THE REGAN FACTOR

An Elloras Cave publication written by Elizabeth Jewell MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-84360-499-X Mobipocket (PRC) ISBN # 1-84360-500-7 Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned): Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), & HTML Copyright Elizabeth Jewell, 2003. All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave. Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc. USA Ellora's Cave Ltd, UK This e-book may not be reproduced in whole or in part by email forwarding, copying, fax, or any other mode of communication without author/publisher permission. Edited by Ann Richardson Cover Art by Bryan Keller

Prologue
I really shouldnt be here. Regan glanced back toward Warrens office door as she opened his desk drawer. Her documents had to be here somewhere. Blast that Warren, anyway, for never returning her phone calls. He got off on little

things like that, taking advantage of any opportunity to lord it over her. And this time he actually had some controlshe couldnt finalize her project requirements without his feedback, and the documents were due Monday. Shed hoped to work on them over the weekend. Damn. Nothing in that drawer. She yanked open another, frustration overriding any sense of impropriety. That wasnt it, this wasnt it, that What in the world is this? The TeleStar user guide and detailed requirements were held together with a binder clip. Regan recognized the documents immediately, partly from the Restricted Material banner emblazoned across the bottom of each page. Shed signed off on the project just yesterdayand Warren had never been on the extremely short list of those with access. For a few moments, she could only stare at the documents, trying to think of a legitimate reason for Warren to have them. Maybe Dale had called him in at the last minute. He would have mentioned it to Regan, though. It wasnt like Dale to overlook details like that, especially since Regan had been TeleStars lead developer. Her hands shook. Carefully, she replaced the documents in the drawer. It was possible, she thought as she poked through another drawer, that Warren, on one of his usual monumental ego trips, had convinced one of the less experienced members of the TeleStar team to show him the specs. Certainly it would be a classic Warren movehe was always sticking his nose where it didnt belong. Yes, it was possible, but Regan didnt buy it. Shed spent too many years getting herself into trouble not to recognize the vibes that surrounded it. Still without the new project requirements shed come for, she glanced again toward the door, then opened Warrens last desk drawer. The drawer held file foldersand Warrens day planner. Regan stared at it, chewing her lip. Yes, she said finally, and took out the leather-bound book. Most of it was marked up in Warrens personal code. Regan knew some of itshed snooped through his day planner before, back when theyd been dating. A lot of the notations had to do with his wifes schedule, so he could work his girlfriends in around her. Regans lip curled as she skimmed the evidence of his philandering. He was good at it, shed give him that. It had taken her weeks to see through him. This months entries were different, though. There were phone numbers on individual days instead of neatly listed to the side. There was no indication who the numbers belonged to. Then, on Mondays square, he had written, VAC, MDWS. PW-TS. VAC meant Vacation. MDWS probably stood for the Meadows, a resort Warren belonged to, where he liked to take his girlfriends. PW she had no clue about, but TS might be TeleStar. So PW, she thought, was probably somebodys initials. Somebody who likely didnt work for Markham Telecomm. Carefully, Regan closed the book and laid it back in the drawer. This was hardly concrete evidence, but Regans instincts filled in the rest. Warren had the restricted documents not for his own ego gratification, but to pass on to someone else. Leave it alone, she told herself. Even if she was right, what exactly was she supposed to do about it? But shed sweat blood over TeleStar. It was one of those special projects that could

make or break careers at Markham Telecomm. Regan had hoped it would make hers. If Warren was selling it to a rival company, that was betrayal of the worst sort. She pushed the drawer shut. Her hands were shaking again. This was one of those times, she thought, when it was important to step back and think things through logically before she did anything. Her documents were nowhere to be found, and the small hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. She should go back to her office and think. Maybe she could figure out how to get into Warrens computer for more solid evidence. She closed the office door behind her and had taken two steps down the hallway when Warren himself rounded the corner. Tallish and blandly handsome, he gave her a warm, personal smile that she now recognized as his generic greeting to members of the opposite sex. Some things you just had to learn the hard way. Warren, she said. Just the man I wanted to see. I need your comments on the project requirements I gave you last week. Warren gave a precise nod. Of course. Come on, Ill get them for you. His self-assured, confident manner told Regan he hadnt even looked at the document, or, if he had, he hadnt understood any of it. She followed him back into the office and he retrieved the document from the credenzathe one place Regan hadnt looked. Here you are, he said, and gave her that smile again. Regan took the documents, careful not to touch him. Shed touched him far too often before shed found out he was married. Her eyes narrowed as she studied him, looking for some indication of uneasiness or guilt. On a sudden whim, she said, You know, it could wait til Monday if you need to give them another quick look. I dont have to have them to Dale until the end of the day. Cant. I wont be in Monday. Wont be in all next week, in fact. Regan nodded. That meshed with the day planner notation, though his name wasnt on the list of scheduled managerial vacations. Really? I didnt know you were going on vacation. Sort of a last-minute decision, he said. I was on a standby list at the resort. The Meadows? Again, it fit the notes in his planner. Wheels began to turn, the ones that always led Regan into trouble. Thats right. The Meadows. Its a nice place. Its too bad you never let me take you. Warren had bought Regan a membership to the posh resort when theyd been dating, hoping, no doubt, that it would be the gift that got her into bed with him. Her instincts had won out, though, and shed dumped him before theyd spent any time there. The reference to their past life was meant to make her uncomfortable, so she just gave him a twisted little smile. Well, have fun. He smiled again, and Regan moved toward the door. As she stepped into the hallway, she heard a drawer open. Surreptitiously, she glanced back over her shoulder. Warren took the TeleStar documents out of his desk and put them in his briefcase.

Trouble. Definitely. The air fairly thrummed with it. She headed back to her own office, adrenaline pumping. I could use a vacation, she thought. She had a feeling Warren was about to put himself into an extremely compromising position. All she had to do was show up and take pictures. She picked up her phone, forgetting her resolution to think things through before acting. Warren had made her life miserable long enough. It was time to return the favor. Warren Cassidy, she said as she looked up the number for the Meadows, your ass is mine.

Chapter One
So this was it. At least it was a nice place, Burke thought, unlike some of the other places hed followed Regan ORourke over the years. He pulled his battered pickup into a spot near the lobby. He put the truck into park but didnt shut it off. This was his last chance to turn around and leave this whole thing alone. Hed sworn off looking after Regan eight years ago. Youre eighteen now, hed told her at her birthday party. Anything you screw up from here on out is your own problem. And hed never seen a girl look so grateful. Burke hadnt blamed her. The years of surrogate uncle-ingor whatever you wanted to call ithad been hard on him, too. So hed stayed out of her life as much as he could, considering her brother was his best friend. But this morning, when Paul ORourke had called him, half-frantic because Regan hadnt made her usual Monday night, Im fine so leave me alone, phone call, Burke had found it hard not to get a little concerned. So here he was, sitting in his truck next to a sign half-choked with bougainvillea, that said, Welcome to the Meadows. An Exclusive Members Only Resort. What kind of trouble Regan could get into in a place like this was beyond him, but if there was trouble to be found, she would find it. It still wasnt too late to turn back. He closed his eyes, wished hed gotten three or four more hours of sleep, shut off the truck and got out. Behind the main building, with its riotous landscaping of tropical flowers, a jumbled line of small cabins marched back to disappear beyond a rise dotted with palm trees. The rush of ocean was a constant in the distance, so the beach wasnt far. Not that it was very far from anywhere on this stretch of Southern California coast. The woman behind the front desk fit in perfectly with the interior decor. Both woman and dcor were the result of a great deal of money, carefully applied. Both leaned toward the cold and impersonal. The woman gave Burke a long, sweeping look, during which her mouth pursed up as if shed just sucked a lemon. Burke wondered if it was the too-casual T-shirt or the nearly worn-through knees of his jeans. Or maybe the prissy little chick was hiding a primal desire for him.

May I help you? she said in a clipped tone. Yeah, she wanted him, all right. Once again, Burke wondered what Regan was doing here. This wasnt her kind of place at all. My names Burke Camden, Burke said. I Do you have a reservation? No, I An appointment? No Then Im afraid youll have to leave. No one is allowed on the grounds without an appointment or a reservation, and there are no additional appointments available today for tours or membership applications. Burke hesitated, running through a list of options in his head. Im here to meet someone, he finally said, figuring, Im a private investigator, have you seen an insane red-headed woman, would probably get him thrown out. She invited me here as her guest. I assumed she had made a reservation for me. The woman poised elegantly manicured hands over her computer keyboard. Name? Burke Camden. The womans eyes narrowed. I mean her name. Burke met her gaze evenly. Hed dealt with her kind beforein fact, she reminded him of his ex-fiances sister. Like dogs, they tended to buckle under steady eye contact. Regan ORourke, Burke answered. The womans eyes flicked back to her computer, to look at the screen, of course, but Burke could tell by the twitch of her mouth that hed cowed her. I do have Ms. ORourke listed as a guest. Does she know to expect you? She knows Im on my way. I tried to call ahead of time, but I wasnt able to get through to her. Which wasnt quite a lie. Hed called several times and left messages, as had Paul, but none of the calls had been returned. If Regan had bothered to listen to them, shed know Burke was coming. I assume she gave you a guest pass? The receptionist had rallied, challenging him again to direct eye contact. She did, said Burke easily, but I walked out of the house without it. I see. Her voice was clipped again, her eyes blatantly calling him a liar. Burke shrugged, offering her a smile. What can I say? Some women like em big and dumb. The receptionist glared a few more daggers, then picked up her phone. Ill contact Ms. ORourke. Shell have to vouch for you directly. Fine. Burke wandered over to the leather modular couch and sat down. It was teal green and smelled new. He wondered what the receptionist would think if he stretched out and took a nap. Paul had called him at nine this morningnormally not a problem, but Burke had been out until six a.m. taking incriminating pictures of a California congressman humping an intern. Hed come back to his boat and buttoned down the stateroom,

planning to sleep until noon. No such luck. And he couldnt operate on so little sleep anymore. Couldnt do one-armed pushups, either. He was just plain getting old. Regans disappearance had him worried. Paul had been nearly frantic, and even given his tendency to overreact, Burke couldnt blame him. Regan had a talent for getting into trouble through sheer impetuousness. Shed mellowed a bit over the past few years, but Burke couldnt bring himself to assume she was all right just because she d disappeared to a high-class resort. The receptionist was talking quietly on the phone. Burke wondered if shed reached Regan, or the machine. Unable to resist the temptation anymore, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the couch. Images of Regan floated through his head, Regan with her wild red hair and a temper to match. He was going to look pretty ridiculous when she kicked him out on his ass.

*****
Regan threw her camera onto her bed and followed suit with herself. Surveillance, shed decided, was not for wimps. Shed been tailing Warren since she got here, and the most incriminating thing hed done was fondle his bleached-blonde, silicone-breasted companion while lounging on the clothing optional beach. It figured hed bring a date to a hand-off. The asshole really thought he was untouchable. She wished shed listened to that little voice shed tried so hard to cultivatethe one that told her not to be so impetuous. Trouble was, no matter how carefully shed nurtured it, it had never learned to talk quite loudly enough. On the table next to the bed, the message light on the phone blinked red. As she had last night and this morning, Regan ignored it. She could only assume Paul had tracked her down, which meant hed probably used his key to her apartment and snooped around her computer desk. For that he deserved to be punished. It was ludicrous that a twenty-six-year-old woman couldnt get a few days to herself without Big Brother hunting her down. She picked up the camera and regarded it thoughtfully. Shed taken a couple of shots of Warren coming into the resort, and a couple of him with his hands all over his bimbo. If nothing else, maybe shed send copies of the latter to Warrens wife. If she didn t already know what a rat her husband was, it was time she found out. Regan wanted to see the hand-off, though. She wanted to find out who was buying the restricted TeleStar information. If she could get that on film, it would be a major coup. Would the evidence be admissible in court, though? She frowned, again wishing she d moved a little more slowly, maybe taken time to do some research. She could have asked Burke The thought surprised her, and she cut it off fiercely. She hadnt talked to Burke in years, and she didnt intend to start now. Still, he was a P.I. This time she didnt have to cut the thought off. The ringing of her phone did it for her. She gave it a sour look, considered ignoring it, then squirmed on her stomach across the bed to pick it up.

Ms. ORourke? It was a womans voice. At least it wasnt Paul. Yes? Im very sorry to bother you, but theres someone here in the guest services building who claims hes here as your guest. Regan rolled her eyes heavenward for patience. Surely Paul wouldnt go that far. Who is it? He says his name is Burke Camden. Burke. Think of the devil. Regan didnt know what to say for a moment. Ms. ORourke? Do you know this person? Yeah, said Regan. One word, she thought, and she could have Burke tossed out on his interfering can. On the other hand, he was a P.I. Yeah, I know him, she went on. Ill be there in five. Regan rolled off the bed. On the way out the door, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Shed almost forgotten what she was wearingor, rather, wasnt wearing. She grinned. Burke hadnt seen her in a long, long time. This was going to be good.

*****
The ringing of the phone kept disturbing Burkes attempt at a nap, so he thumbed through brochures and schedules while he waited. The place was not only nice, it was pricey as hell. But they had everything you could want in a resort: tennis, volleyball, swimming, badminton, mud baths, saunas, masseuseseven a clothing optional beach. That would appeal to Regan. Shed been sneaking down to Blacks Beach to sunbathe naked since she was sixteen. Mr. Camden, the receptionist said. Burke looked up, then stood slowly, blinking in surprise. Theyd found Regan, all right. Unfortunately, shed forgotten her clothes. She wore a brief cotton cover-up over a bikini that looked like it was made out of dental floss. Wild red hair tumbled down over shoulders pale as milk. She looked madbut sometimes it was hard to tell with her. Burke reminded himself hed seen Regan in lessnaked, even. Of course, shed been five years old at the time. She hadnt even had earrings then, much less the ring in her navel or the three-inch dragon tattooed over her right breast. Oh, yeah, and she hadn t had breasts, either. Burke looked resolutely at her face and said the first thing that came into his head. You should have returned my phone calls and let me know you didnt have any clothes. I could have brought you some. Give me a break, said Regan. This is perfectly appropriate beach attire. She crossed her arms under the small, firm, barely-covered breasts Burke was trying so hard to ignore. What exactly are you doing here? Burke glanced at the receptionist, who was again eyeing him with great skepticism.

Fortunately, just then her phone rang, obliging her to answer it. Why dont you come sit down for a minute? Burke said quietly. So we can talk. Regan considered. She knew shed already made her decision, and it was probably the wrong one, but she had to at least try to give it some thought. All right, she said. I ll give you a couple of minutes. She sat down on the couch, the cushions warm against her bare legs. Burke sat back down across from her. She smiled a little at his obvious discomfort. Shed changed quite a bit since her eighteenth birthday. It pleased her that hed noticed. Paul sent me, Burke said, rubbing his hands on his jeans. Theres a news flash. Why dont you go back to your little boat and call Paul and tell him Im quite grown now, and I dont need him sending his personal police squad after me anymore. Hes worried about you, Burke replied, his voice low but intense. You missed your regular check-in. Regan rolled her eyes, partly in disgust at her brother, partly in annoyance at herself. How could she have forgotten the weekly, Im fine, now leave me alone, call? Im just here to enjoy myself. Then why didnt you let Paul know where you were? I dont have to tell Paul everything. You might be better off asking why he felt the need to hunt me down, and why you said how high when he asked you to jump. Burke didnt even flinch. Hes paying me my regular daily rates plus expenses. I figured finding you would be easier than another divorce case. So you found me. Now go away. Burke gave her his P.I. look, flinty and assessing. Are you after Warren? Paul said something about Warren? Burke withdrew a Meadows brochure from his hip pocket and held it up. What exactly are you up to? Regan snatched the brochure from his hand. It was the one shed scribbled on while she was making her reservations, things like, Die, Warren, die, and Warren Cassidy is a scum-sucking pig. Youve been snooping through my apartment! Shed suspected as much, but Burkes admission made her furious. What is with you? Paul was worried, so we went to check things out. He snatched the brochure back, holding it up out of her reach when she lunged after it. Thats evidence, and therefore mine. I ought to charge you both with breaking and entering, or home invasion or something. She stopped, studied him, chewing on the inside of her lip. All right, yes. I m after Warren. Why? I think hes up to something. She shrugged. Of course, I have no experience with this kind of thing, so theres every possibility I could screw up and get myself into all kinds of trouble. Burke gave her another of his many looks. This one said, I know what youre up to and Im not going to fall for it. Aloud he said, What are you trying to say, Regan?

Im saying that if you stick around, you could help me out and make sure I dont succumb to any foolish impulses. You know how I am. I get into trouble so fast it makes your head spin. Im not staying, Burke stated, far too firmly for Regans taste. Youre coming home. Like hell Im going home! I spent good money on this vacation and theres no way I m just packing up and leaving. She crossed arms and legs resolutely, daring him to try to change her mind. You can stay or go, suit yourself, but Im not going anywhere. What exactly is it youre trying to do? Regan pushed her tongue into her cheek and considered. Burke waited, big and solid. Dependable. Maybe it was time to swallow her pride, no matter how much it galled her. Burke raised his eyebrows. They were solid like the rest of him, thick, straight and brown. All right, Regan said. I have reason to believe Warren might be here for more than just recreation and philandering. Philandering? The woman hes with isnt his wife Burke shook his head. I just got off a divorce case. This isnt a divorce case. This is bigger. This could actually be illegal. Burke lifted an eyebrow, then the other rose to meet it. Youre serious, arent you? Yes. And Im really not sure I can handle this on my own. Burke just looked at her. His expression said, Ive got to be nuts for even listening to this. Ill pay you, she said. Suddenly it seemed vital that he stay and help her. He was a professional, after all, and as much as she wanted to deal with this situation herself, she also wanted to be sure it was done right. If Warren was really passing off TeleStar to a rival company, he needed to have the book thrown at him by a professional. To say Burke seemed reluctant would be an understatement. Give me one good reason why I should stay. Regan regarded him. She knew exactly where to hit him and she wasnt above doing it. If you walk out of here and I get myself into trouble, youll never forgive yourself and neither will Paul. Burkes intense, green-brown stare could cow the strongest of men, and Regan had seen it do just that. But she knew it too well, and only returned it placidly. After a moment he turned away in what she knew was a moment of weakness. She brought out her last weapon. Burke, I need your help. He turned back toward her with the look of a man who knew hed been had. One day. Ill give you one day. But youre paying me time and a half. Forget it. Youll get your regular daily rate. Giving him no chance to argue her final offer, she rose from the couch and went to the desk. Well take that guest pass now, Regan said to the receptionist as Burke stepped up behind her.

Im sorry, the woman said. I cant do that. And why is that? There are no accommodations available. You didnt say anything about that before, Burke protested over Regans shoulder. At the time, there was an open cabin. But while you two were having your discussion someone else called and took it. Thats all right, said Regan, nonplused. Mr. Camden will be staying with me. Wha Burke started. Regan kicked him neatly on the shin. Burke choked on his own words and clenched his teeth so hard Regan could hear it. The receptionist lifted an eyebrow. Are you certain, Mr. Camden? Yes, said Burke in a strangely high voice. Hes sure, said Regan. Ghead and get him that pass. A few minutes later, Burke limped down the sidewalk after Regan, carrying the overnight bag and shaving kit hed brought along just in case Regan didnt come to her senses right away. Regan had slung Burkes camera equipment over one shoulder. The leather cases werent as secure as he would have liked, and he winced as they bounced against each other, set in motion by the sway of her hips. Lucky you had your cameras with you, Regan commented. They were still in the truck from last night. And could you be a little more careful? Oh. Sorry. She closed her hand around the camera case, holding it stationary against the camcorder while her hips continued to sway. Burke found himself mesmerized by the movement. Resolutely, he moved his gaze to a neutral point between her shoulder blades. She had an uncertain tan on her face, arms, and legs, but the rest of her was pale as cream. She wasnt even terribly freckled, unusual for a natural redhead. Her hair drifted against the middle of her back as she walked and Burke found himself unable to take his eyes away from the hypnotic movement. I hope youre using a good sunscreen, he finally said. She glanced over her shoulder at him, the sun turning her bright hair to fire. SPF 50. Thatd do it. He saw no further need for conversation, if it was going to be this pointless, and so fell silent as they turned toward a group of cabins. Regan opened the door to one of the attractive little wooden buildings and waved Burke inside. It was a small but comfortable space, and Burke was relieved to see two queen-sized beds as well as a kitchenette, a couch and a TV. Make yourself at home, Regan said. She went to the closet and pulled out a long, flowery bathrobe. Burke breathed a sigh of relief as she pulled it on over her inaptly named cover-up. It settled down against her, floaty but opaque enough to obscure the lines of her body. Thank you, he said. Regan grinned. The expression illuminated her face, which tended to look petulant

even when she didnt intend to. Her lower lip was a shade too full, her eyes large and slightly down-tilted. When she really tried to look sad, it could be devastating. Now she was just being rotten. She opened the robe again, posing provocatively, one hip thrust toward him. This really bothers you, doesnt it? Burke tossed his overnight bag on one of the beds. Yes, it does. Why? Are you really so offended by the human body? Burke looked into her face, studiously avoiding the sleek, lovely expanse of her body. She folded the robe back around her, the edge of the dragon tattoo peeking out past the lapel. Youve gotten a few things pierced since I saw you last. Regan moved the robe again, flicking the ring in her navel with a forefinger. You like? No, I dont. And why the tattoo? Its awful. Pauls got one. Thats different. Why? Because hes a guy? Burke sighed and shook his head. You are not one bit less argumentative than you were at the age of three. It drove me nuts then, too. Because even then I was always right. And teenage boys hate to be proven wrong. She sat down on the couch, arranging the robe demurely across her thighs. Just when exactly had she grown up? Burke wondered. Even looking right at her he had difficulty shaking the image of the chubby fifteen-year-old hed dragged out of a college frat party. Shed had on six inches of make-up and a pushup bra. This was not that girl. She pushed her hair back behind her ear. Burke suddenly realized he was staring, and that he was strangely warm. In all the wrong places. If it bothers you so much, maybe you should just go. It took a moment for her words to register. When they did, Burke said, Huh? I said if it bothers you, you should just go. I heard you. She had turned to look at him again. She looked sad, and he knew she wasnt doing it on purpose. She also looked grown up, and very, very good. Maybe youre right, he said. Maybe I should go. But he just stood there by the bed, looking at her. I shouldnt have strong-armed you into staying, she went on. I just She broke off and looked away, chewing her lower lip. What? This was getting very strange. Something moved in the air between them, something Burke had never felt before. I thought I had everything figured out when I planned this. Now Im beginning to wonder if I can pull it off at all. When you showed upwell, things started to look promising again. Why dont you tell me whats going on? Regan hesitated, then seemed to accept the inevitability of the question. All right. Warren Cassidy works with me. I also dated him for a while.

And hes married. Right. But I didnt know that when I was seeing him. Regan took a deep breath. Shed never really intended to unload this on anyone, but if she had to, she supposed it might as well be Burke. When I found out about his wife, I broke it off, of course. I was really angry. I told him I was going to tell his wife, and he threatened to get me fired. So I filed a sexual harassment suit. Or I tried to. It didnt get very far. He got to Human Resources before I did and they believed his story over mine. She shook her head. So I dropped the suit. Why didnt you just leave? I couldnt. I needed the job, and I had a feeling there was more to Warren than just obnoxious fornication and sexual harassment. I just knew he was dirty. And now I have reason to believe hes selling restricted information to a rival company. She shook her head. I know hes a pig in his personal life, but I just cant believe hed jeopardize the company. I wanted to get some really hard evidence, so I followed him here. Burke nodded. There really was a case here, which was a good thing. While the analytical wheels turned, it was easier to ignore the strange currents in the room. So maybe you see my dilemma. Regans voice was steady and calm, no hint of pleading in it, her eyes carefully guarded. I dont want to ask for help, but it would make things easier. Burke shook his head, not dismissing her, just rattling thoughts around. He saw Regan swallow, and her eyes darted away from his face, toward the door. Ill understand if you say no, she said, the quaver in her voice so faint someone who didnt know her would have missed it entirely. Ill leave you here to think about it. If I come back and youre gone, Ill understand. She stepped to the door, let the robe slip off her shoulders, tossed it onto the bed and slipped pale and nearly bare out into the sunlight. Flummoxed, Burke sat heavily down on the bed next to his bag. One thing was certain about Reganlife around her was never dull. He really should just leave. Regan was finehe could go back to Paul with that information and consider his duty discharged. But, as Regan had said, if he left and something happened to her, hed never forgive himself. He knew Regan, and if there was trouble to be found, shed be knee-deep in it before he could walk to the parking lot. So stay a day, he suggested to himself. See whats going down. Then if she can handle it, leave her on her own. He should leave. Regan was an adult now, and didnt need him to take care of her anymore. On the other hand, Regan had asked for his help, and never before in her life had Regan ORourke asked him for anything. With a deep sigh of resignation, Burke picked up his overnight bag and unzipped it.

*****
Regan strolled down the sidewalk toward the beach, trying to look nonchalant, trying not to feel that Burke and Paul had both betrayed her. Paul for not letting her take

care of herself, and Burke for being Pauls lackey. It was ridiculous, she knewshe couldnt have it both ways. But after yesterday, she was more certain than ever that shed taken on more than she could handle. Burke was a P.I.he was used to this kind of thing. He wasnt going to stay, though. She was certain of that. Shed asked too much of him. So she was in this by herself, in spite of her suspicions. Paul and Burke had both told her countless times that this would happen to her someday. That she would push someone too hard, too far. Burke, in his tightass uniformed cop days, had painted her a particularly grisly picture. You never think about who youre trying to screw over, hed told her. Shed won a good bit of money that night cheating at poker in a game arranged by one of her less savory high school acquaintances. Not until Burke had pulled her out had she discovered her opponents included a drug dealer. I cant watch you twenty-four hours a day, and God knows I dont want to find your body in some Dumpster. Shed been more careful after that night, because Burke had frightened her. But now shed again jumped into a situation she thought she could handle, and found herself over her head. Suddenly overwhelmed, Regan sank down onto a wooden bench next to the sidewalk. She laid her head in her hands, thinking, trying to line up all the threads of her situation. She wasnt sure what made her look up just then, but when she did, she smiled. Down the sidewalk came Burke. Hed changed into a bathing suit, a baggy boxer type that made his legs look miles long. His arms were tanned, his chest and stomach paler under a pleasant smatter of brown hair. He stopped in front of her. He was huge, standing there looking down at her, sun at his back, like some sleek god of air or fire. She caught her breath. Was this really Burke? Her Burke? He was beautiful. She suddenly found herself wondering what his skin tasted like. Her smile faded a little and she swallowed. Well, she said, when a semblance of her composure had returned. At least youre not quite as white as a dead carp. Youre welcome, he said, and sat down.

Chapter Two
For starters, I think we need to just forget about avoiding this guy. Regan frowned, not sure shed heard right. You think its a good idea to let him know Im here? Burke shrugged, squinting against the sun. Red and gold glinted in his wavy brown hair. I think its going to be impossible to avoid him. Plus if you try to avoid him and he sees you, itll make you look suspicious.

