Disappointment filled her nonpractical side, while her rational side applauded her self-restraint. "This is our fourth day here and you haven't mentioned taking Sam to see your family at all."

She voiced the concern that enveloped her constantly. How would his relatives treat the teenager who was just coming to trust Ryan a little bit more each day?

Zoe refused to factor her own feelings into meeting his family, telling herself that what they thought of her didn't matter. Yet she couldn't deny that if and when they were introduced, she wanted smoother sailing than she'd had with Uncle Russ. The thought of his parents judging and finding her lacking turned her stomach, because despite everything, she cared how it might affect what Ryan thought of her.

"We're going to my parents' house for dinner tonight," he said, finally.

"Let me guess. You were going to spring it on us at the last minute." She tried for a teasing tone, but Ryan had tensed up and he wasn't relaxing or laughing at her joke.

"Do you blame me?" he asked instead. "Sam doesn't need another excuse to run away and as for you- "

"Afraid I'll embarrass you in front of your parents?" Again she tried for a laugh, but she also averted her gaze, not wanting him to see how serious her question actually was.

Ryan knew Zoe well enough by now to get when she was feeling vulnerable and, despite the jokes, the idea of meeting his family obviously scared her. Hell, there were times his parents scared him, too.

He placed his hand beneath her chin and lifted her gaze. "They will adore you," he said, knowing in his heart every word was a lie.

They'd find her short skirts and high heels as offensive as they'd found his sister's tube tops and ripped denim shorts way back when. Hell, Uncle Russ had already expressed his shock after meeting Zoe and catching the obvious undercurrents between them. Though Russ was a ladies' man and he dated all types, it didn't matter since he was determined never to settle down.

But Ryan was different. His uncle knew that Ryan wanted to have the kind of family he'd lacked growing up. Unfortunately, for all that Uncle Russ supported Ryan, he also had enough of the Baldwin genes to want Ryan to find the proper wife to carry on the Baldwin name. "Proper" meaning correct bloodlines, manners and breeding.

"Ryan?" Zoe's voice startled him. "Where'd you go?" she asked of the mental break he'd just taken.

He met her wide-eyed gaze and refused to acknowledge aloud that Zoe Costas and her con-artist, day-spa, pig-owning family didn't fit with the Baldwin family lineage- something Ryan hadn't wanted to think about or deal with during his time in New Jersey. He'd blocked out everything he could about home and focused on nothing but getting to know Sam. And his growing feelings for Zoe.

"I was just thinking about this." He leaned forward and captured her lips in a kiss. A hot, devouring kiss filled with all the desire that had kept him awake nights and the yearning he experienced each time he looked at her.

Apparently she felt the same way and missed him just as much because she wound her arms around his neck, pulled him close, and thrust her tongue inside his mouth in a clear act of desire and possession.

He groaned and pulled her tightly against him, his groin thrusting against the barrier of his pants, eager to escape confinement and sink deep inside her moist heat. It'd been too damn long, he thought. Her hips swayed from side to side, seeking more intimate contact, and he was happy to oblige. He widened his stance and let his aching member settle between her legs so they could grind against each other, mimicking the act of making love as best they could.

Only the window seemed to support them now. Zoe's breath came faster and she breathed hot and heavy in his ear. He couldn't remember any woman who made him want so much. Need so much. And wish to give back as generously as she gave to him. In the back of his mind, he understood that more than his body was engaged with Zoe and he'd have to deal with that soon.

But first he'd handle the woman writhing against him, almost ready to come apart in his arms. He was damn close himself and every ounce of self-control went into keeping himself in check while bringing her closer and closer to what he hoped would be a mind-blowing orgasm.

He'd already caught her rhythm with his hips and pelvis and it wasn't long before he thrust upward one last time and she shook, groaned and came, calling out his name.

Only when she finally caught her breath did he step back. He took in her flushed cheeks and the way she attempted to straighten her clothing and grinned.

"I'm sure this isn't appropriate behavior for a partner," she said wryly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Who knows? There is a reason we partners have private bathrooms in our offices, you know." He pointed to the door in the back corner of the room.

