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How do you feel about that?”

    Pissed as hell, but not about to let him know it. Her infuriating nephew had already identified her weak spot, her obsessively regulated life, and it irritated her more than she wanted to admit. “Why do you hate Meg? You don’t even know her.”

    Drew’s expression hardened. “I don’t have to knowher; I’ve met her type before. This town is full of them.”

    “Really? What type is that? Bright, efficient, and hard working? Yes, those are pretty suspicious qualities.”

    His lip quirked into a cynical smile that she tried not to think of as sensuous. “Oh, I don’t doubt she’s bright—they usually are. She’s also young, pretty, and ambitious enough to land a top job in a Senate office. Then a few short months later she marries her boss, a wealthy senator thirty-three years her senior.” Drew affected an innocent look. “Gosh, you don’t think that looks suspicious, do you?”

    At least now she knew why Meg had passed on any romantic involvement with Drew Creighton. The man was a butthead of the first degree.

    Lauren had nearly forgotten Gerald was there until he stirred at Drew’s words. “Now, Andrew, I told you Meg’s not like that.”

    “You don’t know Meg well enough to say what she’s like, Gerald.” He spoke sharply, without taking his eyes off Lauren.

    She fumed. “And you don’t know her at all. You want to know why this marriage is such a bad idea? The way I see it, an older man—much older—used his position and wealth to seduce a gullible young woman into his bed.” She only stretched the truth a little. Knowing Meg, Lauren had no doubt it was a mutual seduction. “Then he talked her into a marriage that would give him some classy arm candy to show off at banquets and parties, and even better, on the campaign trail—voters love candidates with pretty wives, don’t they?—while still keeping her availablein his bedroom. Maybe Meg believed he’d give up his other women for her, but I’m not that naive. She’s just another conquest.”

    She expected him to be furious at the picture she’d painted of his father, but she didn’t care. They both knew it was true.

    Drew nodded. “Dad does have a reputation as a ladies’ man,” he agreed, undisturbed.

    Lauren bristled. “Is that the politically correct term? I do listen to the news, you know. The man’s a tomcat!”

    Drew nodded again. “Yup. I wonder what sort of sexual tricks it took to maneuver him into giving up two decades of happy bachelorhood. Your sister must be pretty skilled in that area.”

    She narrowed her eyes at him and willed her nephew to burst into flames.

    Drew stared back, serenely unaffected.

    That made one of them.

    Confusion fogged her mind. As irritating as Drew was, talking about possible sexual antics had sidetracked her brain. The sharp blue gaze that fastened on hers should have been cold and intimidating, but an unexpected heat began building inside her. Something had to be wrong with her.

    Maybe it was a lack of sex. Meg’s phone call had upset her, and she hadn’t kept her usual Thursday evening date with Jeff, which meant canceling one of their biweekly sex nights. Two sessions a week of making love in Jeff’s bed had always been enough for her, but she could be wrong. Maybe she needed more. Or maybe she’d thrown her hormones out of whack worrying about Meg. That would explain why she kepthaving all these conflicting thoughts about Drew.

    She had to admit, though, if the man weren’t such a jerk, he’d be every one of her fantasies come true. Family loyalty rated high with her, not to mention being quick-witted and handsome as sin. Just like Jeff, she assured herself. Except Jeff’s body was a little softer, and she couldn’t imagine calling him handsome as sin. Handsome, yes, but in a safer, more… bland way. She couldn’t figure out what it was about Drew that gave his looks a dangerous edge. Maybe it was the intensity in his gaze, or