Regan tried to remind herself shed wanted Burkes help. So far she wasnt very comfortable with either his presence or his suggestions. Youre sure this is a good plan? They still sat on the wooden bench. Burke rattled a handful of pebbles in his hand, then tossed one onto the sidewalk with a plink. I think its the best idea. He shrugged. If you were here by yourself, it probably would be better to try to go incognito. He gave her tattoo a pointed look. Not that that would be particularly easy for your Rodmanesque self. Oh, please. Its one itty bitty teeny tiny little tattoo. He went on as if she hadnt spoken. Now that Im here, though, theres less reason to avoid him. If he sees you with me, hes less likely to be suspicious, and hes also less likely to threaten you. Why? Because youre so big and scary? Exactly. Regan shifted on the bench. She didnt like sticking to things. She would have changed into a pair of shorts back at the cabin, except she was intrigued by the way Burkes eyes bulged out every time he looked at her. So how do I introduce you? she asked. He gave her a lookHave you not been paying attention, for you should hang on my every word. Which was quite a lot to pack into a look, but Burke managed it. As your accountant. The thick sarcasm didnt escape her. She matched his look with one of her own. Dont you think itd make more sense if you were my boyfriend? Of course I should be your boyfriend. Come on, Regan, keep with the program. Regan pushed her hair back. Look, Burke, I respect your professional opinion, and your experience, but Im getting hot sitting here and I have a feeling Im going to leave about a half inch of flesh behind when I stand up. Burke made a visible effort to compose himself. All right, maybe its time to take a break. Burke stood, deliberately forcing her to look up at him. Shed thought hed presented a powerful presence in his police uniform, but that was nothing compared to what he looked like in nothing but swim trunks and his own hair. Again she felt displaced, as if she didnt know who he was, or what to expect from him. But we will talk later. He crossed his arms over his chest and Regan remembered what it was to be fifteen and under his scrutiny: intimidated, angered by the intimidation, and automatically rebellious. I need to know about all your evidence, he said, his voice quiet but modulated to an intensity that made Regan look right into his face. No matter how trivial you might think it is. Regan nodded. He was right, of course. She needed to turn off this automatic inclination to do the opposite of whatever he told her. She needed to get rid of some of these other reactions, too. Like the way all her blood seemed to be moving too fast, driving her body temperature up. Or the urge to see what the hair on his chest would feel like under her fingers. Or what his nipples tasted like. All right, fair enough, she finally said.

Burke nodded decisively. Fine. Right now lets see about acting normal for a while. Great, said Regan, and carefully peeled her thighs off the bench. How about a walk on the beach?

*****
It seemed an innocuous enough suggestion to Burkewalk along the beach for a bit, loosen up, maybe come up with some kind of a game plan before plunging into the investigation. The beach ran the length of the resort, so it would give Burke a chance to scope out at least part of the territory. He also might meet some of the other guests. The sand slid soft under Burkes feet, the sun almost uncomfortably hot on his bare shoulders. The constant throb of the waves drowned out the conversation of other beach patrons. Regan walked a few feet behind him. Occasionally he caught a flash of her auburn hair in the corner of his eye, as the wind lifted it, and spread it across the width of a warm breeze. Taking this case might not have been his first choice for how to spend the next few days, but at least it had brought him to a pleasant location. The sun was warm, the sand soft, the women lovely Burke came to a sudden halt, staring. Then he realized he was staring and looked away, feeling heat fill his face, and it wasnt from the sun. Regan, he said, his voice strained thin. Yes? That woman over there, he said. Shes naked. He dragged his eyes away and looked at Regan. And blinked. She was naked, too. The dental floss bikini hadnt covered much, but now he realized exactly what a profound difference it had made. The Regan in the bikini had seemed to him to be a girl pretending to be grown up. But this Regan was a woman. He tried very hard not to look at the evidence, but with it displayed so blatantly he found his efforts to be futile. The breasts, small but perfectly formed. The slope of her hips. The glint of the ring in her navel. Andthough he did his best to keep his eyes from going therethe coppery curls between her legs. Put your clothes back on, he snapped, the curtness of his voice surprising him. Regans eyes sparked. Its perfectly legal on this beach, and you cant stop me. He couldnt explain it to her. Couldnt tell her what seeing her sleek, nude body was doing to him. He wasnt ready to admit it to himselfhow could he bring himself to explain it to her? So he just stood there, staring at her, trying perhaps to stare her down. He wasnt sure. His brain was too muddled up with the blinding image of her. It was making afterimages in his retinas, she was so clear and clean and bright. Under the force of his glare, she tilted her head back and smirked. Feel free to drop your shorts. Not in your lifetime. Maybe if he hadnt just gone startlingly erect. Or maybe not. Definitely not.

Typical male. You like to look, but you wont display. She spread her arms and twirled around once, giving him an intriguing look at her tight, round ass. Well, Im going to work on my tan. Resolutely, he looked away from her. What tan? He resumed walking, looking straight ahead. Youve never had a tan in your life. Then give me some points for persistence. He looked at her, then away, as she deliberately thrust her breasts at him. She seemed determined to remind him she was all grown up, taking a youre not the boss of me, stance. Overdone, as usual. He shook his head sharply, jolting his brain back to the problem at hand. Lets just get on with this. Regan jogged to catch up, walking shoulder to shoulder with Burke as he continued. If Warren is really involved in some kind of industrial espionage, why would he be doing it here? Regan shrugged. He took a sudden, unplanned vacation. There were some mysterious notations in his day planner Ill have to tell you about later. Based on that, my guess is hes meeting somebody and the vacation is a cover. Burke shook his head. You snooped through his day planner? Why didnt you just hack into his computer files? You could have gotten all the evidence you needed and avoided all this surveillance. He knew she could have, too. Her first year of college, she d been caught hacking into a secured database under the tutelage of a boyfriend who didnt exactly have her best interests at heart. The head of the computer science department had put a stop to it. He could have thrown her out of school; instead hed convinced her to take one of his classes. As Paul told it that was all it had taken to get her hooked. Nice, Burke thought, that at least one of her escapades had led to something positive. I thought you knew all this professional stuff, Regan chided. I want legally obtained evidenceit tends to stand up better in court. Correct, of course, but Im surprised you held back long enough to think about it. Well just have to keep watching him to see if we can figure out what hes up to. As he d hoped, concentrating on the facts helped him ignore his hormones and her blatant nudity. Have you seen anybody else here that you recognize? Not yet. If you do, youll let me know, right? Of course. Burkes easy walk turned to a trudge as he continued, turning his attention to the beachfront cabins and the people wandering the sand. Clothing optional it might have been, but a good many people had opted for clothes. Strangely, most of them were men. Burke wondered if Regan was right, that men in general maintained a double standard about nudity. Why? Pure chauvinism? Or were they all afraid of being judged by the size of their dicks? Which of those was his own problem? Then he decided it didn t matter. If he was insecure, he was getting too old to do anything about it. Plus, hed discovered over the years, introspection was a serious waste of time. Still, his curiosity had been piqued, and he couldnt help the next question. Is this kind of thing a hobby of yours? What? She turned to face him, walking backwards. Burke allowed himself one

quick sweep. What she lacked in curves she made up for in panache, carrying herself with a complete lack of self-consciousness. There was something truly appealing about a woman who wasnt concerned about her looks. Not that she had anything to be concerned about. Unconventional she might be, with her pierced navel and the little tattoowhich, truth to tell, he was starting to likebut there was nothing at all wrong with her body. What? Regan repeated, and Burke realized his mind had wandered so far hed forgotten what hed asked her. He shook his head and a piece of short-term memory fell back into place. Running around naked in public. Is it a hobby these days? I figured you would have outgrown it. Sure, when Im allowed. She smirked. I think if everybody was naked, wed all be a lot more sensible about each other. Oh, really. Absolutely. Which is why you should take off your pants. Not today. He peered across the beach toward the line of cabins. Is there any way to find out whos staying here this week? Regan shook her head. I doubt it. Theyre pretty tight-lipped about things like that. There are people here we wont see at all, because thats the way they want it. Burke nodded and shrugged. It probably wouldnt help much, anyway. Suddenly Regan grabbed Burkes arm. Theres Warren. Regan pointed quickly, then turned away, still walking. Burke turned a surreptitious glance in the direction Regan had indicated. The cop instincts clicked in. Five ten, five eleven, one sixty-five or one seventy, light brown hair. Smarmy smile. General jackass. And a woman on his arm who was, quite simply, stunning. Quit drooling, Regan said, her voice hard. I wasnt drooling. I was just wondering why hed leave you for that obviously vacuous little bimbo. Regan snorted. Yeah, right. Its obvious, isnt it? Her boobs are as big as my head. There is that He broke off, frowning. The more immediate question was what Regan had ever seen in Warren to begin with. As if reading his thoughts, Regan said, What can I say? He seemed like a stabilizing influence at the time. Since when do you judge men by their possible stabilizing influence? When they have enough money to take me places like this. Burke frowned, studying her face. She was carefully expressionless, the slight pout of her lower lip meaning nothing, the arch of her auburn brows daring him to read anything at all past her mask. I didnt know you were so shallow, Burke said, feeling strangely disappointed, or betrayed. Regan shrugged. It was more than that. Its hard to explain. She turned suddenly, walking the other way. To Burkes surprise, she unknotted the little bundle of her cover-up, pulling it on as she went. I dont want to talk about it.

Strange, he thought. She didnt mind baring her skin, but when he got a little bit under it, suddenly she wanted to cover it up. Frowning, wondering what it all meant, Burke followed her off the beach.

*****
Later, they sat at a table at an al fresco coffee shop near the tennis courts. Why anyone would want coffee in the middle of the day, Burke didnt know, but Regan back in her swimsuit, thank Godwas sipping some kind of iced crappuccino. Coffee was to wake you up in the morning, not to relax you in the afternoon. It was to be consumed hot, black, and strong enough to make your eyes water. Thus espresso wasnt a bad thing. But screwing up a perfectly good slug of caffeine with steamed milknot to mention icewas just dumb. So Burke had a Coke. Other people sat nearby, enjoying the shade of the table umbrellas. The woman at the table behind them exuded a strong odor of coconut and vanilla that made Burke queasy. She smelled like a pia colada. Uh oh, said Regan suddenly, so low Burke barely heard her. Jackass at ten o clock. Burke glanced toward Warren, who was still with his busty companion. Look cool, he sees you. Warren had, indeed, caught sight of Regan and was approaching their table. Burke sipped his Coke and judged the mans expression. It couldnt decide whether to settle on surprise or consternation. Burke, on the other hand, had no trouble deciding on dislike. As they approached, Warrens companion gave Burke an easy once-over, then smiled. Burke smiled back. So Warrens girlfriend wasnt all that devoted. That could be a good thing. Regan? Warren said, coming to stand next to their table. Burke kept looking at the girlfriend, just to see what she might do. He noticed, too, that her breasts barely moved when she walked. Fake, then. It figured. Hi, Warren! said Regan, giving Warren a bright grin. I wondered if I might run into you. What are you doing here? Warren seemed nervous. Burke turned his attention to Regan. Very smooth, she was, betraying nothing, showing only pleased surprise that she d run across someone she knew. Well, you did buy me that membership, and it seemed a shame to let it go to waste. You didnt mention you were coming here when we talked at work. I thought Id surprise you. She gave Warrens companion a coy sideways glance. Why dont you join us? Burke put in. Regan wasnt babbling yet, but he didnt want her to go on too long in that vein. Oh! Regan turned toward Burke with an apologetic smile. Warren, this is my boyfriend, Burke. Warren shook Burkes hand, then sat down. This is Bliss. He reached up to take his companions hand as she took a seat next to him.

Bliss? Regan repeated, disbelief creeping into her tone. Its my stage name, the silicone-breasted blonde explained. My real name is MarthaMarty, actually. I prefer that, if you dont mind. She lifted an eyebrow at Warren, who shrugged, his eyes tightening. Obviously he preferred to be in the company of a Bliss rather than a Marty. Stage name? Burke repeated. Youre an actor? No. Im an exotic dancer. I see. That would make the silicone tax deductible. So, have you visited the nude beach? Clothing optional, Marty corrected. Of course I have. Im actually much more comfortable with my clothes off. Its so freeing, dont you think? Dont know. I havent tried it yet. Was everybody in this place a blatant exhibitionist? Burkes a bit repressed, Regan volunteered. Burke gave her a loving look in lieu of kicking her. Oh, but you have to try it, said Marty, touching Burkes hand. Maybe I will. Regan keeps telling me I need to get in touch with myself. Apparently unhampered by thoughts of decorum, Regan kicked him in the shin. Burke reached across the table to squeeze her hand a little too tightly. Shes so good to me. Marty smiled at him, her eyelids lowering. Burke winked at her. Warren looked from one to the other, then stood. Well, I think well be going. Were both having an herbal mud bath before dinner. Have fun, said Regan. Warren drew Marty away from the table, but not before she managed another deeply meaningful look at Burke. As they walked away, Regan watched thoughtfully, sipping at her coffee-crap. So, she said finally. Do you think this could play into our hands? What? Burke had turned his focus to putting the pieces of the case together, but all they wanted to do was swim aimlessly around in his head. That Miss Bliss obviously wants in your pants. You mean Marty? Burke nodded, intrigued that Regan had picked up on the signals. It very well could. It never hurts to have an ally in the enemy camp. Regan gave him a searching look. And how far would you go to be sure she was an ally? Regan realized as she asked it that the question was much more serious than shed intended. Waiting for his answer, she watched amusement, then irritation, move through his eyes. Why would you care? I dont care, Regan snapped. I just wondered, thats all. But why would you even wonder? Do you think Id sleep with her to get her to help us out? Do you really think Id use somebody like that? Regan opened her mouth, then snapped it shut again. She hadnt thought of it in

those terms. Shed only recognized her own jealousy Jealousy? Where had that come from? For that matter, Burke went on, his mouth twitching as he reined back a smile, do you think sleeping with me would be the kind of experience that would make a woman putty in my hands? Regan wanted to slap him. How could it not be? she said, the sarcasm like knives. But an image formed in her mind of Burke in bed, arching over a womans body Her body She could almost feel the width of his hips between her thighs, the lift of his back under her hands. Her fingers would slide into the groove of his spine Never in her life had she given any thought to Burkes dick, but suddenly she found herself wondering about length, girth, how far he could thrust it into her, how hard Burke grinned smugly. Youre right, of course. He sucked down the last of his Coke and stood. Regan couldnt look at him. Shed never thought of Burke this way before. Certainly shed never had trouble looking at him for fear of what he might read on her face. Shed always seen Burke as an unwanted guardian non-angel, kind of a nosy uncle. Why did he now inspire this taut heat? More than thata comfortable taut heat. She stood, and he offered her his hand. Surprised, a little reluctant, she slipped her fingers into his and let him lead her down the sidewalk.

*****
They spent the rest of the day acting like a happy couple, romping about in the bright California air. Burke seemed almost comfortable with the role. At dinner he chatted with the other couples at their table, showing no indication he was anything but Regans content lover. It wasnt until they were finishing dessert that Regan noticed something was wrong. Her eyes went wide and she leaned toward Burke. Burke, she said in an undertone, did you put on any sunscreen at all before you left the cabin this afternoon? No. I couldnt find any. I figured it didnt matter because I dont really burn. Think again, Lobster Man. Burke looked alarmed. What? What are you talking about? Regan shook her head. It was hard not to be amused, but from the looks of Burkes arms, he was going to be in a lot of pain in a few hours. Regan imagined there was a good deal of damage under the T-shirt hed tossed on before dinner. Maybe you dont normally burn, but Id guess you dont normally spend the entire day in nothing but swim trunks, either. Somewhat to Regans surprise, Burke didnt argue or contradict her. Instead he looked pained and more than a little embarrassed as he looked down at his brightening arms. Great. Youre rightthat was stupid of me. I didnt even think about it. Regan stood, tapping Burke on his shoulder, which was fast turning an interesting crimson. Dont worry about it yet. Ive got some stuff back at the cabin that should take

care of most of the pain and keep you from peeling. I brought a truckload, just in case. Okay, its worth a shot. Back at the cabin, Regan dug a jar out of a drawer while Burke looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. The brighter lights in the small bathroom emphasized the damage, making Regan wince when she looked at him. His lower arms and his legs where the swim trunks hadnt covered them looked all right, as did his face, all probably used to exposure from time spent on a boat deck in a T-shirt and shorts. But his back, chest and shoulders varied from an uncomfortable pink to a wretchedly painful scarlet. You know, said Burke in a plaintive tone, now that I can see it, its really starting to hurt. Im surprised you didnt notice it before. He looked at her reflection in the mirror. Well, sunburns have a nasty way of sneaking up on you. That they do. Now, why dont you just lie down on the bed and Ill take care of you. Just give it to me. He reached for the jar. I can reach the worst of it. Regan moved the jar out of his reach. Maybe so, but you cant see all of it. Youll miss spots, and youll be miserable tomorrow. Im perfectly capable Besides, whos had more experience with major sunburn? Im the one who runs around naked in public, remember? Her logic didnt keep him from making another lunge for the jar. Maybe so, but But nothing. Now lie down. Grumbling, he met her halfway by sitting on the bed. Regan opened the jar and scooped out a generous glop of green, minty gel. What is that stuff? Burke asked, wrinkling his nose. Aloe, mostly. She smeared it across the upper portion of his chest and up toward his shoulders. The gel was light and cool, and his burned skin sucked it up like a desert drinks rainfall. Good thing I brought a lot of it. Burke snatched the jar from her hand before she realized he was going for it. Ill do the front, he said. I can see the front just fine. Regans mouth tightened, but at the last moment she decided to capitulate. Fine. But if you miss anything, Im going to feel free to help. He gave her a withering look. As usual, she refused to wither. Instead she crossed her arms firmly under her breasts and watched him. His eyes flickered down, finally settling on the tattoo. Why dont you put on a robe or something? he muttered. Regan laughed. Ive been walking around in this bathing suit all dayand naked, if youll rememberand now all of a sudden you want me to wear a robe? We werent alone then. Looking studiously away from her, he slathered another good-sized glop of gel across his chest. Regan shook her head and went to the bathroom to retrieve her robe.

When she came back, Burke was slathering gel down the lower half of his abdomen. Regan stopped almost mid-step, staring at him. At his hands, as they moved so close to such intimate areas of his body. His movements were quick and utilitarian, not meant to be provocative, but every hormone in her bloodstream stood at hot attention. With an effort, she dragged her eyes away and walked to the kitchenette. The cabin was equipped with a basic set of dishes, including a half dozen glasses. She picked one up and filled it with water from the sink. You should drink a lot of liquids, she said. Sunburn can suck you dry, and being outside like this makes you sweat a lot. She walked back to him, holding the glass out to him. Set it down on the nightstand, he said. Ive got stuff all over my fingers. Of course he had stuff all over his fingers. Feeling stupid, Regan put the glass on the nightstand. You can do my back now, Burke announced. Regan shook her head. Not quite yet. She took the nearly empty jar and inspected him. His skin had soaked the gel up so readily it was hard to tell what he might have missed, but Regan had a good eye for distinguishing the tighter, still untreated patches of skin. This is always a danger zone. She scooped out a finger full of gel and smeared it down the side of his neck, from just under his ear to the strong curve of his collarbone. She did the same on the other sideand then he looked at her. Regan stared. Something lay in his eyes, something shed never seen before. She might have called it shock, but it wasnt so abrupt, or so glaring. It was unexpected realization, uncomprehending comprehension. And fear. And need. I, uh she said after a moment that seemed to go on forever, filled with the brown hazel of Burkes depthless eyes, I need to get some more of this so I can do your back. Forcing herself to turn away, she retrieved another jar of gel from the little bathroom. Looking around the small, porcelain space, she realized theyd have to share it in the morning. A soft shiver moved over her skin. He had stretched out on his stomach on the bed, head cradled on folded arms. Long, lean, and red-skinned, he filled the narrow bed. The clean lines of his body drew her eyes, the long, deep indentation of his spine, the ridges of his ribs, the flattened curve of his flank. His buttocks rose in a sleek, cotton-covered arc from his waist. Regan was tempted to grab them, to see how they fit into her hands. She swallowed again and sat down on the bed next to him. Spreading a glob of green gel over his shoulder blades, she wondered where her mind had gone. She had no business thinking of him like this. He was eleven years older than she was. He had been a fixture in her life, helping Paul raise her after their parents had died. Hed rescued her from herself, helped her shape something out of a life that had seemed out of her control. Hell, hed even helped Paul explain sex to her when Paul had found himself not up to the task. How, then, after all that, could she respond to him on such a primal level? What had made her perceptions change so quickly and so utterly? Why did she want him so

much? Her hands shaped the lines and forms of him, as if she smoothed them into being out of clay. Her own body felt soft and malleable, wax partially melted by the heat. He could touch her, mold her into whatever strange, new creature she was becoming. The thought made the hot melting pool between her legs, her sex wet and aching for him to fill it. He was hard and soft, clean lines and curves. His body sank down to his waist, rose again to those firm, round buttocks. Heat rose to her face as she slathered the firmly muscled flesh. He shifted a little under her touch, as if with pain. As red as the skin was, she had no doubt it was tender. Finally she finished. She rubbed the remaining gel into her own hands and patted his shoulder. Okay, youre done. He lay still, his breathing deep and steady. Regan smiled wryly. Hed fallen asleep under her ministrations. So much for arousing his grand passion. Because he was asleep, because he wouldnt know she had done it, she slipped her fingers through his thick, brown hair. Goodnight, Burke, she said.

*****
Burke wasnt asleep. Rather, he lay as still as he could trying to control the most stubborn hard-on hed ever had in his life. Having her put on the robe had been a huge mistake. After seeing her bare and nearly bare all day, getting used to the curves and colors of her flesh, the way her muscles moved under her skin, he found himself tantalized by seeing that flesh covered. The skimpy robe offered flashes of breasts he knew were curved to feminine perfection. And he couldnt shake the image of her taut stomach, the silver curve of the ring in her navel, the triangle of copper curls between her slim thighs. So now he was hurting. Literally and figuratively, from the sunburn, from his own stubborn, uncontrollable desire, and most of all from guilt. The Camdens and the ORourkes had been next-door neighbors all those years ago, when a nine-year-old Burke had befriended a seven-year-old Paul, bonding over a pile of baseball cards. Regan had been born two years later. Never before in their long acquaintance had Burke thought of Regan as anything other than a friend. Someone he was obligated to protect, because her brother was his best friend, and because the siblings had been left so suddenly alone. Hed looked out for her, helped Paul raise her. Now his body was telling him Regan was a grown woman, desirable and altogether legal. His mind kept seeing her as a twelve-year-old kid devastated by the deaths of her parents, determined to take all that anger and loss out on the twenty-one-year-old brother who was all she had left. So far his body was winning, though he could tell his mind wouldnt easily give up the fight. Maybe there was no point waging the battle at all. He rolled over. Regan jumped, startled. He knew from her unguarded caress, the way her fingers had combed through his hair, that shed thought he was asleep. Otherwise she never would have expressed any kind of affection. That, more than anything else, made him think his need was something he wasnt obligated to ignore.

He sat up and looked at her. All of her. Up and down, from her face, her odd, almost frightened expression, to the curves of her hips and thighs under her filmy robe. He let himself remember what lay beneath the nearly see-through materialthe curves of her breasts, the pink, pouting nipples, the red-gold curls obscuring her sex. Reaching out to her, he curled his fingers around the back of her neck and pulled her to him, until her lips were only a hairs breadth from his. What do you want? he whispered. Think hard. What do you really, truly want from me? He set her back a bit and she just looked at him. The fear had faded from her eyes. To his surprise, no shield of indignation or haughtiness came up to replace it. She was open to him for a long moment, her eyes carrying a different kind of fearfear with a strange wonderment in it. I dont know, she finally said. I thought I did, but I dont. He drew her back to him, gently. Is it this? His mouth met hers. It was strange at first, because hed never thought before of kissing her. But when the taste of her hit his tongue, he could think of nothing else. He pulled that taste into him, savoring it. She tasted like no woman hed ever tasted before, and the flavor spread through him in waves of arousal, as if something in his nervous system were attuned to exactly that stimulus on his taste buds. She made a noise in the back of her throat, but she didnt pull away. So he moved closer, touched his tongue to her lips, prodded until she opened to him. Why? Why did this feel so incredibly, perfectly right? It should have felt wrong. He had known her for so many years, and nothing like this had ever happened before, had ever even been hinted at. It was a shock, an anomaly, and somehow it seemed like something that had been meant to happen since the beginning of time. He slid his hands down her back, bunching up the robe as he went, finding his way to her skin. Finally he cupped her buttocks, only the barely-there bikini between his fingers and her heat. The kiss had deepened in the meantime, dragging them both relentlessly in. He lifted a hand to her breast, cupping the soft roundness, teasing her nipple with his thumb. He half-expected her to pull away from that but she didnt. She moved closer, the sounds coming from her now more plea than protest. Something in her wanted this as much as he did. There was no thinking about it anymore. He had been reduced to pure sensation and a hard knot of lust. Letting go of the curve of her ass he grabbed her hand and pushed it between them, against the hard jut of his cock. Her fingers curled automatically around it, through the fabric of his trunks. Jerking her closer, barely aware of what he did, he clasped her ass again, worked his fingers under the bits of fabric that constituted her bikini. Pressed forward, between the hot, wet lips of her sex, inside her She shoved back, hard. Nearly lost her balance as she forced herself away from him. What the hell do you think youre doing? Her voice shook. Her eyes, still half-glazed with lust, sparked more with fear than anger. This had caught her off-guard, too. His fingers were still hot from her arousal, from being inside her body. Dont tell

me you didnt want that. I dont want that. The more anger she forced into her expression, the less her voice shook. Not from you. She pushed herself away, backing across the room until the backs of her legs hit the other bed. Im sorry, he said dryly. I guess I misread your signals. Her anger flashed hard then, burning the fear out of her expression. Youre just like the rest of them. I should have known. Im nothing but tits and a cunt to you, is that it? He clenched his teeth. You know thats not true. Then dont touch me. She spun, headed into the bathroom, and slammed the door behind her. He sank back into the bed. The pain from the sunburn had come back with a vengeance in spite of the aloe cream. It was going to be a long night.

Chapter Three
Regan woke to the sound of computer keys tapping and Burke mumbling under his breath. She rolled over, bleary. Whats going on? He looked at her. Im sorry. I didnt mean to wake you. She sat up and pushed a hand through her tangled hair. Im not sure you did She stopped. Just stopped. There had been more words, but they jammed up in her throat, then disappeared. For those few seconds, she had forgotten last night. It was as if her recall had hit a reset button to put her memories back to what they had been before. Before shed let him kiss her, touch her. Before his big, blunt fingers, pressing inside her, had given her that taste of what he could do to her if she let him. Just that touch, that slight invasion, not even enough to quite be called sex, had sent her body vibrating, put her on the teetering edge of an ecstasy more intense than any shed ever experienced. Now he sat at the desk, a too-familiar god in nothing but black cotton boxers. The muscles between his shoulder blades shifted as he typed. He was sleek and golden and she shouldnt have stopped him last night. She should have given in, let him fuck her into unconsciousness. It would have been good. Burke glanced up, as if only then noticing her sudden silence. Whats wrong? Nothing. She shook her head and it felt like someone else was doing the work, pulling her head back and forth on a taut string. I justnothing. Her arms felt weak. Shed slept on them wrong, she decided. But that didnt explain why her legs tried to wobble when she slid out of bed, or why she suddenly couldnt bear to look at Burke. A vision passed through her head, of him rising from the chair,

dropping those boxers, then bending her over the bed and taking her, hard. She half-ran to the bathroom and shoved the door shut behind her. Her face in the mirror looked desperate. Resolutely, she schooled her features. She splashed cold water on her face, then let the image of Burke and his boxers creep into her consciousness. Okay. She could handle this now. Yeah, right. If shed been a man, shed have had to take a cold shower before she showed so much as her nose out the bathroom door. Luckily shed left her robe hanging in the bathroom last night. She pulled it on, thought about Warren and her reason for being at the Meadows in the first place, then once again braved Burke and his black boxers. Hed pulled on a pair of jeans in her absence. She didnt know whether to be relieved, or embarrassed at the thought he might have done it because hed noticed the effect he had on her. Whatever the case, it didnt help. The jeans were pleasantly snug but not too tight, and shaped his thighs like the hand of a sculptor. Hows the sunburn? she asked, to redirect her thoughts. His shoulders and back still looked red, but not as raw and painful as yesterday. He moved his shoulders as if testing the fit of his skin. Not bad. That stuff you used really helped. You should probably get another coat today. And definitely a good dose of sunscreen before you go back out. Yeah, probably a good plan. His attention was back on the computer, though. Regan peered over his shoulder. What exactly are you up to? Just a background check on your friend. See if he has any priors, that kind of thing. So did you dig up any dirt? No, hes clean. Now if I could just get Martys last name You think she might be involved? No, actually, I dont. But Id rather have too much information than not enough. Regan nodded, watching him work. Presently she realized the movement of his hands had mesmerized her. Shaking her head to clear it, she forced herself away from his side and into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Burke joined her a few minutes later. Regan retrieved a mug from the cupboard and filled it, then passed it to him. I hope its strong enough for you, she mumbled, barely managing to transfer the mug to him without touching his fingers. He smiled. It never is, but thanks for trying. She smiled back and glanced up, avoiding eye contact. He leaned back against the cabinet, moving his shoulders and grimacing as his reddened skin stretched across their breadth. Regan found her eyes focused on a point directly between his nipples, where the crisp brown curls looked the deepest and springiest. I should tell you, he said, I went out last night. Her eyes sprang to his face. When?

