“A tool,” he said easily, “in the career I chose.”

“True enough. After two and half years on the police force and three citations for bravery, you went undercover. The facts become vague there, but rumor has it that you were on the team responsible for breaking one of the major crime rings operating in and around the District of Columbia. There’s also a rumor that at the request of a certain United States senator, you served on his security force. With your reputation, your intelligence and your record you could easily have made the rank of captain, despite your age. Instead you chose to resign from the force altogether.”

“For someone who said they knew little about me, you certainly have enough data.”

“That tells me nothing about you.” She walked to starboard. “I want to cool off. Will you come?” Before he could answer, she was over the side and in the water.

She was unbelievably provocative, but he’d yet to determine if this was deliberate. Thoughtful, Reeve rose. Finding out might be an education in itself. As smoothly as Brie, he slipped into the water.

“Soft,” she said as she treaded water lazily. She’d already been under and her hair was wet, sleeked back from her face. Dripping, struck by the sun, it was nearly copper. Without makeup, in the strong light her face was exquisite. She had the bone structure, the complexion, photographers strove to immortalize. As an image, Reeve mused while he floated in the cool water near her, she was flawless. And as an image, she intrigued him—as images intrigue any man.

It was the woman he hungered for. He had yet to resolve whether he could separate one from the other and have what he wanted. He’d worked in law enforcement too long not to understand that every act had consequences. For everything taken, certain payments had to be made. It was far from clear as yet what his payment would be.

“I’m told you use the pool every day,” she began, tipping back to drench her hair again. “You’re a strong swimmer?”

He put just enough power into his kick to keep afloat. “Yes.”

“Perhaps I’ll join you one morning. I’m beginning to catch up with my work enough to lose an hour or so a day. Reeve …” She cupped water in her hand, then let it fall back into the sea. “You know the AHC ball is only a few weeks away.”

“I’d have to be deaf not to. There’s hammering and confusion in the Grand Ballroom almost every day.”

“Just a few necessities,” she told him offhandedly. “I only mention it because I feel you should know as my …” Her gaze went automatically to the ring on her left hand. Though he watched her, Reeve couldn’t read her expression. “As my fiancé,” she continued, “you’ll be expected to open the ball with me and, in a very real sense, host it.”

He watched her hair float and spread on the surface of the water. “And?”