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in a great neighborhood, but Central Park loomed to oneside—and who knew what might leap out of the bushes at this time of night.
    â€œDo you really live right around the corner, or were you just hoping I’d let you go home alone?”
    She fidgeted on her high heels and pointed. “West Sixty-second Street. You can almost see the blue awning from here.”
    He squinted. The buildings in this neighborhood all had doormen and good security, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t get jumped from an alleyway. “I guess we can walk. But you really should take cabs at night if you’re by yourself.”
    â€œAnd pay five bucks to go two blocks? No, thank you.” She set the pace as her high heels clicked down the pavement.
    Josh smiled to himself as he noticed she took two steps to his one, her slim dress limiting her stride to a sexy little walk.
    He fell into step beside her, fighting the urge to sling a protective arm around her.
    Would she mind? She’d definitely backed off the flirting ever since he’d insisted he would walk her home. Had he misread her signals? After Lexi’s prolonged pursuit at the club and her teasing overtures with the handcuffs, Josh had been pretty certain she would be amenable to spending the night with him. Now he wasn’t so sure.
    He would walk away if she wanted him to, of course. But he didn’t relish the idea. He’d had hours in the jail cell to resign himself to the fact that he wouldn’t be getting any work done on his investigation tonight. His work for the night had been compromised, but not his overall case. Once he’d come to terms with a night off, he’d gladly spent the rest of the time indulging in erotic fantasies about Lexi.
    He had another block and a half to sway the odds in his favor, and he didn’t plan to waste them lecturing her about street safety.
    The night air was crisp and clear. A few fall leaves barely clung to the trees planted at precise intervals along the street. A light breeze caught stray strands of Lexi’s hair.
    Josh racked his brain for the right approach. He didn’t usually have to work at this—the women in his past had made it known they were available. He’d thought Lexi was like that, too, but she was turning out to be more complicated than he’d expected.
    Didn’t matter.
    He wanted her more than he could remember wanting any other woman.
    He brushed his hand over her shoulder. “You warm enough in that thing?”
    She slanted him a sideways glance. “Plenty warm.”
    â€œYou ever share your blankets?” He tugged one corner of her shawl and crossed his fingers.
    She stared straight ahead. “No.”
    Her heels clicked down the street, ticking off his remaining time to seduce her. The odds seemed to be going up in her favor with every step she took.
    Click.
    Click.
    Click.
    â€œSo Alec told me you write reviews for a magazine.” He might as well find out a little about her. He didn’t see how any great Casanova move would salvage his night with the dominatrix, anyway.
    Oddly enough, he wanted to learn more about her even though he knew she’d be sending him home soon.
    â€œIt’s New York Fashion magazine. I’ve been writing the style column for five years, now.” She unearthed her hands from the mass of black cashmere and huffed warm breath on them.
    Josh watched the steam rise from her folded palms, plagued by a vague sense that he’d seen her somewhere before tonight. She had a familiar smile….
    She peered over at him, pausing just before they reached her awning. “Just how much did Alec tell you about me?”
    Josh took her hands in his and tugged her to the side of the street. He must be wrong thinking she looked like someone he’d met before. “He told me the women were giving you a hard time tonight.”
    He wrapped his hands around hers, then pulled their knot of fingers toward his