Just past eleven. I was having trouble sleeping, so I went to check on our suspect. He and Marty were just finishing the late dinner, so I followed them back to their cabin. I figured if Warren was planning a handoff, it wouldnt be in broad daylight. She wondered why hed had trouble sleeping, but didnt dare ask. Had he been as affected by last nights near-encounter as she had? Hed been good and hard last night, his dick thick and long under her fingers when hed shoved her hand into it. It occurred to her that shed never had anything quite that big inside her that wasnt battery-powered. Well. Time to stop thinking about that. So did you see anything? she said. Not a thing. They went to bed. Obviously last night wasnt the night. Regan sipped her coffee, chagrined at yet another example of her investigative incompetence. I should have thought of that. Probably, given your own penchant for sneaking off in the middle of the night. At her sharp look, he smiled. Its okay. Im the professionalits up to me to think of these things. He downed the last of his coffee, even though it had to still be scalding hot, and pushed away from the counter. By the way, even though I came here to convince you to come home, Ive decided to stay until we get this thing figured out. Regan nodded. She should have been pleased. Instead she felt patronized. So you think it might be a real case? I think theres a good chance. He paused with one hand on the bathroom door. If I can crack this, it could be a nice career boost for me. He flashed her a grin and disappeared into the bathroom. Well, goody, said Regan into her coffee. Ever so glad I could help. She wrinkled her nose as she swallowed, then splashed the rest of the coffee into the sink. Jerk.

*****
A short time later they headed out into the sun, this time both slathered with sunscreen. Regan had managed to calm down, reminding herself she wanted Burke to be here, that in all likelihood hed present her with a bill when this was over. It was a job to him, so she shouldnt take his attitude personally, even if it did feel like hed come in and run her over like a semi truck. Of course, a lot of that feeling could be blamed on the traumatic effect he had on her hormones. Especially after last night. Regan tried not to think about it, and soon was presented with a distraction when their path intersected that of Warren and Miss Bliss. Warren made a none-too-subtle move to veer away, but Bliss seemed oblivious to his efforts, leveling a smile on Burke. Why, hello again, Mr. Camden, she purred. In an apparently automatic reflex, she pushed her chest out and up, lifting those full, round, silicone-laden breasts so Burke could get an eyeful. Obligingly, he looked. Something green and bilious bubbled in Regans gut. Good morning, Marty, Burke said too pleasantly. Lovely day, isnt it? He gave Regan a look, and for once she was at a loss how to interpret it. It seemed deep and

meaningful, but beyond that she had no idea. Absolutely wonderful, Bliss concurred, laying a hand on Burkes arm. Maybe youd like to join us for breakfast? Regan opened her mouth to say no, but Burke said, Of course, before she could even draw breath. And he gave her yet another look. This time she understood: Back off, Ill handle this. But she didnt have to like it. She could only assume Burke had a plan as he followed Bliss to a table on the restaurants patio. Regan couldnt fault her choiceif she had to spend a meal in the company of Warren, it could at least be al fresco. They ate and chatted. Much to Regans reliefwhich she had no desire to examine Burke turned his attention to Warren, asking leading but careful questions. Regan recognized his effort to ferret out clues, but it was largely unsuccessful. I dont really like to talk about work when Im on vacation, Warren finally said. You dont like to talk about work when youre not on vacation, Bliss said with a laugh. Regan noted the comment. The Warren shed known had been more than happy to brag about his company, taking credit for things he had nothing to do with, acting like he was CEO instead of middle management. He spent money like a CEO, too. That didn t seem to have changed. Then Bliss turned to Burke. You two are coming to the party tonight, arent you? Party? Burke repeated. Its a weekly event. If you dont have a tux, you can rent one. Its really fun. Open bar, live band, big dessert table at midnight. Burke nodded, and Regan could see the investigative wheels turning behind his eyes. I wouldnt miss it. Regan added her own decisive nod. Well be there. They chatted a bit longer, but Warren had been devouring his breakfast like a man three weeks starved, and when he finished he gave his coffee a last, peremptory sip and pushed his chair back. Well, Marty, wed better go or well miss our appointment at the spa. Marty glanced at her watch, started to say something, then thought better of it. We re getting massages, she said. I cant wait. She gave Burke a final, lash-lowered look, then followed Warren away from the table. Regan waited until they had departed, taking part of her green-eyed monster with them, then said to Burke, I get the feeling you have something planned for this party. He nodded. First I plan to rent a tux. Then I plan to mingle, and try to get some information out of our friend Marty. Youre going to spend the evening with that slutty stripper? Burke cocked an eyebrow. Jumping to conclusions, arent we? When you were seeing Warren, were you that slutty tattooed girl? Unaccountably, Regan blushed. I didnt know he was married. And I dont take off my clothes for a living. Nope. He put his napkin on the table and stood. For you, nuditys just a hobby.

Somehow, Regan managed to stifle the urge to kill him. She glared up at him as he stood waiting for her, an annoying half-smirk curving his mouth. Youre a pain in the ass, you know that? she finally snapped. Why? Because Im right? She got up and left the table, but she didnt answer him.

*****
Of necessity, they spent most of the morning and an unexpected amount of money on Burkes tuxedo. Only one had come close to fitting his six-foot-four-inch frame, and that had needed alterations. It hadnt been ready until an hour before the party. Regan had half-hoped Burke would pick up the bill, but instead he stood smiling while Regan dug through her purse for a credit card. It was worth every penny, though, Regan thought later as Burke adjusted his cuffs in front of the mirror. He looked like a god. Not that gods generally wore tuxedos, but if they would look like Burke did, then they should. Her own dress was pretty eye-catching, as well, if she did say so herself. Made entirely of lace, it fit her so tightly shed had to take the ring out of her navel to prevent an unseemly lump. It made a great effect, thoughthe ivory lace against her too-pale skin, the nearly transparent places where it was hard to tell if you were looking at fabric or skin. Judging by Burkes pop-eyed look, the ensemble worked perfectly. The James Bond look suits you, she said, straightening his bow tie. He frowned. The Madonna look suits you. I guess. You guess? Well, its hardly appropriate attire for a teenager. Then its a good thing Im not a teenager. Yeah. The strange soberness on his face unsettled her. Yeah, I guess it is. He stared at her for what seemed a long time, then swallowed and turned away. Wed better get going, I guess. He cleared his throat. Well be late. Regan started to speak, but nothing came. Finally she nodded and followed him out the door.

*****
Burke had never been much for parties, and formal soirees made his skin crawl. He was already tired of wearing the tuxedo. But, for whatever reason, he didnt have the urge to turn and run like hell out the door when he walked into the big banquet hall. Maybe it was the prospect of looking at Regan all night. She looked like an angel. A slinky, sexy, almost dangerously exposed angel, but still an angel. The food certainly didnt look promising. The front table featured caviar in several bright arrangements. Pretty as it was, it was still fish eggs. Hoping they might have something more palatable, and hoping food might take his mind off Regans dress, not to mention the body it barely covered, Burke headed for the other hors doeuvres table. They garnered more than a few stares, most directed at Regan. Not surprising. Burke still hadnt figured out exactly how much skin she was showing. The arrangement

of the ivory lace made it nearly impossible to tell. She cast a few careless smiles around the room, waved to someone, then picked up a cracker and smeared it with red caviar. How can you eat that stuff? Burke said, reaching for rumaki. Same way you can eat that nasty little liver wrapped in cholesterol. She gave a pretty little shudder, then bit into the cracker, obviously enjoying herself. Burke couldnt rein in a vague scowl. Whats wrong? she asked. Not having fun? Not yet. He scanned the room, wondering if it was too much to ask for the handoff to take place at the party. Warren and Marty were at the far end of the room. Burke wondered if Marty might know anything about Warrens business dealings, but shed said he rarely if ever talked to her about work. He turned back toward Regan, which was the wrong thing to do, because of that damned dress. She had picked up a plate and filled it with strawberries. As she lifted one to her lips, closing them around the huge, red berry, Burke froze. The damn strawberry was shaped exactly like the head of a cock. It was too easy to imagine her mouth on him instead of the fruit, her tongue sliding, teeth nibbling, his cock slipping past her lips, into her mouth, butting against the back of her throat You want something to drink? he snapped. Regan jerked toward him. Are you offering, or is it a rhetorical question? she said, her tone clipped with surprise and offense. Burke pulled at his tie, which, along with the rest of his tuxedo, felt too tight, especially in the crotch. Im offering. Then Ill have a fuzzy navel. With or without jewelry? She rolled her eyes. Without. And without ice, too, if you dont mind. Burke stalked across the room to the bar, wondering if they had a bottle of whiskey he could upend down his own throat. If he got drunk enough, maybe things would start to make sense. He settled on a Seven and Seven, and a sip told him theyd gone a bit heavy on the Seven, as the whiskey burned his throat a little. Good. That was the way he liked it. Looking at Regans drink, he could see the schnapps sitting at the bottom of the glass. The bartender had been pretty generous there, too. Burke? The familiar voice sent him into further turmoil, then he calmed. Marty at least had something to do with the case. Interrogation he could deal with. Schooling himself to think of her as a source, or maybe an accomplice, he turned and smiled wide. Marty. You look lovely. She did, too, in a dark blue dress that covered her from neck to wrist to ankle and concealed absolutely nothing. She sidled toward himabout the only move she could accomplish in the tight sheathher smile just a shade below blatant provocation. So do you, dear. She slid a hand down his lapel. Just wonderful. But you should be carrying a martini. Shaken not stirred? Burke said, and she rewarded his lame joke with a tinkle of laughter.

Hes handsome and clever. Then she smiled again, and this time it was a fresh, honest smile, not the artificial attempt at seduction. Well, maybe just handsome. Burke laughed. He couldnt help liking this woman, in spite of the company she kept. Wheres your boyfriend? She made a pretty scowl and a vague gesture toward the other side of the room. Off somewhere. Another woman seems to have captured his eye. I cant imagine how. Burke started back toward the hors doeuvres table and Regan. Marty trailed after, the dress turning her walk into a swanky slink. On her it looked absolutely natural, like the sleek movements of a big cat. Youre too sweet, Marty said. They walked a few more steps, then she shrugged. Warren has a wandering eye. Its just the way he is. Do you think his wife knows? Burke wasnt certain why hed said it, but Martys reaction made him glad he had. Her mouth tightened and her eyes slid to one side. I had my suspicions, she said, and I assume you wouldnt say that unless you were sure. She looked back at him, a question in her eyes that wasnt quite a plea. Burke nodded. Im sorry, Marty. Regan works with him. She found out the hard way, herself. Marty tsked. Poor thing. Must have been difficult for her. What about you? Marty made a dismissive gesture. Im used to this kind of thing. Im supremely bad at judging the character of men. Burke nodded, but he knew she was brushing it off too easily. He could see the pain in her eyes. Hed seen it a hundred times before, when hed confronted mistresses, or confirmed the infidelity of a husband to a suspicious wife. Hed even seen it in mens eyes from time to time, though they were better at hiding it. They had reached the hors doeuvres table, and Burke found himself looking into another familiar expression. This one was on Regans face, and if it had been loaded, he would have dropped dead on the spot. Jealousy. Definitely an interesting development. I hope youll save me a dance, Marty said, touching Burkes sleeve as she picked through the plates of food. She avoided the caviar, Burke noticed. Burke met her warm smile with one of his own, deliberately ignoring the increased intensity of Regans glare. It would be an honor. Marty looked back across the room then and frowned. Following her gaze, Burke saw Warren. Warren gave Marty a perfunctory wave. Id better go, she said, returning the wave without enthusiasm. Looks like hes been spurned. So spurn him yourself, Burke suggested. Marty grinned. I plan to soak him for a few hundred more bucks first. Burke laughed. Marty went refreshingly against stereotype, and Burke appreciated that. Apparently Regan didnt. That was nice and cozy, she said, her voice venomous.

Burke looked at her for a moment, fighting his initial impulse to egg her on and see what would happen. He was fairly certain it wouldnt take much for her to blow up into a righteous fit. Hed seen her do it before, but that had been years ago, and hed hoped shed grown out of it. But this was more than a possible tantrum. Something darker, deeper, and more adult lurked in her eyes. She was angry, yes, but he couldnt tell what else was going on. Finally he put his arm out and tucked her against him. Im sorry. I know you dont like her, but she might be able to help us. Shes not so keen on Warren as hed like to believe, and she just might bust him for us if we give her a chance. Regan blinked, fighting to keep her mouth from pouting. Not that she was successfulher mouth pouted naturally. Just save me a dance, too, all right? Burke gave her a squeeze. Of course. She leaned into him, then pulled away and slipped into the crowd.

*****
More than an hour later, Regan saw Burke dancing with Miss Bliss. He had her tucked in a little too close, and she moved sinuously against him while he smiled, chatted and seemed to be unaware of the huge bulge of her breasts pressed against his chest. Again Regan wondered at the depth of her own anger. She felt completely out of control, as if the rage drove her without her input. Watching Burke with Bliss made her understand how crimes of passion could be committed. Her mind flashed with images of Burke arched over Bliss, sunk hard inside her, riding her, and in that moment she felt like she could have torn Blisss chest open with her bare hands. That body, those wide shoulders in that charcoal tux, that ass that shaped the back of his pants, the cock that changed the drape in the frontthose were hers, dammit, and that bitch Bliss had no fucking business touching any of it. She sipped her drink. Shed switched to Diet Coke after only two mixed drinks, realizing the alcohol was intensifying her emotions. Then shed found a place in the back of the room where she could stand and nurse the Coke forever, trying to find the equilibrium she seemed to have lost. On the dance floor, Burke and Bliss circled a little closer. Burke looked up, saw Regan and smiled. To her own surprise, Regan smiled back. Only after hed turned away again did a blush begin to creep up her chest and into her face. Thered been warmth in Burkes smile, of a kind shed never seen before. Not from him. Not from anybody, to tell the truth. And she began to understand. She was tired of betrayals. Warren had betrayed her by lying to her about his wife, about his intentions toward her, about everything. Now she was betraying her longtime relationship with Burke by letting desire slip into the equation. Never mind if he felt the same wayher wanting him turned everything inside out. Made everything wrong. She leaned against the wall behind her, letting her head fall back, closing her eyes. Why was it wrong? Burke was a decent guy, and good-looking. She could do worse. And she had done worse. All her life. And Burke had always been there to bail her out. A relationship with him would be walking into a tangled mess of control and power

trips. Hed never get past thinking of her as a kid. Shed never stop fighting for control of her own life. With a disgusted snort, she pushed herself away from the wall. Why was she even thinking this way? Getting together with Burke wasnt a possibility. It was stupid even to think about it. She turned to set down her drink on a nearby table and found herself in his arms. Are you ready for that dance now? She looked up at him and felt her body go hot and weak. Dumbly, she nodded. He slid his arm around her waist, took her other hand in his, and moved her out onto the dance floor. A few seconds passed before she realized they were waltzing. Paul had taught her to waltz, about a million years ago, during one of those rare times when theyd been getting along. One of those times when theyd both felt terribly alone, and had needed each other. Those times werent so rare, but the times when they led to siblingly closeness were. Most of her relationship with Paul had involved arguing, fighting, jockeying for dominance. As had most of her relationship with Burke. She stepped back away from him, because his nearness confused her. He looked down at her questioningly. Im sorry about earlier. Someone had to make the first move. Burke nodded, but said nothing. Regan cleared her throat and tried another approach. Did she tell you anything useful? Not really. He hasnt talked to her much about workshe doesnt even know for sure what he does. So weve hit another dead end. Not necessarily. Shes also mighty angry with him. I told her you were interested in setting Warren up for a fall, and she was more than willing to go along with that. I guess she really isnt so keen on him. Apparently she was until she got here. Since hes been here hes hit on a half dozen other women, and last night while they were having sex he called her Gloria. She told you that? Burke grinned. Shes a very open person. A little too open, Regan muttered. Burke leaned back, trying to catch her gaze. There we go again. Are you jealous? Why would I be jealous? I dont know. Because shes blonde and beautiful and makes heads turn? Regan started to break away. This was not what she wanted to hear from him. But he caught her as she moved, pulling her back up against him. They were no longer dancing, just standing near the edge of the dance floor, Regan rigid in Burkes firm grasp. Because if thats what youre thinking, he said, you werent paying attention when you walked into this room tonight. I dont think there was a man in the place who wasnt staring at you. Thats because I go out of my way to be shocking, Regan said, averting her eyes.

Burke was skirting close to a compliment, but she didnt want to hear it. If he said she was beautiful, it wouldnt mean any more than hearing Paul say it. No, its because youre beautiful. She gave him a sour look and started to open her mouth to retort, then she couldnt say anything at all because he leaned down and kissed her. A soft kiss, not quite passionate, far more than friendly. He drew away and she stared at him. What was that for? For the hell of it, said Burke, brittleness edging his voice. She backed away, out of his arms, the kiss still branded in warmth on her mouth. I have to go to the ladies room. The bathroom had a lounge, and Regan managed to get to the couch in spite of the weakness in her knees. Somebody had left a dog-eared book on the overly curlicued table. Regan picked it up and opened it, staring at the pages without reading. That kiss had been far too good. From any other man it would have been welcome, especially if it had been accompanied by the volatile chemistry which had been snapping between her and Burke since hed arrived. But from Burke No, she had to admit it. From Burke it had also been welcome. Weird and confusing, yes, but also gentle and beautiful and filled with a promise of something Regan had never considered possible. She closed her eyes and turned a page, just to hear the whisper of the paper. Her mind went wandering through memories of Burke. Of all the moments available, her mind decided to light upon the night her parents had died. She started to block it out, to force her thoughts elsewhere, but then she let it come. There was something there she needed to feel. Shed been so happy for her parents that weekend. At least she hadnt had to live with the guilt of her last memories being a childish snit. Theyd gone to L.A. so Regans mother could attend an audition. Shed been an actress before Pauls birth, and had intended to go back into it, but there were always other priorities, and then Regan had come along. It just wasnt meant to be, shed always said, usually while ruffling Regans coppery hair, looking at her daughter with that unmistakable, melting look of love. At least, then, Regan had never had to live with the fear of having been resented by her parents. Shed often imagined what her mother would look like on screen, with her red-gold hair and green eyes, and the figure shed kept together even after two pregnancies. So when she and Regans father had headed to L.A., it had been with Regan s blessing. Her mother had called that night, late, before theyd started for home. Regan remembered the lilting excitement in her voice. She didnt think she was going to get the part, but it had been so much fun. Halfway home, a drunk driver had crossed the median. After the knock on the door, when the police had come, much of that night was a blur to Regan. Numbness, disbelief, tears, rageshe vaguely remembered striking a uniformed chest over and over while the mans voice droned on above her headand then, suddenly, Burke. Big, sober and quiet, just there, seemingly out of nowhere. Come with me, hed said. She and Paul had gone, neither of them thinking to question.

Theyd gone to his parents house. They looked so old, Regan thought. She didnt know the story then, but she would hear it later. Marguerite Burke and John Camden had married late in life, so late they had assumed there would be no children. But Burke had come. Regan remembered looking at them and thinking, God, theyre so old. Then, Why are they still here and my parents arent? It was wrong. The old ones should be dead, not her vibrant mother, her steady father. Mrs. Camden had given Regan a cup of tea, and smiled so gently, with sadness moist in her eyes. Regan took the cup and stared at it. Steam curled from the brown surface, smelling of chamomile. Regan looked into it and saw her own face. Saw her mother there. Her hand shook. Hot tea splashed out and scalded her. She threw the cup to the floor and it shattered into shards of flower-spotted porcelain. She ran then, not knowing where she was going. No one stopped her as she slammed out the front door into a darkness starting to mist with rain. She kept going, blindly, toward the street. The wet asphalt looked like a silent, unmoving river in the starlight. A hand closed on her arm before she reached the road, and Burke turned her around to face him. She began to shake. The misty rain tasted salty on her lips. The air smelled wet and alive. Im here, Burke said. No matter what, Im here. She had fallen into his arms then, just a twelve-year-old kid, torn apart and bleeding from her soul. Shed felt his heartbeat against her face, and hed squeezed her so tight shed lost her breath for a time. It had felt so good to be in his arms. Safe, protected, as if nothing could ever hurt her again. It had felt that good tonight. Different, though. Grown up. Feeling the tears begin to prickle again, Regan took a deep breath and let her head fall back against the couch. Where was this all going? She didnt want to knowwanted to know desperately. Finally, she looked back down at the book in her hands, which she hadnt really looked at when shed picked it up. It was a recent bestseller, some kind of romantic epic, if Regan remembered correctly. Shed never quite understood that kind of book. Maybe now, after everything that had happened, it would finally make sense to her. Smiling wryly, she turned back to the first page. Maybe she would even learn something.

Chapter Four
When Regan made her hasty departure, Burke started to follow, then stopped a yard or so from the bathroom door, closed his eyes and took a long breath. It was probably better that shed escaped him. He had no idea what he would have said to her if she hadnt. Sorry I kissed you? That would be a lie. I want to make love to you? More honest, but not the right thing to say. Not yet. It was a hopeless question with no good answer. Finally he turned and headed back toward the party. He had no desire to dance with

anyone else, or to eat any more prissy finger food. But he should wait for Regan. Finally Burke glanced at his watch and realized fifteen minutes had passed. What could be taking her so long? While he frowned at the closed door, Marty happened by. Anything wrong? she asked, catching his expression. I dont know. Could you do me a favor? Maybe. She looked a little coy, but Burke was certain her concern was genuine. Regans in the ladies room. Could you check on her for me? Just see if shes okay? Sure. Did you two have a fight? Burke shook his head. You know, Im not even sure. Marty grinned and touched his arm. Thats the way it is sometimes. She headed for the bathroom. A pretty brunette asked Burke to dance and he politely declined. Everyone in the room seemed happy, gyrating to the buoyant music, drinking, eating fish eggs on crackers. Nobody else seemed to be eaten up by turmoil. Just him. He still wasnt sure why hed kissed her. It had just seemed like the right thing to do. But Regans reactions to his compliments and to his kiss had told him that the conventional approach wouldnt work with her. They had too much history between them for him to make the same kind of advances he would make with another woman the kind of advances hed made last night, which had obviously been a mistake. Nothing but honesty would work. Not that he hadnt been honest when hed told her she was beautiful. Not that the kiss hadnt been an honest expression of how he felt. But to get to the rest of it he had to figure it all out for himself first. Marty came back out of the ladies room. Shes in the lounge reading a book. A book? Whered she get a book? I dont know. Anyway, she doesnt appear to be coming out any time soon. Burke should have been angry, but he wasnt. He felt a little sad instead, and frustrated. But he knew it was time to back off. If you see her again, could you tell her I went back to the cabin? Sure. Marty reached up and slipped a hand behind his neck, then pulled his head down. Burke wasnt sure what to expect, but he didnt fight her. She placed a soft, friendly kiss on his cheek. Good luck, she said. Regans a good woman. A good woman, he thought later as he jerked a T-shirt over his head. Hed known she was a good kidhad always known that even when hed been chasing her down in bars or holding her hair while she threw up beside his squad car. But a good woman that was something new. But there was no denying it. Regan had grown up. And Burke, who had for years wished she would straighten up so he could stay out of her life, now wanted back in it in a big way. But was it the right way? He sat down at his desk and gave his laptop a long, brow-knitted look, thinking he could get some work done. There wasnt much he could do right now, though, not until they had more evidence. He decided instead to go for a run. That way he could think. The evening breeze smelled like the ocean. He paused on the porch to stretch, closing his eyes and thinking of the sound of gulls and the splash of the waves against

the dock, against the sides of a moored boat, of the movement of the deck beneath his feet. He missed his own bed, the gentle rocking that put him to sleep at night, the sound of the ocean and the smell of it. He thought Regan would understand that. Alicia certainly hadnt. He didnt think of Alicia oftennot anymoreand when he did he was never quite sure what to make of it. It had seemed a good thing at the timea fiance of old La Jolla money, her father active in local politics, all possibly contributing in the long run to a lucrative career path for Burke. But the case that had thrown them together had quickly torn them apart. It hadnt just been the case, though. Burke knew that now, and, if he was honest with himself, hed known it then. He started his run, jogging out onto the trails under the silvery moonlight and the added brightness of streetlights set along the path. They were too bright, Burke thought, and the atmosphere would have been nicer without them. Not as safe, though, the cop in him conceded, and he jogged from pool to pool of too-bright light. On the other hand, not too many muggers out here. His hamstrings felt too tight even after the stretching session, and his shins hurt a little. He eased up his pace. He was worn and torn, he thought, walking on the edge of old. Regan was young. Fresh. Nowhere near a mid-life crisis. Regan was also very much Regan. Burke pressed his forearm against his forehead as he ran, feeling the sweat beginning to accumulate. He thought about Alicia again but somehow not so much about Alicia as about Regan. There had always been some hesitation in his relationship with Alicia. As if he stood right on the brink but could never quite take that final step. Hed bought her a ring but theyd never set a date. Theyd talked about married life but never discussed the details. Something had held them apart even before the case had blown up in his face. Occasionally, Burke had wondered what that something had been. Usually it was when he had begun that tangled process of beginning a relationship with another woman, and found himself again unable to take those last few steps that would put him on the path of commitment. Burkes breathing had settled into a steady, even pattern. He slowed down a little. His hamstrings had finally loosened up. He took longer strides, feeling his hip joints work. It felt good, as if someone had oiled the stiffness out of him. He turned a corner that would take him on a long loop back to the cabin. There had been one night, he thought, ages ago, when for a moment hed thought he d understood things about himself, about where his life would take him. But he had pushed that moment away, its implications too difficult, too disturbing. Regan had been thirteen. Teetering on the edge of womanhood and teetering alone. She needed her mother, Burke had thought. Someone to explain to her why the hormones raging through her system had her crying one minute and howling with laughter the next. She needed to understand that, any day now, she would take that last step into puberty. Then, in a few weeks, she could laugh it all off as PMS. Burke hadnt come by this knowledge automatically, of course. Seeing Paul at his

wits end with his Jekyll-and-Hyde sister, Burke had gone to the library and checked out a few books with hideously embarrassing titles like, Whats Happening to my Body? For Girls, and How You Become a Woman. Hed read them behind closed doors, then had gone on with his life, visiting the ORourkes, pretending he didnt now hold this heavy, secret knowledge and waiting for the opportunity to use that knowledge for good. The opportunity had come during a fairly routine dinner visit that had suddenly turned ugly. It had taken only a brief, careless comment from Paul, something about Regan maybe wanting to borrow some pimple cream to take care of that thing on her nose. Shed stormed out, nearly screaming with anger, shooting tears. Burke gave Paul an arched look, then pushed away from the table and followed her into the back yard. She was sitting on a patio chair, face in her hands, sobbing. The wrenching sound of it made Burke wonder if he should have followed, if perhaps he should turn around and go back inside, leaving her alone with her tears, the moonlight, and a few shreds of pubescent dignity. In the end, he didnt leave. He pulled up another chair and sat down next to her. He laid a hand on her shuddering shouldera big hand, he noticed, brown-skinned from the sun and cloddish against her smallness. Its hard to believe this now, he said gently, but it will be all right. Oh, Burke, she sobbed, lifting her face so he could see the thick sheen of tears that covered it. You are such a freaking idiot. And then shed leaned toward him and buried her face in his chest to sob. Words came out here and there but nothing he could make sense of. Something about Paul. Something about her skin being too small. Something about her mother. Finally shed cried herself out and simply hung there, her face against his broad chest. Burke had pushed her hair back, tilted her face up to look at her. He wanted to see in her eyes that she was all right. What he saw was something else entirely. The moonlight lined her face and showed him something strangea womans face, yet still Regans face. It was the woman she would become in a few years, exposed by the light of a full, turgid moon. Burke knew that woman. In a strange, heart-piercing flash, he recognized her. Not just because she was Regan, but because of something else, something moving beneath the surface that needed time to grow and blossom and become. Wait, it had said to him. Wait for me. And ever since then, whether hed been aware of it or not, hed been waiting. Now the waiting was over. It was up to him to reach out to that something which was Regan grown, Regan desirable, Regan the source of this ache which had devoured his body and now set to work on his soul. In a way it seemed wrong, but he knew it was right. Had known that strange night eleven years ago, but had pushed it aside because she was just a kid, and how could he possibly have feelings of any non-platonic sort for a kid? But what he had felt hadnt been wrong, or perverted, or even sexual. It had just been there. It had been fate. He stopped by the cabin door. The lights were onRegan had come back. Burke stood for a moment on the step, feeling and smelling the sea-scented breeze. Then he opened the door and went inside.

