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“I know” She’d tried not to focus on the danger but, instead, on finding the perpetrator She refused to live her life in fear—although, truth be told, hadn’t that been part of herdown at a dark street?
Connor continued, “Your family said the police are involved, but you and I both know those resources only go so far”
She’d always known Connor Rafferty was a uy who’d clie of thirty-seven, had built asecurity syste companies as well as the rich and famous
But, she reed butt out of a dark bar over ten years ago The guy who still acted at tiht’s inexplicable kiss
Fortified by that thought, she tried again for a polite brush-off “Look, Connor, I appreciate the offer, but, as you just said, the police are on it The DA’s Office also has detectives assigned to it”
His eyes narrowed “And what if I said you really don’t have a choice in the matter?”
She scoffed, then stopped abruptly as he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a set of house keys Alaret those?”
“When I’et access to the premises,” he said coolly
She pursed her lips She knew exactly which Whittaker to thank for giving hih with Quentin, his ears would be ringing for days In the ey security expert to deal with
Quite clearly, she wasn’t si to be able to banish Connor as she’d like Experience had taught her, however, that it was better to graciously call a temporary truce rather than to adet hi with his game
“I see,” she said, keeping her voice a few degrees cooler than his “Well, if you’re going to be my temporary roommate, then we should set some house rules”
“Such as?” His tone was suspicious, wary
“Last night was a ot it? Unfortunately, you caught me at a weak moment, when my defenses were down”
“That’s the idea”
She narrowed her eyes “As I said, it will not happen again”
“Are we, by any chance, talking about the kiss we shared?”
“Of course I’ about the kiss” Somewhere in the last few hours, the kiss—really two kisses that had seeular identity all its own, so that she now referred to it mentally as “The Kiss”
“Just checking,” he said in a voice that was so ae
“And let me correct you, it’s not ‘the kiss we shared’ It’s the kiss that you planted on me when I was distracted and vulnerable”
His lips teased upward on one side “Funny, you seemed to have enjoyed it”
“No kissing That’s part of the ground rules, Rafferty”
He had the teree not to kiss you Whether you kiss me, however, is another matter”
She gave him a frosty stare “I’ll do my best to resist”
“So, are we shacking up together?” he asked
“With an offer like that, how can I refuse?”
He broke into a grin “Modesty preventsmore”
“I’ve always said it’s your strong suit”
“Is that sarcasm I detect?”