“I want you, Rachel.” He caught her hand in his before she could stand. “I want to make love with you.”

“I know what you want. I have to know what I want.”

“Before we were interrupted downstairs, I think that was pretty clear.”

“To you, maybe.” After a deep breath, she pulled her hand free and stood. “I told you, I don’t do things spontaneously. And I certainly don’t take a lover on impulse. If I act on the attraction I feel for you, I’ll do so with a clear head.”

“I don’t think I’ve had a clear head since I laid eyes on you.” He stood, as well, but because it suddenly seemed important to both of them he kept his distance. “I realize how the saying goes about guys like me and women in every port. That’s not reality—not my reality, anyway. I’m not going to tell you I spent every liberty curled up with a good book, but…”

“It’s not my business.”

“I’m beginning to think it is, or could be.” The look in his eyes kept her from arguing. “I’ve been on land for two years, and there hasn’t been anybody important.” He couldn’t believe what he was saying, what he felt compelled to say, but the words just tumbled out. “I’ll be damned if there’s ever been anyone like you in my life.”

“I have priorities…” she began. The words sounded weak to her. “And I don’t know if I want this kind of complication right now. We have Nick to think about, as well, and I’d rather we just take it slow.”

“Take it slow,” he repeated. “I can’t give you any promises on that. I can promise that the first chance I get, when it’s just you and me, I’m going to do whatever it takes to shake up those priorities of yours.”

She jammed nervous hands in her pockets. “I appreciate the warning, Muldoon. And here’s one for you. I don’t shake easily.”

“Good.” His grin flashed before he walked to the door. “Winning’s no fun if it’s easy. Thanks for the first aid, Counselor. Lock your door.” He shut it quietly behind him and decided to walk home.

At this rate, he was never going to get any sleep.

CHAPTER FIVE

She wasn’t avoiding him. Exactly. She was busy, that was all. Her caseload didn’t allow time for her to drop by Zack’s bar night after night and chat with the regulars. It wasn’t as if she were neglecting her duty. She had slipped in a time or two to talk with Nick in the kitchen. If she’d managed to get in and out without running into Zack, it was merely coincidence.

And a healthy survival instinct.

If she let her answering machine screen her calls at home, it was simply because she didn’t want to be disturbed unnecessarily.

Besides, he hadn’t called. The jerk.

At least she was making some progress where Nick was concerned. He had called her, twice. Once at her office, and once at home. She found his suggestion that they catch a movie together a hopeful sign. After all, if he spent an evening with her, he wouldn’t be hanging out with the Cobras, looking for trouble.

After ninety minutes of car chases, gunplay and the assorted mayhem of the action-adventure he’d chosen, they settled down in a brightly lit pizzeria.

“Okay, Nick, so tell me how it’s going.” His answer was a shrug, but Rachel gave his arm a squeeze and pressed. “Come on, you’ve had two weeks to get used to things. How are you feeling about it?”

“It could be worse.” He pulled out a cigarette. “It’s not so bad having a little change in my pocket, and I guess Rio’s not so bad. It’s not like he’s on my case all the time.”

“But Zack is?”

Nick blew out a stream of smoke. He liked to watch her through the haze. It made her look more mysterious, more exotic. “Maybe he’s laid off a little. But it’s like tonight. I got the night off, right? But he wants to know where I’m going, who I’m going with, when I’ll be back. That kind of sh—” He caught himself. “That kind of stuff. I mean, hey, I’m going to be twenty in a couple of months. I don’t need a keeper.”

“He’s a pushy guy,” Rachel said, trying to strike a balance between sympathy and sternness. “But he’s not only responsible for you in the eyes of the law—he cares about you.” Because his answering snort seemed more automatic than sincere, she smiled. “His style’s a little rough, but I’d have to say his intentions are good.”

“He’s going to have to give me some room.”

“You’re going to have to earn it.” She squeezed his hand to take the sting out of her words. “What did you tell him about tonight?”

“I said I had a date, and he should butt out.” Nick grinned, pleased when he saw the answering humor in Rachel’s eyes. He’d have been very disappointed if he’d realized she was amused at the term date. “It’s like he’s got his life and I got mine. You know what I’m saying?”

“Yes.” She drew a deep appreciative breath as their pizza arrived. “And what do you want to do with your life, Nick?”

“I figure I’ll take what comes.”

“No ambitions?” She took the first bite, watching him. “No dreams?”

Something flickered in his eyes before he lowered them. “I don’t want to be serving drinks for a living, that’s for sure. Zack can have it.” After crushing out his cigarette, he applied himself to the pizza. “And no way I’m going into the damn navy, either. He swung that one by me the other day, and I shot it down big-time.”

“Well, you seem to know what you don’t want. That’s a step.”

He reached out to toy with the little silver ring on her finger. “Did you always want to be a lawyer?”

“Pretty much. For a while I wanted to be a ballerina, like my sister. That’s when I was five. It only took about three lessons for me to figure out it wasn’t all tutus and toe shoes. Then I thought I might be a carpenter, like the men in my family, so I asked for a tool set for my birthday. I think I was eight. I managed to build a pretty fair book rack before I retired.” She smiled, and his heart rate accelerated. “It took me a while to come to the conclusion that I couldn’t be what Natasha was, or Papa or Mama or anyone else. I had to find my own way.” She said it casually, hoping the concept would take root.