She must have walked in the door just ahead of him; she still held her little purse and turned it in her hands as she smiled weakly up at him. So where did you run off to? Her voice was mild, holding no accusation, but edged with embarrassment, as if she were admitting shed deserved his abandonment. I went for a jog, Burke said. He returned her smile as best he could, knowing his effort to be shaky at best. Regans gaze slid away from his. She turned to lay her purse down on the bedside table. The light shimmered along the lace of her dress. Again Burke wondered how much of what he saw was lace and netting, how much bare flesh. His memory flashed a picture of what shed looked like naked and easy on the beach. His hands ached to touch her. He could feel her heat on his fingers, the memory of penetration. She looked back up at him. Im sorry about before. It was I mean, it just It was stupid, thats all. Rude. Just stupid. Its all right, he said. He opened his arms. Truce? She nodded, sheepish, and walked into his arms. Burke shifted, pulled her a little closer and then stopped. Regans head lay against his chest and she was very still. Then her arms came around him, her hands slipping under his T-shirt to touch his skin. Her hands were small and hot, like soft flame licking his skin. It was Burkes turn to be still, absorbing the feel of her palms on his back. Her small form began to tremble in his arms, like a captured bird. Burke reached up, cupping his hand at the back of her neck and gathering her thick, red hair into his fist. Then he pulled down, gently, turning her face up to his. Her expression was soft and open, inviting. As he looked down at her she closed her eyes and her lips parted. Burke needed no further encouragement. The first kiss had been spontaneous, a spur-of-the moment test to see how she would react. Her response had been much as hed expectedwilling, then unsure. There was no way for this not to be confusing. But Burke had never felt so strongly for a woman. Now Regans mouth moved softly against his as he began his tentative exploration. Her hands moved up his back, tracing the muscles on either side of his spine, her fingers finding the spaces between his ribs. No womans touch had ever set him so on fire. This was a mistake. He couldnt stop with just the kiss. Not with her so obviously willing. He picked her up and carried her to the bed where hed spent the last two nights aching for her. She writhed under him and he found the hem of her lace dress, yanked it up. Something tore, the lace too fragile to survive his lustful urgency. She was naked under the lace, and she opened all her hot, wet secrets to him as he lowered himself over her. He kissed her hard, drawing in the heat of her mouth while his fingers found the heat of her sex. She tasted of alcohol and woman. A soft sound rose from her throat as her tongue met his, dancing, caressing Alcohol. How much had she had to drink? He hadnt kept track, and he hadnt seen what she might have had after hed left. She hadnt seemed drunk, but she might have had enough to cloud her judgment, or her responses. She pressed closer to him, into his kiss. Carefully, he drew away from her.

She looked up at him, eyes clouded with passion, only gradually dissipating in surprise. What? she said. Are you sure? The surprise in her eyes changed to understanding. Behind it was sadness, and before she looked away Burke thought he saw a flash of anger. She writhed under him again, this time getting away, pulling the torn lace of her dress back into place. Pushing out from under him, off the bed, she took a few steps across the room. I dont know, she said after a moment. She turned back toward him, her face under control again. I dont know, Burke. I just dont know whats going on here. She took a step toward him, then back, then stepped to him again, touching his chest. I dont know what Im feeling. I dont understand why things have changed. Again she moved away, several steps this time, and folded her arms over her breasts. This is too fast. Burke shook his head, though he understood what she meant. Ive known you since you were born. Not like this. She stood looking at him, her face unable to hide the anguish of her confusion. Finally he lifted his hand, helpless, unsure what to say. Look, he finally said. Ill go take a shower. You have a couple of cups of coffee, clear your head, then when Im done, well talk. Talk? Just talk. He headed for the bathroom. What do you mean clear my head? Regan said as he moved by her. You tasted a little tipsy. He shrugged, smiled a little. Ill be done in a half hour or so. He closed the door gently behind him. Regan stood staring at it for a moment, then stepped out of her heels. She wiggled out of the tight lace dress and put the ring back in her navel. Then she looked at herself in the mirror by the bed, at her red hair and porcelain skin, at the tattoo curving above her right breast. It had never occurred to her to wonder what Burke might think of the ring, or the tattoo. Paul hated them, she knew. But they made her feel powerful, deeply rooted in her own femininity and her own self. Was it too much to hope that Burke might be able to accept her for exactly what she was? She went back to her bed and pulled on her nightgown. She would have preferred to wear nothing but now it seemed awkward. Never before had she felt so strange in her own skin. Her body seemed to know what it wanted, and had no qualms about reaching for it, with or without her permission. She needed to tame it, cover it, so she could control it. In the kitchenette, she brewed coffee. Much as she hated to admit it, Burkes advice had been good. She wasnt drunk, but shed had a little more to drink than shed allowed herself recently. It was another issue of control. Shed lost control a few too many times in her hoyden days, drinking herself silly, getting herself into trouble. Burke had always been there to pick up the pieces.

Now control had become imperative. Paul had taken too much of it awaynow she grabbed it with both hands whenever the opportunity arose. Which meant moderation with alcohol. Which meant no fucking men she had no business fucking. But Burke, as usual, had steered her down the right path. What other man would have backed away, based only on the possibility she might be fogged by alcohol? Especially once hed gotten her half-undressed, gotten his fingers inside her. But hed backed away, and not because hed wanted to. She supposed she should have been grateful, but instead it made her angry. He was controlling her again, making sure she didnt get into trouble. Well, maybe she wanted to get into trouble. Maybe she wanted be screwed senseless by this man who up until a few days ago had been the last man she would have picked as a potential lover. Maybe she just wanted a test ride. What could it hurt? She poured coffee and drank it black. It was decent coffeeand it had better be, Regan thought, for the price shed shelled out for this room. The caffeine hit her hard, making her dizzy. So much for clearing her head. She went to the couch and sat down. Tired, confused, muddled, and not in much of a coffee mood, she closed her eyes. A moment later the bathroom door opened. She looked up to see Burke, hair wet, moving quietly toward the bed. Awfully short shower, Regan thought, then her eyes found the clock. A half-hour had passed. She must have fallen asleep, but it hadnt felt like that. It had felt like shed just closed her eyes, then time had folded and Burke had walked into the room. Youre done, she said, her voice rough. Im sorry, I didnt mean to wake you up. I didnt think I was asleep. He smiled a little. He looked tired. Do you feel any better? I dont know. Maybe. I think I need to sleep. Then sleep. No. You said wed talk. He looked as if he wanted to argue, but in the end he didnt. He came to the couch and sat next to her. Youre right. I did. Regan looked away from him, suddenly unsure what to say. I think She forced her eyes back to his face. I think this is an artificial situation. Weve been thrown together into close quarters and sometimes things just get weird when that happens. Burke nodded slowly. So you want to cool it? If she hadnt been looking, Regan might have missed the disappointment in his eyes. Yeah. She stood up, crossing the small room in four strides. Whatevers going on, I dont think we should pursue it. She turned back toward him, twisting her hands together, desperately trying to think of something else to say before she told Burke all she really wanted was to take him to bed. I really do need some sleep. Ill uh Ill see you in the morning. Yeah. In the morning.

Chapter Five
She was right, of course, but that didnt help Burke sleep any better. He couldnt stop thinking about the way shed felt under him, the way shed tasted. He dreamed about her, dancing in that lace dress, writhing under him half-out of it. He woke as soon as the room began to lighten and watched the growing sunlight touch her face. She lay with her hands curled against her cheek, her mouth pouting. The blankets had hitched down below her breasts, and the flimsy nightgown did little to disguise their curves, or the dark circles of areolae, the softly pebbled nipples. She was right. Theyd been thrown together into close quarters, and weird things were happening. He should have left right at the beginning, not let himself mistake Paul for his conscience. His only choice now was to wrap up the case as quickly as possible, go home, and let things go back to what they had been before. Trouble was, he would never be able to look at her the same way again. Hed gotten a good run last night, but it seemed prudent to head out again, to jog his body into some form of submission. So he slipped out of the cabin, leaving her asleep. He was looser this morning after last nights workout, not tight and sore as hed expected. Maybe he wasnt as old as hed thought. The trail was different in the daylight, bright and warm, a breeze cooling him even as exertion brought out a gleam of sweat on his skin. Vacationers were out here and there, some on the trail, some lounging on their porches. He hadnt realized the path hed taken last night went past Warrens cabin. It almost didnt register this morning, until he saw Marty lean over the rail and wave to him. He waved back, then realized shed changed her hello wave to a beckoning one. Burke raised his eyebrows questioningly, slowing his pace. Marty nodded and waved him over again. He veered off the path and joined Marty on the porch. She was frighteningly chipper for the hour, wearing bright flowered shorts and a crop top along with her bright smile. Good morning, Burke said, standing at the base of the porch steps. Hi, said Marty. Come on up. Warren headed out for an early volleyball game. I think that slutty little barely-pubescent tart from last night invited him. She rattled off the accusation in a remarkably perky voice. Hes a pig. Did I tell you that? Burke smiled, admiring her fortitude as well as her humor. Stripper or no, she was a nice woman. Yeah, I think you mentioned it. So did Regan, as a matter of fact. He glanced over his shoulder, almost afraid the mention of her name would invoke her. He had some doubt about what her reaction to this meeting might be. Marty gave a wry smile. Well, I might deserve to get stuck with a pig, but Regan certainly doesnt. She pushed the door open and waved for Burke to follow her. We might as well take advantage of the moment, she said. If theres anything here that can

help you out, this is the perfect time to see about hunting it up. Inside all was quiet. No sign of Warren, except for a collection of his dirty clothes strewn across one of the beds. Sorry about the mess. Burke stepped past her, automatically scanning the room for Warrens computer. But, although the investigative track ran foremost in his mind, other things were moving through, as well. Now, why would you think you deserve to get stuck with a pig? Particularly a pig like Warren? He turned to face Marty, brows raised. Warmth had filled her blue eyes, but it was laced with regret, and maybe a little pain. Burke frowned, wondering what exactly was going on here, and if hed stepped into something he should have made more effort to avoid. But Marty only closed the door behind her and leaned against it, hands behind her back, probably folded around the doorknob. I was married once, she said quietly. I didnt let it put any limits on me, if you know what I mean. So I suppose its only fair that I fall into the same trap I set for all those men, way back when. It cant have been that long ago, Burke said. He sat down at the desk, opening Warrens laptop and turning it on. Marty laughed, the sound like drops of crystal. Burke looked over his shoulder at her, surprised at the girlish openness in her face. Bless you, she said. But I daresay Im nearly as old as you are. Burke grinned. Well, Im not ready to cash in my chips, so Id say youre probably still in pretty good shape. I should hope so. She came to stand behind him, leaning over his shoulder to look at the computer monitor. The computer had finished booting, and Burke was looking through the directories, trying to find anything that looked incriminating. Her smell drifted over him as she joined hima floral perfume that would have been easy to overdo. She hadnt, though. Burke let himself draw the odor in, finding himself wondering what kind of perfume would smell good on Regan. Something spicy, he thought, with a bite to it. He shook his head. In another time, another situation, he might have pursued the vague electricity he felt between himself and Marty. But he was old enough to realize it was purely physical, and that it wouldnt last. Regan, on the other hand He shook his head again to dispel that thought. It was still too strange, too new, to think of Regan in those terms. Plus hed promised her hed leave it alone. He couldnt set it aside for very long, though. What flowed between them was just too thick to ignore. Find anything? Burke jerked himself back to the present, surprised to see that his hand had kept the mouse moving, apparently on automatic, searching the directories. The one hed just tried to open was asking for a password.

This looks suspicious, he said. Now if I only knew the password. Marty picked up a book from the deskNet-Surfing for Bozos. She opened it and withdrew a yellow sticky note from inside. Try this, she said. Its his Internet password, I think. Burke gave her a look. He keeps it written down? Hes not just a pighe has an ego so big its indistinguishable from stupidity. Lets hope hes dumb enough to use the same password on everything. He typed the password in. Don Juan. I see what you mean by the ego. To no ones particular surprise, the directory opened, displaying an array of files which Burke was certain Warren had no business possessing. He picked up a disk from the desk, popped it in and started copying. Hes even dumber than we thought, he told Marty, who laughed. He couldnt be much dumber than I thought, she said. Not at this point Burke turned to look at her while the computer saw to its copying. Why did you come here with him, if you dislike him so much? Marty shrugged. I had my suspicions about him, and its been my experience that a place like this is a good test of a man. If he sticks by you, hes all right. If his eyes go a-roving, then youre better off elsewhere. Burke nodded. The disk was full. He switched disks and started another copy process. And his eyes have definitely been a-roving. If his eyes roved any further, I dont think hed be able to get them back. She sighed. I was afraid of that, but I had my hopes. Im sorry, said Burke, and he truly was. Like Regan, Marty deserved much better than Warren. Marty shrugged. Oh, well. Apparently Ill have my revenge. The twinkle in her eyes was mostly mischievous, but there was enough malice in it to make Burke certain he never wanted to cross this womans path the wrong way. In that way, she was very much like Regan. Yours havent, though, Marty went on. What? Burke frowned, not certain what she meant. Your eyes. They havent roved. Burke cocked an eyebrow. Roved from who? From whom, Marty corrected, with an utterly charming smile. From Regan, of course. I dont Regans not He stopped, not certain what hed intended to say, even less certain it would have been the truth. Sure shes not. She chucked him in the shoulder in a gesture entirely friendly and not at all seductive. Dont worry. Youll figure it out soon enough. Burkes mouth set in a tight line and he switched disks again, directing the computer to copy the last of the files. Ive known Regan forever. Its never been like that. Shes grown up. Feelings change. She paused, looking at him. Burke looked back and found her gaze to be far more evaluatingand potentially perceptivethan he was

at all comfortable with. Why are you holding back? I dont know. He popped the disk out, closed up the directories and shut down the computer. I dont really want to talk about it. Her hand closed on his shoulder, warm, comforting, and still not at all seductive. It wasnt what hed expected of her. Shed seemed like the man-eater type, who would take whatever she saw if she liked it, regardless of what attachments might already exist. But in the last few minutes shed offered a more genuine, uncomplicated friendship than Burke had encountered in a long time. Dont think yourself out of something good, she said gently. There are times when thinkings not the greatest idea, and this is one of them. Burke pushed himself to his feet and stepped toward the door. This from the woman whose boyfriends eyes are a-roving. It was mean, he knew, but she was making him uncomfortable. Honest offers of friendship often did that to him. She only smiled. I never said I practiced what I preached. But I can see whats happening between you two, and I think youd be a fool to turn your back on it. Burke grabbed the doorknob, twisting it harder than necessary. Its complicated. The best relationships always are. She stepped past him out the door. He followed, and as they stood on the porch, she put her hand on one of his cheeks, then rose on her toes to kiss the other. Best of luck, she said. I hope you nail Warrens ass to the wall. Burke smiled, realizing he would be wise to loosen up. She meant well, after all, and shed been a great help. Thanks, he said. Ill try not to ask anything more of you, but this will help us out a lot. He waved the disks. Maybe well see you at dinner. I hope so. He touched her hand and stepped off the porch, then turned away, wondering if Regan would be waiting for him.

*****
Well, this was just perfect. Just frigging perfect. Regan had awakened and stepped out onto the porch to test the morning air, wondering where Burke might have gotten off to. Standing in the bright morning in nothing but her nightgown, she glanced down the row of cabins to see Burke stepping away from the porch of the cabin where Warren and his little stripper friend had been fornicating. Trust a man to be totally unable to see past the boobs, fake or not. Her jaw began to ache and she realized her teeth were clenched. Carefully, she loosened them, but the knot that had grown in her chest wouldnt follow suit. It was full of unreasoned fury, and green as it could be. She couldnt stop to see the illogic of it. Burke wasnt hers, so why would she be jealous? Burke resumed his morning jog, heading toward the shorter loop of the trail, and Miss Bliss stepped back into her cabin, closing the door behind her. Regans teeth clenched again. Without pausing to think about it, she stalked up the sidewalk to Blisss front door. She banged on the door far harder than necessary. Fist stinging, she waited. Bliss

opened the door. Regan shoved past it, stopping just short of pushing Bliss back into the room. Couldnt stand it, could you? Regan snarled. Bliss took a step back, safely out of range if Regan decided to swing at her, which Regan was seriously considering. Regan, Id suggest you calm down, or Im going to have to call security. Blisss calm, even voice managed to get through to Regan, who took a deep breath and closed her eyes a moment. Go ahead, she said. Then they can throw me out and youll have him all to yourself. Bliss shook her head. Im sorry, Regan, but you seem to have things greatly misconstrued. Regan stared at her. What the hell was a stripper doing using a word like misconstrued? Wasnt one of my leftovers enough for you? You took Warren and now you have to try for Burke, too? Anger flashed in Blisss eyes, and Regan knew shed pushed the right button. But she wasnt sure Bliss deserved it. Youd already dumped Warren when I ran across him, and, as far as I can tell, you and Burke are hardly an item. So maybe Ive picked up one of your leftoversand believe me, I regret itbut as far as Burke goes, maybe Im just smart enough to see what youre too stubborn and blind to figure out. Regan had never wanted to hit someone so much in her whole life, and she wasnt entirely certain how she managed not to do it. But her hands curled back into fists at her sides, and she struggled to speak past the lump of rage in her throat. You stay away from him. For a moment the anger and energy crackled between them like lightning. Then, to Regans befuddlement, Bliss laughed. Thats what I thought. She reached out to Regan, cupping her shoulder in an almost motherly gesture. You and Burke, youre both fighting it so hard its going to kill you if youre not careful. Regans rage fell away, replaced by a confused helplessness. She knew what Bliss meant, but she wouldnt acknowledge it. She couldnt. I dont know what youre talking about. Yes, you do. Bliss stepped away, toward the kitchenette. Would you like something to drink? No, I dont think so. Regan paused. But thank you. Bliss tossed her a smile, then opened the refrigerator, withdrawing a cardboard quart of orange juice. You know, if I thought I had any chance at all, I wouldnt hesitate to pursue your Burke. Hes exactly the kind of man every woman would like to find wrapped up in her quilts every morning. I dont know why youre fighting it so hard. Fighting what? Regan almost said, but she knew. And she wasnt entirely sure why she was, either. Except that Burke was Burke, had always been Burke and would always be Burke. She couldnt think of him as a lover, though her heart could feel it. Im sorry, she said, the words off her tongue before she realized shed meant to

speak them. I shouldnt have come barging in here like this. You were rightI misconstrued. Bliss smiled as she swigged straight from the orange juice container. Dont worry about it. Regan managed a small smile. Thanks for, um, not calling security. Bliss grinned. Next time Ill call them before you come in the door. Sheepish, Regan headed back to her cabin. Burke would be back by now, she was certain. She started down the sidewalk. What would he say? Would he admit to having seen Bliss or not? Regan wasnt sure what she would do or say either way. The emotions that had taken her over were tumultuous and strange, and they hurt. She stopped in front of the cabin door, took a deep breath, and opened it. Burke was straddling a chair at the desk, the computer humming as it booted. He looked up as she came in. Regan, youre back, he said. Great. Come here and look at this and see if you can tell me what it is. Regan came to stand behind him, leaning over his shoulder to look at the laptop. It s code for TeleStar, she said, her stomach going cold and empty. Where did you get it? He glanced over his shoulder at her, and Regan held her breath. Our new cohort in crime, he said. Marty let me into her cabin and I copied the files off Warrens computer. He laughed, but there was little amusement in it. He really screwed up when he pissed her off, let me tell you. Slowly, Regan let her breath out. He hadnt lied to her. For no reason she understood, except that she suddenly needed to touch him, she laid a hand on his shoulder. He stilled as she touched him, then his shoulder moved a little under her fingers. At least now we have something to go on, he said, his voice quieter than it had been before. Not enough, Regan answered. Her own voice felt thick. We need to know who he s passing it to, and when. Yeah. Burke paged through the code. Regan wondered what he was looking for, if anythingshe knew he couldnt read it. Finally he closed off the file. Well, were not going to find it here. Lets go grab some breakfast.

*****
Although theyd found proof of Warrens crime, and it looked like Regans initially impulsive, mostly unfounded suspicions were leading to a real case, Regan couldnt be happy about it. Instead she was unsettled enough she couldnt finish her breakfast. Disturbed enough to bow out of a volleyball game she should have enjoyed. So she went for a walk while Burke, apparently undisturbed, wowed the other volleyballers with his wicked serve. The feelings Burke had stirred up in Regan had confused her enoughnow she found herself facing a similar mish-mash about Warren. She was angry about what he

had done to her, no question of that, but now that shed found a route to revenge, she wasnt sure she could follow through. Never mind hed asked for it, that hed actually broken several laws and endangered the livelihoods of everyone who worked at or held any stake in Markham Telecomm. What would happen to him now wouldnt just embarrass or humiliate him. It would literally destroy his life. It was a good thing, she supposed, that shed called Burke in and let him stay. He could do what needed to be done without the hindrance of emotional involvement. It was hard to admit it, but Regan, working alone, probably would have backed off. Emotional impetuousness could only carry her so far. The same held true, she thought, with Burke. Impetuousness, acting on the basis of a physical response, could only take her so far. She had to put a stop to it before it got too complicated. But there was still that small part of her that wondered what it would be like to carry their relationship farther. That wondered what it would feel like to take him inside her. To ride him until he begged for mercy. That did more than wonderthat wanted to find out She was trapped in the thought, feeling heat build under her skin, when a hand caught her shoulder. She jumped sideways so abruptly she ended up hopping off the side of the sidewalk. Oh, my goodness! Marty came to a stop just behind Regan on the sidewalk. Regan regained her composure with some difficulty. I didnt mean to startle you, Marty went on. Though, as absorbed as you looked, I guess I should have been more careful. Its okay, Regan said, summoning a sheepish smile. Youre right. I was in outer space. Martys answering smile was friendly. She took a step closer and spoke in an undertone. Did the information Burke got this morning help you any at all? Yes. Yes, very much. Regan lowered her voice to match Martys. Its related to a highly restricted project. Now if we could just figure out who hes passing it off to and when I might be able to help you with that. Marty edged closer, laying a hand on Regan s arm. I heard him on the phone earlier today, talking about meeting someone after dinner. He hasnt said anything to me about it, so I have to assume I wasnt meant to hear. After dinner? Weve been going to the late seating, so it would be eleven-thirty at the earliest, probably closer to midnight. She grinned. Maybe you should stake out our cabin. Regan grinned back. Actually, that sounds like a really good idea. Marty patted her shoulder. Go for it. I think I will, said Regan, and went on her way.

Chapter Six

Regan was standing watch at the window when, at eleven twenty-five, the lights flipped on in Warren and Martys cabin. Its showtime, she announced. Burke looked up from where he had been preparing his cameras. He had a camcorder as well as a thirty-five millimeter camera with a telephoto lens, both equipped with night vision attachments. Are you ready? Regan asked. Absolutely. He stood, sliding the camera strap over his shoulder. Lets go. A thrum of excitement began under Regans breastbone as she grabbed the camcorder and tailed Burke to the door. Burke, too, was taut and intense. The humming tension had begun when Regan had relayed the information shed gotten from Marty. Burke had immediately energized, and the effect had spread quickly to Regan. They were onto something real here, and apparently it had fired up Burkes investigative engines. Regan had never seen him lit like this. In spite of her own misgivings, she was enjoying it. It was sexy. Add the sway of his hips in those tight jeans, and the resolutions shed made earlier seemed hasty and ill-considered. Her sex had gone hot and damp, remembering the invasion of his long fingers. It was hard to ignore, but she pushed it back. She had to think about business right now. They slipped silently across the small lawns, down the sidewalk, then took quick refuge in the bushes under the cabin window. Burke levered himself up on the outside sill while Regan made herself small next to the bush. Whats going on? she asked after a moment. Burke hesitated, then cleared his throat and lowered himself to the ground. Well whenever the handoff is, I dont think itll be any time soon. Regan peered at his face and was surprised to see embarrassment there, discernable even through the darkness. He averted his eyes. Its hard to tell exactly whats going on through the curtains, but Im seeing an awful lot of bare flesh. Regans own face went hot, not so much from the thought of Marty and Warren cavorting, but from other images that sprang into her mind, involving Burke stripped and sweating. This is weird, she muttered. Maybe we should go. She shifted, but Burkes hand on her arm stopped her. She told you to stake the place out, right? Well, yes. Then she knows were here. Besides, I cant see much through the window, and its not like Im going to hang on the sill or anything. Well just wait until Warren leaves, then follow him. He was right, of course. Feeling sheepish and out of her depth, she muttered, This is just weird. Burke gave her a look she couldnt interpret. I know what you mean. Ive done stake-outs like this a million times, usually with the express purpose of catching people

naked together, but its never been anyone I knew. He settled down next to her behind the bushes. Out of the edges of his eyes, he again gave her that odd look. I guess its even weirder for you, since you ? Regan gave him a dark look. Since I what? Since I slept with him? Well, I didnt, but its still weird. Burke was silent for a moment. Something in him seemed to ease. Im glad. I just I couldnt imagine you with him. I mean, I could, but, frankly, it made me sick. If its any consolation, that thought makes me sick, too. Actually, imagining you with anybody makes me sick. Even with you? The words almost fell off her lips, but at the last moment she took refuge in offense. Burke, Im twenty-six. Burke rubbed his upper lip, still not looking at her. What did you see in him, anyway? Regan shrugged, not wanting to dredge up the memories. Hes smart and attractive. Hes charming on the surface, until you meet Mr. Ego. He likes to spend money on his girlfriends, which can be flatteringand funand he never asked for a commitment. At the time, it seemed like what I wanted. Finally, she looked at him. He, too, had turned, so that their gazes locked as she shifted. Even in the darkness she could see the strange intensity in his expression. She could not, however, interpret it. It was dark but threaded with heat, and made a molten trail down her back and belly. She felt a need to say something just to change the mood. You were engaged once, werent you? She wasnt sure where that had come from, except that as long as they were airing all her dirty laundry they might as well air some of his, too. Burke nodded. Yeah. That was a while ago. She was one of those high-class La Jolla bitches, wasnt she? Burke quirked an eyebrow. Well, I wouldnt put it quite that way He stopped, then grinned. Then again, maybe I would. Regan had to echo the smileit was one of those that created a feeling of instant connection. The melting feeling returned, but it was more comfortable, like something that had been sitting under her skin for a long time. Alicia, Burke said. Her name was Alicia. She waswell-familied. Like I said. A high-class bitch. So what did you see in her? Her father was going to make me chief of police. Regan thought about that for a moment, and realized she knew Burke well enough to know he never could have followed that path and been happy. Not what you wanted. Her quiet voice held too much warmth as she realized she probably knew more about him than Alicia ever had. It made her feel good, but she didn t want to feel good. Not about this. No. Not at all. I mean, there were other things, but in the end we just weren t right. Regan looked up at the window behind them. The lights were still on, but had been dimmed. So what happened?

