Dealing Double

by Tamra Baumann

  Jake stopped at his door and held out a hand for her to go first. “After you, Ms. Knight.”

  She stepped inside and scanned the room. There was a king-size bed with just two pillows—nothing fancy—a cherry wood dresser, and some photographs on one wall. The other walls were bare.

  She crossed to the pictures and studied them. All were of his brother dressed in his army uniform in various posts, based on the backgrounds. Ben and Jake looked amazingly alike. But Jake was still handsomer.

  Only one of the pictures had the two brothers together. Jake looked to be in his midtwenties. His brother had a military school uniform on. They both had ice-cream cones in their hands and mile-wide grins. “This is a nice picture.”

  “Yeah.” Jake stood beside her, beaming a proud smile. “Ben’s graduation day.”

  Jake obviously loved his brother. It was sweet to see it in his expression.

  “Is he a minimalist? Like you?” She swept her hand out to include the rest of the room.

  He glanced around, as if noticing for the first time how bare the walls were. “I suppose I should hang something else up. I had lots of pictures of Dani and me, but my last girlfriend pointed out that it was tacky to make love to her with my ex watching. So I took them down.”

  “I bet you didn’t throw them out, though, did you? Just hid them so the girlfriend wouldn’t see them?” He still cared for Dani, even though they hadn’t worked out. Gabby liked how they got along. It said a lot for his character.

  “Funny you should say that. The day she found them in the spare room was the day she broke up with me.” He turned and headed for the big walk-in closet. “How’d you guess?”

  “You’re not the big mystery you like to think you are, Jake. I’ve got you pegged. Ask me a question about you. Bet I’ll get it right.” She followed him, curious to see if his closet was as neat as the rest of the house.

  He had lots of jeans. And button-down shirts. And five pairs of cowboy boots. Along with some tennis shoes and a few pairs of dress shoes. Nothing gross, like stinky socks on the floor. Points for him there.

  “You think you have me all figured out?” He pushed some shirts aside and tapped in numbers on a safe’s keypad. “Okay. Then, after a long day at work, what’s my favorite thing to do?”

  He didn’t read, and he couldn’t stand his own company. He liked beer, so maybe he’d go to happy hour? But maybe not with his work crowd. Cops talking about their day probably wasn’t so relaxing. It’d most likely be something he could do alone. “Go to the movies?”

  His jaw dropped. “How did—” He crossed his arms. “What kind of movies?”

  She smiled at her victory. “Not romantic comedies, that’s for sure. Action movies?”

  “That’s a safe bet for most guys.” He turned his attention back to his safe. “What kind of action movies?”

  She had seen his collectible comic books earlier. “Animated. Superhero stuff, most likely. Bet you like those mutant ones the most.”

  “Everyone likes those.” His lips thinned as he dug through his safe. “What’s my favorite color?”

  She glanced at his shirts. Most were a variation of the same color. “Blue. Seriously, Jake. I’ve got your number.”

  He followed her gaze to his shirts and smiled as he slid his passport out of the safe. Then he reached up and grabbed a duffel bag off the top shelf. “Okay, cheater. What kind of music do I like?” He sat on a bench and tugged off his cowboy boots.

  She thought back to their conversation in his truck earlier for any clues. They’d talked all the way from the cabin to Albuquerque, never turning on the radio. He’d told her about being a cop, and she’d shared about her work. The three hours had flown by. Jake was deeper and more serious than he let on. He really cared about justice being served.

  “Not country music, even though you wear cowboy boots. You’d hate all the emotion in those songs. Feelings make you itchy.” She tilted her head and studied him. “Classic rock.”

  “Yep.” He narrowed his eyes. “You like happy pop music, right?”

  “What can I say? I hate depressing songs.” She leaned against the doorframe. “What do you prefer, cats or dogs?”

  “You mentioned your border collie named Einstein. So dogs would be my guess for you.” He passed by her and crossed to his dresser. She was impressed he’d remembered her dog’s name.

