Chapter 6

Dara was the only one at the table when Lisa returned and reclaimed her seat. A quick scan of the dance floor showed Jennie and Momo were dancing. They looked awfully cozy. Jennie was relaxed and smiling in Momo Hirai's arms something she hadn't been in Lisa’s and they were moving in perfect sync, as if they'd been dancing together for years.

Momo even looked pretty damned suave out there on the dance floor. Lisa had never thought of her sister-in-law as a ladies' woman, but she certainly seemed to be doing a pretty good imitation right now. Logically, Lisa knew Momo loved Mina deeply and was no threat when it came to Jennie. Besides which, Lisa reminded herself quickly, she herself wasn't even interested in a relationship with the woman. But her body didn't appear to be responding to her logic. Some primal part of her didn't give a hoot for logic. And as she watched Momo whirl Jennie around the dance floor, Lisa could feel her muscles tensing and twitching. A low growl rumbled to life in her chest as she watched the pair dip and then recover.

"You should go cut in."

Lisa stiffened at her mother's words. She glanced her way and saw she was casting a pitying look upon her. She turned sharply, struggled briefly with herself, then jerked to her feet and strode onto the dance floor. If there was anything Lisa hated it was being pitied. Now she was mad.

Momo noticed her approach, took one look at her expression, nodded solemnly and quit the dance floor.

Jennie turned in confusion when Momo suddenly released her and stepped away. She supposed she wasn't surprised to see Lisa there. However, she was surprised at her expression. Her usually cold, grumpy exterior had been replaced by the intensity of a stalking animal. She looked hard and angry, but not cold. Anything but cold.

Yet Jennie wasn't afraid. For some reason a smile curved her lips, and she couldn't have stopped the words that popped out had she tried. "Smoking debbies didn't relax you, I take it?"

Lisa reacted as if she crashed into an invisible wall. Her determined stride broke at once, and she stared at her with a blank expression that utterly erased the feral fever of moments before. Then she did the most amazing thing: Lisa Manoban, that stubborn, stupid, ignorant woman, actually let loose a gale of laughter. In truth, Jennie hadn't thought such a thing possible. The woman was such a

Her thoughts died as she swept her into her arms and they began to dance. She was still chuckling softly, the action making her chest reverberate against hers. She urged her closer. When Jennie lifted her head to peer shyly into her face, she smiled and said, "You're an evil woman, Jennie Kim."

She found herself smiling in return. She had thought the woman beautiful from the first, but now, with laughter sparkling in her eyes and tilting the corners of her mouth, she was so much more than simply beautiful. She was breathtaking. Literally. Jennie honestly had some difficulty breathing as she met her gaze. Heat was radiating from every point their bodies met. She wanted to lay her head on her shoulder and melt into her. She wanted to feel her hands move over her flesh. She wanted

To go home. Jennie definitely wanted to go home. Or, really, she wanted to go anywhere that would take her far away from her. She didn't want to feel this way, she didn't want to want her. Hell, she didn't even like the woman.

Well, all right, she admitted with painful honesty; she'd had fun playing Blood Lust Two with her, and she could be nice when she tried. She was sure. It wasn't as if she had tried yet. But surely everyone could be nice with a little effort? Yes, she assured herself. In fact, she was being nice to her right now. Sort of.

Jennie sighed to herself. Dancing certainly felt nice. And when Lisa held her like this, she forgot how rude and pigheaded she could be. But and it was a big but she had absolutely no intention of getting involved with one of her writers. She was a businesswoman. A professional. And she would act professionally even if that's all it was, an act, and she really wanted to rip her wonderful body fitting black gown off and plaster herself to her naked body.

Ohhhh. This wasn't good.

Lisa suddenly stopped dancing and announced, "I'm tired." When she didn't respond, she added, "Are you ready to leave?"

"Yes." She fired off the response like a bullet. She was more than happy to escape the possibility of suffering any more of this closeness.

