Miki ate her carrots and looked around the room. At first she didn’t see Conall. She felt a moment of annoyance at his absence. Then she felt a moment of annoyance at her moment of annoyance. And was even more annoyed at herself when she felt relief at seeing him come back in the room.

He walked over to her and took a carrot out of her hand. “Well, I’ve hit a new low.”

“What happened?”

“I just beat up a little girl.”

“Compared to you everyone’s a little girl.”

“She was Pride.”

“Oh, yeah. The Goth chick with the gold eyes, right?”

“Yeah. Her. You saw her?”

“Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

Miki shrugged. “I didn’t think about it. She’s one of Amy’s teaching assistants.”

“You think and obsess about everything else but that doesn’t seem like something you should tell me about?”

Miki was about to get good and pissed off, but then she realized he was right. “You’re right.”

Conall choked on his carrot. “What?”

She shrugged. “You’re right. I should have said something.”

“All right. What are you setting me up for?”

“Nothing.” She would have been hurt if she hadn’t drugged him once.

His eyes narrowed and she felt kind of guilty for making him so paranoid. “Really. I’m just telling you that you’re right. I swear.”

“You been eatin’ the brownies?”

Miki rolled her eyes. “No.”

“Drug the carrots?”

“No.”

“Drug or eaten the Jell-O shots?”

“No. I didn’t drug anybody or anything.”

Conall backed slowly away from her. His eyes never leaving her face. “I’m watching you, Kendrick.”

She stared at his body as he walked across the room to talk to a bunch of snowboarders.

He was watching her. She liked the sound of that.

A sloppy round of “Video Killed the Radio Star” with some guys who actually made money playing video games for a living, and Miki was ready for a break from the people and the heat of the room. She headed to the back of the house and went out on the stoop. Surprisingly dead in the back but, not surprising in Seattle, it was raining a bit. There were several couples in the trees behind Craig’s house. She stared in their direction but she wasn’t really paying attention. Watching other people fool around had never been very interesting for her.

She felt a presence next to her and turned with a smile to see…Troy. And just like that, her smile faded. “Oh. Hey, Troy.”

“Hey, Miki.” He sat down next to her on the stoop. Shescooted over because he sat a little too close. “Where’s your pit bull?”

It took her a moment to realize he meant Conall. “Inside. He seems to get along well with the skateboarders.”

“I’m glad you’re back, Miki.”

She frowned at him. “Really?” She never thought the man even noticed her.

“Yes. I’m really hoping you’ll take the job Conridge offers you.”

“She hasn’t offered me anything yet.”

“She will.”

Miki shrugged. “Whatever.”

She stared at her boots. She had nothing to say to this man. In fact, she wanted him to go away.

“You know, Miki,” his hand landed on her knee, “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”

Miki turned to look at him and, suddenly, Troy’s lips were on hers. She could taste the liquid courage he’d been guzzling to make this move, but he took her by surprise and that was always a mistake with her. She shoved him so hard he flipped off the stoop and landed in a heap.

Miki leaned over. “You okay, Troy?”

He lifted his arm. “I’m fine.” But it was muffled since he went face first in the dirt. “I’m just going to lie here for awhile. Don’t mind me.”

Christ, how did she ever think this guy was cute or sexy? Just the touch of his lips against hers made her want to spit.

As she wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, a bottle of water appeared in front of her.

This time she didn’t even have to look to know it was Conall. He’d been taking very good care of her all night. Making sure she ate, stayed away from any cleverly hidden drugs, and that she was always hydrated. She grabbed the bottle and made room on the stoop so he could sit down beside her. She realized she didn’t mind him sitting close. Of course, with Conall she really had no choice. He took up a lot of space on the stoop. At least his shoulders did.

“Feel better now?” she asked as she opened the bottle.

“Yeah. I’ve recovered from my random act of violence.” He looked at her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. I almost killed a man, though.”

“What?”

She pointed and Conall leaned over her to see. As soon as his body touched hers, she had that same damn reaction. Hard nipples. Wet pussy. It was getting ridiculous.

“What happened?”

She had to force herself to focus. “He kissed me. But it took me by surprise.”

She felt the growl before she heard it. Miki dropped her water bottle, accidentally hitting Troy in the back of the head, and grabbed Conall’s shoulders before he could leap off the stoop and tear Troy apart.