Surprised by the magnitude of emotion erupting between them, they pulled apart.

Graham felt his blood racing through his veins, hot, demanding.

His face gave no indication of what he was feeling.

But for a fleeting moment, his eyes did.

And she saw.

He crossed to pick up the gun he had dropped.

"Still hungry?"

His tone was casual, almost distant, as if a moment ago she hadn't felt

like heaven in his arms.

Someone else's heaven, not his own.

She shook her head.

Very slowly she dusted herself off.

The tears threatened to come again, but she managed to hold them

back.

She suddenly felt very, very tired.

Graham looked at her.

Her hands were still shaking.

He could have killed that bastard.

If only there had been a clear shotSwearing inwardly, Graham reined in

his emotions.

He couldn't afford to let them cloud his mind, interfering with what he

was sworn to do.

Uphold the law.

He bolstered the gun and covered it with his jacket.

"Let me take you home, Caitlin."

She was going to protest that she was fine, that she had to get back to

the shop.

But she wasn't fine.

She was terrified.

And very confused.

About everything.

Caitlin dragged her hand through her hair, vainly seeking composure.

How did someone act.

who was nearly kidnapped and then rescued and catapulted to the past in less than ten minutes?

She hadn't a clue.

"Maybe you'd better."

She really was afraid, he thought, his anger surgin @ 9 higher.

If he'd been just a little faster, a second closer, he might have gotten that slime and ended this ordeal for her.

Graham looked down at her face.

There was no stubborn glint in her eye, no challenge in her bearing.

That lowlife had frightened her.

Badly.

"C'mon."

Graham took her arm and ushered her back through the exit she'd been

forced through.

She flinched involuntarily as she crossed the threshold into the restaurant.

Graham stooped to pick up her purse and handed it to her without a

word.

Taking her arm again, he guided her to the front.

She had to get hold of herself.

The sight of mothers with their children, of the teenagers teasing one

another, grounded her.

She felt a little better.

"I can walk, Graham," she protested.

"I know."

His hand remained where it was.

He crossed to the last line, where his tray still stood on the

counter.

Recognition flashed through the server's eyes as Graham approached.

"We'll take that to go."

The teenager nodded so quickly the blue-and-red peaked paper cap fell off his head.

He ignored it.

Instead, he reached beneath the counter for a paper sack and hurriedly

shoveled both orders into it.

His hands seemed to get in his way as he rushed.

Despite everything, it made Caitlin smile.

"You seem to have this overwhelming effect on people," she whispered

into Graham's ear.

Her breath curled along his face, warm, sweet.

Graham looked at Caitlin.

So do you, Caitlin.