Lisa apparently agreed. She immediately took her arm, led her off the floor and across the hall. She stopped only once, pausing briefly at the head table to tell her sister and new sister-in-law that they were leaving.

Jennie spied Dara Manoban frowning at them from her seat at the table they had shared, and she knew Lisa's mother wasn't pleased that they were leaving so early. She felt bad, but really it wasn't her problem. Dara was Lisa's problem. Jennie's problem was maintaining a businesslike relationship while getting Lisa to do a publicity event. And she only had one more day to do it.

Lisa was silent on the way home, her thoughts a bit muddled. She wasn't certain what her intentions had been when she’d suggested leaving early, but

Oh, who was she kidding? she’d been thinking about getting Jennie home alone and possibly naked. The woman had gotten under her skin, and her family had made her admit it. Jeongyeon had given her a nudge with the comment about her behind, and with the knowing smile on her face when she’d asked if her noticing was a problem; then Mina had made it worse with her "poor Lisa." Just the sight of Jennie in Momo's arms had roused the beast inside. But the look of pity on her mother's face had been the worst. Lisa realized that she could try to fool herself, but she was fooling no one else. And hell, she wasn't even fooling herself.

She liked her. Despite the fact that she was a modern woman, pushy and aggressive when necessary, who simply did not know her place, she liked her. Despite the fact that she seemed to have no dragons to slay, except perhaps her and her lack of cooperation, she liked her. And, dear God, she wanted her.

Lisa was a healthy female of 612 years. The number of women she’d been with in that time Well, she couldn't even guess at the number. However, every single one had faded from her mind when she held Jennie in her arms.

But she wasn't in her arms now; she was seated in the passenger seat, arms crossed defensively over her chest and staring blindly into the night as they drove. She was deliberately ignoring her, distancing herself. It helped to clear Lisa's mind somewhat. Jennie was her editor. She had to work with her. Sleeping with her would be a giant no-no. She felt inexpressibly weary as she pulled into her driveway.

Both she and Jennie were silent as they got out of the car. She was the first to speak. She gazed up at the star-studded sky as they walked up the drive and murmured, "It's a beautiful night."

Lisa's steps faltered at her wistful tone. She sounded reluctant to see the night end, and she didn't want it to, either. Lisa knew she couldn't give in to her desire for her, but she was still loath to part from her.

"It is nice," she agreed. "Would you like to sit on the porch and have a glass of wine?"

She held her breath as she hesitated.

"Can we have coffee instead?" she asked. "I've had more than my usual quota of alcohol tonight."

Lisa let her breath out in a whoosh. "Certainly. Sit down and I'll"

"I'll help." She smiled for the first time since they'd left the reception. "No offense, but I don't think you've made a lot of coffee."

Lisa wasn't offended. She was just happy that the evening wasn't going to end and that Jennie Kim was smiling.

They worked in a companionable silence in the kitchen, Jennie making coffee while she found bowls and scooped out some ice cream. Then they took their treasure out to the porch.

Jennie stared up at the stars in the sky. It was such a peaceful night, so beautiful, and she was actually enjoying Lisa's company. Yes, she was actually enjoying it. Her usual grumpy, terse persona was missing. She didn't know if it was the alcohol or the debbies she had smoked at the wedding that had done it, but for the first time, she seemed very mellow in her presence. Oh, she had been pleasant the night before when they'd played the game together, but this was different. She’d been tense and ready to shoot the video-game bad guys then. Now she was incredibly relaxed and a pleasure to be with. They sat there for quite a while, drinking, eating their ice cream and chatting mildly about the wedding while avoiding looking at each other. At least Jennie was avoiding looking at her. She had to every time she gazed on the smile flirting on her lips, she wanted to kiss it.

