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shade uneasy. What had he done now?
    Dietz shoved his chair back and came around the table to stand in front of her. "Don't bother about the coffee, Keely. I don't need any." He caught her chin and pulled her face up, forcing her to look at him. Her fair skin felt soft against his rough hand, as soft as he imagined. "Something wrong, Keely?"
    Her eyes misted, making him uncomfortable. He'd always been a sucker for a vulnerable woman. "I'm just a camp cook and a boarding house worker. Why would a man as powerful, smart, and handsome as you want me?"
    Dumbfounded, he dropped his hand from her chin.
    "What will I do, McCullough, if you don't want me?"
    Dietz couldn't believe her words. Either the woman was amazingly coy, or she really believed what she said. On any account, her words sliced through him like a stiletto. Damned guilt again. "You'd be the same strong, independent woman you've shown me through your letters these last years. You'd get by. But that isn't going to happen, darling." What was he saying?  
    She looked up at him. Almost without thinking, he bent to kiss her. Her lips were moist when they met his, and there was nothing shy about the way she pressed herself against him. He felt himself go long and hard. All the ugly thoughts and incidents of the night faded away. The soft, round feel of Keely against him, and the innocent probing of her tongue consumed him. He crushed her to him in a long embrace, tracing her shapely backside with his hands. The heavy thudding of boots on the boardwalk outside brought him to his senses. Damn, he had to pull away before he went too far. Another bolt of conscience come from nowhere.
    As the footsteps receded into the night, he separated from Keely. The light made her eyes emerald, and she looked wild and flushed, and eager. He liked the sight of her far too much.
    She cleared her throat and straightened the folds of her wrapper. He couldn't help himself from speaking. "You have nothing to worry about, Keely."
    She laughed self-consciously, sounding genuinely happy. "Seems like we'd better discuss the wedding tomorrow." She looked up at him from under her thick lashes. "Time for bed." She pointed to the stairs. "Third door on the left."
    He picked up his boots and walked to the stairs while she picked up the kerosene lamp and went to the hall on the main floor. He turned back to watch her just as she disappeared into the black hall toward her ground floor room.
    He hoped it was only the whiskey obscuring his good sense and stirring his desires, but Keely was having far too great an effect on him. Watch it, Dietz, that woman could bring nothing but trouble and heartache. Let her under his skin and he'd lose all perspective about the operation and his cover, maybe even his jaded heart, along with it.
     
    Back in her room, Keely latched the door shut and plopped onto her back on her deep featherbed, sighing happily as the bed squeaked beneath her weight. McCullough's kiss still sang on her lips. The feel of his hands caressing her body was a memory so pleasant it felt real. What a day this had been! A day unequaled in all her life.
    McCullough had come and was more than mere man. Handsome, devastatingly so, smart, strong, brave, honest, compassionate. A knight, her knight. A dream realized so completely she barely dared to believe it true. Yet it was!
    Like Lunn had done this afternoon, people always accused her of being too trusting. But in this instance, her faith had not been misplaced. It might be true that a man could impersonate traits in a letter, pretend to be something different than his true self. But a man's actions showed his real character, and from what she'd seen, McCullough had plenty. Deep down she knew that if she couldn't trust McCullough with her heart, there wasn't a man alive she could.

Chapter 4
    What had come over Keely? Why had she admitted her fears and insecurities to McCullough when she needed to show him strength? But she had always wondered why