She watched his eyes dart left and right and all the way to the mountains. She grimaced. Gripping the edge of the door at the open window she growled, causing him to jump.

"My God, why are you so anxious? Why do you keep scanning the horizon like that? I know there are dangers in the desert, but what exactly are you afraid of?"

He shrugged and bent to kiss her knuckles resting on the edge of the car door. "Let me do the worrying, will you, honey?" His easygoing grin almost convinced her.

She clenched her teeth. I don't need another man giving me orders, taking care of me-as badly as they do it. I need to be a partner here. "You're not getting away that easy. Come on, what's bothering you?"

"Lanie," he said softly, reaching into the open window and gripping her chin tenderly in his fist, stroking her reddened cheeks and swollen lips. "I didn't want you to worry. I would have told you after I check out certain things."

"Tell me now, Teodoro Caliente," she demanded, her heart twisting in her chest.

He puffed out a heavy breath. "It's Jen's grandmother. Marva just told me today, the old lady has somebody watching me-detectives."

"Detec-! But why? Where?"

He shrugged. "Checking that I make a good home for Jenna, I guess." He gestured toward the hills. "Out there, somewhere. Maybe with high tech spying stuff. Night-vision goggles, the works. Old man Ferand told her."

She shivered. "But that's…too weird. And you let me…swim naked in the hot tub?"

He shrugged. A chuckle rose up in his throat, as he took her chin between his thumb and forefinger again. "I didn't know you'd sneak out," he said lamely. "At least I got you indoors before things got any more graphic."

"Sneak? You're the sneak! You could have 'fessed up!" she snapped. "Get in here!" She pulled him by a hank of hair until his whole head was squeezed through the window. Then she kissed him long enough to erase the worry lines on his sweet dark face.

"We'll meet at my place then," she decided. "He won't find us in those identical tin boxes. Hey, I'm gonna need high maintenance now, Caliente."