“I’ve been thinking about our conversation last night,” he said, “and you might have a point.”

“I usually do.”

She’d loosened her seat belt enough to tuck a leg under her. If she’d been wearing shorts instead of jeans, he’d have had a clear view of the inside of her thigh. A thigh, he now knew, that was firm, smooth, and fine. He hurried on. “What if I’m missing out by not taking a little more time in the sack with my lady friends?”

She pulled a face. “It’s so sad. All those traumatized women believing your problem is their fault. I should open a counseling office.”

He would not laugh. “Yep. The more I think about it, the more I think you’re right. I might have a sex problem.”

“Fortunately, there are a lot of books on the subject.”

“Hell, I’m not much of a reader. Too many words to sound out.”

“Interesting. I’ve found all kinds of books in the apartment.”

“Cleaning people musta left ’em.” He kept dishing out the bull, exactly the way it had to be between them. “Since you’re the one who pointed out my problem, it’s only fair that you help me work through it. Only as a sex partner, you understand. This has nothing to do with our professional relationship.”

She glanced over at him, all full of fake regret. “Don’t take this wrong, but I’ve kind of lost interest.”

No way a woman who’d responded the way she had last night wasn’t still interested, but he only nodded. “I understand.”

***

They were quiet for a while. To relieve the tension, Piper called Jada to find out how her killing spree was progressing. Very well, as it turned out. She’d offed five more of her classmates. Eventually, they made a stop for fast food, and Piper took over the driving. By the time they reached the Illinois border, the effort to appear relaxed had left her shoulders screaming. She struggled to find a topic of conversation that would take them through the last leg of this unending trip. “I happen to know you’re a real softy. And I mean that in a nonsexual way. Although...”

He choked on his Coke.

She smiled to herself. “These hospital visits you make to Lurie...”

“No idea what you’re talking about.”

He knew, all right. Even though he managed to sneak in and out of Lurie Children’s Hospital without attracting the attention of the press, she’d uncovered the interesting fact that he spent a lot of time visiting sick children. “I can’t picture you around kids.” Another lie. From what she’d seen, he was as relaxed with children as he was around beautiful women. “You can tell me. It’s the hot nurses, right?”

“Now you’re embarrassin’ me.”