Love on Trial by Diana Palmer

about time. Stop brooding about it.”
    â€œI’m not brooding, I’m embarrassed,” she admitted tightly.
    He reached out and caught her hand where it lay on the towel, pressing it gently. “Nothing you could do would embarrass me. But if you try to seduce me, I’ll put you over my knee. I think too much of Jared to play fast and loose with his daughter.”
    â€œYou aren’t mad at me?” she asked hesitantly.
    He smiled. “No, honey.” He let go of her hand, shifting as two little boys leapt over his legs. “Watch out,” he warned her with a chuckle.
    She dodged the little feet just in time.“I was afraid somebody was going to walk on me,” she murmured.
    â€œIt’s human nature,” he remarked.
    â€œWhat is?”
    â€œThe urge to step on people when they lie down and ask for it,” he replied, amusement in his deep voice.
    â€œYou’ll probably never feel it,” she remarked, studying the size and powerful masculinity of his husky form. His legs were broad and powerful. He had a natural bronze tan that had nothing to do with sunlight. Muscular, masculine, he drew a woman’s eyes like a magnet. He was vividly exciting in swimming trunks, especially compared with the skinny white bodies of most of the other men on the beach.
    â€œYou’re staring, baby,” he said suddenly, and she turned her face away with a flush of embarrassment.
    â€œI was thinking,” she corrected hotly.
    â€œYou must think a hell of a lot these days,” came the bland reply.
    She shifted restlessly on her towel. “Where do we start looking for your witness?” she asked, attempting to change the subject.
    â€œIn the hotel bar,” he replied lazily. “I hope you’ve got your driver’s license with you. Right now you look about sixteen.”
    â€œIs that a compliment or an insult?” she muttered.
    â€œA little bit of both, sparrow.” He stretched his big arms above his head and sighed. “God, I needed this! I can’t remember a rougher week.”
    â€œI know what you mean,” she replied. “Remember that controversy about the ambulance service not answering a call, when that teenager almost bled to death? Bill sent me to get the story.”
    â€œDid they fry you?” he asked.
    â€œWith onions,” she sighed. “I felt two inches high when I walked out. It wasn’t one of the regular ambulance service technicians who answered the call and refused to make it; it was a cocky young rookie who only signed on for a few weeks during a break in his schedule. He was fired the day after the incident. But nobody told us that.” She again sighed wearily. “I hate this stinking business sometimes. Those men care, Hawke. Most of them really care, and they don’t make fortunes, either. They do a thankless job and the only publicity they ever get is when something like this happens. They get crucified for their mistakes, by well-meaning people like me.”
    â€œIf you didn’t do it, who would?” he asked quietly, slanting a glance in her direction. “The taxpayers are entitled to know how their funds are being spent or misspent. That’s what your job is all about, Siri, observing and reporting, not judging. And for objectivity, on a scale of ten, I’d give you a nine plus.”
    That made her smile. “Thanks. But I still feel like a 14K creep.” She sat up on the towel, folding her arms around herraised knees, leaning her chin on them. “Hawke, who are we looking for?”
    â€œNo notebook?” he commented drily. He then watched her dig in her beach bag and produce a small pad and a pen.
    â€œOkay, shoot,” she said smugly.
    He smiled as he lit a cigarette and blew out a cloud of smoke. “Do you carry it into the tub?” he asked.
    â€œSure!”
    He raised an eyebrow. “As to who we’re looking for, remember when the