You're a fool, Jennie told herself. Her attraction to Lisa Manoban was dangerous, and she shouldn't be encouraging it by suffering her being nice and even likeable. She was one of her writers. She was like a den mother to her authors. But her feelings for Lisa at the moment were far from maternal. And the longer this nice interlude went on, the harder it got for her to resist moving closer, touching her as she talked, leaning into her, kissing

Cutting off her thoughts right there, she straightened and sought something to distract herself, something to end this interlude. The easiest solution was the reason for her being there. Jennie took a deep breath, then blurted, "Lis, I know you don't want to talk about this, but I really wish you would consider a book-signing tour."

The writer tensed at once, the softness in her features disappearing. "No. I quite simply don't do book-signing tours."

"I know you don't, Lisa. But your books are so popular and"

"Then I hardly need to do a tour, do I?"

"But the readers want to meet you, they"

"No," she repeated firmly.

"Lis, please," Jennie entreated, her voice husky.

Lisa stared at Jennie silently, wishing with all her heart that what she was pleading for was something entirely different. Lisa, please kiss me. Lisa, please take me to your bed. Lisa, please But that wasn't what she was asking for. This was business. A desire for her to promote her books and make more money for her company. She wanted her to disrupt her life, risk the day with its damaging sunlight, and do a book-signing tour. Lisa wished she’d never written those damn popular books.

Standing, she abruptly tossed the rest of her coffee on the lawn and headed for the door. "I have work to do. Good night."

"No, wait. Lisa!" She was on her feet and after her at once. "We have to discuss this. I've been here three days and I haven't gotten a thing done."

Lisa ignored her. She merely stepped inside and started upstairs.

"Lisa, please! None of the writers like book-signings, but they are so good for publicity, and readers want the contact. They want to meet the writer behind the stories they enjoy so much. Just a short tour would do," she wheedled when she made no response. "Half a dozen stops, maybe. I could go with you to be sure everything was just the way you wanted. If you would only"

Lisa reached her office door. She stepped inside and closed it behind her with a bang that was only slightly louder than the click of the lock.

Jennie stared at the door. Slammed doors seemed to be a recurring theme in their relationship. She was beginning to hate doors.

Shoulders slumping, she leaned against the door and closed her eyes. She was a very positive person as a rule, and had always thought that a person could do anything they set their mind to if they worked at it hard enough, but that was before she'd met the immovable object: Lisa. The woman was as stubborn as well, as she was. Maybe more.

Jennie considered giving up, packing her bags and heading back to New York with her tail between her legs, but it wasn't in her nature. She hated to be such a pest and wished she could just leave her to her peaceful existence, but in the company's opinion it wasn't unreasonable for them to expect Lisa Manoban to do some promotion. They put out big bucks to advertise her books; the least she could do was put in a little effort herself. And she mostly agreed with that. She just had to convince her. Hell, at this point she'd consider it a grand victory just to get her to agree to a couple of interviews over the phone.

Jennie straightened slowly. It might work. She'd been concentrating on the book-signing tour, but perhaps she would have more Lisa with interviews.

"Lis?" she called out. Silence was her answer, but Jennie wasn't deterred. "Look, I know you don't want to do the book-signing tour, and that's fine. But, please, at least consider doing a couple of interviews?"

She waited in the silence, then added, "Just think about it. Okay?"

Deciding to leave it for the night, Jennie turned to the guest room door. She had to think of an argument, some plan to persuade her. Then she'd tackle her again in the morning.

Lisa knew when Jennie gave up and walked away. She felt her absence as well as heard the opening and closing of the guest room door. She sat for a long time at her desk listening to her moving around getting ready for bed, then to the sounds of the night when she stopped.

She considered playing Blood Lust II, but it wasn't the same without her. She considered writing but wasn't in the mood. So she sat there in the silent darkness, listening to the night. The cry of night birds, the song of crickets, the whisper of the wind, the sighs of Jennie, she realized. That sleepy breathy sound had been Jennie. Lisa could just hear it if she strained. She could smell her, too. The scent seemed to hang about her. Recalling her leaning against her as they danced. The scent was strong there. Disturbing.

