesterday, at the
wedding, she was sure that Jason's feelings for her were as fierce as hers were for him.

Had he really said that he loved her? Her fingers stopped manipulating the blouse button into its hole. Yes. She closed
her eyes remembering, yes, he had. If only they had had just a little more time together. If only she'd had the
wherewithal yesterday on the beach to proclaim her love for him. But she'd been so afraid of losing him. So
overwhelmed with the thought that she'd lied. And then she'd been absolutely swept away by his kisses.

Now, however, her deceit and lies had caught up to her, and she had to deal with that.

With quick, nimble fingers, she finished buttoning her blouse and then she reached for her trousers. Ironically, she
noticed, she'd be leaving Jason's house in the same outfit in which she arrived. Funny how things like that worked, she
thought.

She was just fastening the gold-toned buckle of her belt when there was a light tap on the door.

"Yes?" she called.

"Lady," Gina's little voice piped up, "in, in!" The child smacked the closed door with her pudgy little palm, demanding
entrance.

"Okay, sweetie." Katie pulled open the door. "You can come in."

She grinned at the sight of the sleepy-eyed toddler. Her tiny cotton pajama bottoms were twisted on her waist, her
dark chestnut curls were matted from a night of tossing and turning.

After completing the good-morning hug ritual—a ritual Katie would miss terribly when she left here—Gina looked
around the room and spied the open suitcase on the bed.

"What' zat?"

It was the toddler's favorite question lately. But Katie didn't mind, she had come to love the child's inquisitive nature
almost as much as she'd come to love Gina.

Unexpected tears welled in her eyes. "It's my suitcase honey." She stopped, took a moment to get herself together.
She didn't want Gina to see her crying. "I'm ... I'm going away today."

The little girl's adorable face lit up as though Katie had thrown the switch of a bright light.

"Bye-byes?" Gina clapped her hands. "Go bye-byes!"

"Oh, no, sweetie," Katie gently explained. "I'm sorry, but you can't go with me. You have to stay here with Daddy."

Gina looked as though her world had crumbled. Katie bent down to scoop the child up in a warm embrace, feeling a
deep affinity for what she was going through.

"I'm sorry, honey," Katie whispered as she hugged Gina to her. "It's going to be all right though, I promise."

But out of the corner of her eye, she could see Gina's face in the mirror, and the toddler's chin had begun to tremble.
All Katie could think about was getting Gina's mind veered onto some other train of thought.

"Hey," Katie said, forcing a brightness into her voice that she really didn't feel. "How about some yummy breakfast? I'll
make your favorite. Pancakes!"

Gina pulled back and looked into her face.

"Wif syrup?" she asked.

Katie nodded. "We can't eat pancakes without syrup, can we?"

"No-o-o-o." Gina's eyes went wide as she shook her head back and forth solemnly.

"Well, let's go, then."

Katie headed for the door, silently praising the Lord that Gina was so easily distracted. However, she couldn't help but
wonder how she was going to handle the awful task of really saying goodbye to this precious child. Then another
question entered her head: how was she ever going to handle saying goodbye to Jason?

The man in her thoughts was nowhere to be seen as she entered the kitchen and set Gina up near the counter on a
chair. They stirred together the ingredients for the pancake batter with only a little milk being sloshed over the rim of
the large mixing bowl. While the frying pan heated, Katie got Gina busy at the table with some crayons and paper.

Jason still hadn't shown his face by the time the pancakes were all cooked and stacked on a plate near the stove. Katie
wondered if she should go find him and ask if he wanted something to eat, but decided he would surely see through
her flimsy excuse to talk to him. Instead, she focused on getting Gina fed and the kitchen cleaned up. Her parents
would be here soon, and she wanted to be ready when they arrived.

The thought of facing her parents made her stomach turn jittery. Too bad she hadn't kept them from her thoughts until
she'd finished her breakfast. Now she'd lost her appetite, and she went to dump her half-eaten pancake into the food
disposal. Feeling the need to keep busy so that she wouldn't be attacked by the nerves that hovered like a flock of
hungry crows, she rolled up her sleeves, filled the sink with warm, sudsy water and began to wash the dishes.

