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rules in place for television media apply to print, as well. But, then there’s always eyewitness accounts, family members, attorneys and law enforcement.”
    The woman just got better and better. “It doesn’t bother you? Or scare you?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “You know,” he gestured with his hand, “to meet somebody like that in person. Have an actual conversation with someone who committed such a heinous act. It’s more than just being creepy or crazy, they’re inherently bad people.”
    Something flickered in her eyes, but she blinked it away before shaking her head. “There are inherently bad people all around us, Sam. They don’t always go to jail.”
    A fact he was well aware of. “You are a fascinating girl, Ali. Ever been married?”
    Taken aback, she stared at him in surprise, as if searching for the right answer. Her reaction sent a lightning quick premonition through him that not only had she been married, she might very well still be. The thought made his gut tighten.
    Looking somewhere over his shoulder, she shook her head. “No. You?”
    Thank fucking God. “No. My sister thinks I should join an online dating site. I told her it would have to be the cougar one, not the Christian one and she hasn’t brought it up since. I’m not opposed to it, though. The getting married part.” And why the fuck did he just tell her that?
    Laughing, Ali walked to the kitchen and he followed, grabbing another beer while she refilled her wine. “Better be careful, Sam. Say that any louder and you’ll have a hundred single women breaking down the door and stampeding through my living room, demanding to be the first in line. I’ll never get the smell of desperation mixed with expensive perfume to go away.”
    Sam shuddered at the thought, having fended off a few women exactly like that in the past. “Are you saying you don’t have them lining up? If you snapped your fingers right now, wouldn’t some Ken doll look-a-like come running?”
    “Oh, please!” She looked genuinely offended before her voice turned whimsy. “I was always more of a G.I. Joe kind of girl. Ken has a certain, I don’t know...” her cute nose wrinkled as she searched for the right words, “unsoiled look about him. I knew from an early age he would never get as dirty with me as I needed him to. And I don’t fight for space in front of the mirror with anyone. Especially a man.”
    Well, this was a goddamn first for Sam. The semi he’d been sporting since touching her hair and smelling her sweet vanilla scent was nearly at full hard-on status and she’d been talking about a fucking doll.
    “Although he does have those amazingly well-defined grooves on the inside of his hips. I don’t know what they’re called, but they make smart girls stupid. You know the ones I’m talking about? Those muscular ridges that framed his—”
    “I know,” Sam growled, quickly invading her space. Chest to chest, he backed her up until she was trapped against the island, his arms wrapping around her as he flattened his palms against the cold granite. “I can show you mine.”
    Her startled whimper was muffled as he brought his mouth down, sealing his lips over hers softly, holding himself back when what he really wanted to do was go at her hard and fast. Taking his sweet time, he rubbed his mouth against hers slowly, teasingly, politely asking for permission with the flick of his tongue over her plump bottom lip. He got what he wanted and she opened up, granting him access. Kissing her deeply, he groaned when her tongue met his, timid at first then bolder, sweeping greedily against his own as she fought him for control.
    She tasted like wine and temptation, and like no woman he had ever kissed before.
    “Jesus, you taste good.” He broke away long enough to band an arm around her waist, lifting her up until her sweet ass hit the countertop, pulling her close to the edge and letting her feel exactly what she did to him.
    Her quickened breath