do.”
“How come I didn’t know this?”
“There are many things you don’t know about me.”
“But where? How? You live in a penthouse on Connecticut Avenue.”
“I also have a house in Maine.”
“Seriously?”
“Why would I make that up?”
She went back to sorting the money. “I’m just surprised. You’ve never mentioned it before.”
“Cara, we haven’t had that many dates.” And most of their time alone together had been spent debating the political issues and events of the day. Or in bed. They’d spent an awful lot of their time alone together in bed. Which might explain his rather Pavlovian urge to kiss her right now.
Her hand slowed in the money sorting, then came to a stop on the stack of fifties. She looked up at him, and he could see the same thoughts making their way through her brain.
“What else don’t I know about you?” she asked.
“Many, many things. Most of them good.”
Her mouth twitched in a smile. “Tell me the bad ones.”
“You first.”
She drew back in what was obviously mock affront. “There’s nothing bad about me.”
“You’ve got the hots for a maverick, daredevil news reporter.”
“Ha. Me and about a million other women.”
“Thanks for the compliment.” He gave her a nod. “But you’re different, and you know it.”
“I’m not different. I’m exactly like all those other women who run panting after the famous, sexy crocodile wrestler.”
“You’re different to me,” he told her honestly.
“Only because I’m the one in front of you at this moment.”
“Beautiful women are in front of me all the time. I don’t feel this way about them.”
“Then it’s because you can’t have me.”
Max had considered that. In fact, he’d considered it quite a lot. Could the fact that Cara was off-limits make her even more appealing? Was it possible his mind was playing tricks on him? Was it possible he was that shallow?
“It’s true,” she crowed triumphantly at his silence.
“I sometimes wish it was,” he returned. “It would make things a whole lot easier.”
She tapped her index finger on the table. “If I was available. If I was, I don’t know, let’s say a bank manager. If I was nobody in public or political life. If I’d confessed my passionate, undying love for you and told you I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, marry you, have your babies—”
“What?” Everything inside him recoiled. “Where did that come from?”
She shook her head. “You don’t want me, Max.”
“I don’t see going from zero to a hundred in two seconds flat. I don’t see pretending you’re a completely different person than you are. If you were you, but had stayed on the dairy farm and were looking for a hick, hayseed husband to read Farming Today and escort you to the barn dance on Saturday night, I wouldn’t have fallen for you.”
“Well, aren’t you shallow.”
“But you’re not that. You’d never be that. I like you just the way you are, Cara. In your current life. In your current circumstances. With your current hopes and dreams and value system.”
“Where I’m the forbidden fruit.”
“It’s more complicated than that.”
“You have no idea.”
He reached across the table and covered her hand with his. “I have a very, very good idea. You and I are trapped in separate worlds. Those worlds are incompatible.”
Her gaze locked on to their hands. “I’m glad to know you’ve been listening.”
He squeezed her hand, and she didn’t fight him.
“Come here,” he told her softly.
“No.”
“Then I’ll come there.” He rose and rounded the end of the dining table.
“Max.” She sighed in obvious frustration.
But he took her hand again, drawing her to her feet.
She looked confused and vulnerable. “I have to protect myself from you.”
“You’re doing a terrific job.”
“No, I’m not.”
“But not tonight. You don’t need to stay away from me tonight.”
“Max—”
“It’s just
“How come I didn’t know this?”
“There are many things you don’t know about me.”
“But where? How? You live in a penthouse on Connecticut Avenue.”
“I also have a house in Maine.”
“Seriously?”
“Why would I make that up?”
She went back to sorting the money. “I’m just surprised. You’ve never mentioned it before.”
“Cara, we haven’t had that many dates.” And most of their time alone together had been spent debating the political issues and events of the day. Or in bed. They’d spent an awful lot of their time alone together in bed. Which might explain his rather Pavlovian urge to kiss her right now.
Her hand slowed in the money sorting, then came to a stop on the stack of fifties. She looked up at him, and he could see the same thoughts making their way through her brain.
“What else don’t I know about you?” she asked.
“Many, many things. Most of them good.”
Her mouth twitched in a smile. “Tell me the bad ones.”
“You first.”
She drew back in what was obviously mock affront. “There’s nothing bad about me.”
“You’ve got the hots for a maverick, daredevil news reporter.”
“Ha. Me and about a million other women.”
“Thanks for the compliment.” He gave her a nod. “But you’re different, and you know it.”
“I’m not different. I’m exactly like all those other women who run panting after the famous, sexy crocodile wrestler.”
“You’re different to me,” he told her honestly.
“Only because I’m the one in front of you at this moment.”
“Beautiful women are in front of me all the time. I don’t feel this way about them.”
“Then it’s because you can’t have me.”
Max had considered that. In fact, he’d considered it quite a lot. Could the fact that Cara was off-limits make her even more appealing? Was it possible his mind was playing tricks on him? Was it possible he was that shallow?
“It’s true,” she crowed triumphantly at his silence.
“I sometimes wish it was,” he returned. “It would make things a whole lot easier.”
She tapped her index finger on the table. “If I was available. If I was, I don’t know, let’s say a bank manager. If I was nobody in public or political life. If I’d confessed my passionate, undying love for you and told you I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, marry you, have your babies—”
“What?” Everything inside him recoiled. “Where did that come from?”
She shook her head. “You don’t want me, Max.”
“I don’t see going from zero to a hundred in two seconds flat. I don’t see pretending you’re a completely different person than you are. If you were you, but had stayed on the dairy farm and were looking for a hick, hayseed husband to read Farming Today and escort you to the barn dance on Saturday night, I wouldn’t have fallen for you.”
“Well, aren’t you shallow.”
“But you’re not that. You’d never be that. I like you just the way you are, Cara. In your current life. In your current circumstances. With your current hopes and dreams and value system.”
“Where I’m the forbidden fruit.”
“It’s more complicated than that.”
“You have no idea.”
He reached across the table and covered her hand with his. “I have a very, very good idea. You and I are trapped in separate worlds. Those worlds are incompatible.”
Her gaze locked on to their hands. “I’m glad to know you’ve been listening.”
He squeezed her hand, and she didn’t fight him.
“Come here,” he told her softly.
“No.”
“Then I’ll come there.” He rose and rounded the end of the dining table.
“Max.” She sighed in obvious frustration.
But he took her hand again, drawing her to her feet.
She looked confused and vulnerable. “I have to protect myself from you.”
“You’re doing a terrific job.”
“No, I’m not.”
“But not tonight. You don’t need to stay away from me tonight.”
“Max—”
“It’s just
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