Jude grinned, one of those devastating smiles that left her legs as weak as two wet noodles. “This, I’ve got to hear. Exactly what does ‘not exactly’ mean?”
“Look, Callahan. We’ve been down this trail. My sex life is none of your damn business.”
Jude sighed. “Sorry.”
He didn’t look sorry. “I detest insincere apologies.”
“Well, you can’t blame me for being curious.” He changed the subject. “Let’s go over the facts one more time. There’s Willie Card, who admits he’s looking for the gems, but has no clue where they are. He denies murdering your parents, and you and I tend to believe him. Right?”
Kat nodded. “There are the men in the plane who shot at me, and the ones that climbed into the helicopter. Why were those two men hiding in the woods when the plane first flew over?”
“How many men did you see?”
“I couldn’t tell if they were men or women,” Kat admitted. “The sun was in my eyes. At the least, the pilot and the sniper in the plane. I’m positive only two came out of the woods and climbed into the helicopter. That makes four, plus the one flying the helicopter. So at least five. Could have been more in the plane and copter. I don’t understand where they fit into the puzzle.”
“What are your thoughts about Elizabeth and the guy she was with?”
Kat’s head snapped up. She saw only sympathy in his expression, and shrugged. “Elizabeth outright lied to me when I asked her if she’d been home recently. I would guess the man with her was Carl Winter.”
“Kat.” Something in his voice turned her stomach. “I haven’t been totally honest with you. He paused and took a deep breath.
Instinct told her she wasn’t going to like what he said.
“The Bureau has proof that Carl Winter and Willie Card have met several times since Willie’s release from prison. Two of those meetings took place at your sister’s apartment.”
Kat struggled to keep the surprise from her face. It wasn’t that difficult. She’d been doing it her entire life. Her heart skipped a few beats, and the familiar feeling of dread filtered through her body. “What else have you kept from me?”
“Nothing that comes to mind.”
“And that answer should make me feel all warm and cozy inside because…?”
“Look, Kat.” Jude rubbed his eyes. “We’re getting to know one another, and we’ve been thrust into a riled hornet’s nest. Let’s cut each other some slack.” His eyes looked bleary with fatigue.
Kat yielded to his plea, but added a warning. “We’ll try it your way. If, at any time, I discover you’re not being up front with me, you’d best watch your back.”
Jude smiled. “Warning duly noted. We need to know if Elizabeth is Winter’s pawn or if she’s a willing player.”
“Elizabeth and I have never been close. We’ve little in common, other than green eyes and the same parents.” Her mouth curved into a smile. “It hurts to think that she might be involved in something so vile, but, if I’m honest with myself, it wouldn’t shock me if she were.”
“I’m sorry.” Kat heard sincerity in his voice. “I’d feel miserable if it were my brother or sister. Apparently, your family wasn’t cut from the Ozzie and Harriet mold.”
“Good observation, Mr. FBI agent. What about your family? A rerun of Father Knows Best?”
A fleeting expression of pain passed over Jude’s face before he forced a laugh. “I thought so at one time, but, no, mine was just as dysfunctional as yours.”
“You have a brother and a sister. Where are they?”
“My brother works for the Bureau. We both followed in my Dad’s footsteps.”
“And your sister?”
Kat felt a twinge of envy at the tender look on Jude’s face. “Emily’s a sweetheart. She recently graduated from college and has an apartment in the city not far from me. She’s just accepted a job with a financial firm.”
They sat in companionable silence until the loons began their nightly symphony. Jude shivered. “Jesus, those birds give me the creeps. That caterwauling is worse than bagpipes at a funeral.”
Kat laughed. “That’s their ‘all’s well on the lake’ cry. I think it’s beautiful.”
Jude looked at her as if she were crazy. “I certainly don’t want to hear their ‘everything isn’t all right’ signal.”
Kat tilted her head. “You don’t know much about wood’s lore, do you, Callahan?”
“Of course not.”
