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turned south when Jared came back. She shouldn’t have let herself hope his feelings would grow into something significant. Shouldn’t have opened herself up to his special brand of hurt.
    She was done with men. And might soon be out of money too. Worse and worse. Her body emptied of some essential element, like air or water. She sank to her chair.
    A minute later, her phone cut through her reverie. She answered it like a zombie. “Ralene, it’s not a good time.”
    “Time is a tricky thing between us.”
    Jared. A charge zipped through her veins. She jerked to attention. Electricity. That was the essential element.
    “Ally?” he sounded worried.
    “Yes?” Her physical reaction to his call had pitched her voice up an octave.
    “I’m sorry about last night. I needed to go out on a case. It threw me. It was a bad one. I meant to call you, but things took off too fast.”
    Had he already left for another state? “Where are you?” Her voice pitched up even higher. Why couldn’t she control her voice? Or her blushes? She was an open book to this man, whether in person or on the phone.
    “I’m in the parking lot of NST. Stew called. Said you looked like you could use a ride home to change.”
    She should write him off. Instead she said, “I’ll be right down.”
    He was waiting for her in the lobby. When she entered, he looked up, his eyes crinkled in a smile warm enough to dry her clothes from afar. He held an umbrella for her, taking care to cover her, even though it left his shoulder in the rain. She slid into the dry interior of his black Lexus and waited for him to come around.
    “Ally, I apologize again. I should have called you right away. I never had a chance again after. I’ve got some things to learn about being in a relationship with this kind of job. I’ve never done it.”
    Her heart thudded against her ribs. “A relationship? Or an involvement?”
    He started the engine and turned on the heat but didn’t start driving. He’d put on his aftershave and the subtle, spicy fragrance enveloped her. “A relationship. If you’re willing. I hope you are. I know I need to think of you first.”
    “What happened with your job?”
    “They needed me to join a team for a child kidnapping.”
    “Oh, no.” A shiver ran through her.
    “It’s okay now. We nabbed the guy this morning. Turned out to be a father who’d lost a custody battle.”
    “Poor man.”
    “Yeah. Can’t imagine.”
    “The child is okay?”
    “Yeah. I’m going to get the dad some help. Children should get to see their dad. I wish my dad had wanted me that much. This man’s methods were wrong, but understandable.”
    She leaned over and kissed his cheek, her lips brushing across his whiskers. Then she took his hand and leaned back. A warm smile returned to his eyes. Jared cared about kids and about her. He wasn’t her dad, who’d left them for a life he thought would be more fun.
    “I’d like very much to try a real relationship with you, Jared.”
    A grin softened the hard angles of his face. “Then let’s get you home where I can dry you off properly.”
    The idea of being alone with him in her apartment drove the chill from her bones. In fact, by the time they reached her townhouse, she needed air conditioning.
    After they parked, she waited for him to open her door, taking the time to collect herself. Were they really going to the next level? Despite earlier vows to the contrary, she hoped so.
    He opened the door and took her hands in his. Then he scooped her into his arms and kissed her. His tongue delicately teased hers and filled her mouth with a hint of coffee, mint, and pure Jared. Her fingers explored his hair. She pulled him closer as hot hands caressed her back and traveled up her neck to cradle her head. Her arms settled around his neck as she came up for air.
    A big grin met her gaze. “I’ve got to get you inside,” he said. “Now.”
    “Yes, I noticed.”
    His low growl filled her with slippery heat.