  “Yes, but I was asking about you. I think a cat. Less commitment. They can take care of themselves a little more.” She studied his shoulders. Besides being wide and sexy, they were rigid. His jaw was set as he dug through a drawer. “Am I making you uncomfortable? Seeing inside your chamber of deep, dark secrets?”

  “No. That you care to guess so much about me means you’re interested in my life. That’s a good start to a relationship.”

  “Agreed.” So did he want a real relationship? “I’m still trying to decide what I want from you, Jake. And I’m a little mad at you still. For not telling me you’re a cop and at myself for telling you so much about my father.” But she hated how attracted to him she was despite his making her angry. She only gave passes for bad behavior like that to the people she cared for. It scared her. “So, why are you all tense right now?”

  “Because I have a beautiful woman in my bedroom and I can’t touch her.” He locked gazes with her while he unbuttoned his shirt. “I need to change. I wouldn’t mind if you watched, but you’d probably rather go check out my bathroom.”

  No, she’d rather watch. But she made her feet move toward the bath anyway. “Take your time.” She walked into the bathroom and the lights came on all by themselves. “Oh. My. God!”

  Jake called out, “Told you.”

  Her bathroom at home was nice. Had all the best amenities, but Jake’s bathroom was like walking into a spa combined with what she’d guess a makeup room on a movie set was like. The lighted area had a beautiful chair like she’d seen in expensive hair salons, and enough counter space to host a makeup party for an entire cast of a Broadway play. The mirror had settings for all different types of lighting. Evening, daytime, harsh office. Amazing.

  Behind her was a sauna, a steam shower, and a tub big enough for ten. A couple of naked people could find lots to do in there. But then she spotted the shower. It had vertical bars with tiny holes and jets on the sides, along with four shower heads above. A remote showed more than fifty settings for fun times.

  Jake’s warm breath tickled her ear when he whispered, “Bet you can’t guess which setting is my favorite.”

  She pressed buttons until she found one that shot pulsing jets of water from the sides and a waterfall setting from all four heads on top. “This one’s nice.” Visions of him inside, naked, filled her head.

  “Amazing. You guessed right.”

  “See? I’m good.” She turned off the alluring water show. It made her want to rip Jake out of the sweats and T-shirt he’d changed into.

  She wandered over to a mirrored sliding door. Inside was a huge closet with jewelry cases, shelves for purses and shoes, gown racks, and a big center island with drawers. “Wow. This is impressive.”

  “Annalisa gave this whole setup to Dani for her birthday one year. They knocked out a bedroom and a study to make it.”

  “And yet it’s empty.” She turned to see his reaction.

  Jake frowned. “My last girlfriend said that I didn’t use it because I wasn’t over Dani. Like the closet is sacred or something.”

  “I’d guess you don’t use it because it’d feel weird to put your stuff in here. It’s clearly meant for a woman.”

  “Thank you!” He lifted his hands in victory. “I told her I had plenty of room in my closet, but she insisted on making a big deal out of it.” He leaned close and whispered, “Maybe you do have me all figured out. I can’t decide if that’s good or bad.”

  She wasn’t sure, either. She’d guessed at a few things based on his house, but deep inside, it was as though she’d known him all her life. She’d never had that
kind of connection with a man before. “It’s definitely bad for you and good for me.” She turned and walked toward his living room. His bathroom was too sexy and dangerous. Her resolve was slipping.

  He grabbed a bag off his bed and caught up. “Why is it bad for me?”

  “Because you don’t want people to see what’s behind the cocky, cowboy boot–wearing cop facade.” She shrugged. “But I like the real Jake just fine.”

  He leaned closer. “I’ll have to work on upgrading ‘just fine’ to ‘a lot.’”

  She started walking toward the garage again. “You’ve got some work to do there. Ready to go?”

  “I’m always ready, Gabby.”

  She smiled. “No doubt about that.”

  Jake found a radio station for Gabby that played her happy pop songs as they drove to Annalisa’s house. When she started singing along, so out of tune it had to be on purpose, he laughed. “If you’re doing that to be annoying, it’s working.”

