by Debra Holt
Chapter Five
Angie stood in front of the full-length mirror, automatically going through the motions of brushing her hair while her mind drifted back over the last few hours. It was a lot to take in. Her eyes caught the soft rays of light that filtered in through the panes of the French door. With brush in hand, she moved toward the open door. The soft trickling sound of water in the fountains below carried up to her. The treetops, visible above the walls, gently swayed in the cool breeze of early evening. There was a peace here, in the ebbing light of the day, which was unexpected yet touched her artistic senses. The artist within Jace had created a beautiful world behind the walls of his home. He had certainly surprised her.
Somewhere in the house, Jace was preparing their dinner. He had brought in her luggage and led her to this beautiful room… the master suite. He told her to take her time as he would be grilling something on the back patio. When she was ready, she could join him. They had not spoken beyond that.
Jace’s room. She immediately sought to change the plan and to stay in another room, but he was stubborn. No surprise there. He wouldn’t listen. Of course, his reasoning did make some sense. It was easier to have her things in this room, just on the off chance someone should drop by and be nosy. He would sleep in one of the other bedrooms down the hall. Best solution for all, he concluded. Except she felt strange, being in his room, among his things. It was odd to see her clothing hanging alongside his. Her designer high heels now sat daintily beside his several pair of western boots. She had smiled at the sight. Prada meets Wyatt Earp.
From what she had seen of his home so far, she had to admit she liked it a lot. This room was definitely his lair. There were soft woven rugs on the natural wood flooring in varying shades of blues, from bright to soft hues. A kiva fireplace took up one corner. Two deep chairs and foot stools sat next to it and the bed… well it was something else. It was huge with four posts made from wood that probably had to be a local variety. The king-sized bedding looked deep and soft and very inviting. The suede comforter was the color of deep turquoise with some sort of Native American design in the center.
J.B. Wolfe’s handiwork also hung on these walls as she noted the signature on the corner of each. Instead of landscapes, these were both paintings of wild horses. She had to admit while she loved the color and life in the one downstairs, the eyes and powerful lines of the creatures in each of these paintings caught her attention. The man was a true enigma. On the surface, he had appeared to be a quiet, get-the-job-done lawman. Underneath though, there were deep waters that held more mysteries such as the fact he was an artist of immense talent. It made her wonder what else was in store for her to learn about this man who was… for the moment… her husband.
The air had grown a bit chilly as the shadows changed and lengthened outside. Somewhere outside, the soft lilting sound of a flute caught her attention. She couldn’t recognize the song, but it was quite lovely… and perfectly suited the surroundings.
Angie closed the door from the balcony and turned her attention toward her wardrobe. She sorted through each hangar and paused when the light suddenly caught the ring on her finger. It was new to her hand, yet there was a sense it naturally fit there. It was a ring that she might have chosen herself… in another situation. It had been some sort of sign to Jace’s aunt earlier. After the woman had seen it on her hand, she seemed to have an acceptance of Angie as her nephew’s wife. It all added to the mystery of the ring that she hoped to find out more about. In the meantime, she would keep it safe for its return to Jace when the time came. Why did that thought not seem as bright as before their arrival? It had to be the effects from such an unusual last couple of days.
Angie dressed with a bit more care than normal. In fact, she had changed her mind three times. She chided herself for such indecision. It was only a quiet dinner at home. How hard could that be? The fourth choice became the final one… cream slacks topped with a soft, dark sapphire cowl neck, long-sleeved blouse with chiffon sleeves cuffed at the wrists. She placed a pair of silver hoops in her ears and slipped her feet into silver flats.
After a dab of her own Angel’s Heart designer perfume at her wrists and behind her earlobes, she surveyed herself one last time in the full-length mirror. She had decided to leave her hair down for a casual look. She looked far calmer and together on the outside. If she could just quiet the jumble of butterflies that kicked up in her stomach as she left the room and made her way through the house. Angie came to a halt when she stepped onto the rear patio.
What a view… both of them. The house was situated on the side of a mountain and the view over the valley and city below was incredible. A rock patio held a gleaming infinity pool, its edge seeming to fall right off the side of the mountain. A bubbling hot spa was built into the opposite end. Soft lighting covered the landscape and comfortable-looking patio furniture in vivid coral stripes blended in with the huge stone urns that were filled with flowering plants in more bright colors. The source of the soft flute music came from a stereo system built into an alcove by the bar. Not bad at all.
Then there was the other view. Jace stood in front of a stone fire pit built off to the side of the patio, busying himself with the manly duties of grilling dinner. A bar with stools off to one side had a pitcher on it with something that looked inviting. Jace had changed into a pair of tailored black slacks that showed off his long legs, muscled thighs and a very nice backside to perfection. Keep the eyes moving.
The cream pullover highlighted the width of shoulders to advantage. It was clear the usual lawman’s persona had been upgraded for the evening. Dangerous ground… proceed with caution. One part of her brain told her that she should retreat, but another part of her was drawn toward the flame… was she a woman or a moth? Either way, she had learned to stay away from fire. She reminded herself of that all the while she walked toward her fate.
