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    "My family has tried to protect me since the day I was born. It gets a little wearing at times."
    "Sometimes you need protection. You've always had a talent for getting yourself into trouble." Jacob walked beside her toward the elevators. "Take this situation with Damon Morrell, for example."
    "Stop worrying about Damon Morrell." Emily stabbed the elevator call button and then shoved her hands into the pockets of her green wool coat.
    "When are you going to tell him you won't be seeing him again?" Jacob asked calmly as the elevator doors slid open.
    Emily raised her eyebrows above the black frames of her glasses and asked smoothly, "Who says I'm not going to be seeing Damon again?" She was proud of the easy way that came out.
    Jacob surveyed her with a cool-eyed gaze. "Don't play games, Emily. You're a little too innocent and naive for your own good at times, but you're no fool. You know that what you heard on that tape tonight wasn't faked. Nor was any of the other evidence your family produced."
    "You mean the evidence
you
produced at their request. Why should I trust you, Jacob? Give me one good reason."
    "You may not like me very much, Emily, but I think you know I wouldn't manufacture a pack of lies."
    She eyed his stark features, vibrantly aware of the cold pride in his voice. "I don't know you very well at all, Jacob. At one time I thought I did, but that was a long while ago. Back in my innocent and naive days."
    "You should know your own family well enough to know they wouldn't resort to lies. They may not be very subtle at times, but they're honest. And they wouldn't have asked my help if they didn't think they could trust me. Stop looking for excuses." His expression softened slightly. "And stop pretending you don't trust me. You know damned well I'd never do anything to hurt you."
    "Unless, of course, it was necessary for my own good," Emily retorted smartly as she stepped off the elevator and into the gray-carpeted hall. She reached into her purse for her keys.
    "Emily, I know you've had an upsetting evening, but that's no reason to act like this. Face facts and admit you got hoodwinked by Morrell."
    Emily turned the key in the lock, pushed open the door and then turned to confront him from the safety of her own threshold. "It wasn't Damon who misled me, Jacob. It was my honest, well-intentioned, over-protective family. They're the ones who invited me down to Portland for the weekend for what I thought was supposed to be a business discussion about some plans I'm making. They're the ones who hoodwinked me. With your assistance, of course. But you've always been available when they needed help in saving me from myself, haven't you? Good night, Jacob. I won't say it was a pleasure seeing you again after all this time, but I'll admit it was something of a surprise."
    "Emily, that wasn't the way it happened." Jacob caught the edge of the door as she tried to close it in his face. "Listen to me. No one lied to you. If you'd stuck around, you could have had the business discussion you wanted. But everyone felt it was best to get the matter of your relationship with Morrell out of the way first. Be reasonable. We only did it for your own—"
    "Don't say it," she warned. "Don't you dare say it was for my own good. If I hear that one more time I won't be responsible for what happens, Jacob."
    "Stop threatening me or I might be tempted to do something rash myself." Jacob sounded totally exasperated.
    Emily could not resist taunting him. She had had enough for one evening, and Jacob was the logical target of her hostility. For five long years he had, in oneway or another, been the object of too many of her strongest emotions. No reason that should change now. "Such as, Mr. Stone?"
    He thrust open the door and reached for her without any warning. His hands closed around her shoulders and he pulled her close. "Such as this," he muttered thickly and covered her mouth with his own.
    Emily was too startled to offer any