Finally Gina finished her breakfast, and Katie used a fresh washcloth to wash her sticky face and fingers.

"How about if we get you dressed?" Katie asked the toddler.

"Yea!" Gina shouted with glee, smacking her little hands on the tabletop with enthusiasm.

Katie reached to pick her up, but stopped when she saw Jason standing in the kitchen doorway.

"I'll do that," he told her.

His cool tone chilled the warm spring breeze that filtered through the back screen door until Katie was sure that winter
was giving them a second, sudden visit. She resisted the shiver that threatened to course over her body The urge to
keep a strong hold on her emotions helped, and Katie realized she would have done anything to keep Gina from
noticing the terrible change in the air between herself and Jason.

"Daddy!" Gina reached her arms out in an appeal for him to take her. "Hi, Daddy."

"Good morning, sweetheart."

Katie stepped back so Jason could pick up his daughter. The heated scent of soap clung to him, telling her that he'd just
showered. His clean-shaven face called out for her touch, but she resisted. It was agony for her to run her eyes along
the strong curve of his powerful neck and know she would never again bury her face there.

She wanted to beg, to plead with him to try to understand. But she knew there was nothing she could say that would
change how he was feeling. This was nobody's fault but her own.

The doorbell chimed.

"That must be your parents," Jason said. "I saw a flashy black car pull up to the house a second ago—" his tone became
as flat as his eyes "—and I don't know of anyone in this whole neighborhood who could afford a car like that."

The way he said the words made her feel as though it was some kind of an insult for her parents to have money. A tiny
spark of anger flared inside of her, and she wanted to spout off some curt rejoinder to let him know she didn't feel she
needed to apologize for her father's wealth. But she remained silent, moving across the kitchen and into the living
room toward the front door.

Katie thought she was ready to face her parents, but when she opened the front door and saw them standing there on
the front porch, her knees grew weak.

"Mom, Daddy," she greeted them, hating the tinny, little-girl quality she heard in her voice. "Come in."

Then she saw Everett. Her breath froze in her throat. She refused to admit the fear that welled up inside of her.
Tamping it down, good and hard, she said, "Everett."

"Hello, Katherine."

His tone revealed nothing of what had happened between them the last time they were together. He was just as
poised, just as handsome, as ever. But for all of his golden-boy good looks, Katie was still stumped as to why she didn't
feel a flicker of physical attraction to the man.

She'd tried. Oh, how she'd tried. All through her teenage years, when the promising match had first been discussed by
both sets of parents, Katie had made a valiant attempt to see Everett as someone with whom she'd like to spend the
rest of her life. But all she ever saw when she looked at him was the snotty little boy who had picked on her incessantly
when she was a young girl still in pig-tails. Everett was the closest thing she'd ever had to a big brother, and the fact
that he had stolen her first kiss when she was ten and he was thirteen had actually traumatized her. It was an event in
her life that she'd never forget, no matter how much she might want to. To this day she could still feel his damp,
spongy lips pressed against hers. The memory made her shudder.

"I wasn't expecting you," she told him.

"I don't see why not—" his perfectly groomed blond brows rose a fraction "—you are going to be my wife soon."

She pressed her lips together. So, she thought, he was going to make this as hard on her as he could.

After closing the screen door, she turned to see all three of them huddled in the small foyer. It made her instantly
aware of just how small Jason's home was. She'd never even thought about it before, but this entranceway was
closetlike compared to the one in her parents' home, with its twelve-foot ceilings and wide open space.

"Let's go into the living room," she told them.

Her father cleared his throat. "I thought you'd just get your things and come home with us."

"Yes, dear," her mother echoed, "get your things."

"B-but," Katie stammered, "I'd like for you to meet the man I've been working for."

Nobody moved.

"Please," she urged, taking a small step forward in an attempt to herd them into the next room. With great reluctance,
they went inside.

"Hi!"

Gina's bright and innocent greeting made Katie smile.

"Mom, Daddy," Katie said, "this is Jason Devlin. And his daughter, Gina. Jason, my father, Bill Wellingford, and my mom,
Judith."

Katie's mother captured her attention with a small movement of her hand. "Aren't you forgetting someone, dear?"

"Oh, yes," she said. "Jason, this is Everett."

