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Claire tasted the lasagna and ht I’ at her plate “I’m really torn up over this case I not only feel horrible about the h energy to stop the up e that would protect Casey It’s likeit’s all just out of rasp”

Ryan set down his wineglass “You’re not the only one who feels like you’re coot some of the best forensic tools around and I’m still a step behind Glen Fisher If science can’t do it, I doubt y can,” he said with a rueful look “Sorry I didn’t hts have been dead-on”

“No problem” Claire wasn’t insulted As ift, Claire knew the whole thing was hard for him to s “It doesn’t reallyas one of them does”

“Agreed Now let’s change the subject,” Ryan suggested “That was the whole point of this dinner Shutting out the frustration and the intensity of this investigation Just for a few hours We’re entitled to that”

“You’re right We are”

Froht, steering clear of anything relating to Glen Fisher There was nothingtheir emotional and mental acuity was important

“Thank you,” Claire said as she finished her cup of herbal tea “Dinner onderful I didn’t realize how badly I needed it But I did”

“Me, too” Ryan rose and closed the gap between the two sofas, taking Claire’s hand and pulling her to her feet “There’s one thing I did know I needed And that’s this”

He kissed her, long and hard, tangling his hand in her hair and deepening the joining of their mouths

Claire responded, wrapping her ar the kiss with the same level of passion

Ryan backed her across the apart contact as he did They broke apart only to tug off each other’s clothes, and then fell onto the bed

It was the way it alas— sex Sex that wasn’t just sex at all, but a kind of raw joining that dominated their senses and took them by surprise every time it happened

Afterward, they lay quietly together, their legs entwined, Claire’s head pillowed on Ryan’s chest

“Wow,” he said in a harsh rasp

Claire nodded, too winded to speak