Giving up on trying to rid herself of her scent, she moved to unlock the door of her office and open it; then she stood there and closed her eyes. If she concentrated hard, the other night sounds faded and she was able to focus on the sound of her the rustle of bedclothes as she shifted, soft little sighs as she dreamt, an occasional murmur, but mostly her breathing, soft and soothing, in, out, over and over again.

She could almost feel her breath against her skin, a warm, moist exhalation. Then she realized she was feeling it, soft and warm against her hand. She was standing next to the bed, her legs having carried her where her body longed to be and all without her brain's awareness.

Lisa stared down at her through the moonlit gloom, smiling at the childlike way she slept. Jennie was curled into a fetal position on her side, her hand tucked under her chin. Then her gaze drifted away from her face and down over her body. It was a warm night, and the air-conditioning didn't seem to reach the upstairs rooms as well as the lower ones. Jennie had kicked off the sheets and lay in a thin white cotton nightie that had twisted up around her thighs. Her gaze skimmed her slender limbs in their bent position. Jennie had lovely legs, long and shapely. Lisa managed to resist the temptation to run her fingers lightly over the pearly white skin revealed, but imagined what it must be like and knew it would be warm and soft to the touch.

A feathery sigh slipped from Jennie's lips and she rolled onto her back in her sleep, one hand sliding slowly across her breasts before dropping to lie on the bed. Lisa followed the movement of the hand, then returned her eyes along the trail her hand had taken to settle at the neckline of her gown. The gown had buttons leading down to her waist. The top two were undone, and the third appeared ready to slip its hole, leaving a large expanse bare to view. Lisa's gaze fastened on the milky tops of her breasts, and she watched them rise and fall with each breath. Rise and fall. She imagined freeing that third button to reveal more skin, then another and another, at last baring her breasts fully.

Lisa imagined how round and full they would appear in the moonlight. How luscious. She knew she wouldn't be able to resist touching them, caressing them, taking one hardening nipple into her mouth and suckling at its sweetness.

Jennie arched in the bed and moaned low in her throat. Lisa almost moaned with her. Her perfume was stronger in here; it mixed with the smells of her shampoo and soap and essence. The combination was heady. She could taste it on her lips. Except for the lack of touch, she could imagine she really was: suckling, licking, nibbling a path across her skin from one breast to the other.

Lisa closed her eyes to imagine it better and could almost feel her warm skin beneath her lips. In her mind, she let her hands skim down her gown, slip beneath, then feather up the outsides of her thighs. She could feel her shudder under her touch, shift her legs restlessly as another moan sighed from her lips. Jennie arched in invitation, wanting her, toobegging her to fill her and make her whole, to quench the fire she’d started.

Lisa was happy to oblige. She allowed her imaginary hands to drift over the tops of her legs, to push the flimsy cloth of her gown upward, then spread her soft thighs so that she could lick the vein there. She imagined touching her, caressing her, licking her glistening skin, then driving her fingers into her hot, welcoming body. She could almost feel her close around her, gasping and whimpering in her ear, her breath soft on her skin, her nails scoring her shoulders and back.

Jennie would moan with pleasure as she drove into her over and over until she began to shake and shudder beneath her, her inner muscles clenching and unclenching.

"Lisa."

Her name on her lips drew her eyes open, and she peered down to find Jennie's sleeping face a portrait of ecstasy. She was panting, sweating and writhing on the sheets, her hands on either side of her head and tearing at the pillow as she convulsed with ecstasy. It was only then Lisa realized that while her mind was closed to her when she was awake, it was as wide open as anyone else's in rest. She'd just experienced everything she’d imagined, received it from her mind as if it were happening.

The knowledge was almost painful. She could have her if she wished. She would welcome her. Lisa was breathing heavily with want, throbbing with desire. At the same moment, she yearned to fasten her teeth to her neck, consume her blood and body both at once. She knew it would be the most incredible experience of her life. But she couldn't. If she took her now, Jennie would welcome it only because she wanted her to want her.

