He shook his head, then rose and stretched, lengthening that lean body vertebra by vertebra. He was already bored with her. Probably because she hadn’t entertained him by reciting his career statistics.

“I’d better turn in,” he said. “I’m taking off first thing tomorrow, so if I don’t see you, thanks for the hospitality.”

She managed a yawn. “Ciao, babycakes.” She knew he had to get back for practice, but that didn’t ease her disappointment.

He smiled. “Night, Daphne.”

She watched him mount the stairs, the denim tightening around those lean legs, molding his narrow hips, muscles rippling beneath his T-shirt.

Oh, God, she was drooling! And she was Phi Beta Kappa!

She was also aching and restless, blazingly dissatisfied with everything in her life.

“Damn it!” She knocked her sketch pad to the floor, jumped to her feet, and made a beeline for the bathroom to stare at her hair. She was going to shave it off!

No! She didn’t want to be bald, and this time she wouldn’t let herself act crazy.

She moved purposefully to the video center and pulled out the remake of The Parent Trap. Her inner child loved watching the twins get their parents back together, and her outer child loved Dennis Quaid’s smile.

Kevin had that same crooked smile.

Resolutely, she took his game film from the VCR, put in The Parent Trap, and settled back to watch.

By two o’clock in the morning, Hallie and Annie had reunited their parents, but Molly was more restless than ever. She began surfing through old movies and infomercials, only to pause as she heard the familiar theme song of the old show, Lace, Inc.

“Lace is on the case, oh yeah … Lace can solve the case, oh yeah …” Two beautiful women ran across the screen, the sexy detectives Sable Drake and Ginger Hill.

Lace, Inc. had been one of Molly’s favorite shows as a child. She’d wanted to be Sable, the smart brunette, played by actress Mallory McCoy. Ginger was the redheaded sexpot karate expert. Lace, Inc. had been a jiggle show, but Molly hadn’t cared about that. She’d simply enjoyed watching women beat up the bad guys for a change.

The opening credits showed Mallory McCoy first, then Lilly Sherman, who’d played Ginger Hill. Molly sat up straighter as she remembered a fragment of conversation she’d once overheard at Stars’ headquarters indicating that Lilly Sherman had some sort of connection with Kevin. She hadn’t wanted anyone to know she was interested, so she didn’t ask any questions. She studied the actress more carefully.

She wore her trademark tight pants, tube top, and high heels. Her long red hair curled around her shoulders, and her eyes batted seductively at the camera. Even with a dated hairstyle and big gold hoop earrings, she was a knockout.

Sherman must be in her forties by now, surely a little old to be one of Kevin’s women, so what was their connection? A photograph she’d seen of the actress a few years ago showed that she’d gained weight since the television show. She was still a beautiful woman, though, so it was possible they’d had a fling.