  “I was.” Gabby hit one of the preset stations, and screaming guitars filled the cab of his truck. “Do you realize you were cringing, even before I started singing?”

  He hadn’t. “It’s just not my kind of music. Like, what does that ‘funk you up’ song really mean?”

  When she smiled, her dimples showed. “It means, well, you know. Like you’re having a night out dancing in the big city, showing off what you got.” Gabby’s shoulders moved to the beat in a way he’d never seen her move before. It was sexy. “Like the song says, do everything right, and the ‘girls hit your hallelujah.’”

  “So sex. It’s about getting laid.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Aren’t most songs, at their core?” She held a hand out toward the radio. “You can use guitar riffs or a dance beat—it all leads to the same happy ending.”

  “Ah.” He listened more closely to the sixties classic song playing. He’d never paid the words much attention before. “This is about sex. Who knew?”

  She shook her head. “For a man who spends so much of his life talking women into bed, you’ve been missing a pretty powerful tool.”

  Gabby would probably be surprised how few women he’d slept with. He didn’t do one-night stands, either. The “touching” thing with a stranger was too much to bear. “I don’t need any extra tools. I have all the equipment necessary for a good time.”

  She barked out a laugh. “That was so lame. Just for that, I’m changing the music back to mine.” Gabby leaned over and found a station she liked.

  Some sugary song came on, and he forced his face to stay impassive. When they were almost to Annalisa’s house, he said, “Is this dance beat making you want to funk me up?”

  “No, it’s making me want to buy you a better joke book.”

  He smiled. There was an easiness about being with Gabby he liked. Whether they talked or not, it never felt awkward or uncomfortable to be with her.

  They pulled up to the front gates of Annalisa’s estate, and he said, “Hand me some ID please, Gabby.”

  She dug through her satchel. “I have a driver’s license. And my passport. Just give me a second.”

  “Whatever you find first will work.”

  Out came brushes, string, headphones, and a bag of trail mix.

  After a few minutes, he sighed. Why women felt the need to carry everything they owned at all times was one mystery he’d never solved.

  Next came tissues, a plastic bag of what looked like hair thingies, and then an e-reader.

  “Got it.” She opened her wallet and handed a license over.

  “And now I’m a year older. Happy birthday to me. Are you planning to haul all forty pounds of that around Europe, too?”

  “Ten bucks says you’re going to be grateful for something in here before our trip is done.”

  “You’re on.” He poked the button on the speaker box and held up her ID and his passport. “Jake Morris and Gabby Knight to see Dani.”

  Gabby whispered, “You were married to Dani. Don’t they know you?”

  The massive iron gates perched between thick stone walls slowly parted in front of them. “Most do. But the security is tighter here than at the White House. No one gets in without ID.”

  “Oh.” She was quiet for a moment. “Why are we here instead of the airport?”

  “Because your father hasn’t eluded the law this long by being stupid. He told you Dean was on his way to London, knowing full well you’d follow.”

  Gabby cringed. “You’re right.”

  “Your guards are probably already at the hangars, waiting to grab you. They flew in on your dad’s plane, right? So, they’ll have full access to the private-plane tarmac.” He’d get a subpoena for the flight records. That way they could track at least one of Gabby’s father’s planes. It’d be a great piece of intel for later.

  “Right. So how are we going to slip past them?”

  “Annalisa’s security team is the best. Dani said they had it under control.”

  As they drove up the long, tree-lined drive, Annalisa’s Mediterranean-style mansion came into view.

  “Wow!” Gabby’s face lit up, and she leaned closer to the windshield of his truck. “That’s bigger than my whole boarding school. And just lovely. Do you think I can meet Annalisa?”

  “Maybe.” He smiled at Gabby’s enthusiasm. “She’s a busy person, though, so don’t count on it.”

  Gabby nodded as they pulled under the giant portico. Once they stopped, matching uniformed men opened their doors for them and then unloaded their things.

  When the twelve-foot-tall carved wooden doors opened, both Dani and Annalisa appeared in the threshold and rushed toward them. What was up with that? Dani said, “Hey, Jake.” And Annalisa sent him a finger wave.