Shaking her head to erase the erotic images there, Lisa stumbled back from the bed, then out of her room. She didn't stop, but staggered drunkenly down the hall to the stairs. Her head was full of her. She had to get away. The desire to take her was overwhelming.

She slammed out of the house and to her car. She had no plans when she started the engine, simply needed to get away from Jennie and the temptation she presented. She ended up driving around for an hour or so before finally finding herself in Jeongyeon's driveway. Her sister's house was dark and silent, and she could sense that it was empty. She was about to back out of the driveway when Jeongyeon's van pulled in beside her.

Lisa got out with relief, met her sister at the front of the vehicles and blurted out her troubles with Jennie. It took a long while. She told her younger sister everything.

When she had finished, Jeongyeon merely asked, "What will you do?"

Lisa was silent for a moment. Talking hadn't helped her clear her mind. She was still confused. She disliked confusion. She disliked any sort of disruption in her life. The answer seemed simple: Get rid of the confusion.

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to get her on a plane tomorrow," she decided.

There. Talking to her sister had helped.

Jennie yawned and stretched in bed, a smile playing about her lips. She hadn't slept so well in ages. And she hadn't ever woken up feeling so great. She was so relaxed, so sated. Blinking in surprise, she realized it was trueshe felt sated. Her body was a happy body, all warm and ready to do whatever she wanted.

Getting up, she got into the shower. It wasn't until she was humming and washing herself, running soap over her body, that she recalled the dream. Her hands slowed, her eyes dilating as the memories crowded in: Lisa caressing her, suckling her breasts, thrusting her body into hers.

A tingling drew her gaze down to her breasts, and she let her hands drop with embarrassment as she realized she'd unconsciously been caressing them. Her nipples were hard and erect. Even worse, she could feel the wetness building between her legs, and it had nothing to do with the shower at her back. Turning into the spray, she braced her hands on the shower wall beneath the nozzle head and allowed the water to pour across her body. But the dream didn't fade awayit was the most vivid she could ever recall having.

For one minute, Jennie was afraid that it hadn't been a dream, that it had really happened and just seemed like a dream because she had been sleepy. But then she shook her head at the silly thought. If it had really happened, she would have wanted kisses, and she hadn't kissed her once. Jennie would have grabbed her by a handful of hair and dragged her mouth to hers if necessary, but she would have had kisses. She liked kisses.

No, it hadn't happened, she thought, giggling as relief poured through her. It had just been an amazingly sexy dream. A wet dream.

Laughing at herself, Jennie finished her shower and stepped out to dry herself. Dream or not, she felt great. She was also feeling rather benevolent toward her host for the pleasure of the dream. It didn't matter that she’d had nothing to do with it; she’d been the star of the dream, and in that dream she had given her great pleasure. Yep.

Smiling widely, Jennie dressed, brushed her hair, then left her room and jogged downstairs to the kitchen. She was going to make Lisa some breakfast. A big breakfast. And she was going to sweetly tell her she'd given up on trying to get her to do the book-signing tour. Maybe then she’d be so relieved, she’d agree to do an interview or two.

She made the works: steak so rare it was still bleeding, eggs over easy, hash browns, toast and coffee. Then she was in a quandary. What to do? There was no sign of Lisa yet, but everything was ready. Should she go knock on her bedroom door and risk making her grumpy? That would hardly aid her cause. Should she carry the breakfast up on a tray and give it to her in bed? That didn't seem like a good idea. After the dream she'd had last night, she thought it might be best to stay far away from Lisa and beds otherwise she might jump the poor woman in the hope that the real thing would be as good.

Sighing, Jennie considered the table she had set, then glanced at the oven where she'd placed everything to keep it warm. The things would be all right there for a little bit, but not long. She decided she would just clean the mess she'd made in her kitchen, and if she wasn't up by the time she finished, she'd risk her temper to wake her up.

