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her eyes.
    Paige stood at the door, hands on her hips. “I think you’re enjoying this way too much.”
    “On the contrary. I’d much rather be back in Houston with the guys. You’re a little...uptight.”
    Paige glared at her. “Uptight? Me ?”
    “It was barely a kiss.”
    “Jesus, are we back to that again?” she asked as she jerked back the covers on her side of the bed.
    “Isn’t that what’s got your panties in a wad?”
    Paige took a deep breath, then pursed her lips. “Goodnight, CJ,” she said. “Please turn out the lamp and stay on your side of the bed.”
    “God, this is going to be a long assignment,” CJ murmured.
    “Tell me about it.”
    CJ punched at her pillow, trying to get comfortable. She smiled devilishly as she slid her foot across Paige’s imaginary line. She was rewarded with a swift kick to her calf. She couldn’t contain her laughter.
    “You’re such a child,” Paige muttered.
    CJ sighed and closed her eyes, willing sleep to come. She tried to ignore the warm body only a few feet from her. Just as she was dozing off, a sharp, piercing scream shattered the quiet around their little house. They both jerked up, barely breathing, as Paige gripped her arm tightly.
    “What the hell was that?” CJ whispered.
    “I have no idea. What do you think it was?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe a coyote?”
    Paige cocked her head. “Do you even know what a coyote sounds like?”
    “Hell, I’m a city girl. So maybe it was like a cougar or something,” she said.
    “Do they have cougars out here?”
    CJ shrugged, then jumped as the scream was heard again, this time a little farther away. “It sounds like it’s hunting.”
    “It?”
    “Let’s go with cougar,” she said as she settled down again. She was thankful Paige did not remove her hand.

CHAPTER TEN
     
    Paige felt a little nervous and just a twinge of anxiety when she dressed for her first school day. Of the two of them, CJ would have made a much better gym teacher. Of course, CJ made a much better cop too, she thought, as she spied her tucking in her uniform shirt. Well, maybe not a better cop, but she certainly looked better in a uniform than Paige did.
    “I saw you looking, quit pretending you’re not,” CJ said with her normal arrogance.
    “I was not looking ,” Paige said. “I just happened to glance over and see you.” She rolled her eyes. “God, she’s so full of herself,” she muttered.
    CJ laughed but made no further comment. “You ready for coffee, dear ?”
    “Yes, please.” She was thankful she’d insisted on packing her gourmet coffee from home. The grocery store they’d shopped at was sorely lacking and had only a limited variety.
    “This is pretty good,” CJ said. “What is it?” she asked as she handed Paige her cup.
    “Guatemala Antigua. Medium roast,” she said, closing her eyes, savoring the first sip. “I always taste just a tiny hint of chocolate in that first sip,” she said. “You?”
    CJ shook her head. “Not really.”
    “No, I suppose not. You’ve already killed the flavor with sugar and cream.”
    CJ laughed good-naturedly. “You should know, since you bring me coffee all the time.”
    “Well, what we serve in the office, I wouldn’t exactly call coffee ,” she said, not caring in the least that she sounded aristocratic. There was a distinct difference between well-blended gourmet coffee and the cheap, low-grade coffee that made its way to their office.
    CJ stood back, eyeing her. “Are you going to manage this?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Off-the-rack clothes,” she said.
    Paige looked down at herself. “These aren’t exactly off-the-rack,” she said. “They are made to appear that way.”
    CJ lifted a corner of her mouth. “Okay, so if they’re made to appear that way, why don’t you just buy the real thing? It’d be a hell of a lot cheaper.”
    “Obviously, you don’t see the point.”
    “Obviously, you don’t either.”
    Paige sighed. “Okay. Perhaps I