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‘I work for demanding clients. Downside of the industry. What’s your meeting?’

Think, Margot, and for God’s sake don’t bring Fluffers into it!

‘A meeting with the Lord!’ I spout out. Yikes. But it’s the only thing that occurs to me even though I haven’t set foot in a church since high school.

Liam gives me a narrow-eyed smile, like he’s amused, but still not buying it. ‘OK, church girl. In that case, rain check.’

‘Rain check,’ I agree with a sigh caught between relief and regret. Then I gesture to the rain still pounding against the windshield. ‘Ha ha.’

Liam cracks a smile and starts the car. ‘So, should I drop you at home?’

‘Just the Blue Line station would be great.’

We ride in silence. Liam drops me off at the Belmont L station.

‘It’s really coming down. Are you sure I can’t drop you at home?’ he says as I get out.

‘Can I be honest?’ I say from outside the car, rain already pelting me.

‘Of course.’

‘I don’t want you to know where I live.’

His jaw feathers. But I don’t think he’s angry. Just taking it in. He nods. ‘OK.’

I slam the door and rush toward the protection of the station, emotion bunching in my throat, in my chest.

The problem isn’t just that Liam might be dangerous.

It’s that I become dangerous when I’m too close to him. Dangerously reckless.

My old, fatal flaw.

Chapter Fourteen

Instantly upon waking Sunday morning, I am deeply regretting all my choices. I turn into my pillow and release a small scream. I was supposed to get into Liam’s place! Snoop around! Gosh darnit, I’m supposed to be the intrepid investigator. I had all my weapons with me. All I had to do was keep my damn pants on and my stun gun handy. How hard could that be?

Then I remember my heated pulse. The way my breasts pressed against his chest. Even the gear shift digging into my butt was hot, somehow. The confined space – his tongue working down my neck – the way the sound of our breathing filled the car …

‘Fuuuuuck,’ I groan. Why does this have to be so complicated??? Nancy Drew never seemed to have this much trouble.

It was a week between our last two encounters. I can’t afford to wait that long again.

Maybe I should rip the band-aid off and go over there. Surprise him. It’s Sunday. He doesn’t seem like the church-going type, so unless he’s brunching with friends, he should be home like a normal person, having a normal lazy Sunday. Or even better, I can catch him doing serial killer weekend stuff, whatever that is.

I’ll bring some doughnuts, I decide as I pad into the bathroom and splash water on my face. Two people can play the love-bombing game, after all, and it gives me a cover should things get awkward. I pull my hair into a top knot. My eyes briefly stray to my underutilized makeup stash, but today isn’t about looking sexy. In fact, the less sexy I look and feel, the better. I won’t even brush my teeth. That way, my morning coffee breath will prevent me from trying to kiss him, because no one needs to be subjected to that.

In the kitchen, I imbibe some instant coffee so fast it scalds my mouth.

Yes. It’s time to get into Liam’s apartment once and for all.

I grab my purse, feel for the comfort of the stun gun and head out the door. I don’t know his exact address, of course, but I know the neighborhood and the street, and how many new-construction corner buildings with little balconies can there possibly be?

*

Milwaukee Avenue, the main thoroughfare through the hip neighborhood of Wicker Park, is bustling with shoppers, dogwalkers and a disproportionate amount of hot young people in designer clothes. It would be fun to come back here some time and shop the boutiques … if I ever have money.

Soon, I spot a corner building that has to be Liam’s. I crane my neck and look up at the eight-story condo complex. It’s pristine, and sure enough, speckled with little iron balconies just big enough for an Adirondack chair and a small grill.