Spying a radio on the kitchen counter, she turned it on and set to work, boogying around the kitchen to a classic rock station.

It was a screechy death shriek from an animal that woke Lisa. At least, that was what she thought. She sat up abruptly as the sound brought her awake, then paused to listen to the noises in her home.

Someone was banging around in the kitchen, and she could hear the tinny sound of music playing somewhere downstairs. But the shriek that had awakened her hadn't been either of these. Had it been Jennie crying out in pain? she wondered, feeling herself tense. Was she being attacked by some madman who was even now destroying her kitchen?

"Rahhhh-cksanne!"

Lisa's eyes dilated in horror as the screechy voice sounded again, dragging along her nerves like nails on a chalkboard. Dear God, it was Jennie attempting to sing.

She fell back with a grunt of disgust, exhaustion overwhelming her. She hadn't got to sleep until dawn. She was not ready to wake up yet.

"Roxanne!" the screech persisted.

It seemed Jennie was ready for her to wake up, however.

Muttering under her breath, Lisa rose and stumbled into the shower. There she attempted to wake herself up and wash her bad mood away. She kept telling herself that she was getting rid of her today; she could sleep after that. It didn't help much. She was feeling incredibly grumpy as she staggered downstairs.

Jennie heard Lisa on the steps and stopped singing. Whirling toward the stove, she grabbed pot holders, whipped the door open and quickly began retrieving breakfast. She was just setting the plate of hash browns on the table when she came into the kitchen.

"Good morning!" she sang cheerfully.

Lisa winced and groaned; then her gaze settled on the table, and some of the grouchiness left her expression, replaced by surprise. "Did you make all this?"

"Yes," Jennie breathed. She gave a sigh of relief. She wasn't going to be too terribly difficult about her waking her up. Just a little difficult. "Sit down and eat before it gets cold."

She sat and surveyed the offerings, then finally dug in. Jennie poured coffee for them both, then joined her to eat. She allowed Lisa to eat in peace, deciding that she would broach the subject of doing an interview after she was full and happy.

Much to her surprise, however, she didn't end up having to.

When Lisa had finished her meal and pushed her plate away, Jennie stood and grabbed the coffee pot to refill both their cups. She was working out what she would say as she set the pot back when Lisa suddenly said: "One event."

Jennie turned back to the table in confusion. "One event?"

Lisa nodded. "If it's the only way to get rid of you, Jennie Kim, I'll agree to one publicity thing."

"Really?" She tried to still the hope that leapt inside her. She waited for the catch.

"Yes. But this is the deal. I do the one event. One only. After that you have to let me alone."

"Okay," she agreed.

Lisa eyed her suspiciously. "You won't call and harass me anymore? No express letters? No camping on my doorstep?"

"No. I promise," Jennie said solemnly.

"Very well." she sighed. "One event preferably the R.T. thing my mother mentioned."

Jennie's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "The R.T. thing?"

"Yes. Would my doing that keep your bosses happy?"

"Oh, yes," Jennie breathed, hardly able to believe her luck. She'd mentioned the conference to Dara at the wedding, and admitted that she wished she could convince Lisa to attend, but she'd never guessed she would agree. It seemed the woman had taken up the cause. Jennie decided she loved Dara Manoban. Dara was a wonderful woman.

"Good. Then arrange it. I'll do the R.T. interview. Now, when are you going to leave me in peace?"

Jennie glanced at the kitchen clock. It was almost noon. She had called earlier and found out there was a one-o'clock flight, a three-o'clock and a five-o'clock. She had thought she would have to take one of the later flights, and she still could if she wanted to spend more time with her. But then her words clicked. "Good. Then I'll do the R. T. interview." R.T. hadn't asked to do an interview yet. The only R.T. event was the conference. Had Lisa's mother led her astray? Deliberately?

"Er Lisa, what exactly did your mother say about the R.T. thing?"

Her author shrugged. "She said, 'I suggest you tell her you'll do R.T.' She thought it was probably the best option for both of us."

