Brazen Virtue

And to the best of her recollection, she’d never been rejected. “You sure?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Fine.” Turning around, she picked up the cauliflower. It might give her momentary satisfaction to throw it at him, but she decided against it. “If you’re not attracted, then—”
    It was the second time he’d whirled her around. This time she discovered that colliding with his chest was something like ramming into a stone wall. She might have sworn at him if he hadn’t already occupied her mouth.
    This time he wasn’t gentle. It didn’t surprise her to feel the licks of passion or the underlying knots of tension. It made her happy. Then, in seconds, she felt nothing but his mouth, his hands, and her own explosive response.
    He wanted her so much he’d have found it exciting to take her there, as they stood in the kitchen. But he wanted more than excitement. He wanted more than the flash of the moment. And he needed time to figure out just what it was he did want.
    “You think I’m unattracted to you?”
    Grace went from her toes to the flat of her feet on a quick whoosh of breath. “I could be wrong.” She cleared her throat, then rubbed her fingertip over her lips as they vibrated from his. “Am I still standing up?”
    “Looks like it.”
    “Good. Okay. After we open a window and get rid of some of the heat in here, what are you going to feed me?”
    He smiled and touched her hair. “Stuffed artichoke bottoms Bordelaise.”

    “Uh-huh,” she said after a long pause. “You’re not making that up, are you?”
    “It only takes about a half hour.”
    “Can’t wait.” As he began to gather ingredients, she took a chair. “Ed?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Are you planning on maybe having a long-term relationship?”
    He glanced over his shoulder as he rinsed vegetables under a cold spray. “I’ve been giving it some thought.”
    “Well, if it works out, I’d like to make a deal. Any night we have artichokes, we have pizza the next.”
    “Whole-wheat crust.”
    She got up to find a corkscrew. “We’ll talk about it.”
    B EN SHIFTED IN THE passenger’s seat and watched for the light to turn. Beside him, Tess drummed her fingers against the wheel. She knew she was right, but the problem was, she no longer had just her own feelings to consider.
    “I could have driven in alone,” she began. “You’re not going to have a car.”
    “Ed’ll drop me off.”
    The light switched to green. Tess moved along with the sluggish morning traffic. “I’m sorry you’re upset about this. Try to understand, it isn’t something I’m doing on impulse.”
    Annoyed, he turned the radio to another station. “I didn’t have any say about your involvement in the other case. Apparently I don’t have much say this time around either.”
    “You know that’s not true. What you feel means a lot.”
    “Then drop me off and go to your office. Leave this alone.”
    She was silent for a full thirty seconds. “All right.”

    “All right?” He stopped as he was about to punch in the car lighter. “Just like that?”
    “Yes.” She tightened a loose pin in her hair with a casual gesture, then made the turn to the station.
    “No argument?”
    “We argued last night. There’s no need to go into it again.” Tess swung into the parking lot and pulled up. “I’ll see you tonight.” Leaning over, she kissed him.
    He caught her chin in his hand before she drew away. “You’re using that reverse psychology shit on me, aren’t you?”
    Her eyes, violet and clear, smiled at him. “Absolutely not.”
    “I hate it when you do that.” He flopped back on the seat to rub his hands over his face. “You know how I feel about you being involved with this part of my life.”
    “You know how I feel about being excluded from any part of your life. Ben …”
    She lifted her hand to brush at his hair. A year ago she hadn’t even known him. Now he was the focal point of her life. Her husband, the father of the child she was just beginning to suspect she was carrying. But she was still a doctor. She’d sworn an oath. And she couldn’t forget the way Grace’s fingers had trembled on a cup of coffee.
    “I may be able to help, to let you understand his mind. I did it before.”
    “And I almost lost you before.”
    “This isn’t the same. I’m not involved in the same way at all. Ben, do you think he’ll kill again? Ben.” She took his hand before he could draw away. “Do you think he’ll kill