She glared as Everett stepped forward and stretched out his hand to Jason.

"Everett Keegan," he said. "Of the Philadelphia Keegans. I'm sure you've heard of us."

Katie nearly groaned. She knew Everett's pompous display was a blatant effort to make Jason feel deficient.

The two men eyed each other as they shook hands. And even though Jason should have been at a distinct
disadvantage, seeing as how he was holding his grinning, pajama-clad daughter in his arms, Katie was gloriously happy
to see him come off as the stronger, more secure personality.

"No, Mr. Keegan," Jason remarked with utter sincerity, "with all due respect, I don't believe I've heard of the
Philadelphia Keegans."

Biting her lip to keep from smirking, Katie noticed that little Gina's smile faded suddenly. The toddler looked directly
into her father's eyes. "Bad man, Daddy."

"I agree, sweetheart," Jason murmured.

Everett turned beet red, and a chuckle that couldn't be stopped bubbled up from Katie's throat. But one sharp look
from her father cut her laughter off.

"Now just a minute," the congressman blared at Jason, "I won't have you insulting Everett. He's going to be Katie's
husband. He has every reason to be here. Every reason to want to protect what is his."

Katie watched her father point his index finger at Jason.

"You ought to be very worried, Mr. Devlin," he said. "You've been harboring my daughter for weeks. I don't think you
realize what I could do to you for—"

"Daddy, stop," Katie cried. "Jason isn't to blame here. He didn't even know my last name...until this morning. He made
me call you as soon as he found what was going on."

"A likely story."

"Congressman Wellingford—"

The low-toned threat in Jason's voice had Katie's eyes widening.

"I know exactly who you are. And I know exactly what you could do to me." Jason's gaze narrowed ominously. "But I will
remind you that you're standing in my home. And I won't allow you to insult me by accusing me of lying."

The tension in the air was as thick as cold molasses, and Katie knew she needed to say something, do something.

"I've been working for Jason, Daddy ...as Gina's nanny." She blurted out the information.

Her mother gasped, then quickly controlled herself. "Katherine," she said, "why on earth would you want to do such a
thing?"

"You've been working? For money?" The congressman's questions ran over top of his wife's.

"Of course for money," Katie answered. "What else would I work for?"

Bill Wellingford nodded. "So that's why she didn't touch her trust fund, Everett. She's been earning her keep.'

Everett's expression turned solemn, and he quickly joined in on the nodding session.

"I didn't want to touch the account," Katie told her father. "I didn't think it was right to use the money, when you didn't
know where I was or what I was doing." Then a troubling thought occurred to her. "How do you know I didn't touch the
account?" she asked. "The fund's been solely in my name since I turned eighteen."

"Katherine, I'm a concerned father... the board of directors at the bank would never deny me access to information that
might help me locate my missing daughter."

Crossing her arms protectively, Katie couldn't help but feel violated. She didn't know why something like this should
bother her, though. She'd been living with such acts of intrusion all her life.

"I can't believe you would invade my privacy like that—"

"Listen to me, Katherine." Judith Wellingford moved from her husband's side to take her daughter's hand. "I want you
to tell me why you ran away. I read your note. You said you needed some time to think—"

"Then you did know I was okay," Katie cut in. "Why did you plaster my picture all over the paper?"

"Because we wanted you found." Her father's tone was curt and to the point. "It was only the local paper."

"You think the Associated Press won't pick it up?" she challenged.

The congressman shook his head emphatically. "Isn't going to happen. I took care of it."

Katie's lips thinned. She was sure her father had the kind of clout it would take to do such a thing, so there was no
point in questioning him further.

"Like I was saying," her mother continued, "your note said that you needed time to think, but you didn't say what it
was you needed to think about."

Darting a quick glance at Everett, Katie saw that he was going to offer her no help at all in this.

"I—" she began and then stopped short. She swallowed and started again, "I needed to think about... the wedding."

Immediately her mother began cooing with concern. "Well, what is it, honey? Whatever it is, your father and I will fix it,
won't we, Bill?"

"Of course, we will."

A frown bit into the silky smooth skin of her mother's forehead. "Is it your gown? You wanted the other one, didn't you?
It was a little showy, but if that will make you happy..."

