He made a strange, choking sound and drifted into the right lane. She kept at him, prodded on by the pain of knowing he couldn’t see through her, that this was the way he expected her to behave. “I don’t think I’m terribly demanding, but I do have three requirements of my lovers: courtesy, endurance, and quick recovery for a repeat performance. I’m afraid you failed all three.”

His voice grew dangerously low. “Aren’t you going to criticize my technique, too?”

“Well, as to that I found your technique to be quite . . . adequate.”

“Adequate?”

“You’ve obviously read all the books, but . . .” She forced an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, I’m probably too picky.”

“No. Go on. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

“I guess I hadn’t imagined you’d have so many— Well, so many hang-ups. You’re a very uptight lover, Daniel. You should relax more and not take sex so seriously. Of course you were operating at a disadvantage.” She paused, then went in for the kill. “In all fairness, what man could be at his best having sex with the woman who signs his paychecks?”

She was dismayed to hear a soft chuckle. “Phoebe, darlin’, you’re takin’ my breath away.”

“I wouldn’t dwell on it too much. I’m certain it was just a temporary thing. Bad chemistry.”

In the flash of headlights, she could see him grin. For a fraction of a second she almost forgot the sting of his rejection and smiled herself.

“Honey lamb, there are a lot of things in this world I feel insecure about. Religion. Our national economic policy. What color socks to wear with a blue suit. But, I’ve got to tell you that my performance in that hotel room last night isn’t one of them.”

“With that ego of yours, I’m not surprised.”

“Phoebe, I said I was sorry.”

“Apology accepted. Now if you don’t mind, I’m exhausted.” She rested her head against the window and closed her eyes.

He was just as good at nonverbal communication as she. Within seconds, he’d flipped on the radio and filled the interior of the car with the hostile music of Megadeth. Nothing had been settled between them.

Phoebe saw little of Dan during the week that followed. His days seemed to be spent in watching miles of film, attending an endless number of meetings with his coaches and players, and spending some time each day on the practice field. To her surprise, Molly agreed to accompany her to the game on Sunday against the Detroit Lions, although when Phoebe suggested she bring a friend, she refused, saying that all the girls at her school were bitches.