  Before he could greet them, the ladies each grabbed one of Gabby’s arms and pulled her into the house. Dani squealed, “Love your hair, Gabby.” And Annalisa said, “It’s a pleasure to meet the woman who caught Jake’s eye.”

  His eye? What the hell?

  He quickly crossed the massive travertine-floored entry. He followed the ladies up the stairs and tugged on Dani’s arm. “What’s going on?”

  Dani let go of Gabby and stopped climbing.

  When the others were out of earshot, she said, “I told Mom you wanted to surprise Gabby with a trip to Europe in style—so you could propose. My mother’s a sucker for romantic gestures. Unlike you.”

  “Propose? That wasn’t part of the plan.”

  Dani rolled her eyes. “I had to tell my mom you needed the plane for something big. I couldn’t tell her the truth.”

  He leaned closer, struggling to keep his voice down. “What’s going to happen when we come back, and Gabby doesn’t have a ring on her finger?”

  “You had a huge, messy fight because you’re such a pigheaded guy.” Dani shrugged. “Mom would totally believe that. Why don’t you go supervise the repacking into Mom’s trunks while we fix up Gabby?”

  “Fix her up with what?” He was still reeling from the proposal lie.

  “Clothes. Mom called ahead, and they’re going to do the normal thing they do for her at the airport for her privacy. But the paparazzi always seem to find out and will have high-powered lenses. Jeans and sneakers aren’t Annalisa’s style. We have to upgrade Gabby’s look. You could use a shave, by the way. And maybe put on a suit. Mom doesn’t travel with cowboy boot–wearing bums.” She smiled and headed up the stairs.

  His hand flew to his chin. Shaving had been the last thing he’d been thinking about as he and Gabby quickly slipped out of town to avoid being spotted by her goons.

  And he wasn’t even wearing his boots. “Fine. But I’m not wearing a damn suit.”

  Dani didn’t bother to turn around. She just kept walking away. “It was worth a try. For Gabby’s sake.”

  “For Gabby’s sake?”

  “Uh-huh. One look at you in that black suit and she’d be yours forever. It’s still hanging in the guesthouse where you stripped out of it like it was on fi
re the last time you wore it to one of Mom’s parties.”

  “Because it’s uncomfortable.” He shook his head and started out for the garage. He had an electric razor in his bag. If he hurried, he could beat Annalisa’s staff before they put his and Gabby’s bags inside the designer trunks to complete the charade for the press. Along with Gabby’s heavy tool bag. They’d leave the guns home, but he’d still have his backup knife. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to use it and have any explaining to do to his boss.

  Maybe he’d grab the suit. Just in case he needed it in London. They were probably fancier there than he was used to.

  Gabby blinked at her reflection in the lighted mirror. How was it possible she was sitting in the same makeup chair Annalisa Botelli used? Getting glammed by a handsome man with caramel-colored skin called Almondo. All while sipping champagne.

  Having Annalisa fuss over her made Gabby miss her mom. And Dani made her wish she had a sister. Who knew hitting Jake would lead to her having a spa day with two women who treated her as friends?

  Dani tilted her head as she studied Gabby’s makeup. “Yeah. I think that looks great. Mom? What do you think?”

  Annalisa, who’d just been digging in her gargantuan closet for clothes for Gabby to keep—that alone was enough to make Gabby want to giggle—leaned close to inspect the makeup artist’s work. “Almondo, you have outdone yourself. You look lovely, Gabby.”

  Almondo smiled. “Some of my best work, if I do say so myself.”

  Gabby had to agree. She’d never looked so pretty. But still not as pretty as Annalisa. No one looked that good.

  Annalisa, a younger version of Sophia Loren, had an impossibly sexy body. Women half her age would be proud to have one like it. And she’d just said Gabby was lovely. Gabby had the urge to pinch herself to be sure it wasn’t a dream. “Th-thank you” was all her starstruck brain could think to utter.

  Dani laughed. “Gabby, I promise you, my mom puts her diamond-and-emerald-studded earrings in one at a time just like everyone else. No need to be intimidated.”