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heart...what’s his name?”
    “What makes you think this has to do with some man?”
    He had the gall to grin. “I can spot a wounded female from a
mile away.”
    “I’m sure you can since you’ve probably left casualties all
over the country.”
    His amused look faded into a solemn expression. “They always
know going in that it’s only for an hour or so, not forever.”
    How well she knew that concept. And how crass for him to admit
it. “Do you include an autograph with your hour of undivided attention?”
    He narrowed his eyes and nailed her with one heck of a
smoldering look. “You don’t want my autograph, do you, Camille?”
    Brett Taylor was the worst kind of danger, and she wouldn’t
fall into that trap again. She moved around him and grabbed the rag she’d tossed
on the ground before facing him again. “You sign my check. That’s the only
autograph I need.”
    “So you’re saying money’s all you need? I’ve learned from
experience money isn’t everything.”
    “I guess having what you have, you wouldn’t understand what
it’s like to do without.”
    “Without what? Money?” He stared off into space as he spoke.
“At times I’d gladly buy a real friend. Someone to talk to who doesn’t want
something from me in return. That doesn’t happen too often in this business.”
When he returned his gaze to hers, his eyes reflected a sadness that matched his
tone. “There’s all kinds of doing without, most of which has nothing to do with
money or sex.”
    She pushed her hair back from her face and tucked it behind her
ears. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”
    “No offense taken,” he said. “I do choose to make a living this
way, good or bad. And to set the record straight, that girl was my cousin. She’s going to college here in Austin and dropped by
to introduce me to her boyfriend. I have her phone number if you want to call
and confirm it.”
    For the life of her, Cammie didn’t understand why he even cared
what she thought. Better still, why would she choose to believe him? For some
reason, she did. “Fine. I’m sorry I assumed the worst.”
    “Apology accepted.” An uneasy silence hung over them for a few
moments before he pointed to her cheek. “You have some grease right there.”
    Her hand immediately swiped at the place he’d indicated. “Did I
get it?”
    “No. You’re just making it worse.”
    As Brett reached out and rubbed the smudge with a callused
thumb, Cammie tried to look away, but couldn’t. He’d somehow captured her total
attention with those incredible blue eyes and held her there like a captive
animal. Even after he’d dropped his hand, he continued to caress her with a look
as deliberate as his touch.
    The sound of the opening door brought Cammie out of the
momentary stupor. “Thanks,” she muttered, and quickly put some much-needed
distance between them, as if they’d been doing something wrong.
    “Everything okay out here?” Bud asked as he rounded the
bus.
    She sent Brett an anxious glance and hoped she could steady her
voice. “Yeah, everything’s fine.”
    “Nice talking to you, Cammie,” Brett said before he started
away. “See you in the morning.”
    After Brett disappeared out of sight, Bud sent Cammie a serious
scowl. “What’s going on?”
    Cammie gulped down a good dose of guilt. “Nothing’s going
on.”
    “With Brett, it’s never nothing. What did he want?”
    “To check out his employee.” And that sounded completely
suspect.
    “That’s what I was afraid of,” Bud said. “Just keep in mind
that he has one hell of a way with women.”
    “He wanted to see if I know my job. That’s all.”
    Bud laughed. “Don’t believe that for a minute. When you left to
come out here, he said you had to be the prettiest bus driver in all the music
industry.”
    She could very well be the only female driver in the industry.
“Oh, please. When are men going to learn to respect women for something other
than looks?”
    “Sorry,