Carlie smiled, and turned in her seat to face Mr. Briant.

She was totally at ease as a teacher dealing with a parent, and invited him to join their table. She rea.s.sured the anxious father, taking a few minutes to go over things he could do at home that would help his son improve his skills even more. She was specific, but very patient with the man's concerns. She was also aware that Tyler was watching her, sipping his coffee and listening to their conversation intently. He looked almost...impressed by her.

When the father finally left, Tyler lifted his coffee cup in a salute to her. "Does that happen often?"

"Yes. This is a small town, and thankfully the parents are, for the most part, very involved with their children's education."

"Your Mr. Briant seemed to hang on your every word."

Carlie smiled crookedly. "We had a misunderstanding of sorts with the first failing grade I sent home with his son. You see, he decided it was my fault, and came to the school to tell me so."

"Let me guess. You chewed him up and spit him out, right?"

Carlie's smile froze. "I'm not an ogre. He was upset, so I tried to explain. I pulled out all the papers I had been keeping on his son, Brady, and showed them to him. I went over the procedure we used with new materials, and I told him his son was distracted and not paying attention in cla.s.s."

"Carlie, I didn't mean-"

She shook her head. "It's all right. I know what you meant." Idly stirring her coffee, she whispered, "It was such a sad situation. Mr. Briant had just lost his wife. He was very withdrawn and angry. He hadn't been able to concentrate on his son yet, who was having his own problems adjusting." She sighed, remembering how difficult it had been to see the father and son together, each struggling with his loss. "We spent a lot of time together after cla.s.s. Sometimes we worked on lessons, but a lot of the time we just talked. I...I lost my parents when I was young, so I knew how Brady must have felt. At a time like that, school work kind of takes a back seat to trying to survive the emotional pain."

Tyler was studying his coffee cup. "It must have been rough for you."

His quiet words, filled with understanding and sympathy surprised her.

She nodded. "Everything worked out, though. After Brady started catching up, Mr. Briant joined us in our after-school lessons. I think he was lonely, too, and looking for some direction. He wanted to learn how to help his son study, so for a few weeks I helped him do that. Now they're on their own, and Brady Briant is earning A's."

Tyler stared at her, and Carlie could feel him looking beneath her calm control, trying to read her thoughts. "You're very dedicated," he said quietly.

"You have to be dedicated, to any job, if you want to do it well." Then she smiled, curious over Tyler's distracted expression. "That's no reason to be so solemn, though."

"I was just wondering how dedicated I am to my job, to handling the small load of petty cases that land on my desk each month."

"And?"

"Oh, I'd say...not very."

"That can't be true. Jason says you do a wonderful job."

"I'm a good lawyer." It was a statement of fact, with no fringe of lace to pretty it up. Abruptly, he reached across the table and took her hand.

Carlie tried to pull away, but he held her firm. "I'm sorry if I inadvertently insulted you. I only meant that you're very sure of yourself and you appear to be able to handle any situation. Including irascible fathers."

It was more difficult than she'd expected, because Tyler wasn't what she'd expected. At least, not completely. There were too many facets to his personality, and now he seemed genuinely thoughtful, interested in the children and concerned that he might have hurt her feelings. And he'd been very patient while she'd talked to Mr. Briant.

His hand was warm and strong, feeling exactly as she remembered. But her reaction wasn't dulled by familiarity.

"I'm not invincible, Mr. Ramsey. I simply don't believe in allowing myself to be trod upon."

"You've done that before, you know. Called me mister when you're agitated. I think we know each other well enough to dispense with mister and Ms., don't you?"

She managed to slip her hand free, but only because Tyler allowed it. She needed to regather her defenses; Tyler was a devastating man when he was being the seducer. But as a caring, considerate man, he was downright potent. "I don't really know you at all, but I think I know your type, and I'm not all that impressed by it. That's one of the reasons I hesitated to involve you in this program. But I'll be honest with you...Tyler. There was no one else to take Jason's place, and-"

He interrupted her long enough to say facetiously, "Stop, Carlie. You'll swell my ego with all this praise."

Carlie heaved a disgruntled sigh, and saw Tyler's eyes go automatically to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s as she inhaled. He wouldn't be able to tell a d.a.m.ned thing, though, other than the fact that she did have them. Her shirt was b.u.t.toned to the throat and her suit coat was bulky, concealing any dimensions or shape. Carlie glared at him.

Still not looking at her face, he said, "You've made quite a few a.s.sumptions about me, haven't you? Did you ever consider you might be wrong?"