"And that's all she said?" Jennie asked carefully.

Lisa nodded, then added, "Oh, and she said it was a magazine."

Jennie had to consider this. Dara had led her son astray all right, and the only reason she could imagine the other woman would do that was to try to help her. Jennie felt a twinge of guilt.

A moment later, she let it go. Dara wouldn't do anything to harm her daughter. She must think she would go, too. And that it would be good for her. Jennie wasn't going to get into the middle of it. She’d said she would do the R.T. "thing"; she would leave it at that.

She would also get the heck out of there before she realized it was a conference, not an interview, and tried to back out.

"Oh! I didn't realize it was so late," she gasped, peering at her wristwatch with feigned surprised. Then she smiled at Lisa sweetly. "You asked when I was going to leave you in peace. Well, there's a one-o'clock flight that I can just make if I hurry!"

And with that, she whirled and rushed out of the kitchen.

Lisa gaped at the swinging kitchen door. She’d wanted her gone, but her eagerness to comply was a bit disconcerting. She tilted her head and scowled at the ceiling as banging and bumping erupted upstairs. She was obviously rushing about like a crazywoman up there. It seemed she couldn't get out of her home fast enough. It also seemed she was mostly packed, because it wasn't long before she heard her rush along the hall overhead.

She stepped into the hall in time to see her rush down the stairs. A car honked out front at the same moment her foot landed on the ground floor.

"Oh!" Jennie turned toward the kitchen, then paused. She smiled in relief when she saw her. "There you are! Good! My taxi's here and I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye."

"Taxi?" Lisa echoed with disbelief.

"Yes. I called from my room while packing. Boy, they're fast here, huh?"

When Lisa simply stared at her blankly, Jennie hesitated. Finally, hefting her suitcase she said, "Well. Thanks for everything. I know I was an unwanted guest, but you were pretty good about it, all things considered. And I appreciate oh, damn!" she muttered as the cab honked again.

"Wait!" Lisa called as her editor turned and opened the front door. She hesitated, waving at the cab to let the driver know she was coming, then turned back. Lisa didn't really have anything to say; she was just reluctant to see her go. After searching her mind for somethinganythingabout which to speak, she finally came up with, "What about the interview? When will you arrange it? And you should have my phone number so that you can call and let me know when it is. And my e-mail address, too," she added as the thoughts struck her.

"Um" She winced, then admitted, "Your mother gave me both your number and e-mail address."

"She did?" she was startled, though she knew she shouldn't be. Not with her busybody mother.

"Yes." Jennie sidled a little further out the door, a fascinating expression on her face. She looked torn, as if she knew she had to tell her something but didn't really want to. Lisa's fascination deepened when she took another crablike step sideways before blurting, "R.T. doesn't want an interview."

"It doesn't?"

"No, they don't. The R.T. thing your mother was talking about is a conference." A look of pain crossed her face; then, while Lisa was trying to absorb that, she added, "But don't worry. You won't regret this. I'll be there with you and will look out for you the whole time." She was still sidling and had almost made it out the door as she added on a babble, "I'll send you all the information and the tickets and pick you up from the airport and everything. So don't worry!"

The taxi chose that moment to give another impatient honk.

"Gotta go!" Jennie cried, and pulled the door closed with a slam. The sound echoed through the house, followed by the tap-tap of her rush down the porch steps. Then silence fell.

Lisa was transfixed. It was as if she had been poleaxed. Conference? her mother hadn't said anything about a conference. She'd said Romantic Times was a magazine. A book club. Someone who would want an interview. Jennie must be confused. Dear God, she'd better be confused.

She hurried to the door and stared through the shaded glass just as the taxi pulled away. Lisa watched it.

She stood for a moment, Jennie's words playing through her head; then she turned and started up the stairs. R. T. She must be confused. She would look up Romantic Times magazine on the Internet just to make sure she was confused.

Barely three minutes later, Lisa's roar echoed through the house.