LITMIR.BIZ

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only made her more determined to deny it. “You misinterpreted what you felt.”

      “Is that so?” His hand left the steering wheel and settled on her forearm.

      His fingers slid down toward her wrist in a gentle caress. Even though she knew his move was calculated, she couldn’t control her accelerating heart rate. Why was she reacting so intensely? He was hardly touching her.

      She willed herself to ignore him and focus on the scenery rushing past the car.

      A moment later, he turned his head and spoke in a husky voice. “How about we pull over…”

      And do what? Her heart went wild at the possibilities.

      “…and check out that pulse of yours?”

      Shrugging off his hand, she said more sharply than she intended, “Watch the road. I saw a deer-crossing sign a few yards back.”

      She stared straight ahead, hoping he’d take the hint.

      “Sooner or later you’re going to run out of excuses to avoid the attraction between us.”

      His self-satisfied tone irked her. “Are you familiar with the term ‘delusional'?”

      “Are you familiar with the term ‘coward'?”

      Her head whipped around. “What?”

      “Why can’t you be honest about your feelings instead of hiding behind that psychobabble?”

      “Psychobabble?” she said. “Why on earth would I be attracted to somebody who disparages what I do for a living?”

      He had the gall to smile. “I don’t know.”

      The man was impossible. No matter how much she denied the sparks between them, he wouldn’t believe her. But maybe she could convince him that the point was moot. “Even if I were attracted to you, nothing would happen between us.”

      “Why not?”

      “Given my position, it would be wrong to become personally involved—”

      “—with a patient. I’m not a patient.”

      “Not now.”

      “Not ever,” he amended tartly.

      “Doesn’t matter. I consider all agents to be off limits.”

      He gave her a penetrating stare. “Why?”

      “I have a rule about it.”

      “Haven’t you heard? Rules are made—”

      “—to be broken.” She shook her head. “Hardly reassuring words coming from a federal agent.” But she couldn’t prevent the hint of a smile that curved her lips. “You’re supposed to enforce the law.”

      “Hey, I follow the rules in my job.”

      “Like breaking and entering my house?”

      He grinned. “Sometimes the rules require liberal interpretation.”

      “Does Gene know that?”

      “Gene knows I’d never cut the wrong corner.”

      “Glad to hear it.”

      “My personal life is a different story,” he told her. “There, I don’t worry about rules. I go with my impulses.”

      And what impulses would those be? she couldn’t help but wonder. It would be better not to speculate. She was already finding him dangerously appealing. “I commend your flexible approach. But it doesn’t change how I feel.”

      “Maybe you’re harboring resentment against my profession. And that’s the real reason you don’t date FBI guys.”

      “You’re entitled to your opinion,” she said with a shrug. “However wrong it may be.”

      A sign appeared on the side of the road, indicating they’d arrived at the outskirts of the city.

      The last few minutes had distracted her, but now a shiver ran up her spine. Until Forrester was in custody, she wouldn’t feel safe here. But her fear didn’t matter. What mattered was tracking down his target before he did.

      She only hoped they weren’t already too late.

      BRENT DRUMMED HIS THUMBS on the steering wheel. Claire’s conviction not to get involved with an agent intrigued him. What was she hiding? Because he was certain she was hiding more than her feelings for him. Had she been burned before, maybe in a relationship with one of his colleagues? The possibility made him uncomfortable. He didn’t go for long-term relationships, but a woman who became involved with him did so knowing the score. Lots of men made promises they had no intention of keeping. Is that what had happened to make Claire wary?

      Or maybe her “rule” was just a smokescreen? A way of not having to admit she was attracted to him. What did psychologists call that? Denial?

      He, on the other hand, had no problem owning up to the attraction he felt. Their disagreements revved his engine because she was smart and focused. Her mouth looked infinitely kissable, and her thick, blond hair was sure to feel amazing against his bare skin. Last, but certainly not least, her curves had him hungering to learn every contour.

      She didn’t know him well enough to realize that telling him about her “rule” had been a tactical error. He never accepted rules at face value. They always had to make sense to him. This one didn’t. This one seemed more like a challenge. And he never backed down from one of those.

      Thinking of challenges reminded him of Forrester’s comments on the tape. What had happened to bend the bastard so out of shape? And whose life was in danger? Of course, the most pertinent question right now was, would a search of his house be productive or a colossal waste of time?

      As he turned the corner onto Forrester’s street, he counted a dozen vehicles parked along the curb, including the one assigned to the surveillance team. He pulled into an empty spot and called the number Gene had given him.

      “Riley Harris,” a voice answered.

      The name wasn’t familiar, but frequent transfers made it hard to keep track of everyone in the Cincinnati office. Brent identified himself.

      “Gene said you’d be checking in,” the other man said.

      “Any sign of Forrester?”

      “Negative. McKenna’s walking the perimeter. If Forrester shows up, he’ll attempt to talk him into giving himself up.”

      It was worth a try, Brent supposed. And Alec McKenna had been around long enough to know not to let down his guard.

      “I’ll let McKenna know you’ve arrived,” Harris said.

      Brent closed his cell phone and turned to Claire. She hadn’t spoken since they’d reached the city and was hugging her arms to her body even though it wasn’t cold in the car.

      “Don’t worry,” he said. “The surveillance team hasn’t seen any sign of Forrester.”

      She nodded, but her arms remained locked across her torso.

      He cupped her shoulder with his palm, drew her gaze to meet his. “If he shows his face, you have me and two other agents to protect you. But it’s more likely he’s gone to ground miles from here.” He didn’t know if that was true—all he knew was that he felt compelled to ease Claire’s tension.

      “I hope you’re right,” she said. “Leaving town may force him to postpone going after the person on the tape.”

      He checked his gun just in case he was wrong. “Let’s go.”

      They didn’t encounter Alec McKenna on their way to the back of the house, but Brent hadn’t expected to. The agent would be focused on watching out for Forrester, and their presence couldn’t act as a distraction.

      At

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