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that he look deeply into her eyes, to allow her to look into his, not an easy feat with masks on. Finally she set her martini glass aside and took a step toward him.
    â€œDance?” she asked, soft and low, as music filtered in from hidden speakers.
    He took her into his arms. Her body felt lithe and limber as they moved to the slow rhythm. He pulled the rose from her hair and dragged it across her cheek. Her eyes glittered darkly. He went hard with need.
    One strap of her sexy dress slid off her shoulder and down her arm. He hooked a finger into the fallen strap and dragged it onto her shoulder. She didn’t protest nor did she encourage him toward more. He let his finger slide down the strap until it met fabric. Her breast cushioned his hand;he felt her breath stop then tugged her toward him, his gaze on hers, lowered his head, brought his mouth close—
    â€œWell. I see you’ve met,” Scott Simons said into the magic moment.
    Joe swore.

Two
    T he stranger’s single, explicit curse flattered Arianna, but before she could decide why, he took a step back from her. Regret and relief assaulted her simultaneously. She was aroused, more than she’d been in a long time, and she’d known him for ten minutes! She should be grateful that Scott had come along….
    But she wasn’t.
    â€œEveryone has unmasked,” Scott said, grinning as if something momentous was about to happen.
    Arianna glanced at the man dressed as Zorro. Would he take off his mask? He seemed reluctant—or maybe he was still caught up in what they’d just experienced. She’d danced with him because she’d recognized something even his mask couldn’t hide—a kindred spirit. Battle weariness. Like her. So they’d distracted each other from whatever demons haunted them.
    Arianna lifted her mask away. He seemed to stopbreathing. She saw his eyes close for longer than a blink, then he took off his hat and untied his mask.
    â€œYes, we’ve met,” he said to Scott, but looking at her. “Ms. Alvarado. It’s nice to see you again.”
    She wanted to punch Scott in the mouth. Anything to wipe that stupid grin off his face. “Detective,” she said calmly to the man she’d come to the party hoping to see. “How’ve you been?”
    â€œBusiness, my ass,” Scott said before he left them alone.
    â€œWhat was that supposed to mean?” Joe asked.
    â€œDoes anyone know why Scott says the things he does?” she replied, her fists clenched. She ran a few sentences through her head. Everything sounded inane. “Well,” she began.
    One corner of his mouth lifted. “That was interesting.”
    Her shoulders loosened. “‘Interesting’ tells me nothing.”
    â€œCare to put your spin on it?”
    She settled on honesty, especially since she had a favor to ask of him. “I don’t usually come on that strong.”
    His brows lifted as if he didn’t quite believe her. He tucked her rose back in her hair. His fingertips grazed her ear then her neck, his gaze serious. “Thank you for the dance.”
    She shivered. Annoyance came hard and fast. What was going on? She knew how to control her reaction but made no effort to. That attraction she’d felt last December was as strong as ever. “You’re welcome.”
    She wanted to ask him why he’d come, since Scott had been adamant that Joe wouldn’t dress for Halloween. “I like your choice of costume,” she said.
    â€œI can’t wait to take it off. How about you?”
    She swallowed the innuendo that sprang to mind. “I’m comfortable in mine.” She couldn’t be alone with him forone more minute. She’d never been so unguardedly drawn to anyone, ever. If she wanted his help, she needed to stay businesslike, to act like the thirty-three-year-old professional woman she was, not some hormonal teenager. “Shall we head back