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she put her hand on his forearm. Felt his bunched muscles. She saw his clenched
     jaw, yet his eyes stared off into the darkness. “I’m sorry.”
    He turned to look at her.
    Megan sucked in a breath at the sheer agony in his gaze. Raw, undiluted pain darkening
     his eyes. Then he closed his eyes, opened them, and it was gone. “So I did it for
     both of us. And his wife, Sienna, works for me. She’s my administrative assistant
     and general pain in the ass.”
    “You care about her.” She could hear it in his voice.
    “She’s my best friend’s wife. Hell, yeah, I care about her like a brother. I brought
     her in right at the beginning, and we’re building the agency. We’re hiring a lot of
     the Marines I worked with as they leave the military. I’m going to build this agency
     nationwide. Most of the guys are single, free to go anywhere at the drop of a hat.”
    Megan withdrew her hand and picked up her fork. She had to remember why she was here.
     “So you never found a woman who changed your mind about marriage and kids?” She speared
     a carrot and ate it, struggling to seem casual. The food was delicious, and eating
     gave her a way to keep her nerves under control.
    “No.”
    She watched as he cut some meat, his actions as crisp and emotionless as his answer.
     So no meaning that he never found the right woman, or no he would never accept a child no matter what? She was so caught up in her thoughts
     that she almost missed it when he spoke.
    “What about you? You always wanted a family. I was surprised you didn’t marry years
     ago.”
    She had to balance this carefully. “Getting my DVM took all my time. Then I was building
     my practice, and the right guy just hasn’t come along.” Most likely he never would.
     At some point, she had made peace with that. She picked up her wine glass and sat
     back. “I’m happy with my life the way it is now.”
    Adam’s gaze was intense. “That’s not the whole story, is it?”
    Startled, she set her glass down. “What do you mean?”
    “Not wanting to be seen with me. There’s a reason. I’d like to know what it is.”
    His warm fingers wrapped around hers, and his thumb stroked over her skin, creating
     sensual sparks. Beneath the soft lantern lights, she stared at him. It was impossible
     to believe he was here. Real. Her stomach tightened. Nerves? Desire? “Is that bad?
     Do you feel like I’m being secretive?”
    “It makes me want to learn you all over again, Meg. You were always pretty, but now
     you’re beautiful. Intriguing.” His voice dropped. “Sexy.”
    Shivers raced down her back and hardened her nipples.
    He pushed back his chair. “Come on, I want to show you something.”
    She hesitated. “Shouldn’t we clear the dishes?”
    He stepped up to her. So close, she could feel the heat of him. “Stalling, Meg?”
    “Yes.”
    He laughed. “I want to show you my offices on my laptop. Not drag you to my bedroom
     and pressure you into sex. I told you, tonight is just for getting reacquainted.”
    “And touching.” She remembered him saying that.
    “And kissing,” he said. “Anywhere you want me to.”
    Tingles shivered over her skin while her belly warmed. It had been so long since anyone
     had touched her with desire, since anyone had made her feel like more than a mom and
     a vet…like a woman. “Tempting offer.” She held her breath, her nerves pulling tight.
    He dropped his gaze to her mouth.
    Blood rushed through her and desire pooled between her legs. She wanted him to kiss
     her, needed it almost as much as she needed her next breath.
    Then Adam stepped back and pulled his phone out of his pants pocket. “All I do is
     text the caterer, and they come and pick up all this. Food, dishes, tablecloth, lanterns.
     It’s a package deal.”
    Finished, he put the phone away and tugged on her hand. “Come on, Ellie,” he called
     and waited for the dog to get up. She limped in with them.
    …
    Adam looked over Megan’s