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He’d accepted the fact that the two women were twins. They had to be. Except for the length of their hair, they might be mirror images of each other. And it was just his luck that he found the single braid that fell over one of Maddie’s shoulders sexy as hell. Each time his eyes strayed to it, he felt an urge to loosen it and run his fingers through it.
Tucking his hands firmly into the back pockets of his jeans, Jase transferred his attention to Maddie’s other features. Jordan’s expression was more animated, and her eyes often held a glint of humor. Maddie, with her chin lifted and her eyes solemn, looked as if she were about to face a firing squad. There was a resolve there that he couldn’t help but admire.
The little twist of guilt he felt had him putting himself in her shoes for the first time. She’d come to New York, and as part of her introduction to the city she’d found herself in his bed. And he’d taken full advantage of it. No matter that she’d cooperated fully. Quite suddenly, it became his goal to set her at ease and to wipe that facing-the-firing-squad expression off her face.
“We have to talk,” she said.
“We do. How do you take your coffee—plain or loaded?”
“Plain—if that means black.”
“Good taste. Jordan barely puts a dollop of coffee in her cream and sugar.” He filled a mug and handed it to her. “Do you want an apology for what happened in my bed last night?”
Surprise had her nearly spilling her coffee. Gripping the mug in two hands, she said, “No. Of course not.”
“Good.” He slid onto one of the stools on his side of the narrow island, keeping his eyes steady on hers. “Because I’m not sorry it happened. Are you?”
“I…” She paused as if to consider the question. “I suppose in a way, I am. Because it complicates things.”
“But…?”
Twin spots of heat flared in her cheeks. He couldn’t recall Jordan ever blushing.
“But in another way, I’m not sorry. Because I’ve never…It was…”
He smiled slowly. “Yeah, it was for me too.”
She could have evaded his pointed questions. Lied. But she hadn’t. His admiration for her shot up another notch.
“While we’re on the subject, there’s something else I need to ask. Are you protected? I didn’t use a condom last night.”
Two spots of color reappeared on her face. “I’m on the pill.”
“You’re seeing someone then?” Jase was surprised at how much he disliked that idea.
“No.” Her chin shot up. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
Relief warred with amusement. She certainly had her sister’s temper. He was careful to bite back the grin. “I’m not seeing anyone either.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Did I ask?”
How often had he heard Jordan use that same haughty tone?
“Look.” Maddie set her mug down on the countertop and sat on the stool across from his. “I think we need to agree that what happened between us last night was a mistake. And when I make one, I don’t like to repeat it.”
He narrowed his eyes on her. “Why was it a mistake?”
She braced a hand on the counter, fingers spread. “Because it’s a complication I don’t have time for. I need to explain why I’m here and why Jordan is in Santa Fe.”
Yes, you do, Jase thought. And he was baffled at how her mere presence in the room could distract his mind from that pivotal question.
Maddie drew in a deep breath and let it out. “Jordan told me she hadn’t had time to contact you, so I’m sorry to have to tell you that Eva Ware is dead.”
Jase’s eyes narrowed and something in his gut tightened. “She’s dead? How? When?”
“An accident. She was killed by a hit-and-run driver in front of her apartment building a week ago.”
An accident? Even as he struggled to absorb what she was saying, he reached for her hand. “I’m sorry.”
“Thank you.” Maddie linked her fingers with his. “I didn’t know her, and now I never will. I’m still trying to accept that.”
“How’s Jordan?” He couldn’t stop thinking that he’d been away. Jordan had been alone.
“I don’t think she’s had time for the loss to fully sink in. She’s been busy handling details—the funeral and then the will. The whole thing will probably catch up with her at the ranch. It’s a very special place. I’m hoping that being there will help her.”
“Why is she there—and why are you here? Why aren’t you together?”
“Because of Eva’s will.”
Her fingers were holding on to his like a lifeline now. “Tell me everything.”
Maddie did just that, beginning with the phone call from Fitzwalter, then the meeting with her sister and the other Wares, the reading of the will and their decision to meet its terms.
“And Jordan’s alone at the ranch?”
“Yes.” A frown furrowed her forehead. “I’m a little concerned about that. We’ve had some problems lately—vandalism, and my horses had a close call.”
