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We were too competitive when it came to catching the bad guys.”
    “Shocker. So now you ‘do it your way.’ My point exactly.”
    “Contessa, let me loosen that stubborn lug nut. I promise I'll still respect you in the morning.” 
    The man seemed determined to charm her. He had no idea how easy it was. She felt warm inside already and he hadn’t done anything.  Lord help her if she let him get to her! Maybe if she allowed him to play macho man, he’d leave. 
    “Knock yourself out. I probably loosened it for you.” She dared him to disagree.
    “I’m sure you did. If I were a little piece of metal, I sure as hell wouldn’t cross you.” The irresistible grin he wielded with such ease flashed.
    Tess threw her hands up in defeat and laughed. He was fun to have around, even when he drove her crazy. “Well, I don’t seem to scare you at all. Here’s the tire iron.” She stepped back to let him get to the tire. He gave the offending part a twist and it loosened immediately.             
    Figured.
    Bailey finished unscrewing the nut and took the tire off. “I might as well finish up while I’m the one in the dirt.” He put the spare on in a matter of minutes and threw the old one in the bed of her pickup. 
    “Are you headed home?” he asked as he wiped his hands on the legs of his worn Levis.
    “Yes, I have to get my new roommate settled. He’s never been there before and I want to make him comfortable.” She turned and headed to the cab of her truck.
    “Him?” A frown emerged, quickly snuffed. “You’re getting a male roommate? How're the fine citizens of Greenview going to take that?” 
    If she didn’t know better, Tess could swear he sounded jealous. “Well, not that it would be any of their business, but this male is perfect for me.”
    Bailey’s eyes narrowed.
    “He comes when I call, doesn’t complain about my cooking and he loves to rub up against me, except all that long hair tickles.” She could almost see steam coming off of his body.
    “Look, I don’t care to hear about...long hair tickles? Is this some kind of a joke?” Bailey said suspiciously.
    “Why don’t you come and meet him. He’s in the truck.”             
    “I didn’t see anyone in the truck. What’s—” He stopped when he saw Pyewacket.
    Tess couldn’t help it. She started to laugh. Bailey reached out with one hand and grabbed the front placket of her flannel shirt. She felt like a fish being reeled in as he pulled her into his arms. He was strong, but she knew that. What bothered her was that she didn’t resist. She wanted to know what would happen next.
    “Can’t you take a joke, Stanley Dwight?” Her voice sounded different, lower—like she was extending an invitation. What the hell?
    “Well now, Contessa, that’s a good one on me.” He lowered his head to nuzzle her ear. “But, it shows me two things. You wanted me to think you were living with a man. And I didn’t like that one bit. What do you suppose that means?”
    His warm breath in her ear created devastating quivers in her equilibrium. Tess found it hard to think over the pounding of her heart. “I...no, I didn’t say I lived with a man.” She couldn’t suppress a sigh as she leaned against him to support her suddenly shaky legs.
    She spread her hands over his chest. Reveled at the heat. “Hmmm, I don’t know…what were you saying?” She couldn’t stop her sigh or the fact that her eyes were closing.
    Bailey accepted her weight easily and shifted his grip to circle her waist. “I think it means we should get to know each other better. What do you think?” He switched his attention to her neck.
    Damn, the man was good! Drowning in a warm sea of sensation, she didn’t want it to stop.
    “Meoww.”
    The discordant sound of an impatient Pyewacket brought Tess to the surface. She opened her eyes; surprised they still stood on the side of the road by her pickup. She’d lost track of where she was while