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She ht have lost him--after she’d just realized how much she cared for hiain her aplo her state of undress, her o opened the door and let the officers in

They were drenched fro at her attire, but she just didn’t care She needed to find Oliver, needed to relieve Dash of their intrusive thug, and she needed to figure out how she’d been tracked down

Because not for a minute did she think this was a randos had somehow found her She had a price on her head

And Dash was more involved than ever

They’d rattled the bushes with false claie fire, and look what happened

Nohat?

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

ARMS FOLDED, SHOULDER against the wall, Rowdy made sure to stay out of the hile the cops finished up--but he observed everything Dash, he realized, was head-over-ass in love It was there in his face, in the set of his posture, in the overall possessive way he tracked the lieutenant’s every ht now, in the center of the cri every step of the process--while wearing that soft robe that eure, her face clean of

When she’d decided to send out false reports of evidence found at the garage, she probably hadn’t expected a direct attack In fact, he was damned surprised, as well

It didn’tfit

Dash shouldered hi his attention The crusty old cat Dash held, norapped in a towel, complained with a rustyon your ain"

"Hate to break it to you, but every guy in the roo looks at her"

Dash cursed low, but didn’t deny it "It’s the way she’s dressed They’re not used to it"

Rowdy acknowledged that with a nod, but added, "And it’s intriguing, how she’s dressed--or undressed--contrasted to her barking orders and verbally kicking everyone’s ass"

"Yeah"

Rowdy leaned in to taunt hi her differently"

Derumpier, Dash worked his jaw and kept silent

That only left him open forthe sheets and that has all thosewith speculation--"

Dash rounded on hied "I’ination" And before Dash could deck hiled cat, he added, "But you know ether? It’s al"

"Shit" Dash rubbed his eyes "Yeah, sorry"

"No sweat Falling in love is hard on a guy"

Dash shot hi it

"She’s more prickly than ever"

"Her house reeks of kerosene" Dash went back to scrutinizing the lieutenant’s every breath "I’d say she has reason"

"Yeah, but I don’t think that’s it" Again, Rowdy stroked the cat, this tiers He wanted the anins of wariness "I think it’s you"

"Me?"

"You scared her"

Dash frowned

"She’s used to running into hostile situations To seeing Logan and Reese and all those boys in blue confront danger But she’s not involved with any of theht"

As if Dash had already concluded as rumbled, "I’ave hirim smile "Don’t let the lieutenant hear that sexist comment"

"I can take care of myself"

"Not in question My point is that she hasn’t had to deal with that before"

"With what?"

"Seeing soer" Unfortunately, Rowdy had plenty of experience with it He understood the sickening feeling all too well "You get this clench in your gut, a cold sweat and a brain-nu fear when you realize someone important to you could have been lost"

Dash stared toward her He still frowned, but his voice softened "I was never in danger"

"You’re not that duun, kerosene and bad intent is a threat to everyone"