Tempting Fate by Nora Roberts

his cup into the living room. He'd have to remember Saturday mornings the next time he wanted to have her at a disadvantage. "We have nearly the same view," he told her. "My apartment's only about a block away."
    "Isn't that handy."
    "Fate," he countered as he took a seat on the sofa and made himself at home. "Fantastic, isn't it?"
    "One day very soon, I'm going to tell you what you can do with that fate of yours." She took the seat beside him, resting her elbow on the arm of the sofa and her head on her open palm. Letting her lashes lower, she yawned again.
    Not bothering to conceal a grin, Caine settled back. "Lucy has the draft of the lease agreement. She should have it ready early Monday afternoon."
    "Fine. I intend to do some shopping today. With luck I can have a few things delivered early in the week." The coffee was hot, and no better than she made herself. Diana resented knowing she'd be fully awake before she'd half finished it.
    "Good idea. I'll go with you."
    "Where?"
    "Shopping."
    "I appreciate the offer, but it's not necessary. I'm sure you have other things to do."
    "Not really." Then he laughed, leaning over to tug on her hair. "Why is it I find it irresistible when you tell me to go to hell so politely?"
    She gave him a long, cool stare. "I have absolutely no idea."
    "I like spending time with you, Diana." At ease, Caine sat back again, but his eyes never left hers. "Why do you have such a difficult time accepting that?"
    "I don't—that is, I do, but…" He's doing it to me again, she realized, and frowned into her coffee.
    "There's three reasons," he continued, settling back. "We're family, we're associates…" Caine paused, watching her continue to frown in consideration. "And I'm attracted to you," he said simply. "Not just that rather fascinating face, but to all the quirks in your mind."
    "I don't have a quirky mind," she objected, then rose. Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she paced to the window. She could accept the associates. She was trying to accept the family without completely understanding it, but…
    "You confuse me." With a sudden passion that surprised them both, Diana whirled back. "I don't want to be confused! I want to know exactly what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, how I'm doing it. When I'm around you for too long, there's all these blank spots in my head." She gestured, then dropped her hand again. "Damn it, Caine, I can't afford to have you popping up and making me forget things every time I start to work them out."
    Intrigued by the abrupt burst of temper, he watched her calmly, then took a slow sip of coffee. "Have you ever considered letting things work themselves out?"
    "No." She shook her head. "I let my life drift for too many years. Not anymore."
    "In other words…" He set down his coffee and rose, eyeing her thoughtfully. "Because of a set of circumstances you couldn't avoid, you're going to shut yourself off from whatever feelings or desires you have for me because they don't suit your current plans?"
    "Yes, all right." Knowing nothing was coming out as she wanted it to, Diana pulled a hand through her hair. "All right," she repeated with a nod. "That's close enough."
    "That's a very weak case, counsellor," Caine commented as he walked to her. "I could poke all sorts of interesting holes in it."
    "I'm not interested in your cross-examination," she began.
    "We could settle out of court," Caine suggested, moving closer.
    "Then there's your reputation," she added, deliberately stepping back. "You've hardly kept a low profile in your pursuit of women."
    "You'll never get a conviction on circumstantial evidence and hearsay." He lifted his hands to her shoulders, massaging gently. "You've got to build your case on something stronger. Or…" Softly, he brushed one cheek, then the other with his lips. "You might try trusting me."
    She felt the weakness creeping into her and forced herself to concentrate. "I might also try jumping out the window. Either way I risk a few broken