Rena Sofer's no-nonsense lawyer character, M. Allison Hart, has proved a thorn in Jethro Gibbs' side - and at the same time a romantic fascination of his - twice already.

She resurfaces again in NCIS' March 2 episode (the show is off this week and next) and she’ll be back for at least one more after that, according to Entertainment Weekly.

As far as where the producers are taking her relationship with Mark Harmon’s Gibbs, don't ask Rena. Not that she'd tell you if she did, but even she has no idea, by design.

Rena Sofer's Allison Hart in "Masquerade."

Hart's recurring status lends credence to the theory that her arc with Gibbs is part of the show's big season finale, which producers have teased has already started in a sense.

“Mark doesn’t know either,” Sofer says of their relationship.

“We talk about it every time we do a scene together. We don’t know. Personally, I think it’s more fun to play the ambiguity. Once you go to bed with someone, it’s over. Where do you go from there? Part of me that hopes we never know for that reason.”

She's alone in that department - fans can't wait to see where it's headed.

Interestingly, this isn't Sofer's only controversial romance of the season. She's going on a date with Booth on Bones! Both Gibbs and Booth have good taste. Just saying.

Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.