"No, Mother," Katie said.

"Well, then come now, dear." The concern was gone from her mother's tone, replaced with an edge of irritation. "Tell
me what's wrong. You're acting like a spoiled child."

"I think it would be prudent of me, Katie," Jason spoke up, "to give you a little privacy with your family.

He turned and walked out of the room with his daughter. Confusion was evident in Gina's eyes as she waved bye-bye
at them all.

"Did he call you Katie?" Everett asked, his tone a mixture of humor and disbelief.

She watched Jason walk away, and then her gaze skimmed over to the three people who were supposedly her closest
loved ones. Suddenly she felt very desolate and alone.

* * *

Jason eased Gina down onto her changing table.

"Let's get you dressed," he told her. "Then we'll slip out the back door and play ball in the yard, okay?"

"Ball!"

He smiled at his daughter's enthusiasm, despite the bleak and heavy emotions that lay in his gut like a brick. He
couldn't put just one name to the feelings he was experiencing. He felt angered by Katie's lies and deceit. Yet he
couldn't forget the worry and confusion that had plagued him ever since she'd cryptically implied her safety was in
jeopardy. Then when he'd witnessed the treatment she'd received at the hands of her parents and the slick Everett,
Jason had actually begun to feel sorry for her. That was the last thing he wanted. Especially when Katie was getting
ready to walk out of his life. He'd almost been happy when Katie's mother had referred to her daughter as a spoiled
child. Judith Wellingford's accusation that Katie had acted out of self-centeredness when she'd run away from home
rekindled Jason's anger.

He was happy to have his anger churned up again. Happy that the memory of her deception had been refreshed in his
mind.

"Lady ball, too?"

Jason focused on Gina's troubled eyes. "No, honey. Lady won't—I mean, Katie will be visiting with her family. She's too
busy to play ball with us."

Gina's gaze traveled toward her bedroom door, and she seemed to listen a moment to the murmur of voices out in the
living room. The sadness expressed on his daughter's face nearly split his heart in two.

"Come on, now," he told her brightly. "Let's get dressed so we can have some fun!"

Out in the yard Jason tossed the bright blue ball and chuckled as Gina ran after it, shrieking. She bent over, picked it up
and rather than throw it back to him, she ran like the wind across the backyard.

Ellen was hanging laundry on her clothesline, and Jason watched her stop her chore long enough to give Gina a kiss.
Keeping a close eye on his daughter, he went to sit down on the back step. He smiled as Ellen took the ball from Gina
and tossed it toward him. Again Gina called out gleefully and ran after the ball.

Jason returned his mother-in-law's wave, and he watched her walk across the yard toward him.

When she got close, she smiled a greeting. "You have company this morning," she observed.

Jason nodded.

"I saw Katie's picture in the paper." Ellen's lips compressed, and it was evident that she felt she didn't need to say any
more. Finally she lifted her chin and asked, "Are you angry at Katie?"

He gazed across the lawn to see that Jack had come out to play ball with Gina. Their laughter sounded good to his ears,
and he listened a moment before he responded to Ellen's question.

"She lied to me" was all he said.

The woman was quiet for the longest time, then she inhaled deeply. "I know this is going to sound funny coming from
me—what with my history with Katie and all—but ...she's got a good heart, Jason. A really good heart. She could have
held it against me—what I did to her, I mean. But she didn't. That girl's got a good heart."

He shrugged. "That doesn't change the fact that she lied."

"She must have had a good reason."

Jason ran a hand through his hair. "I'll tell you what her reason was—her rich daddy set it up for her to marry Everett
Keegan—" his voice dropped to a murmur as he added "—of the Philadelphia Keegans."

A disgusted sound erupted from deep in his throat. "For some reason," he said, "Katie decided she wanted out of the
arrangement. And rather than tell her parents and the slick Everett how she felt, she ran away. Can you imagine that?
A grown woman running away from home?"

Ellen let some time pass before she softly remarked, "Just doesn't make sense to me." She propped her fist on her hip.
"Katie's a strong woman. She might be intimidated by her father, I suppose. But I don't think she could be persuaded to
marry someone she didn't have a mind to. Not without speaking up."

