She smiled, then looked at him gravely. “Kyle, I have a little girl,” she reminded him.

“I know. I never forget that,” he told her.

She held silent, turning away from him and wondering if he also never forgot that he had lost a wife he loved deeply.

Or that he had once called her a witch.

Or that they were usually at one another’s throats within a matter of minutes during even the most casual conversation. So this…passion would surely burn itself out.

“I have a daughter, and I need to make sure she isn’t hurt by anything I do,” Madison said.

“She’s with her father right now, isn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“So she’s not being hurt by anything we’re doing. She’s being helped.”

Madison arched a brow. “Oh? How’s that?”

“I’m afraid for your safety. But anyone would have to come through me to get to you.”

“Ah.”

“And I’m damned hard to get through,” he assured her. He finished his tea, set down his cup and took hers from her hands.

“Still obsessed?” she whispered as his mouth neared hers.

“Still obsessed.”

“Are you sure you’re not just in a protective mode, and sex is just a pleasant diversion?”

“Yep, I’m sure,” he said flatly. “And you?”

“Still…curious” was the best she dared admit as his mouth molded over hers.

She gave up attempting to reason and gave into sensation.

Kaila snuggled against her husband, basking in a sea of contentment unlike anything she had experienced in years.

His arm pulled her closer, and he whispered against her forehead, “Wow.”

“Incredible,” she agreed.

And it had been. Absolutely. She would never have thought of herself as the kinky type, and she still didn’t. She didn’t judge others, but she was sure she never wanted to play some of the sex games she’d seen on the cable shows. She knew she didn’t want to be handcuffed, hurt or whipped, or have Dan act like a child who needed to be punished. She had no desire whatsoever to call him “naughty boy” and make him grovel for her sexual favors. She didn’t want to take part in an orgy, or get involved with couples who played switchies.

But tonight…

Wow.

And all because of his sexy little gift. He’d gone crazy, seeing her in the panties. And the things he’d done…and the responses she had given…

Just the two of them. So alone, so intimate. Having fun. As they hadn’t in a very long time…

“What an idea. Thank you,” she told him softly, kissing his lips, then snuggling back down beside him again.

“What do you mean? Thank you. Honey, you were awesome. So sexy. You have to buy more of those. What gave you the idea?”

She felt the strangest sensation of icy cold sweeping over her. It wasn’t exactly fear, but it was awfully close.

She was silent too long.

“Kaila?”

“I…”

Dan was frowning, leaning over her and staring at her with angry eyes. “Kaila, where did you get those panties?”

“I—I didn’t get them. They were a gift. They arrived at my table today at lunch, addressed to me. I assumed you had sent them.”

“Naturally.”

“Dan!”

He leaned back against the pillows, still staring at her, and the accusing glitter in his eyes was frightening.

“Dan—you didn’t send them?”

“No.”

“But—”

“No, I didn’t send them.”

“Then they must have been a mistake. Someone else was meant to have them.”

“You just said they were addressed to you.”

“Did I?”

“Yes, you did! Were they, or weren’t they, addressed to you?” he yelled.

“Dan, stop it! This isn’t a courtroom. You—”

“It might turn into a courtroom pretty damn quick. They were addressed to you, right?”

“Right! What are you getting so angry about? If you didn’t send them, one of the girls must have been playing a trick—”

“Oh, Kaila, quit it.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“What does that mean?” he repeated. “It means that you’ve been flirting with someone. Flirting enough to give him the idea that you might be available. Christ! Here I am feeling guilty that you’re so depressed, stuck home being a mother!”

“I’m not depressed being a mother!” she protested. “And I never said that. And I don’t flirt!” She said the words boldly, then realized they were a lie.

She had given someone the idea she might be willing to have an affair.

She felt cold again. Really cold. He didn’t know that she had decided she was every kind of a fool and really truly loved her husband.

Oh, damn.

He might have sent the…gift.

“Look, Dan, honestly—”

“Save it, Kaila,” he said softly, then rose. He slipped quickly into his robe and left the room, slamming the door in his wake.

Kaila stared after him, stunned. And cold, so cold.

The panties…

She shivered, feeling dirty. Had she really come so close to an affair? Worse, had she really already destroyed her marriage?

The next time she saw him, she was really going to give him a piece of her mind. She was going to explain that she had just been going through a bad period, that she really loved her husband.

Oh, God…

She still felt dirty. Squirmy. And afraid.

Dan had never looked at her like that before.

She got out of bed, wrapping up in her own robe, wondering how such wicked ecstasy could turn to something so horrible. She walked out to the living room. He was standing in the kitchen, staring out at the back, drinking a beer.

“Dan?”

“What?”

“I love you.”

“Who sent you those panties, Kaila?”

She lied. She had to lie. “I have no idea, Dan. Honest to God. I swear on the kids’ lives—I never cheated on you.”

“Well, it’s just interesting that another man would send my wife edible underwear,” he said dryly.

“One of the girls must have done it as a joke.”

“Sure, Kaila.”

She walked to him, slipping her arms around his waist, really frightened that she might lose him.

“I love you, Dan!” she whispered.

She felt his muscles ease. His arm came around her. Tears slid down her cheeks, he brushed them away with his knuckles and kissed her lips.

“Every once in a while…” he murmured.

“What?”

“Well, you look like your mother. Maybe I get a little afraid you might want to try out several husbands.”

“Dan, what an awful thing to say.”

“You did receive edible underwear.”

“I love you, Dan.”

“Do you?”

“God, yes! I’ve just been afraid, I guess, because you’re gone so much! Because you work with young, bright attorneys, so many women. And sometimes I feel that I can’t compete with the excitement of your day because all I do is wear spit-up and baby drool, and all I can talk about is the most recent PTA meeting or the latest Disney movie.”

He smiled and smoothed her hair. “That’s my child’s spit-up you’re wearing, Kaila. And I love Disney movies, and believe it or not, the PTA matters to me. And you’re intelligent and articulate and interesting. I love you, too, Kaila.”

“Oh, Dan!” she murmured. “I’m so sorry. It’s just that the kids are so little, I sometimes feel that I need three hands, and yet I adore them, and…and I adore you. You’ve been so good!” she whispered.

“You know what?” he told her, his voice growing harsh again.

“What?”

“I’m going to find out where the hell those panties came from.”

His arms were around her, but despite that, she felt the devastating cold once again.

“I’m really not sure why you’re so worried,” Madison said. She was driving, and Kyle was at her side in the passenger seat, sipping coffee from a paper cup as he reached in the back seat for the Miami Herald she had just bought. “Kyle, this guy is a pattern killer, and if he goes by his past record, he isn’t due to strike again for another several weeks. The middle of the month.”

He was staring at the paper. “Damn it!” he swore.