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chairs as if in preparation for her joining them.
    Only her feet wouldn’t move. She did, however, get her mouth shut. How embarrassing.
    Rallying herself, Lisa straightened her glasses, chided Hart with a frown, and made her way to the table. Taking the initiative, she said to Hart, “You could have told me you were bringing a guest.”
    He cleared his throat. “I, ah . . .”
    Lisa looked at him again, and her eyes flared. “You’re not Hart.”
    One brow lifted. “You sure?”
    “Well, of course I’m sure.” She snorted, embarrassing herself again, then held out a hand. “You must be the twin he mentioned.”
    Her hand got engulfed as the brother treated her to a broad smile that was gorgeous, but not quite as cocky as Hart’s. “Dexter. And you must be Lisa.”
    “Nice to meet you, Dexter. My, but you’re almost the spitting image of your brother, aren’t you?”
    “Or vice versa.” He gestured to the big fellow next to him. “This is our cousin Joe Winston.”
    Flustered all over again, Lisa girded herself and faced the big man. Along with that edge of menace, he oozed raw sex appeal.
    Was this what Hart would look like in his prime? If so, then God save her, because he’d be even more devastating in his midfor ties than he was in his late twenties.
    Fashioning a smile out of her stiff lips, Lisa said, “Hello, Mr. Winston.”
    “Damn, now I do feel old.” He used her proffered hand as a leash and hauled her in close to brush a warm kiss to the cheek. “Just call me Joe.”
    A swoon threatened.
    And then Dexter laughed. “No reason to blush. Joe has that effect on everyone, even his wife, who you’d think would be used to him by now.” Dex held out her chair.
    Before her legs gave out, Lisa sat.
    As the men took their seats, Dex asked, “How did you know?”
    She raised a brow in query.
    “That I’m not Hart, I mean.”
    “Oh.” Lisa shrugged. “You’re not Hart, that’s all. There are differences.”
    Joe smirked. “You don’t know the half of it.”
    “What differences?” Dex wanted to know.
    She had to give it some thought, and admitted, “It’s subtle. But Hart has some singular expressions, a certain air about him, and he holds himself differently, with more negligence.” She looked around. “Where is Hart, anyway?”
    With a toss of his head, Joe indicated the back of the restaurant. Lisa saw Hart making his way to their table.
    “Sorry,” he said. “I had to take a call, and I couldn’t hear up here.”
    A call from a woman? Lisa did her best to hide her reaction to that, but she did say, “This better not have been a test, Hart Winston.”
    “Or what?” He raked his gaze over her, frowning at the neat bow tied at her throat, and dropped into his seat. “What’s with the matronly duds again? Is that your idea of a chastity belt?”
    Everyone froze. Lisa gave serious consideration to throwing a glass of water in his face.
    Joe chuckled. “Thus, one of the differences. You see, Dex has some class. Hart—nada.”
    “I have class,” Hart argued.
    Dex rolled his eyes. “A weight class, but that’s about it.” He slugged his brother in the shoulder. “You just insulted the lady, you idiot, in front of your family.”
    Hart looked at her, his blue eyes smoldering, his mouth curving into a grin. “Ah, sweetheart, did I? Insult you, I mean?”
    For answer, she fried him with a look.
    A waiter came for their drink orders, breaking the icy tension. Dex asked for a cola, Hart kept his water, and Joe requested coffee. Lisa declined anything, determined to keep this visit as short as possible. Whatever bug had gotten to Hart’s butt, she wouldn’t put up with him by extending this visit any more than necessary.
    Laying her napkin on the table, Lisa turned to Joe. “You’re here as added counsel about the attack planned against Hart?”
    “My specialty,” Joe concurred.
    A curious statement, but Lisa didn’t question him. She wanted only to finish this and be on