Page 16 (1/2)

She gave a short laugh "Like you wouldn’t give up trying to solve Larissa’sinto his family’s business? You persisted until you had your man"

Ryan’s hands moved to her lower back as if she’d hit a nerve Sure, she’d solved the case through her psychic talents Was it that he didn’t like that she, rather than he, had broken the case? Or was it strictly because of how she had been able to do so?

Fine,less sensitive She didn’t want hi as though she was too repugnant to touch Maybe he felt that way, but she sure as hell didn’t want him to show that in front of all the others

That’s when she noticed how nearly everyone atching the on the floor

Lelandi s nice and close also He was scowling at Ryan, big time Silva s as though he was as irritated with Ryan as Darien was Ditto with To on the sidelines Tom’s hands were in his pockets, and he shook his head Jake folded his arave her the evil eye rather than Ryan

Yes, she kneas all her fault She should have kept some distance frorew even harder still Teach hi interested in her

She didn’t have to see what the bachelor ang up on Ryan later and give hih as alpha as he was and as beta as they were, she figured they didn’t stand a chance

"So what did you think of Marilee?" she asked hiht and unconcerned

Immediately, Ryan’s hands returned to Carol’s ru her heartbeat quicken So what did his reaction mean? He liked Marilee and wished he had his hands on her backside instead? Carol hated how she always overanalyzed people’s behaviors

"Hmm," Ryan said, and she didn’t like the way he said it, thinking he enjoyed being with Marilee more, like soainst his chest, his leg locked between hers andcaress

She could i he had that hot, sultry nu, curly hair, the luscious glistening lips, the fluttering long, dark lashes… all together tall, dark, and bosomy Not short, pale and… well, Carol had nice-sized boobs, too, but that was about it

"She’s… not… lided with hi to let herself just soak up thenotion that he liked the other worays, had been born as such, and weren’t an enigma like she was Why wouldn’t he prefer thehed "She’s too… clingy, too… sweet, too…"

"Hot?"

He chuckled "I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t hot But that doesn’t mean I’m interested" He lifted Carol’s chin and looked into her eyes "You don’t have to prove anything to anyone here tonight"

Which meant what? She wondered if he felt a connection with her,the murder --not in the way he would, but that she could-- like he did in his line of work Like a fellow investigator, even though she hadn’t investigated anything Maybe he didn’t really feel anything for the other women Except that one was hot

"Did you dance with Becky?" she asked, wondering what he thought of her "She see from Mervin"

Ryan’s face turned dark "What happened between you and Mervin?"

Not expecting him to question her about Mervin also, she pursed her lips in annoyance And wished she hadn’t brought Mervin’s na happened between us"

"You make a lousy liar"

She stiffened her back Didn’ther so

He i to placate her "I’ll learn one way or another, Carol It’s what I do" His voice was back to being darkly seductive

She harruedly into a situation until he discovered the truth She just wished she wasn’t the focus of one of his bloodhound hunts

"Didn’t you already scare the truth out of hiet confirmation That way I learn the real truth" He slid his hands down her bare arht her wrists, and turned theentle, concerned "He didn’t bruise you"

Her lips parted in surprise Did Ryan suspect what had happened? At this rate, she figured the truth would coe to shift "He tried to stop ht That’s what he said And then? You decided to change into this?" He slid his hands down her back again, skin against skin, then lower, caressing her body beneath the clinging silk and leaving a sizzling trail of desire "Why?"