He sipped on a glass of bourbon, pleased with his plan. His pulse kicked up just thinking about it. There was nothing like the prospect for steamy sex or a good battle of wills to make a man feel alive. He had Janet to thank on both counts, he thought with a trace of bitterness. He’d have to be sure to express his gratitude when all was said and done.

Janet glanced up with surprise when the door to her office opened at midmorning and Harlan stepped across the threshold onto the threadbare carpet she couldn’t afford to replace until business picked up. Something in his expression alarmed her. She’d seen him looking determined. She’d seen him defiant. Both traits were evident now, but there was a cold, calculating gleam in his eyes that was something new and not entirely reassuring.

“What brings you into town?” she asked warily.

“I thought maybe you and I could get a word alone here.”

She hadn’t noticed that he had all that much difficulty getting her alone at White Pines when he was of a mind to, but she just nodded. “Something important come up?”

“In a manner of speaking,” he said, perching on a corner of her desk, his jeans-clad knees scant inches from hers.

It seemed to Janet that he was deliberately crowding her. In fact, it was just more evidence of his odd mood. He had been acting weird all day. She’d noticed it first when she’d dropped off Jenny.

Now that she thought about it, Jenny had seemed awfully subdued since yesterday evening, as well. Had she gotten into more trouble? Was Harlan fed up with playing surrogate daddy? Had he come to tell her that he wanted to end their arrangement?

“Jenny’s not giving you trouble, is she?” she asked, regarding him uneasily. Jenny, for all of her grumbling, would be heartbroken if her days at White Pines and with Harlan were over.

“None that I can’t handle,” he said.

The response relieved her mind on that score at least, but there was something. She was sure of it. “Then, what is it?” she prodded.

His gaze locked with hers. “I think we should go away together,” he announced.

Oh, boy, she thought as the breath whooshed right out of her. This was the last thing she’d expected. Well, not the last thing, but certainly she hadn’t anticipated such an invitation coming so soon. Janet felt her cheeks flame as she battled temptation and embarrassment.

“Go away together?” she repeated dazedly. “You and me? Why? I mean, we haven’t even had a real date. Don’t you think we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves here?”

“We had dinner at your place. We’ve had dinner at my place. We’ve been on a picnic down by the creek. You don’t call that dating?”