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  “Whoa.” He held up a hand, unable to believe his ears. Was she really giving him the brush-off because she thought all he wanted from her was sex? He rose and caught her hand, tugging her against him. “Del, I’d still like to be with you, even if we can’t make love.”

  Doubt shone loud and clear in her skeptical gaze. “You would?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why?”

  How in the world could a woman this appealing not have any idea of her own charm? He intended to find out more about her life until he figured it out. “As great as it was,” he said gently, “I don’t just want to jump your gorgeous bones. I want to spend time with you. Talking. Hanging out together.”

  She looked completely befuddled. “But if we can’t—”

  Sam put a hand over her mouth. Clearly, he wasn’t getting through with words. He’d just have to show her. “After breakfast,” he told her, “we’ll go over to my place and grab my laundry. We can do it together and then maybe catch a movie or something later. Okay?”

  She nodded solemnly behind his hand. “Okay.”

  He took a deep breath. “Would it be okay if I kept some clothes and things here?”

  She looked at him as if he’d grown two heads. “What for?”

  “So I can spend my free time with you,” he said patiently, although her suspicious reaction put him on guard. He’d thought she would welcome the question.

  She actually thought about it for a minute and he found himself actually breaking into a light sweat. Was she seriously thinking of refusing? “All right,” she said at last. “I’ll clear out a drawer for you if you like.”

  “I like.” He tried to be as casual as she, although his brain was working overtime, picking apart the mystery that was Del. He’d expected his intent would signal his interest in establishing a more permanent relationship, that she would understand now that he meant her to be more than a handy bed partner. Instead, she’d nearly shot him down. He mentally added her reaction to the list of other questions he had in his head. Why would she be so skittish about letting him share her space?

  And then he realized what he’d just been thinking. A permanent relationship. Holy hell, where had that come from? Yesterday he’d been happily single, today he was pondering the best way to get Del to let him move in. It was a pretty major shift of viewpoint, but he knew what had happened. For seven years he’d been watching Del without any real expectation of getting closer. But his subconscious knew what a prize she was, and the first moment that she gave him an opportunity, he’d recognized it.

  And now that he’d gotten close, he had no intention of letting her push him away again.

  Monday morning came too fast, in his opinion. The weekend had been unbelievable. Del was the most responsive woman he’d ever dreamed of, as she got past her initial inhibitions. He’d have been happy to spend another week making love to her. And he would, once her newly initiated body healed enough for more frequent lovemaking. Maybe, he thought wryly, if he kept her in bed that long he’d learn a little more about her. She’d said very little more about herself since the summary of her less-than-ideal childhood on Friday night.

  “What’s Del short for?” he asked as they were dressing for work.

  “Nothing,” she said.

  “Just Del?” He was openly skeptical, although he knew from her personnel report that was the only name she’d used on any documents.

  “Just Del,” she said firmly. “Do you prefer Sam to Samuel?”

  “Yeah.” No point in explaining that Samuel wasn’t the name he’d been given at birth. He’d been Sam for a lot of years and he liked it just fine. It still amazed him that no reporter had uncovered his legal name after the incident.

  The Incident. That’s how he’d come to think of it in the years since, that stupid little label the media often used to describe horrific events.

  “Are you ready?” Her question jarred him from his unwelcome introspection as she picked up her briefcase and headed for the door.

  “Right behind you.”

  They’d picked up her car from O’Flaherty’s on Saturday, but he saw no sense in them driving separately to work now. He had every intention of coming home with her again tonight. Still, once they reached the office, Del insisted on entering individually.

  “Why?” The way she kept trying to keep him an arm’s length away was beginning to rankle.

  She shrugged. “I’d rather the entire company didn’t know we have a personal relationship now.”

  He hooted at her prim tone. “You mean you don’t want them to know we’re sleeping together.”

  She glared at him. “Well, yes. Hasn’t it occurred to you, in this age of sexual-harassment suits, that it might not be such a great thing to broadcast?”

  He sighed. “Del. We both know there’s no harassment involved—unless the fingernail marks you left on my behind last night count—and we’re the only ones who matter.”

  She blushed to the roots of her hair. Finally, she smiled and a wash of relief rolled through him. “Okay. But would you just humor me? I already feel like I’m wearing a sign that says, ‘Sam and I…’”

  “Are doing the mattress dance?” he suggested, laughing.

  “Ick!” She punched his shoulder, then reached for her door handle. “Just like a man. If you’re going to be crude, I’m outta here.”

  “Hey.” He caught her hand as she began to slide out of the car.”

  “Hmm?” She turned to face him.

  He leaned across the seat and claimed her mouth in a brief, stirring kiss. Her lips softened and warmed beneath his before he drew away. “Thanks for this weekend.”

  She smiled softly, touching his cheek with a gentle finger. “I’m the one who should be thanking you.”

  He gave her a head start, then casually entered behind her. He paused in the outer office where Peggy reigned. She and Del already were bent over some forms on Peg’s desk. “’Morning, Peg. ’Morning, Del.”

  “Hey, boss.” Peggy glanced up at him and her eyes widened. She immediately fastened her gaze on Del. “Yee-haw!” she hooted.

