matter best taken up with those senators who are causing the problem. Why waste thiscommittee’s time?” Devlin’s voice held a strong note of condescension.
His words drew nods of agreement from his fellow party members.
An expression akin to outrage hardened Carol’s face. “Our efforts thus far have been ignored, sir. Clearly the system is not working. It is the task of this committee to hold lawmakers and government agencies within the state accountable. I suggest the committee do so with regard to this problem. Or are senators reluctant to scrutinize their peers?”
Reece felt the tension between them and realized that for Devlin this issue was personal. Perhaps he was abusing the system. Reece decided to test that theory. “Are you suggesting the committee audit every senator’s spending, ma’am?”
Devlin’s head jerked around, and Reece didn’t miss the alarm in his eyes. “She hasn’t said any such thing. Don’t put words in her mouth, Sheridan.”
In the front row, reporters who’d all but drifted into a coma seemed to wake up and scribble furiously. They were, Reece knew, hoping for another confrontation between the two of them.
But it was Carol who spoke next. “That is exactly what I’m suggesting, Senator Sheridan. All we need is this committee’s authorization—and the cooperation of each and every senator.”
Reece smiled. This meeting was about to end—and he was about to send Devlin from the room with a bad case of heartburn. “Then I make a motion that this committee conduct an audit of senators’ spending to be completed within thirty days. Does this address your concerns, ma’am?”
Carol’s face radiated triumph. “Yes, it does, Senator.”
Two seats down from him, Senator Miguel de la Peña leaned toward his microphone. He and Reece had entered office the same year and had quickly become allies and then close friends. “I second the motion, Mr. Chairman.”
Reece met Devlin’s furious gaze. “Mr. Chairman, a motion has been made and seconded. I believe it falls to you to call for a vote.”
K ARA GAZED at her reflection and fought with the zipper of her skirt, her stomach filled with butterflies. She ought to have called Reece to cancel. Then she’d be free to enjoy a quiet evening with Connor instead of feeling anxious and wasting time trying to look pretty for a man who probably only wanted to go out with her because he thought she was an easy lay. And who could blame him? After the things she’d said to him last time, he’d be more than justified in making that assumption.
I sure learned a lot about you, sweetheart.
She would set him straight on that score. He didn’t know anything about her.
Unable make the skirt’s zipper lie flat, she stripped it off and tossed it on the floor beside the other outfits she’d tried on. Then she turned to face the catastrophe of her closet. It wasn’t like her to fuss over clothes. But then she hadn’t felt much like herself all day.
She’d barely been able to concentrate at work. The lab results on the ice she’d taken from Northrup wouldn’t be available until the middle of next week, and the state had until Monday to respond to her open-records request. She’d tried to focus on deciphering the documents Mr. Marsh had given her, only to have her thoughts drift time and again to Reece.
The hard feel of his arms around her as he’d kept her from falling on the ice. The hot kiss of his fingers on her cheek as he brushed a strand of hair from her face. His devastating smile.
No man had the right to be that sexy.
No, she corrected herself, Reece Sheridan wasn’t a man. He was a politician. As long as she remembered that, she’d be fine.
She glanced at her alarm clock and felt her stomach knot. He would be here in fifteen minutes, and she still wasn’t dressed.
“Mommy, what’s this?” Connor held up her mascara. He had long since grown bored with the Sponge Bob DVD she’d put on to entertain him and
His words drew nods of agreement from his fellow party members.
An expression akin to outrage hardened Carol’s face. “Our efforts thus far have been ignored, sir. Clearly the system is not working. It is the task of this committee to hold lawmakers and government agencies within the state accountable. I suggest the committee do so with regard to this problem. Or are senators reluctant to scrutinize their peers?”
Reece felt the tension between them and realized that for Devlin this issue was personal. Perhaps he was abusing the system. Reece decided to test that theory. “Are you suggesting the committee audit every senator’s spending, ma’am?”
Devlin’s head jerked around, and Reece didn’t miss the alarm in his eyes. “She hasn’t said any such thing. Don’t put words in her mouth, Sheridan.”
In the front row, reporters who’d all but drifted into a coma seemed to wake up and scribble furiously. They were, Reece knew, hoping for another confrontation between the two of them.
But it was Carol who spoke next. “That is exactly what I’m suggesting, Senator Sheridan. All we need is this committee’s authorization—and the cooperation of each and every senator.”
Reece smiled. This meeting was about to end—and he was about to send Devlin from the room with a bad case of heartburn. “Then I make a motion that this committee conduct an audit of senators’ spending to be completed within thirty days. Does this address your concerns, ma’am?”
Carol’s face radiated triumph. “Yes, it does, Senator.”
Two seats down from him, Senator Miguel de la Peña leaned toward his microphone. He and Reece had entered office the same year and had quickly become allies and then close friends. “I second the motion, Mr. Chairman.”
Reece met Devlin’s furious gaze. “Mr. Chairman, a motion has been made and seconded. I believe it falls to you to call for a vote.”
K ARA GAZED at her reflection and fought with the zipper of her skirt, her stomach filled with butterflies. She ought to have called Reece to cancel. Then she’d be free to enjoy a quiet evening with Connor instead of feeling anxious and wasting time trying to look pretty for a man who probably only wanted to go out with her because he thought she was an easy lay. And who could blame him? After the things she’d said to him last time, he’d be more than justified in making that assumption.
I sure learned a lot about you, sweetheart.
She would set him straight on that score. He didn’t know anything about her.
Unable make the skirt’s zipper lie flat, she stripped it off and tossed it on the floor beside the other outfits she’d tried on. Then she turned to face the catastrophe of her closet. It wasn’t like her to fuss over clothes. But then she hadn’t felt much like herself all day.
She’d barely been able to concentrate at work. The lab results on the ice she’d taken from Northrup wouldn’t be available until the middle of next week, and the state had until Monday to respond to her open-records request. She’d tried to focus on deciphering the documents Mr. Marsh had given her, only to have her thoughts drift time and again to Reece.
The hard feel of his arms around her as he’d kept her from falling on the ice. The hot kiss of his fingers on her cheek as he brushed a strand of hair from her face. His devastating smile.
No man had the right to be that sexy.
No, she corrected herself, Reece Sheridan wasn’t a man. He was a politician. As long as she remembered that, she’d be fine.
She glanced at her alarm clock and felt her stomach knot. He would be here in fifteen minutes, and she still wasn’t dressed.
“Mommy, what’s this?” Connor held up her mascara. He had long since grown bored with the Sponge Bob DVD she’d put on to entertain him and
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