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eISBN 9781623008192

Editor: Jana Armstrong

Cover Artist: April Martinez

Published in the United States of America

Loose Id LLC

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Chapter One

Stepping out of his truck, Josh Barnes stared at the farmhouse in fascination. When he’d turned off the highway down an old dirt road, he’d expected to see a small, one-level house that was the typical small family farmhouse in this part of Tennessee. He never imagined he’d be staring at a three-story house complete with wraparound porch and curved tower.

Just looking at it made his mouth water. He couldn’t wait to sink his teeth, or hands, into the remodeling of such a place. Maybe this wouldn’t be such a bad recovery after all.

He took a deep breath of the early-fall air and smiled at the sound of the creek running behind the house. Mornings spent drinking coffee and listening to that would be heaven. He rubbed at the scar on his chest as he strolled to the front porch.

Most of the pain had now lessened. All that remained was the scar and an occasional twinge if he worked too hard or lifted something too heavy. Although loath to admit it, he’d been grateful for this reprieve. He loved fixing up houses, and he wasn’t ready to go back to the FBI just yet.

This had been his third time being shot, but it was the most difficult to recover from, both physically and emotionally. According to the doctors, he’d died on the operating table twice. It was only by sheer luck or divine intervention he was here at all. His father told him perhaps he should start thinking about finding another career.

He’d been smart with his money. He could even retire if he wanted. He could see the next ten or twenty years fixing up houses and flipping them. Especially houses like this one.

Just as he put his foot on the bottom step, the front door opened, and Linda Johansson stepped outside. The older woman’s lips spread into a wide smile of welcome as she rushed forward and engulfed him in a big hug.

“Oh, I’m so glad you made it,” she said.

Josh returned her hug, resigned to the fact that the mother of one of his closest friends had him wrapped around her little finger. “I’m not sure you gave me much of a choice,” he teased as he pulled away from her.

She smiled, and the laugh lines around her eyes deepened. Josh could see the resemblance between her and her son, Parker.

“Well, I can be persuasive,” she drawled, making Josh snort.

“Persuasive? Is that what you call it?”

She scoffed softly and waved her hand in dismissal. “I should probably give you a little heads-up. Jennifer isn’t really very happy about this.”

Josh frowned. “Linda,” he started to admonish.

Linda had insisted the girl needed help, and although Josh was still technically recovering from major surgery, he’d been willing to lend a hand, if for no other reason than to combat the boredom. But the last thing he wanted to do was be somewhere he wasn’t really wanted.

Linda patted his shoulder in her usual motherly fashion. “She’s relented and admitted she could use some help with the remodeling. I showed her a few of the pictures from your house in Washington, and she’s very excited to hear some of your ideas.”

“Does she know I’m FBI and that you really have me here to keep an eye on her and make sure she’s safe from her ex-husband?”

Linda again waved her hand, but it was the way she glanced away that tensed Josh’s stomach. “She knows you’re FBI and you’re recovering from surgery and not to expect you to do any heavy lifting, but that’s it. I didn’t tell her you’re here to watch out for her.”

Josh scowled. “She should—”

She sighed and brought her blue eyes back to his. “If she knew you were here to protect her, she would have a fit. She’s very independent, and it’s important to me that you be here, Josh. I’m worried about her.”

“Damn it, Linda,” Josh growled softly.

“Just watch her covertly. Isn’t that what you do?”

Josh rolled his eyes. “Who is this ex? What do you expect him to do?”

“I don’t know that he’ll do anything. I would like you here if he shows up. It’s just for a little while, I promise.”

With a glance toward the house, Josh let out a deep breath of resignation. Linda had been like a second mother to him. He hated to refuse anything she requested, even this.

“Fine,” he finally said as he turned his gaze back to hers and the wide smile that now lit up her face. “But it’s just so I can get my hands on this house.”

Linda laughed and glanced back at the monstrosity. “It is incredible, isn’t it? Jennifer fell in love with it the second she saw it.”

“I can see why.”

JENNIFER SANLIN STOOD back and stared at Josh through the screen door. From the second he’d arrived in the driveway, the air around her practically sizzled with electricity. It was an odd sensation, but one she wasn’t completely unfamiliar with.

Josh was Linda’s friend, so she trusted him—for the most part. Linda would never do something that would put her life at risk. If anything, Jennifer put Josh in danger just by having him here, but Linda had insisted she needed help, and in truth, she did. There was a lot of work to do, and judging by the pictures Linda had shown her, Josh knew remodeling.

Remaining in the shadows, Jennifer took a moment to study Josh as he and Linda talked on the steps. He was older, maybe forty or late thirties. Right now, he stood on the lower steps, which put him eye level with Linda. Judging by that, he had to be over six feet tall.

He had dark, almost black hair and blue eyes the color of a summer sky. Tanned skin and wide, thick shoulders that, if she was honest enough to acknowledge, made her stomach flutter.

It had literally been years since she’d had sex. A man hadn’t touched her since college, and at the moment, Jennifer wasn’t sure she ever wanted to be touched again. Not after what happened the last time she trusted a man enough to sleep with him. Unfortunately, looking at Josh and his strong body brought feelings of desire to the surface she thought she’d sufficiently buried.

Had Linda given him the concocted story of running from an abusive ex-husband? They’d decided that would be a good one and would explain why she wanted to keep to herself—to be secluded. Besides, who would believe the truth? Sometimes even she had a difficult time accepting it.

Josh’s lips spread into a small, indulging smile. Jennifer felt her heart skip a beat at the dimple that briefly appeared in his cheek. Morning stubble covered his jaw, giving him a roughened appearance. But it was the way he smiled at Linda, the way he listened intently to what she said, the way he appeared to focus solely on her when she spoke that softened him somewhat and made her respect him a bit more. She liked a man who gave a woman his full attention.

“Don’t go there,” she whispered to herself.

With a shake of her head, she walked with a determined stride to the screen door. The creak it made when she opened it alerted them to her presence, and both turned to stare at her. As she stepped onto the porch, she noticed how the sun highlighted the flecks of gray in Josh’s hair. She’d always had a weakness for older men, especially ones who had that salt-and-pepper look.

“I take it you’re Josh,” she said as the door slammed shut behind her with a
bang.

JOSH TRIED VERY hard not to let his surprise show. He wasn’t sure why, but from what Linda had said, he’d expected an older woman closer to his own age, not the twenty-something beauty standing before him.

Her dark blonde hair was pulled to the side in a long braid, but the streak of pure white running through the strands on the left side of her head made him wonder if she was born with it or if something terrible had caused it. Josh had heard of that but never met anyone who’d suffered through anything so horrendous.

Her eyes were older, wise beyond her years, and haunted in a way that made Josh’s gut clench. Besides the wisdom, her eyes were the most unusual shade of turquoise he’d ever seen. Her lips were full and pink, her skin fair and smooth.

If not for her eyes, he’d guess her age to be about twenty-eight or so. If he had to go by eyes alone, he’d guess fifty. She was leery of him—her stiff stance and standoffish manner made that clear.

“That would be me,” he said with a grin, trying to put her more at ease.

She licked her lips and let her gaze wander down his body and back up, assessing him, challenging him, maybe.

“Jennifer, be nice,” Linda admonished.

Jennifer smiled slightly at the older woman. “She’s right. I’m sorry.” She put her hand out as she stepped toward him. “I’m Jennifer Sanlin. It’s nice to meet you.”

Josh took her hand and almost jerked his back at the spark that ignited between them. Her soft gasp indicated she felt it too.

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