“This.” He lifted their joined hands. “The electricity in this simple connection. And don’t deny it. Your pulse is pounding. I can see it here.” He touched the hollow of her throat.

Which only jacked up her heart rate more.

Denying the attraction would be stupid—but she didn’t have to admit all of the reasons for it. Like the fact that her attitude toward him was beginning to soften.

“Hormones aren’t enough.”

“We had more than that eight years ago. We could have it again.”

“Why are you so certain?”

“Because I know how I feel—and I can guess how you feel. It’s in your eyes. In your body language. In your actions.” He stroked his thumb over the back of her hand, upping the voltage between them with the sweet friction. “You went undercover to try and understand why I left you for that type of work, didn’t you? And you’d only do that if you still cared. All of that is compelling evidence.”

Instead of waiting for her to respond, he stood and gently tugged on her hand. “Walk me to the door?”

He was leaving?

Now?

She struggled to her feet, mind whirling, emotions in chaos.

Not good.

She had to keep her wits about her. Regroup. Settle down. Splash cold water on her cheeks. Be logical.

As he released her hand to retrieve his jacket and slip his arms into the sleeves, she kick-started the left side of her brain.

Zeke’s decision to leave the hotel suite was sensible. Prolonging this exchange in her present state would not be prudent. She should be glad he was being rational.

And she was working on that.

Hard.

He claimed her hand again and walked toward the door.

Halfway there, he stopped. Pivoted toward her.

Oh man.

His broad chest, where she’d often rested her head, was inches from her face—and a hint of five o’clock shadow was beginning to darken his jaw, the memory of that stubble against her fingertips as distinct as the familiar aftershave tickling her nostrils.

She raised her gaze a tad higher, to the firm, strong lips that could demand, cajole, caress in equal measure until the world melted away.

Higher still, his dark eyes sizzled, the heat simmering in their depths more than sufficient to chase off the coldest chill of a St. Louis January.

And then the distance between them began to shrink as he slowly lowered his mouth toward hers.

Run, Cate! Fast! Stop this craziness!

It was the same warning that had strobed across her mind on the fateful night she’d chosen to let love override the moral values that had always been the bedrock of her life.

She’d ignored it then.

She ignored it now.

This was a kiss, nothing more. It would go no further.