  “What?” Del jumped and lifted her head.

  “It’s about time you two got together,” Peggy said.

  “What makes you think we did?” Del asked.

  Peggy grinned. “You’re glowing and he smiled at me.”

  He raised his eyebrows and tried to look fierce. “And that’s a sign of…?”

  “Sam,” said Peggy. “You never smile before you’ve had your coffee. Besides, Del’s blushing.”

  Oh, hell. Now they were going to be the water-cooler topic of the week. He quickly escaped to his inner sanctum, leaving Del to fend off Peggy. Women were better at that kind of thing, anyway. As he closed the door, though, he heard Peggy say, “The air around you two has been sizzlin’ for years. If I’d have wet my finger and stuck it between you I’d have gotten electrocuted.”

  Had he been that obvious? Interesting that Peggy had recognized it before he had.

  At nine, Karen Munson came in to fill out more paperwork and meet the people with whom she’d be working. Since the undercover-division leader was on vacation until Friday, Del had arranged to have Walker show her the ropes and bring her up to speed on current contracts. Walker was the head of the abductions division, but he often worked closely with undercover so it wouldn’t be much of a stretch.

  That was fine with Sam, since he needed Del to help him work up an estimate for a new job they’d just gotten. Karen was in Del’s office so when he heard Del page Walker, he got up and went to the door that led from his office to Del’s.

  He walked across the room with his hand extended. “Good to have you on board,” he told Karen.

  “Thank you.” She didn’t quite smile, but the serious expression that seemed to be her norm lightened a little. “I’m looking forward to getting started.”

  A knock on the door preceded Walker’s entry.

  “Come on in,” Sam called. To Karen, he said, “The head of our abductions team is going to explain our procedures to you and bring you up to speed on our current contracts. Undercover employees often work closely with abductions and surveillance.”

  As Walker entered the room, Sam turned to him, indicating the new hire. “Walker, I’d like you to meet—”

  “Karen!” Walker’s shocked exclamation echoed through the room. “What the hell are you doing here?” He made the question an insult.

  “I’m working here now,” she said coolly, although she looked nearly as shaken as Walker was, “as you apparently do.”

  “No way.” Walker’s eyes narrowed. “This work isn’t going to suit you.”

  “You have no idea what suits me anymore,” she said sharply.

  “Did she tell you she’s my wife?” Walker demanded, wheeling to face Sam. His big hands were actually fisted at his sides.

  “Ex-wife.” Karen’s tone was frosty. “And no, amazingly enough, your name never even entered the conversation during my interview. I had no idea you worked here.” Or I’d never have taken the job. The unspoken words hung in the air like glass slivers in a broken window’s frame.

  “I can’t work with her.” Walker wheeled and stalked to the window.

  Sam looked at Del, silently questioning her with his eyes. What the hell do we do now?

  Del’s eyes were the size of saucers, but as always, she rose to the occasion. “Sam, why don’t you and Walker go into your office?” she said. She indicated the door to the hallway as she turned to Karen. “I’ll take Karen down to her desk and get her started.”

  As she led Karen from the room, she glanced back at him, and he read her response. Calm him down!

  Great. She got the lamb and he got the lion. Pushing a hand through his hair, he said, “Walker. My office.” He turned without waiting for a response and entered his own office again, taking a seat behind his desk. Intuition told him authority was going to be important right now, though he’d always had an easy, friendly relationship with the bigger man in the past.

  Walker followed him in, every muscle in his solid frame looking tense and taut. “I mean it, Sam,” he said in a deep, furious tone. “I can’t work with that b—”

  “Hey,” Sam said. “Walker. Chill. Take a deep breath.” He took his own advice, watching Walker pace around the perimeter of the room. “I didn’t know.” Honesty compelled him to add, “But I might have hired her anyway. She’s exactly what we’re looking for.”

  Walker spun around and glared at him. “She’s not what we’re looking for. We need a dedicated individual who can be as flexible as we need her to be. Karen doesn’t know the meaning of the word.” His tone was bitter. “It’s her way or no way.”

  “She says she’ll work as long and as hard as we need her to.” Sam watched his abductions expert closely, wondering what had gone wrong between the couple to make Walker still feel this way after so many years. Karen Munson must have been the woman responsible for the binge Walker had gone on that time he’d come in so hungover, but Walker had indicated then that the marriage had been over some years before he’d come to PSI.

  “She’s got a family,” Walker said harshly. The words sounded raw and accusatory. “She’s always going to put her husband and kid above the job.”

  Sam cleared his throat. Karen Munson hadn’t stipulated that the information she’d shared with him was private. Quietly, he said, “Her child is…deceased.”

  Walker’s angry gaze flew to his, incredulity replacing the rage. “What?” It was an explosion.

  Sam just watched him.

  “God.” Walker dropped heavily into a chair and buried his head in his hands as his anger visibly drained away. “Is she still married?” he asked in a muffled tone.

  Sam could answer that. After the initial interview, he’d checked out Karen’s application. “She listed herself as a widow.”

