"But you can't cook."

0.

"Yeah, that could be a problem. Sloan's does takeout, right?"

Morgan stood. "Skiing tomorrow. We'll talk about dinner then." She opened the door and winked. "And the next time you need a d.a.m.n ski guide, don't call me! This is the last time I'm doing this for you," she said loudly, then slammed the door behind her.

Reese hid her smile just in time as Eloise poked her head in.

"Are you okay, Chief? Morgan seemed really upset."

"Apparently, she really hates skiing."

"I told you that the first time you had her take you out.

Whatever possessed you to ask her again?"

"I think that's why she's upset. I didn't ask her. I asked Charlie."

She smiled. "You know, from one official to another. We're both branches of the government, so to speak."

Eloise looked around suspiciously, then lowered her voice. "I shouldn't gossip, but Berta called me. She said Morgan stormed out of there when Charlie told her about your request. Berta said she hadn't seen her that mad in years."

"Is that right?"

Morgan paused on the sidewalk, watching her breath frost around her. It was a beautiful day, clear and cold, the blue, blue sky seemingly endless, not even a hint of a cloud. Dare she blame the bright suns.h.i.+ne on her surprisingly good mood? A good mood despite the prospect of a ski trip tomorrow.

Reese Daniels could infuriate her one minute and take her breath away the next. And the story about her father? How tragic.

Of course, Morgan could relate somewhat. Her own father was a fis.h.i.+ng guide, and Morgan grew up helping crew the boat to wealthy clients, fis.h.i.+ng both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic.

And she and her dad were as close as father and daughter could be.

But that bond was shattered when she was twenty-one-twenty-one and gay. He never said it, but she suspected he blamed himself, as if hauling her all over the ocean in a smelly fis.h.i.+ng boat had contributed to her being a lesbian. And it wasn't that they were 0.

estranged or anything. They spoke on the phone, they exchanged cards and letters, but there was always that gap between them, that chasm that they couldn't overcome. Her mother tried to be the bridge, but it was never enough. And being an only child, well, that too had shattered his dream of walking her down the aisle, of holding his first grandchild.

She took a deep breath, unconsciously reflecting on the past, watching the images flash by with lightning speed. She shrugged them away, taking another peek at the blue sky.

She felt different today. Gone was the restlessness, the monotony of winter, replaced with a contentment born of sharing herself with another person last night. Not a one-night stand, no.

It felt completely different.

She smiled wryly. And so very, very different than the morning after with Moaning Mona.

0.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE.

Morgan pulled out a barstool, nodding at Tracy who was at the other end of the bar, taking a dinner order from Ernie Bates.

It was quiet tonight, only a handful of the regulars around. Even the pool table was silent.

"Beer?"

"Please." She looked around. "Where is everyone?"

Tracy smiled. "The weather is supposed to be great tomorrow.

Maybe they're like you. They have a skiing and fis.h.i.+ng trip planned, so they're taking it easy."

Morgan rolled her eyes. "Very funny. And how did you hear about it?"

"Sloan heard it from Berta at lunch. Rumor has it you were very p.i.s.sed and had a yelling match with Chief Daniels over at her office."

"You know how much I love skiing," she said, not really surprised that both Berta and Eloise had exaggerated the 0.

supposed fight between them.

"Speaking of," Tracy said, motioning to the door that had just opened. "Draw you a beer, Chief?" she called across the bar.

"Sure, Tracy." Reese sat down next to Morgan. "Good evening, Morgan. Are you in a better humor than the last time I saw you?"

Morgan stared at Reese's lips, watching as she fought to keep a smile away. "That depends. Have you come to cancel the trip?"

"Oh, no. I'm looking forward to it." She reached for her beer.

"Thanks, Tracy."

"Dinner?"

"Something light. I have a busy day tomorrow."

"How about a chef's salad with grilled chicken?"

"Perfect."

"You're evil," Morgan said quietly when Tracy left them.

"Evil? And here I am thinking we need to work on that secret sign you mentioned."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah. Because if we had one, I'd use it about now."

Morgan shook her head. "And then expect me to be up at the crack of dawn to take you skiing? Think again, Chief."

"Just a thought. Because I really enjoyed being with you last night," she said, her voice low.

Morgan looked away, surprised at the quickening of her pulse. Yes, she'd enjoyed it too. Very much. But she hardly had the stamina to maintain that activity every night. Before she could reply, Tracy came back over.

"Your salad will be right out, Chief."

"Great."

