"All right then." She stood up. "I brought home a sandwich from the deli. I'mwilling to share it if you're hungry."

"As a matter of fact, my appetite is definitely returning." He stood, putting him

a step or two away from her. "Shall we seal our agreement with a kiss?"

She looked wary. "We were talking about food."

"Of course. Why don't I take you out for lunch? It's a beautiful day for thisearly in the year. We might take a drive after we eat." He lifted her chin with hisforefinger. "Just know that food isn't the only cause of my hunger," he said andkissed her.

Not fair, not fair at all. He knew how his kisses affected her. There had been toomany occasions when he'd felt her reaction.

This kiss was no exception, even though she stiffened at first, determined not tobe swayed. It was his gentleness that destroyed her resolve, because she'd neverconsidered him a gentle person until they'd spent the week together.

Now all the emotions he evoked within her poured out and she knew they were morepowerful than her determination not to succumb.

The problem was that all her valid reasons still stood.

The problem was that she found him too compelling to resist spending a little moretime with him.

The problem was that she was going to be hurt badly when the relationship ended.All she could do at this point was deal with the pain at that time.

Eleven.

The following Wednesday Jodie reached for her purse as she prepared to leave theoffice when Dean called to her. She went into his office.

Without looking up from the schematic drawing covering most of his desk he asked,"What time are your classes over tonight?"

His question was the first personal remark he'd made to her since he'd left her onSunday. Jodie had begun to wonder if she'd dreamed that her boss had come over toplead his case for seeing her socially or whether it was some fantasy she'dconcocted to relieve an otherwise boring weekend.

"Nine."

"Tell me where to meet you," he said, marking something on the drawing.

"Uh, well, there's a coffeehouse a couple of blocks from-"

"No. I'll pick you up at school. Where are your classes being held?" When shedidn't answer, he straightened away from the desk and looked at her. He was stillin his boss mode, snapping out orders.

After a moment she gave him the address, turned around and walked out.

Dean watched her leave with a frown. He hadn't handled that right. He wasn't surewhat he'd done wrong, but he could tell from the stiffness in her shoulders as shewalked away that she wasn't pleased with him.

He rolled his head, trying to loosen the muscles in his neck and shoulders. Womenwere a mystery he'd never been able to solve. Until now he'd never particularlycared.

Ever since they had returned from Hawaii he'd had a tough time concentratingwhenever she was around. He'd been disgusted at himself for not being able to clampdown on his emotions. All she had to do was walk into the room and he immediatelywanted to make love to her. He'd been forced to stay behind his desk so that shedidn't see his physical response to her.

So he didn't look at her any more than was absolutely necessary.

Not that his idea was much help, since he had a similar reaction whenever he heardher voice.

She was driving him crazy.

The problem was that it was too late to do anything about it. When they'd firstreturned from Hawaii and she'd refused to have lunch with him, he'd tried to forcehimself to forget about his attraction to her. He'd only been kidding himself.

Now that he'd finally gotten her to agree to see him, he'd managed to offend herin some way.

Great going, Logan.

When Jodie walked out of the classroom that evening, she saw Dean leaning againstthe opposite wall, his arms crossed. She did a double take. He looked too much likethe man she'd gotten to know in Hawaii, not the man she worked for.

She started toward him at the same time he straightened."Hi," she said.He smiled at her. "Hi, yourself. Ready for some coffee?""Sure.""The weather is nasty. Would you like to go to my place?"She lifted her brow. "For coffee?"He looked innocent. "Of course.""All right."When they reached the doors of the building, she could see that rain and touches of sleet poured from the sky. He opened an umbrella she hadn't noticed and, pullingher close to his side, hurried her to the car."Wow," she said, a little breathless, once they were inside the car."Where's your car?""At home. I took the bus.""Good thinking."She watched the windshield wipers ferociously battle the rain and sleet. "Idecided before all of this hit.""You knew I'd get you home.""There is that."

She'd never been to his home, although she knew where it was: in one of thehigh-rise buildings overlooking Lake Michigan. He entered the underground parkingarea and parked by the elevators in a space with his name and the wordReserved .

The elevator silently whisked them to his floor, and by the time he opened thedoor to his home, all Jodie could think was that she was way out of her league.He helped her off with her coat and said, "Have a seat. I'll go make coffee."

Jodie wandered over to the windows and looked out at the shimmering lights mutedby the rain. If ever she'd needed a reality check, his place did that for her. Sheremembered how she'd gone on and on about the luxury condo while they were inHawaii. His home was more luxurious.

She closed her eyes. She would be an idiot to think that he could have more than apassing interest in her.

"Here you go," he said from behind her. Jodie turned and watched him put a tray onthe coffee table in front of the long sectional furniture arranged to take in theview.

"What am I doing here?" she asked, walking toward him.

He straightened and looked at her. "Having coffee?"

She gave her head a quick shake. "That isn't what I mean," she replied and satdown on the edge of the sofa. "This isn't going to work."

He sat a couple of feet away from her. "I noticed you seemed to be upset with mewhen you left the office."

She reached for the coffee. "That was something different," she replied and sippedon the drink. She realized she was shaking, as much from nerves as from the weather. She held the cup with both hands, warming them.

"So what happened to cause you to change your mind in three days?"

She didn't answer him. Instead she continued to carefully drink her coffee.

When she didn't answer, he asked briskly, "Am I supposed to guess?" Now he sounded

like the man she worked for.

Jodie set her coffee cup back on the tray and turned to him. The problem was thathe didn't look like her boss at the moment. With his hair mussed and in hiscable-knit sweater, he reminded her of the man she'd spent time with in Hawaii.

She bit her lip. "I know I said that I'd start seeing you, but the truth is thatwe come from two different worlds and nothing is going to change that. I live a simple life and have simple tastes. I'm not at all your type."

"What exactly is my type?" he asked, his jaw stiff.

She waved her hand vaguely at the room. "Women who are used to all this luxury,

who expect it, women who go to operas and symphonies and are photographed wheneverthey attend some function. That's not me."

He studied her, looking quizzical. "I don't recall inviting you to an opera or thesymphony."

"You know what I mean," she snapped.

"I wish to hell I did. What is going on in that busy brain of yours?"

"I've come to my senses. I can't do this. I'm sorry." She stood. "I need to gethome. I'll call a cab."

"Not on your life. You're not going to run away from this discussion."

"Please date someone else instead of me. The woman you took to the musical, forinstance. Or...I don't care. Just someone else."

"I believe your prejudices are showing."

"What are you talking about?"

"You can't go out with me because I attend various functions around town? Or arewe back to the fact that you work for me?"

"Actually I do dislike you giving me orders when it's not job-related."

"Care to give me an example?"

"This afternoon. You took charge once I agreed to see you tonight. Told me whatyou were going to do and where we'd meet."

"You could have said no."

"I could have, yes. I should have."

"I get the sense that we're talking in circles without getting to the crux ofwhat's bothering you."

"All right. Then here it is. Hawaii was wonderful. I couldn't have imagined a moreperfect vacation. But the vacation is over. Yes, there's a definite attractionbetween us. You want to encourage it. I want to ignore it, which is why I'mrelieved to be moving into another department next week. Let's forget about Hawaiiand get on with our lives."

"I believe we tried that, but I, for one, have found it impossible after gettingto know you better."