"She told me she'd agreed to the marriage." His fingers combed through his hair again. "She told me she'd agreed to
marry that rich jerk in there." He heard the contempt in his voice, and it made him sick to his stomach.

"Jason, you've made several references to wealth in the past few minutes," Ellen observed. "I've never known you to be
jealous of what others might have."

"I'm not jealous." He looked at his mother-in-law, knowing that his answer came so quick that it was telling. His cheeks
puffed out as he exhaled. It was time to be honest. With Ellen and with himself.

"I love her," he said softly.

Ellen nodded. "I know."

"And I hate the thought that he can give her all the things that I can't."

Ellen grinned. "It's pretty obvious that she doesn't want what he can give her. She's living in your spare bedroom, isn't
she? She's helping you take care of Gina. Seems to me she could be living in some fancy big house, planning some
fancy wedding. But she's not."

She reached out and touched him on the arm. "And it also seems to me that something must have happened. Katie
isn't flighty. If she agreed to marry that fella in there and then changed her mind,

The statement hung in the air, and it stirred up the cop in Jason just enough that he was left wanting some answers.

* * *

"Please, Dad," Katie pleaded. "Try to understand. It's not that I want to go against you—"

"Katherine, how am I supposed to understand anything that you're saying?" her father's baritone voice boomed. "You
keep talking in vague circles. You're not telling me anything."

She had gotten the three of them to sit down, thinking that she'd be better able to explain what she was feeling. But
she'd been wrong. How could she tell them how she felt and what she wanted, when she knew it was going to hurt
them?

Darting a glance at Everett, she saw his eyes glittering. She knew he thought she wouldn't be able to tell her parents
that she wanted to call off the wedding. Well, she would, damn it! She'd find a way to make them understand. She
might not be able to reveal everything, but she'd tell them what she could.

"Mom, Dad," she started to say, for the fifth or sixth time, "I know how you feel about Everett. I know he's like the son
you never had. I know that you love him very much."

Her mother nodded at the end of each sentence. "Just like you love him, dear."

"Well actually, Mother, I don't."

"What?"

"Now you're just talking silly, Katherine," her father said.

"No, Dad," she said firmly, "I'm not. I don't feel toward him..."

She saw Everett glower at her.

"You know..." she said to her parents, "the way married people are supposed to feel about each other. You know...
passionate."

"Passion is highly overrated, Katherine," her mother said.

"Passion." Bill Wellingford clicked his tongue disgustedly. "A couple doesn't need passion to have a good marriage."

"I don't want my marriage to be a business merger!"

Oh, God, she was talking in that babyish voice she detested so much. Then stop it,
to allow that to happen. You and Mom may not mind living without romance and passion, but I won't live like that."

This new sternness she was showing seemed to fluster her father.

"What makes you think your mother and I don't enjoy a little passion in our marriage?" he asked. "There's plenty of
passion and romance between us, isn't there, Judith?"

The woman tinged pink. "Well, dear, I love you very much."

Katie frowned. "Then why don't you want that for me?" She nearly shouted at them. "I don't love Everett."

This time the statement was strong and unequivocal.

"Well, you don't need to alert the entire neighborhood, Katie."

Her gaze flew to where Jason was standing. His brawny body filled the doorway, and her newfound strength seemed to
grow tenfold. It didn't matter that he was angry with her, just his being there was enough.

The room was quiet, and everyone was looking at Jason, as though they were expecting him to do or say something
profound. And he did.

"The woman doesn't love you, Everett."

The golden boy jumped to his feet. "You keep out of this!"

Jason glared. "You sit down."

With the lightest of touches, he pushed Everett's shoulder. The man lost his balance and flopped back into the chair
where he sat in scowling silence.

Katie watched as Jason gazed at each of them in turn.

"Isn't anyone hearing what the woman is saying?"

The congressman remained silent. Then Katie's mother sat up straight and said, "Well, we kind of knew how Katherine
felt, but we thought that, given time, she might come to—"

"Oh, Mother." Katie couldn't keep the disappointment out of her voice.

