Interesting. Not that she and the senator's oldest son were blood relations. Mark Canfield and his wife had adopted all their children, including Alex. But it was possible they were family.

Dani wasn't sure how she felt about that. Dealing with her known family was complicated enough. Did she want to take on another one?

Obviously, she thought. After all, she was here.

The sense of needing to belong by blood burned hot enough to give her the answer. If Mark Canfield really was her father, she wanted to get to know him, and no one was going to get in her way. Not even his adopted son.

"I've been patient through one secretary and two assistants," she said firmly. "I've been polite and understanding. If nothing else, I’m a registered voter in this state and I have every right to see my senator. Now please step aside, before I'm forced to escalate the situation."

"Are you threatening me?" Alex asked, sounding almost amused.

"Would it work?" she asked.

He slowly looked her up and down. In the past six months she'd learned that male attention was not a positive thing in her life. It inevitably ended in disaster. But even though she'd sworn off men, she still felt a little quiver as his steady gaze drifted across her body.

"No, but it might be fun," he said.

"You are such a guy."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"You have no idea. Now step aside, dragon-boy. I'm going to see Mr. Canfield."

"Dragon-boy?"

The amused voice hadn't come from the person in front of her. Dani turned toward the sound and saw a familiar man standing by an open door.

She recognized Senator Mark Canfield because she'd seen him on television. She'd even voted for him. But those acts had been from a distance. She'd never thought of him as more than a political figure. Now he was here and there was a very good chance he was her father.

She opened her mouth, then closed it. Words faded from her brain as if she'd just lost the power of speech.