“Come on, Zack.” She smiled, wanting to lighten the concern in his eyes and bring back the laughter. “I was only kidding.”

Ignoring that, he turned her head for a closer look at the mark on her cheek. “I should have put ice on that. He didn’t break the skin, but it’s…”

She could feel the tension hardening his shoulders. Instead of trying to stroke it away, she pinched him. “Listen, Buster, I come from tough stock. I got worse than that wrestling with my brothers.”

“If he ever gets out—”

“Stop it.” Very firmly she put her hands on either side of his face. “Don’t say anything you might regret. Remember, I’m an officer of the court.”

“I wouldn’t regret it.” He tugged her upward until she was sitting beside him. They were circled, he realized, by the tattered remains of her clothes. “And I don’t regret this—except for the unrefined style.”

She let out an impatient breath. “Look, if you can’t take a joke, learn to.”

“Wait until I’m finished before you swipe at me, okay? I swear, you come on faster than a typhoon.” He tucked her hair back and kissed her once, hard. “I wasn’t going to stay. Not today. I figured a bout of hot sex wasn’t the best encore after you’d been strangled.”

“I wasn’t—”

He interrupted her. “Close enough. You know that I wanted you however I could get you, Rachel. I sure as hell didn’t make a secret of it. But it occurs to me that you were upset and vulnerable and I took advantage of that.”

She had to wait nearly a full minute before she could speak. “Don’t make me mad at you, Muldoon. And don’t insult me.”

“All I’m trying to say is… I don’t know what the hell I’m trying to say,” he muttered, and tried again. “Except—well, maybe I could have pulled that stupid couch out instead of using the floor.”

Eyes narrowed, she leaned her face close to his. Her eyes were the color of gold doubloons, and just as exotic. “I like the floor. Get it?”

He was starting to feel better. Zack knew that tending to fragility was out of his league. But this tough, hardheaded woman was just his style. Watching her, he picked up her ruined blouse. “I ripped your clothes off.”

“Proud of yourself?”

He tossed it aside. “Yeah. I can wait, if you want to put some more on. Then I can rip them off you again.”

She bit the inside of her lip, but didn’t quite defeat the smile. “Those were ruined anyway. Next time I’ll have to bill you for damages. I’m on a budget.”

Chuckling, he flicked her earring with his finger. “I’m crazy about you.”