“No, but thanks for offering.”

“Then I suggest you take a couple of deep breaths and shake it off.”

He didn’t miss a trick. “You saw?”

“Yes.”

“My brothers are so…”

He waited for the zinger only a sister could come up with.

“So what?” he asked, trying not to smile.

“Practical.”

He blinked. She made practical sound like a sin. “And that’s pretty awful, is it?”

“In this instance it is,” she said. “And stop laughing at me.”

Her hands were balled into fists and her spine was as rigid as one of the marble columns. He put his arm around her shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze.

She turned to him, her back to the room, thinking to tell him that they didn’t have to stay any longer, but the words got all tangled up. It was his fault. The way he was looking at her, with such warmth and obvious amusement… she’d never met anyone like him.

“Alec?”

“Yes?”

She took a step closer and whispered so she wouldn’t be overheard. “I was wondering…”

He didn’t say a word. He simply waited until she continued. She could feel herself blushing now.

“If we had met in a different place… at a different time… would you…?”

She didn’t go on. She didn’t have to. He nodded and quietly said, “Oh, yeah, I would.”

Neither one of them said another word for several minutes. An old Roberta Flack song was playing in the background. She picked up her wrap, folded it, and draped it over her arm.

She looked into his eyes. “What are you thinking?” she asked before she could stop herself.

His smile could melt steel. “I’ll tell you later.”

“Tell me now.”

He looked over the room again. She thought he’d dismissed the question until he said, “I’m on duty now.”

“And?” she prodded.

He grinned. “I won’t be later.”

It was more show than tell.

There was very little conversation on the way back to the hotel. After making certain they weren’t being followed, Alec put the car on cruise control, settled back, and thought about his current situation. He was determined to figure out why he was having so much trouble keeping his professional and his personal life separate.

He knew what he should do. He should leave Regan the hell alone, tell the lieutenant he was through, and then pack up his things and get out of town. Yeah, that’s what he should do.

He had the feeling he wasn’t going to, though. She’d already gotten to him and was now messing with his mind. He wasn’t sure how it had happened or what he could do about it, and not knowing was making him as anxious as a caged animal.

Next to her, however, he looked absolutely tranquil. Ever since they’d left the country club, she had been staring straight ahead and sitting ramrod straight. The woman was so stiff, he thought he could probably bounce a quarter off her.

Regan was trying very hard to look calm and cool. She didn’t want Alec to know how nervous she was, and she was pretty sure she was doing a fair job of concealing it.

She’d never felt this way before, all twisted up in knots inside.

Everything about him disrupted her concentration, the way he smiled, the way he moved, the way he looked at her. He’d probably used just that look on at least a hundred other women and most assuredly had gotten exactly what he wanted from them. As crazy as it was to admit, just sitting this close to him in the car was making her breathless.

Alec noticed she had folded her arms and she was frowning intently. Whatever she was thinking about wasn’t pleasant.

“Is something wrong?”

Of course something’s wrong. I’ve just realized I’m a complete idiot. “No, nothing.”

“Okay,” he said, going along with the lie. “Then what are you thinking about?”

“Just now?” She was stalling for time while she tried to come up with something mundane.

“No, a week ago Tuesday.” He smiled. “Yes, just now.”

“Physical attraction,” she blurted.

“No kidding. I never would have guessed that.”

She pretended indifference. “You asked. I answered.”

“So, what about it?”

“I just realized that you can’t control who you’re attracted to,” she said. “It can be… instantaneous. Yes, instantaneous.” She nodded for emphasis.

It wasn’t until he reached over and put his hand on top of hers that she realized she was digging her nails into her skin. She immediately stopped.

He pulled his hand back as he said, “You’re just now figuring that out?”

She shifted positions and folded her hands on her lap. “I was just now thinking about it.” Her tone was definitely defensive.

He wouldn’t let her get away with that. “No, you said you just realized that sometimes-”

She interrupted. “Okay, maybe I was just now figuring it out. I haven’t taken the time to think about it until now.”

“The ‘it’ is physical attraction?”

From the laughter in his voice, she could tell he was having a good time.

“Oh, be quiet.”

“You’re easy to get riled up.”

“Sometimes,” she replied. “But I’m very good at concealing my feelings when I want to.”

He laughed. “No, you’re not. You’re terrible at it.”

She was floored he’d think such a thing. “I beg to differ. I’ve had years of experience,” she said. “And if I didn’t want you to know what I was thinking, then, trust me, you wouldn’t.”

Exasperated, he said, “I don’t care how many years you’ve practiced, you still aren’t any good at hiding anything. Your every emotion shows on your face.”

She wasn’t going to continue to argue with him. She certainly didn’t need to have the last word. “You’re wrong.”

He changed the subject. “All those guys at that club tonight…?”

“Yes?”

“Did you ever date any of them?”

“No.”

“Are you dating anyone now?” he asked.

“No.”

“Huh.”

She smiled. “Huh, what?”

“I never would have guessed that.”

“Are you dating anyone now?” she asked.

“No.”

“Huh.”

He began to laugh. “Huh, what?”

“I never would have guessed that.” Then she added, “We should probably talk about something else.”

“Why?”

“We just should.”

“Okay,” he said. “Have you ever been in a long-term relationship?”

“That isn’t talking about something else.”

“Have you?”

He changed lanes, checked the rearview mirror, and then glanced at her. “Are you going to answer or what?”

“I was… sort of in a relationship with a man named Dennis, but it ended several months ago.”

“What’s a ‘sort of’ relationship?”

“I wanted it to work. There wasn’t any physical attraction, though, but I thought that in time there would be.”

“You can’t program something like that. It’s either there, or it isn’t.”

She nodded but didn’t comment. “We’re the next exit.”

“I know. Is that why you ended it?”

“How do you know / ended it?”

Because Dennis would be frickin’ crazy to walk away from you. “Just a guess,” he said.

“Yes, I ended it. He was interested in my money, not me. I was more angry than hurt when I realized what a jerk he was. We never-”

“Never what?”

“The relationship hadn’t become physical.” She couldn’t believe she’d told him that.

“Because there was no physical attraction.”

“Exactly.”

“Were there any hard feelings?”

“Maybe at first. He called often,” she said. “But then he finally gave up and moved on. Last I heard, he was engaged.”

“That was quick.”

“She was an heiress.”

He nodded. “Did you tell Wincott about Dennis?”

“Yes, I did.”

Neither one of them said another word for several minutes.

Regan was thinking about Alec and her reaction to him. It was dangerous, this attraction. He was doing his job, and when he was finished, he would leave. Simple as that. If she became too attached to him, she’d be miserable when he left.