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disappointed, Pearly.” He gazed at her through half closed eyes. “I sure as hell wasn’t. “
    Lana had opened the proverbial can of worms again and struggled to shift his attention away from the topic. “What have you been doing all this time?”
    “Putting scumbags in prison.”
    “Yes, your reputation jumped off the pages.”
Shut up. Why are you antagonizing him
? “You always get your man no matter who gets in the way.”
    The silence swirling around them hurt her ears. She jumped when he raised his arms and stretched before speaking to her.
    “I don’t give quarter where none is deserved.” He caught her hand in a firm squeeze. “I’ve been working on ways to arrest Antigua for two years.”
    She thrilled at the strength in his fingers, almost stuttered on her question. “What’s been the hold up?” His thumb pressed into her palm, and her thighs tightened. “Why haven’t you gone after him?”
    “Waiting for you.” His lips invited her into a quick fantasy of their firm texture on her mouth. It had been too erotic to simply be tossed into the memory basket. He must know where her thoughts had taken her. “You were handpicked, Pearly. Trained and groomed to become the woman to take Antigua down. Does that worry you?”
    Lana thought over his words, leaving her hand in his. “No. As you said, I have been trained for this party.”
    * * * *
    Sam deliberately hadn’t told Pearly much about himself. Not about the nights he’d lain awake thinking about her, and especially not about the times he’d picked up a phone to call her. Hell yes, he’d memorized the number to her office. She hadn’t been the only woman in his life, but she’d damn well taken every emotion he had when she skipped out on him. The others didn’t count.
    “Pearly. You asleep?”
    Her long lashes fluttered, and she squinted at him. “What is it, Horn?”
    “I have an idea.”
    A rush of pleasure jumped from his heart to his crotch when she moistened her lips.
    She spoke with terrific interrogation style. “Let’s hear it.”
    “Why should we pretend to be strangers meeting for the first time on that tub?” She looked him square in the face and leveled a cool stare on him. “Well, hell. It takes too long to chase after a woman and look convincing. It takes a lot of candy and flowers to make it look like the romance has seriously begun. You see where I’m going with this?”
    “We have orders, Horn.”
    “I take that as a no.” He moaned in an attempt to hold her attention. “You need to live dangerously once in a while, Pearly. Since you aren’t receptive to me in this life, at least make it easier on me now.”
    “What does that mean?” A wisp of her perfume wafted to him when she sat up straight.
    “I don’t know how to play the game.” He took a magazine from the stack on her lap, purposely ignoring her stare. He glanced at her. “What?”
    “Enlighten me, Horn.” Her fine jaw set in a cute line of determination.
    “I mean I won’t play silly games for you or anyone else. “ He flipped the magazine into the seat across the aisle. “We go in loaded for love or it’s not going to happen. Orders or no orders, I’m not running after you with my tongue hanging out.”
    “Gee, and I’ll bet you wonder why you can’t hook up permanently.”
    “Naw, you have it all wrong, gorgeous.” He turned toward her, pulling his best con game. “Wouldn’t it look more convincing if we were already hot for each other? No kid games.” He added a serious note to his ploy. “I don’t want to have to scare off some randy guy with bad intentions.”
    Her soft sigh was music to his ears. Pearly just might buy his idea.
    She turned her face to the window, and he had to strain to hear her. “Just don’t think I’m going to stand still for your pawing me in public.”
    He hoped she didn’t look his way too soon. The grin on his face would blow the deal. She hadn’t said no to pawing in private. Ah, sweet heaven,