“How so?”
“Someone poisoned their feed, but don’t worry—Cash is due back tomorrow.”
“Who’s Cash?”
“My closest neighbor. We grew up together, actually.”
When Jase noticed that his knuckles had turned white gripping the handle of the coffee mug, he set it carefully down on the counter and flexed his fingers. “And you’re involved with this Cash?”
“When it comes to the running of the ranch, you could say we’re involved. Since my Dad died, Cash is always poking his nose in, making suggestions, offering to do things. He’s gotten very protective. The last few days he’s been helping my foreman get my cattle to market. He doesn’t even know about Jordan or about anything that’s happened.”
Jase found that he didn’t like the idea of some cowboy—childhood friend or not—hanging around Maddie. It was the second time that she’d made him come close to feeling jealous. And he’d only known her—what? A handful of hours?
In the silence that stretched between them, Maddie’s stomach growled.
“You’re hungry.” Jase rose from his stool and pulled the refrigerator door open. Nothing except two bottles of energy water. He pulled them out and set them on the island. “When was the last time you ate?”
Maddie shrugged as she opened one of the bottles. “They served some pretzels when we were stranded for three hours on the runway at O’Hare.”
Jase began a methodical search of the cupboards. “Jordan doesn’t cook, and she’s a regular old Mother Hubbard when it comes to stocking provisions. But she usually keeps a stash of cookies.” Giving up on the cupboards, he opened the microwave door. “Aha, success.” He pulled out a bag. “Chocolate chip. Will these tide you over?”
Maddie selected one from the stack he piled in front of her. “They’re my favorite. I always keep some in my studio at the ranch.”
Jase smiled. “Another thing you and Jordan have in common besides temper, I guess.”
When she’d finished the first cookie, she began to fiddle with her braid. Jase found himself wanting to reach out and touch it too—instead of asking some important questions. Alarm bells had been going off in his head ever since she’d told him that Eva had been the victim of a hit-and-run driver. Three weeks after her store had been robbed.
“Maddie, do you have any idea why Eva made out her will that way?”
“Jordan thinks that in the event of her death, Eva wanted a daughter with a flair for jewelry design to get involved in her business.”
Jase didn’t much care for the way Eva had set up her will, but all he said was, “Do you know if anyone knew about the terms of the will ahead of time?”
As she reached for another cookie, she considered the question. Then she shook her head. “They all seemed pretty shocked when Fitzwalter read the will. Except for Cho Li. Besides Jordan’s, his was the only friendly face in the room.”
“Why do you think Eva wanted you and Jordan to change places?”
She set down the cookie. “I’m not sure. But I’m not comfortable with Jordan’s theory. I don’t like the idea of taking something that belongs to her. I’m hoping that Eva’s plan had a broader design and that she wanted Jordan to experience what she’d missed all these years by not growing up on a ranch. While she’s out there, Jordan’s going to try to see what she can do to help me make the ranch more profitable.”
Jase studied her. “The ranch is in trouble beyond the vandalism?”
Maddie sighed. “I’m not the rancher my father was. And I can’t help feeling guilty about that.”
“Guilt can be hard to deal with.”
Maddie’s eyes flew to his. After a moment she said, “I’m sorry. All I’m doing is talking about myself. Jordan said that you were away all this time because you were trying to free some hostages. Were you successful?”
“Partially. There were three. We lost one of them.”
This time, she was the one who reached for his hand. “I’m sorry.”
For the first time since he’d left South America, Jase felt something loosen inside of him. Then he said aloud what he’d been telling himself ever since he’d looked down at the body of the man he hadn’t been able to rescue. “The two we did free were a man and his son. They were reunited with the rest of their family in Panama City yesterday.”
“Sometimes, no matter what you try to do, you lose someone. For months after my father died, I kept thinking if I’d just been with him—or if I’d just done something differently. Maybe if I’d nagged at him more not to ride out by himself. He had a heart attack while he was alone. If he’d just had someone with him…”
His fingers tightened on hers. “You shouldn’t blame yourself.”
“Neither should you.”
