Page 27 (1/2)

Chet’s look was unreadable This private investigator was superbly talented at hiding his feelings

Her oere as plain as a first-grade primer, she was sure of it She was so pleased to see hiuise even a ss

His eyes darkened with intensity before he fraently pressed his hed and wrapped her arms around his neck The upper part of her body was thrust out theso that her waist was pressed against the sill

"I’ain between frantic kisses Her fingers were in his hair and her ent

The power Chet held over her was frightening Each tiether a little more of her restraint was stripped away A little more of her control

By the ti She are of every part of her body his hands had touched Her face, her shoulders, her neck She felt a deep, physical hunger that shook her to the core

"Hoas your date?" he asked

She shook her head, not wanting to discuss Michael

"Did you enjoy yourself?" he de to allow her to brush off the question His hands held her face prisoner, and his eyes burned into hers

"I was miserable"

His shoulders relaxed and he rewarded her with a shockingly thorough kiss Before she had time to recover, he hoisted himself inside her bedroom

Monica backed away froe of her mattress, her knees too weak to support her

Chet glanced about the starkly furnished rooet out of here"

"Where would we go?"

"My place"

"I don’t think that’s such a good idea" Where she gathered the strength to refuse him she never knew She folded her hands in her lap and concentrated on drawing in deep, even breaths If ever she needed a clear head it was now

Chet was pacing the rooitated "We can’t stay here"

"Why not?"

"Monica, be reasonable Your father’s--"

"On the other side of the house He’s a sound sleeper, he won’t hear anything, and if he does, well, I’m twenty-five years old and if I care to invite a man into our house, then that’s my business"

Chet’s smile lacked amusement "In case you haven’t noticed, I’the fox into the henhouse"

"Is your place any safer?"

He laughed softly at that "No, but it’ll ease ht find the strength to keep ot me so tied up in knots, it’s a wonder I’m able to do my job"

Monica wasn’t in any better condition herself Brushing the hair from her face, she forced herself to think rationally That, she soon realized, was ain coed and depressed

"Except we’re so damn hot for each other we’re both about to break out in a heat rash"

"A relationship built on physical attraction is doo"

Chet nodded "I couldn’t agree with youher spine, searching for the necessary resolve to do the right thing "Where do we go froical choice is to bed It’d help matters tremendously, don’t you think? It’s what any other couple would do in like circuht be able to put this foolishness behind us and get on with our lives"

His words felt like a cold slap in the face "That’s the ed despite her outrage "I’s and then toss aside Dear heaven" Sheher face with both hands "I can’t believe we’re having this conversation"

"All right, all right," Chet whispered, kneeling down in front of her He pried her hands away from her face, clasped theht, it was a stupid thing to suggest I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that"

Leaning forward she rewarded his honesty with a lengthy kiss, one that gained in intensity and momentum until they were both sprawled across the top of her s entwined

"You shouldn’t have done that," he whispered, his voice husky and low He was struggling for control and for that ood to be in his ar she’d experienced in all her twenty-five years

"I better leave," he whispered

"Not yet" She ran her tongue along the underside of his jaw, loving the taste of him; the scent of rum-and-spice aftershave enveloped her She burrowed ht he intended to push her away, but instead he released a long, slow sigh and held her tightly against him

"MonicaStop," he muttered between clenched teeth, "otherwise I won’t be held responsible for what happens"

Monica s to hurt her Where the assurance caly as she did his arms around her

"I kneould be a ly to himself