The Stranger In Room 205 (Hot off the Press! 1)

“To be honest, I was rather surprised to hear that he invited you.”

“So was I.” Sam set the weed trimmer in its rack. “He said everyone else was busy.”

“I think he’s starting to like you.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Don’t you think there’s a chance you and Dan could become friends?”

“I certainly wouldn’t want the chief of police for an enemy.”

He was being even more exasperatingly uncommunicative than usual. Maybe he was tired, or maybe he was making sure there was no repeat of that kiss last Saturday night. Very wise of him, of course. It had to be as obvious to him as it was to her that it would be a mistake for them to get involved, even on a temporary basis. They could be friends, of course—but nothing more. And that was exactly the way it should be.

“I guess I’d better go in,” she said, taking a step backward. “I have some things to—”

Her words ended in a gasp when the heel of her pump slid on a nail that had been lying unnoticed on the concrete floor, causing her ankle to twist sharply. She could have righted herself more quickly had she not been wearing a form-fitting straight skirt. She was convinced she was going to fall—but Sam caught her just in time.

“Are you all right?” he demanded, his hands on her forearms.

“Yes, I…” She grimaced, feeling incredibly stupid. “Just clumsy.”

“I must have dropped that nail earlier,” he said in chagrin. “It was damned careless of me. You could have been hurt.”

“Don’t worry about it. I should have watched where I stepped.”

“Can you put your weight on your ankle?”

They both looked down as she tested it. Her ankle twinged, but she had no trouble standing on it. “It’s fine, really. I just sort of fell off my shoe.”

He relaxed enough to smile. “You women and your high heels.”

“These aren’t so high,” she protested, glancing down again. “Only a couple of inches.”

When she looked up, his mouth seemed suddenly closer to hers. “A couple of inches makes you just the right height,” he murmured.

“For what?” she asked inanely.

His wicked smile, so close to her mouth, was answer in itself.

“Oh. Well.” She swallowed, trying futilely to come up with a clever response. “I think we should…”

“Yes?” His bright blue eyes gleamed. She’d always thought of blue as a cool color—until now, when she saw just how warm blue could be.

“Um…” What was it she’d intended to say? “We shouldn’t…”

“No,” he murmured. “We shouldn’t. But I’m having a real hard time remembering that right now.”

“So am I,” she admitted, needing no clarification of his obscure statement.

His hands still rested on her forearms, though she had fully regained her balance. She laid her hands against his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin through the damp T-shirt. Either one of them had only to move a couple of inches to bring their mouths together. They stood frozen there for several long moments, neither quite confident enough to make that move.

Serena knew she should step away and knew Sam would release her immediately if she did. But she found herself as reluctant to take that step away from him as she was afraid to make the move toward him.

Kara was the risk taker in the family, she reminded herself as she had the last time she and Sam had been this close to a kiss. Kara was the one who had boldly pursued the man who’d attracted her interest. Kara was the one who…

“Oh, the hell with it,” she muttered, and reached up to press her mouth to Sam’s.

It seemed that Kara wasn’t the only Schaffer with an occasional desire to take a risk.