"No. I hadn't considered that."

"Well maybe you should."

When he finally looked up, appearing totally unrepentant, she frowned at him in exasperation. "I think it would be better if you kept your hands to yourself."

Tyler did a double take. "All I did was hold your hand. I didn't make an indecent proposal."

His blunt speech could easily rattle her, but still her tone was brisk and confident. "This is a very small town," she said. "People love to gossip. I don't want to give anyone reason to speculate."

Tyler blinked, completely incredulous, a small, uncertain smile playing about his mouth. Then the smile broke, and he indulged in unrestrained laughter. Carlie immediately felt like a fool. Her remark had been totally asinine. No one would ever a.s.sume Tyler Ramsey was romantically involved with her. Secret rendezvous in disguise aside, the idea was too absurd.

Tyler shook his head, still chuckling and watching Carlie with an air of expectation, as if he was waiting for another joke. She knew her face was red, and she hated it. She reached into her purse, blindly searching for her wallet, then threw a couple of bills on the table and stood. She slipped her purse over her shoulder and walked away.

"Carlie! Wait a minute."

She ignored him.

Tyler cursed as she walked out the door. When Carlie glanced back, he was hurrying after her.

It was a beautiful autumn day outside, with only a hint of chill in the air to suggest that winter was approaching. The sun was a hazy tangerine glow dipping low on the horizon. And beneath it, her st.u.r.dy shoes clapping loudly on the pavement, stomped Carlie. She was intent on marching back to the school to retrieve her car.

She heard Tyler jogging after her.

"Leave me alone," she said succinctly as he reached her side and tried to grasp her arm.

"Be reasonable, Carlie. You can't walk all the way back to the school."

"Of course I can. We didn't go that far."

"I'd rather drive you."

"I'd rather walk."

Growling, Tyler grabbed her arms, despite her resistance, then shook her gently. "Will you stop being so contrary? You were worried about causing speculation? Well, what do you think it will do if I carry you back to my car?"

"You wouldn't dare."

"Take one more step and you'll find out what I dare."

It was a standoff, and they glared at each other until finally Carlie did an about-face and, without a word to Tyler, stalked over to his car. She stood by the pa.s.senger door, impatiently waiting for him to unlock it. But before he opened the door, he caught her shoulders again.

"Carlie, I didn't mean to...that is... Oh, h.e.l.l, I'm sorry, all right?"

Carlie faced him, hard as that was to do. She felt thoroughly humiliated and had no problem blaming Tyler for her discomfort. She may have memories to cherish, but Tyler would obviously be appalled to learn the true ident.i.ty of his mystery woman.

Straightening her shoulders to hide her hurt, she stared at him with cold indifference. "Do a good job with the children. That's all I ask. Beyond that, you don't concern me."

Tyler nodded stiffly, then walked to his own side of the car. His hands flexed on the wheel twice before he started the engine.

"Doesn't anything rattle that d.a.m.ned calm reserve of yours?"

Carlie stared out her window. "Is that what your insult was meant to do? Rattle me?"

"Actually, I didn't mean to insult you at all."

Carlie snorted. "I'm not an idiot, Tyler. I understand how ridiculous I must have sounded. Certainly no one would ever think... I mean, the idea of me and you..."

"That's not why I laughed, Carlie."

She snorted again, and he grinned. "There, you see?" he said. "You just never say or do what I expect. You were sitting back there all prim and proper, your pretty hazel eyes all disapproving, and it just struck me funny. You seem too much a woman of the 90s to be so prudish."

Carlie felt mortified. "I'm not prudish," she mumbled, memories of a few nights ago tumbling about in her mind. Then she told the necessary he. "Just circ.u.mspect."

They stopped at a red light, and he turned toward her, scrutinizing her. She stubbornly ignored him, only briefly glancing his way. But it was enough to see his smile. She had the vague suspicion that he felt challenged. And an even worse suspicion that if it came to a battle of wills, she'd lose. Hands down.

Tyler certainly had more experience sparring words. A thrill of trepidation ran down her spine, and then her reason for that trepidation was verified.

"Your lips are nice. Full and soft, but not a hint of a smile. And I like your small, stubborn chin."

He was teasing, she could tell. And she almost grinned at his underhanded tactics. Almost.

"Does it hurt?"

That gained her reluctant attention, and a quizzical frown. "What?"

"Wearing your hair so tight. It gives me a headache just to look at it."

She should never have looked at him. His dark eyes were shining and his firm lips were tilted in a boyish grin. He appeared totally harmless. But she wasn't buying it.

