He scanned her then, from her long auburn ponytail draped over her right shoulder to her green peasant-style silk shirt to the tan leather ankle boots she’d bought only yesterday to go with the dark jeans she wore.

Whatever she’d said — well, the truth—was enough to make handsome Detective Hanson look at her a little differently. A good differently. She leaned against the kitchen counter and tried to look as alluring as humanly possible, but her elbow slipped so she straightened up. She was more than a little uncomfortable being in the house of a serial killer — although, by the looks of it, a very neat and organized one — but she pretended not to be as she felt Detective Hanson’s gaze take her in.

“Huh. Interesting,” he finally proclaimed.

She couldn’t tell if he meant that in a good or bad way. “I’m sorry if you think I’m wasting your time.”

He grinned. “Actually, I already thought this trip here today was a waste of time to begin with. You had nothing to do with it. But I appreciate you being honest with me.”

“Honesty is a virtue, Detective Hanson.”

“Please… call me Ben.” He glanced at the clock on the wall that read almost five and then turned his attention back to Eden. “So do you need to be anywhere after this or would you like to grab some dinner?”

Remain calm, Eden, she commanded herself as a flush of pleasure heated her cheeks. Detective Handsome was asking her out. And he wanted her to call him Ben.

Her empty stomach growled its enthusiastic approval.

“That sounds like—” Then she froze as the strangest feeling came over her. A chill that made the hair stand up on her arms. “Shit.”

Ben frowned. “What?”

She brought a hand to her head as a strange, fuzzy image flickered through her mind. Damn it, not now.