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shut
window. All escapes routes irrevocably cut off. “I can explain every—”
    “Don’t listen to her.”
    “Finnegan, what on earth’s going on?” Sean Callahan’s voice
boomed around the chaotic room.
    “You’ve caught me mid-citizen’s arrest, Dad.”
    Dad ? Annika’s chest muscles froze
and she gagged on bile. Oh, God, why hadn’t she known Sean Callahan had a son?
Why hadn’t she done some research rather than depending on what Nicole had told
her? She looked at both the Callahan men, and now that she knew their
relationship she could immediately see the genes they shared—the impressive
height, the strong, square jaw and the deep brackets around a wide mouth just
waiting for a reason to smile. Right now though, given the way both of them were
staring at her, that reason was going to be a long time coming.
    “I can take over for you, sir.” The security guard put his
meaty hand on her arm. She struggled not to try and shake it off.
    Tell them the truth . Tell them you’re the acting mayor of Whitetail . She toyed with that idea for about one
tenth of a second. She’d broken into a house, wrapped herself around the owner’s
son, allowed herself to be kissed senseless and to cap it off had kicked him as
hard as she possibly could, treating his shin like a soccer ball. Oh yeah, they
were so going to be believe her.

Chapter Two
    Finn rubbed his throbbing shin and reminded himself to
never underestimate someone who claimed to be uncoordinated. He grunted at the
security guard. “Ring the police, Jerome.”
    The usually stoic man looked confused. “Mr. Callahan, sirs,
exactly which county sheriff covers this area?”
    “Aren’t you supposed to know stuff like that?” Finn could feel
an egg-size lump rising on his leg.
    “In Chicago, sir, but this part of the country is all new to
me.”
    “We’re on the border of Lake and Bayfield so take your
pick.”
    Donna sighed, her smoky voice sounding tired. “Actually, it’s
Lake County. The police chief’s number is 555-3228, although it’s Saturday night
so he’ll probably be bowling. He never hears his cell over the noise so best to
call 555-5196.”
    His gaze stalled on her mouth and the way it formed the numbers
so precisely, instantly recalling the wild and hot way it had played under his.
He ran his hand through his hair, the curls frustratingly snagging at his
fingers. Kissing her was supposed to have been a test to see how far she’d go in her quest to get what she wanted. Instead
he’d been more turned on in three minutes than he’d been in three months. He
closed his hand, pressing his fingers into his palm, desperate to shut out the
feeling that had been tingling there since it had unexpectedly discovered a soft
curve of breast nestling behind the embroidered bodice. A tingling that had made
him reach for her zipper.
    He hated that he’d responded like a randy teenager to her
calculated plan to get a story. But that was over. He had her number and then
some. “Don’t believe a word she says, Jerome.”
    “No, sir.”
    “She’s right about the county,” his father said quietly as he
put his hand on the door handle. “The toasts are starting, Finnegan. Leave
Jerome to handle this.”
    And it was time to go play happy families—the evening just got
better and better. “She’s wily, Jerome. Don’t let her near any windows and stay
with her until she’s in the back of the squad car.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    He could barely look at her but he gave a curt nod. “I’d like
to say it was a pleasure meeting you but we both know that’s a lie.”
    Her chin shot up and those sparkling blue-on-blue eyes flashed.
“Enjoy the rest of the party, Finn.”
    Her words mocked him as he stepped out of the library.
    * * *
    Bridget Mary Callahan—Bridey to her family and close
friends—was now officially engaged. She and Hank had been quietly engaged for
three months but tonight was the public declaration. She stood barefoot with
thick, soft