in anger.
Eventually Lucas spoke, his fingers lifting gingerly to his reddened cheek. The tension seemed to fade a little from
the lean lines of his body. „I deserved that, I suppose. My only excuse was that I was losing my temper rapidly.“
„I noticed,“ she remarked scathingly. But her courage was flooding back as she realized he wasn’t going to
retaliate. „One of the many advantages of being back in civilization,“ she went on sweetly, „is that I don’t have to fear
your temper.“
A slow, rueful smile unexpectedly touched the corners of his mouth. „Meaning you wouldn’t have dared try that
little stunt if we were still stranded out in the desert?“
Jessica lifted one shoulder in seemingly casual dismissal, a feeling of being back on top of the situation coming
over her. „I would have been too terrified of cutting off the supply of rabbits.“
„Well at least you had more sense man to bite the hand that fed you,“ he allowed, his expression softening with
wry humor.
Jessica lifted her chin firmly. „In any event the situation won’t arise again. History isn’t likely to repeat itself. You
shouldn’t have come after me, Lucas.“
„I had no choice,“ he said simply. „I want you.“
Restlessly, her body reacting uneasily to his words, Jessica moved one hand in an impatient arc. „What do you
want from me? An affair? Is that what you need to satisfy your ego?“
„Will you give me that much?“ he countered almost whimsically.
„No!“
„You’re really scared of me, aren’t you?“ he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. „Jessie, that’s idiotic. You can’
t go on holding what happened a week ago against me!“
„I don’t see why not,“ she tossed back gamely.
„Honey, it’s yourself you’re trying to punish. Don’t you see? I think the reason you’re so angry is because during
those few days you were forced into a role that revealed a side of your nature you’ve tried to conceal. I told you I’ve
been learning something about you during the past few days as I chased you from one hotel to another. You’re smart,
you’re aggressive, you’ve got a lot of natural authority that you’ve channeled into a successful career with Scanlon.
Everyone I met admires you and respects you. They’re also a little in awe of you, a little wary. I think for the most part
they would obey you in a crisis – right down to the last man in the last ditch. You’re a natural leader. But I think that
none of the people I talked to has ever seen the other side of your nature. You’ve kept that well concealed, haven’t
you? To make it in a man’s world you had to keep it repressed. But back in the desert I gave you no choice except to
make a different kind of contribution to the group.“
Jessica caught her breath. „Thank you for the elementary analysis. I’m sure you’ll understand if I don’t put a lot of
faith in the psychoanalytical capabilities of a pet shop owner! Go home and try your skills on a parakeet!“
He grimaced. „I didn’t learn my analysis techniques running the pet shop,“ he admitted ruefully. „I learned them in
a much more instructive environment!“
She blinked in surprise, unable to stifle the deep curiosity which sprang to life at his words. Before Jessica could
stop herself, she was asking the inevitable question. „Where did you learn them?“
„In the streets of L.A. I was with the LAPD for eight years,“ he sighed, glancing down again at the foaming water
far below.
„The Los Angeles Police Department? You were a cop?“ she asked, astonished.
„A classic case of job burnout,“ he told her, his mouth skewing wryly. „Eight years of dealing with L.A. crazies and
street gangs was enough to convince me I needed a career change! I got out before the job got me.“
„I see,“ she whispered slowly. It explained a lot, Jessica thought wonderingly. It explained his tough, take-charge
attitude when the chips were
Eventually Lucas spoke, his fingers lifting gingerly to his reddened cheek. The tension seemed to fade a little from
the lean lines of his body. „I deserved that, I suppose. My only excuse was that I was losing my temper rapidly.“
„I noticed,“ she remarked scathingly. But her courage was flooding back as she realized he wasn’t going to
retaliate. „One of the many advantages of being back in civilization,“ she went on sweetly, „is that I don’t have to fear
your temper.“
A slow, rueful smile unexpectedly touched the corners of his mouth. „Meaning you wouldn’t have dared try that
little stunt if we were still stranded out in the desert?“
Jessica lifted one shoulder in seemingly casual dismissal, a feeling of being back on top of the situation coming
over her. „I would have been too terrified of cutting off the supply of rabbits.“
„Well at least you had more sense man to bite the hand that fed you,“ he allowed, his expression softening with
wry humor.
Jessica lifted her chin firmly. „In any event the situation won’t arise again. History isn’t likely to repeat itself. You
shouldn’t have come after me, Lucas.“
„I had no choice,“ he said simply. „I want you.“
Restlessly, her body reacting uneasily to his words, Jessica moved one hand in an impatient arc. „What do you
want from me? An affair? Is that what you need to satisfy your ego?“
„Will you give me that much?“ he countered almost whimsically.
„No!“
„You’re really scared of me, aren’t you?“ he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. „Jessie, that’s idiotic. You can’
t go on holding what happened a week ago against me!“
„I don’t see why not,“ she tossed back gamely.
„Honey, it’s yourself you’re trying to punish. Don’t you see? I think the reason you’re so angry is because during
those few days you were forced into a role that revealed a side of your nature you’ve tried to conceal. I told you I’ve
been learning something about you during the past few days as I chased you from one hotel to another. You’re smart,
you’re aggressive, you’ve got a lot of natural authority that you’ve channeled into a successful career with Scanlon.
Everyone I met admires you and respects you. They’re also a little in awe of you, a little wary. I think for the most part
they would obey you in a crisis – right down to the last man in the last ditch. You’re a natural leader. But I think that
none of the people I talked to has ever seen the other side of your nature. You’ve kept that well concealed, haven’t
you? To make it in a man’s world you had to keep it repressed. But back in the desert I gave you no choice except to
make a different kind of contribution to the group.“
Jessica caught her breath. „Thank you for the elementary analysis. I’m sure you’ll understand if I don’t put a lot of
faith in the psychoanalytical capabilities of a pet shop owner! Go home and try your skills on a parakeet!“
He grimaced. „I didn’t learn my analysis techniques running the pet shop,“ he admitted ruefully. „I learned them in
a much more instructive environment!“
She blinked in surprise, unable to stifle the deep curiosity which sprang to life at his words. Before Jessica could
stop herself, she was asking the inevitable question. „Where did you learn them?“
„In the streets of L.A. I was with the LAPD for eight years,“ he sighed, glancing down again at the foaming water
far below.
„The Los Angeles Police Department? You were a cop?“ she asked, astonished.
„A classic case of job burnout,“ he told her, his mouth skewing wryly. „Eight years of dealing with L.A. crazies and
street gangs was enough to convince me I needed a career change! I got out before the job got me.“
„I see,“ she whispered slowly. It explained a lot, Jessica thought wonderingly. It explained his tough, take-charge
attitude when the chips were
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