His hesitation surprised her. Regan tried to interpret the currents while she waited. A case happened, he said finally. A friend of hers was murderedwell, not really a friend, I guess, but somebody she knew. You might have heard about it. She was the daughter of somebody on the mayors staff. Regan nodded. I remember. It had been a nasty case, as she recalled. The girl had gotten into drugs and ended up paying for it with her life. Regan had been nineteen at the time, and she remembered thinking, There but for the grace of Godand Burke. I didnt know you were involved in that case. Burke nodded, his eyes distant. Alicias father made sure I was. It was a high-profile casea perfect stepping stone for me to walk on my way to a higher office. He shook his head. It seemed like that was the only thing that mattered. A beautiful woman was dead and the only thing they seemed to see was how I could work the situation to my benefit. Then when we found out who did it Thats right. It was that guy, whats-his-face, that you and Paul used to hang out with. Yeah. He was fine in high school, but then he got into dealing. Id tried to arrest him before, but Id never been able to get enough evidence. I never dreamed hed kill anybody, though. He paused, glanced back up toward the window, then back down at his hands, folded in his lap. Anyway, it all fell apart after that. A twinge of ache clenched on Regans heart at the distance in his eyes. Did they blame you? No, no, nothing like that. It was just The way they reacted to the murder, and then my connection to the killer. And we didnt love each other. If we had, it wouldnt have made so much of a difference. So we broke it off. Regan nodded. Its strange, she said, her voice so quiet she wasnt completely sure she spoke at all. Ive never heard this story before, but you know everything there is to know about me. She looked up at him through the darkness, trying to see what lay in his eyes. I have no secrets from you. He lifted his hand and touched her, his fingers slipping behind her earlobe, down the line of her jaw. The soft intimacy made her shiver. All women have secrets. His fingers paused at the point of her chin, lifting it. Her eyes fell to his mouth, watching the movement there as he smiled. She wanted to kiss him, deep and hot, to taste the shapes and textures of his mouth. She lifted herself, moving her lips toward his The cabin door opened. Burke jerked around, fading back into the bushes as he readied his camera. Warren closed the door carefully behind him, touched something inside his shirt pocket, then headed down the sidewalk, away from them. Cmon, Burke whispered. Lets go. They gave chase. Burke was surprisingly silent for a man his size. He must have learned to be furtive in P.I. school. Regan followed as quietly as she could, her inability to concentrate canceling out the advantage of her lighter stature. It was too hard to watch where she was stepping with Burke half-hunched over in front of her, those jeans hugging the taut curve of his buttocks. She tucked both hands under her arms to keep them still. They felt like they had a

life of their own, as if they might reach out and fondle Burke if she didnt keep them under control. Warren took a long, circuitous route. After a few minutes, Regan wasnt even sure where they were anymore. All was strangely silent, then Regan remembered the pool party scheduled for tonight. Everyone was probably either there or in bed asleep. It wasnt until Warren stopped that Regan regained her bearings. The roundabout route had taken them to the entry gates of the resort. Warren stopped and looked at his watch. This could be it, Burke whispered, readying his camera. He steered Regan into a stand of bushes near the fence. Start taping. She remembered then that she had the camcorder. She hefted it, adjusting the night vision attachment. Burke took up a position behind her, shooting still shots over her shoulder. Lifting the camera to her face, Regan began to record. The night vision attachment made everything dark and green and strangely highlighted, like swimming through her own hormones. Behind her, Burke leaned against her shoulder to steady his shots. Regan closed her eyes, but it didnt shut out Burkes scent. It flowed all over her, filling her throat, her head, denim and soft man-musk. The smell was like an entity in itself, a sexual jinn that could take over her mind if she let it. She opened her eyes again to see a security guard approaching Warren. He looked vaguely familiarRegan must have seen him on duty before. Busted, she muttered. This wasnt going to be their lucky surveillance night, after all. Give me the camcorder. Burkes sharp whisper didnt register right away, mostly because his order didnt make sense to her. Then he reached around her and took the camcorder. Give me the camcorder and turn around. She let go and turned around. Burke set the camcorder on the ground, then shifted so his camera lay on her shoulder. One arm closed around her and drew her close. He ducked his head quickly to line up the shot, then straightened a little and laid his forehead against hers, clicking off still shots all the while. From where Warren stood, it would look like they were having an intimate discussion, or making out. Regans hands folded together against Burkes broad chest. She couldnt stand to be this close to him; her body wanted to melt into his. She could barely think. Whats going on? she managed. The handoff, he said. His voice was little more than breath stirring across her face. Warrens giving this guy the disk. Regan held very still. She felt her heart speed up in her chest, heard it pounding in her ears, and wasnt sure if it was because theyd finally been successful, or because Burkes arm had tightened across her back, drawing her into his firm warmth. Theyre talking Burkes voice continued, murmuring. Warren looks nervous. Hes looking this way Suddenly Burke tipped the camera down so it would be hidden by Regans shoulder and bent his head. His mouth took hers, hard and fast, demanding.

Regans brain emptied completely. Suddenly she had no idea where she was, what she was doing, or why it was important not to crush the lump of metal between them. All she knew was the heat of Burkes mouth, the movement of his tongue against hers. The pounding of her heart rose to a frantic patter. Then suddenly he drew away, his lips a moment from hers. Theyre gone. What? Who was gone? What the hell was he talking about and why the hell didnt he just keep kissing her? Theyre gone, he said again. His breath came too fast, making his whisper ragged. I think we we got I think And then he stopped trying to talk at all, fastening his mouth again to Regans, devouring her. The camera slid down between them as he dragged her closer. Regans hands moved up under the edge of his shirt, molding to the heat of his skin. Damn. Shed known theyd go and do that if she let them. Her entire spine was on the verge of turning to hot wax when he jerked his mouth away and took a step back. One hand still held the camera against her while the other jumped away from her waist, then settled back against it, as if the attraction were too strong to resist. We cant do this, he rasped. He bent to pick up the camcorder. Not here. Yes, we can, Regan answered. Burke had stepped back, but not so far that she couldnt touch him, and his skin burned hot under her fingers. She grasped his arm, her fingers pressing hard into his bicep. Her own desire had sent up musky threads between them, and she could feel his in the hot, rapid breaths coming out of him to brush against her face. We most certainly can. Roughly, she yanked him back to her, looped her arm behind his neck and dragged his face down until she could grab his mouth with hers. She had firm hold on the initiative now, and firm hold on his cock with her other hand. It strained hard against his jeans, a hard line tilting just to the left of his zipper. She drew her hand over its length. As her fingers measured and teased, her desire came to sudden, intense life, the flame shooting from between her labia straight back to her cervix, until the whole, widening channel of her vagina had turned hot and liquid, contracting on the void where that big, solid cock should be right now, immediately, as soon as possible. But he made a sudden sound and jerked back, just as her tongue had found a perfect angle against his, just as she had thoroughly absorbed the taste of him into her mouth. Not here, he said. Not like this. Why not? Her fingers squeezed tighter on his erection. You know you want it. Fuck me. Right here. He pushed her back, his eyes gone hard. The last thing I want to do is fuck you, Regan. She tilted her head toward him, seductive. I seem to see a great deal of evidence to the contrary. You want me. You want that gorgeous cock right hard up inside my cunt He grabbed her face in his hand, stopping her. Dont talk to me like that. Angry now, she jerked free. Why? You think Im too young?

I think youre trying to make this cheap. So you dont have to think about it too much. That hurt. She didnt know why. It made her feel like hed stuck a needle into her, penetrated her skin with it, and come out with something he had no right to have. Fuck you, Burke. I thought you wanted me to fuck you. What the hell was he playing at? They could be naked on the grass by now, scratching and howling. It would have been a lot better than this. This felt like therapy or something. She sneered. Not if you dont want to. Do you even know what I want to do to you right now? I could guess. I dont think you have half a clue. Then maybe you ought to just show me. Or maybe you dont have the balls. His mouth tightened. Suddenly he bent, pushed his shoulder into her midsection, and picked her up, still balancing the cameras in his other hand. Then he turned, holding her tight against his shoulder, and headed back to the cabin. Okay, this was interesting. A little Neanderthal, but still interesting. He had his hand on her ass to balance her and the contact had brought back what little of the fire had faded while theyd been distracted by argument. At the cabin, he let go of her long enough to open the door and kick it closed, then walked to the bed and bent, dropping her off onto the mattress. After a moment to set the cameras down, he crawled into the bed on top of her. He was almost scary now. Shed always known how big he washed loomed over her more than once to emphasize a pointbut being pinned under all six feet four inches of him made her far too aware of her own smallness. His big hands pulled at her clothes, jerking her shirt off her. Following his lead, she worked at the button of his jeans. Then he stopped. He pushed up away from her, propping himself on one hand while the other trailed gently up her belly. He touched the catch on the front of her bra, then popped it open. Then, instead of suckling her, or even touching her, he just looked. His gaze drifted over the curves of her breasts and the look in his eyes made her throat ache. Finally, he drew his hand over one breast, cupping it so the nipple stood up firm against the middle of his palm. He looked into her eyes then, while his hand moved gently in a circle and her nipple drew that circle on his palm. These are beautiful, he said. You are beautiful. Then he lifted his hand to cup her face, and bent to kiss her, and the kiss was so achingly tender that tears sprang to her eyes. After a time he drew back and studied her face again. You getting it now? She nodded. His thumb brushed across her lips. You want me to fuck you, maybe Ill do that later. But right now youre going to be made love to. You have any objections to that? She did. Many, many objections. Because she really, really didnt want him to open her up and play with her deepest feelings the way she knew he would. But something here moved her even more deeply than the primal urge that wanted him inside her so

badly she could scream. Something shed kept buried so long she could barely feel it anymore. She felt it now, and it dared her to let him inside. Not just inside her body. Inside her heart, where no man had ever been. Defiant, she stared right back into his moss-colored eyes. No. No objections. He smiled a little. Good. And he kissed her again, his mouth making music against her own. Shed never been kissed like this before, as if there were nothing else in the world as important as his lips against hers, as the soft tangle of tongues and the movement and gentle rhythm that he made. She didnt want gentle. Gentle was confusing. She pushed harder up against his mouth, and he broke away. No, he said. Burke No. If you cant handle this, then we stop now. She swallowed, staring up into his determined face. Could she handle this? No man had ever touched her like this. Like he really meant it. Like sex was more than just a quick collision of mutual lust. If she let him do this to her, it was going to mean something. She wasnt entirely sure she wanted that. She was, however, entirely sure she wanted him, so she nodded. Youre sure? Yes. It was just sex. Nothing new. She told herself that firmly as he bent back into the kiss, then let his mouth leave her mouth and wander down her throat, her chest, onto her breasts. His tongue twirled against her nipples, pulling them erect, then he let his mouth draw one in, suckling hard. She whimpered; it hurt but at the same time it felt so damn good. He eased off a little, one hand trailing down her side, over her ribs, down to her flanks and across the soft jut of her hipbone until his fingers brushed her curls. The tickle of his touch against her hair made her cry out again. She was so close already, and hed hardly gotten started. Was he just that good, or was it something else? Something far more primal and frightening than pure physical attraction? Right now she had no desire to answer that question. She wanted only to fall into the huge, light-filled abyss he was creating for her. He shifted his mouth to the other breast, gave it the same attention hed given the first. She was writhing under him by now, barely able to contain the intensity of sensation. Shed always been a talker during sex, throwing out lewd instructions in blunt, harsh language. But with Burke she couldnt even make a coherent syllable. It was all throaty moans and incoherent mewling that seemed to be wrenched from somewhere behind her heart. When his fingers slid inside her she almost wept. Two, then three, long and wide and blunt, stretching her and dragging against her sensitive inner tissues. The tips curled up, pressing hard against the top of her vagina, finding the hypersensitive spot there and working it. It had taken her longer than that to find it herself the first time. How had he known? Other men had fumbled looking for it; others had never found it at all.

It didnt matter, though, because now he worked it hard, driving almost unbearably intense sensation through her. She clutched at his shoulders with both hands, riding his fingers, riding the flame. The heat filled her, poured into her cuntand suddenly it didnt seem such a blunt or awful word anymore; it was an open word with an open vowel, ready to be filled and being filled even as she keened and strained against Burkes hard body, as he worked her along the knife-edge of need and sensation, almost too much, almost hard enough to fall into pain but not quite and then it was washing up and over her, sweeping her away like a riptide and she howled as it tore her under and drowned her. His mouth found hers and consumed her desperate voice. She had never come so hard or so high before. It wouldnt stop. The pulsing just went on and on, pounding until she thought she would die with it. Then he pushed her thighs farther apart with his own, and before she could even think about it he was inside her. He was big. It was to be expected, given the size of the rest of him, but the actual penetration shocked her at first. She hissed out a breath and he slowed, not quite all the way inside, then drew back out and slid in again, a little farther this time. Its okay, she managed, surprised she could form words at all. The intense orgasm had readied her for thisher body wept readiness, slick and wet and hungry. He came all the way inside and she felt the head of his cock strike her cervix, a little too hard. Her cuntopen, filled upfelt thick with him. He began to move and she could do little but cling to him, working her hips to match his rhythm. His cock had stretched and opened her more than shed ever been opened before, making vulnerability where before there had been none, because he filled her so deeply and completely. Her arms slid under his, clutching his back as he rode her. His rhythm quickened, his breath quickened and turned harsh in his throat, but when she looked up she found his eyes not closed but ready to lock to hers. It was too much. She didnt want this. But she couldnt look away, and her gaze remained snared deep in his own as he pumped into her, harder and harder, as she clutched hard at his body with her thighs, as he finally let out a deep, trembling, half-moan of a sigh and came, hard and deep inside her. It seemed to go on for minutes, an hour, then suddenly her body clutched up on him again, her vagina seizing his cock, and she, too, clenched and pounded into an orgasm that caught her completely by surprise. He smiled a little, watching her come, then lowered himself against her and kissed her forehead. Youre so beautiful, he said, and pressed his forehead to hers. He closed his eyes and drew a long breath. Regan slipped her hands down his back and suddenly the surety and the rightness of it scared her to death. Yet still her body accepted him, her arms clinging to his strong warmth. His cock softened and slid out of her, leaving an almost painful feeling of emptiness. She forced herself to let him go, to push at his shoulders. Youre squashing me. Mmmm. Sorry. His voice hummed with satisfaction. He rolled off her to lie beside her, then turned and drew her against him so her back spooned into his front. Okay, she thought, the fear thrumming inside her. This wasnt too bad. It seemed

safer if she wasnt looking at his face. He shifted a little, pulling her closer. She fit against him, curve to curve, as if theyd been poured into a single mold. It felt good, if only she could keep herself from thinking about it. Regan, he said after a time. His voice had changed a little, becoming cautious. What about He trailed off, his hands moving on her again to trace her curves. What? she said, wondering what he was worried about. Burkes hand slid down her side, pausing on the crest of her hip. Protection, Regan. We didnt even think about protection. Oh, so that was all. Regan smiled relief that he hadnt said something else. Like something that might have forced her to acknowledge the emotion that had made this simply the best sex shed ever had. Forget about it, Burke. Ive been on the Pill since forever. My cycles have always been wonky. And I know you give blood. She closed her eyes and snuggled back into his warmth. If theres anyone in the world it would be safe to have a mindless fling with, its you. His body tightened behind her and Regan opened her eyes. It had hurt her, too, to denigrate what had just happened, but it had to be done. Is that all this is to you? Burke said finally. His voice held no emotion. A mindless fling? Regan turned over to face him. She was so soft inside, hot and lethargic with satiation. She wished she could tell him. Thats all it can be, Burke. She reached up and stroked his stubble-rough face. Im sorry. He turned his face against her hand, kissing her palm. The brush of his lips against her skin made her want to take back what shed said and give herself to him, unequivocally, forever. His voice brought her back to herself. Im sorry, too.

Chapter Seven
Burke woke early. Morning had barely begun to seep in through the windows, filling the small cabin with a murky half-light. He swung out of bed and looked across the room at Regan. Hed hoped to wake up with her still cradled in his arms, but hed had to banish her from his bed at two a.m. when she, innocently asleep, had shoved him out of bed. Something about landing on the carpet on his face had destroyed the romance of early morning cuddling. Hed picked her up and carried her across the room, tucked her in and kissed her, and shed never stirred. The thought brought a soft smile to his face. He still couldnt believe what had happened. That theyd actually made love. Then the smile faded as he remembered her reaction. Just a fling, shed said. Well, Burke had his own opinion on that.

He grabbed a robe from the bathroom, then went out to the porch where he could watch the rest of the morning arrive. He didnt want a fling, he decided. He couldnt make love to her and then act like it hadnt happened. What would Paul think? That Burke had taken advantage of his sister and then run Burke kicked the porch rail. What the hell difference did it make what Paul thought? This had nothing to do with Paul. It did, however, have everything to do with the fact that, after a lifetime, he had fallen in love with Regan ORourke. What the hell? Where had that come from? In love with her? Sure, he loved her. Hed always loved her on some level. He just all it was it was just a change in He kicked the porch rail harder. He had no idea what it was. And he had a feeling Regan wasnt going to make it any easier to figure out. He went back in the house to pull on a pair of shorts, wrote Regan a quick note, and headed out for a jog.

*****
By the time he got back, hed been thinking about the investigation long enough to distract his mind, and had exercised enough to distract his body. Regan wasnt in bed, and he heard the shower running. He picked up his laptop and went back out to the porch. The investigation would be his saving grace. Hed let it take over his mind, fill himself up with facts and pictures and investigative protocol. And if Regan wanted a fling, that was what she would get. He was kidding himself if he thought that would work. Still, he did have work to do. Hed leave the resort today to get the pictures developed, then hed scan a couple into the computer so he could send them out via e-mail to his contacts. Maybe hed get lucky and someone would be able to identify the handoff man. In the meantime, hed send out some inquiries to see what he could find out about Warrens financial status and various other tidbits that might make the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. He was absorbed in his work when a hand slid over his shoulder and every thought in his head ran out through his ears. Working? Regans voice slid in to fill the space his thoughts had left. She stepped around him and sat down next to him on the step. She had pulled on her flighty little robe, but it did little to disguise the fact that she wore nothing beneath it. Yeah. He looked down and realized his fingers had kept typing without direction from his brain. Fortunately, theyd typed things that made sense. Im just sending off some e-mail to see if I can get any leads. He finished a message and dropped it into a folder to send later. Im driving into town to get the film developed. Want to come with? Regan shrugged. Sure. Ill buy you breakfast. That didnt sit right at all. My treat, Burke corrected as he logged off. And, um maybe we can talk. About what? Burke looked at her. The robe had slipped down on one side, baring one creamy

shoulder and the top of one breast. Her tattoo looked funny this morning, like a blemish rather than a part of her skin. Odd. It hadnt looked like that last night. Not that he should be thinking about last night. About how to dress when you expect to be out in public. He turned off the computer. Get your fanny inside and put on some clothes. She grinned and jumped up. Yes, sir. Then she sidestepped him and dropped the robe on the porch, skipping naked into the cabin. Burke shook his head. No wonder he loved her. She was impossible. He picked up the robe and followed her in. She sat on the bed, pulling on a pair of socks. Of all things to put on first when you were buck naked, socks seemed about the silliest. Burke tossed her robe on the bed. She looked up at him and smiled, and something about the movement drew his attention again to the tattoo. He frowned. Then, on an impulse, or maybe a hunch, he reached out and rubbed the little dragon with his thumb. Red and black color came off onto his thumb, leaving the dragon wingless. Your tattoos coming off, he said, the frown of concentration changing into a grin which felt embarrassingly goofy. Regan glanced down, looking a bit sheepish. Oh, she said. I guess Id better put on a new one. She started toward the bathroom, but Burke caught her by the shoulder. The tattoo is fake? She shrugged herself free and turned toward him, squaring her shoulders. Burke couldnt tell if she was angry or about to laugh. Of course. Im not that stupid. Tattoos are permanent. And this isnt? He flipped the navel ring with a finger, then jerked back, wondering if hed hurt her. Apparently he hadnt. Not really. If I leave the ring out, the holell grow shut. But tattoosI mean, you have to use lasers to get them off. She gave a delicate little shudder. Plus I hear they really hurt. Burke shook his head slowly. And getting things pierced feels good? No, not really, but its only a couple of seconds. Tattoos take longer. She turned toward the bathroom, effectively dismissing him. So how does that one come off? he called after her. Baby oil, she hollered back, and slammed the bathroom door. Burke laughed. Then he sat down and laughed some more. He wondered if Paul knew. The thought of Paul sobered him a bit, and he decided that what Paul didnt know probably wouldnt hurt him.

*****
Regan put on a new tattoothis one a little bluer and maybe a shade crooked, she wasnt sureand they drove down the long winding coastal road, past Burkes marina to his regular photo developing shop. They dropped off the pictures, Burke making sure the canisters of film went directly into the hands of someone named Tony, then

went for a late breakfast at Burkes favorite diner. So this was Burkes world, Regan thought as she poked a piece of pancake into the yolk of her egg. Breakfast at whatever hour of the daythe waitress had actually asked him what meal he wantedsleeping in a boat, driving around after this and that or whatever. Only being able to trust one or two people to develop your film, because there was a chance something might be leaked, and leaking was bad. Why dont you have a digital camera? she asked suddenly, the thought having only just occurred to her. It would help with all your secrety private eye stuff if you didnt have to have film developed. Cant afford the night vision stuff and the telephoto lenses for one yet. Its on my list. He pointed at her plate with his fork. Hows the pancakes? Great, she said. Maybe a little greasy. Burke smiled. Typical. Be glad you didnt order the sausage. This isnt the greatest place for food, but theyll cook me breakfast at two in the afternoon if I ask nice. Regan studied his face, looking at the lines and the shape of his jaw. You should grow a mustache. He looked perplexed. What? I said you should grow a mustache. It would look good on you. Burke shook his head. Are you deliberately trying to change the subject? No. Theres just a lot of space between the bottom of your nose and your upper lip, and a mustache would balance it a little. Burke put on a soulful expression, then reached out and closed his hand over hers. If I grew a mustache, would you stay with me forever? Regan playfully slapped his hand away, but inside something twinged. Knock it off, Burke. Youre being a dork. He withdrew his hand and his smile faded. I dont want a fling, Regan. She felt her mouth tighten as her stomach knotted up. Im sorry, Burke. We both got out of control and I dont think we should read any more into it than that. Im not reading anything. Im just feeling I dont know what, for sure, but its not what I feel when I have a fling. Regan viciously stabbed her pancakes until they fell apart into nearly unidentifiable piles of syrupy mess. The sex was good, Burke. Take it or leave it. Regan I mean it, Burke. She pointed her fork at him. If you ever want it again, youll shut up. He shut up. And when he did, Regan wanted dreadfully to be inside his head. Because she wanted to know if hed shut up so he could get laid again, or if he really did want more than just a fling. Somehow she thought it would be very dangerous to find out. The pictures werent done when they stopped back after breakfast, so they went back to the marina. Burke escorted Regan into his boat. Little Squirrel, Regan said with a grin. Shed forgotten about the boats decidedly

un-masculine moniker. She remembered the story behind it, thoughthe boat had belonged to Burkes father. His mother had insisted he name the boat after her. Not wanting to christen the boat Marguerite, the elder Mr. Camden had used his wifes nickname, instead. Burke just smiled at Regans comment. Dadd haunt me if I changed it. Hed stopped by the post office on the way, and tossed the pile of bills and junk mail on the coffee table in the main saloon. It had been a long time since Regan had been here, and she had forgotten how much room there was in the place. The trimmings were a bit dark, primarily mahogany and brass, but light from the good-sized windows prevented gloom. Except for the linear configuration, it was much like a small apartment. Want something to drink? Burke asked, heading for the galley. Beer? Pop? Five-day-old coffee? Regan wrinkled her nose, flopping down on the sofa. No, thanks. I had enough sludgy coffee at the diner. Hey, I like that coffee. You would. She let her gaze rove the narrow room, wondering what it would be like to live here. Shed change the carpet, she thought, and there just might be room for a bigger TV. Maybe she could even learn to cook, just so she could putter around that little galley Regan shook her head. Why was she thinking like that? She herself had decided her fling with Burke wasnt going to lead anywhere. Certainly not to her puttering in his galley. Still, there was something comfortably domestic about lounging here on the couch while Burke sorted the mail. She could get used to this far too easily, she thought. She was comfortable with him, she liked him, and he was oh, so very good in bed. What more could a woman want? Maybe that was the problem. Not that she wanted anything from him, but that she wanted far too much. Damn! Burke exclaimed, shattering her thoughts. What? Regan wondered how serious it could behe was, after all, just looking at the mail. He glanced at her and she again felt that wave of comfortable domesticity. They raised my insurance rates again. I ought to just cancel the damn policy. Its not like I ever float this thing anywhere. The idea sparked something in Regan. Maybe you should, she said before she could stop herself. You could cruise to Maui or something. Itd be greatall alone in the open ocean She broke off at his look. What? His smiled warmed her, like filling her skin with sunlight. Youd like that? Theres a catch, she thought. Yeah, maybe. Then maybe Id do it. He folded the letter from the insurance company and slid it back into the envelope. Thatd be a heck of a fling, though. That was the catch. Quite an obvious one, too, and shed still walked right into it. She found herself lost for wordsan alien sensation. She opened her mouth and closed it, he grinned and she looked away, fuming. How long can those pictures possibly take? she muttered. What was that? She speared him with a look. I said Id like a beer.

He laughed and tossed her a bottle. It was warm, but she drank it anyway. She didnt ask for a tour, afraid she might get ideas if she saw Burkes bed. Burke finished sorting his mail, wrote checks for a few bills, checked his answering machine and made a few phone calls. Regan paced the main saloon, played solitaire, poked her nose around a few safe areas of the boat, all the time trying not to fantasize about being Burkes wife. There was a vague smell in the head, so she let that convince her she would never want to live on a boat. Therefore she couldnt pursue a relationship with Burke. Finally the photo shop called. Burke wound up what he was doing and they went to get the film. A tense silence reigned on the drive back to the Meadows as Regan looked through the photos, picking out the best of the batch to be scanned into the computer. You still dont recognize him? Burke asked. Regan shook her head, squinting at one of the pictures. No. He looks vaguely familiar, but really vaguely, if you know what I mean. Burke smiled a little. Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. He actually looks a little bit familiar to me, too, but after a while all the crooks start to look alike. Ill bet its somebody from Novotel, Regan said. Thereve been a couple of instances lately where theyve beaten us to the punch on some new technology applications. The suits were asking around, wondering what was going on. Why would Warren do something like that? Money. What else? I always wondered how he could afford his house, his car, his wife and his girlfriends on his salary. Burke nodded sagely. Then I guess this will be my first industrial espionage case. Kind of different from your usual caseload, isnt it? Burke shrugged. True. Usually its just messy divorces. Hardly in the same league as industrial espionage. Regan realized then she was trying to bait him. He cast her a sidelong look, as if coming to the same conclusion. Maybe not. But it pays okay. Regan considered apologizing, but gave him a crooked smile instead. He smiled back, showing teeth, the smile a bit feral. She had a sudden urge to touch him, but didn t. It was like wanting to stroke a tiger at the zoo. Beauty and danger, controlled wildness. He was all of that, and all of its opposite, but he was just Burke. She cleared her throat, trying to clear the confusion away with it. Looking back at the stack of pictures, she picked out one. This ones the best. Less than an hour later, she stood watching while Burke used a hand-held scanner to convert the image into a graphics file. It wasnt a great shoteven with the night vision attachment for the camera it had come out shadowed and grainybut Burke was able to enhance and lighten it a little on the computer. The face remained blurry, but with enough detail that someone might be able to identify it. Too bad we couldnt get a better picture, Regan said as Burke sent the image off via e-mail to a select few of his connections.

