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going?” she asked.
    â€œIt’s fine and I’m confused. She’s really excited about the pig,” he said, shaking his head.
    â€œIt’s a legal pet to replace the monkey. Not replace it in her heart, but in the house—”
    â€œI get it. I just couldn’t believe your mother walked in with a freaking pig.”
    Zoe blinked, startled. Something told her Mr. Uptight, Conservative Bostonian didn’t curse often. “A Vietnamese potbellied pig, in case you were wondering.”
    â€œI wasn’t.”
    â€œLiar.”
    To her surprise, he burst out laughing. “Are you people for real?”
    â€œLast time I checked.” She nodded toward her family gathered in the other room. “We may be different, but we love each other so if you’re thinking you can use our uniqueness against us—”
    â€œWhoa.” He held up a hand. “I didn’t mean anything except you’re all nothing like what I’m used to.”
    Zoe stopped, smiled slightly, then placed her hand on the back of his larger one and gently pushed it down, keeping her fingers lightly closed around his. “And what would that be? Proper decorum at all times,” she teased softly.
    A dimpled grin worked its way across his face, but his stare remained fixed on their hands. She suspected he also felt the heat passing between them.
    No doubt he needed an explanation for her behavior when they were supposed to be on opposing sides. She wished she could understand it herself. How could she be so attracted to a man she knew was lying? A man who was, in essence, forcing her to lie to her family?
    Yet she was attracted. Very attracted. Enough that she couldn’t control the smiles he evoked or the warmth surging through her body right now.
    He also deserved an explanation. “What can I say? You may be a lying creep, but you interest me.” In fact, her insides tingled, making her aware of sensations that had been dormant for a while. She couldn’t remember the last time simply touching a man had caused her breasts to grow heavy and her nipples to tighten against her shirt.
    Oh yes, she liked how this man made her feel.
    When she’d worked for the Secret Service, the agency had frowned on mixing work and pleasure. She’d resented the rule at the time and had bent it on occasion, but with Ryan’s relationship to Sam between them, she’d be smart to follow a no-fraternization rule now.
    On the other hand, he was hard to resist; his pull was magnetic. And he’d be around for a few weeks, underfoot, watching them and getting to know Sam. She couldn’t deny the desire to get to know him equally well. Without a doubt she knew he’d give her all the heat she desperately needed without being any threat to her resolution to advance her career and her life. It was an ideal situation.
    â€œYou see? Not only are you one big, loving group, but you say what you think.” He shook his head in disbelief.
    She swung their clasped hands back and forth. “Better than keeping your feelings bottled up until you explode.”
    â€œOr run away,” he muttered.
    She paused. “Your sister?”
    He nodded. “She chafed under rules and restrictions.”
    â€œAnd your parents had a lot of them?” she guessed without too much difficulty.
    â€œYou could say that. Ever hear the term upper crust? ”
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œWell imagine all that term implies. My brother and I conformed. She didn’t.”
    Zoe raised an eyebrow, interested in his background for reasons that went beyond Sam. “How many brothers and sisters do you have?”
    â€œThere were three of us in total. There’s the oldest, J.T., then came Faith, then me.” His eyes glazed over at the mention of his sister’s name.
    â€œSo Faith was the only girl.”
    He nodded. “My parents had high hopes for her. They expected her to have a