Kat chuckled. He sounded proud of his ignorance. “What a shame. Perhaps by the time you leave, you’ll have a clearer understanding of Mother Nature.”
“Don’t count on it. It’s too noisy here. Reminds me of a jungle in some horror movie.”
“You’re not frightened, are you?”
“I’m not scared. I just don’t like it.”
At a loud bellowing from the woods behind the lodge, Jude jumped out of his chair. “What the hell is that?”
“You’re a wuss. It’s a moose. Probably a cow calling her calf.”
Jude leaned on the porch rail and stretched his long muscular legs out in front of him. “How do you live here?”
“What?” She’d been admiring his legs and missed the question.
“How do you live here?”
Astonished at the question, she stared at him. “It’s my home. I wouldn’t be happy living anywhere else.” Getting up, she started into the lodge. “Evenings in the mountains can get chilly. Let’s go inside.”
Kat lit a few candles and placed them on the table. “Now I’m curious, Callahan. Why would the Bureau send someone so at odds with the wilderness on this assignment? There must be at least one agent in Washington better qualified for the job.”
Jude’s scowl made Kat laugh. “But I’m glad they sent you because I find you amusing.”
“Gee, thanks,” Jude mumbled. “I need to call John Rowe. I tried my cell earlier, but it’s not picking up a signal.” He pointed to a small table sitting next to the kitchen counter. “Is that a phone over there?”
“It’s a radio phone.” He gave her a blank look. “I suppose for you high tech agents, it’s an antique. You push a button speak and then say ‘over’, release the button, and the person on the other end of line speaks. Come on, I’ll show you how to use it.”
Kat picked up the receiver and waited for a dial tone. She frowned. The line was dead. “I haven’t used it since I got back, but it should be working.” She pulled the unit forward to check the wires in the back. The sound of metal clanked on the floor. By her feet were several screws. “It’s been taken apart.”
“What?” Jude leaned over the table.
“I said—” She turned and found herself wedged tightly between the table and Jude’s hard body. Kat couldn’t look away from his eyes. The magnetism between them overwhelmed her. “It’s broken.” What in the world was wrong with her? Standing here behaving like an idiot unable to speak coherently.
Jude brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. “So soft,” he murmured.
The room became too warm. Still captivated by his eyes, her fingers gripped the underside of the table to stop herself from touching him. Pebble hard nipples tried to push their way through her T-shirt.
“Do I still amuse you?” Jude whispered, his gaze wandering over her face before dropping to her breasts. She lowered her eyes, hoping to hide her confusion.
Red’s pitiful whine broke the trance.
“I—I think he needs to go out,” Kat stuttered. “I’ll go shut off the generator for the night and take him with me.” Red wobbled out the door behind her, not fully recovered from the effects of the tranquilizer.
Once outside, Kat leaned against the side of the lodge and gulped mouthfuls of fresh air. Her legs trembled. Jesus. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined physical attraction between two people could be this strong–this overpowering. She’d wanted Jude to pull her down on the floor. Hell, she’d wanted to pull him down on the floor. This lack of
control had her more worried than the men in the plane who’d taken potshots at her.
Red made it to a tree and almost over when he lifted his leg. He ended up squatting like a puppy to relieve himself. Kat ran to shut down the generator and returned to the porch with Red by her side. Taking a deep breath for courage, she promised herself to stay away from Jude Callahan and especially to avoid looking into those damn cinnamon-colored eyes.
“Someone sabotaged the phone,” Jude commented, as she walked through the door.
“Are you sure?” Kat hurried to the table, making sure she kept a safe distance.
“See for yourself.” He waved his hand toward the back of the radio unit.
“Willie could have done it when he arrived this morning, but he’s the type who’d brag about what he’d done.”
“Since the buildings are unlocked, anyone has access.”
Kat turned away when he ran his hands through his hair. That’s what she wanted to do.
“Any other options for a phone, other than driving to Rockville?” Jude asked, his tone irritable.
