Part 2 (1/2)

”So what do you say? I don't know you either...but something tells me you're not an axe murderer, andI'm willing to take a gamble. How about you?” He waited.She looked at his hand. It was strong, the nails clean and short. The hand of a man who took care of himself, and possibly others.She looked back into his eyes. They were still smiling at her. They were...honest.”No! No!” screamed her common sense.”Okay.” Daphne took his hand.Chapter Four Jack's heart rate accelerated to dangerous speeds as Daphne put her hand in his. f.u.c.king h.e.l.l. What wasthat all about?

Where was the Mr. Smooth who'd seduced a bevy of women with just a raised eyebrow and neverevergotten a shock like this? He tightened his fingers around hers and led her to the counter, stumbling a littleover his own d.a.m.ned feet.

Mr. Smooth had obviously gone on vacation, and left Mr. Stupid Idiot in his place.Lou glanced down from his position behind the raised counter. ”All done, Jack?””Yep. Gonna call it a night. Ms. Littlewood here wants to rent a player along with this DVD. What've we got?”

The man frowned a little. ”d.a.m.n, Jack. With all the folks in here tonight, we're out. We only had two

working and they've both gone. To be honest, they weren't in really good shape anyway. But ourregulars were in early...grabbed them up. I'm sorry.”Jack cursed luridly beneath his breath as he heard Daphne sigh behind him.”Look, Jack, it's no big deal, really... I can just find one that's on video or something...” She sounded as disappointed as he felt.

s.h.i.+t.He wanted her to see that one.Love Lights . It was.h.i.+s , one of his best, and he was proud of it. Andhe wanted to see it again with Daphne beside him. But of course she didn't know that.”We'll figure something out,” he said. I'll figure something out. Or rupture my brain trying.”Ring it up, Lou. We'll find a solution.”Pa.s.sing his card over the counter, Jack ignored Daphne's muttered protests. ”Thanks. Have a good one.

”Lou's eyes twinkled. ”You too,Jack .”d.a.m.n. That man saw too much.Jack couldn't wait to get Daphne out of the video store and into the fresh air. He wanted to breathe. To not be nervous some bimbo would come up and call him ”Big John” in front of this delightful woman.

And spoil...what?

The pleasure of just being with someone he found attractive and who had no clue who he was? Perhaps that was what it was all about. Just the sheer novelty of the situation.

It wouldn't have anything to do with her cute way of pus.h.i.+ng her gla.s.ses up on her nose, or thecharmingly rumpled appearance that made him want to rumple her some more. Nah.Couldn't be any ofthat.

No matter what it was, he heaved a great sigh of relief as the gla.s.s doors swung shut behind them and

they were finally outside. And pretty much alone in the darkness.Daphne cleared her throat. ”Okay. Thanks to you I have a DVD of a movie I've never heard of, and noway to watch it.” She grinned wryly. ”What now, Mr. Wizard?”

”Hmm.” Jack's mind worked furiously. He knew exactly what he wanted. All he had to do was getDaphne to agree to it. How to get a ”nice” girl to come up to his place and see his...well, the word ”etchings” certainly didn't apply.

Daphne s.h.i.+vered as a cold breeze wafted down the silent street.

Without thinking much about it, Jack slipped his arm around her shoulders and turned her towards the small parking lot. ”You're cold. Look. I have a suggestion. And you have every right to shoot me down

in flames. I probably would if I were you.”Daphne blinked at him. ”Really?””Really.”She smiled. ”You have the oddest way of putting things...””I do?” He shrugged. ”Well here's the thing. My apartment isn't too far from here. I have a pretty nice DVD system set up. I'd be very happy to let you use it. For research purposes only, of course.”Daphne paused. ”Oh.”Jack ignored the little hesitancy in her step, and urged her on. ”I know. A strange man invites you to his apartment. You've known him for all of an hour. Every instinct you have is screaming at you to run a mile in the other direction, right?”

She smothered a giggle. ”Right.””And you can probably hear your mother's voice very loudly saying 'Daphne,never go home withstrangers'.”

”Right again. Although my mother...well, she was a child of the sixties. They thought differently. She gave me the basics, but...”

They stopped in front of Jack's car, and Daphne's jaw dropped. ”Thisis yourcar?”No. It wasn't hiscar . It was his baby. His precious. His symbol of all that he'd achieved. An extensionof his p.e.n.i.s, if psychologists were to be believed, but what the f.u.c.k did they know? They obviously didn't drive Corvettes.

”It's a...aCorvette .””I know.” He couldn't help it. He smirked.She turned accusing eyes on him. ”You must dovery nicely indeed at that video store.”He hesitated. ”Daphne, I...” But the words caught in his throat. He couldn't do it. Couldn't tell her who he really was. He had a nasty feeling he'd destroy that little something that was growing between them.He couldn't stand to see her expression change from amazement to distaste or worse...greed. ”I have agood financial advisor. I don't waste my money.”

That, in the strictest sense, was true. He wanted for nothing, but kept his wants within bounds. Except for Big Red. She was his major extravagance, and he'd have slashed everything else to the bone to keep her fed, tuned and garaged.

”Well, I'm impressed. And I don't even like cars very much.” She trailed a hand over the s.h.i.+ning hood.

”You see? I'm a worthwhile person, honest. I promise to behave myself...”Liar . ”I'm simply extendingthe hand of hospitality here. Ex-grad student to grad student.”She snorted. ”Yes. Quite. Like ex-grad students drive red Corvettes.””We do if we're smart. If we put our education to good use. It's that piece of paper, Daphne. That little certificate that says we're qualified in our fields. And that's what I'd like to help you with. If you'll let

me?”

She bit her lip. ”Gee, Jack...I don't know...”

Every instinct was shouting at him to just throw her into the low-slung sports car and drive her off into the night. But he knew it had to be her choice. ”What can I say? I'm basically an okay guy? I like dogs? I help old ladies across the street? I have no wants or warrants out for my arrest? Um...you wantmy mother's phone number?”

Daphne laughed. ”Call me ten kinds of fool, but for some unknown reason, I believe you, Jack. I must be mad, but...I believe you.”

She opened the car door and jumped as the alarm shrieked at her.

Quickly, Jack killed it. ”s.h.i.+t. Sorry.”

Hand to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, she gaped at him. ”Well, heck.That convinced me. If you care enough to secure your car like that, you're probably a secure-minded guy, Jack Foster. If you'd be kind enough to let me use your DVD equipment, then thanks. I appreciate it.” She glanced up at him. ”You won't mind if I call a friend and tell her where I am, will you?”

He grinned. ”Not at all. A very wise idea.” He helped her into the car. ”There's a phone right there...” He pointed at a small unit neatly mounted into the high-tech dashboard. ”Just enter the numbers...”

Daphne blinked. ”Ohmy .”

If the car had dazzled her, with its a.s.sortment of state-of-the-art gizmos, then Jack's apartment was even more of a shock.

Dr. Jane's voice on the phone had sounded amused when Daphne had called her and told her where she was going and what she was doing.

”Jack Foster? Hmm. That name rings a bell somewhere.” The older woman had thought for a moment. ” Never mind. It'll come to me. Smart of you to check in, Daphne. And good luck. I'll be interested to hear the results of your...research.”

She'd chuckled and hung up, leaving Daphne with a raised eyebrow, staring at the silent phone.

Botheyebrows had nearly hit her hairline when she'd stepped into Jack's place.

”Jack.” The word came out as a gasp. She walked into something that could have figured as ”Daphne's dream home” in the current issue ofHouse Beautiful magazine.