Against the Edge (The Raines of Wind Can - By Kat Martin Page 0,98

over. We leave the boy alone and things cool down, we’ll be able to go back home.”

Troy reached out and took hold of Aggie’s hand. “Maybe Mace is right, sis.”

For once Aggie’s mouth stayed shut.

It was over, Mace figured. In time, things would get back to normal. In time his sister would lose that puckered look on her face and get back to takin’ care of the rest of them like she was supposed to.

Or at least Mace damned well hoped so.

* * *

Claire hadn’t seen Ben since the birthday party. He was back at work and avoiding her, just dropping Sam off a couple of times after she got home from work, not bothering to come into the apartment.

In a way, it was funny. He was the one who had said he cared for her, made it sound as if he really meant it. She never would have said a word.

It didn’t matter. Ben didn’t want a relationship. He just wanted sex and that was nearly impossible with a young boy in the house. Of course he could stop by the apartment for a quickie. He had a babysitter now for Sam, an older lady named Mrs. McKenzie, a friend of Annie’s. He could drop over and take her to bed, if she’d let him, which she wouldn’t.

No matter how much she wanted him to do exactly that.

Michael had stopped by a couple of times. He had talked her into going out for pizza. Once he had taken her to a movie.

“My investigation is really progressing,” he’d said at the Peking Palace, the Chinese restaurant they had gone to after the show. “I’ll be dropping out of sight for a while, doing a little undercover work. I won’t be able to see you.”

“Undercover work? That sounds kind of risky. You’re a reporter, not a cop. Are you sure it’s worth it?”

“It’s what I do, Claire, and hell yes, it’ll be worth it. I promise, once this assignment is over, I’ll take something easier. Something that will give us plenty of time together. We’ll be able to work things out, make plans.”

Once this assignment is over. Words she’d heard a dozen times. She didn’t argue. The words weren’t important anymore. She wasn’t in love with Michael. She was in love with Ben.

Thank God work was keeping her busy. The social services job she’d taken was a management position. Learning how to teach and supervise her staff was a challenge she was enjoying. She had even begun to make a few friends. If it weren’t for Sam, she wouldn’t have to think of Ben at all. Eventually she would get over him.

At least she told herself she would. So far that hadn’t happened. At night, she dreamed he was making love to her and woke up damp and aroused. She wondered if he thought of her half as much as she thought of him.

It wasn’t likely.

He was the Iceman.

A woman was the last thing he needed.

Twenty-Eight

The office was busy, Trace in with Sol, working a case, Alex with Jake on a corporate security detail. Annie watched Ben sitting at his desk, staring out the window instead of making phone calls or working on his computer.

He’d been acting strange all week. She had even caught him reading a Family Circle magazine, which he had promptly dumped in the trash can beneath his desk when he’d seen her approach.

Annie came out from behind her desk and walked over to where he sat brooding, propped her hands on her hips. “Okay, what’s going on? I know you’ve got half a dozen messages on your voice mail—I directed the calls myself.”

He glanced up, his pale eyes distant. “You ask me, this new system’s a pain in the ass. I liked it better when you were answering the phone. Who wants to talk to a message machine?”

“I don’t like it, either. Tell your boss about it. The point is, you need to get off your duff and get back to work. You can’t just sit around mooning over Claire.”

“What makes you think it’s Claire? Maybe it’s someone else.”

“Sure, maybe it’s Angelina Jolie. And I’m thinking about my hot date tonight with Brad Pitt. Let’s face it, Ice. You’re gone over that little gal. You’re just too damned stubborn to admit it.”

He just looked back out the window. “I’ve...ah...been thinking about asking her to marry me.”

Stunned, for a moment Annie couldn’t think of a single thing to say. At least that explained the magazine. She gave him