Kat stepped into the kitchen area and poured herself a cup of coffee from the thermos sitting on the counter. “There’s a spot out on the lake marked with a buoy. Cell phones can usually pick up reception there.”
Jude groaned. “How far out?”
Kat shrugged her shoulders, sipped her coffee and watched him over the rim of her cup. “About a mile.”
“I’ll wait till tomorrow. My hands couldn’t take any more paddling today.”
“Blisters?” Kat walked over to him. “Let me see.” His hands were a mass of broken, bleeding blisters. “These could get infected. Come sit down. I’ll take care of them.”
“What? No wise comment about not wearing gloves?”
Kat gave him an understanding look over her shoulder before she rummaged through the first aid drawer. “It’s not an uncommon mistake, even for experienced canoeists. Eventually, your hands will toughen up after you paddle enough.”
“Fat chance of that.”
Kat spread a clean towel on the table. “Hands down, palms up.” Opening a square green can with red clovers on it, she applied a gummy, yellow salve to the broken blisters.
“What is this stuff?” He wrinkled his nose. “It smells awful.”
“Callahan,” Kat sighed, “stop whining. It’s Bag Balm.”
“Bag Balm? Never heard of it.”
“I’m not surprised. Probably not much use for it in WashingtonD.C. It’s an antiseptic made from natural herbs. What you smell is eucalyptus. Dairy farmers use it on cows when their udders get chafed. It’s been around over a hundred years.”
“Don’t you have anything normal, like Bacitracin?”
“No. Bag Balm is the best. Your hands will be as good as new tomorrow.”
Rubbing the ointment into Jude’s blisters got her thinking about rubbing other places on his body. This problem needed to be nipped in the bud.
“We need to talk about this—this thing between us.”
“And what thing might that be?” He asked her, in his slow lazy drawl.
“You know damn well what I’m talking about. Stop baiting me in a sexual way.”
“Whoa!” Jude held his salve covered hands in the air. “Wait just a damn minute. I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about.”
She clenched her jaw and stared at him. “Oh no? What do you call what happened this morning upstairs? And a few minutes ago, right here in this room?”
“I call it sexual attraction,” he answered. “And believe me, I don’t like it any more than you do.”
“Then stop provoking it.”
“It’s a two-way street, Kat. If we keep our baser instincts under control, we’ll be fine. Think you can manage that?”
Kat expected to see amusement on his face, but he looked as rattled as she was. “I can do that.” Even as the words left her mouth, she wondered if she spoke the truth.
The man sitting next to her stirred feelings she hadn’t been aware of until today. Feelings she had no control over. “How about you? Think you can manage it?” She threw his question back at him.
“I’ll give it my best shot,” he mumbled in the middle of a yawn. “Right now I need some shut eye. It’s been a long, tiring two days. I hope it’s a quiet night. I’ve had enough excitement.”
“I’ll go upstairs and get your bag. You can sleep on the couch, or, if you prefer, you can have the cabin next to the lodge.” Kat’s foot touched on the first stair when Jude spoke.
“I’m sleeping upstairs with you.”
She turned to face him. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” Kat recognized the look on his face as his stubborn look.
“I don’t think so,” she said in a deceptively soft voice. “The couch or the cabin. Those are your choices.”
“Be sensible, Kat. It’s important we stay together. I’m not suggesting we share the same bed, as exciting as I know that would be. I saw two beds in that room. I’m sure you have enough self-control to stay in your own bed.”
“Why you—” Kat started towards him ready to do battle.
“Keep your distance.” Hands held as if to fend her off, he backed away, his eyes full of mischief. “Or we’ll end up on the floor tearing off each other’s clothes.”
Chapter 5
Jude braced himself for a fight. One he was determined to win.
“Fine. Sleep upstairs. I’m too tired to argue with you.” With a toss of her head, she ran up the stairs.
Brave but reckless. Stubborn, yet yielding when he least expected it. Beautiful, but no self-esteem. If she were any other woman, he’d doubt her sincerity, but he didn’t think Kat had a clue how to play those types of games. Had she lived in her sister’s shadow for so many years that she had no idea of her own self-worth?
