LITMIR.BIZ

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I can’t imagine the damage that would be done when the story comes out. Take her down to your offices, and I’ll contact the media about this matter right away.”

      Anna, the woman whom MacAlister had identified as his sister, popped in and said, “Yes, absolutely. I shop here all the time, and I don’t want anyone watching me dress in dressing rooms. It’s despicable!”

      Risa had no idea why MacAlister was here, why his sister was defending her or why no one seemed to think she could fight her own battles, but she didn’t need super powers to know he wanted her to stay quiet. The manager was turning increasingly pale as Risa felt her own face redden.

      “Now, sir, Mr….?”

      “MacAlister. Daniel MacAlister.”

      “Mr. MacAlister, I can assure you we always have a female employee review those tapes, and the only reason security was called was because your fiancée was last recorded disconnecting the cameras.”

      “She’s shy.”

      “Yes, well, um, of course, but we are within our legal rights to monitor for shoplifting.”

      Daniel’s voice turned cool. “You won’t have to worry about shoplifting after we tell every woman on the Cape that you watch them change their clothes—and tape it.”

      The man stuttered, obviously rethinking his decision, and blinked quickly, trying to backpedal. “Now, I don’t think we need to let this little incident get out of hand. I’m sure your fiancée didn’t mean any harm, and we appreciate your business. Would you like me to take your purchases to the counter?”

      Daniel looked at Risa, their eyes meeting in a clash of blue and gray. She was easily six inches shorter than his solid five-ten. Standing so close, he could detect the clean scent of soap and shampoo, and found himself staring. She wore no makeup; she didn’t need it. She was flawless, her burnished locks warming porcelain skin, decorated by a playful spray of freckles over her nose. He’d never noticed those before. Why was he noticing now?

      And why was he so acutely aware of how close they were standing, and of how curvy she was? His voice was hoarse when he spoke, and he cleared his throat, telling himself his behavior would be exactly what would be expected from a lover. He was just acting convincingly for the benefit of their onlookers.

      “I don’t know. What do you think, sweetheart? You’ve been through a terrible embarrassment here. First the indignity of the cameras, and then being manhandled—”

      “Twenty-five percent off everything you’re buying,” the manager interjected quickly, looking at them with dire hope the entire matter could be averted. Other customers had started paying attention.

      Daniel could see that Risa’s temper hadn’t cooled down, but the sooner he could get her out of here, the better. Kristy, thankfully, spoke up.

      “Make it forty and we’re outta here.”

      “Forty it is.”

      “Dammit, I don’t care about—” Risa was spitting mad, and wasn’t about to be bought off, especially with clothes. But before she could finish her sentence, Daniel loomed in close and kissed her.

      She hadn’t seen it coming—she wouldn’t have seen it coming in a million years, not in her wildest imagination. She hadn’t been kissed since her parents died, and never by a man. Certainly never like this.

      Shock and curiosity mingled as MacAlister’s mouth touched hers, stopping her words and confusing her thoughts. It was a strange feeling, and it captured her total attention as she forgot where they were and what was going on around them. Nothing else mattered except for the feeling of warmth she experienced, the soft press of his lips to hers. She shuffled closer, seeking more until someone cleared their throat.

      Risa was in a daze when MacAlister drew back, looking just as composed as he always did. He hadn’t been affected at all. The corner of the very perfect lips that had just met hers quirked up, and something heated inside her. She felt like hitting him—hard—but she also felt like kissing him again. She couldn’t take her eyes off of his mouth.

      When she realized that he no longer held her, and that both of her hands had somehow found their way to his shoulders and lingered there, she stepped back, turning away. Her pin-straight hair fell forward around her face, hiding her from the onlookers as MacAlister settled the situation with the manager. Risa wanted to hide, to process what had happened and to get away from the crowd. The urge to run, to get back to her apartment where she was safe, assailed her.

      What were all these people thinking? She dared to look up, finding the manager looking relieved as MacAlister spoke to him quietly. Anna, MacAlister’s sister, was studying Risa curiously, sending Risa back into hiding behind her hair. Kristy was gathering up the clothes she’d tried on, triumphant in wrangling a discount. Risa looked down, her fingers touching the small white tag hanging from the T-shirt she had on.

      Kristy touched her hand and Risa drew back reflexively, as she always did. Except with MacAlister. Her fingers moved to her lips as she remembered the kiss—it was a touch, an intimate one, and she hadn’t drawn back. She’d stepped closer. There hadn’t been any painful blankness or sense of disconnection. In fact, MacAlister’s kiss was the first time she’d felt connected to something, to someone, since she’d awakened from her coma. Realizing it made her want to run—and made her want to have more.

      She was staring at him, and he pursed his warm lips thoughtfully, staring right back as if he had every right to look at her so possessively.

      “C’mon, you two. Enough of the lovey-dovey stuff.” Kristy broke the visual lock between them, handing Risa some purchases to carry as she leaned in close, whispering, “And you have some explaining to do—fiancé, huh?”

      MacAlister must have overheard, and when Risa opened her mouth to correct Kristy, she closed it again, thinking better of it. She didn’t know why MacAlister was here.

      She smiled at Kristy. “It was a surprise. It’s not what you think.”

      “Yeah, there seems to be a lot of that with you.” She winked. “What a hottie. I wouldn’t mind having a surprise like that. Maybe two.”

      Risa was thankful that her new friend appeared to be teasing, and Risa dutifully followed her to the counter, where they could pay and get out.

      Risa wondered what the agency had deemed so important they’d send one of their top field operatives. Daniel MacAlister was no lightweight—she’d worked with him before and she’d rarely met anyone so focused on his work, so determined to get the job done. He was intelligent, dedicated and lethal. Apparently, this time, his mission involved her.

      If he’d come to kill her, she’d be dead already. A man like that wouldn’t bother wasting his time dallying in department stores; he could have picked her off cleanly, no matter where she was. She also knew, while MacAlister had killed in the line of duty, he wasn’t an assassin. So it had to be something else.

      Hope sparked suddenly as her mind worked over the scenarios—maybe the agency had changed their position on her employment and had a use for her even if she didn’t have her superpowers. Could he have been sent to retrieve her for service?

      “God, he’s incredible! Look at that butt….” Kristy sighed as she shamelessly ogled Daniel, who walked just ahead of them. Risa wondered if he’d heard; if so, he gave no indication. He was handsome, she thought rather experimentally; she wasn’t used to thinking about men in those terms. The only men she’d been around were Dr. Laslow and the operatives she’d worked with—or the terrorists and other subjects she’d had to examine. Needless to say, she’d never noticed any of their backsides. She tried not to notice MacAlister’s, but Kristy was right—it was nicely shaped. Toned, tapered, muscular. She felt her pulse pick up a little, and looked away, focusing on Anna, who walked at his side.

      Risa was dying to get out of the store and get some answers. The security guards and manager were gone, crisis averted. As the clerk rang up her purchases while Kristy

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