These two really were two peas in a pod, her best friends.


    It''s said that people who are too different can''t be close friends. Well, this was proof!


    Tegan always seemed soposed, but what was this?


    Finley''s expression became increasingly hard to read. He looked down at Tegan, who was still clutching him, and his lips twitched. "What''s this?"


    "A new seduction tactic?"


    Ste: "!!!"


    Tegan: "..."


    The word ''seduction'' snapped Tegan back to reality, her face instantly darkening.


    "I-I didn''t mean to, I just..."


    Finley dropped his usual yful demeanor, his expression turning serious.


    Seeing his face darken, Ste quickly rushed over and grabbed Tegan''s arms, which were still wrapped around Finley''s waist.


    "Tegan, let go!"


    Oh, heavens. This was her girl, alright, pulling the same kind of stunt as Susie.


    Tegan finally came to her senses. Her hands flew off Finley''s waist as if she''d been burned.


    "Um, Finley, are you here to see my husband? He''s in the study. You should go on up," Ste said quickly.


    Finley looked at Tegan, then smoothed down his clothes with a deliberate slowness.


    When he turned back to Ste, the sharp edge in his eyes vanished, reced by his usual roguish charm.


    "Ooh, calling him ''husband'' now, are we? How obedient, Star," he teased.


    Ste''s face clouded over. "Just go, will you?"


    This guy and his smart mouth.


    Finley grinned, but when his gazended on Tegan again, it took on a more thoughtful, intense quality.


    An image from a distant memory shed in his mind—a photograph. The eyes in that photo were a perfect match for Tegan''s.


    His strange, prating stare made Tegan instinctively shrink behind Ste.


    Finley didn''t say another word and walked away.


    ...


    Even after leaving the Quinn estate, Tegan''s heart was still pounding.


    She followed Ste like a timid newlywed until they reached the car.


    She grabbed Ste''s hand.


    Before she could speak, Ste said, "I know. It wasn''t on purpose."


    It was just that the scene had looked a little... intense.


    "You knew what I was going to say?" Tegan asked.


    "Susie said the same thingst time."


    "Susanna grabbed his waist too?"


    What was with her luck today? First, she walks in on a half-naked Finley, and now this...


    Tegan felt a wave of despair wash over her.


    "Not his. Hull''s," Ste corrected.


    "And Susie was way more intense et


    than you, Hull nearly lost his pants that day."


    In broad daylight, no less. It had been quite a scene.


    Tegan paled.


    Learning that Susanna and Hull had a simr moment only made her more flustered. She hadn''t pulled Finley''s pants down, thank goodness. But grabbing a man''s waist in front of so many people was still mortifying.


    "I really didn''t mean to," Tegan insisted.


    "I know. I believe you," Ste said, nodding seriously.


    Tegan was one of her closest friends, of course, she believed her. Besides, after the mess with Urah, she was in no state to be thinking about other men


    Tegan looked at her and sniffled. "Is that what you told Susie, too?"


    Ste nodded. "Yep. I trust you and Susie just the same."


    Tegan was silent.


    Somehow, that didn''t sound as reassuring as it was meant to.