But now he was too aware of life's realities.

Of its pitfalls.

And consequences.

He had married her for one reason only.

He had to remember that.

He was tired, drained.

Being alone with her would not wise.

Defenses that needed to be up, against her, again himself, were

dangerously undermanned and weak.

If h wasn't careful, he was going to get entangled again.

But, much as he hated to admit it, she was making sen He was

exhausted.

Driving three hundred miles back t Phoenix didn't exactly entice him.

She did.

Whether he was tired or not, Caitlin enticed h Graham squared his shoulders.

He'd just have to work o it, that was all.

He was an adult, fully capable of contro ling his emotions.

He nodded, starting the car.

"All right. We'll stay the night."

Round one to the paleface in the corner.

Caitlin sat bac against the seat.

"You're making it sound like a jail sentence."

Humor curved her mouth.

Graham made no reply.

Caitlin settled into the silence.

She felt excited, wired an fatigued all at the same time.

She had lost her virginity to man she'd always loved, nailed a killer and gotten married in the living room of a house that was a pink nightmare an the last word in clutter.

Not bad for twenty-four hour work.

She wasn't talking, Graham noticed.

That was odd Cait.

Was it because she was already regretting her rash affection?

She knew that this was only temporary, he reminded himself.

And he'd find a way to make it up to her.

That much he swore.

Driving down the outskirts of the strip, he saw a lit v cancy sign.

It was in front of a collection of rooms that joined together like a

pop-bead necklace carelessly tossed down in the desert.

"How's this?" he asked mechanically.

She wondered if they changed the sheets here regula and how bad the

insect infestation was.

"It's a room," s answered brightly.

"It'll do fine."

No, it wouldn't.

Not for her.

He could stay here-he w accustomed to places like this.

She wasn't.

He began to drive past the motel.

The classier hotels were farther up on the strip.

"We could drive to the Excalibur, on Caitlin shook her head. This

seemed good enough to him or he wouldn't have asked. That was all that

mattered. She didn't want him to feel that she required anything more

than he did.

"This is fine, Gray."

She placed her hand over his.

"Really."

It was only for the night.

What difference did it make?

He was suddenly too tired to debate this with her, as well.

Graham parked the car in front of the manager's office and got out.

Caitlin hurried out of the car to catch up.

There was a balding man in an I Love Las Vegas T-shirt sitting behind

the front desk, halfheartedly watching the portable television set beside him.

He came to life as the front door creaked, announcing their entrance.

Rising, he smiled broadly.

"Interest you folks in a room?"

Graham was about to ask for two rooms, but stopped himself.

They were married now, if in name only.

He might as well start acting like it.

"Yes."

The slight man pulled out a ledger from behind the desk and placed it

in front of Graham.

"Plan -rung on staying here long?