Jace sensed her presence and turned. His gaze made his own survey of her outfit. She felt a brief thrill at the realization that she had chosen just right. The appreciative gleam she caught in his eyes told her as much. He reached across the silence first.
“I hope you like chicken, with a little of my Aunt’s special seasoning. We also have grilled vegetables and some fresh fruit, minus the strawberries of course.” He added the last with a smile that made her knees go weak.
She was grateful for the back of the bar stool she reached for to steady herself. Get a grip.
“Sounds wonderful,” she replied. “But your Aunt’s special seasoning… it wouldn’t by any chance have any of those horrid little peppers, would it?”
He laughed and the deep-throated sound didn’t help her attempt to remain nonchalant. He was the total package. If she were in the market… but she wasn’t. She needed to remember why she was here in the first place. Keep it business
“No, I can assure you there will be none of those ‘horrid little peppers’ in anything I cook for you. Why don’t you pour a couple of glasses of lemonade for us and seat yourself at the table? I noticed that you didn’t drink wine when we were at Clay’s home, so I thought you might like this instead. I can get you something else if you prefer.” He was every bit the gracious and attentive host. The fact that he had noted her preferences earlier scored yet another point in his favor. But who was keeping score?
Angie smiled. “The lemonade looks wonderful. I should remember that being a lawman you have to be very observant. Usually men don’t notice things like that… or at least, that’s been my experience.” She poured the two glasses and moved them to the table.
Jace placed the last of the meat on the platter and joined her. “I’ve always been one to observe people. I suppose people thought I was shy growing up. I wasn’t a chatterbox. I preferred to listen and learn. Turns out, it was a valuable asset for the career I chose.”
They actually shared a very tasty meal and easy small talk for the next half hour. For the first time in a long time, Angie felt a calm peace seeping into her bones. It h
ad to be the tranquil setting and soothing music.
Jace leaned back in his chair, his gaze moving over the lights in the valley below them. Then he let his gaze rest upon her. “If I offered you a penny for your thoughts right now, something tells me that I would be way off in their worth.”
“If someone had told me a month ago, that I would be here right now… like this… I would have thought them out of their minds.” Touching the edges of her mouth with her napkin, she smiled at the man.
Angie laid her napkin beside her plate and leaned back into the cushions of her chair. The night was perfect and the lights twinkled as if the sky had traded places with the ground. A soft breeze lifted her hair against her cheek. She reached to brush it back to its place.
“How so? You had planned to visit Santa Fe and now here you are.”
“Finally, here I am,” she amended. “I did take quite a circuitous route to get here. From being whisked off to a ranch in the middle of Texas in a helicopter, then watching my best friend get married to a person I never knew existed, and then making a trip to the altar myself with a virtual stranger…” Angie shook her head. “Wow, it all sounds really insane when you say it out loud. This could be weird enough to be a reality show on television.” She finished with a rueful grin. Her fingers played with the edge of her napkin.
Jason linked his fingers together in front of him, his arms resting on his own chair. He stretched his long legs and booted feet before him before he elicited a slow, sexy smile in her direction.
“It sounds like quite an adventure you’ll be able to tell your friends about once you get back to New York.”
A slight shadow crossed her eyes… or had he just imagined it? What had he said? He sat straighter. There was something going on with her. He had thought that a few times before in the days since meeting this woman and here it was again.
“The only problem being that my best friend is not there any longer. She’s in Texas with her new husband.”
That must be the explanation… Angie was missing her friend Kaitlyn. That should have eased his mind, but it didn’t, not completely. “I’m sure you two will see each other more now that she is taking some time from her career. You can visit her in Texas and vice versa. And don’t forget the miracle of email and cell phones.” He tried to get her mood to lighten.
“I suppose so.” Angie didn’t sound so certain.
Instead, she changed the subject… something which he had noted she did when subjects got too serious in some way. He had seen that self-protection technique used more than a few times in others. Why should she feel the need for it?
“So, tell me if there are any other surprises that I should know about my new husband?”
“Surprises?” His gaze met hers over his glass as he took another sip. “I’m a fairly open book.”
“Right.” She eyed him with skepticism. “I think you like being a man of mystery. And by surprises, I am talking about the minor detail of you not telling me who you really were, letting me gush on and on like a silly idiot about a painting I fell in love with and the artist I wanted to meet like some groupie.”
He grinned at her, his arms folded on the table bringing him closer to her. “Well, it’s nice for one’s ego to hear such declarations from a fan.” He teased. “Although I am glad to know you do like my work.”
“I think you have a great talent. Which begs the next question. Why bother with this marshal business? Why not paint all the time?”
“I like being in law enforcement. I guess you move on to other things when the time is right. Maybe one day, I’ll paint full-time. I must be inspired to stand in front of a canvas. Perhaps one day I’ll find an inspiration to last a lifetime.”
