THE O'CONNORS Shannon O'Connor knew that detective Nick Dalton was only doing his job when he rescued her from a near-death experience. And the hours he spent pursuing her attacker were all in the line of duty. So why did she react so strongly whenever he was near? He goaded her, he prodded her, but Shannon couldn't remember a single thing about the night she almost died. That meant Nick had to watch her around-the-clock to keep her safe. Part of her rebelled at her curtailed freedom, but another part yearned more for his presence with each passing day.