Yeah. But thisll have to do. Maybe we can dig up something on this end. Regan nodded. In the meantime, what do you say we go relax a little? Have some fun? I really should stay here and wait in case we get any information. No. Sorry. Wont work. Itll look too suspicious if we all of a sudden hang out in the cabin all day. I know this is a big place, but itd seem weird if we didnt cross paths with Warren at least once. All right. Youre right. Itll be a while before were likely to hear anything, anyway. He stood and stretched, then looked at her with that feral grin. Then again, if nobody sees us for a while, maybe theyll think we decided to spend the day in the cabin for a really good reason. As if the grin wasnt enough, he waggled his eyebrows. Regan felt herself flushing, but she fought it hard and set herself for battle. She wasn t going to let him charm and beguile her into going back on her resolutions. They were not going to have a relationship, and she wasnt going to continue with their fling until she was sure he understood that. And what reason would that be? Well, I dont know. But the idea I had involved nudity. We can go to the beach for that. Wont we get arrested? Regan was doing more than flushing now; she was melting. How could she keep her cool when he kept setting her alight without even touching her? As shy as you are about taking your pants off, I doubt youd do anything we could get arrested for. He reached toward her and ran a thumb down her cheek. You blush so pretty, Regan. Her face went so hot she was surprised he didnt jerk his hand back in pain. She twisted her face away and brushed past him, headed for the door. Well, you need to grow a mustache. Burke watched, smiling, as she stormed out of the cabin. Hed affected her, just as he d intended. At this rate all he had to do was sit back and wait, and shed come around all on her own. She might have said she just wanted a fling, but if what he read on her face was any indication, what was going on inside her headand hopefully her heart was entirely different. He waited a few minutes before following her. Thoughtfully, he rubbed at his upper lip. Maybe he would grow a mustache, at that.

Chapter Eight
Regan did go to the clothing optional beach, hoping Burkes hang-ups would keep him from following her. But when she got there she suddenly felt strange about taking off her clothes, and even stranger about the possibility Burke might show up and find her lounging naked in the sand. What difference did it make? Hed seen her more than unclothedhed seen her

naked in every sense of the word, her emotions right beneath her skin, lost in her own passion. Hed been inside her, for Gods sake. What possible difference would it make if he saw her nipples out in the sunlight? She left her bikini bottoms on and lay down on her stomach on her beach towel because she felt less vulnerable that way. She should have gone somewhere else, she thought, but still clung to the hope that Burke wouldnt follow. He did, though. She saw him coming, big and brown-gold in the light, and hid her face the crook of her elbow. She could barely see him in the corners of her vision, and her eyes moved involuntarily to maximize her view. Need help with your sunscreen? he said, and sat down right next to her on the sand. She said nothing, but he apparently needed no answer. He picked up the bottle and squeezed a glop of its contents onto her back. She felt the cold lotion land on her oversensitized skin like a rock. When his hands began to spread it over her she thought she was going to combust. Dont want you to burn, Burke said. Then get your hands off me, Regan muttered into her arm. To her mortification, Burke chuckled. He wasnt supposed to have heard her. His big hands kneaded her shoulders, then slid on a layer of lotion down to the small of her back. If all you want is a fling, he said, Im prepared to accept that. But dont expect me to ignore you the rest of the time were here. Its like giving somebody a forkful of chocolate cake and then expecting him to leave the rest untouched in the middle of the table. Great. Now Im chocolate cake. She felt his shrug through his hands as they shifted a little. If you just want a fling, thats the most appropriate comparison I can think of. If you want something more well, then well come up with more substantive metaphors. She started to turn over, remembering just in time that she was topless. Then she remembered it didnt matter, and turned over, anyway. His eyes held hers and for a moment she forgot what she was going to say as she saw all the possibilities there. Through sheer force of will, she dragged back her resolve. You understand why this cant continue once we leave here. No, I dont. Maybe you should explain it to me. Because itll go away on its own. When we leave, everything will fall back into place and this will just be over. It didnt even convince her. Burke smiledpatronizingly, Regan thought. It sounds good, I guess. But last night didnt feel all that casual to me. No, it hadnt. It had felt like something she could live with forever. But she couldnt say that, so she said nothing. Burke reached out and touched her cheek, his hand full of the coconutty smell of her sunscreen. Im going to leave, he said. I have some work to do. Ill be there when you come back. And from here on out, everything is up to you. Regans eyes narrowed. How dare he say exactly what she wanted to hear? She

couldnt even be sure he meant it. Burke had the nerve to smile at her annoyance. Get out of my life, she said, not sure she meant it. He laughed and stood, leaving her alone while she heaved a double handful of sand after him. Well, hed pissed her off, Burke thought later, but it was probably for the best. Regan angry was, after all, Regan at her very best. Hard to figure, though how being consummately sensitive could get him into so much trouble. Maybe it was because he was being calculatedly consummately sensitive. He booted up his computer. Hed checked his e-mail about an hour ago and found nothing, so hed gone for a jog, then come back to check again. He hadnt seen Regan. He considered sending Marty out to find her, if he could find Marty, but decided that might not be a good idea. He didnt think there was much love lost between the two of them. Thoughts of Regan faded as he scanned his current e-mail. More than one looked promising. Reading through them, he nodded as pieces fell together. Six different respondents had IDd the picture as one Anthony Peters, a highly positioned employee at Novotel. As far as Burke was concerned, six IDs were enough. Plus the initials, AP, matched the notes Regan had found in Warrens day planner. He sent out more queries that might bring more pieces together, then gave himself a mental pat on the back. He was good. No doubt about it. Now if he could just exercise the same level of finesse with his personal life, hed have it made. He thought about that as he pulled up a game of Freecell. Hed never felt this way about anyonecertainly not Regan. But now he suddenly felt as if he couldnt go on without knowing she would be with him. The game couldnt hold his attention. He lost two in a rowmore frustrating because supposedly every game of Freecell was winnable. He snorted his disgust, then turned the computer off and headed out into the sun. He wondered where Regan might be. He could check the beach again, but he had a feeling shed vacated, to avoid burning herself to a crisp if nothing else. That left a great deal of space to cover, and he didnt feel up to it. Shed come back to the cabin eventually. So he started down the sidewalk, heading for the small cluster of restaurants near the center of the resort. Hed planned to get a Coke, but instead found himself in the middle of a maelstrom. Warren and Marty sat at a table outside the coffee shop. Or at least Warren sat. Marty was half out of her chair, shouting, while Warren cowered under her verbal onslaught. Two other couples hunched over drinks at other tables, trying to watch without appearing to be watching, and looking like they really wanted to be elsewhere, but didn t want to miss anything. Burke paused near the edge of the brick patio, completely understanding the air of horrified fascination. But he stayed not because he wanted to see the sparks fly, but because he wanted to be there if Marty needed him. Ive had as much as I can take, Warren! she shouted at him, straightening as she leveled this last blow. Its bad enough youre cheating on your wifedo you really

have to cheat on your mistress, too? With that, she spun on her heel and stalked away, going past Burke without even seeing him. He reached toward her, but rageand the sparkle of unshed tearshad blinded her. Burke speared a look at Warren. He sat hunched in his chair, trying to finish his drink in nonchalance while every other eye in the place slid surreptitiously toward him. Well, his hell had just begun. Burke broke into a run to follow Marty. When he thought he might be in earshot, he called her name. Leave me alone! she shouted back, her voice thick and breaking. He caught up with her and managed to get hold of her shoulder. She came reluctantly to a halt. Marty, are you okay? She jerked herself free, face averted. Im fine. She sounded anything but. Just She stopped, then turned toward him. Burke swallowed at the twisted pain on her face. Ill be all right eventually. I just want to be alone, all right? He started to reach for her again, but stopped himself. All right. If you need me She nodded and managed a smile. Thanks, Burke. Thanks for caring. Burke watched her go, then looked down, surprised to discover his fists were clenched. He headed back toward the coffee shop. If Warren was there, he was going to shove both his fists and a couple of potted plants down the assholes throat. Warren wasnt there. Burke ordered his Coke with a good-sized slosh of rum in it. He was going to have Warrens hide. Not just for Regan, but for Marty, too. Because neither of them had deserved to be hurt, and Warren deserved to be hurt very, very badly.

*****
Regan spent the day wandering the resort, dropping in on a volleyball game here, a badminton match there, stopping for iced coffee and a snack, watching a particularly buff fellow vacationer jog the trails. Once she saw Burke, from a distance, and wondered what he was doing, if he was thinking about her. Then she forced herself to remember it didnt matter. Just before dinner, she returned to the cabin, finally feeling like she could talk to Burke without ripping his shirt off. Burke sat on the front porch, his laptop balanced across his thighs. Regan boldly stepped up and sat down next to him, expecting to see a card game on the monitor. Instead she saw columns of numbers and names. It looked like somebodys bank statement. What are you doing? she asked. Tracking down some information, Burke answered, as if he wasnt the least surprised that shed sat down next to him and let her thigh brush against his. Regan decided to ignore the contact. What kind of information? Bank records right now. Why? Just tracking the fortunes of our two main suspects. Regans breath caught a bit in anticipation. And who is our second suspect?

Anthony Peters. He works at Novotel! Regan struck her fist into the opposite hand. I knew it! She wiggled next to him, settling more comfortably on the step. Burkes hand paused over the keyboard. So what exactly are you doing? Regan asked. Looking for unusually large deposits or withdrawals. His voice sounded tight. And did you find any? Several, actually. He loosened up as he warmed to his subject. They coincide nicely, too. Peters withdraws, Cassidy deposits. But there are other things, too. He frowned, paging through records, and seemed suddenly to forget Regan was there at all. Irked, Regan nudged him. What kinds of things? Burke looked up at her as if hed forgotten she was there. Well, Warren seems to have lost a lot of money in the stock market, starting about two years ago. Peters, on the other hand, seems to have made a great deal, and Warren has recouped most of his losses in the past few months. Im going to request some additional information to see if I can confirm my suspicions. He fell silent again. Regan nudged him harder this time. Which are? Again, Burke looked surprised hed been poked. Oh, insider trading mostly. Considering what I think might be going on, I think I can get the records easily enough. Insider trading. Regans stomach roiled. This was worse than shed ever imagined. This could land Warren in jail. Her mouth hardened. If Warren was breaking the law, then Warren had asked to end up in jail. But she didnt think shed ever be quite comfortable with that. She touched Burkes knee, disconcerted again. I, uh, Im going to go wash up so we can have dinner. Burke looked up at her with a question in his eyes, and for a moment Regan was certain he was going to ask it. Then he just said, Okay, and turned his attention back to the computer. Which, frankly, was just as well.

*****
Marty, rather conspicuously Warrenless, joined them at dinner. I hope you dont mind, she said in response to Regans less-than-enthusiastic greeting. No, Regan said, looking at Burke. Burke was looking at Marty with older-brother-like sympathy. On second glance, Marty looked like shed been through the wringertired, and with a red puffiness under her eyes. Regan felt a surge of sympathy. Not holier-than-thou pity-sympathy, but genuine woman-to-woman commiseration. No, I dont mind. I thought you would have left by now, Burke said, looking over his food. I considered it. But when I cooled off and went back to the cabin, Warren told me it was all a big misunderstanding, and he really wanted me to stay. She smiled bitterly. I didnt believe him, of course, but I figured if I stuck around I could charge another really big lobster and a bottle of champagne or two to his bill.

Burke laughed. Regan did, tooshe couldnt help it. Warren had really cooked his own rear, getting tangled up with Regan, then Marty. Regan surprised herself by wishing they could have teamed up earlier. They could have driven Warren to depths of insanity heretofore only imagined. Youre an evil woman, Burke said appreciatively. So where is he now? I have no idea. After he decided Id been placated, he left. He told me it was to give me time to think and be alone, but I think he went to meet up with his new girlfriend. Regan shook her head, partly in commiseration, partly in amusement. His new girlfriend? Marty nodded. I think he thought I was going to be a little dumber. I mean, come on, he thought I was going to believe all that sensitive Ill give you time alone to sort things out crap? She waved it off with a sigh and a gesture that couldnt quite achieve nonchalance. I cant really do anything but feel sorry for him. Lord knows I cant waste time feeling sorry for myself. She brushed the hair back from her face, gathering herself, and suddenly Regan realized she was beautiful. Really, truly beautiful. And all Regans dislike and mistrust melted away. In another flash, she realized she actually liked Marty. Now, that was an interesting turn of events. Hes a little, little man, Marty said. His self-esteem is all tied up in his wallet, and he just doesnt have the cash to support his own ego. Theres really nothing he can do but self-destruct. He already has, Regan said quietly. The comment earned her a sharp look from Burke. He probably didnt want her to reveal too much about what theyd learned so far. That made sense to Regan, so when Marty lifted an eyebrow, Regan just gave her a sympathetic smile. Marty turned to Burke. So you think this investigation is going to pay off? Burke nodded. Yeah, I think its going to pay off quite nicely. Good. Now let me order that lobster. Later, as they walked back to the cabin, Regan asked Burke, Do you think shell be okay? Yeah, I think she will. He took her hand, squeezing it gently. The gesture was friendly more than romantic, yet it sent shivers of warmth down her body. His big hand engulfed and protected hers. Not even Regan, who had made herself an expert at denial, could deny the strength of the emotion. He let go of her to open the cabin door, and Regan suddenly felt cold and bare, alone. Its not real, she reminded herself. Its not real. Once you leave here, hell be just plain Burke again. But she wasnt certain she believed it.

*****
Burke threw himself into his work that evening, mostly to keep his mind off Regan. She sat in her narrow twin bed, reading a book and twirling strands of red hair around one finger. She looked sad. Her natural expression in repose, he had to remind himself

more than once. Because if he forgot that, he could let himself believe she felt alone, or that she was caught in longing, and in a few minutes she would get up off the bed, come up behind him and slide her hands inside his shirt. Or down his pants. She wouldnt, though, he thought, or if she did it would be because she wanted their little fling to last a few more days, not because she wanted it to turn into something permanent. He could understand her hesitanceuntil now their relationship had contained not even a hint of what had happened here, and he was certain the artificiality of the atmosphere had more than a little to do with it. But Burke found himself less and less able to ignore the strength of it. He tried to imagine going home and returning to his life as it had been, and he couldnt do it. He couldnt imagine going on without any further contact with Regan. It scared him, so he could understand that Regan would find it disturbing, as well. And he didnt even want to think about what Pauls reaction might be. It didnt matter, though. There was no way he would ignore it, no way he could be persuaded just to let it go. It had already filled him up too much. He sneaked a glance at her. As he looked up, she looked down, with a flash of green eyes, burying her gaze back in her book. Burke looked back at his computer and smiled. If that look was any indication, hope of her turnaround wasnt completely misplaced. Thered been some warmth in it, and certainly yearning. And the fact he hadnt been meant to see it made it that much more revealing. Finished, he shut down the computer. Then he got up, stretched, and walked into the bathroom, taking his shirt off on the way. Im going to take a shower, he said. Regans head jerked up as he walked by her, and he noticed with amusement her struggle to keep her eyes on his face. Feel free to join me. Her eyes shot back to her book. Burke smiled and went on his way. He doubted she would take him up on his offer, but he left the bathroom door unlocked just in case. Regan read the same sentence six times. The only word she could remember was the. There were a couple of them. All the other words had something to do with Burke naked in the shower. When he turned the water on, she slammed the book shuta bit hard to do convincingly with a paperbackand banged her head against the wall behind her a couple of times. That didnt help. She heard the slight changes in the sound of the falling water as he moved under it, and pictured him lathering up, his hands moving over his own rough hair, over his chest and belly, his thighs There was no point denying it. Whatever had grown between them wasnt going to be satisfied with one or two encounters. Her body wanted his. No emotion involved, her heart would stay untouched, and when they left here she could go on about her life. Ignoring the little voice in the back of her head that kept saying all that was a load of crap, she dropped her sweatpants on the floor, tossed her T-shirt over her head, and stepped into the bathroom. The steam enveloped her immediately, clinging to her skin. Behind the semi-opaque plastic shower door, Burke stilled. Through the steam that had collected on the door, she saw him turn his head. Regan pushed open the door, then stepped out of her panties

and into the steam-filled shower. Burke turned toward her with a smile. The smugness in it made Regan uncomfortable. He was far too pleased with himself. You came, he said, his voice betraying nothing. Not yet. He only laughed, and took her into his arms. The heat and the steam filled Regans head, making her loose and languid as Burke s hands shaped her body, moving slickly over her skin on a cushion of water. It didnt matter that there would be nothing else to itthat it would be over in a matter of days. All that mattered was that she wanted Burke, and she wanted him now. Her hands slid down his broad back, cupped his buttocks and pulled him to her until his thick, heavy cock settled against her stomach. She rotated against him, stroking him with her belly, the water making his skin move slick and easy against hers. It felt good, the stiff prodding of his cock making circles against her soft belly. It must have felt good to him, as well, because after a time he closed his eyes and made a low, male sound of satisfaction deep in his throat. The water pounded around them. She reached up, pulled his head down and kissed him. The hot water from the shower rained over them, pouring over his face, into her mouth as she sought after his mouth, pressed it open. She kissed him hard and he tasted like rain. His hands slid down her wet body, cupped her buttocks and lifted her until she was off her feet. She lifted her legs, wrapped them around his waist. Her tongue tangled languidly with his for a few more seconds, then she let his mouth go and tipped her head forward to whisper in his ear. How about now? Will you fuck me now? He smiled a little. Is that what you want? She wriggled against him. His hard cock was trapped between them, her movement rolling it against her stomach. Thats exactly what I want, she said, amused at the glazed look that had come into his eyes. No teasing, no twaddling, no foreplay, just take me out of here, set me on the sink and fuck me hard. It sounds so romantic when you put it that way. Im not after romance. He sobered. I know. Maybe thats the problem. Her head shot forward and she caught his lip between her teeth, nipping just a little too hard. Dont start, Burke. Ow, he said, then wrapped one arm hard around her while he reached past her with the other hand to turn the shower off. There. That was better, she thought as he pushed the sliding shower door open and carried her out. He set her down on the counter next to the sink and kissed her hard, his hands lifting her legs until her knees pressed up under his arms. She tilted her hips against him so that his cock slid deeper into her ready folds and suddenly he just grabbed her, moved her, and plunged hard inside her. Yes, this was it. Just a good, quick, mindless fuck on the bathroom counter. None of that lovemaking bullshit hed oh so gently coaxed out of her last time. This was the way

it was supposed to be. A good hard pound, his dick good and hard and deep inside her. Crude, animal. Brutal in its way. But then she made the mistake of opening her eyes, and found his looking down straight into hers, searching for something he could only find by looking deeper than she ever wanted him to look. And suddenly she couldnt close her eyes, couldnt drag herself away from this far too personal invasion. It opened her up too much, she couldn t stretch her soul around it. The brute, physical penetration she could handle, her body could accept it, but this Dont, he said. His eyes locked to hers, he came up hard inside her, until she almost hurt with it. It was good pain, though, pain that set her body alight with need and desire and the trembling edges of the ride to orgasm. Dont what? she almost said, but there was no point. She knew. Dont look away, dont deny this, dont press it down so hard and deep that you cant feel it, so that it becomes just another piece of armor between your heart and what you know damn well is happening here. Just dont. His hips shifted back, the long, hot bulk of his cock dragging at her as he slid partially out. He bent and let his lips brush her forehead, so soft, like rose petals, like whispers, like love. Then he dug his fingers into her hips, hard enough to leave bruises, and slammed himself home into the slick sheath of her body. His eyes went dark as he let himself go. God, he said, and as many times as shed heard a man invoke a deity during orgasm, shed never heard it sound so much like a prayer. This was scaring her. This was not the way it was supposed to be. She hadnt even climaxed yet, and she already felt wrung and satiated. Then, still pulsing the last remnants of his own release, Burke reached between them and touched her clit. It was all it took. Not a roll or a press or a tap, just that single, feather-light touch against the seeking, turgid pearl of her clit and she heard her own voice rush out of her throat in a startled shout as her body clenched, released, pulsed and threw her to the stars in glorious convulsions of beauty. Not fair, she thought, sagging against him, when she had finally regained some semblance of control. Not fucking fair. Or not-fair fucking. Whatever. And suddenly she found it hard to imagine what it would be like not to wake up in his bed, not to have him always within touching distance, and that scared her more than anything else. He nuzzled her neck, his breath warm against her skin. Was that what you wanted? She only hummed a little, a sound of wordless satisfaction, because an honest answer to that question was far more than she could handle right now. Not even close, her stubborn, cynical brain insisted, but another voice inside her wailed in aching, almost primal need, Yes. Yes, and always yes. She pushed her head against Burkes wet shoulder and forced herself not to think.

Chapter Nine
He was working when she woke; it seemed he was always working. For a moment she wished she could have awakened with him in her bed, curled warm and solid next to her, then she remembered she didnt want that, didnt want him that close and intimate. She watched for a time from the bed. He sat at the desk, wearing only his jeans, chest and feet bare, fingers flying across the keyboard, then tapping the side of a steaming coffee mug while he perused the monitor. What are you working on now? she asked finally. He glanced briefly over his shoulder. Just compiling this data for Markham Telecomm. Regan sat up, pushing her hand through her hair. As usual in the morning, it was hopelessly tangled. What data? She crossed the room to stand behind him, looking over his shoulder at the computer monitor. All the evidence against Warren. Ill turn it over to the bigwigs at Markham, then let them decide if they want to get the SEC involved. SEC? Securities Exchange Commission. Theyll be interested in seeing what Warren and his friend have been up to. Of course. Regan frowned, waiting for her brain to clear. Her hand fell to Burkes shoulder, fingers tapping absently. Abruptly she let go of him and went to the kitchenette, muttering, Coffee. She had set the coffee to perk when Burke rose from the desk and came to stand behind her. He laid his hands on her waist, smoothing her light white nightgown against her skin. Are you all right? She started to look at him, but at the last moment she realized she didnt want to. I dont know. I justI never imagined putting anyone in jail. Not even him. His hands tightened, comforting, but she didnt want to be touched. She stood still, not willing to move his hands away from her, wishing he would move them himself. Its all right, babe, he said gently. Ill take care of it from here on out. This is my area of expertise, after all. Babe, she thought, and Ill take care of it. Her mouth tightened and she moved away from his hands, toward the bathroom. Im going to get dressed, she said. Keep an eye on the coffee, would you? Burke watched her go, warm from touching her. He understood how she felthe still felt it every time he worked a case. The power he held, to end or begin another man s life, or to close a chapter in the life of a victim. He didnt know if he deserved that powersuspected most times that he didntbut often he felt he wielded it with care and sometimes grace. But it took a lot of getting used to. Regan should never have had to face anything like this. She should have been sheltered from the pain and the heavy weight of the decision, of the results of the actions she had put into motion. She wasnt responding to it well, so he should spare her from it. It was his job and he

would do it. She came out of the bathroom after a few minutes, wearing jeans and a tight white T-shirt that bared her midriff. The navel ring glinted and Burke felt a sharp stab of desire at the sight of it. Regan went to the kitchen counter and poured a cup of coffee, drinking it black and hot, only wincing a little as she swallowed. She pushed a hand through her hair, easing the thick mass of red waves away from her face. Her mouth was full and sad, her finely shaped russet eyebrows drawn together minutely. Burke took a step toward her and she looked up, one brow rising, daring him to come closer. He stopped, puzzled. She was becoming increasingly harder to read. I understand all this bothers you, he said carefully. Its hard to deal with. But I dont want you to worry. You were right to bring me in on this, and Ill be sure it all gets wrapped up the right way. From here on out, you dont have to involve yourself at all if you dont want to. She looked at him, raising the other brow but otherwise betraying nothing at all in any movement of her face. After a moment she lifted her coffee cup to her lips and drained it. Then she set the cup back down on the counter. Im going for a walk.

*****
It had happened again. She should have known it would. All Burke had ever done was save her from herself. She should have known better than to involve him in the first place. Now it was too late to turn back. He was right about one thingshe needed him to close this case, because there was no way she could handle something this big by herself. It had to be done right, and it had to be done ruthlessly. She didnt hate Warren enough to carry it all through, and she didnt know how to separate herself from those feelings. Burke didnt have to worry about emotion. To him this was just a job. He could do it cleanly and coolly. But she had to get away. Burke had insinuated himself into more than just her life this time. Hed wormed his way into her heart. She couldnt think of him at all now without wanting to feel his hands on her, without wanting to see him arched above her, his face empty of all but passion, while he stroked the deepest parts of her, made himself part of her. Sex had never been that big a deal for Regan. Shed discovered it a little earlier than Paul would have liked, but later than many of her acquaintances. Shed found it interesting and occasionally enjoyable, but it had never really marked her. It had always been a weapon for her, a way to gain power when her life had been so closely controlled. She hadnt been promiscuous, but she hadnt been exactly chaste, either. And never, ever, had it involved anything more than her body. Until now. Shed always loved Burke, though most of the time she wouldnt have admitted it. But now she had a horrible feeling she was in love. Completely and irretrievably. She shifted position in the place shed claimed under a shade tree, drawing her knees up to her chin. Her eyes burned and a bit of the burning came free, rolling down her cheek. It surprised her. But if it hurt this much now, then now was the time to end it once and for all. In love

with Burke or not, she couldnt let him take over her life. Hed already taken over her case, to save her from the emotional turmoil and the difficulties of putting Warren behind bars. And hed taken over her heart, so that it was becoming increasingly difficult to imagine going back to her life as it had beena bit crazed but consistently Burke-less. She put both hands against her knees, palms toward her face, and buried her mouth against her own skin. For a moment she thought she felt a sob in her chest, but it slipped away. Shed been doing fairly well for herself, she thought. Shed become independent, separated herself from Paul enough to feel like her own person. She couldnt let Burke ruin that, and if she let this go any farther, that was exactly what would happen. He would take Pauls place in her life, and she would once again be ruled, controlled, regulated within an inch of propriety. This time the sob came, and she choked on it. She had to leave him. It was the right thing to dothe only thing to do. But she didnt have to do it today.