Tracy wiped the water spots from their mugs, moving the gla.s.ses aside as she worked. It was something she did every night and Morgan wondered if she was even conscious of it.

"So, where are you taking the chief tomorrow, Morgan?"

Reese laughed. "You heard?"

"Oh, yeah. Nothing's a secret in this town."

Reese turned to her. "So, just where are you taking me?"

"Someplace with a high cliff. I may want to push you off."

Reese laughed, the sound filling the bar as the few other patrons there stopped and stared. Morgan couldn't help but smile, and knew they were doing a poor job of pretending to dislike each other.

"Why don't you take her up Alpine Meadow?" Tracy said.

"It's an easy hike to the river."

"Easy? That's at least two miles."

"Two miles on skis is nothing, Morgan. Ed said he caught a big brown trout out of there a couple of weeks ago. And brook trout are easy to catch there. I think the chief would have fun."

Morgan narrowed her eyes. "This isn't about the chief having fun. This is about me having to ski."

Tracy smiled and backed up. "Maybe I better check on dinner."

"Maybe you better," Morgan muttered.

"So you're not going to be this cranky tomorrow, right?"

"Am I cranky?"

"A tad." Reese stood as Tracy came over with her salad. "Get to bed early, Morgan. Big day tomorrow."

Morgan scowled at her as she left, leaving Tracy laughing quietly.

"You know, it's a shame you two can't get along. I think you'd make a cute couple."

Morgan nearly spit her beer out. "For one thing, she's only here for a year, so there's no couple possibility. And two, she gets immense pleasure out of making my life miserable. There's just something wrong with that."

"You're like oil and water, I guess," Tracy said. "But still, you'd make a cute couple."

Morgan ignored her comment, instead sliding her empty mug down the bar. "I better get going. Like the chief said, big day tomorrow."

"Have fun. I hope you don't kill each other."

Morgan sat in her truck thinking no, they wouldn't kill each other. But she did wonder how long they could pull off this pretense that they really didn't like each other very much. Truth was, under any other circ.u.mstance, they would be on the verge of full-fledged dating. Their sense of humor mixed well, even though she would have sworn Reese Daniels had no sense of humor when they first met. They enjoyed each other's company, that was obvious. And after last night, it was quite evident they were completely compatible in bed.

So compatible, in fact, that Morgan wished she was there right now, having a repeat of last night.

She tapped the wheel with her fingers, indecisive. It was going to be a busy day tomorrow. She'd have to be up before dawn.

But Reese had indicated she was game for a little get together tonight, secret sign or not.

So she drove away, not even looking down the side street that would take her to her house. She kept her eyes straight ahead as she drove out of town, feeling a bit shameless-and liking it.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO.

Morgan sat in her truck for a long moment, staring at Reese's cabin. The light of the moon-nearly full-cast a bright reflection off the snow. She could see the smoke swirling out of the chimney, much as it had been last night. And that's where they'd ended up, on the rug by the fireplace, making love with such abandon, giving themselves freely without the restrictions of emotional ties. A physical, s.e.xual relations.h.i.+p had its advantages.

And she wondered now if Reese was waiting for her. She'd no doubt seen her headlights, heard her truck. Was she by the door waiting, like she'd been last night?

Finally, the cold chased her out of the truck. She closed the door with a thud and walked through the snow to the front steps.

It felt different than last night. Gone was the nervous feeling she'd carried with her, replaced by a desire that was a little bit disconcerting. It was a desire that-if left unchecked-could easily get out of control.

But that hardly mattered now. She raised her hand, knocking twice, waiting. And when Reese opened the door, their eyes met.

There was no need for conversation. They both knew why she was here.

So she took Reese's hand and let herself be led into the dark bedroom. Reese turned on a small lamp, pus.h.i.+ng the shadows away. Morgan stood there silently, her breath already coming fast as Reese came closer. Mutely, Reese undressed her, dropping the clothes beside the bed, then quickly shedding her own.

Morgan pulled the covers back on the bed and lay down, watching as Reese moved beside her, over her. Their eyes met and held, then Morgan's gaze slipped to Reese's lips that were so close, so inviting.

"I want to kiss you," Reese whispered.

Morgan shook her head. "No."

"No?" Reese lowered her head. "You don't want my tongue in your mouth?" She moved to Morgan's ear. "Like this?" she breathed, her tongue snaking in and out of her ear.

Morgan moaned and opened her legs, pulling Reese hard against her. G.o.d, yes, she wanted Reese's tongue in her mouth.