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her man was a Freudian slip she didn’t want to analyze. “It was a slip of the tongue. Of course I meant Katrina.”
    Barbara’s eyes flashed. “That bastard Simon is behind all this, isn’t he?”
    Kate raised a firm hand. “Stop. And spare me the psychoanalysis,” she added tautly. “I’m the last person who needs it. Besides, as a doctor’s fiancée, you should appreciate the dangers of reopening old wounds.”
    “I’m sorry,” Barbara said.
    Inwardly, Kate began to unravel. “No, I’m sorry. You have every right to be concerned. I guess I would be too if the shoe was reversed and you were the one meeting Adam tonight.” Her hands went up to her bun and she pulled out her pins. “My head’s throbbing. Do you have any aspirin?” Barbara nodded and left while Kate loosened her hair from its confining knot. She was massaging her scalp when the doorbell rang.
    “Can you get that for me?” Barbara called from the bathroom.
    Kate sighed wearily as she rose. Her sister was right. Phase Four was a bust. She pressed the button on the intercom panel by the door. “Hello?”
    “Is that you, Kate?”
    Her stomach did a flip flop. “Adam? What…what are you doing here?”
    “You left your planner in my car.”
    She felt a flash of fear. Her business cards were inside the front cover! Business cards that had Kate Moore, Psychologist in bold, gold letters printed on them.
    “Just a second,” she replied with forced cheeriness. She removed her finger from the intercom. “Barbara! Barbara!”
    “What? Why are you yelling?” her sister asked as she rushed back in with a bottle of aspirin.
    Kate glanced around her sister’s living room, littered with her luggage from her trip to Greece. “Quick! Get rid of your bags. And then go in your bedroom and…and hide!”
    Barbara looked baffled. “Would you mind telling me what—”
    “He’s here. Adam’s here and he’s downstairs.”
    “Why is he—”
    “Damn it, Barbara,” Kate snapped. “This is my chance to be sweet and innocent. Now move! Go and lie down. I’ll wake you up when we’re done.”
    Barbara narrowed her eyes. “Done what? Not on my couch you won’t.”
    “Barb! Don’t be ridiculous. We’re not going to have sex! Just go and lie down.”
    “Fine.” Barbara reached for her suitcase.
    Moments later Kate took a deep breath and silently recounted the nice girl’s nine character traits. She’d do it right this time. She’d be the picture of courtesy, refinement, and friendliness if it killed her.
    She hit the intercom. “Come on up, Adam,” she said sweetly.
    * * * *
    Adam took the stairs two at a time, wondering if he was in the right building. The woman who answered the intercom couldn’t be the same Kate he had met tonight. She sounded too sweet and pleasant. Something wasn’t right.
    He’d be lying to himself if he said he wasn’t intrigued by her. What was it about her that made him want to find out what lay beneath? Adam tensed as he reached her door.
    Who was he kidding? The best thing to do was just give her the daily journal and leave. Exploring Kate’s effect on him was something he couldn’t do, because in the long run he would end up hurting her. Kate Moore had the word “commitment” flashing on her forehead, and those were exactly the kind of women he stayed away from.
    The moment she opened the door he lost his train of thought.
    He stared at her lustrous hair loose about her shoulders and arms, and resisted the urge to reach out and touch it. A man could lose himself in hair that beautiful, he thought. His gaze rested on her mouth. Her smile was dazzling and he had to hold himself back from reaching out to her. Desire shot through him.
    “Thank you so much for returning this,” she said as she took the planner from him.
    Adam cleared his throat. “It was no trouble.”
    “How did you find my apartment?” She motioned him inside.
    “Luck,” he began, stepping over the threshold. “Your apartment was