"Okay," Jason said, barreling ahead full steam, "so you've established that everyone knew Katie didn't love Everett, yet
you all encouraged her to promise to marry him. Even Katie is guilty here. She agreed to marry a man she didn't love.
And from what she's told me, this marriage has been in the planning stages for years. And she's gone along with the
idea for—"

"You've discussed our personal lives with this man?" Everett asked Katie.

Before she could speak, however, Jason cut his hard blue eyes at Katie's fiance and said, "Shut up, Everett."

It was amazing to Katie that Jason could rattle off all the particulars of her miserable state in such a commanding,
unemotional fashion, and she realized it was his law enforcement experience that enabled him to remain in complete
control of this situation. Then Jason turned to face her, and his hawklike expression made her stomach quiver.

"So, Katie, I'd like you to tell us all something." His voice was rock firm. "What made you change your mind?"

Her mouth went dry. "Jason, don't," she whispered.

"But we need to know," he said, pressing her gently. "I need to know."

She felt trapped. Should she tell them all the horrible truth? she wondered. Or should she save both herself and Everett
the embarrassment? It was the sudden kindness she saw reflected in Jason's eyes that was the deciding factor. She
could look into that gaze of his and confess anything....

"Well," she began.

"Katherine!"

Jason whirled on the man. "I told you to shut up, Everett."

Katie saw her parents sitting in tense silence.

"You didn't run away because you don't love him," Jason said. "Tell your parents." His tone lowered. "Tell me."

"It's okay, honey," her father said gently. "I want to know."

She steeled herself, her tongue darting out nervously to moisten her lips. "I don't want to be—" she stopped herself.
Then her chin tipped up. "I won't let myself be manhandled."

"What?" her father whispered, scooting to the edge of the couch. "What did you say?"

His wife blanched as she placed a restraining hand on her husband's thigh.

"It wasn't bad," Katie rushed to assure them. "He never actually hit me or anything. He just kind of grabbed ... and
shoved."

"She's lying!" Everett bolted to his feet, his eyes wide. "You don't believe her, do you, Bill?"

One look from Jason, and Everett perched himself on the edge of the chair.

"I know it was because I made him angry," Katie said, "because I didn't want to marry him. Every time I tried to explain
how I felt—"

"You knew!" The congressman's face reddened as he hurled the words at Everett. "You knew why Katie left, and you
never said a thing."

Judith's chin trembled. "He hurt our little girl, Bill."

Pandemonium broke out then and there. Bill Wellingford sprang off the couch, and Katie was afraid Jason was going to
have to arrest her father, then her mother, as each one took a turn threatening to beat the living daylights out of
Everett. Katie had never witnessed such spontaneously reactive behavior from her usually refined parents.

She knew she should probably help Jason get the situation under control; however, she just stood in the middle of the
room, a large grin creeping across her face. Her parents loved her! They hadn't sided with Everett as she'd thought
they would. They hadn't disapproved of her for speaking out.

All her life she'd listened to her parents extol Everett's virtues. All her life she'd heard how perfect he was. Ever so
slowly, the idea had set in that her parents thought more of Everett than they did of her. But her mother and father had
actually listened to her concerns, and they were reacting fiercely and loudly to protect her. Their behavior told her in
no uncertain terms that they loved her. And that revelation made her giddy with sheer joy.

* * *

Soon it was all over. Everett had heeded Jason's advice to call a cab from the nearest pay phone, refusing Jason's offer
of pocket change to make the call. And her parents had gone home. Oh, they had tried to talk her into coming with
them, but Katie firmly told them she had some things to talk over with Jason first. She had gently and lovingly
reminded them that she was a grown woman—fully capable of taking care of herself. However, she did promise to call
them later and let them know of her plans.

Katie waved out the window as her parents drove away. Then she turned her gaze on Jason.

"How did you know?" she asked him quietly. "About Everett, I mean."

One corner of Jason's mouth cocked upward. "You won't believe this," he said. "It was Ellen."

Katie's eyes grew wide. "Ellen?"

"Yes." He nodded. "She was certain that something specific must have happened to make you change your mind."
Then he shrugged. "She made me very curious."

"I'm glad—" the words sounded all breathy "—that you were curious."

His face tensed with a serious expression. "You really don't believe it was your fault, do you?" he asked. "Everett's
being physical with you, I mean."