"How long is it?" Tyler moved when the traffic light turned green and drove smoothly down the uncrowded street. "Shoulder-length? Longer?"

"I can't see where my hair could possibly interest you, Tyler. But to end your juvenile tactics to annoy me, I'll tell you. It reaches my shoulder blades, is a very mousy brownish blond, and I wear it this way because I don't have time to fuss with fancy hairdos. As long as a person's hair is clean, what should it matter to anyone else how it's worn?"

Very softly, but with devastating sincerity, he said, "I don't think your hair is mousy."

Her head swiveled so sharply to look at him, she winced.

"I think it's a nice color, especially with the sun on it. I see shades of red-which suits you-but also blond and dark brown. It's very nice. You should wear it loose."

"I don't know what game you're playing, but I'm not interested. I'm not a teenager to be flattered by comments on my hair or eyes. I want to do a job here, Tyler. I'm very serious about it, even if you aren't."

"You are so d.a.m.ned defensive."

With reason, she wanted to scream. If he found out... She sucked in a calming breath and stared at his profile. Her voice was patience personified, and filled with sane reasoning. "I'm not defensive. Just realistic. As you already made clear, there's very little about me that would ever entice you. I'm not naive. I'm aware of how I look. Why don't we talk about something important now? Like the students."

"I was only being honest with you, Carlie."

She gave him her patented teacher's look, reserved for students who had pushed her past the line. He shrugged, then returned his attention to the road.

She felt oddly deflated.

As he pulled into the school parking lot a few minutes later, he asked, "Were you at Bren's Halloween party?"

Coming out of left field like that, the question left her temporarily routed. Then she gathered her wits, opened the door and stepped out. Tyler left the car also, the consummate gentleman, and walked her to her own car, opening her door.

Carlie wasn't certain if it was just an innocent question, or if he was guessing at the ident.i.ty of the masked lady again. She hesitated.

"Carlie?"

She saw no way around the he. "No, I didn't go. There's always a lot happening at school this time of year. We had our own cla.s.s party, you know. For the students, I mean. And we've already started practicing for the Thanksgiving play. And then, with the new project I've been working on..." Carlie came to a fast stop, appalled at her rambling. She looked into his eyes as she added truthfully, "I don't go to parties very often."

"Why not? You don't have a steady date?"

Carlie rolled her eyes, leaning back on the car. She adjusted her gla.s.ses carefully on the bridge of her nose. "I most certainly don't need a man to take me to a party if I wish to go."

"Of course not. I was only going to say that I didn't have a date, either, but I...well, I had a... terrific time. You should have come. I think you would have enjoyed yourself." He grinned. "I went as a pirate."

"How appropriate. Did you rape and pillage your way through the party?"

It was a lousy jest, and Tyler made certain she instantly regretted it "I wouldn't do something as reprehensible as rape, Carlie. As for pillaging, I would never steal from my brother. Now, if it was at your house...do you own anything worth stealing?"

She should have known better than to throw that verbal punch, but she hadn't been able to resist. She didn't have an answer to his facetious question, so she settled for a look of disdain. Tyler only smiled.

Carlie turned away and climbed into her car. She needed to get away. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so emotionally drained. Or so invigorated.

That personal acknowledgment angered her even more, and she tried to slam her car door. But Tyler got in her way, gripping the window frame and holding the door open.

"You should go out more, Carlie. It might do you some good to socialize, I think."

"Then you probably shouldn't think. You might damage something vital, and then what would the female population do?" She smiled with false sweetness, slammed the door and immediately pulled away.

She glanced in her rearview mirror and saw Tyler still standing there, watching after her. Even from a distance, she could see he was smiling. And then Carlie realized she was smiling also. She shook her head, bemused. She couldn't recall the last time she'd actually had fun with a man. Even arguing with Tyler was somehow fun.

Maybe she had been missing out and didn't even know it.

On her drive home, she thought about seeing Tyler again. She was actually antic.i.p.ating it. He didn't seem to be at all deterred by the cold shoulder she was giving him. In fact, she believed it amused him. He smiled often enough to give her that impression.

The very last thing she wanted to do was amuse Tyler. She had to maintain an emotional distance; she had to keep herself safe. It certainly wouldn't be easy, but she'd just have to try harder not to react to his little provocations. The only problem was, Tyler could be very provoking even when he wasn't trying. All the man had to do was stand there, and women fawned all over him.

But Carlie wouldn't be like other women. He'd find that out soon enough. She'd see to it.