  Walker raised his head and there was more anguish in his gaze than Sam had seen in anyone’s eyes since he’d woken in a hospital bed and his commander on the teams had had the unenviable task of telling Sam he’d probably never walk again. “They’re both dead?” he whispered.

  “You knew she was married and had a child?”

  The other man nodded. “That’s why she left me. I wasn’t willing to settle down.” Remembered agony twisted his features. “She replaced me faster than you can say ‘I do.’” He heaved a deep sigh. “God, I’ve hated her for years. But I never wished anything like this on her. What happened?”

  Sam shrugged. “She didn’t get into it. Just made us aware that she was free to work pretty much anytime we needed her.”

  “I don’t think I can work with her.” Walker sounded defeated.

  “Why don’t you—”

  But the other man shook his head. “She cut out my heart, Sam. I just don’t think I can do it.” Slowly he rose to his feet, walking toward the door like a man much older than forty. “My resignation will be on your desk by the end of the day.”

  “I won’t accept it.”

  Walker turned, his hand on the doorknob. “You’ll have to.”

  But Sam shook his head. “You’re the best at what you do, buddy. I’ll tell Karen we can’t employ her.”

  Walker stared at him a moment. “You can’t do that.”

  “Wanna bet? I’m not about to lose you.”

  There was a taut moment of silence, humming with tension.

  “Damn.” Walker’s shoulders slumped. “You know I wouldn’t do that to her. Especially now, after…”

  “I was hoping so.” Sam got up from behind his desk and walked across the room to the man who’d been one of his first hires and most faithful employees. “We’ll look at the structure and see if we can’t work something out so you don’t have to work closely together, all right?”

  He held out his hand. After a moment, Walker took it and they shook. “I’d appreciate it,” the big man said quietly, and left the room.

  Five

  An hour later, he heard Del return to her office. Moments after that, she came through the connecting door. “Hey,” she said.

  “Hey.”

  “I got Karen settled, showed her around. She’s reading over the current workload for the rest of the day.” She perched on the corner of his desk and blew out a deep breath. “What a bombshell.”

  He took off his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose. “I sure wasn’t expecting that.”

  She grimaced. “I had no idea they’d been married.”

  “I looked at her file again. It’s not mentioned in there but there isn’t any reason it should have been.”

  She picked up his glasses and fiddled with them idly. “What are we going to do?”

  He shrugged. “Nothing. We hired her. Walker’s going to have to deal with it if he stays. I can’t just fire her because he doesn’t want to work with her.” He paused. “I told him we’d try to figure out something so he didn’t have to work with her much.”

  A single elegant eyebrow rose. “You think we can manage that?”

  “To some extent.”

  “I guess you’re right.” Del started cleaning his glasses with the tail of her shirt. Then she held them up to the light. A moment later, she lowered them and looked at him with a strange expression. “Sam?”

  “Yeah?” He was still thinking about Walker’s defeated expression. He’d felt like that for a while after Ilsa had dumped him. He never wanted to feel it again, either.

  “Why do you wear glasses if you don’t need them? These aren’t prescription lenses, are they?”

  Hell. He’d completely forgotten about that. “No,” he said slowly, “they aren’t.”

  “So why do you wear them?” she asked again.

  He searched for an explanation she would accept. Because I don’t want to be recognized was definitely not the right one. “I’ve found they make people take me more seriously.” That was lame.

  But Del’s face lit up with amusement. “You mean women, don’t you? Poor baby. Were you getting hit on a lot?”

  He narrowed his eyes. “You think that’s funny?”

  “I think it’s true.” She was laughing. “Sam Deering. Hunk of the year.”

  She had no idea how accurate that was and because she didn’t, he was able to laugh. He shot out a hand and grabbed her elbow, yanking her off her perch on the edge of the desk and into his arms. “So you wanna hit on me?”

  She slipped her arms around his neck, running her fingers through the curling hair that lapped over the collar of his denim shirt in the back. “I might.”

  He lowered his mouth to hers. “Notice me struggling.”

  “Hey, boss, I’ve got—Whoops!” Peggy barged into the office and just as quickly retreated, shutting the door behind her. From the other side of the closed door, they could hear hoots of laughter.

  “Damn,” he said, regretfully releasing Del. “There goes my office credibility.”

  “What about mine?” Del straightened her shirt, blushing furiously.

  “You don’t have to worry. I’m irresistible, remember?”

  She groaned. “Not that again.” But she was laughing as she went to open the door for Peggy.

  Other than that Monday-morning explosion with Walker and his ex-wife, it was the best week of his life. He and Del arose together, ate breakfast together, went to work together in the morning. At work, after the time Peggy had caught them on Monday, they were the model of propriety except for the occasional blood-pressure-raising exchange of glances.

  Until they were alone together after everyone else had left the building.

  Then he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off her. It didn’t prevent their work from getting done if he pulled her into his lap while they argued the cost estimates on a project. And it didn’t slow them down too drastically if, while she was showing him the layout for the new brochure, he slipped his hand up beneath her baggy shirt and cupped one rounded breast, teasing the nipple into stiff attention until her eyes clouded and she pulled away.