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Ander had thegrace to look a bit sheepish. “Well,” he drawled, “I couldn’t looktooeager.” At her delighted snicker, he added, “It would have scared you.”

“It would have.I was liking you more and more, but I was still obsessed with it beingprofessional.”

“And youwouldn’t stop bringing up the money. Every time you did, it was like a slap inthe face.”

Lori couldn’thelp but feel bad—now that she knew how Ander had been feeling. But she wasn’tabout to take all the blame. “Well, I was still paying you. What was I supposedto do? Throw the money out the window and assume we’d fall into each other’sarms?”

“Of coursenot,” Ander admitted, staring ahead of him with wry, knowing eyes. “You werejust doing what you were supposed to. I was the wreck who kept letting hisfeelings get trampled on because he was too attached to pull back like heshould.”

“You weren’t awreck,” she insisted, defensive of Ander even against himself and even withoutmuch evidence on her side. “What else was there for you to do?”

“Nothing.” Andersighed and moved his hand from the small of her back so he could wrap it aroundher and pull her against him. “I was hopelessly trapped. I’d never felt thatway before. I couldn’t lose you. But I couldn’t move forward because of thenature of our arrangement. No wonder I was a wreck.”

Lori poked himwith a scowl. “You weren’t a wreck.”

Ander’s lipstwitched. “You say that because you never got to see any of the brooding.”

She stoppedwalking and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. Peering at himclosely, she asked, “You’re not brooding anymore, are you?”

His eyes tookon the most delicious warmth. “No. I’m not brooding anymore.”

** *

The host of the restaurant,whose name Lori knew now as Don, greeted them ecstatically and was able to seatthem immediately.

Lori and Anderhad been to the restaurant many times in the last month, and she always enjoyedherself there.

They talkedabout Ander’s plans for next summer—another field project on a Greek island—andabout Lori’s next book. And they’d gotten their orders and started to eat when Loritook advantage of a lull in conversation to launch into her next question. “Whydid Don look so surprised, the first time you took me here?”

Ander’sshoulders stiffened a little and he looked uncomfortable. She felt a pang ofdisappointment at his reaction, since he’d be far more open than usual thisevening.

“It’s no bigdeal,” she said quickly, not wanting to put him on the spot. Before, she wouldhave pried mercilessly, but she cared for him too much to rip open his heartlike that now. If he couldn't yet share, he didn't have to.

The corner of Ander’smouth flickered with a familiar, ironic expression. “Very generous of you togive me the out.”

She couldn’thelp but laugh. “Seriously, Ander, I know I’m being nosy.”

Ander clearedhis throat. Took a long sip of wine. Then said, “He was surprised because I’dnever taken a woman here before.”

“Your clients?”

“I never tookthem here. I’ve always liked this place. It’s...it’s special to me. I didn’twant to mar that by bringing my work with me.”

Lori’s breathhitched. “But you brought me?”

“Yes,” Andersaid softly, holding her gaze with obvious significance. “I brought you.”

Her cheeksflushed with pleasure and she had to hide her face behind her wine glass for amoment to mask her reaction. There had been so many tiny hints and clues to Ander’sfeelings—all along, for so long—and so many of them she had missed.

It took herbreath way sometimes. The knowledge that she’d meant so much to him when shewas supposed to just be his client.

When she’drecovered her equilibrium, she asked, not as part of her plan but because she’dalways wanted to know, “Do you know what your dad was doing here that night?”

Ander lookedstiff again. But he bit out, “I don’t know. I can only assume he knew I spent alot of time here.”

“So he camehere on purpose?” she gasped, her eyes widening in outrage. She hated Peter Miltonmore than she’d ever hated anyone, and nothing she learned about him made herhate him any less.

With an awkwardshrug, Ander said, “Maybe. I don’t know.”

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