The Marriage Beat. Doreen Roberts

men, though she hadn’t met too many of them as yet.

      There was no doubt that Tyler Jackson was a forceful, courageous man, and she just wished she knew what had changed him from that agreeable young man in the picture to the morose, cynical cop he was today.

      In fact, she thought, as she took her seat at the desk once more, if he hadn’t had that annoying habit of ordering her around as if she were a teenager instead of a mature woman approaching thirty, she might be tempted to find out.

      

      Captain Richard Stewart had always taken a personal interest in his men. It was the captain’s firm opinion that a good cop needed a happy, stable home life in order to do his job. It was also his considered opinion that Tyler Jackson’s home life fell far short of the ideal.

      As far as Richard Stewart was aware, Tyler lived alone in a tiny studio apartment, ate mostly junk food and looked as if he could use more sleep. He rarely smiled, and the captain had never heard him joke with the rest of the guys. In other words, Tyler Jackson’s life was the pits, and Captain Stewart was very much afraid that one day that pitiful state of affairs might just cause a loss of concentration and cost Tyler his life.

      What Officer Jackson needed, Captain Stewart decided, was a good woman. Someone who would be strong enough to stand up to the man and make him take better care of himself. The captain had no idea if Megan Summers was that woman, but she certainly seemed to be a nice lady and undoubtedly strong-willed. After watching the two of them together, there was absolutely no doubt in the captain’s mind about the spark that seemed to sizzle between the two of them.

      Therefore, being the responsible captain that he was, Richard Stewart decided to take a hand in fate, so to speak, and give these two nice people a gentle nudge in the right direction. Which was why he’d called Tyler Jackson into his office.

      Tyler, who was still trying to get his cool back after dealing with the argumentative Megan Summers, eyed his superior officer warily as he sat down in front of the desk. It wasn’t often that he was called into the captain’s office. He was trying to think of how he might have messed up.

      “Jackson,” Richard Stewart said, folding his hands across his protruding stomach, “I understand that young lady out there wishes to take lessons in self-defense.”

      Tyler nodded, wondering where this surprising statement was leading. “I told her the classes were full.”

      “So I heard.” The captain leaned back in his chair and surveyed the ceiling. “She seems like a very independent young woman.”

      Tyler twisted his mouth in a wry grimace before answering, “Yes, sir. Very.”

      “In which case, I think she might well benefit from the lessons. Independent women have a habit of running into trouble.”

      “Don’t I know it,” Tyler muttered. “I suggested she take the classes in the fall.”

      “Ah.” Captain Stewart appeared to think that over. “In this case, Jackson, I think it might be wise to make special arrangements for that young lady.”

      Tyler frowned, watching his captain with growing suspicion. “What kind of special arrangements?”

      The captain lowered his chin and leaned forward. Fixing his piercing gaze on Tyler’s face, he said clearly, “I think she should have the lessons now.”

      Tyler stared at him in bewilderment. “But the classes are full. Plus they’ve already started. It would throw the instructor off if Ms. Summers came in at this late date.”

      “Exactly, which is why I think she should have private lessons.”

      “Private lessons? But—”

      “And you should give them to her.”

      Tyler’s feet hit the floor as he bounced off his chair. “What? Why me? Are you nuts?”

      The captain’s eyes narrowed and Tyler hastily added, “Sir?”

      “I’m not nuts, as you so succinctly put it,” Stewart said mildly. “I happen to think that young lady would be a great deal safer if she knew how to protect herself in an emergency.”

      “No doubt, but surely it can wait until the fall?”

      “I don’t think so.”

      Tyler had the distinct impression that something was brewing behind the captain’s stern expression, but he couldn’t for the life of him think what it might be. He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, Captain. I’d like to oblige, but my quota is full. I don’t have time to give self-defense lessons to anyone right now. Maybe later on....”

      Captain Stewart could look almost murderous at times. This was one of those times.

      “I said now, Jackson. I suggest you find time.”

      Tyler made one last, desperate attempt. “But—”

      “And that’s an order.”

      Tyler clamped his lips tight shut before the curse slipped out. He waited a second or two, then muttered a quiet, “Yes, sir,” before turning on his heel to head for the door.

      “Jackson.”

      Tyler waited, his hand on the doorknob.

      “This week, Jackson. No later.”

      This time Tyler’s muttered, “Yes, sir,” was delivered through gritted teeth. On his way out he shut the door with a decisive thud. The old man was losing his marbles. Private lessons in self-defense? Where in the hell was he going to find the time? Who the hell wanted to spend what little spare time he had wrestling with a smart-mouthed woman who looked as if she’d break in two if he so much as touched her?

      The thought of having to throw Megan Summers down on the floor was bad enough. The idea of teaching Megan Summers to throw him down on the floor was intolerable.

      What was really intolerable, Tyler reluctantly admitted as he strode grimly back to the office, was that for a brief instant, when Megan Summers was scrambling to climb off him earlier, he had felt a distinct response in a place that hadn’t had a whole lot of action lately.

      Now he knew where trouble number three was coming from. That, as far as Tyler was concerned, was the worst trouble of alL If he had to spend the next six to eight weeks wrestling with a woman who could turn him on that easily, he was heading for total disaster.

      Inside the office, Megan looked up expectantly as the door swung open. Officer Jackson walked in, looking as if he would like to mow down everyone in his path. Obviously the news had not been good. She wisely decided to keep a still tongue as he sat down heavily at the desk.

      He stared down at the notepad for so long she wondered uneasily if the bad news was connected to her encounter with the purse snatcher. She was about to ask him when he tore a sheet from the notepad, and looked up with a formidable expression that made her forget what she was going to ask.

      “Read this over and sign here,” he said curtly, flipping the page across the desk.

      She scanned the lines without comprehending what she was reading. She knew he was watching her, with a strange brooding expression that stirred up all kinds of unrest inside her. Her hand shook slightly as she picked up the pen he’d pushed across to her. Quickly she scrawled her signature and thrust the paper back at him. “Now am I free to go?”

      “In just a moment.” He stared down at the page in his hand as if he’d never seen it before.

      He was making her nervous. Something was obviously bothering him and somehow she just knew it had something to do with her. She couldn’t just sit there and wait all afternoon for him to tell her what it was.

      “Officer Jackson—”

      “Ms. Summers—”

      They’d both spoken at once, and Megan waited, holding her breath.

      “Ms.