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I could get used to this, he remarked.
Before she realized his intention, he brushed his hard mouth over her lips in a shiver of contact that made
her heart jump.
He drew back, watching her reaction. She seemed nervous, but she wasn t trying to get away. He bent
again. This time, he brushed her lips apart with slow, sensuous motions and caught her upper lip between
both of his in a sensuous, nibbling motion. She trembled. Her lips followed his as she gave in to the first
rush of desire she d ever felt for a man.
He laughed softly, under his breath, and then he kissed her. He was no longer teasing. His mouth was
demanding, masterful. He curled her into his body, crushing her soft breasts against his broad chest. He
groaned faintly and pressed her lips apart with a hunger that was contagious.
Just as her arms tightened around his neck, Miss Turner called down the hall, It s getting cold!
His head jerked up. He stared at Grace with mingled desire and irritation. She was drawing him in, with
her vulnerabilities and her sense of humor, and he didn t like it. He didn t want her in his life. But her eyes
were soft and searching, and his heart was still racing from the heady contact with her lips. He shifted her
and walked down the hall toward the dining room, mentally reciting square root solutions all the way.
He hardly knew what he was eating. Grace s sudden response had sent him spinning. He knew he
should back off. But he wasn t certain that he could. She appealed to him strongly.
They stared at each other all through supper, with Miss Turner watching covertly and grinning.
After supper, Garon carried her back into the living room and put her down gently on the sofa. Despite
her ardor earlier, she was jittery and inhibited with him. He sat down in his armchair across from her. He
didn t turn on the television.
Something happened to you, he began quietly, wanting to understand her. His eyes narrowed when
she reacted suddenly to the words. He leaned forward. Yes. When you were a child. Someone made
advances to you, frightened you.
She bit her lower lip, hard, and averted her eyes. How could you know that? she asked, stiffening as
she waited for the answer. He couldn t know& could he?
I ve worked in law enforcement all my adult life, he said simply. I know the signs.
She relaxed, only a little. Then she frowned and glanced back at him when she realized what he was
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insinuating. Signs?
Yes. You cover your body in every way possible. You don t wear makeup. You screw your hair up
and keep your eyes down. You stiffen if a man comes too close. His dark eyes narrowed on her face.
Some man touched you inappropriately.
She swallowed, hard. Yes, she bit off.
Not a boyfriend.
Her face colored. Definitely not.
A relative?
She shook her head. It was hard to talk about it. She couldn t, even now, tell him the truth. At least, not
the whole truth. She couldn t bear to remember. A stranger, she corrected.
Did you tell someone?
She had, eventually. At the hospital. Yes.
He drew in a long breath. Did they catch him?
She smiled sadly. No. He was gone when the police got there.
I don t suppose your mother got you into therapy.
She was long gone by then, like my father, she said simply. My grandmother said we didn t talk
about such things to strangers.
He wanted to curse roundly. No wonder she was messed up. Small towns and their secrets. Were
there any more cases like yours, at the time?
You mean, did they look for the man who did it, she interpreted. Yes, they did. But he wasn t known
locally. He didn t leave a trail that anyone could follow. Even if he had, my grandmother convinced the
police chief at the time to bury the file.
That was stupid.
Yes, it was, she agreed. He might still be doing it, somewhere.
If he s still alive, he probably is, he agreed coldly. Men who do inappropriate things to children don t
ever stop.
It was worse than he knew, but she didn t talk about it to anyone outside her family. She felt dirty when
she discussed it.
He saw her discomfort. Grace, it wasn t your fault.
Everybody says that, she bit off. But he said it was! He said it was because I wore shorts and halter
tops and& !
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God in heaven, what sort of normal man is tempted by a child, whatever she wears? he exploded.
That made her feel better. She searched his angry face. I don t suppose normal men would be, she
conceded.
He made an effort to calm his temper. It hurt him that a grown man could have approached a child that
way, especially Grace. Have you ever talked about it?
Only to Dr. Coltrain.
So that was it. That explained her relationship with the redheaded doctor. He d been her confessor. I ll
bet he gave your grandmother hell about covering it up.
She managed a smile. He did. But she gave it right back to him. She said it wasn t anything I couldn t
get over. That was a joke, but he wouldn t know.
He nodded. Most women come to terms with it, eventually. Counseling helps.
So they say.
His eyes narrowed. You don t go out much, do you?
She shook her head. I told you. I don t like being touched.
He pursed his lips, remembering the growing excitement of the kiss they d shared earlier. I m working
on that, he drawled.
She laughed, surprised, delighted, by his attitude. He accepted her limitations without anger, without
question. It was the first time she d felt she could trust a man closer than arm s length.
You re a nice man, she commented.
His eyebrows arched. Nice? I m extraordinary!
She laughed and started to reply when his pager sounded.
He pulled it from his belt and read it, grimacing. Damn. He got up and went to the desk where he d
placed his cell phone. He punched a number into it and put it to his ear. Grier, he said.
Someone spoke to him. He looked solemn. He nodded. Yes, I can do that. When? All right. I ll meet
you there. Better call Marquez. Fine.
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