Blue Jeans and a Badge by Nina Bruhns

had the exact same thought once or twice, but hearing it aloud made it sound almost…inevitable.
    She swallowed heavily. “You’re awfully sure of yourself, O’Donnaugh.”
    â€œNot at all,” he said, giving her the same look she gave jumpers who were trying to talk her into letting them go because they were innocent of all charges. “What I am sure of is this incredible chemistry we have going on between us.”
    â€œHaving chemistry doesn’t mean having to act on it. We’re adults.”
    â€œIt would be a shame to waste what we’re feeling for each other.”
    â€œIt would be an even bigger shame for one of us to get hurt. Or both.”
    â€œSex isn’t supposed to hurt, Luce.”
    â€œBut love does.”
    She fastened her gaze determinedly on the solid yellow lines running alongside the Jeep. She hadn’t meant to say that. In fact, she wasn’t exactly sure where the words had come from. She’d never really had an unhappy love affair. She’d never given herself the chance. She’d been too busy for love. First with school, then her job. Her endless traveling and relentless dedication to work had precluded any kind of emotional attachment—except for her parents, Arthur and the other guys at the jump shop.
    â€œThe trick is…” Philip said, yanking her out of her thoughts. “The trick is not to fall in love.”
    She swung her gaze to him, taking in his strong, square jaw and intelligent eyes, his sculpted lips and thick black hair.That would be a trick, all right, she thought with a sinking heart. To sleep with this man and not fall in love with him seemed like an impossibility.
    â€œI never fall in love,” she managed to say with a fair amount of conviction.
    â€œThen there’s no problem.” He didn’t smile, didn’t wink, didn’t reach out and touch her. Simply said, “I want you, Luce. I want to be inside you. And I know you want me, too.”
    Chaos ran rampant through her body, but she was spared having to tame it and comment one way or the other, because suddenly they were in Santa Fe. Philip directed her to the school and she drove into the parking lot. It was only after she’d pulled into a spot that she realized her hands were shaking.
    She stuck them under her armpits and leaned her forehead on the steering wheel, then took a deep breath to steady her nerves while Philip got out and came around to her side.
    He opened the door and unclipped her seat belt. “Is the thought of sleeping with me that bad?” he asked when she didn’t move.
    She looked up and tried to smile. “No, of course not.”
    â€œCome here.” He opened his arms and, even though she knew very well it would just make things worse and not better, she slid out and into them, letting him enfold her in his secure embrace. “I hope you know,” he said, “I would never do anything you didn’t want me to.”
    â€œI know,” she whispered.
    â€œI just think it’s better to get things out in the open and talk about them. I’ve had too many surprises in my life. I don’t like hidden agendas.”
    â€œOkay.”
    He tilted up her chin and kissed her. His lips were soft and warm as the breeze rustling the Jacaranda trees. It wasn’t a demanding kiss, or even a claiming one. It was just…really nice. And that’s when she knew with dead certainty she was in even bigger trouble than she’d ever thought possible.
    The man was smart, handsome, sexy and sensitive, too.
    In short, he was simply irresistible.
    Just then a group of older teenagers walked by, noticed them kissing and started hooting and cheering. “Hey, Mr. Policeman, that’s sexual harassment!” one of them shouted, to the others’ great amusement.
    â€œHell, I don’t care if she harasses me!” he called back, to their even greater amusement.
    She laughed and