*****
Burke could tell Regan was unhappy at breakfast, but his sensitivity ended there. The source of her upset, or what he might be able to do to help, was anybodys guess. She brooded through the morning, and finally left to go for a walk, or so she said. Burke let her go and didnt ask what was wrong. If she needed time to herself, that was her own business. In the meantime, all his evidence was falling together nicely. Apparently Warren had sold proprietary information to Novotel, then bought Novotel stock, only to sell it when the value went up after Novotel scooped Markham Telecomm on the technological advances Warren had passed along. Sneaky, effective, and more than a little illegal. Amazing as it might seem, Regans investigative instincts had been right on the money. Regan returned in time to accompany Burke to lunch, and seemed happier. He smiled and put his arm around her waist as they walked to the dining hall. She was happy, and that made Burke feel good. He wanted her to be happy. He wanted to make her happy for the rest of her life. Most of all, he wanted her to realize that what they had together meant much more than a summer fling. Maybe that was why she was smiling now; maybe she finally understood that. Burke was afraid to ask. After lunch they had a surprise guestMarty, looking tired. Is he going to hang? she asked as Burke pulled out a chair for her and fetched a glass of water. Not too many states hang anymore, Burke said, but I think were looking at a pretty substantial jail sentence. Martys eyes widened as she took the water glass from Burkes hand. I didnt realize it was that bad. I told you he was a pig, said Regan. The sympathy shed felt before for Marty apparently hadnt been a fluke. The poor woman had come here expecting some fun, and instead shed gotten caught up in all this. One could say she deserved it for the

company she kept, but Regan knew from experience that Warren, as company, was hard to judge correctly without long-term exposure. Im sorry, Regan said. Im sorry you had to go through all this. Marty drank her water with the grace of a woman sipping wine, set the glass down on the table just as delicately. Everybody makes mistakes. Im just glad I could help. And Im glad somebody got something positive out of it. She smiled and sipped again from her glass. If it hadnt been for Warrens little games, you two never would have gotten together. Regans face went hot and she tried very hard not to look at Burke. But she looked anyway. He was trying very hard not to look at her. But were not together, Regan wanted to say, but she couldnt make the words come. Marty winked at her, the weariness suddenly only a shadow. Regan swallowed and wondered, when she broke things off with Burke, how much of her would die. Hard to believe, Regan thought that evening as she packed, that today was already their last day. She felt disconnected as she folded clothes, laying them in piles in her suitcase. She forgot about her shoes, and had to push two pairs down between already-packed stacks of shirts. You could save some space if you moved things around a little, Burke said. The calm, matter-of-fact comment blew the fuse that had been smoldering all day. Oh, really? Regan wheeled on him, her voice low and angry. Well, then, why don t you just pack the damned thing yourself? She picked up the suitcase and dumped it against his wide chest, then stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Boy, that was stupid, she thought as she leaned over the sink trying to collect herself. But, stupid or not, she knew why it had happened. Because Burkes comments had underscored all the reasons Regan had for leaving him. Even with something as simple as packing a suitcase, he couldnt keep from sticking his nose in. Even with something as simple as packing a suitcase, she couldnt keep from going ballistic. It was hopeless. She could want it and want it, but that simple fact remained the same. She still had packing to do, but it could wait. She turned on the water and began to fill the tub. Perplexed, Burke stared at the bathroom door Regan had just slammed. What had he done? Hed only been trying to help. Shed always been mercurial, but this was taking it to a new extreme. He picked up the clothes that had fallen on the floor and put them back in the suitcase, shoes on the bottom, other items neatly folded and arranged to maximize the available packing room. That was all hed intended to do in the first place, just help her pack her things a little more efficiently. The water came on in the bathroom. She was filling the tub. Fine time to take a bath, he thought, then the image of her lounging naked, maybe with some of that bubble bath

provided by the resort, the bubbles clinging to her pale skin, the milky curves of her breasts He forced his attention back to the suitcases. He really did need to finish packing. After a time, the water stopped running. He heard soft splashing. His body wound up tight in response. He wanted her. This might be his last chance. If he could make her crazy with wanting him, nuts with needing him, maybe he could change her mind about the nature of their relationship. Maybe he could get her to realize this was meant to be, that for all those years, this intimacy had been waiting in the wings. He went to the bathroom door. As his hand closed on the doorknob, he suddenly realized she could have locked him out. If she had, this would be over before it began. But the knob turned, and the door opened to let out a drift of steam. Regan glared up at him from the tub. The piles of bubbles over the surface of the water barely camouflaged her nudity. What? she snapped. Youre beautiful, he said, and came toward her. She looked puzzled and angry for a moment, then her face softened. He liked it when she softened, when she let her barriers drop. She was so afraid of losing herself, he thought. So afraid to let go. He knelt next to the tub, half expecting her to heave soapy water at him. But she only sat staring at his throat. Staring, but with distant eyes, as if her thoughts were elsewhere. The rhythm of her breathing had changed, quickened, shallowed. A faint flush had risen in her cheeks, but perhaps that was from the hot water in the tub, rather than arousal. Her eyes came back, focusing on him, shifting their attention to his face. He smiled a little, then let his gaze rove her body, fixating on the places where water lapped flesh. The movement of the water exposed a tantalizing arc of pink on her breasts from time to time, but never quite as far down as her nipples. Im sorry, he said. He still wasnt sure what hed done, but he knew an apology was what she wanted to hear. You dont even know what youre apologizing for. A momentary flash in her eyes was replaced almost immediately by sadness. But Burke grinned. Youre right. I dont. But the last thing I want to do is make you mad. Im afraid you might hurt me. She rolled her eyes, but a little smile teased the edges of her mouth. I would, you know. He cupped her face in his hand. I know. Then his hand fell from her face down into the water, onto her thigh. The movement displaced the bubbles, giving him a glimpse of the bright curls brushing his fingers. Regans hand closed over his. I think there might be room for two. There really wasnt room for two, especially when one was six foot four, but Regan was immediately glad shed made the suggestion. He gave her a sly smile and began to unbutton his shirt. Her eyes went to the open V of his shirt, the soft blue cloth and the smatter of hair in

the hollow of his throat. And the slow exposure of more skin, more hair, of the curves of his pectorals as he eased open one wooden button after another. Although shed been naked in the tub throughout their exchange, only now did she begin to feel truly exposed. Only as he began to expose himself did she begin to feel vulnerable. She fought the urge to cover her breasts, reminding herself they were already mostly obscured by the bubbles. He pulled his shirt off, unfastened his jeans. She watched the movement of muscle under his skin, his slow, languid movement, his eyes on her, moving across her body, finding even what still lay hidden under the water. He was smiling, wickedly, seductively. Then, quickly, he shucked his pants, stepped out of them, and stood there a moment, letting her look. Look she did, taking in the wedge of his beautiful body, the wide shoulders and trim waist, everything in between. His cock, thick even at half-mast, twitched when she looked at it. He grinned and stepped into the tub. It became immediately apparent that there was no way they were both going to fit into the tub. She tucked her legs up as he tried to find a spot for himself, but her feet ended up under his ass, anyway. This is not going to work, she said, trying not to laugh, because laughing right now, tangled up naked with him, would be too intimate. But he reached across the tub and caught her under the arms, pulling her to him. He lay back, drawing her with him, until she lay across him, and suddenly there was room, as long as she was willing to accept the stretch of his naked flesh against hers as he settled her on top of him. Willing to accept it when he pulled her down to him and kissed her. Her back was cold now, having been pulled out of the warm water, and his mouth was hot, hot and needy and seeking, demanding things he had no right to ask. She should have stopped it right then, knowing she had to protect her heart, knowing she had to cut this off, and hard, if she was going to be able to function in any way close to normal after it was over. But she pressed harder into him, filling her mouth with his. This is not a fling. The annoying little voice buzzed in the back of her head until she wanted to swat it away. You want him too much for this to be a fling. You want to keep him. So what? Maybe she did want to keep him. Own him. And if it could have been that way, maybe that wouldnt have been so bad, but she knew Burke too well. He was not a man to be owned. He was a man to own and control. Hed always been there, lurking all around the edges of her life to be sure she stayed out of trouble. If she let him into the center of her life, it would be no different. No, it would be different. It would be worse. But she couldnt stop kissing him. It was like trying to quit halfway through a bag of M&Msan effort of will simply beyond her ability. He just tasted so good, all the textures and movements of his tongue, his lips, bringing desire to pool in her pelvis, stoking the fire shed tried so hard to resist. She moaned deep in her throat And he laughed. She jerked back, offended. What the fuck? Nothing. Not you. He shifted stiffly under her, grunting. Im bent in half. If we

stay in here much longer youre going to have to use a crowbar to get me out. That drew a smile out of her, part amused, part embarrassed. She leaned back. You want to take this into the bedroom? Only if youll let me. His eyes twinkled at her. In response, she pushed herself out of the tub and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her. She tilted an eyebrow at him, then turned and walked into the next room. He was right behind her before she realized hed followed her. Gathering her up into his still-wet arms, he lifted her and tumbled with her onto the bed. She laughed. She hadnt meant to, but she couldnt help it. He laughed, too, grabbed her and flipped her over to face him, then kissed her, the water from his wet hair dripping into her face. Regan let him, still wondering why she was letting this happen. She should be letting him go, letting him fall out of the place in her heart hed decided to occupy. But her body ached for one last encounter before it was forced to give up this Burke-drug forever. It would have to be on her terms, though. When his hands slid down her body, easing her into his pattern of seduction, she batted them away. She would be in charge this time, this last time. She wouldnt leave him thinking he had controlled their affair. Almost frustratingly, Burke seemed willingif not happyto go along with Regan s intentions, making no protest as she rolled him over and straddled him. You couldnt have dried off a little? she asked. The sheets were already drenched under him. He grinned. I did. A little. He reached up to cup her breasts and she pushed his hands away again. No. You do what I say this time. Okay. Not even a token show of resistance. How disappointing. She leaned over him, pinning his wrists to the bed. He was still hard, his cock prodding against her, nearly penetrating her as she wriggled on top of him. She shivered a little, thinking of having him inside her again. She might as well admit it to herselfshed never had sex as good as shed had with Burke. Or maybe she shouldnt admit it. It might mean something. This had to be mindless and intense, and it had to be totally under her control, because this was going to be the end of it. She bent her head to his, kissed him hard, trying to bruise his taste into her own mouth. As much as she needed this to be over, she didnt want to forget it. Not any of it. He moved a little under her and, instinctively, she moved with him and found him suddenly inside her, rising high up into her in a slick, almost accidental thrust. She gasped. He filled her up so tight and full, and her body clenched on him automatically, feeling the length, the thickness, the friction. Then she found herself looking right down into his face, meeting his eyes, and it was almost more than she could bear. His green-brown eyes were full of emotiondamp, wrung-out, intensely intimate emotionmaybe it was love but she didnt even want to think that, much less see it or feel it. So she closed her eyes and rode him hard, drawing herself up and down on the rigid length of his cock until her thighs burned with the exertion and her vagina felt almost raw with the friction. She wished he would come, so she could stopshe wished he

would never come so she could ride him like this forever. Too much. She was feeling too much; her heart was starting to hurt. She slid off him abruptly. A lump rose in her throat. Was that it? The last time he would ever be inside her? She forced the thought back, looking up again at his face. His expression held a question. She answered it by bending over and licking him, her tongue circling the engorged head of his cock, sliding down the length of it. It was slick with the salty-musky taste of her own arousal. This is what I taste like, she thought. If he put his tongue inside me, this is what he would taste. She closed her eyes, shivering, not sure why the thought affected her so strongly. Maybe it was just the image, of his head between her thighs, the thought of his tongue maneuvering and penetrating her But this was her show, her turn. Opening herself to him like that would make her vulnerable, and right now she needed to be in control. She tightened her mouth on him, just under the ridge of his glans, sucked until he made a choked, gasping noise, then drew him in harder, deeper. She knew what guys liked, and she was good at this. There truly was no better way to dominate a man. She wanted him wrung out and helpless, wanted to see complete mindlessness in his eyes when he came. Toward that end, she pulled him in as far as she could without choking on him, took a moment to feel the slide of his glans against the back of her throat, let him pull out, drew him back in He was trying to set the rhythm, pulsing into her mouth, but she broke his stride, altering the movement by holding still, not letting him move. While she waited for him to get the message, she lifted his scrotum in her hand, shaped his testicles with her fingers. He shivered under her. She let his cock out of her mouth and lipped his balls, drew his testicles into her mouth one at a time, letting her tongue find the smooth globes beneath the skin of his scrotum. His hips bucked and he said, Regan, please Good. He was begging now. That was a good thing. She should finish him off now, hard and fast, let him come in her hand, or between her breasts. Toward that end, she grasped him firmly again, her fingers curling around his cock, and knew immediately that she couldnt do it like this. Just one more time, she had to have him inside her. She swung a leg back over his body, pushed him into her with her fingers. He lifted his hips under her, driving in deep, his head going back. He was right on the edge, his fists clenched in the blankets, his body taut, and when he looked up at her again his eyes had gone from hazel to an odd, clear green. He lifted his hands, holding them open, palm out, toward her. Without thinking, she lifted her own hands, folded her fingers between his. Only then did she realize her mistake. He tightened his grip on her, looked right into his eyes, pulsed up into her hard and strong, and came. She couldnt look away. He had hold of her with his hands, but not that tightly, and that wasnt it at all. He was looking right into her face as he emptied himself into her, and she could see into depths and darknesses and open places in his eyes shed never imagined existed. He finished, let his breath out in a long, ragged, satisfied gasp. Letting go of her hands, he sat up and gathered her against him, kissing her, soft and gentle. Loving. She let him. She didnt know why she let him. It was a kiss that went straight to her heart and made her feel things she had no desire to feel. But she let him finish it, let

herself feel. Something inside her wanted it, was maybe afraid she would never experience anything like this again. But when he released her hands reached between their bodies, his fingers sliding between the wet folds of her labia, she pushed his hand away. Forget it. Why? Because I said so. She rolled off him, walked toward her own bed, dragging her towel behind her. Youre not going to stay and cuddle? Burke sounded plaintive, but also like he wasnt serious about it. In that wet bed? I dont think so. She slid into her own bed, pulled the covers over her and closed her eyes. She could still feel him inside her, and it took her a long time to fall asleep.

*****
It was a dream, surely, she thought, when she felt hands on the insides of her thighs, lifting her legs apart. Then she blinked, and she was awake, and Burke had put his tongue against her clit, soft and gentle, flat, then curled, then harder, prodding her with the tip of his tongue. She was so surprised she didnt even think to do anything about it. Looking down toward him, she could see little more than the silhouette of his head between her legs, a glint as a finger of light touched the moisture on his tongue, her labia. He licked the inside of her long outer lips, then her inner lips, then found her clit again. His tongue moved in languid circles until the pearl of flesh had gone hard and hungry, then he plied it oh so carefully with his teeth, then his tongue again until she arched under him, trapped inside a single heartbeat, a single moment of ecstasy that seemed to lift her like a wind under her back, and she let the wind move through her in a long breath that somewhere along the way turned into a sob. He chuckled a little as she came back down, her body pulsing like the ripples in a pond, his tongue against her clit acting as the pebble that had started them. She blinked up into the darkness. He moved away from her, slid his hands up her legs, over her belly, her breasts, then kissed her softly before he left her alone in her bed. Damn that Burke, she thought when shed finished shuddering. Always has to have the last word.

*****
Burke had never been so thoroughly worked over in his life. Waking up slowly, with the sun touching his face through the window, he felt just plain happy. And ready for more. He rolled over in the bed and hit the wet place where theyd brought half the contents of the tub with them. It was cold now, and uncomfortable. He rolled back into the dry area and looked at the other bed. She wasnt there, either, and the bed was neatly made. Burke sat up, rubbing his face. Where was she? Hed assumed they would leave together this morning, maybe meet back at his boat to wrap up the case. Hed wanted to

show her exactly what he had, so she could look it over before he turned it over to the authorities. Well, maybe she was just in the bathroom. Trouble was, the cabin echoed with silence. He rolled naked out of bed to confirm that she was, indeed, gone. Lock, stock and barrel, suitcase, shoes and makeup bag. There was a note on the counter next to the sink. Dear Burke, it said. Decided to leave early since you seem to have everything well in hand. Its been fun. Later, Regan. Well, hell. This made no sense. Shed asked for his help and hed given it. Hed given himself to her, and shed taken that, too. And last night shed made love to him like shed really meant it. So what was this? He sighed, rubbing his forehead. He was getting a headache. He should just let her go. If he pursued this, this wouldnt be the last headache hed suffer. Then he thought about last nights sex. About the warm happiness hed woken up with. Who cared about headaches? That was why God made aspirin.

*****
Regan was unpacking when Burke arrived. Shed only been home a few hours, and was surprised to see himshed hoped the tone of her note had been a clear enough dismissal. Apparently Burke wasnt easily dismissed. Have you had dinner yet? he said, breezing past her into her small, bright, cluttered apartment. He looked strangely at home, she thought, his battered jeans and faded T-shirt blending into the havoc of her personal space. No, she told herself sharply. Hes wrong. Way wrong. So wrong. No, I havent had dinner yet. She crossed her arms firmly across her chest. Why? I thought we could go grab something while we talk about this. He waved a manila folder. What is that? The case file. I wanted to go over it with you before I did anything else. Regan twitched an eyebrow. This was unexpected. Hed taken the case and runshe d assumed he had nothing more to say to her about it. Why do I need to look at it? You dont need to. I just thought you might want to. Its your case, after all. She shrugged. Not really. Not anymore. She just wished hed leave. Having him in her apartment was too homey. She wanted him to sit down on the couch, maybe pop up some microwave popcorn, grab a beer and watch ESPN while she complained she was missing something on another channel. She wanted him to leave her toilet seat up and squeeze her toothpaste tube from the middle. Maybe even leave that annoying razor stubble in her sink.

Just leave it here. I can look at it when Im done unpacking. Burke gave an exasperated sigh and threw the folder down on the coffee table. It slid a few inches; its contents slid a few more, dumping a couple of photographs onto the floor on the other side of the table. Why did you leave? Regan couldnt look at him. Because I wanted to. He shook his head wearily. Why couldnt he just give up? When we made love that last time. I thought it meant What? She broke through, harsh and rude, because she couldnt bear to hear what he was going to say. That I was going to be your happy little mistress? That you finally got me to submit to your masculine charms? Not likely. He watched her placidly, waiting to see if she was done. No. I thought it meant you d changed your mind. Regan swallowed a huge lump that had come from nowhere. He just wasnt playing fair. No, she lied. Not a chance. Then what am I supposed to do? Youre supposed to go away. Tears burned hot behind her eyes. I want this to be over. I need this to be over. He shook his head again, this time resigned. All right. Fine. Look at the files. You can mail them back to me. And he left. Just like she wanted him to. Shed wanted him to stay.

*****
Burke was confused. It wasnt the first time hed been confused by a woman, but it was the first time hed wanted so much to be un-confused. Trouble was, he didnt even know where to start. He sat that night sprawled on his couch, watching the weather. The Pacific was calm, with no storms projected for a while. Not for the first time, he thought about turning the boat loose for a good, long stint at sea. Only this time he didnt picture himself alone. He pictured Regan puttering in his kitchen, or sprawling naked across his bed as they rocked across the ocean. He thought about a few days ago when shed been here, listening to his insurance woes, and how good it had felt for her to be here. Hed never been able to picture Alicia on the Little Squirrel, but Regan was a different story. Shed leave his toilet seat down and squeeze his toothpaste from the end and probably shave her legs with his razor. At night theyd make white-hot love and then not get dressed until noon the next day. No one would care, out in the middle of the ocean. He sighed and changed to ESPN. He just didnt know how to make it happen. The whole thing was beyond his ability to fathom. Hed hoped maybe shed relent and bring his case file back in person, but it showed up a few days later at the post office. There was nothing left but to hand the evidence over to the bigwigs at Markham Telecomm and let them deal with the rest. That was the only thing about his life right now that he understood. The Regan factor, as usual, remained impossible to calculate.

Chapter Ten
Life had become a ticking bomb. Regan knew Burke had handed the results of the investigation over to the suits at Markham, but nothing had happened yet. She knew it would take some time for them to go over the information, and if it ended up with the SEC, theyd undoubtedly take some time with it, as well. But it was strange to go back to life as usual, without even a breath of rumor hinting at Warrens imminent downfall. It was even stranger to go back to life without Burke. It took concentrated effort to excise him from her thoughts. She found herself watching TV and laughing, then wondering if Burke would have laughed, too. Or shed make spaghetti and wonder how much Parmesan he liked, if he appreciated mushrooms and roasted garlic as much as she did. Paul came over two nights after she came home, just to be sure she was still speaking to him. You didnt know what was going on, she said, so I guess Ill forgive you. This time. So how is Burke? Fantastic. Incredible. Big and hairy and hung like a god. Hes fine. Well, its good to have you home. Its good to be home. But it wasnt.

*****
It was some measure of Burkes desperation that, after three nights of tossing and turning and not a great deal of sleep, he decided to look to Paul for advice. Paul was, after all, Regans brother, and so should have some insight. He needed to talk to Paul, anyway. Hed figured up the bill for his week of investigatingnot that he was going to ask Paul to pay it. Once this story broke, the increased business would more than make up for a weeks work. He might just bill Regan, though. Paul wasnt going to like thisBurke knew that. He wasnt going to be happy at all about his little sister finding loveor at least sexin the arms of his best friend. But once he thought about it, surely hed come around. After all, all he had ever wanted was to be certain of Regans well-being. He would understand that Burke would never hurt her, that he would treat her well and take good care of her. That was what was important in the long run. Paul was a reasonable, logical man. Not at all like his sister. Not one bit. It wasnt the first time Burke had walked down the semi-hallowed halls of Harrison, Parker and MacAllister. It was the first time hed been intimidated by the tall oak doors

and the general air of superiority. In spite of work Burke had done for various employees of the firm, Paul was the only attorney there who ever greeted Burke with honest interest. Everyone else seemed to wonder why an up-and-coming attorney would associate with a grimy P.I. on anything other than a professional basis. But Paul had an unflagging sense of loyalty that Burke hoped would play in his favor. Pauls secretary had said Paul was available, and that Burke should just go on in. Shed always seemed to like Burke, and gave him a friendly smile as he knocked on Pauls tall, oak, suddenly intimidating office door. Come in! Paul barked from behind the door, sounding dangerously close to annoyed. Burke shifted the manila folder in his hands and opened the door. Pauls desk had once been big, shiny, and impressive. Mahogany, Burke thought. But Paul was its fourth occupant, and it had collected numerous scuffs and bruises along the way. Paul could have requested a new onehe had enough clout in the firm nowbut hed told Burke the desk just had an aura about it, as if it had absorbed the wisdom of its previous occupants. Burke had wondered why, if the previous occupants had been so wise, they were no longer with Harrison, Parker and MacAllister. Now, walking into the office and remembering the story about the desks wisdom, he wondered if Paul wasnt so different from Regan, after all. The thought did nothing to reassure Burke, even when Paul looked up from his work with a bright smile. Pauls brown hair stuck up, as it did when Paul had been thinking too hard. He shoved his hands through it a lot when he concentrated, so that it looked like all the activity in his brain had tried to escape through his scalp and had left his hair all spiky as evidence. Hey, Burke, Paul said. Whats up? Finally decide to bring me my bills? Burke cleared his throat. Hed never felt so discomfited in Pauls presence before. Couldnt have anything to do with the fact you boinked his baby sister, could it? Trying to pretend the thought hadnt just drifted across his mind, Burke displayed the envelope full of receipts for his Regan-finding mission. I have them, he said. But I think maybe Im not going to give them to you. Paul frowned. Why not? He opened a hand toward the empty leather chair in front of his desk. I told you Id pay you. Burke tossed the envelope casually onto the desk, then sank into the chair just as loosely. It was a nice chair, he thought, comfortable, a reassuring place for distraught women seeking divorce, or unfairly wronged victims of crime. Or almost ex-friends who d been intimate with people they shouldnt have been intimate with. He reminded himself he was here to plead for himself, not against, and turned his thoughts back to the case. Its not every day I get to close the books on a case of industrial-espionage-slash-insider-trading. It was kind of a rush. And itll be good for my reputation. As soon as this thing breaks, I expect to have my pick of customers. Paul grinned crookedly. So you owe me one. Yeah, you could say that. He poked at the envelope, making it lie a little straighter on Pauls immaculate desk. Anyway, payment isnt really necessary under the circumstances.

Paul was still grinning. That wouldnt last much longer. Yeah, you did a good one there, Burke. I knew Warren was a scumbag, but whod ve dreamed he was into that kind of thing? Howd you pull it off? Regan, Burke said simply. She fell into it by accident, and I just picked it up and ran with it. Shes a hell of a woman, your sister. He paused, and into the pause Paul inserted an appropriate brotherly sound of admiration. Burke moistened his lips, and went on. Which brings me to the next subject. Which is? Burkes hands felt nervous and clammy as he reflexively popped his knuckles. I theres something we need to talk about. A frown beetled across Pauls forehead. He had no idea where Burke was going with this, and Burke knew it. Best get it over with as quickly and mercifully as possible. Its about Regan. He stopped. He didnt know what to say next. If things continued as they had, the affair at the Meadows would prove an aberration. Thered be no need for Paul to know. But that wasnt what Burke wanted. He wanted Regan back in his life, body and soul. And, most importantly, back in his heart. He couldnt settle for anything less. Paul was staring at him, eyebrows raised, completely unprepared for the blow Burke knew was coming. What about Regan? he said. Tell him or not tell him, Burke wondered, then he heard his own voice say, Im in love with her. Hed intended to be a little more subtle. He shut his mouth before anything else came out of it. Pauls face had gone white, his eyes burning. In that moment he looked frighteningly like Regan, without the red hair but with all the temper. Burke held very still, waiting for the storm to pass. What did you do to her? Pauls voice grated through clenched teeth. His fists clenched on the desk. At first Burke wasnt sure hed heard right. What do you mean, what did I do to her? Paul pushed his chair back and came to his feet, anger blazing in his eyes. Instinctively, Burke did the same, his body tensing, prepared for the attack he sensed was coming. Did you sleep with her? Pauls voice was quiet and strung with menace. Burke took a step away from the chair, giving himself room to maneuver if he needed it. Hed expected Pauls reaction to be negative, but this was a bit much. I dont think thats any of your business. Paul came around the desk, keeping one hand in contact with the wood. The hell it isnt. Shes just a kid, Burke! What the fuck were you thinking? A searing ball of fury rose in Burkes throat, turning the edges of his vision red. How could Paul dare to think he would hurt her? Hed taken care of her for yearshow could he do anything else now? Shes twenty-six years old, Paul. And I wasnt her first.

Paul hit him. Hard. A burst of pain filled the side of Burkes face and he tasted blood beneath his tongue. He took the punch, absorbed it, then slowly opened his eyes, standing very still. Paul stood in front of him, chest heaving, fists still clenched. It took a great effort of will not to smash Pauls face in. Burke waited a moment, a moment more, until he knew he had control. Then he reached forward, gathered up Paul s lapels and lifted him off his feet, setting him hard against the office wall. The movement put Pauls eyes on a level with Burkes. Now you listen to me, said Burke, and you listen very closely. I have never neverdone anything to hurt Regan. If youll recall, Ive spent a good deal of time protecting her from herself. I didnt hurt her this time, either. What happened between us was mutual. Was? Pauls voice was choked. Seeing that much of the fury had faded, Burke eased him back down to the floor. Paul straightened his lapels and his dignity and glared up at Burke. So its over? You just had an affair and then you dumped her? Burke resisted the urge to let down his guardPauls voice was still too edgy. Actually, she dumped me. She thinks its over. I beg to differ, but I dont know exactly how things stand right now. I do know that Im not going to walk just because you have your head too far up your damned ass to figure out whats going on around you. In fact, Id thought you might come down on my side in this. Paul shook his head, his expression one of disbelief. Let me get this straight. You thought Id help you get her back? Yeah, it did sound pretty stupid now. Credit three less-than-restful nights for Burke s illogical hope. A little more sleep deprivation and hed start thinking Regan would move into his boat, put on an apron and cook him dinner. But he couldnt stop now. Hed put his feet on the road, and he wasnt going to back up until he was absolutely sure this was a dead end. Think about it. Paul was a lawyersurely he could follow some simple logic. Would you rather see her with somebody like me, or with some nutcase with tattoos and a stud in his tongue? Someone like you, Paul admitted readily. But not you. Why not me? Paul shook his head. There was a guardedness in his eyes Burke had never seen beforenot, at least, directed at him. It was the look Paul reserved for clients about whom he harbored serious doubts. It made Burkes stomach heavy and cold. Im sorry, Paul said. I cant help you. Theres right and theres wrong, and this is wrong. You do what you want, but dont expect my blessing. He stepped back toward the desk. I think you should go now. Burke nodded and stepped backward toward the door. I love her, Paul. I think I always have. He went back out and closed the door behind him, not even looking at Pauls secretary as he trudged back down the intimidating hallway, between the tall oak doors. This just got worse and worse the more he tried to make it better. The most horrible part of it didnt occur to him until the next day. Hed told Paul he loved Regan. What if Paul told her?

Chapter Eleven
Warren was gone. Regan still couldnt believe it. Shed been home a week. This morning, Regans boss, Dale Masters, had asked her to go through Warrens desk, separating out his personal effects. Apparently Warren had been escorted out of the building yesterday morning. And its not over, Dale had said, which meant the SEC hadnt even started with Warren yet. Regan laid a picture of Warrens wife down in the bottom of a box. Shed found the picture in a desk drawer, easily accessible to Warren, but hidden from anyone who might visit his office. She thought about what had started all this, of what her motives had been. Had she been looking for revenge for herself, or for this lovely, dark-haired woman? She didnt know anymore. She didnt know much of anything anymore, it seemed. The next item she picked up was Warrens day planner. She laid it down in the box, then, on an impulse, took it back out and opened it. His wifes phone number was written on the first page. Regan had no idea what drove her as she picked up the phone and dialed the number. She knew very little about Warrens wife, other than that she worked as a hospital administrator. She wasnt even sure which hospital. Mary Ann Cassidy, a voice said after a few rings. Regan was surprised shed answeredshed expected her to be somewhere with Warren, or at least taking the day off to recover from yesterdays events. As it was, Mary Anns voice sounded weak and a bit watery. Um, hi, Regan started, not at all sure what she was going to say. You dont know me. My names Regan ORourke. A small noise came from Mary Anns end of the connection, and Regan paused, almost certain the woman had just hung up. But then Mary Ann said, in a stronger voice, Go on. I Regan swallowed. I work with Warren. Anyway, I know about what happened yesterday, and I just wanted to say that if you need anything She trailed off, not sure what exactly she was saying, totally at a loss as to why she had felt driven to reach out to this woman, except that they had both been wronged by the same man. Mary Ann made another small, indecipherable noise, and when she spoke a sob lurked in her voice. Thank you, Regan. Thats thats very kind of you. A pause, then, steadier, Im leaving him. Good for you, said Regan. Listen, I know this is hard, and I wont keep you any longer, but please, if you need anything, dont hesitate. Im in the bookRegan O Rourke. Thank you. Gently, Regan hung up the phone, then put her face in her hands. An hour later, she taped the box shut and walked back to her cubicle. On her terminal was a yellow sticky note.