She blushed and in a very un-Zoelike way, ran to the restroom to pull herself together. Still, she had a point. He'd never brought a woman he was seeing to his office, let alone made one come behind the closed door.

Shaking his head at how different he was around Zoe, he adjusted himself, and while he waited for his most obvious reaction to Zoe to subside, he seated himself behind his desk.

Zoe stepped out of the bathroom at the same time Sam came barging into the office, barreling through like a tornado.

"Shouldn't you knock before you just run into Ryan's office?" Zoe asked. "What if he'd been having an important phone call?"

Zoe's gaze never met his, but he noticed her non-Mediterranean blush remained.

"Yeah, well this is important." Sam paused at the foot of his desk, obviously unnerved and out of breath.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm being followed," Sam said.

Ryan sat up quickly in his seat while Zoe grabbed for Sam's hand. "What do you mean?"

He had no doubt they were both thinking about the two incidents in New Jersey. Could this be a third?

"The child has an active imagination, Mr. Baldwin," Ryan's secretary, Nadine, an attractive brunette, said from where she stood in the doorway. "We went to Burger King and she kept looking over her shoulder, sure someone was behind us."

"But you didn't see anyone?" Ryan asked.

"Not till I went to the bathroom," Sam said. "When I came out, he was standing outside the men's room right opposite me."

Nadine's mouth dropped open. "I had no idea."

"Did he touch you? Try to grab you?" Zoe asked.

Sam shook her head. "He didn't have the chance. A woman was walking out with her kids and I latched on to the little one's hand and pretended I was with them. Then as soon as we were out of the hallway, I ran to the table."

"I didn't know. She just said she wanted to leave and only mentioned being followed in a general sense." Nadine glanced down. "I let her go alone," she admitted. "Sam said it would be okay. I don't have kids. I didn't realize."

Ryan nodded. "It's okay, Nadine." Hell, he didn't know how to handle a teenager yet, either. Both he and Zoe had let her go to the rest stop bathroom alone. "Don't worry about a thing," he told the other woman. "Go relax and I'll take it from here."

She nodded. "Thank you." She left them alone and shut the door behind her.

"What's going on?" Zoe asked. "Was it the same man who broke into the house back home?"

Sam nodded. "I think so. He had the same dark hair and his face was familiar. It can't be my imagination," she insisted. "And the whole time we were walking down the street, it felt like someone was watching me."

Ryan exhaled a sharp breath. "You were scared, I bet."

"Which is completely understandable considering all you've been through lately," Zoe added, exchanging a worried glance with him.

"We'll call Quinn and see how the investigation's progressing. In the meantime, how about we go back home for a while before dinner?" he asked, changing the subject.

Sam nodded. "Good idea. What's on the menu tonight? I was thinking maybe Chinese food."

"Actually…" Ryan began, then glanced at Zoe for help. After today's incident, he was sure Sam was even more fragile, although she'd never show it. After all the progress he'd made with her over the last few days, his next announcement could bring back the Arctic chill.

"I asked Ryan if we could meet his family tonight," Zoe said, unexpectedly taking the heat off him.

Sam narrowed her gaze. "How could you do something like that? I don't want to meet his stinking parents!"

"Samantha!" Zoe said, clearly appalled.

"Well I don't. They hated my mother. I remember her telling me we only had each other because they didn't want her around. So why would you want to go there?" Her voice rose with all the anger and fear of a child who'd lost the mother she loved.

By meeting two people who might paint a negative picture of her mother, Sam obviously feared those good memories being erased and her mother being taken from her again in a different way than before.

Ryan stood and walked out from behind the desk. As grateful as he was that Zoe would put herself in Sam's line of fire to protect him, he couldn't let her shoulder this burden.

"Zoe isn't the one who asked for this dinner. I did. It's time you meet your family."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Don't go defending her. She probably figures that she can dump me in that big old mausoleum I saw pictures of and go back home without me."

The tears in Sam's eyes and quiver in her voice excused anything she said to him, Ryan thought. Still Zoe deserved better. "Zoe and her family took you in when you had no one. They've treated you like you were one of them."

Sam sniffed and turned away so she could wipe her arm across her face. "So?"