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"You’ll be fine" Ralston’s eyes softened when he looked at Darcy "And I can’t go anyway The s as part of a planned overhaul of the alar a set of keys out of her pocket "Don’t let theht"

"I won’t, but I may be late Let yourself in if I’m not there"

She shook her head "Thank you I’, Ralston asked, "You sure?"

"Don’t worry about ood"

"Okay, then See you tomorrow"

The man left, but Jared’s jaw didn’t relax even then "He’s a little old for you, isn’t he?"

Darcy paused in the act of rounding her desk "Excuseabout this" She walked right past hiot stern in that voice of hers, ittoo occupied by his work to pay attention to her sex appeal, then Ji a territory war

Jared followed "How long has it been over between you two?"

"Long enough"

"For you, ht out of the open bay door and into the parking lot,a beeline for a city-owned pickup truck with eht bar on the roof "He was there for h time in my life It was never serious and it’s been over for nearly two years--not that it’s any of your da the front end and yanking open the passenger door "If he’s going to be a probleht to know"

"He’s not a proble yourself into his place was like a dog lifting his leg"

She ht to hts at all where I’ood time and that’s it And even that’s debatable at the lanced at his watch, then slid into the truck and slao"

Chapter three

Darcy got behind the wheel and slid the key in the ignition, her thoughts roiling Backing down from Jared Cameron wasn’t an option At the tiniest shoeakness, he would stea him at a distance--wasn’t an option she considered for more than a second She wanted hi honest So, as overbearing and aggravating as he was, she was inclined to put up with his social Asperger’s if that’s what it took to have him in her bed

They drove to as left of Florinda’s Dance Studio in silence Jared’s gaze slid back and forth over the city, taking everything in There was a story behind his precise focus, soe to him that set him apart from other law enforcehly perceptive He htness of stride And he never let his guard down

A man hunter That’s what he was Soerous The uessed

She parked on the street in front of the studio and got out There were already bulldozers on the lot and giant Duht with grief and sadness so thick it was hard for her to s past it

Sucking in a deep breath, she joined Jared at the curb He turned slowly, exahborhood

Darcy steeled her resolve andto picture the place as it had once been She was sorry it had been so long since she’d last visited Her memories were cobwebbed froone tiainst one another and shared ballerina drea into her reverie

"Excuse aze narrowed "Are you okay? You don’t look so good"

"Gee, thanks"

"Cut it out You look"--he frowned--"sad"

"Both adults and children," she answered, skipping over the too-close-to-ho her coth and security that surrounded him "And all styles, from ballet to hip-hop to ballroom"

"You were a student" It wasn’t a question

She took a deep breath, knowing it would be useless to deflect hio"