Free Rules of Attraction by Susan Crosby

trying to change, and one of the reasons he’d hooked up with ARC after years on his own—to expand his world, to get out of the shadows he’d lived in for so long that he’d been known by most people only by the nickname “Doc.”
    From his car he watched Claire go inside her house.Then he walked up and down the street, evaluating vehicles, especially two delivery vans that could easily be used for surveillance. He checked the names of the businesses painted on the trucks—both were listed in the Yellow Pages. No cars were occupied.
    Where was the guy in the white van? Quinn found his disappearance more unsettling than his hanging around watching. Maybe he’d been a decoy. Maybe a second car had followed them.
    No. No one had followed. He was sure of that.
    And was disappointed. He’d wanted the excuse to stay….
    He knocked on Claire’s door. He could’ve just said goodbye, but he went inside when she held the door open in invitation.
    â€œSit,” she ordered Rase.
    The dog looked at Quinn. “Sit,” he said.
    â€œYou want a dog, cheap?” Claire asked, exasperated as the mutt planted his rear on the floor.
    â€œJust keep working at it. If I’m not here, he’ll start to respond.”
    â€œThere was a phone message from Marie,” she said, closing the door.
    â€œShe heard from your sister?”
    â€œNo.” Claire linked her fingers. “She said to tell you that you’ll be tempted to fight what’s coming up for you but that you shouldn’t. That you need to face it. Now or never, she said.”
    Quinn hid his annoyance at the psychic nonsense. “Right. Listen, the van’s gone. I don’t see anyone else hanging around. Stay alert but don’t worry, all right? If no one has bothered you by now, I doubt they’re going to start. I’ll be back tomorrow morning with Jamey.”
    She put a hand on his arm as he turned away. “Thanks for the ice cream.”
    He faced her. She smiled, her eyes shimmering. He bet she was an amazing teacher. Nurturers were, and she fit the description. She was loyal, too, a trait he usually admired. But where her sister was concerned? Misguided loyalty.
    She also ate ice cream as though it was her last meal, he thought, his gaze drifting to her mouth. She’d savored every slow lick of her cone. He’d eaten his in bites and was done in a few minutes. She’d taken fifteen. He’d wanted to lean across the table and kiss her when she was done, to feel how cool her mouth was and see how fast it could heat up again.
    He’d resisted then, but now he covered her hand with his, holding it against his arm. Their gazes held. Her smile faded. The need to kiss her came alive inside him again, making demands.
    She was fast becoming a complication.
    â€œAre you afraid?” he asked.
    â€œOf you?”
    No, he hadn’t meant that. He’d meant of being alone, of wondering if she was in danger because of Jenn. But maybe she saw more clearly than he did. Did he represent a danger to her? A threat to her peaceful existence?
    More likely she was the one who posed a threat to his.
    â€œI’ve never been less afraid of anyone,” she said, taking his hands in hers. “Never been so sure that someone wouldn’t hurt me.”
    A huge burden of responsibility crash-landed on him with her words. “Maybe we need some rules of attraction,” he said, moving back.
    â€œDo we?”
    Was she irritated or amused?
    â€œThings got out of hand today.”
    â€œYes.”
    She was enjoying his discomfort, he decided.
    â€œI know about the rules of engagement,” she said. “But what are the rules of attraction?”
    â€œI’ll know them when I see them.”
    She laughed. It went a long way toward relaxing him.
    â€œI already broke a rule for you,” he said.
    â€œDid you?” She cocked her head. Her eyes took on some