She suddenly wondered what it would take to inspire this man. He had a depth she had yet seen the bottom of. He was an intriguing enigma. Did the air become thinner? It certainly felt like it was a bit harder to breathe. Or maybe it was the way his deep gray eyes were gazing into hers at that moment. The fact they were very much alone in his home… and she was sleeping in his bed tonight, and that her gaze couldn’t seem to stay away from those lips of his… Oh, brother, I’m in trouble.
Jace saved them both, by sheer willpower. He stood. Angie’s eyes blinked a couple of times at the sudden movement. She slowly followed suit.
“It’s been a long day. I can drop you off in the morning at your agent’s office on my way to work.” Jace changed the subject to a neutral topic. It was way too dangerous when things got personal between them.
“That’s okay. They’re sending a car for me at 9:30,” Angie responded, moving away from the table. Jace followed her toward the house, his hands shoved into the back pockets of his slacks. There was a thoughtful set to his head, and she turned in the doorway to look at him.
“Thanks for having me in your home, Jason Blackhawke, aka J. B. Wolfe. You certainly have turned my trip upside down.” Angie threw him a parting smile and left him standing alone.
“Thank you, Angelina Lord. You have turned my world upside down.” The soft words weren’t heard by her and that was just as well.
*
Home again. The familiar routine should get things back on track. Things should start to make sense again. That was what Jace tried to sell to himself as he negotiated the SUV through the smaller side streets around the main square and then headed toward the parking lot adjacent to the federal building where the U.S. Marshal’s services were headquartered.
He had prided himself on being cool-headed and logical in his thinking. It had served him well. Until he met one Angelina Lord at a wedding in Texas and had offered to help his friend out by giving her a ride to Santa Fe. How simple that plan sounded at the time. Now, here he was with her ensconced in his home, and a marriage certificate on his desk with his name on it along with hers. Smart man.
Parking in his usual reserved spot, he placed his Stetson on his head and slid out of the vehicle. It was time to get to work. Work was the distraction he needed. Except that was easier said than done as he admitted a few hours later when he pushed away from his computer screen. He stood and stretched, working the kinks out of legs not used to sitting for such a prolonged time… at least not in the last three weeks. Grabbing a bottle of water from the small refrigerator under the cabinet in his office, he turned his attention to the view outside the window. Four floors above the street below, he had a nice overlook of the city proper and then to the ridge of mountains just beyond it. His gaze went along the second ridgeline to where he envisioned his home and to a certain houseguest… correction… his wife… might be and what she might be doing at that same moment. Maybe he should call? Just to check in and all. Be a good host. Who was he kidding?
The problem with that, was that was pretty much what he had been thinking about much too often over the last few hours. It was folly to think he could get back to work and shut the door on a certain raven-haired, green-eyed woman. It irritated him that he couldn’t compartmentalize her and keep her there as he had been able to do with any other person in his life… other than his family. Taking another couple of swigs of the water he took a long look, not outside the window, but inside his own thoughts.
The whole trouble began when he looked across the roadside that morning three weeks before and saw this woman looking back at him. Something clicked in that moment. That was the only way he could explain it. He tried to ignore her but instead, found himself pushing buttons that drew equally barbed responses from her. She gave as good as she got… sometimes she even bested him. Although he wasn’t too inclined to admit that… even to himself. She intrigued him. It wasn’t just her beauty on the outside, but there was something more inside that kept drawing him in, making him want to know more. Except the more he learned, the more she became… more to him. Jace was sliding down a slippery slope toward a high cliff’s edge and nothing to stop his demise.
And then there was that first kiss after his hair-brained scheme of a marriage on paper that had caused things
to snowball. She had said no kissing. Why couldn’t he have listened? He had to play with fire. And then there was his family, and those blinders had really fallen from his eyes when his aunt had joined their hands and asked the question. He had never been able to look her in the eye and tell her anything but the truth to her direct questioning. And he had told the truth. And that was what was really keeping him tied in knots and his mind spinning out of its normal alignment.
Foolishness. That was what he had always termed what others were talking when they professed their love for someone after only knowing them for a few months or so. Now who was foolish? It had taken him how many days? But he still wouldn’t verify that was truly what was wrong with him. He wasn’t ready to go that far… at least not without a fight to regain some sanity. Surely it would pass. She would leave and all would be sane again. So why did that thought not help? It only made him feel more unsettled. He tossed the empty bottle into the wastebasket and resumed his seat behind his desk. There was a stack of files to be signed off on and he had wasted enough time. Besides… he had a dinner date with the lady in question. For some reason, that speeded up his movements.
*
“I can’t tell you what an honor it is to have you choose our firm to help in the locating of your next property.” The real estate agent gushed on and on as the Lincoln Navigator moved around the city plaza. However, Angie’s interest was not in the conversation but on the activity along the streets.
“The next one we have on our list is just off the square. It has lots of windows and open floor space. There’s a large loft upstairs, for an office or a workroom, or perhaps a living area.” The agent rattled on.