"Well I do," she started to say, then quickly corrected, "I did." Her smile was small and sad. "It's hard not to, when the

person who's being physical is telling you that you've brought it on yourself."

Jason's exhalation was filled with anger and disgust. "I answer so many domestic dispute calls, and the wives of those
violent men—time and again—blame themselves for the pain that's inflicted on them. It's crazy." His look turned even
more intense. "Everett is responsible for Everett's behavior. There is nothing you can say that would be bad enough to
provoke violence. Nothing."

His tone softened as he said, "What I'd like to know, though, is why you felt you couldn't confide in your parents."

Katie sighed. "I'm not sure I have an answer for you."

After a moment she went on. "Ever since I can remember, I've been trying to prove myself worthy of their love." She
felt chagrin flush her cheeks at the admission. "I guess you could say I suffer from perfect-child syndrome." Again she
hesitated. "Everett always seemed to be that perfect child. Mom and Dad always bragged about his grades, his athletic
talent. He could do no wrong."

Unwittingly her hands came together in front of her, and she began to wring them into a tight knot. "Now I'm guessing
that they did it because they wanted me to feel about Everett as they did—that he was a perfect match for me. But all I
got out of all of it was some mixed-up notion that they loved him more than they did me." She gave him a look that
was something between a grimace and a smile. "Sounds illogical, huh? But that doesn't make it any less true."

Several silent moments passed, silent moments that seemed filled with warmth and healing for her.

"Well," Jason finally remarked, "now you know that your parents love you."

Katie nodded.

He grinned. "I thought I was going to handcuff your dad. And your mom... I think she actually connected with Everett's
jaw at one point. That woman has an awesome left hook."

She laughed with him, and it felt good ... right.

Suddenly his expression became serious. "I'm sorry about the way I busted in on you this morning," he said. "I'm sorry I
was so angry. I guess seeing your picture in the paper caught me completely off guard."

"It's okay," she assured him. "I'm just sorry I wasn't honest with you from the very beginning."

His smile was full of warmth and understanding and forgiveness.

Her love for him at that moment burned in her chest as hot and bright as the Sahara sun. But he hadn't moved a
muscle to close the distance between them, and Katie feared that the old shy awkwardness had sprung up between
them again.

"Do you want me to stay on as Gina's nanny?" she boldly asked.

He raised his russet brows and he quickly answered, "Oh, no."

Her spirits plummeted.

"Your mother would just die," he went on. He contemplated a moment and then said, "But I do need help with Gina.
Would you consider marrying me?"

She blinked once, twice. "I beg your pardon?"

"I said, I need help—"

"I heard that part," she told him. "It was the other part I want you to repeat."

"Oh...well. I asked if you'd consider marrying me."

"You came right out and asked me. Just like that?"

He nodded slowly. "Yeah, I think I did."

"And here I thought you were being timid and uncomfortable." Then she frowned at him. "I don't mean to be picky
here, or anything, but do you really want me to marry you, just so you'll have help with Gina?"

"No, silly," he said. "I love you. The part about Gina was just an opening line." He grinned. "You know how I like a good
opening line."

She threw herself at him then, throwing her head back to laugh boisterously. He caught her as she wrapped her legs
around his waist. "I love you, too," she said. "And I love your opening lines. Every single, stupid one of them."

He gazed into her eyes long and deep. Finally he said, "Can I kiss you now? I'm dying here."

Thankfully he didn't give her time to answer. His kiss sent shivers of heat coursing through her body. He tasted of
romance, of passion, of all the things she wanted in her happily ever after.

"Hey," he whispered against her mouth. There was a question in his eyes. "You won't mind being married to a Devlin?"
Then he grinned. "You know, of the Bayview Devlins?"

A luscious chuckle rose from her throat. "No," she told him. "I won't mind. Now, kiss me."

Epilogue

Katie sat on the deck of her new home, dreamily gazing out at the beautiful view of Pocomoke Sound. Pale moonlight

glinted on the bay, turning the inky water into what looked like a mirror image of the night sky with its thousands of
twinkling stars.

