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She glared at hierator "I saw your eyes turn red twice now Are you going to deny that you’re attracted to me?"

"No" He stuffed a bottle of blood into the microwave

Not the most romantic of confessions, but it still lanced at her "Don’t get excited Nothing’s going to happen"

Ouch "No need to be rude"

"I’, that we both face reality And the truth is we’remildly attracted to each other"

He scoffed "You call that the truth?"

"Yes" She grabbed a bottle of water froe "You already admitted you’re attracted to me You can’t take it back"

"I am attracted" He retrieved his bottle of blood fro mild about it"

The bottled water slipped from her hand and tumbled onto the wooden floor She snatched it up quickly "Da is slippery"

He took a sip of blood "It’s simple We’re here to do a job We do it as quickly as possible, then go back to our norroaned inwardly He thought that was simple? About as simple as torture "What about our attraction?"

"What about it?" He strode toward the couch, then sat and stared at the eet involved You knoell as I do that it could never work And never last"

She winced Part of her acknowledged that he was right, but another part wanted to curl up on the floor and cry It hurt Hurt enough that she wanted to hurt hilanced at her "How can you be attracted tova bunch of parasites and users" She gave him a wry look as she wrenched the top off her bottle "But don’t take it personally"

With a frown, he plunked his booted feet onto the coffee table "Then it’s good you haven’t forgotten I’noredYou have to adrimaced "I wouldn’t say it’s that bad"

"Oh, it is A real disaster waiting to happen"

His eyes narrowed "I guess your father would find h to be honest, she couldn’t care less what her father thought

Phineas gritted his teeth "He’d never accept a poor guy fro called that "I was never a princess I was ave her a curious look, she waved a dismissive hand "It doesn’t matter anymore I refuse to let ainst the sofa cushions, studying her "Is that why you’re attracted to ainst your father? So you can piss him off?"

"Don’t be ridiculous," she snapped But could he be right? No, she didn’t want to think that Her feelings had always felt genuine, not like soe "I’ve always thought you were gorgeous And courageous And--" What was she doing, co him when he’d rejected her? "But like you said, there’s no future for us I’hts that we’re here"

His jaw shifted "Fine I’m sure I can resist you, too"

"Fine" She put the bottle back into the fridge "Then let’s get back to business, shall we?"

"Fine by me" He strode back to the kitchen table, set down his e?"

"Yes" She strode toward him, then jerked to a stop a few inches away This ard

He punched in the number "You’ll have to hold on to me, but don’t let it bother you I’ my manly body"

"Exactly" She slipped her hands around his neck "This is business"

With an abrupt ave her a fierce look, then everything went black

Phineas was relieved when Jason Pritchard didn’t answer the phone It was soany questions

They landed in a dark foyer, and his eyes quickly adjusted Most of the house was dark, not surprising since it was after uy like Jason ht be out on the town, but Phineas suspected he was asleep in his bedroom After all, he’d just been released froainst his lips to re him an annoyed look that probablyPrickly, as always

He h the sht now Their last chat had ripped his ego to shreds She thought he was a disgusting parasite? They were horribly, dreadfullyto happen? Sheesh, she acted like the polar ice caps wouldwould blow up like a giant geyser The sun would go supernova, and a freakin’ black hole would s the universe

Thank God she found him so easy to resist The universe would re was he knew this situation was his fault The truth had coerous to spend time alone with her He’d known he needed to keep his attraction to her a secret, but da He hadn’t survived one night without blowing it

Now she knew And as even , she appeared to be attracted to hiht wryly Not if she considered him easy to resist After all, they were horribly, dreadfullyto happen

The den and kitchen were empty He stalked down a hallway and peeked inside the first door An e Brynley inside to prove they weren’t so horribly, dreadfully ht knock the Earth off its axis, so he’d have to resist

He checked the second door Bingo Jason Pritchard was sound asleep in bed

He eased the door open as he slipped inside Jason’sThis is just a dream

He motioned for Brynley to follow him inside, and she tiptoed after him

You are under my control You will sleep and answer my questions

Jason rolled onto his back, but his eyes re normal

"Do you remember who attacked you?" Phineas asked softly

"A woman," Jason mumbled

"What did she look like? What did she do to you?"

"Blonde Pretty" Jason frowned "I don’t knohat she did to h Jason’s n that the ing deep in search of a memory that would show him the attacker’s face

Jason moaned and shook his head

"He can’t remember her face," Phineas told Brynley, then tried another tactic "Did you hear her voice, Jason? Did she say anything to you?"

"Sheshe said she was osh," Brynley whispered "That sounds like Corky"

Phineas leaned over the sleeping man "Where were you when she attacked you?"

"Cloud Peak Glacier"