"I couldn't help overhearing..."

Caitlin had edged over to the far side of the counter.

From there she could just make out Graham's retreating back.He was getting into a navy blue sedan.She wondered if the pink Caddie was parked at the precinct."Kerry, 'overhearing' is a hobby with you."Besides, they had been almost shouting.Overhearing wouldn't have been a difficult matter.Kerry grinned."Guilty as charged. You know him, huh?"Caitlin sighed involuntarily.It sounded too soulful for her own liking.She tried to look indifferent."Yes, I know him." Unlike Caitlin, Kerry made no attempt to disguise her interest in Graham's movements. She crossed to the window to see

where he was. Spotting him, she glanced over her shoulder at

Caitlin.

" Thinking of picking up where you left off with him?

The smile left Caitlin's face as if a giant eraser had wiped it away with a single pass.

"No."

Kerry's interest rose another notch.

"Then can I have him?"

Caitlin shook her head.

Kerry had no idea what she would be getting herself into.

A man who would break her heart with no compunction if the price was

right.

"Kerry, call the shipping company and find out where the last order went.

It was supposed to be here yesterday.

Kerry saluted after giving Graham one last, longing look.

Her eyes shifted to her friend.

"If it were me, I wouldn't leave him sitting out there like that where

any woman could get at him."

Any woman who got to Graham Redhawk deserved him.

Besides, the man was married.

Remembering that irritated her further, though she knew she was being

contradictory.

"Well, you're not me."

Kerry shrugged philosophically.

"I know. More s the pity."

Caitlin looked at Kerry pointedly.

-"The shipment?"

Kerry turned, on her way to the back room and the telephone.

"I hear and obey."

By her own count, Caitlin knew she had to have walked past the front

window a dozen times, on one pretext or another.

Each time she did, she looked out.

And each time she saw Graham still sitting in the car.

Just as he had been for the past two hours.

He looked resigned, bored and stoic.

And probably damn 41 hot.

Guilt ate away at her.

It had to be a hundred degrees outside.

They hadn't hit anything under a hundred for the past seven days in a

row.

The car was parked in minimal shade and the windows were open, but he had to be unbearably hot and uncomfortable.

Kerry passed by with the first armload of negligees from the wayward shipment, which had finally arrived less than half an hour ago.

She stopped to peer over Caitlin's shoulder.

"How long do you think he'll have to stay in there before he's well-done?"

Caitlin turned away, taking the armload of delicate negligees from her.

She was going to hang them around the antique armoire.

"Well-done?" she repeated innocently.

Caitlin wasn't fooling her.

She had seen her friend wander over to the window and look out more than once.

"Done. You know, two hundred degrees for two hours."

A smile tugged at her mouth, though she tried to keep a straight face.

"Isn't that long enough to roast a hunk of beef?

As if Graham needed a champion.

Caitlin took a pink satin hanger from the armoire and placed the first

negligee on it.

"In the first place, it's not two hundred degrees out thereLogic wasexpendable." Must feel like it after a while.Caitlin reached for a second hanger, selecting a different color."And he's not a hunk of beef."Kerry's sigh bordered on primal."No? Then what is he?"The response was automatic."A jerk."Sometime, when they were alone over a couple of cartons of ice cream, she meant to ply Caitlin with questions. But now wasn't the time.

"Doesn't look like a jerk to me."

Kerry peered out the window again just as a customer entered.

She smiled at the woman automatically.

"But he does look hot," she told Caitlin, lowering her voice.

"In every sense of the word."

A wistful sigh ended the sentence.

She crossed to Caitlin and cocked her head, studying her,.

"You know, I'd be feeling pretty guilty by now."

A petite blonde approached Caitlin.

She held a hot-pink thong bikini in her hand.

"Where can I try this on?"

The cavalry to the rescue.

Caitlin turned and all but pushed Kerry toward the woman.

"Kerry will take you to the dressing room."

Kerry gave her a knowing look that promised further discussion at the

first opportunity.

Kerry wouldn't be satisfied until she had the complete story, spread

out before her like a miniseries, Caitlin thought.

She wasn't going to be up to that any time soon, she thought.

Maybe after this whole episode was over.