Drop by when you get a chance. Dale. Regan peeled the yellow paper free and crumpled it in her hand. Why would Dale want to see her? Maybe to be sure shed gotten Warrens things taken care of. She sat down and skimmed her e-mail to be sure nothing vital waited, then left the office again to traipse down the hall to Dales. He was on the phone when she stopped in front of his open door. At her questioning look he gestured for her to come in and sit down. Regan sat demurely. Dale was one of very few people who could make her self-conscious. He was the epitome of buttoned-down white collar, in a neat dark blue suit and a not-too-garish tie, salt-and-pepper hair trimmed neatly around his ears, horn-rimmed glasses obscuring his eyes just enough to make them difficult to read. He wound up his call and hung up the phone, then turned to Regan, folding his hands on the desk in front of him. How did it go? he asked. Did you get Warrens things packed up? Regan nodded. Its all set. Theres only one small box of personal thingsthe rest is all ours. Thats about what I expected. He studied her a moment, then leaned back in his chair. Ive been giving some thought to this situation. Im left with a leadership vacuum actually, truth to tell, I had a vacuum while Warren was here. His experience was mostly in marketing, and he didnt know much about handling programming professionals like yourself. Regan moved her head a little, hoping the motion looked positive. So far, she had no idea what he was getting at. Anyway, Dale went on, Ive been thinking it might be a good idea to have someone in that position who knows something about programming. Someone who could actually step in and do the code if it became necessary. Someone who could read through it and have some idea whether it will work up to our standards. What do you think about that? I think its a very good idea. In fact, I think I said something similar at our last staff meeting. Dale smiled. Yes, I believe you did. Which is one of the reasons why Id like to see you move into that position. Regan had no idea what kept her mouth from falling open. Me? she said, the word cracking a little as she shoved it past the lump of shock. Dales small smile widened. Regan was certain shed never seen him look so amused. Thats right. Ive been very impressed with your work. Youre one of the best coders we have, and youve performed superbly as a project leader on several occasions. I think you have exactly the type of expertise which would bring strength to Warrens old position and make up for the losses he brought about. I I dont know what to say. Think about it, said Dale. Theres a raise involved, as Im sure youre aware. Theres also an increase in responsibility, but Id say youre capable of handling it. He hesitated, and his smile became warm, almost fatherly. I know youre a free spirit, Regan, and I dont expect you to change. In fact, I think your independent attitude will be an asset in this position. We need innovation and courage. We need you.

Im flattered, Dale. This was huge, too much to take in. Ill think about it. I really will. And thank you. Back at her desk, she folded her hands and set her chin on them, wondering. Shed never dreamed anything like this would drift her way. Yes, shed always done her job to the best of her ability, but she liked programming and had always expected to follow that path. This was unexpected. And wonderful. Yes, definitely wonderful. She felt the slow smile on her face before she felt the surge of pride and happiness in her stomach. Really wonderful. She picked up the phone. It had rung twice before she realized shed dialed Burkes number. Quickly, smile fading in her own shock, she hung it back up.

*****
Regan went home in a daze. She still couldnt believe Dale had offered her Warrens job. She really couldnt believe shed accepted it. Shed intended to give it a few days thought, but, sitting in front of her computer that afternoon, shed had a sudden impulse. A flash of insight, or just stupidity, the kind of urge shed been trying to ignore or at least control. But this time she decided to follow it. So shed marched down the hall to Dales office and accepted the position. Hed been pleasedmore than pleased, reallyand shed been flattered by his enthusiasm. Hed also give her the rest of the day off. Tomorrow she would start moving her things into Warrens old office. With a couple of extra hours to kill, shed taken herself to dinner, then stopped by the store for a celebratory pint of Ben and Jerrys. Three-quarters of the way through the ice cream, she decided it was time to let someone else know. Her fingers started fluttering. Typing the pattern of Burkes phone number, she realized, and made them stop. Strangely, she wanted to tell him more than she wanted to tell anyone else, even Paul. And there had been this weird, nagging feeling in the back of her head for days that there was something else she needed to tell Burke. Something important. But no matter how hard she concentrated on it, she couldnt quite pin down what it was. Unless it had something to do with the way she kept thinking about him, about the way his hair looked with the morning sun gilding it, about the way he smelled first thing in the morning. Or the strange lump which seemed to have grown somewhere between her heart and her stomach, so that she couldnt quite take a deep breath anymore. Or the way she kept turning over in bed in the middle of the night and reaching for him, only to touch her extra pillow, or a fold in the quilt. But she had no intention of telling him any of those things. She set the ice cream aside and laid her hand on the handset of the phone on the table next to the couch. As she sat there tapping the plastic with the tips of her fingers, someone knocked on the door. Regan nearly jumped out of her skin. Heart still pattering, she went to answer the

door. It was Paul. Good, youre home, he said. Can I come in? Regan shrugged, defenses popping up. Paul looked worriedthe kind of worried that usually meant Regan was about to get a good talking-to. The kind of worried that usually made her tell him to go away and come back later when he could treat her like an adult. This time she stood aside and let him in, though. She wasnt sure why, but maybe shed figure it out before he left. Um, how are you doing? he said as he fell onto her couch. His voice was strangely hesitant. He looked harried, his face creased into a frown and most of his dark brown hair standing on end. Im fine, she said, sitting down in her armchair. She picked up the ice cream and scooped out a big spoonful, licking it off the spoon as if it were in a cone. You look like crap. Want some ice cream? No. No, not really. Good, because that was really just a rhetorical question. He managed a twitch of a smile. I knew that. Then he frowned. Are you polishing off an entire pint? At her nod, he added, Is it good news or bad news? Regan smiled. He was a pain, but he knew her better than anyone. Although, she thought, Burke would probably have asked the same question. Good news. She cleaned off the spoon and stabbed it back into the ice cream, which was nearly gone and getting soft. Warren got canned, and Dale gave me his job. Pauls eyes widened. Thats a pretty big promotion. Yes, it is. She hadnt understood until now how purely proud she felt of herself. Not only proud, but deserving, and vindicated. Thats great! He shook his head, looking like he couldnt quite believe it. Wow. Thats fantastic. Yes, it is. She scooped up the last of the ice cream and finished it off in an undignified slurp. Now, what brought you charging over here looking like somebody just shot your cat? Whatever it was, she thought, she could handle it. Pauls frown returned, and he rubbed the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes, as if he had a headache. Burke came to see me today. All Regans haughty confidence froze up inside her, not sure what emotion it should become. Surely Burke wouldnt have been stupid enough to tell Paul what had happened, especially not since Regan had broken it off. He did? What did he want? I thought he wanted to drop off the bills for the investigation, since I told him Id pay him to find you. He opened his eyes and lowered his hand, looking directly at Regan. He told me you and he had had an encounter. Anger. Definitely anger. Rage, in fact. He told you what? Paul opened his mouth to repeat it, but Regan lifted a hand. Never mind. I heard you. And what exactly made him think this was something he should share with you? Paul threw up his hands. He wanted my approval. I think he wanted me to help

him get you back. It was nuts. He looked at her sidelong then, as if realizing maybe he d said too much. He certainly had. Way too much. Oh, he did, did he? Isnt that nice. And its even nicer that you found yourself compelled to tell me. Her voice had edges in it that could have flayed him alive, if hed bothered to pay attention. I wanted to be sure you were all right. This was his justification, she knew, the part where he told her everything wonderful hed done for her, all for her own good, and hadnt he fixed her life up ever so nicely? It was all so weirdhe said he was in love with you, of all things, and I just wanted to be sure He said what? The anger came mixed with tears now, hot and ready to fall out all over her face. All the days theyd been together, he hadnt said those words, and now he could say them to Paul, who messed them all up and turned them into something awful. Well, I have news for him, and maybe you could just relay it, since you seem to take such delight in being the messenger. I never want to see him again. She said it with conviction, but something broke inside her as the words came out. This was all wrong, such a mess, not what shed intended at all. She loved him, too. But in the face of all this, that didnt matter. Pauls big-brother face came on as he nodded his approval. That comes as a great relief to me, because I told him I completely disapproved of the entire situation. I mean, its just not What? Regan had always been skeptical about the idea of spontaneous human combustion, but suddenly she believed in it, because it was happening. Right now. Inside her head. What the hell business is it of yours? Why should you have any say whatsoever in what I do with my life? If I want to see Burke, I will, and its none of your damned business. Do you understand me? But you just said I dont care what I just said! Regan was fairly screaming now, and she thought she could feel flames coming out of her nose and ears. Maybe even her eyeballs. I am so sick and tired of you trying to run my life! I am twenty-six years old! Im an adult! Leave me the hell alone! The flames in her eyeballs had really been tears, and now they streaked hot down her inflamed face. She couldnt recall ever having been so completely, consumingly furious. Pauls expression had changed, softening, saddening. Im sorry, he said. I I know, Regan broke in, her voice paler but shaking hard. I know, Paul. But I can t hear it right now. She swiped angrily at the dampness on her face. Maybe you should go. He backed toward the door. Okay. His hand closed on the doorknob. Ill talk to you later. Yeah, maybe. She turned her back on him so she wouldnt have to watch him leave.

Chapter Twelve
Burke was a complete idiot. It was the only conclusion he could come to after twenty-four hours of hemming and hawing, trying to figure out how to avert catastrophe. Hed tried calling Paul, but Paul was either out or deliberately avoiding Burkes calls. There was no question of calling Reganwhat in the world would he say to her? Tell her you love her, idiot. But not only was he not quite ready to tell her that, he was afraid it would scare her right out of any hope he had of winning her. In her mind, love was probably a controlling emotioneverything else seemed to be. Though, he had to admit, it was pretty scary from this end, too. But hed said the words nowthough to the wrong personand he wasnt going to take them back. He just needed to get them properly directed. So what, now, did he do with this little bombshell? Keeping it to himself was probably the safest course. He could go on with his life, she could go on with hers, and maybe someday hed find somebody else who made him feel like things finally made sense. That option didnt hold much appeal. Once already hed almost married a woman he didnt love. The only thing he could think of stupider than that was to leave a woman he did love. So how to tell her? This would be a nice place, he thought, sitting on the deck of the Little Squirrel, watching the sun set bright behind the Pacific while a coolish breeze came up off the water. A little table, a glass of wine, some fancy crackers and pt But there was no point going down that road. Regan would never show up here on any pretense Burke could think of. The only other choice was to go to her. Which might not be a bad idea if he could get to her before Paul opened his big mouth. He leaned over the deck railing as the sun went lower, watching the ocean lap against the boats hull. Absently, he fingered his upper lip. He hadnt shaved it since the day before hed left the Meadows. Maybe the mustache attempt would be enough of a peace offering. Maybe some flowers would be better. He could pick some up on the way over.

*****
An hour later, he stood in front of Regans door with his near-mustache on his lip and a dozen roses in his hand. Maybe he could get things smoothed over. Then maybe Paul would speak to him again, too. Or maybe he was about to turn his entire life into a gigantic pile of shit. He took a deep breath, smoothed his shirthed bought a new polo shirt on the way over, tooand knocked. Regan answered the door and lifted an eyebrow at the sight of him. Her red hair was prettily mussed, as if shed just gotten out of bed. Burke clenched his teeth. Maybe she wasnt alone. If there was a man in there with her Hi, Burke, she said, and her voice sounded weary. Come in.

She stepped aside and he went into the room. She was alone as far as he could tell. A paperback book lay on the table, open, face down and spine cracked. Next to it sat a tall mug of iced tea. I hope Im not interrupting anything, Burke said. Nothing, said Regan. Suddenly awkward, he held out the flowers. For you. She took them. Her mouth twitched but didnt quite smile. Theyre lovely, she said. She put her face into the dark roses and indulged in a long sniff. Then she looked straight at him and said, The answer is no. Burke felt more than awkward nowhe felt stupid. The answer to what? Regan twiddled the flower petals with her fingers. Paul stopped by last night. Apparently you and he had a little conversation? Burkes mouth tightened. He had no right to tell you about that. Youre right. He didnt. But the answers still no. Were not having a relationship. Burke had no idea what to do. He thought maybe it would be all right if he sat down on the couch, but even that was iffy, so he didnt try it. The flowers were gone so he had nothing to do with his hands. And Regan was looking at him as if she were about to ask him to leave. Or maybe she was about to cry. He thought maybe he could deal with it if she cried. She didnt cry. She walked into the kitchen and proceeded to set up a vase for the flowers. Im sure you can understand why, she said, filling the vase with water. I think it was pretty clear there at the last, before I left you at the Meadows. I spent most of my life being bossed around by Paul and rescued by you. I dont need you to rescue me now. I certainly dont need you to boss me around. She put the flowers in the vase. She had delivered her entire speech in a rock-steady, almost conversational voice. Surely this had affected her more than that. Surely she had some feelings, something inside her fighting to be let out. Burke finally sat down on the couch. Somehow it seemed safe, with her in the kitchen. And she seemed calm, not likely to start screaming or throwing things. He watched her as her small hands arranged the flowers, shifting the smaller blooms to the front, the larger ones to the back, distributing the babys breath. After a moment his mouth opened and he started to speak. He hadnt known it was going to do that, so he just listened, curious as to what was going to come out. Everything Paul did, he did because he loved you. I know that sounds stupid, or trite, or whatever, but its true. He wanted more than anything to hold the family together. You made it awfully tough on him. There were a couple of times I ran offense for him while he did every damn thing he could to keep the social workers from putting you in a foster home. Her eyes rose from the flowers, met his. They had widened a little, though her soft, downturned mouth held firm. She hadnt known this. Thats right, Burke went on. Some of your little stunts made it damned hard to keep things under control. But I pulled a few strings here and there, and promised Id look out for you. And you kept trying to blow it, over and over again, out of pure selfishness. He stopped, realized where all this was going and decided to go ahead,

anyway. She couldnt get much angrier at him, after all. And know this, too everything I did, I did because I cared about you, and about him. Maybe for a while we had to play rough to keep you straight, but thats all over. This control stuff is all in your head. You grew up a long time ago. Let it go. He stood, nerves gone now, replaced by a heavy feeling of helplessness. He had done all he could. Enjoy the flowers. Her mouth opened, then clunked closed. He heard the sharp sound across the room as he reached for the doorknob. His hand turned it, the metal smooth in his hand. But there was one more thing left to say. I love you, Regan. He didnt look back at her. Dont ever forget that. She stood staring at the flowers for a long time. No one had ever talked to her like that. Without malice, but full of truth. Or what Burke perceived as truth. Maybe it was true. Shed gone through twenty-six years without ever really thinking much about what their childhood had been like for Paul. To have taken on all that responsibility at nineteen, to have been so determined to keep the family together, and then to have been kicked in the teeth by all that remained of that family. She cupped the big rose blossoms in her hand. They were almost purple. She didnt think shed ever seen roses quite that color before. As she watched, a small, hot drop fell on one of the velvety purple petals. She blinked. Then she went to the other room, picked up the phone, and called Paul. Come over here, she told him instead of Hello. Bring your own ice cream. Better make it a quartits going to be a long night.

*****
The next evening, Burke sat on the couch in the living quarters of the Little Squirrel, reading a book and listening to the rain drum on the upper decks. He stroked his almost-mustache as he reada habit he was scarcely aware of in spite of its newness. The book was supposed to be a thriller, but it dragged, bogged down in details Burke had no interest in. Finally he slammed it shut. He should call Paul. Their last encounter still rankled. He felt at loose ends, knowing neither of the ORourkes ever wanted to see him again. No, it was more than that. He felt lost. They were the only family hed had since hed lost his parents, and it hurt to be without them. He went to the galley to get a beer. He should just suck it up and call Paul. It wouldnt kill him to apologize, especially since it looked like any hope he had of winning Regan over was dead. Regan had never liked him much, anyway, until this last bout of strangeness, so at least if he made up with Paul, things would be sort of like they had been before. He took a long drink of his beer. If he downed a few of these, maybe hed have the courage to pick up the phone. If he drank too many, he might end up calling Regan. Before he could achieve either result, someone knocked on his door. Burke looked at the door questioningly, wondering if hed imagined the sound. He wasnt expecting anybody, it wasnt Girl Scout Cookie season, and youd have to be nuts to be out in this

rain, anyway. So maybe it was Regan. The thought carried him to the door, and he opened it just as a second series of knocks sounded. It was Paul, drenched and bedraggled. He wedged himself down the stairs into the saloon. Why the hell cant you live in a house like a normal person? Burke grinned at Paul, who glared back, shaking the rain out of his hair. Ill get you a beer, Burke said. Dont drip on my carpet. A few beers later, they sat on the couch watching ESPN. Theyd said very little, but it didnt matter. The conflict was overit was a man thing. During a commercial break, Paul took a swing of his beer and said, Have you seen her? Burke shook his head. I tried to. It didnt go very well. Has she called you since then? No. Paul lifted the beer bottle to his lips but didnt tip it back far enough to drink. After a moment, he lowered it again. We talked last night. Whatever you said to her, it made an impression. She actually apologized. For what? For everything. He shook his head bemusedly. For things I didnt even remember happening. Burke nodded, numb. Hed put as much as he could on the line for her, and now, if she refused to take it, he had nothing left. But if hed helped her and Paul smooth things over, maybe it was worth it. Paul picked at the label on his beer bottle, peeling off a corner. You know, the more I think about it, the more I think I shouldnt have been surprised. Burke eyed him narrowly. What do you mean? They were beginning to get drunk if there were accusations or revelations to come, this was the time for them. There was always something about the way you related to her, Paul said, his eyes on the TV. She listened to you when she wouldnt listen to me. There was a connection. Something. I justI didnt expect this. None of us did. Shes running away from it. Burke glanced at Paul, but he didnt look back. Yeah, I think so. Still think itd help if I talked to her? Because I will if you want me to. Burke almost laughed. No. Bad idea. This time Paul drank, smiling grimly as he swallowed. Yeah. Bad idea.

*****
The pain in Regans chest had changed. It had been two days since Burke had walked out of her apartment, two days since she and Paul had sat up all night hashing out the past and realigning the future. The dull throb had started that night, just below

her breastbone. Now it was different. The talk with Paul had been catharsis at its best. Theyd put everything out on the table, beaten it to death and put it away for the last time. Regan had cried. She thought maybe Paul had, too. But even after that, Regan still hadnt felt right. Something inside her was still missing. Something was still wrong. This morning that something had loosened, or changed. But she couldnt afford to sit around and think about it. She had work to doa lot of work. That afternoon she sat in a meeting, going over the stages of production of a new product with a group of developers. Suddenly, pointing at the white board, she realized ten faces looked expectantly at her, waiting for her guidance. She controlled the room. She smiled, finally understanding. She went on. She finished the meeting, barely paying any attention to herself, then went back to her office. Thered been a puzzle in her heart, and the pieces were falling together. She could feel it, as if her molecules were rearranging. Let it go, Burke had said. And, finally, she had. Everything was different. She wasnt a kid any more. She was a Project Manager at a major telecommunications company. She was her own woman, and had been for quite some time. She was strong, she was invincible Oh, shut up, she told herself, grinning. She got up and ran down the hall to Dales office. He looked up with a question on his face. I need the rest of the day off, she said, the words stumbling over each other. She was grinning like a fool, she knew, but it didnt matter. Whats up? Dale asked. Just something I need to take care of. How did the meeting go? It went great. I sent you an e-mail. All right. Then I guess Ill see you tomorrow. It was a beautiful, sun-drenched drive to the marina. She could only pray Burke was there, and not out somewhere working a case. She drove too fast. The beating sun, the sound of pounding surf, matched the rhythm of her haste. Finally, she parked at the marina and ran to Burkes boat. Burke stood on the deck of the Little Squirrel, leaning over the rail and facing out to sea. He straightened when Regans feet hit the wood of the deck, then stood still, staring at her. He wore a blue tank top and white shorts, and his feet were bare. Regan stopped. She couldnt go any closer. The spark flared between them even at this distance; if she moved any closer that spark would burst into flame before she had a chance to say anything. Her blood ran hot and she could feel it pulsing under her skin, carrying the need to every cell of her body. How could she have thought to leave this man? Her heart pounded, and she stood still as he finally turned and took three steps forward to fill the Burke-shaped hole in her existence. Regan? he said. She nodded, as if she needed to acknowledge her own identity. But she didnt, because it was right there, bright and strong. Burke presented no threat to it, only an

addition. Why had it taken her so long to realize that? I, um Burke started, then lifted his hands, lowered them again uncertainly. I cant say I was expecting you. No. She wanted this feeling to go on forever. The lines of connection ran back and forth between them, the currents binding them together, strengthening the bonds, which Regan no longer wanted to escape. The pause grew into a hesitation, then into waiting. Finally Burke said, Was there something you wanted to say? I love you. She blurted it out so there would be no question of taking it back. In that moment she felt rash and brave, foolhardy, throwing herself into the fray. In that moment, she felt whole. Burke smiled. Good. There was more to say, but it could wait until after they had closed the distance between them, until after Burke had put his arms around her and drawn her against him. He didnt kiss herjust held her there against his chest so she could hear his heart beating under her ear. His body was big and warm within her arms. He held her tight, but let her breathe. Finally he shifted and kissed her gently, on the top of her head. Old reflexes wondered if he was patronizing her, but she batted them away. Literally, with her hands. What was that? Burke asked, bending back with a puzzled expression. Nothing. Nothing at all. She set herself away from him a little so the heat building between them didnt distract her so thoroughly. Burke, I need to know. Paul He waved her silent. I talked to Paul. Were fine. Good. The strength of her relief surprised her. She wanted Burke, knew it was the right thing, but even so she wasnt sure she could act on that if it meant destroying the friendship that had molded her life. Good. Im glad to hear that. She closed her hands around his arms, enjoying the textures of his hair under her palms, the rigidity of his muscles and the softness of his skin. I love you, she said again, and smiled. You said that. I know. I just like the way it sounds. And the way it felt to be brave enough to say it. I have to admit it sounds a lot better than, It was fun but I never want to see you again. Im sorry, Burke. It was wrong. I could say I didnt mean to hurt you, but deep down I think I did. It seemed like the only way to keep from hurting myself. He caught an errant strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear where the breeze couldnt find it. I know. What changed your mind? I finally let it go. He led her downstairs and she sat down on his couch. He looked at her for a moment, thinking that hed never seen anyone look so wonderfully right on that couch. Then he sat down next to her and kissed her, as if hed never kissed her before, as if no one had ever kissed anyone before, and it was all new for them to discover. After a long time he bent back so he could look at her, brush her hair back from her

face, and marvel that this vibrant flame of a woman had come back to him. He wanted to see that flame burn every day, not just in his bed, but in every moment of his life. The knowledge that she finally trusted him not to quench it made it all even sweeter. It turns out you were right, she said, stroking his mustache with the ends of her fingers. It looked marvelous, she thought. Scrumptious, and it hadnt even grown in all the way yet. Ive been living my life blind to everyone but myself, protecting myself from things that didnt exist. And I was selfish. I realized it after I talked to Paul. You were hurting. Not all the time. It just became a habit. But, you know what? What? I still am selfish. Selfish enough to want you all to myself. Selfish enough not to care what Paul or anyone else thinks. I need you in my life, Burke. Please tell me I didnt screw things up so badly that I cant have that. You didnt. I dont think you ever could. He grinned. Face it. Were stuck with each other now. She grinned back, and her heart felt light. I can think of worse things. How much of my stuff do you think will fit on this boat? Whatever you think is important. Or we can sell the boat and get an apartment after we get married. She quirked an eyebrow at him, surprised at the complete lack of fear his comment triggered. That was a pretty poor proposal, Mr. Camden, but I think Ill accept it. She flipped herself around into his lap. Now, carry me to your bed. I want to try it out. Burke did exactly as he was told, which made Regan think there was some hope for him, after all. He carried her into the berth and laid her down on the bed, which was both larger and more comfortable than she had expected, then stretched out next to her. Comfy? he asked. She rolled toward him, embraced him, and rolled back over so he was on top of her. Now I am. You sure? I thought you liked it on top. She shook her head. Im thinking maybe its your turn. He smiled softly, kissed her just as softly, and for the first time since theyd collided at the resortfor the first time ever, with anyoneshe let herself go. Let herself feel. The tears came almost immediately. He pulled back, looking into her eyes with concern. Regan? Dont stop. She swallowed. I love you, Burke. I love you so much. Tears choked the words, but she meant them. It felt so right to say them now, here, in his arms. He kissed her forehead, her eyelids, her nose, finally her lips again. Is it okay if I make love to you? Because thats what I really want to do right now. You need to promise me something first. What? You need to promise me a good fuck once in a while. You know, mixed in with all the lovemaking.

He grinned. I can do that. I have no problem with that. Then make love to me. So he slid her shirt off her, his hands gentle on her body. She watched his fingers mold her breasts, watched her nipples rise as he touched her. It was hard for her to believe, now, that she had denied herself this for so long, this feeling, this emotion. Or maybe not so hard to believe, because it was powerful, intense, and deep enough to drown in. But she wasnt afraid of it anymore. He learned her body again with his hands, with his lips, felt and tasted her, and she let him guide her through what should have been familiar territory but wasnt. She let herself pay attention to what he was doing, no longer afraid he would pull her into places she was afraid to go. Because she knew, now, that he wouldnt hurt her unless she let him. She had no intention of letting him. His mouth caressed her breasts, pulled her nipples in against his tongue, one then the other. She slid her fingers into his hair, combing through its soft strands. The mustache added a tickle of sensation against her skin as he drew his lips down her belly, licked her navel, nuzzled the curls between her legs. He fitted his tongue carefully between her labia, touched the nub of her clit, just barely, just there. Kissed her thighs, came back up to kiss the points of her hips, the dip of her belly. Slipped his fingers gently into her sex, parted her, eased inside her. Shed never liked playing the passive role during sex, but this was good. Because he wasnt just satisfying himself on her, as other partners had. His attention was all for her, focused on her body, her skin, her pleasure. It was as if nothing else in the world existed. This was the way it should be, she thought. This kind of focus, this kind of intensity. She made herself hold still and not try to reclaim the upper hand while he drew her gently along, building the wave with his fingers inside her, his thumb circling her growing pleasure as the soft pearl of her clit grew and hardened, as the fire became unbearable, then rose and broke over her. He held her, kissed her face, and her arms automatically went around him, clinging to him until the tumult had passed. Now? he said then, and she nodded. He lifted himself over her and her body answered his, her thighs opening to him as he moved forward, as he slid his way home into the dark channel of her body. She accepted it, accepted him, accepted the weight of him on her, the implied dominance that was not dominance at all. She was as protected by him as she was overwhelmed by him, as accepted as she was accepting. His size, the depth of his penetration, was no longer a surprise to her, and her body accommodated him without protest. It just felt so good to give herself up to him, to let him take her, and claim her, knowing she claimed him back with every breath, every sigh, every soft moan of contented pleasure. When he came she climaxed again, with him, the deep, feral pounding bringing tears with it. She looked up into his face, and let him see her eyes.

*****
Burke proposed again the next day, with wine, candles, and an actual ring. She said yes again, and just for kicks they tried out the berth again. It still worked. The small wedding was three weeks later, on the deck of the Little Squirrel.

Afterwards, Regan hugged her brother for the first time in recent memory. She really meant it, and it felt good. Later, as they sipped champagne and watched the sun go down, Burke asked Paul, So, what do you think now? Paul shrugged. I dont know. Its still pretty weird, but I think I can get used to it. Just dont get your tongue pierced, okay? Burkes hearty laugh puzzled Regan. What was that all about? Never mind, he said, and put his arm around her. The handful of guests dispersed shortly after sunset. The newlyweds went below decks, where Regans handiwork had brightened things here and there. Many of her possessions were still in storage, but that round of negotiations could wait until after the honeymoon. They made love to the rhythm of the rocking boat, then in the morning Burke weighed anchor. As the sun rose, he steered the Little Squirrel out toward the open ocean, where they would find beauty, and freedom, and the beginning of a new life. It was everything she hadnt expected, but everything shed ever wanted.