The sooner he resolved this gem theft, the better. This woman was under his skin like chiggers making him itch, and a relationship between them wouldn’t work. They might as well jump in a car and drive eighty miles an hour down a dead end road. LoonLake was her home and his nightmare.
The chemistry between them set sparks flying if they came within two feet of each other. It was only a matter of time before there was spontaneous combustion. His mouth went dry at the thought of making love to her.
He walked to the front door, fingering the heavy oak, curious why no one had ever installed an inside lock. Constructing a barricade should be a top priority. The thought of coming downstairs in the morning and finding someone else sitting at the table gave him the creeps.
He reached down and patted Red on the head. “Let us know if someone’s out there, boy.” The dog lifted his head and groaned, then thumped his tail.
Jude took the stairs two at a time, thinking Kat should be in bed by now. The bathroom door was still closed, so he dropped on one of the twin beds. He didn’t have long to wait. His heart skipped several beats when she emerged from the bathroom. The contrast of her dusky skin against the thin white cotton nightgown mesmerized him. She moved through the moonlit shadows, reminding him of Natalie Wood in her classic movie role. He wouldn’t have been surprised if Kat broke into song. In an attempt to get his body under control, he flipped over, putting his back to the bed she climbed into.
“Goodnight, G.I. Jane,” he whispered.
“Humphh.”
Jude smiled into his pillow. Good girl. Stay mad. It’s safer that way. Thirty minutes later, sleep still eluded him. His eyes wouldn’t stay closed, so he listened to frogs, owls, loons, and God only knew what other animal noises.
Kat’s voice startled him. “What’s this problem you have with women, Callahan?” He ignored her softly asked question, pretending to sleep.
She called his bluff. “I know you’re awake.”
Damn.
“Why do you dislike women?”
He turned over and faced her. The beds were too close for comfort. “It’s too damn bright in here,” he growled. “Why aren’
t there shades on the windows?”
“Because I enjoy watching the night sky. It’s almost as good as sleeping under the stars.”
“Figures,” he muttered, wishing she’d shut up and go to sleep.
“Stop avoiding my question,” she persisted. “What do you have against women?”
The moonlight enabled him to see the outline of her body. She was on her side, looking toward him. His gaze ran down her body, lingering on the indentation of her waist, the slight flaring of her hip. God, she was beautiful with her dark hair spread over the white pillowcase. She looked younger than twenty-seven.
He sighed, accepting defeat. Kat was like a dog with a bone, and he doubted she’d go to sleep until she had answers. “What makes you think I hate women? Haven’t I been nice to you?”
“It was obvious from the first moment I saw you. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” He heard no anger in her voice, merely curiosity. “And earlier this evening your tone was snide when you spoke about the type of women you date. Oh, and I believe you said you’d never get married. Usually, men who shy away from marriage do so for a reason.”
“Jesus, do you carry a tape recorder around with you?” Jude asked. “Let’s say I don’t have the highest regard for women, but I don’t hate them. As a matter of fact, I find them extremely enjoyable on occasion.”
“Because you enjoy sex doesn’t mean you like women.”
The pitch of his voice rose a few decibels. “Look, Jane. I’m tired and don’t want to discuss my opinions of women. Go to sleep.”
“Not until you answer me.” Jude’s heart hit his ribs and bounced off his backbone when she swung her legs over the side of the bed and walked towards him.
“What the hell are you doing?” he croaked. “Get back in bed.” True to form, she ignored him and sat on the end of the mattress.
“Well?” she prompted. “If we’re spending time together, I need to know what makes you tick.”
“Get back in your own bed, and we’ll discuss it. But I want you to know,” he warned, “I’m getting freaking sick and tired of always giving in to you.”
Her small feet padded back across the floor. She lay down on the outside of the covers, once again facing him. Jude rolled on his back so he wouldn’t have to look at her.
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