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She nodded He could hear the sound of her sing She put her hands against his chest and drew back He didn’t want to let her go He wanted to keep holding her, coave her soo of her so she would see that he wasn’t a vicious bastard out to inflict pain

No, he was just a hungry-for-her bastard, already wanting her in his arhed at the self-deprecating truth but right now laughter would have stuck in his throat Instead he put a knuckle under her chin and lifted her head so her eyes met his

“All right now?”

She nodded against his finger Tears still glittered on her face and without thinking, he brushed his thuently over them She jerked back

“I’ently “I never meant to hurt you I only—”

“I don’t like to be touched”

She said it with an iciness that was all thewoman

“I understand”

“No” Her voice trembled, but she didn’t “You don’t”

Like hell, he didn’t He almost told her that he did, that he’d met her husband, but then she would surely turn and run Besides, ould he admit he knew Harman? Then he’d have to tell her the rest of it, either that inane story about a ht be in line for a fat inheritance He wanted her but that didn’t mean he trusted her fully Not yet So he nodded in acceptance while she went on looking at hi with resolve

“Yeah Well, as I said, I’ inordinary to say `So, I guess the gas station’s closed, huh?”

That wasn’t just ordinary, it was absurd But it was safe Apparently she thought so, too, because she grabbed it like a lifeline

“Yes”

She turned away and walked toward the station and her car He suspected she wasn’t looking at it any more clearly than he was, but that was okay with hiether Need for her still burned inside him He’d wanted women before but not like this—and how could he want her at all, considering what he knew?

“The car just quit,” she said “I don’t knohat’s wrong with it” She put her hand on the hood as if the answer to the question ht rise up under the warmth of her palm