As the silence stretched between them, Maddie became intensely aware of the pull between them. She’d felt it the moment she’d stepped out of the bathroom and started toward him. But now she sensed that it was more than a pull. As she looked into those blue-green eyes, something moved through her. Recognition? How could that be? They were strangers.
Dragging her gaze away from his, she glanced down at their joined hands. His was so large that hers was barely visible. And even though her skin was tan, it was shades lighter than his. They were so different, yet somehow her hand felt just right in his. She might be baffled by it, but she couldn’t deny it was true.
“Maddie, I don’t think what happened between us last night was a mistake.”
Even as she jerked her hand away, she met his eyes again. What she saw had her bones melting. She fought against losing brain cells and swallowed hard. She’d had a clear plan when she’d stepped out of the bathroom. She’d just gotten off track. “Whether it was a mistake or not, it just can’t happen again.”
“Why not? Especially if we both want it to?”
The man was nothing if not direct. And the hint of recklessness she saw in his eyes triggered not panic, but a thrill. Maddie tried to ignore it. Logic and reason. Those were the keys. “Like I said before, we’re both busy. And I only have three weeks.”
“But you’re not saying you don’t want it to happen again.” He rose and moved around the island.
She slid off her stool but held her ground. “If you come nearer, you’ll end up on your butt again.”
“It might not be so easy if you try that a second time.”
She felt her temper rise, and she very nearly said, Wanna bet? But she swallowed the words.
He took a step closer. “On the other hand, it might be fun to find out.”
Maddie absolutely hated the fact that a part of her agreed with him. She detested that she took two steps in retreat. But she couldn’t deny that that the way he was advancing on her had excitement streaming through her.
Reason and logic. Reason and logic. She struggled to infuse both into her voice. “That’s just it. I don’t have time for fun and games. That’s not what I came to New York for.”
She very nearly sighed in relief when her words stopped Jase. But he was only a couple of feet away. If she reached out, she could touch him again. Disgusted with herself, she fisted her hands at her side.
The recklessness in his eyes faded. “You’re right, Maddie Farrell.” He reached out to toy with the end of her braid. “I’m not sure why I keep getting distracted by you, but I’ll figure it out. In the meantime, there’s a phone call I have to make. I want to find out what really happened when your mother was run down.”
Chapter Five
“DAVE, I need a favor.” Jase paced back and forth in the small kitchen, his cell phone at his ear. He was very much aware that Maddie’s eyes were on him. He knew from the line furrowing her forehead that she was worried. That might be a very good thing.
On the other end of the line, Detective Dave Stanton drawled. “And what can the lowly NYPD do for a top-notch security ace like yourself?”
Stanton was a giant of a man with chocolate-brown skin, and his jovial teddy-bear exterior hid a tough cop. Jase had run into him on a case he’d been working six months ago and they’d since become friends. Stanton had also been assigned to the break-in and robbery at Eva Ware Designs.
“It’s about Eva Ware—the hit-and-run. I’ve been working a case out of the country for the past three weeks or so, and I just heard about her death. Can you check into it and call me back?”
“Won’t have to. I’ve been keeping tabs on the investigation. It’s stalled out but the file is still open.”
“What do you know?” Jase stopped pacing when Maddie slid off her stool and strode toward him. He switched his cell phone to speaker so that she could hear too.
“She was run down on her way home from the gym when she was crossing the street to her apartment,” Stanton explained. “It was part of her regular routine to visit the gym twice a week right after she left the Madison Avenue store. She walked home taking the same route. According to her doorman, she always crossed the street directly in front of her apartment instead of walking to the corner.”
“So someone could have been waiting for her?”
“That’s the bug I put in the ear of the two detectives assigned to the case. They followed up and someone in her building with a window facing the street remembers seeing a light-colored sedan parked across the street in a delivery zone. Says it was there for some time before it pulled out and clipped Ms. Ware.”
“There was a witness to the accident?”
“Several of them, including the doorman of her building. All agree that it was a light-colored car. One insisted it was a Mercedes. But no one got a plate number. That’s where things stand.”
“So Eva Ware’s death probably wasn’t an accident.”
“That’s my gut feeling.”
“You know a lot about a case you’re not working,” Jase said.
“I liked Eva Ware. She was a classy lady. So is her daughter Jordan. How’s she holding up?”