It had taken her six long years to talk Jason into using her trust fund money to build them a house here on the bay.
However, he'd finally relented when the twins were born, and it was plain that his small, three-bedroom ranch simply
wasn't going to be big enough for their growing family. Ellen hated to see them move out of the old neighborbood. But
their new house was only across town and it was great having the Coles so close—great for Gina, and great for the
twins, as well. Jack and Ellen treated all the kids with the same loving affection. And Katie and Ellen had become so
much more than simply close friends. A smile lingered on her lips as she contemplated her blessings.

She loved the tranquil atmosphere of the bay.

She glanced over at the tall bottle of champagne chilling in a silver urn of crushed ice, the crystal glasses gleaming in
the moonlight just waiting to be tapped together in celebration. Inhaling deeply, she forced herself to relax. She'd know
soon. One way or the other. A corner of her mouth tilted up as she ironically thought the news couldn't come soon
enough.

Allowing her mind to wander back in time, she thought about that frightening night when Jason, Derrick and Reese had
captured that maniac. That experience had planted an idea in her husband's head—an idea that was finally coming to
fruition tonight.

"Hey, Lady."

Katie automatically glanced over at the large French doors that led into the house. She smiled at her stepdaughter.
Gina's habit of calling Katie "Lady" had somehow become a loving term of endearment over the years.

"Hi, there, kid," Katie said. "It's awfully late. How come you're not asleep?"

Gina shrugged. "I was waiting for Daddy. Do you think he'll win?"

"I don't know, honey," she said. "But it sure would be nice if he did."

Tilting her head to one side, Gina asked, "You wanted to be with him, didn't you?"

The question was so full of mature concern. Katie often had to remind herself that Gina was still just a little girl. She
would turn eight in a few weeks, yet she often viewed the world with eyes far older. Katie made a special effort not to
load too much on the child's tiny shoulders.

"I would like to have been with him," Katie said, doing her darnedest to keep the disappointment she was feeling out of
her voice. "But the twins caught that cold, and they're too sick to be left with a sitter. And Nana and Granddad are off
on their cruise, so I really didn't have a choice." She smiled. "I don't mind..."

She stopped when Gina began to giggle.

"I know, I know," Gina said. "It's your job as a mom."

Katie found herself laughing. "I use that phrase a lot, huh?"

Gina nodded.

"What are you two doing out here so late at night?"

"Daddy!" Gina ran at her father and hugged him.

Katie's belly tightened at the sight of her husband. The heated passion she felt for him never seemed to fade, and the
urge to kiss him—long and hard—rushed at her. But nervousness kept her in the chair. She looked at him, trying to stay
calm as she placed her mug of tea on a nearby table, knowing her eyes were filled with impatient questions.

"Okay, ladies," he said, "I'll have you know you're looking at the newest county sheriff—"

Katie and Gina squealed with joy and ran at him. Katie smothered his face with congratulatory kisses, while Gina
tugged on his jacket in an appeal to be lifted up into his arms.

"I'm so happy," Katie told him between kisses.

"The youngest sheriff in Maryland's history," Jason said. "Won by a landslide."

"We won! We won!" Gina sang.

"Of course it didn't hurt having a United States congressman on my side." Jason laughed.

He held his daughter and kissed his wife gently on the cheek. "I know how hard the election has been for you," he said
to Katie. "I've been out campaigning for weeks."

"I survived—" Katie grinned "—Sheriff."

Jason's handsome face lit with a smile. "It is great, isn't it?" He put Gina onto the deck. "Off to bed with you," he told
her.

"Awww, Daddy."

"Now, young lady. It's late."

She grumbled, but disappeared through the glass doors.

"How are the twins?" he asked Katie.

"Their coughs could be better, but the doctor says they'll be fine."

Jason nodded. He sat down and beckoned her to him with his eyes alone. She gladly slid onto his lap.

"I've missed you," he whispered, burying his nose in the silky curve of her neck.

"Oooo," she breathed, as she languished in the feel of his lips on her skin. "And I've missed you."

"You've had it rough," he said. "What with the kids sick and me out making speeches."

"You need to make speeches," she said. "And the twins didn't mean to catch cold." Then her gaze glittered with a
sensuous mischief. "Besides," she told him huskily, "you're going to make it up to me."

Then she did kiss him—long and hard.